A Swan's Sweet Song

By: J. Arlene Culiner

Narrated by: Jill Culiner

Length: 5 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

The instant Sherry and Carston meet, there’s desire and fascination in the air…but they’re complete opposites. Smart-talking Sherry fought her way up from poverty to stardom as a country music singer. Now, she’s ever in the limelight, ever surrounded by clamoring fans, male admirers, and paparazzi, and her spangled cowboy boots carry her all across the country, from one brightly lit stage to the next. A renowned but reclusive playwright, Carston cherishes his freedom, the silence of his home in the woods, and his solitary country walks. Any long-term commitment is obviously out of the question: how about a quick and passionate fling? But when their names are linked in the scandal press, Sherry’s plans to become an actress are revealed. Is their budding relationship doomed?

©2015 J. Arlene Culiner (P)2017 J. Arlene Culiner

Opposites always attract

He’s a sleek playwright with an Ivy League education. She’s a country singer complete with boots and sequins. Sherry and Carsten couldn’t be more different. How will love find a way when they’re not only worlds apart but on opposite ends of the country? They’re two very successful people who don’t have the confidence to accept their differences. Enjoy a romance with a few challenges.

Mature opposites attract

Would you consider the audio edition of A Swan's Sweet Song to be better than the print version?

I didn't read the print version, but I really enjoy listening to books while driving and exercising so I do consider the audio edition better.

What did you like best about this story?

I enjoyed the author’s playfulness with songs and singing. For example, I like that a singer finds a man who “makes her heart sing.” Oh, and I loved the piglets and the “bacon and eggs.” There’s a bit of a Shakespearean twist as the characters reveal themselves to each other and realization dawns that they’ve been misunderstood. The characters are well realized, and I cared about them and enjoyed the details that brought them to life. There is a stage fright scene that’s very realistic.

What about Jill Culiner’s performance did you like?

It took me a bit to get used to her accent, but she differentiated the characters well and was the perfect voice for Sherry, managing to portray her toughness and her vulnerability.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Charlie, Sherry's manager, made me both cringe and laugh, but he does the right thing in the end.

Any additional comments?

If you like mature heroes and heroines with experience and their feet firmly on the ground, this is the book and the author for you. Sherry and Carston are old enough to have experiences that have scarred them and made them vulnerable, but they have the maturity to overcome the obstacles and to enjoy the differences.

Good story. Unexpected narration.

His was a lovely story of an odd pair moving through Romance to Love. It was sweet, sexy, and heartwarming with a fun twist at the end. It’s clear that the narrator is a talented voice actor. Her enunciation, pacing and emotional delivery were spot on. I was very surprised, and not that pleased, that a love story with American characters, was voiced by someone with the warble of mature age and a pronounced British accent. It absolutely took away from hearing and visualizing the characters.

Complex Romance and No Cliches

I loved the story because it didn't go where I thought it was going, and that makes it memorable. The mix of character personalities provided fun twists.

Great story, wrong voice for narration

This book was really enjoyable as far as the writing goes. It's sweet with some steam. But I struggled a lot with the narrator. Nothing personal against the narrator, who I believe is also the author, but the voice just didn't fit the story. It was difficult for me to get list in the world of A Swan's Sweet Song because the voice didn't match any of the characters, setting, passion, etc. I would read this author again.