This one's way outside my usual lane. Let me just say that upfront.
I was stuck in the waiting room at the VA clinic - appointment running an hour late, which is basically on time by VA standards - and I'd burned through my queue. Wanted was sitting in my Audible library because Linda added it months ago and said, "You might actually like this one, there's a mystery angle." So I figured, what the hell, Ranger's not here to judge me.
Linda Was Half Right About the Mystery
There IS a thriller element buried in here. Evan Black is a tech mogul with a shady past, possible mob connections, and the kind of secrets that would make a background check investigator weep. The setup - Angelina Raine falling for a man her powerful family explicitly warned her away from - has genuine suspense DNA. Kenner weaves in questions about Evan's involvement in violence, his scarred history, and some darker dealings that kept me curious enough to stick around. When those threads are pulling, the book works. The tension between Evan and Angie isn't just bedroom stuff; there's real danger woven through it, moments where you're not sure if this guy is protector or predator.
But here's the thing - the mystery elements feel like seasoning on a steak that's really about something else entirely. And that something else is... well, it's a LOT of heat. Look, I've sat through mandatory briefings that were less explicit. The romance is front and center, and if that's what you're here for, Kenner clearly knows her craft. The self-discovery angle with Angelina - learning what she wants, pushing past her family's control - actually has some real weight to it. I've seen that dynamic play out with soldiers whose families had their whole lives mapped out for them. Breaking free from that is its own kind of combat. American Dirt put me through something similar - a character trapped by forces bigger than herself, fighting for ground inch by inch, and I didn't expect to feel that one as hard as I did.
Saffron Martindale and the Age Problem
Here's where I have to be straight with you. Martindale's narration is clean and professional - no audio issues, good pacing, easy to follow. But she sounds young. Really young. Like "my daughter's college roommate reading aloud" young. For a book about a woman navigating an intense, adult relationship with a dangerous man, that vocal quality creates a disconnect that I couldn't fully shake. The early chapters especially felt flat - dry delivery when the story needed to be building intrigue.
She settles in as the book progresses, and by the midpoint her voice works better with the material, particularly in the more emotionally charged scenes between Evan and Angie. But I never fully bought her as the voice of a woman sophisticated enough to run in these circles. It's not bad narration - it's miscast narration. There's a difference. A more mature vocal presence would've sold the danger and the desire with more gravity.
At 12 hours and change, the pacing is reasonable. I bumped it to 1.25x (obviously) and it moved fine. No production issues, clean audio throughout.
Who's This Mission For?
If you're a romance reader who likes your suspense as a side dish rather than the main course, this delivers. Kenner writes accessible, fast-moving prose that doesn't get bogged down in purple territory - she keeps things direct, which I respect. The forbidden love angle between Angie and Evan has actual stakes because of his criminal connections and her family's opposition, not just manufactured drama.
If you're coming at this from the thriller side hoping for a romance-flavored mystery? Recalibrate your expectations. The suspense is real but secondary. And if a narrator who sounds like she's in her early twenties is going to pull you out of a mature story, that's a factor you should weigh.
I didn't hate this. I'm not the target audience by about six demographic categories, but I can recognize solid genre work when I hear it. Kenner knows her readers and gives them exactly what they want. The Evan Black character is genuinely interesting - dangerous, layered, carrying enough baggage to fill a C-17 cargo hold. I'd have liked more time in the thriller lane and less time in the bedroom, but that's me reviewing a steakhouse's pasta.
Ranger Would've Left the Room
Worth your time? If you're in Kenner's wheelhouse, absolutely - this is a strong entry in the romantic suspense space with better-than-average stakes and a male lead who's actually compelling. The narrator situation isn't a dealbreaker, but it keeps this from being the definitive version of the story. For my thriller folks wandering in here by accident: there's enough plot to keep you engaged, but know what you're signing up for. Linda says I should rate it higher. Linda can write her own review.
