Vyper

By: Kiernan Kelly

Narrated by: Joel Leslie

Vyper is a dashing pirate whose name strikes fear in the hearts of blackguards and civilians alike. A fortuitous message in a bottle leads Vyper to the island of Jamaica, but soon entangles him in a web of lies, deceit, and double-crosses, and introduces him to the man who may plunder Vyper's heart and destroy his world.

Byron Caldwell is a handsome, titled British landowner, whose holdings include a thriving plantation on the island of Jamaica. The only shadow on his otherwise brilliant future is his shrew of a sister, Elizabeth. It's his intention to marry her off as soon as possible, if only he can find someone willing to take her off his hands.

Elizabeth wants one thing and one thing only, the key to the Caldwell fortune, and she'll stop at nothing to get it, including arranging the kidnapping and eventual death of her brother by hiring the most ferocious pirate she can find.

The events spurred by a seemingly innocuous message found in a bottle washed ashore on a tiny island in the Caribbean soon set Vyper's life on its ear and may ultimately bring about his demise.

©2016 Kiernan Kelly (P)2016 Kiernan Kelly

Sexy, Saucy Swashbuckling Fun

Where does Vyper rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Very highly. I thought it was a great yarn, beautifully narrated. The pirate genre led to a great number of colorful accents and salty characters... and the two heroes were totally engaging and the sister was a really wonderful antagonist.

What did you like best about this story?

I thought the world building was excellent. I thought Vyper was such a sexy character ... and his first mate Toby was adorable. I really hope he gets his own book. I think the plot was really strong - and the sex is woven into it in a great way.

Which character – as performed by Joel Leslie – was your favorite?

I loved Vyper, dry, witty and totally sexy. The delivery is brilliant. I also loved his Toby. The narrator's delivery of the sister was also really impressive.

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

One of my favorite m/m stories that i've read. It was my first pirate romance and I thought it was so much fun.

Any additional comments?

loved it

It's an amazing piece of writing.

Let me start off by saying Joel Leslie was the most perfect narrator for the audio verson. Vyper kinda sounded like Jack Sparrow and that made me happy. The next thing, damn I never wanted a character to ge their come uppance like I did with Elizabeth. She is a physcopath. Or is it a sociopath? Which ever, chick is crazy. Kinda bummed she survived. Oh, but Byron and his pirate... That was an amazing story and pretty darned hot too! Is it wrong of me to pretend that the new Lord Byron, with his repressed background grows up to be the infamous Lord Byron? Because this is how i see this story. It's an amazing piece of writing that has me daring to imagine all kinds of possible futures for the characters.

A great sexy pirate story!

Joel Leslie has been one of my favorite voice artists for quite awhile and he didn’t disappoint with this one. I also love all of the Kiernan Kelly books I’ve read. This story went in a different direction than what I thought it was going to and props go to the author for keeping me guessing and surprising me more than once.

Smexy Pirate Times

This was my first foray into the mm pirate trope and I must say I have mixed emotions about it. On one hand I was absolutely appalled at the treatment and attitude towards slaves in Port Royal, Jamaica. Although I’m sure historically accurate, that was hard to stomach. It made it hard to like any of the MCs. This book is well written with complex MCs that are neither totally good nor totally evil. Keep that in the back of your mind as you listen. It is primarily told from Vyper, Byron, Elizabeth and Toby’s POV, but some minor characters also get a POV at times. The story requires a little suspension of disbelief to enjoy as there is an element of insta lust. I was pleasantly surprised by how my attitude about Elizabeth changed over the course of the story. Like many of the people of that time, I found myself judging her more harshly than I judged Vyper; who if truth be told was just as ruthless as Elizabeth. But he could hide behind be a pirate to justify his behavior and she could not. All in all a really enjoyable listen.

Joel Leslie once again does a masterful performance. He is really one of the most talented narrators out there. His timing and characterizations are spot on and really brings this story to life. I definitely would not have enjoyed it as much if I had read it

Sweet but could have been better

There was nothing wrong with this story. I enjoyed the characters and the plot, and it was definitely low angst and ended with HEAs for all. It could have been a really incredible read if there had been more plot development to allow for the relationship between Byron and Vyper to develop over time, with more UST and pining. Also, the resolution for Elizabeth is lacking in accountability. There could have been a more balanced plot path for allowing her the HEA she gets. There was nothing unbelievable about the story, it just lacked fleshing out. It’s still completely enjoyable to listen to.

Joel Leslie is spectacular, as usual. His accents are spot on, his timing and delivery are perfect. He makes you forget that there’s only one actor performing the audiobook.

Definitely worth a listen.