The Best Man

Clever and romantic with great characters

STORY (contemporary romance) - As you might guess by the cover art, much of this story takes place in and around wine country, someplace in New York. Faith (the main character) has a large family, and each member has his own quirky personality or situation that keeps the story interesting. The summary suggests that Faith is left at the altar, but it doesn't say why and I won't either. Let me just say it's another interesting component to this cute romance. There's lots of clever dialogue between characters which will make you giggle, and then there's a hilarious scene involving a restroom window which will make you laugh out loud.

I loved the romance in the story. Levi is dreamy and sexy, but the author never really "goes there" with long, explicit descriptions of sexual acts. While there are some pretty hot scenes, they're tasteful and romantic as opposed to graphic. (I like both kinds equally well).

PERFORMANCE - Amy Rubinate reads one of my favorite series, The Selection. This is not a difficult performance, but I love her sultry voice and she does a good job.

OVERALL (Actual rating 4.5) - This book has sexual situations and lots of talk about Faith's "rack" but otherwise is fairly tame compared to most romance novels. There's some mild curse words (mainly $hit) but not a lot. If you like clever contemporary romance, I'd definitely check this one out.

11 of 11 people found this review helpful

3 ½ stars. Good story.

But I did not like the audiobook narrator.

It was a nice way to pass the time if you’re in the mood for contemporary romance. It has a bit of a chick lit feel.

Levi never expresses his feelings. He acts and looks like he doesn’t like Faith. She’s the trusting one who falls for him and continues being with him even though he doesn’t say the right words. All she knows is that he desires her physically. I wish he opened up more at the end.

I loved early on in the book the way rich kid Jeremy became friends with Levi whose mom was low income and single. My heart melted over their friendship.

AUDIOBOOK NARRATOR - Amy Rubinate.
She was good when speaking dialogue. She has a nice soft feminine voice, but her voice for general narration and descriptions was monotone - like reading without thinking. Not good.

Genre: contemporary romance.

11 of 12 people found this review helpful

Great family drama with lots of romance and humor

I really enjoyed this book. It was really funny, realistic and a very well developed romance. I felt like I really got to know all the different characters and saw them as realistic because they were all flawed. I can even see this book becoming a really fun rom-com movie. I definitely recommend this book.

9 of 11 people found this review helpful

The Best Man

This is an enjoyable story with some twists and turns. The author included enough story. It seemed slow in some parts but I think that may have had more to do with the narration. I enjoyed this book about this family with interesting sub plots. It has some humor. The beginning was good. It was good middle of road book. Nothing over the top, interesting subplots making you want to stay with book. The narrator at times seemed really good but she has that breathy voice, it can become tiresome. I bought this for the weekend listen. It's worth the credit.

9 of 11 people found this review helpful

Great story - Clean romance - Funny

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

YES - If you are a fan of romantic comedy - this is for you.

What did you like best about this story?

The connection between all the characters worked perfectly

What about Amy Rubinate’s performance did you like?

Her inflections - Perfect for each character - I could feel Levi's agitation and amusement as well as Faith's awkwardness and determination.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The writing was great - the emotions of Faith, her guilt

Any additional comments?

Faith returns home to contribute to her family's vineyard but only plans to stay for a few weeks. Well, there is no place like home and once there, she can't really remember why she should stay away. It is hard being back in to the town where everyone witnessed your downfall - being left at the alter by her high school sweetheart - Jeremy.The painintheass Levi is EVERYWHERE Faith looks. He is also a painful reminder of everything (Jeremy) she lost. Levi is the reason she is not happily married. He ruined her wedding (at least in her mind). Levi wants NOTHING to do with Princess. She is so innocent and blind, she could not see what was right in front of her.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Enjoyed a lot!

This was really cute...I laughed a lot! From the sample, I was afraid I would hate the narrator, but she wasn't bad. I liked her male voices.

7 of 9 people found this review helpful

Funny, flawed characters and great, dry dialogue.

If you could sum up The Best Man in three words, what would they be?

Funny, Smart, Complex

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Best Man?

One of the most memorable moments of The Best Man is when the groom comes out to the bride while at the alter, at the urging of the best man.

What about Amy Rubinate’s performance did you like?

Amy Rubinate does a great job in differentiating characters and the voice of the male love interest is particularly engaging and sexy.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

This book made me laugh out loud several times. Kristan Higgins does a great job of writing internal monologue and revealing her characters vulnerabilities.

Any additional comments?

Kristan Higgins writes funny multidimensional characters and sharp, hilarious dialogue. If you are a romance fan who likes that kind of thing, you can't go wrong with KH. This particular book had many passages that made me laugh out loud. The edginess of the relationships gives a lovely realism to the story while keeping a great resolution that comes about as the result of psychological healing. KH is one of my must-read authors.

7 of 9 people found this review helpful

Sorry I couldn't get past the second chapter

What didn’t you like about Amy Rubinate’s performance?

I did not - the book may have been ok, but I could not keep listening her inflections were so annoying and fake.....

6 of 8 people found this review helpful

EASY, CAPTIVATING LISTEN!!!

I go through spells of listening to fast paced, blood and gore mystery novels and then I have to turn to easy listening for a short period. Which is what I consider this wonderful book. IMO, this story is complex enough to capture one's attention and is yet easy to follow. It's a "feel good" novel with a great ending! Kristan Higgins reminds me very much of Robyn Carr's style of story telling and I've read/listened to everything that R. Carr has written. I'm so glad I found Kristan Higgins.

As for Amy Rubinate, she's a wonderful narrator with great talent for distinguishing the voices of each character. You always know who's talking to who!!

Good job Kristan and Amy! This book is a great introduction to the Blue Heron series and SOOOO worth the credit!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Fun, loving and sweet story

Where does The Best Man rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

As a very good listening experience. I was always anxious to turn it back on.

What other book might you compare The Best Man to and why?

I am not good at comparing but it had a fun story. I laughed several times and just really enjoyed it.

Which scene was your favorite?

There were many but probably when they first kiss as teenagers.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When he takes care of her and explains how her accident happened. It was so sweet.

Any additional comments?

Really enjoyed this book but I love a good love story with a happy ending.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful