Ladies and Legends Series - Jayne Ann Krentz

Written by Jayne Ann Krentz
Read by Wendy Tremont King, Kate Rudd
Format: MP3
Bitrate: 64 Kbps

Jayne Ann Krentz Circa 1990.

Until recently books one and two were only available abridged. Book three unabridged was recorded in 2012.

The Pirate
Narrated by: Wendy Tremont King
Ladies and Legends Series, Book 1
Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc.
Release date: October 30, 2018
Duration: 06:42:46

Historical romance novelist Kate Inskip needs a break. Divorced, overworked, and completely stressed out, her writing buddies decide to surprise her with exactly what she needs-a vacation on a remote island that boasts a rich history and a crumbling castle built by an 18th century pirate. It’s the kind of story Kate can’t possibly pass up and it will allow her to turn her thoughts from the reality of today to the romance of the past.

But things don’t go according to plan. A long flight, lost luggage, and a missed connection leave Kate wishing she’d stayed home. A knife-wielding mugger is the last straw. Too late to help, but just in time to enjoy the show, Jared Hawthorne catches a harried woman in the act of kicking the local thief into submission. As far as Jared is concerned, Kate is the most interesting tourist to arrive on Amethyst Island in a very long time. Kate, however, has already concluded that a month-long vacation on the island is about thirty days too long. Still, Jared Hawthorne is starting to look very familiar . . .

The Adventurer
Narrated by:Wendy Tremont King
Ladies and Legends Series, Book 2
Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc.
Release date: January 16, 2019
Duration: 06:30:34

Romance writer Sarah Fleetwood is obsessed with the Fleetwood Flowers, five pairs of gold earrings that constitute a long lost family treasure. According to the legend, shortly before her death, Emelina Fleetwood buried the earrings on her property and drew a map to the location. Now Sarah is determined to embark on a quest to find the flowers. Ex-adventurer Gideon Trace doesn’t want anything to do with Sarah and her quest for the Flowers, a fact he has repeatedly made clear ever since she first contacted him. Obviously his discouragement wasn’t strong enough because now Sarah is standing at his front door insisting that he is just the man to lead her treasure hunt. A woman who believes in happy endings is about to share a cozy cabin in the mountains with a man who is large, cold-eyed and dangerous. What could possibly go wrong?

The Cowboy
Narrated by: Kate Rudd
Ladies and Legends Series, Book 2
Length: 5 hrs and 45 mins
Release date: 04-29-12
Publisher: Brilliance Audio

After their disastrous parting, Margaret Lark thought she was through with Rafe Cassidy. So when he shows up on her doorstep a year later with a shocking proposal, Margaret has no choice but to put her heart on the line again - even if it means winning back the cowboy who stole it in the first place.

Don’t expect too much plot with this one. It is a pretty simple story that doesn’t have any twists that can’t be seen coming a mile away. Rafe is a business man, a corporate cowboy, who wears some delightfully described boots. Margaret is a romance writer who, a year ago, broke up Rafe due to information she apparently leaked to a business rival. Rafe wants her back and is sneaky enough to stop at nothing to try and get Margaret to agree. Despite the simple plot, it is an enjoyable relaxing story.

Many readers did not like the relationship of the two characters, one reviewer wrote..
“This was much more problematic than the other two (books in the serirs). Rafe is arrogant and manipulative and more than a little mean. He isn’t kind to anyone, ever, and that includes Margaret. And while we’re assured that Margaret is a strong and modern woman we mostly see her backing down, making excuses, and ignoring bad behavior (and not just Rafe’s). Worse than that, though, is that Rafe’s behavior is explicitly labeled “masculine” and Margaret’s weaknesses are implicitly labeled “feminine” and that just pissed me off.

There’s a decent storyline with Rafe’s mother and another with his sister that I liked a bit. And Krentz is a good enough writer that I wanted to see what came next, even though I didn’t like either lead very much.”