As if I needed another reason to want to read a book by Lauren Blakely, she made an announcement that had me inwardly squealing and not-so-inwardly jumping up and down with glee: Richard Armitage would be one of the narrators of Wanderlust. If a crystalline picture of the handsome British heartthrob doesn’t immediately form in your mind, do yourself a favor and Google him. That way you know just who is whispering sweet nothings in your ear while you listen to Wanderlust, the author’s new Audible original. As a blogger who typically reads early ARCs of Lauren Blakely’s upcoming releases, listening to one of her books in audio format isn’t something I’ve previously had the pleasure of experiencing. I typically devour her books, racing through pages to discover what happens next, never slowing down until I reach the end. Listening to Wanderlust was therefore a nice change of pace, enabling me to take my time, to sit back and savor the experience, and to listen to every inflection of every word of every sentence uttered by narrators, Grace Grant and Richard Armitage.
With Grace Grant narrating the part of our American heroine, Joy, and Richard Armitage narrating the part of our British hero, Griffin, listeners are transported to Paris for a love story as romantic as the city in which it’s set. After moving to Paris to begin her new job, American chemist, Joy, is determined to reinvent herself – a process that includes learning French, touring the city, and living every day to its absolute fullest. When Joy meets a sexy British stranger with an accent that’s as irresistible as his roguish charm, little does she suspect that they’ll soon be working up close and personal when that stranger turns out to be her personal translator. With a fluency in several languages and his degree in Biology, Griffin is the ideal person to assist Joy in her daily work, though the position is temporary, as is his time in Paris. It isn’t until they start spending time together after hours that the boundaries between professional and personal become a bit blurry. The two flirt with the possibility of something more, with the attraction between them intensifying as they spend their nights together traipsing around Paris, delighting in the sights and falling deeper into lust.
As a narrative, Wanderlust is pure entertainment from start to finish but, as an audiobook, it’s a truly unforgettable experience. Grace Grant does a wonderful job bringing Joy to life, effortlessly evoking her liveliness, her adventurous spirit, as well as her awe and appreciation for the world around her. And let’s not forget about Richard Armtiage. *sighs* His voice mellifluously delivers Griffin’s inner thoughts and dialogue, sometimes so distractingly that I had to actively stop myself from swooning while listening so I could actually pay attention to the story. Imagine his British accent… Imagine him speaking in French... Imagine the love scenes... With every word spoken in his low timbre, I felt an involuntary need to blush. His voice magically makes everything sound naughtier or, as Joy notes “dirty and delicious”. His pronunciation of the word “sensual” alone will be forever seared into my brain…
Packed with flirty banter, a slow-building, yet scorching hot romance, and characters that are enchanting, voracious, and delightfully unreserved, Wanderlust is a hopelessly romantic, heart-meltingly sweet love story from Lauren Blakely. It made me laugh, made me swoon, and made me wish Richard Armitage could follow me around narrating my life story. If only…
*complimentary copy provided by Audible for an honest review