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Staying for Good  By  cover art

Staying for Good

By: Catherine Bybee
Narrated by: Cristina Panfilio
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Publisher's summary

Zoe Brown may have been voted Most Likely to Never Leave River Bend, but the paper-thin walls and suffocating air of her family's double-wide trailer were not what she wanted for her life. Other than BFFs Melanie and Jo, the only thing that kept Zoe sane during high school was her boyfriend, Luke.

She didn't just leave, she escaped - turning her back on the shame of her black-sheep siblings and imprisoned dad. Now a celebrity chef in Dallas, she can afford all the things she never could have growing up. But when she returns to rustic, ruggedly beautiful River Bend, Zoe has to face all that she abandoned - including Luke.

While Luke was a refuge for Zoe in the past, he knows they inhabit totally different worlds now. Anchored by his parents and his job as a mechanic in his father's shop, Luke never felt the urge to leave River Bend - until Zoe's return.

But when the two rekindle their old flame, Zoe is forced to make the hardest decision of her life: remain in River Bend and confront her past before it destroys her, or say good-bye to everyone she's ever loved...again, this time for good.

©2017 Catherine Bybee (P)2016 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

What listeners say about Staying for Good

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

So good until the end with the h's mom!

SPOILER ALERT IN THE FINAL NOTES.

4.25 Stars for me!

My rating range of this story... 4 - 4.5 Stars
If significant, why?

Main Character Ratings...
H = 9/10
h = 8/10

Narrator Rating(s)
M = n/a
F = 9/10
If below 5/10,why?

Was cheating involved? No
Any major triggers to be aware of? Domestic Abuse

If Comedy... Type? n/a
Genuinely Funny
Cringe Inducing
Just No!

Angst Level? Moderate
Light, Moderate, Heavy or Please Stop
3 Stars for me!

Internal Monolog? Moderate
Light, Moderate, Heavy or Please Stop

Scenes with heat... Yes
What point does it start? 50%
How much of the story? 5%
Anything beyond M/F? No
If yes, explained

Heat Rating... 6/10
Clean or Fade to Black - 1 or 2
Normal to Descriptive 3-5
Detailed Descriptive Sex - 6-7
Um, Wow, Beyond Descriptive Sex - 8 or above

Was there so much sex or unrealistic sex that you rolled your eyes and/or skipped forward? No

The back story... The h left town to escape a rough family upbringing and makes it big as a TV Chef. She goes home from Dallas for her best friend's engagement and, despite her reservations, starts seeing her high school boyfriend.

The Romance... Over several months, the relationship rebuilds and they both realize that they are still in love.

The drama explosion... Bad Dad goes off the rails.
Did it feel Real, OK or contrived? Semi-real
Was it OTT? Yes
Separation involved? No
Was it resolved properly or rushed? Mostly properly (see final notes).

Final Notes... This is a serious spoiler... If you want to skip it, stop here.
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Last chance
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Mom is arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter... which I absolutely don't understand. Daddy-dearest was on a rampage and about to kill his son. I guess living in Texas has me feeling blessed that I don't live in a state that would prefer the victim being killed before deadly force can be used. As a father, if you are trying to kill my daughter, I would use every tool in my reach to save her life and stop the killer.

That dropped the story from 4.5 to 4 Stars for me.

HEA or HFN? HFN

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

love this series

Really like author Cathwrun Hy-Vee. She writes good stories, with just enough intrigue and I romance.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

All in the family

The flow of the story is so well written. Bringing each character in to the plot is so smooth yet it keeps the main story well in the forefront of the story.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Next Book Please!

Another good read. Wonderful narration. I love the way Catherine Bybee weaves one story into another and keeps her readers invested in her world. I'm invested for as long as she keeps writing!

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

great book

this is a great series so far, now on to the next book. Loved all the twist and turns, if you haven't read it you should

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

BRAVO!!!

The second book in the series, "Most Likely To: Staying for Good, Book 2."
I loved this book; I'm loving the series so far. Ms. Bybee is a very talented author.
Every thing I've read of hers has been very good, wonderful, books I would share with others. But, when I came across this series, I found it hard to put down.
I've so far have read book one and two back to back in 24hrs; ready for book three; the final book in the series.
There were times I could close my eyes and see the characters in the storylines. When they laughed, I laughed and when they would hurt or feel a loss, I did too.
Cristina Panfilio should receive an award for her excellent narration in these two books. Her and Ms. Bybee deserves high honors for this series so far.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • LT
  • 08-28-19

How mean can one man be?

In this book of the series we meet Zoe's father Ziggy Brown. Ziggy Brown is a bitter, mean human being. Zoe returns home to her hometown for the love of her life, Luke, and her friends and family. Then Ziggy gets released from jail. He is back in the house with her mother, sister, and infant nephew. He is a danger to them all. Ziggy went to far and Cheryl will not take it anymore. She fights back, killing Ziggy.
Catherine Bybee is good at suspense and romance. Good book. I look forward to the last book of the series. Who's stalking Jo?

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

worth the wait

I have been waiting for the sequel, and it was worth it. Great read! Hope the final book is just as captivating.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great story

Second book and now it is time to read the book about Sheriff Jo.
I have not found a trio of books so great in a long time. Pleasantly surprised!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful Series!

Loved narrator and all characters. Very well written series and awesome storyline. Onto next book.

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