Intro to a PNR series with a fun goth club setting

This audiobook includes both the prequel short story (Cursed) and the first novella (Smolder) in Lisa Carlisle’s Underground Encounters series.

I wasn’t crazy about Cursed. I didn’t feel like I knew and liked the gargoyle brothers enough to care about what happened to them. The story does provide some background for the rest of the series though.

I enjoyed Smolder more. I like the Vamps club as a setting and enjoyed the references to music and fashion. I enjoyed how the story was told in Nike and Michel’s alternating first person point of view. You really have to suspend disbelief at times, but if you can do that, it’s a fun steamy romance.

This book contains obscenities, violence, and explicit sexual content. If that won’t bother you and you like the idea of urban fantasy/paranormal romance stories set in a goth club, this is a light, entertaining read.

Bridget Bordeaux’s narration was competent. She has a pleasant voice and it was fun to hear her different accents, but I felt like her pace and emphasis were a bit off at times.

I was given a free copy of this audiobook by the author and volunteered to provide an honest review.

2 people found this helpful

Vampires and humans

Michael, an older vampire from France owns several businesses in the US. One is a rock climbing club and another is a nightclub called Vamps. He has hired several gargoyles he knew in France for protection at his club and for himself since he has enemies. He has met Niki, a woman firefighter, at his rock climbing club and is fascinated by her. When he sees her at Vamps with her friend, he moves in, trying to get her attention. Will he get her to want to spend time with him or will his enemies ruin everything ? Great love story, well written with surprises on occasion.

Great stories

I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook, narration is also good. Would definitely recommend. Hope you enjoy.

Original and Captivating!

This audiobook includes cursed, the prequel of the Underground Encounters Series. This short story is interesting and entertaining! The three gargoyle shifters brothers, Danton, Lucan, and Mattias, are great and intriguing characters. The story is original, and captivating, and filled with dark magic, and twists and turns. I can't wait to listen to their story later in the series (books 5, 8 and 9). Smolder is the first book in the Series. Michel and Nike's story is fast paced, and interesting. Bridget Bordeaux did a good job with the narration. #AudiobooksUnleashed

Gargoyle Bodyguards and their Vampire Boss

Rating: ❤❤❤❤
Heat Rating: 🔥🔥🔥
Narrator Performance: 🎧🎧🎧

This edition of Smolder contains the prequel to the Underground Encounters series, Cursed.

CURSED ••• ❤❤❤❤
Cursed is the prequel to the Underground Encounters series. The series revolves around a goth club called Vamps.

This delightful little story is about three of the stone gargoyles that decorate the club and how they got there. They're actually cursed shifters, brothers, and will eventually get their own stories later on in the series. I loved the repartee between the brothers and thought it was fantastic. I found myself grinning at their comments and actions more than once. And while the idea of a curse trapping shifters in one form or another isn't original the details of this specific curse were. As was it's interesting loophole.

I think that the author captured her readers' attention enough with this short novella to ensure that they'll keep on reading the series. That is, after all, the purpose of a story like this. I think that it's a cool world that Carlisle has created and I know that I'm interested in learning more about it.

SMOLDER ••• ❤❤❤❤
Smolder is the story of Vamps club owner, Michel and firefighter, Nike. I liked it but not quite as much as Cursed. The two stories had totally different feels to them. That's to be expected considering only Smolder is a romance. Unfortunately though I couldn't get the feel of Cursed out of my system as I started listening to this. I think that it threw off the flow of my experience.

Both Michel and Nike were likeable characters in my opinion. However nothing really stood out about them for me. I liked that she was a firefighter. I haven't come across a female firefighter in one of my reads prior to this. And I totally agreed with her "get over it" reaction to the conflict and villain of the story.

Carlisle kept up the pace in this PNR novella. There was a lot going on and she kept me entertained. Plus there were some great action scenes!

ABOUT THE NARRATOR ••• 🎧🎧🎧
Although parts of Bridget Bordeaux's performances delighted me others did not. I loved her portrayal of Nike's friend, Maya. Also her accents were good for the brothers. The other parts of her performance, like pacing and acting, were enjoyable but I think they need some working on.

*Voluntarily reviewed. Review copy provided by the author.

Great Story!!

This audiobook has two books in one—the prequel to the series, and Smolder, which is book one of the Underground Encounters series. Both stories are excellent and will keep you captivated as each of the two stories unfold. There’s lots of suspense in both stories, and I look forward to listening to the next books in this excellent series. The narrator did an outstanding job in bringing this story to life, and I enjoyed listening to her narration of the two books in this selection.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Great story and good narration

This was a new to me narrator and a story that I had read and LOVED! It was a good performance, there were some parts that the flow and tone was a bit off, but she did amazing with the accents! Her accents and male voices were absolutely fantastic, I loved them. The story was great and I loved how we got the little prequel with it at the beginning (Yay, more accents!) Looking forward to listing to the rest of the series and more of Lisa Carlisle's books in audio!

There's only one nightclub like this one

Nike and her best friend go out for a Halloween night of dancing at a club that caters to those who don't quite fit in with everyone else. When Nike sees the man she has been crushing on and he actually talks to her, she is in heaven. Unfortunately, the man has enemies, really really old enemies who have been looking for him. An explosion, a fire, a fight between ancient beings - and Nike is caught in the middle.

I was given a copy of this audiobook by the author. I do own the ebook version. My review is voluntary.

Two Books for the Price of One

This audiobook contained two stories the first told the tale of three Gargoyle shifter brothers who were cursed by a witch. The curse meant that they were forever trapped within their stone forms unable to move or shift at will. They discovered by chance that if someone needed their help they were able to shift and would remain free in their human forms for 24 hours. The story was interesting and set the scene for when Michel a vampire acquaintance of theirs decides to open a nightclub in America and asks them to go with him as bouncers/bodyguards inside the club. The brothers decide to go as there is more chance of their help being needed there than in their quiet village in France.

The nightclub in question is Vamps and it's there that the second book Smolder takes place. I loved this hot, steamy sexy story The name is just perfect for the story! Nike, named after a Greek God and not the sporting brand, is a female firefighter who loves to hang out at a club which is more than it seems. Every chance she and her friend Maya get they go there to relax and dance off the strain of their demanding jobs.

She is approached at the bar by an incredibly sexy man she recognises from her rock climbing club and decides to take a chance and be alone with him. It turns out that he owns the club and several other ventures but before they have a chance to get to know each other better the club is bombed and she and Maya help with the evacuation. Whilst this is happening Michele is fighting with the two cloaked figures who attacked his bar. He and Nike managed to get away from them but for how long?

It's great to have such a strong and determined female lead in a story. I NEVER give spoilers so if you have read the 'blurb' there's not much more I can say without giving things away - except that this is a very quick well-written story which I would gladly have given a higher score if I could.

The narration by Bridget Bordeaux was well done and added to my enjoyment of this book.

I was given this audiobook as a gift and am voluntarily writing my review.

2 Female Firefighters, Vampire, Gargoyles

In this Audible book you get the Prequel Story about the 3 Gargoyle Brothers history. In Smolder The story starts with 2 Female Firefighters after work going out to a dance club to blow off Steam. I think the story line is good but very descriptive Sex, which I do not care for myself, but since the story is good stuck with it.
Narrator did French accents well. I will listen to the next book "Fire" but if it is Extremely descriptive sexually, though I like storyline will probably stop there.