Review: A REAL ROMANCE, solid 4 stars.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 02 1, 2014
I 'read' the Amazon Audible (audio) version of this book.I enjoyed *listening to* LOVE IN THE AFTERNOON.  I believe it was my first experience with Alison Packard's writing, and Gia St. Claire's narrations.So many things deserve complementary feedback:* Believable, sympathetic characters, completely 3-dimensional, and remained true to themselves from start to finish.* Characters responded in very real, believable ways.  Reactions were just right!* Excellent balance between the romance, the suspense, internal thought processes* Excellent dialogue* The narrator did a great job with female voices, accents (for the most part), legitimately tried with the male voices (though not my favorite--can't have everything, I suppose, except with a very FEW narrators/voice actors).* Believable peek into Hollywood and the set of a soap opera.* Characters grew and changed over the course of the book.* Length seemed just right to tell the story (without unnecessary scenes, time wasted, etc.)* Set up a (please?!) separate story to come...between Matt and Kelly (secondary characters in this book).* This is a TRUE ROMANCE: the central plot line, the whole arc of the romance developed thoroughly, came to a very satisfying conclusion after the conflict brings out both the best and worst in our characters.  I'm confident that Shawn (Shaun? Sean?--when listening, it's impossible to tell) and Kayla will be just fine in the future--I do love happy endings! (particularly when the gray moments and black moments are severe enough.)* The characters' baggage and pasts had everything to do with the resolutions, conflict between the two, and what kept them apart during gray and black moments.Reasons why (for me, a single listener) this book rates 4 stars (rather than 5):* The narration is a key, and significant element, of the Audible experience.  The narrator did a good job, but not a WOW job.  The male voices were a disappointment, especially when compared to other female voice actors who DO it so very astonishingly well.* While I enjoyed the book, it was easy to put down.  Yes...the plot and subplots all pulled through neatly, but the suspense wasn't edge-of-my-seat-can't-look-away kind of suspense.  I never feared for Kayla (heroine) enough that I had to keep listening.  I listened when driving (then put it away upon arriving wherever), listened while folding laundry (and put it away), over and over and over.  Probably took me close to 10 days or 2 weeks to finish listening to it.  Sad but true.* I was content to read (in print) many other titles while listening to this book.  (Again, the suspense element wasn't that captivating.)All in all, an enjoyable read.  I recommend it to all fans of contemporary romance.