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Toe the Line cover art

Toe the Line

By: Penelope Ward
Narrated by: Erin Mallon,Jacob Morgan
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Summary

From New York Times best-selling author Penelope Ward comes a friends-to-lovers story spanning more than a decade....

At first, I thought I’d hate spending the summer with Archie Remington—the conceited son of my parents’ friends. What I knew about Archie: He was gorgeous, pre-law, and had always treated me like I didn’t exist when we were younger. When our families bought a house together on an island in Maine, he and I were forced to share a bathroom.

The boy I remembered was now a full-grown man—but with the same attitude. After a rough start, Archie and I unexpectedly started getting along one day and eventually became friends. We shared secrets and bonded during our morning jogs. I discovered that Archie had a wild spirit and that he struggled to conform to his father’s expectations.

Things were cool until I had to go and ruin it, getting drunk one night, and blurting out my fantasy—involving him.

I took it back, but it was too late. Archie had heard me loud and clear. After that, we never quite knew how to toe the line. When that summer came to an abrupt and shocking end, I headed back to college, unsure if anything would ever be the same again. Across the miles over the years, he and I stayed in touch as friends, but fate and timing always kept us from becoming more.

You know the saying: If two people are meant to be, they’ll find their way back to each other?

Let’s just say Archie came back into my life in a way I would’ve never expected. And this time, my heart would really be put to the test.

©2022 Penelope Ward (P)2023 Penelope Ward
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: Romance

What listeners say about Toe the Line

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A second chance at love

Erin Mallon and Jacob Morgan narrate this friends to lovers, second chance at romance love story perfectly. Two of my favourite narrators bringing the story to life. I always find myself upset when a story doesn’t go the way I want it to, so I was upset quite a bit throughout this story. Why? Because Archie and Noelle waited years to get their happy ever after, and if I’d have had my way they wouldn’t have had any significant others, but I’m no author, and my story would have been boring. This is far from boring. It’s beautifully written, perfectly narrated, and has just enough angst and drama to keep you entertained throughout. Will they, won’t they? When, how, why. I loved it.

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Another Winner by Penelope Ward

Penelope Ward, how do you do what you do. Archie and Noelle are the true definition of delayed love. Toe the Line is absolutely amazing, well written, well narrated.

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Loved

I really enjoyed this book great story and characters definitely one of my new favorites from Penelope Ward, the narrators did a great job

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Mind Blowingly Brilliant …

Seriously mind blowing! Be prepared to feel every emotion known to man with this magnificent book. Penelope’s best by far. The main characters, Archie and Noelle, have the most complicated story I’ve ever read. I felt over powering lust, love, sadness, shock, pity, irritation, frustration, adoration - the list of emotions is endless. Without ruining the story I will say it’s the most compelling read/listen I’ve encountered so much so I listened to it in one sitting as I couldn’t stop. This is a MUST read. Enjoy.

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  • Mom and Wife who loves romance😍
  • 28-02-23

Overall pretty good.

Here's my take on this story. Sometimes you can have to many bad things happen in a story and it will totally turn you off. The story started off great loved the character building and the development along the way. Then boom bad after bad after bad. It's like geesh how much sadness are you going to give us before we completely stop listening. In this story I feel as if the bad was drawn out and it was not enough good. Then towards the end everything wanted to fall into place but it happened very quickly. Then boom again I mean come on you guys could have truly given them all of a happily ever after. Overall it was just an ok story with steamy scenes and great narration. Had so much potential but limited by the over use of terrible things happening. My stars are for narration mostly and the good parts of this story.

4 people found this helpful

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  • Amazon Customer
  • 02-03-23

Definitely a slow burn

Overall it was a good book, probably my least favorite though. Seemed pretty sad the whole way through and I struggled to finish it.

2 people found this helpful

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  • LexiMuse
  • 07-05-23

Summer love that drags on

This story should have been called bad timing. A surprisingly sensitive college aged playboy and a beautiful but sheltered 18 year old spend a summer getting to know each other emotionally and physically when their parents share a home on a getaway island in Maine. Sadly they spend the next 12 years with missed opportunities and frustrating partial communications. Even the epilogue felt frustrating - like it needed more. The narration was good but doesn’t warrant wasting the time or money on it.

1 person found this helpful

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  • Dogluv
  • 01-03-23

Great narration! Story. . . Ok

I’m a big fan of the author and narrators. This story was just ok for me. I have a really hard time when characters fail to express their feelings and unfortunately these characters did just that FOR THE WHOLE BOOK! It was so frustrating that I had a hard time continuing the book and almost gave up. But like I said I like the narrators, I’d listen to Zachary Webber read the phone book, so I finished listening.

1 person found this helpful

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  • mamatina08
  • 01-06-23

Great friends to lovers book

The fear these two characters have to let their true feelings be known and the chances they don’t take make this a great story. The performances of Jacob Morgan and Erin Mallon break you so perfectly. As always you get to hear Jacob’s perfect like kid voice.

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  • Lillady_621
  • 31-05-23

Love Archie and Noelle

Noelle and Archie grew up together, they have been best friends but under the surface each have had unresolved feelings for one another. When she receives a wedding invitation of his upcoming wedding she is floored. Then the reason for the impending nuptials really rocks her. This is an emotional read, from Archie's relationship with his dad, Noelle and his soon to be wife. Then there is Noelle and her desire to have a baby and her love for Archie. I did both the ebook and audio and of course the narrators enhanced the story.

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  • Annaluvs2read
  • 28-05-23

BEST friends to lovers book I have read in a while

Oh my gosh I fell in love with Noelle and Archie from page one. I loved how they became friends the banter, feistiness, and chemistry they had was great. I loved how neither wanted to jeopardize their friendship but was totally in love with one another. Their journey to happiness will have you in tears at times. The life challenges they faced really put their friendship to the test. This book is a must read.
I listened to the audible version as well and Erin Mallon and Jacob Morgan delivered on outstanding performance. This is so worth the credit.

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  • Jessica
  • 19-05-23

Not Worth the Time or $

Way too slow, way too long. It’s the same situation over and over and over for years and years. They toe the line for way too long that it becomes frustrating and made me loose interest. And the male narrator’s voice for the child is beyond obnoxious I couldn’t listen to it, I had to fast forward every scene he did that voice.

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  • Erin
  • 19-05-23

worst performance unfortunately.

I don't normally write reviews but I really had a hard time listening to this. She had the worst performance for this. His was alright.

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  • Amazon Customer
  • 18-05-23

Really Enjoyed this book!

I felt this book was realistic and entertaining. The struggles in life and different paths you could take but fate always shines through!