Author: Mary Calmes
Narrator: Tristan James
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Run Time: 7 Hours, 25 Minutes
At a Glance: What can I say about Tristan James? I have heard this narrator before, and my expectations were high. As usual he didn’t disappoint me.
Reviewed By: Amy
Blurb: Only a privileged few know L’Ange’s head of security Arman de Soto is a shifter, and even fewer know he’s been systematically killing off a pack of werewolves. The reason for this vengeance is a secret Arman trusts with no one, quite the opposite of his obvious longtime pursuit of the château’s overseer, Linus Hobbes. Despite Arman’s reputation as a loner, the only thing he needs to complete his life is Linus. Predator and prey just don’t mix—but Arman won’t give him up.
Linus has lived alone for more than seven years, sheltered at L’Ange under an assumed name and hiding secrets of his own, including his terrifying attraction to the most dangerous man he’s ever met. Arman knows Linus should be afraid of the predator stalking him, but Linus is still drawn to him like a moth to a flame, no matter how much he tries to deny his instincts. It’s not until Linus’s past and Arman’s crusade exposes their secrets and opens L’Ange to attack that Arman realizes waiting any longer is a risk he just can’t take. So he’ll have to take his quest to the source of the threat in a gamble to protect L’Ange, Linus, and any future they might have together.
Review: Mary Calmes is my favorite author in this genre, and Fighting Instinct just reaffirms this. She has a way of writing characters you fall in love with and cannot forget, and she shows us how sometimes family can be created and not born into. Mary Calmes creates an entire world of eclectic people of all shapes and sizes. These lost souls find sanctuary and create a family in a small town in Maine.
It is very hard to surprise me with a book. After reading the first book in the L’Ange series, I thought this book would be about Tucker Flynn and Arman de Soto. I think all of the readers of this series were surprised when it turned out, instead, to focus on Arman and Linus Hobbes. This was a most pleasant surprise.
I am an absolute sucker for the good/bad guy. One of the lines in this book that really resonated with me was, “You are the good guy of my story but the bad guy of another.” Calmes gives a master class in how to write a character that inspires every single emotion possible. Arman is a stone cold killer, and throughout this book he never deviates from this. He is also a kind, giving, and possessive man who takes care of those who he calls his. I adore Arman and loved listening to his interactions with Linus and his team.
Linus starts off as a somewhat aloof character. I heard Linus bloom before my ears. A somewhat skittish, broken man, Linus transforms not only in spirit but in tangible ways throughout this story, as a result of the constant love and devotion Arman shows him over a seven year period. Linus and Arman fit together wonderfully, and the journey they take is perfectly sculpted.
Narration: What can I say about Tristan James? I have heard this narrator before, and my expectations were high. As usual he didn’t disappoint me. His sexy-as-sin voice and acting ability brings Mary Calmes’s world to life. He has just the right pacing, and I am never in doubt of who is speaking. I was excited to get in my car before and after work for my commute so I could keep listening. Now, I am going through withdrawals. Now, I wait with anticipation for the next installment.
You can buy Fighting Instinct here:
I haven’t listened to this particular audio but have to agree Tristan James doesn’t disappoint. Have listened to other audios by him and has done an awesome job.
Mary Calmes and Tristan James are a perfect combination. I really enjoyed listening to this book!