Drumline

by Stacy Kestwick

[stacey_is_sassy]

There's stubborn...and then there's too stubborn

****3.5 Stars****

Not a lot wrong with the storyline in Drumline if you're looking for a typical college romance. The main characters are at college for the right reason...to get an education. I really liked the hero, Laird and found him to be mature and extremely caring. It was nice to get his POV so that we understood where his motivation and determination comes from. The heroine, Reese is a wee bit stubborn. I understood where she was coming from but sometimes her determination to be independent and judged on her own merit lead her to be a little too stubborn.

Where this one went wrong for me was that Reese allowed herself to be hurt and manipulated just to be part of the Snare Line. I'm all for her determination to be treated equally, but she should NEVER have kept quiet when her safety was in jeopardy. Not keeping Laird informed, especially considering he was the Captain of the snare line, made me even madder. The worst part was the instigator was a DOUCHEWAFFLE and did not deserve his elevated position.

I'm all for angst in college romance but it makes me sad to see characters put themselves at risk to be part of the 'gang'.

Unfortunately, the female narrator didn't work for me. I have listened to Tracy Marks narrate before and actually enjoyed it, but this one, not so much. I can't pinpoint exactly where it went wrong but by the end, I was looking forward to Laird's chapters more than Reese's.
Stephen Dexter could have easily done this one on his own and I would have enjoyed it more.

I liked Drumline and I would definitely consider reading or listening to another Stacy Kestwick in the future. I guess I just wasn't in the mood for college angst, douchewaffles taking advantage of their positions, and stubbornness that leads to safety issues.

I guess I'll have to change my bookshelf from Romance Package to Audbile Escape. Let's hope that the name change is the only difference. I've absolutely loved using it so far and would be disappointed if the quality or range diminished.