Audiobook Review – Gentleman Nine by Penelope Ward

Posted April 26, 2019 by Carole in Audiobook, Book Reviews / 10 Comments

Gentleman Nine by Penelope Ward
Narrated by Sebastian York and Andi Arndt
Publisher: Penelope Ward Books, Inc.
Publication Date: February 19, 2018
Date Read: April 12, 2019
Length: 7 hours 37 minutes
Source: Purchased
★★★☆☆

From New York Times best-selling author Penelope Ward comes a new, sexy standalone novel.

Growing up, the three of us were friends. He was the nerd. I was the playboy. She was the beauty.

Deep down, I only ever wanted her. I kept it inside because Rory and I made a pact that our friend, Amber, was off-limits.

He lied.

I went off to college, and he got the girl. Amber never knew how I felt. They were together for years – before he broke her heart.

Through it all and across the miles, she and I casually stayed in touch. When my job sent me to Boston for a three-month contract position, Amber let me stay in her spare room.

Still reeling from her breakup, she’d sworn off men. One night, I opened her computer to find the shock of my life. She’d hesitantly contacted a male escort company. Afraid to date and get her heart broken again, she was looking for sex with no strings. Every emotion imaginable ran through me: protectiveness, jealousy – curiosity.

Amber had chosen Gentleman Number Nine and sent him a message. She opened up to him, confessing, among other things, her physical attraction to her friend – me. But she considered me off-limits – and she thought I was a man-whore. (Ironic, considering the circumstances.)

Eventually, she set up a date to meet Gentleman Nine at a hotel. When she showed up several nights later to meet him, she was stunned to see me standing there – with an offer I hoped she wouldn’t refuse.

My Review

I liked this book but maybe not quite as much as I had hoped that I would.  I am not going to lie – the cover of this book is what got my attention.  I would bet that cover model has grabbed the attention of more than a few individuals over the years so I feel no shame.  I had not tried Penelope Ward’s writing before but I do love the narrating pair of Andi Arndt and Sebastian York so when I saw this book on sale, I grabbed it.  I found myself in the mood for something light so I decided to give this one a try and I did end up enjoying the story.

This book has a little bit of everything worked into the story.  It is a friends to lovers story with the let’s be roommates twist.  There is a love triangle thrown into the book before everything was over.  Plus there is a cute kitten because kittens make romances even better.  Throw in a little friends with benefits action and you have pretty much summed up this book.  Don’t get me wrong.  I liked this book but I think it was just way too predictable.  I just didn’t feel like there was a much that was new or original.

Amber has been friends with Channing for years.  Growing up it was always Amber, Channing, and Rory.  Amber and Rory dated for 9 years but have recently broken up and when Channing needs a place to stay in town, he calls Amber.  Channing has secretly wanted Amber for years but Rory got the girl and he didn’t interfere.  But now that they are no longer together, all bets are off.

I liked Amber and Channing.  They were both great people and I felt like they deserved each other.  They did have a lot of chemistry and it was pretty obvious early on that they had some pretty strong feelings for each other.  There were a few bumps in the road but it was fun to watch them find their happily ever after.

I thought that Andi Arndt and Sebastian York did a fantastic job with the narration.  I really think that their voices work really well together in this kind of book.  They both do a great job with a variety of voices and are very pleasant to listen to.  I probably liked this book just a bit more because I decided to listen to it.

I would recommend this book to others.  I would have liked for a less predictable story but the one that I got was perfectly pleasant.  I wouldn’t hesitate to read more from Penelope Ward.

About the Author

Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today, and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author. She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor. Penelope resides in Rhode Island with her husband, son, and beautiful daughter, who has autism. She is the author of more than fifteen novels, including Stepbrother Dearest, Neighbor Dearest, Drunk Dial, and the #1 Wall Street Journal bestseller RoomHate.

Author Links: Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

10 responses to “Audiobook Review – Gentleman Nine by Penelope Ward

  1. I can see why the cover would pull you in. Wow, nine years together and then calling it off. That would be tough and he waited for his turn for nine years. Too bad it felt a bit too pat.

  2. I love Andi Arndt and Sebastian York's narration too! If I had any thought about reading a book they would sway me to pick it up, too. Sorry to hear this was a bit predictable. I don't mind that sometimes, especially with an audiobook because I'm usually listening while doing something else and it doesn't feel like a complete waste of time if the story isn't stellar. Sometimes I just want something easy and fun. Wonderful review, Carole! 🙂

  3. The cover definitely caught my eye too! The blurb didn't interest me as much but your review did – especially about the narrators. I might have to give this a try on audio.

  4. I bought this one on sale also because I love the two narrators. I haven't listened to it yet. Anne – Books of My Heart