Review: Everything We Give by Kerry Lonsdale (audio)

Title: Everything We Give

Author: Kerry Lonsdale

Series: Everything, #3

Narrator: Andrew Eiden, Amy Landon

Published: July 2018, Brilliance Audio

Length: 8 hours 48 minutes

Source: Publisher

Summary:

From the author of Everything We Keep comes the final novel in the Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling Everything Series. Brimming with suspense, mystery, and romance, Everything We Give brings to a powerful close the gripping series of love, lies, and the secrets families keep.

 

Award-winning photographer Ian Collins made only one mistake in
life, but it cost his mother her freedom and destroyed their family,
leaving Ian to practically raise himself. For years he’s been estranged
from his father, and his mother has lived off the grid. For just as
long, he has searched for her.

Now, Ian seemingly has it
all—national recognition for his photographs; his loving wife, Aimee;
and their adoring daughter, Caty. Only two things elude him: a feature
in National Geographic and finding his mother. When the prized
magazine offers him his dream project on the same day that Aimee’s
ex-fiancé, James, returns bearing a message for Ian but putting a strain
on his marriage, Ian must make a choice: chase after a coveted
assignment or reconnect with a mysterious woman who might hold the key
to putting his past to rest. But the stakes are high, because Ian could
lose the one thing he holds most dear: his family.

My thoughts:  This book is the finale to Kerry Lonsdale’s Everything series, and I cannot stress this enough…if you have any plans of reading this series…READ IT FROM THE BEGINNING! This really is a series that you do need to read in order as there are minor spoilers in each of the subsequent books that would definitely ruin the enjoyment of the previous books. And it would also affect the emotional impact – and that is such a big part of this series. Do yourself a favor – read this series as it is meant to be read…you will thank me for guiding you on that!

This book tells Ian’s story and it is just as emotional and compelling as the other’s. We also get Aimee’s side, too, but for the most part, this is all Ian. I loved that it went back and forth in time from present day to different parts of Ian’s childhood. There is a reason why Ian is the way he is and seeing Ian in his childhood really helps tell this.

One of the best parts of this series is just how complex the characters are that Kerry Lonsdale has created and Ian is no exception. We see that clearly here in this book – both in the present day as well as in his childhood. We also see just how much he struggles with all that has gone on in his life and when you add in what has happened with Aimee, it’s quite amazing. 

I really enjoyed this series – I loved the way each of the books were set up and I loved getting to know all the different characters. While I’m sad that we never got a few of their stories – such as Thomas’s or Nadia’s, I think Kerry really did create a wonderful series that I won’t be forgetting anytime soon.





Audio thoughts: This is a tough audio review to write…I loved the story itself, but the narrators almost made me stop listening. Andrew Eidon, narrating Ian’s sections did a great job…that part I had no issues with and luckily his story was the majority of the book. Amy Landon, on the other hand, was less than stellar. She narrated Aimee’s parts and did ok with anything related to female voices, but when it came to male voices, it sounded very automated. If Aimee’s parts had been more frequent, I probably would have switched to reading the print version of this book…and I have never abandoned an audiobook before. As I said, luckily, Aimee’s parts were few and part between, so I only had to cringe every now and again, but I think this might have been a poor choice of narrators for this particular book. 

Books in this series: 

1. Everything We Keep
2. Everything We Left Behind
3. Everything We Give