it wasn't terrible but....

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I'm on the fence, it wasn't a terrible listen, but i'll probably avoid Deacon Lee narrations in the future.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

The ending could have been better, i didn't really feel like there was closure, because a lot could still go wrong, more fights or complications, we are kind of left to assume they have a happy ever after.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

I think so!

Was Wicked Sexy Liar worth the listening time?

Yes.

Any additional comments?

I thought that Luke's character was extremely whiney, in my opinion their story wasn't necessary, but that being said- it wasn't a bad one, I just felt like i was waiting for something to happen & it never came, no huge drama's (which I appreciate sometimes!) but it just felt like it was dragged on when so many other things could have been happening to make it interesting.

5 people found this helpful

cute

This author, or should I say these authors, are some of my favorites. I've read and listened to the entire beautiful series as well as the wild seasons and as always the books are adorable and funny, cute and easy.
That being said....
Here's the thing about them, they tend to be repetitive, which is great if you aren't reading the whole series or you're reading out of order, but if you're reading them the way I do, as soon as they come out, it can be a little off putting. The whole dynamic of the series revolves around this group and they tend to run parallel so you find yourself basically re-reading something that you already had before. Sometimes it's nice to see the other side of a scenario, sometimes it's frustrating. The characters aren't deep.
The real hang up I had with this one, and actually probably all of them, is that you drown in details. I don't need to know how to make a vodka gimlet, I don't need to know every single thing that's in a room and I don't need to know every single over exaggerated feeling everyone has. It swamps you. It may just be me, but honestly, it's overwhelming and I zone out.
Now, if you can get passed it, the book is great. It's fun, and it made me laugh. I'm in my thirties so the early twenty-somethings tend to be a tad cliche with the whole girl friend- zones player, player falls in love and chases, nerdy girl resists kind of way, and it's pretty drama free. Light. Pretty much, the problems that kids fresh out of college worry about before the world becomes real. They are all super adorable and charming and I really think that's why I still love these books despite the obvious flaws.



I love to read, I love to listen to the audiobooks, and I always check the reviews to decide if it's a book worth while. By all means, I think this one is worth the listen, but seriously, the first few chapters are a hill to get over before you finally get lost in the story and forget about all that is annoying. It's a fun, easy listen that really is pretty adorable in that aw to be young kind of way.

5 people found this helpful

Witty Banter, Poetic, Hot Love Scenes - A+ story!

I absolutely loved this book. I don't understand any of the lackluster reviews. I think this book is SOLID Christina Lauren, and shows the growth and development of their writing. My long-time favorite of theirs was Sweet Filthy Boy, and Wicked Sexy Liar came in a close second. The banter between Luke and London is witty, flirty and dirty - really awesome and engaging. The storyline is realistic, with appropriate, uncontrived angst, meaning the angst comes from real life jealousies, doubts and insecurities and not from 'surprise' pregnancies, 'mistaken' infidelities, or wicked, manipulative parents. The main characters are real, fleshed out, show growth, and are 'want-to-know-them' worthy. Grams is a stitch. All the key 'supporting' characters provide a solid structural foundation to the main characters, a tie-in to the other books of this series and a healthy perspective on the whole story arc. The sex scenes are pretty hot - though not over-the-top-porn-crap. I felt like the authors tried to be a bit more poetically sensual in this book, and I think it worked. Sex scenes were written in such a way that they were very erotic by virtue of the intense feelings that accompanied them, and the vivid descriptions of those feelings, both emotional and physical. I think both narrators did a fairly good job; I especially liked chapter 14, narrated by Deacon Lee. It was so sensual and poetically written and his delivery was perfect for those very intimate, personal feelings of Luke. It was a compelling read, and one I'll likely do again.

4 people found this helpful

Narrator problem or a flat story line?

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

No

Would you be willing to try another book from Christina Lauren? Why or why not?

Always

Would you be willing to try another one of Deacon Lee and Olivia Song ’s performances?

No

Do you think Wicked Sexy Liar needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

I think that Christina Lauren should keep on writing the books that they are inspired to write whether or not they are follow-ups.

Any additional comments?

The first Christina Lauren book I listened to was Sweet Filthy Boy. It was such an amazing combination of sexy romance and humor with a good story line. It is still my favorite of all the Christina/Lauren duad's books, although I have really enjoyed many of their others. So I was waiting with great anticipation for Wicked Sexy Liar. All through listening to it I've been doing that internal debate we readers do when an author (s) we love puts out a book we don't love. How do we rate a book we're not liking when we also recognize the skill and creativity that has gone into it?

The story seemed rather flat to me and Luke and London were not particularly interesting as characters. I had really liked the London character in the previous books in this series, so it was disappointing. Luke had been a shadow character, and I do think the authors did a good job of redeeming his character, which had been darkened in the other books (in my opinion). There was a good plot and it was developed well but I ended up being rather bored and impatient, listening simply to finish rather than to enjoy. It just was not up to the standards I've come to expect from Christina Lauren.

That said, I still think the quality of the writing of Wicked Sexy Liar is way beyond that of most romance fiction being written today. There are no stupid misunderstandings, the characters feel real, the situations feel real. So I have to wonder what left me so cold throughout most of the book?

One crucial thing that really detracted from the book for me were the narrators. Christina Lauren's previous books have been read by pros. I was blown away by Shayna Thibideau's voices, especially Ansel's in Sweet Filthy Boy. She was a huge piece of why that book was so fun to listen to. So I have to say that Olivia Song in particular just wasn't good enough for this book. Her voice did have the sort of youthful sound that could have made a good London, but she just doesn't have the maturity or the nuance to even do a good job of all of the emotional changes that London goes through, and her voices of the other characters (many of whom we fans know well by now) are just plain painful to hear. Deacon Lee does a better job, although his voice is not one that is particularly sexy; he did improve through the book and his sex scenes felt more genuine. His non-Luke characters' voices were not great.

So I have to say, once again, that it is crucial to a book that the right narrators are chosen carefully. I can't imagine that Christina Lauren and their publishers don't know this and don't have a choice of the best in the business. So I think it was perhaps a miscasting which can happen to the best of productions. But sadly, this is not a book I will want to listen to again, which is not the case with any other of the Christina Lauren books. Every other one is a fun and easy listen.

I am giving the story 4 stars because I think behind the unfortunate narration is probably at least a 4 star story. I always want to give authors the benefit of the doubt, and I do plan to read the Kindle version to see if I find it to be better appreciated that way.

6 people found this helpful

Meh! Could take it or leave it.

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

No. This book wasn't necessary. It felt like the author outstayed her welcome -- like an attempt to string the story along longer than necessary. There was final resolution with the original characters in the first three books. In fact, in the previous books when London is first introduced, it already felt forced. This was a continuation of the same. I was not intrigued by the main characters.

Would you be willing to try another book from Christina Lauren? Why or why not?

Definitely. If the characters speak to me.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Deacon Lee and Olivia Song ?

Deacon Lee was fine, but Olivia Song's voice was grating. And her Australian and French accents left something to be desired.

Do you think Wicked Sexy Liar needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

No. No. No. No. No. No. No. I cannot say no enough. Not need to keep beating a dead horse.

Any additional comments?

Although I was not impressed with this book, I do have to state that Christina Lauren is brilliant. Her character development is unparalleled.

1 person found this helpful

Another solid Christina Lauren book.

I have listened to this entire series and this book is another hit on the target for Christina Lauren. I love how these books have a lot of the same formula but the characters are so different that you fall in love with them every time. If you enjoyed any Christina Lauren's in the past, Luke and London's story will not disappoint. I love their tie in to the previous 3 books and I enjoyed catching up with those characters to see how their relationships have progressed.
Deacon Lee, while not one of my narrators, gives a good performance and Olivia Song is great as London.
I would recommend spending a credit on this.

1 person found this helpful

Good, but not her best.

This was a struggle to finish. Too much sex and not enough plot. Unlike the others in the series, London the heroine's main focus was Luke. She only had Luke going on with career stuff in the background. It made her feel like part of her story was missing.

1 person found this helpful

For the younger crowd...

I am a BIG fan of the Beautiful series and I did like Mia and Harlowe's stories in this series but the last two were just ok for me, this story, like the last, seemed like just a struggle for the couple to get together, they finally worked it out and that was it. There were bits of CL's humor here, but not much else they are known for, it feels time for this series to end.

1 person found this helpful

Not my favorite in the series.

This needed some drama. it plodded along with a predictable pattern. I actually put it down and went onto something else before finishing it. Something I never do.

1 person found this helpful

Narration ruins the story ....

I love this series ..... I liked the story .... but the narration especially the male narration is just terrible. I suggest reading instead.

1 person found this helpful