Author: Ilona Andrews
Narrator: Nora Sofyan

I received an ARC (advanced reader copy) of this audiobook from Netgalley. #Netgalley.

This is book 6 of The Innkeeper Chronicles. I’ve been waiting for this book for 3 years! I was so excited when I spotted it on Netgalley!

We are back at the now famous inn, Gertrude Hunt, and it’s innkeepers, Dina and Sean.

A close friend of theirs is kidnapped, and in order for them to help him - they are lassoed into hosting a televised event. The Sovereign is choosing a spouse with whom he can raise children. Think The Bachelor - but in space form… The Space Bachelor or The Intergalactic Bachelor… something along those lines.

Each of 12 candidates is to undergo 3 challenges. As is expected… chaos ensues (and, to be honest… if it didn’t- all would be boring!!).

We get to meet new and old creatures. The details are in the book and the authors explain them far, far better than I am able… but, here is my feeble attempt at oversimplification: A chef who is part Hedgehog, cute fluffy foxes that talk, fish that communicate, trees that are sentient, leopards that are humanoid, werewolves, vampires, and humans.

The sheer expertise with which the team behind Ilona Andrews writers is impressive as always.

I highly recommend this book to lovers of fantasy, urban fantasy, hijinks, humor, The Bachelor, Survivor, Robyn Peterman, Darynda Jones, and The Hobbit.

I loved this book so much that I already purchased my own copy of the kindle book and the audiobook!

Ilona Andrews is a highly bingeable author. I rather mindlessly requested the Sweep of the Heart audiobook from NetGalley not expecting to actually get it. I read the first book in the series a long time ago and have not read the other four books in the series. When I got the email telling me the audiobook was available to download, I took on the challenge of rereading Clean Sweep and then reading the other books in 3 days so that I could listen to Sweep of the Heart and not have to confess I was lost. I had no difficulty in cracking open my brain and pouring the the Innkeeper Chronicles in, so if you haven’t read the series, go get it now and start bingeing. Warning: there will be the occasional spoiler for the series, but no spoilers for this book.

The Innkeeper Chronicles is a seamless blend of science fiction and fantasy. Dina and her Inn, Gertrude Hunt, are magic. They are a waypoint for intergalactic, interdimensional travelers. Gertrude Hunt is now somewhat off the well traveled path, so they have become an Inn with a particular set of skills. Over the course of the series, Dina has gained friends and Sean, the neighborhood werewolf, is her partner. There are a few returning characters. And always, there is intrigue. Sean’s friend, and their main weapons supplier, has been kidnapped. In order to get him back, they need a way onto an inhospitable planet. They’ll get the help they need if they agree to host a competition to become the spouse of the Sovereign of the Seven Star Dominion.

Initially, this was released weekly as a serialized story on the Ilona Andrews’ website. I did not read it, but I did enjoy watching my friends’ excitement about each instalment. At the beginning of each chapter, there’s a wee bit letting the reader know where we are in the story and what we might anticipate. Nora Sofyan does a great job creating a completely different voice with just enough anticipatory glee to make me feel like I’m about to hear some really great gossip. I thought she did a great job overall as narrator.

The book moves at a clip with a lot of characters, a lot of action, and very high stakes. There are some great character moments that lighten and fill out the world and the series. I had held back on reading the Innkeeper Chronicles books because I like having something I haven’t read by favorite authors. I am now fully immersed in the series and very much looking forward to seeing what Klaus has been up to.

I received this as an advance reader copy from NetGalley. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given.

The narrator was great moved the story along, great listen the characters were interesting and I enjoyed the story.
A great addition to this series.

Excellent narration, Sean is swoon worthy
The complicated balance of running a magical intergalactic inn is complicated more with the great bride challange. There are so many species, all competing to be the blushing bride. Oh the details of their environment, customs, and attitudes are fantastic ! So that is all insanely intense, but wait hold my beer, it gets more intense for them. Dina and Sean have their hands full. The end…… :O
I’ve read the book twice once as an online serial, then as an ebook, now as an audiobook. I love it, love the characters, the world and need more. I found things I missed in the other versions in each one. Favorite off main character moment, Chicken-ish vs Sphinx-ish. Bwhahahahahahahahahaha !

Sweep of the Heart by Ilona Andrews is the newest installment in the Innkeeper Chronicles, and it was my favorite in the series to date! Ilona Andrews is an auto-buy/read for me because they always write such amazing stories, with intricate and original worlds. The magic pulls you in and you don’t surface until you finish the book, and even then, the world stays with you. This book was no different.

I listened to an ARC of the audiobook for this and it was so well done. Narration has a tendency to either amplify a story or to dampen it, but in this case the narrator did such a wonderful job and it amplified the story. The different inflections used for the characters was wonderful and you always knew who was talking. I’m really glad that I had the opportunity to listen to this, rather than read it. The narration made for an even more magical experience.

This book could be summed up as an intergalactic version of “The Bachelor”, if it was run like “Survivor”. The plot of the competitors from different worlds competing for the hand of a prince was so much fun. There was romance, action, attempted murder and political intrigue. I loved this book and really think that the authors outdid themselves with this one. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

+Received a copy for review.*
I love this series so much. A sentient inn that is tied to people and can rearrange itself to suit the needs of multiple species.
This installment finds Sean's mentor kidnapped. He and Dina find where he is but have no way to get there. Dina must host an intergalactic spouse search that presents extreme levels of danger.
There are so many interesting characters in this book. Paired with the nonstop action and investigations. The perfect amount of twists and turns.
I am so excited to see where the story takes us next.

I really enjoy listening to audiobooks, it’s so fun to experience the book in this way, especially if it’s performed by a voice actor. Nora Sofyan does a fantastic job changing her voice to bring each of the unique characters to life! (And there are a lot of characters)

As the 5th book in the series, Sweep of the Heart turns up the ante for Dina, Sean and the guests of Gertrude Hunt. Building on the magic and challenging the characters. This gave me huge space opera and The (Alien) Bachelor feels. The author duo write such fun sci-fi political espionage stories, with complex world building that’s not too difficult to understand. I cannot wait for the next installment, the ending was quite beautiful and I’m hoping we are closer to the quest of looking for Dina’s parents!

5⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape for the audiobook ARC

Sweep of the Heart is the new installment in the fantastical world of the Innkeepers Chronicles. It was such a joy to be back with Dina and Sean! Before long, they are in a precarious situation with the fate of Gertrude Hunt on the line. Dina and Sean must work together to balance the needs of their guests with the political demands of the galaxy. However, none of their new guests are what they seem and the dangers facing them may come from inside the inn itself.

I absolutely love this series! It is action-packed, hilarious, and always manages to surprise me with a good plot twist. Ilona Andrews has such an expansive imagination, yet also keeps the intricate world-building consistent. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator (Nora Sofyan) did a great job of creating distinct voices for all the different guests. The tangled politics, new species, and tricky diplomatic situations made this book an exciting tournament adventure. For readers returning to the series, familiar characters have hidden depths that are deeply compelling. I couldn’t put Sweep of the Heart down!

I would highly recommend this series to anyone who loves sci-fi, action, and hilarious banter. While you could in theory read this book as a standalone (there is a character guide included), I would definitely recommend starting from the beginning for more context- plus it is such a delightful series. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

The audiobook of Sweep of the Heart releases January 13, 2023. Thank you to Ilona Andrews, Dreamscape Media, and Netgalley for a free audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, Wordpress blog, and Barnes & Noble etc

You can try to read this book without having read the books before it but it will be much more helpful (and enjoyable) if you have read the other books first. There are a lot of people and a lot of species that are easier to follow if you know some of them already. I had a hard time following when I read this book as a serial on teh authors' webpage. It was easier to read it all at once and an amazing story as an audiobook. The narrator was perfect for this book.
Sean and Dina just cannot get down time. The stories of Sean's prowess have spread throughout the werewolf community and now many of his kind are showing up to try and win his favor. One of them drops the news that Wilmos, an old werewolf, has disappeared. They are able to find out where he is but they are unable to get there without help. Which means that they will need to do a favor in return.
And what a favor. The only beings with a portal near Wilmos are the Dominion and what they require in return is a safe place to complete the selection for a mate for their king. Yes, this is a galactic Bachelor, a contest that touches everyone at the Gertrude Hunt, including Caldenia.

4.5 Stars 🌟

I was thrilled to be able to listen to the latest installment of this series on audio. The narrator was Nora Sofyan and I thought she did a great job. The amount of different characters in this series, not to mention the amount of different species, is quite a lot. She did a great job keeping everything running smoothly and was a great big part of helping me to create the "movie" in my mind.

If you are not already involved in this series, I would recommend that you go back and start with book 1. It isn't that you'll be completely lost if you start here at book 5, but there is SO much back story and history to some of the relationships that a lot of the nuance might go over your head.

At this point in the series, we have a pretty solid partner duo with Dina and Sean. They've gone through quite a lot to get to where they are now and it is really nice to see the two of them from a readers point of view. Sometimes I laugh to myself because I try to think about how to describe to my husband certain books that I am reading. Some series make me laugh more than others. For example - this is the story about an Innkeeper who runs a sentient Inn on the planet Earth. This Inn - named Gertrude Hunt - is a place that all different species/creatures of the Universe can stay. The Innkeeper position is a position of great honor and she and the Inn can accommodate these inhabitants from different planets regardless of the fact that they may be at war with any of the other guests. It is the Innkeeper's job to know all of the rituals, languages, dietary needs and enemies. (With me so far?) The Inn (and Innkeeper) possess a great amount of magic and a great amount of power...oh, and Sean is a werewolf. See, piece of cake, right?

Well, even with that definition, it really doesn't do the series a bit of justice .It really is a great series. What makes this series so great is the characters that we have come to know and love. Characters from every corner of the galaxy with all kinds of crazy talents and idiosyncrasies. Seriously....it is truly unique and wonderful.

Anyway, another great job with this story arc and it left me eagerly awaiting the next installment.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this ARC. The opinions above are mine and mine alone.

Nora Sofyan is a fantastic narrator. Her southern accent is perfect for Dina's Texan drawl and I'm so glad she took over the solo narration after her GraphicAudio work for the Innkeeper series.

Technically this is a reread since I followed the weekly blog serial religiously, but the last 10% was brand-new content only available in the final version. I don’t even know what to say after that ending. If we have to wait two years for the next installment, I’m going to cry. IA nailed [redacted spoilers] reveal so perfectly. It says a lot about how much I love Innkeeper Chronicles that I read the purchased ebook at midnight, refusing to stop until 6 am despite needing to prepare for an 11 am flight.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape for access to the audiobook.. Fro context, I am a fan of the Innkeeper series and read Sweep of the Heart the day it was released. I had also read the serialized version posted on Ilona Andrews' website. I read all the Frinnday posts - what I'm saying is that I'm a fan.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

Story:
Sweep of the Heart gives us another large event taking place at Gertrude Hunt. This time, it a a spousal selection for Kosandion. This is basically Interstellar Bachelor where the bachelor in question rules an empire. The reason Dina and Sean take on this large and risky task is that they need access to a world to effect the rescue of a friend. I enjoy seeing Dina and Sean continue to grow with each other. The Caldenia reveal was not something I had expected, and I hope the character continues to have an edge. I enjoyed seeing more of the galaxy in this world. I think the book was tightened as compared to the serialization and I think it is a significant improvement.

This is very much for readers of the Innkeeper series. I do not recommend this for readers new to the series. Each book advances the overall story arc and resolves it's internal plotlines. I also enjoy the occasional comedic elements. I wholeheartedly recommned this book.

Narration:
The narration is from Nora Sofyan who is new to me. I listen to audiobooks of books I have already read and usually at a rate of 1.2-1.3. Sweep of the Heart is much longer than the prior Innkeeper novels. Sweep in Peace (book 2) is just under 11 hours and Sweep of the Heart is over 16 - this isn't a knock on the book, just something I notice much more with the audio version as compared to the print version. The episodic nature of the book makes it easy to pause between chapters. I really enjoy Sofyan's narration - she is the third narrator of the Innkeeper series and makes different choices with respect to some name pronuciations, but I do not find that limits my enjoyment. I've listened to Sweep of the Blade a dozen times so I appreciate having a different narrator for a book from Dina's point view as opposed to Maud's.

Incredible audio narration as I've come to expect from any Andrews book. This is an imaginative and exciting fantasy read!

I have enjoyed this series and this story broadened the world and lore of the world. I especially appreciated bringing in characters from earlier book series.

Sweep of the Heart by Ilona Andrews is the fifth book in the Innkeeper Chronicles series. Sean and Dina are the official innkeepers of Gertrude Hunt. They end up hosting an intergalactic version of The Bachelor to rescue a kidnapped friend from an inhospitable planet.

The event they are hosting is televised to many different planets, and the bachelor is the leader of an Empire. He needs to marry and have heirs so this selection comes with high political stakes. The candidates for the selection are all different types of species. Some characters will be familiar to a reader of the series and some new ones that come into play.

Dina is reading to take on the task and knows that if things don’t go well she risks losing her inn, however, if things go well she will be able to rescue her friend and help the inn get exposure.

This story is so much fun! Each of the candidates has a unique personality and motive for participating. There are different challenges and eliminations throughout the process. I loved how the story played out and how there were schemes within schemes. However, there are many different characters, species, and plotlines, so it can be difficult to keep track of at first.

I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars, and it is the perfect read for someone who loves a fun science fiction read that will keep them entertained!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for a digital advanced readers copy for providing my opinion voluntarily.

I absolutely adore the Innkeeper Chronicles and this is quite the adventure! The book is incredible, a massive story set in the inn but having impact across multiple species. It was great to see some old friends again. This story gives an unexpected insight into Her Grace that I was not expecting.
There was a little new information on what's happening with the infection, but not near as much as I had hoped. We also don't learn enough about Klaus and Dina's parents.
I was disappointed to see that this audiobook was not a full-cast setting as the first five books had been. Graphic Audio did an amazing job. I assume because the book is so long (16 hours) a full cast would drive up the costs. Nora Sofyan did a good job and brought the world to life.

Funny thing about this book... I didn’t read the weekly serial version because I’m impatient and hate to wait for things weekly... I’m like that with TV too drives me crazy... anywho so I was really excited to read this book when the published version came out... ended up getting it free because of Amazon credits... I generally combination read and listen to books if there is audio so I can do other things and get the story... I knew the audio for this would be out later so I found the time to sit and read... not only that but I did start a review or list of complaints whatever... never got around to finishing it but the book was long and I saw that the audio was going to be 16+ hours when my cutoff is 10. I was 100% certain early on that I didn’t even want to listen to the audio because of reasons below... so why then am I listening to the audio version right now? Well... one day I click on Netgalley and there Sweep of the Heart is looking at me and despite having read it not that long ago I somehow forgot I didn’t want to listen to it until after I made the request... so that’s how I ended up here listening to a book I already read that I was very much against doing... not because I don’t like the book or it’s bad but for reasons. But I figured why not? Maybe it will be easier to remember who is who now cause there are so many people. And I suppose at least I can get proper pronunciations for names and stuff. So that’s the long unasked form story of me and this

I did actually like this book I like all the Inn Keeper books (except maybe not the Maude one)...

So the general story of this book is that Wilmos the werewolf weapons dealer that is friends with Dina and Sean is kidnapped and taken to a planet that’s impossible to get to. There is just one way to be able to get to this place and the only way to gain the favor needed to get there is the host an intergalactic spousal selection for the ruler of the Seven Star Dominion (aka the only man that can get them the access they need). The whole event is to be televised throughout the galaxy and the candidates keeping ending up dead. And there may be someone planning to murder the ruler. Drama, shenanigans, various types of alien people, fights, assassins, imposters and murderous trees (yes murderous trees who eat people) there is a lot going on at Gertrude Hunt...

*Beware if you keep reading this there will be complaining and possibly spoilers*

I get that there are a bunch of different types of beings with different characteristics and do wonder how they come up with them but this book is like 40% description between the different people and the different settings in the inn. Admittedly it’s a me problem that excessive description drives me crazy but it was a lot the other books in the serious had a few different types of people this one had 12 different factions where all the people looked different. My imagination doesn’t stretch as far as needed in this book it seriously could have benefitted from visuals of all the various people. It was just all so very exhausting. There was just too much too many people too much description too much nonsense between the various peoples.

So after everything that happened what was the point of any of this? I mean I get why the whole finding the spouse thing happened even though it was exhaustingly long and a bit tedious. But why was Wilmos kidnapped? If not for the random werewolf showing up Dina and Sean wouldn’t have even known he was missing. Seems more of a lure for Sean than Dina but ok whatever. Why the impossible location if you wanted to get her there so badly? Because without all the spouse selection shenanigans they never would have been able to get there. Obviously they would have tried to do anything to help but the plan made no sense like if you wanted to get Dina to the location then I don’t know maybe actually let her know you kidnapped someone she cared about? That just seems like bad villainy. Sean does point out that none of it made any sense as a plan. By the end it makes even less sense. Especially considering that the person behind this plot claimed that Dina was somehow getting in his business. But that don’t even make sense because thus far all she has done is wonder what happened to her parents and host crazy events at her inn. The clue that she gets in the 3rd book gives her nothing so she might meddle in other things but if not for being attacked in the 3rd book she wouldn’t have even known about the corrupted ad-hals. Also.... I may have wanted to smack Dina at the end for her nonsense considering didn’t she just barely live through the death of an inn not that long ago? Really Dina?

Seems like this whole thing should have been two separate books. The reality show aspect with all that happened was enough of a story on its own. You kind of forget why any of this is happening and what the point is. Couldn’t Wilmos being kidnapped and them needing to find him and find a way to get to him have been its own book? Just take out the part where the Sphinx hands them the location and make them work at figuring things out. It’s just too much all together.

One thing I did like was getting to know more about Caldenia. Nothing that happened with her was a surprise to me it all made sense really the suspicion from Dina constantly seemed rather unnecessary even though she didn’t know the whole story. I did also really enjoy the First Scholar’s take down of the Sphinx it was hilarious. Gotta love them space chickens. And the return of that lady from Costco from the first book... somehow it fit perfectly.

Despite all my complaining I love the series and am looking forward to what is going to happen next. I have many questions. Soooo many questions. Oddly enough despite everything if this cane out in the full cast audio form like the other books I would probably listen to it.

The beginning chapter little little recap things are just as if not more annoying in audio as they are when reading. For review purposes and because it’s harder to skim in audio form I did suffer through all the descriptions in the audio version.

The narration was great though the narrator did a great job.

And lastly... a quote:

“Nothing can ever be easy,” he said.
“Nope. We can’t even just walk into a trap like normal people. We have to work really hard first.”