Happy Audio release day! Book 2 picks up right we left off. Both narrators reprise their roles as Bastian & Fleur. Ramona Masters really brings the passion, while Michael Ferraiuolo brings the posh-ness that befits his status. The plot thickens as we get more immersed into the criminal world, pulling the strings of the French people. Flair was a bit annoying, and this was a true case of instead of. Bastian was a little bit better and I still appreciate how he tries his best to honor her space and wishes. Like book one, this doesn’t end on a cliffhanger so the drive to go to book 3 is merely to see if you wanna know what happens next in their story. Thank you NetGalley and Penelope for an ALC!

Audiobook was great. Can’t wait to continue the series. Love that bastian stayed true to himself. I love when a morally gray character stays morally gray. He’s still sweet and kind to her but he is in the mafia.

What can I even say. Ahhhhhhh!!!! Im sad i need to wait for the next boom. I need more asap! The love story between the two characters is giving me all the feels. The feelings after coming out of a previous relationship are truly understandable and relatable. Don't even get me started on the jobs of both men in this book and what they do. The ending had my heart thumping and my mouth wanting to yell.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this arc. Fingers crossed I get the next.

The Carver Honest ARC Review:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Adrien continued to challenge the divorce after his infidelity. Adrien and Fleur were married for 3 years and had been separated for a couple months as Fleur began exploring the smoking hot chemistry she shared with Bastien.

Adrien challenged the divorce as a means of dragging it out, until Bastien became involved.

Bastien’s threats against Adrien don’t bother Fleur until she became the target of the Aristocrats.

⭐️Possessive MMC
⭐️Plenty of Chemistry and Spice
⭐️Cliffhanger, Adventure and Mafia intrigue

Thank you so much for sharing this ARC with me. I’m looking forward to the next book!

there was a lot more mafia business being handled in this book. The relationship between Bastien and Fleur progressed a lot more. We get a deeper look into Bastien’s life prior to meeting Fleur. Will do anything to protect her.

I love this series. Sebastian is so intense and he wears morally grey well. The way he only makes exceptions for her is exactly what every dark romance should be and he makes things happen in their relationship and for her life to be exactly what she deserves. This is totally one of those stories where the fmc knows what she’s wants but doesn’t want to seem like a gold digger so she fights against what they both want but he wins her over. Love it!
I still don’t love the narrators because I just don’t feel like they fit the characters but they did what they could and technically they were fine.

Big thanks to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and Penelope Sky for the chance to listen to The Carver early!

This second book in the Fifth Republic series had me hooked from the start. Bastien is intense, dangerous, and impossible not to root for. He’s the kind of character who makes you feel like you’re holding your breath every time he’s on the page (or in this case, in your ears!). The chemistry between him and the main character is electric, and their connection feels even deeper in this installment.

The audiobook narration was top-tier. Ramona Master and Michael Ferraiuolo did an amazing job capturing all the tension, emotion, and fire between the characters. Their voices made the story feel even more immersive.

Things definitely escalate in this book, especially with the Aristocrats closing in and Adrien refusing to back down. Just when I thought I had a handle on where the story was going, bam, that cliffhanger! I was not ready. Now I’m counting down the days until the next book drops because I have to know what happens next.

Dark, romantic, and addictively intense—The Carver is a wild ride you won’t want to get off.

The narrators did a good job. This book was not for me. The description did not make it clear that this is the second part a series about the same couple. You have to read the first one to fully understand this book. The writing was ok but the MMC was overbearing and the FMC was wishy-washy.

Thank you NetGalley for the audiobook arc. The narrator dead perfect for the book. A dark mafia romance with the right amount of spice and he falls first. She’s still trying to get a divorce from her cheating husband when her whirlwind romance with the butcher is in full force. She’s learning to navigate his worlds when she get kidnapped by her husband’s enemy.

I love a good dark romance but I wish this one just had a bit more. It felt rushed in every aspect except the MMCs backstory. I really liked the MMC he is exactly what you are looking for in a dark romance. The FMC on the other hand was just a side character to me. She lacked any sort of depth and was a little whiny and had no real development through the story. That being said if you are looking for a quick dark romance you won’t be disappointed with this book.

I am so invested in Bastien and Fleur’s story. I absolutely loved this audiobook. The narration is really well done, and the story itself? Excellent. It’s a beautifully written, emotional romance with just the right amount of tension and intensity.

This is one of those love stories where you truly feel how far he’d go for her, he’d burn the world down if it meant protecting her. That kind of devotion? I eat it up every time.

If you’re into mafia romance, this one will absolutely satisfy that craving. It hit all the right notes for me, and I couldn’t stop listening.

Huge thanks to Dreamscape Media for the ALC!

My expectations were low for this series just because how short they are. Its very hard to write a good dark romance book but the author blew this out of the water. This is such a good book. I loved the fmc she didnt take crap from any man and she knew her worth. I didnt love how fast a spicy scene came up but it also made sense why it was fast. So definitely a give and take on that one. There was alot of chaos in the book which I loved. This book was definitely different than other dark romance books I've read which was refreshing! I listened to this book and the narration was super good both of the narrators put in so much emotion!

I read the first book and wasn’t impressed but I wa hoping with the list out the way we would get some serious plot or story.
But unfortunately it fell short.
There just wasn’t anything there I mean the spice is good but that it if I’m honest.

I’m sorry

Thank you for the arc in exchange for an honest review

The characters didnt really hook me. It was an interesting enough story to listen to while I was passing time.

Okay, I have a confession to make. I did not realize this was a sequel until after I finished the book. I really enjoyed this book and it wasn’t until I finished the book and looked up the details for the next book in the series that I realize this was a sequel. The fact that this was dual narration and I recognize the cover model made me decide to request this audiobook, so I didn’t even realize I was starting in the middle of a series. And it totally did not feel like book 2 when I was reading this. There was enough context and backstory for me to feel like this was the beginning of the series.

I really enjoyed the female narrator, but I wasn’t a big fan of the male narrator. There was nothing that the male narrator did necessarily, I just prefer deeper voices.

Also, I was not ready for this book to end. I didn’t realize I was at the end of the book until I got to the end credits. I wouldn’t say it ends on a normal type of cliffhanger, but there’s definitely a decision that needs to be made and we don’t get to figure out the outcome until the next book. Which might be kind of the definition of a cliffhanger, but it wasn’t as dramatic IMO.

Penelope Sky hit out of the park with the next book depicting the Fifth Republic. The Carver has Fleur and Bastion growing in their relationship and attempting to close up loose ends. Along with Fleur learning what is entailed with being a part of Bastion's world. Great plotting and easy to follow narrators, once you get accustomed to them. Listened in a day. Thanks for the arc listen!

🎧 ALC REVIEW 🎧
The Carver by Penelope Sky
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This sequel in the Fifth Republic series picks up where the first book The Butcher left off, the dangers of a life with Bastien become more apparent in this book for sure. I love that this book shows more of Bastien's backstory and explains why he does what he does and his strong moral compass.
The relationship between Fleur and Bastien is not an easy one but they keep communicating and deepen their connection throughout the book, and their romance is very steamy and passionate 🤭
I will say some parts of the book weren't very eventful, there were many meals and conversations without much action, but the ending of the book made up for that completely and I can't WAIT to read book 3 and see what happens after the cliffhanger.
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The quality of the audiobook is great, I like both narrators too although the voice of Michael Ferraiuolo is so sophisticated and smooth I had a hard time connecting it to the man on the cover of the book. It does fit the powerful and rich side of his character.
The female narrator Ramona Master did a great job too. Her french accent was a bit funny sometimes.
This book is dual narrated, I prefer duet but dual is the next best thing.
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Thanks #netgalley for letting me review #thecarver !

Book 2 in the series and the narrators knocked it out of the park again. The story starts off slow giving us details into Bastin's life and strengthens the connection between the two. I was glad to see Fleur called out on her wishy washy behavior. The action picks up in the second half of the book and we get to see the true dark and depraved side of Bastin.

Aiden is a worthless worm!

Listen!!!!! If Bastien isn’t the perfect man then i don’t know what is. Not much happens in this book until close to the end but I love Fleur and Bastien’s story so I stuck with it. Anxious to see how the rest of this serious plays out.

The Carver amps up the action from The Butcher with more going on and much higher stakes. I still craved a bit more since plot is a major thing for me, but it’s definitely a step up.

I loved the flashbacks. They added real depth to the MMC and made his obsession hit harder.

The spice was scorching. You’ll need ice. Possibly a fan. Maybe both.

The romance was intense. Pure obsession from the MMC and I was all in for it.

The audiobook added a whole new layer of immersion. The narrators nailed the tone and chemistry, making the tension and heat land even harder.

Thank you for this ALC. All thoughts are my own.