Okay, let's be real for a second. The author's name is Nikki Sex. I knew exactly what I was getting into when I hit play.
(And honestly? After a week of negotiating with a toddler who thinks wearing pants is optional, I needed an escape that didn't involve talking animals or moral lessons.)
I found this one because I had exactly one hour—Sophie actually went down for a nap without a fight—and I wanted something I could start *and* finish before the chaos restarted. At 1 hour and 12 minutes, this fit the window perfectly. I listened to the whole thing while folding three mountains of laundry, and let me tell you, it made matching socks way more interesting.
Guillaume Dubois Sounds Like a Walking French Pastry
Here's the thing about the narrator. The man has this thick, authentic French accent that is... wow. Warm, passionate, and it fits the character of André (the "sexual counselor"—is that a real job? asking for a friend) perfectly.
But—and this is a big but— you might need a minute to adjust.
Usually, I listen at 1.25x speed because I'm trying to cram as much life as possible into my day. With Guillaume, I actually had to dial it back to normal speed for the first chapter. The accent is lovely, but it's *thick*. If you're listening with the dishwasher running or kids screaming in the background, you might miss a few words.
Once my ears adjusted, though? Totally worth it. He doesn't just read the book; he purrs it. He does a great job differentiating between the smooth, confident André and the uptight, stressed-out IRS agent, Kim. (And seriously, an IRS audit as a romantic plot device? Only in romance novels. I love it.)
Short, Spicy, and Zero Slow Burn
Look, this isn't *War and Peace*. It's barely a lunch break. The plot is pretty much what the blurb says: Uptight tax lady meets loose cannon pleasure expert. They clash. Sparks fly.
Since it's so short, there's no time for a slow burn. It's more like a flash fire. The transition from "I am auditing your books" to... *other activities*... happens fast.
And yes, there are BDSM themes. It gets steamy—like, "check to make sure your headphones are definitely plugged in" steamy. Guillaume's delivery during the emotional and spicy scenes is intense; he really commits to the drama of it all. If you're looking for something with similar heat but more depth, Fifty Shades Darker has that same intensity stretched over a longer story.
Who's This For?
Is it high literature? No. Did it entertain me while I scrubbed yogurt off the floor? Absolutely.
This is perfect for busy folks who want a quick, spicy romance with a happy ending and a narrator who sounds like he should be whispering sweet nothings in Paris. Skip it if you need slow-burn emotional buildup or struggle with heavy accents in audio.
Just be warned: give yourself five minutes to get used to the accent. Don't give up immediately if it sounds distinct. Once you settle in, it's quite the ride.
