I did this backward for me as I listened to the audiobook first and have yet to read the physical - Changes the tone definitely

I am not sure how I feel about our heroine
Stephanie comes across as very self-centered to me - Wait let me explain - She is looking into the disappearance of her sister wanting answers and to bring the culprits to justice. That's a good thing yes but is it truly about justice for her sister or to soothe her own feelings of guilt?
If you listen in the beginning I believe it is more about guilt.
Add to that the fact she feels the need to treat people like garbage to get the attention of Rook ... IDK I just wanted to reach in and "correct" her behavior a few times. She acted the prude when she really is not.
Enough of my rant lol

I liked the world-building (I was a fan of fantasy island as a child)
The story idea is solid and the author weaves all kinds of OMG moments as well as a lot of misdirection (just makes the unveiling that much more)
Rook is our mystery host - dark and somewhat distant from emotions at times, still, there is something about him
There are quite a few scenes that I call breadcrumb trail moments - little hints at possibilities - some might be misdirection IDK but they did their job - I was on edge wanting to know more and to see what was behind the curtain

This ends on a bit of a "to be continued" cliffy
Packed with twists and reveals that will catch even the best sleuth off guard
Oh and lots and lots of steamy moments
After all, it is all about the fantasy

This book was not what I expected. While it is labeled Romantic Suspense I found that it more fell into the suspense category. Stephanie is determined to find her sister who went missing after a trip to Mr. Rooks Island. A secret island that very few know about. It isn't on any map and no government claims ownership but if you are in the know and have the cash you could find yourself fulfilling your every desire. Stephanie bargains her way onto the island to find our more about what happened to her sister and who the mysterious owner of the island is.

Mr. Rook is an elusive character with not a lot known about him, other than he is drop dead gorgeous and lives a very reclusive life. I was a bit turned off by Stephanie's constant irritating attitude, which I guess should not be unexpected given she thinks Mr. Rook is responsible for her sisters death but it got to be tedious. The mysteries of the island are fascinating and intriguing and while this didn't have the panty dropping romance that most associate with romance books there is definitely a spark kindled and more questions to be answered.

The narrator easily held my attention and I found I was drawn into the story and the mystery.

I enjoyed this story thoroughly. It had me on the edge of my seat. The narrator brought the story to life for me and kept me even more captivated. There was steam, suspense and plenty of romance. I loved every minute of it and I definitely can't wait for more from these books and this author.

Oh it has been a while since I've picked up a Mimi Jean book and realized how much I've missed her writing style.

I was hoping for a standalone since series have me on a struggle bus, but I'm quite invested.

Lots of questions at every turn, but the biggest ones are about this mysterious island and Mr. Rook himself.

I can't say that I'm on-board with the glimpse of Rook's identity especially since I'm a romance lover. It'll be interesting to see what else unfolds as we make it through this trilogy.

Solid choice for the narrator, I was thoroughly engaged and on edge the whole time!

3.5/5

A fun, sexy story with a bit of mystery attached.

Stephanie is on a quest to find out what happened to her sister, CeCe, and why she disappeared. She finds herself on a fantasy island of sorts and falls for the enigmatic Mr. Rook.

I found the book to be enjoyable. While it dealt with an unrealistic island where fantasies become real for a tremendous amount of money, the interactions of the characters and the descriptions of the beautiful scenery were smooth and believable.

However, I hated the ending. Others have called it a cliff hanger. I felt it was abrupt, unrealistic, and confusing. In fact, I relistened to the last few chapters because I thought I may have missed something. Nope, that was the way the book ended. I understand cliff hangers but would like them to be more realistic.

The narrator, Lisa Zimmerman, is fantastic. Her voice is smooth and easy to listen to. She applies just the right nuance to the voices of the different characters. They feel natural and not forced. I would suggest trying any book narrated by her that piques your interest.



I received an ARC audiobook from OrangeSky Audio through NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion or rating of this book. I am voluntarily submitting this review and am under no obligation to do so.

This book wasn’t what I thought it would be. While it was billed as a romantic suspense, I thought it would have way more suspense than it did. And the romance aspect just wasn’t good. I didn’t enjoy much of this, honestly. It was a weird story. And it ended on a cliffhanger, which I hate. It’s okay when it’s clearly stated in the synopsis, but when it’s hidden to try and get you to buy more books, I’m not a fan. Overall, this was a huge miss for me.

I devoured this audiobook in one sitting … captivated from the opening line.

Stephanie’s sister Cece never returned her vacation. The location was secret and no one could confirm if she was dead or alive. Stephanie takes her own trip to the secret Mr. Rook’s island to expose the truth. What secrets will she uncover? Can she return home with her sister or will she fall prey to the fantasy?

Lisa Zimmerman brought Mimi’s words to life in the most magical ways. Her narration was superb! This is the first book in a series and I am anxiously awaiting the next audiobook!!!

Liked the narrator of the audio book. Suspenseful, mysterious, and sensual with a huge cliffhanger of an ending. Interested to see what happens next.

I loved the whole thrilling vibe thus audiobook gave. There was not one dull moment while listening to it, the book totally kept me hooked! It was great but the narrator kept changing her voice with each character.
I totally recommend it!
Thank you NetGalley and OrangeSky audio for providing me the audiobook. I voluntarily left a review.

This was my first time listening to Mr. Rooks Island and I really likes it. As a person who grew up watching fantasy island it gave me all the feels the tv show did. I rely liked how the narrator changed her voice foe each of the characters. I hope to be able to listen to some more stories from this series.

I loved the premise of this book. It's original while also a bit nostalgic, evoking Fantasy Island (an adult one). It has a bit of everything, mystery, paranormal, romance, but the chemistry in the romance fell a tad short for me. This is the first.book, where a lot has to be established i n the plot so I hope the chemistry will be more palpable in the next ones. The narration is great, I definitely recommend this in audio version.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The was the first time I am listen to/ read anything by this author and I must say that i really did enjoy it. I feel that that the narrator did a really good. I would listen to her again.

Mimi’s ingenuity and amazing writing skills shine through in this very original and sexy romantic suspense.
I loved the performance by Lisa Zimmerman who made listening to this story a very enjoyable experience.

An island where ALL of your fantasies can come true! There is a catch. First you have to know how to get invited, then you have to have the money to pay for your trip and finally you have to decide on what your fantasy will be. Welcome to Mr. Rook’s Island. This is the first book in the series. It is well written and the storyline keeps you intrigued. The narrator Lisa Zimmerman did a fantastic job. You could feel the emotions of the characters. Great job on narrating. This is also the first book I have read/listened to by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff. I am definitely going to read/listen to more of her books (including this series). Overall a great audiobook. I received an ARC of the audiobook book in exchange for my true and honest opinion. Thank you OrangeSky Audio and NetGalley for this wonderful opportunity.

I'd like to thank Netgalley and OrangeSky Audio for providing me this audio book in exchange for an honest review.

Hello Fantasy Island! When it says it will provide for your every fantasy it wasn't kidding. I definitely had to watch where I was listening to this book at! I know this is a romance but I it can be categorized as a mystery too.

Stephanie wants to find out what happened to her sister so she goes undercover to go to the island vacation that her sister never came back from. Right off the bat you know there is a mystery to this island because you can't even find it on the map. It's by word of mouth only and you have to be super wealthy to go to it. It's also for women only to fulfill their fantasies. The only fantasy Stephanie has is meeting Mr. Rook and finding out what happened to her sister. Stephanie learns that Mr. Rook is off limits so that makes her want him more.

So holy fantasy scenes!! There is definitely a spice factor to this book. When Stephanie was placed in the wrong fantasy in the harem tent I laughed out loud to her reaction. Even though the book does not go in to details it does elude to sex scenes and some of the other women's fantasies.

This book does end in a major cliffhanger so I'm kind of looking forward to part two.

I have had the ebook on my TBR pile for a while but hadn't read it. The new audiobook was a perfect time to dive into this crazy world. The narrator did a fantastic job of differentiating all the voices, and there were quite a few. She also did an excellent job with Stephanie's intense emotions and confusion. The story came to life with the narration, and I hope that this means that the next two books will be audiobooks soon. I would love to hear more as Stephanie searches for the truth.

Loved this book when I read it but listening adds a whole new dimension. Fantastic narrator which makes everything so believable. Loved it.

So, this was an interesting book. I was totally intrigued by the premise. MC goes to secret fantasy island to search for her missing sister and is drawn in by the handsome and off-limits owner of the island. Throw in a little paranormal mystery, and get me some popcorn, because I was Ready for this one.

While I thought the audiobook narration was very good, and the plot definitely kept me guessing right up the end, I have to say, I was a little thrown off by the main characters. Overall, even though I got that they are super lusty and attracted to one another, I didn't really feel a connection between them otherwise. The MC oscillates between "I must find my sister but Rook is so hot but he's such an asshole" pretty repetitively, and I feel like I didn't really see a whole lot of growth in their relationship throughout. I was totally ready for an enemies to lovers plot, or even just enemies with a connection and benefits kind of thing... but really they just seemed kind of angry with each other most of the time, and I found myself not really enjoying their interactions. Maybe there's more character growth in the sequels, or it could just be a personal preference, but I didn't particularly like either of them.

However, the plot still definitely kept my attention and the writing was smooth. There were a lot of questions being raised and answered that I did not see coming, and I thought the paranormal tension was a refreshing addition that I wasn't really expecting. This is a short snappy book, and I would recommend this to readers looking for a "enemies with sexual tension with a side of paranormal. Also, just a head's up, there's a lot of language, so if F-bombs make you cringe, this one's not for you. (3.5/5 stars)

(audiobook) She did it again! This author keeps creating stories that keep me glued to my Kindle. It starts with a little mystery, interesting enough that you’d like to resolve it; then you learn more about the characters, and they’re so compelling; and after a few revelations and twists that you never saw coming, you aren’t exactly sure how it’s gonna end.

Well, this book doesn’t really end, since it’s the first in a trilogy. When you turn the last page, you’ll have some answers about the first mystery–Stephanie’s sister’s disappearance–but you’ll have many more questions. There are hints though, and they veer toward a supernatural solution, but nothing is sure at this point.

There IS romance too, and it’s explosive. There’s a lot of attraction between Rook and Stephanie. And you get your fill of sexy times with the other characters, since Rook’s island is a paradise where he realizes all your kinky wishes.

With a unique point of view from the female character, a female narrator was enough to bring the story to life, and she does it with a lot of talent. Be it lust or panic, she conveys all the emotions beautifully, and takes you on an exotic journey. Pack your bag!

Quickie

- Series: Mr Rook’s island #1 (ends on a cliffhanger)
- Hashtags: #paranormal romance #romantic suspense #dark romance
- Trigger: multiple kinks
- Main couple: Stephanie Fitzgerald & James Rook
- Hotness: 4/5 (not between the main couple)
- Romance: 2/5
- + another fascinating mystery by the author, with many twists
- – too short?

Ms. Pamfiloff has created a memorable, modern-day Fantasy Island for women that have the money and inclination to escape life for a true one-of-a-kind adventure. Unfortunately, Stephanie isn't visiting Mr. Rook's Island for pleasantries. Her sister is missing and presumed dead. Her last stop? Mr. Rook's Island. Stephanie is determined to find out what exactly happened to her sister, but what she doesn't expect? Actually liking Mr. Rook. There's a lot more to the island than meets the eye.

This was a fun book that I listened to within a day or so. It was fast-paced and had a really unique, fresh twist to it that kept me listening. There are some NSW scenes, but overall the book isn't dripping with sex scenes. It was narrated well and the narration brought the characters to life. I'd definitely recommend this book to others and can't wait for the next book by Ms. Pamfiloff! I received this audiobook for free in return for an honest review.