Chasing Forever: A Beachside Romance, Book 1


SUSPENSE/THRILLER:  Maddie was looking forward to a career as a lawyer and then a judge, when her stalker boyfriend derails that by sending intimate photos of her to every law school to which she has applied.  Chase is looking for redemption in a town that he left ten years earlier.  He was a troubled teen, as his father turned to alcohol after his mother left, and left Chase to raise himself.  After a few run-ins with the law, Chase finds a career that suits him and spends ten years away from Maine, maturing.  Maddie and Aiden are siblings and their father, Frank, wants Chase to come home and take over his fisheries business in Seaview, Maine.  Frank was a better father to Chase than his own father was, and he is tempted by the offer.

This story has some dark elements, but it contains an exciting storyline.  The listener is immediately drawn into the story, and is given a solid glimpse into each of the protagonist’s personalities within the first two chapters. There are conflicts that ramp up the tension, and they are clearly defined. There is a villain, and he is obvious from the start as well.  The dialogue seems natural and flows readily.  

The narrator has a distinctly Australian accent, which is slightly off-putting, considering most of the story takes place along the coast of Maine.  Although Geoffrey Boyes does a fine job narrating the tale, the accent seems a little misplaced throughout the entire audiobook, and there are words that are pronounced differently than they would be in Maine.  If the listener can get past this disconnect, the story is actually well done.  The recording quality is solid, and moves along nicely.  There is a decent chance that the listener will be cheering at the end of this fast-moving story!

Carey Sullivan