Very well done paranormal romance

The Sceptic is a paranormal romance that has a bit of a different feel to it than many Lily Morton books. Honestly, I think it had more of a scare factor and suspense than The Mysterious and Amazing Blue Billings, which this series is a spin-off from. That said, the spookiness is well balanced with a sweet romance and some lighter moments to make it an enjoyable read I was more than happy to get lost in while listening.

Both main characters in The Sceptic are introduced in The Mysterious and Amazing Blue Billings and there is some character overlap fans will no doubt appreciate. However, I believe this book could read just as well as a standalone as it follows secondary characters on an entirely new adventure. I quite liked both men and found Jem’s gentle demeanor and calm insistence to fit well with Will. Conversely, Will is a complex, interesting character I really enjoyed seeing develop throughout The Sceptic. I loved how his comfort in himself and his place in York among his found family palpably took hold while the story unfolded. It drew me into Will and Jem’s life just as much as the ghost story intrigued me.

The paranormal element in The Sceptic is exceptionally well done. I loved the twists and revelations throughout the book. I also appreciated that there was a full story to learn, rather than a jump scare factor for the reader.

As always, Joel Leslie imparts a fair bit of personality and emotion into his narrative performance. I believe his bright, lively tone probably lightened the book a bit—as even with the scary bits, I didn’t feel exceptionally jumpy. Rather I was pulled along on a wonderfully spooky adventure and lovely romance. I’d definitely recommend The Sceptic to readers who enjoy paranormal romance and think the audiobook may be a particularly good option for those readers who tend to get scared more easily.

1 person found this helpful

Enjoyable! I love the world Lily Morton has built!

The Sceptic by Lily Morton is a spin off of her original series Black and Blue series. This book picks up with the side character and best friend of Blue Billings, Will Buchanan and love interest Jem Dawson. This book was lovely! The ghost mystery was enigmatic and mysterious, but a bit slow. I enjoyed Will and Jem's relationship though! Both characters gradually got close together and built a foundation, and were snarky and sarcastic. I loved their snarkiness. Even so, I still felt more drawn towards Blue and Levi in the previous series, and I wanted them both to show up more in this book. Overall the mystery and slow building relationship between Jem and William was slow, but entertaining and cute as they progressed throughout the story. As always Joel Leslie, did a great job bringing this story to life with his talented voice!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this audiobook.

Excellent story and just what I needed

Lately, I’ve been feeling slow on romance novels, and this one gave me exactly what I needed as a pick me up! It was a sci-fi ghost story with just the right amount of action, horror, and mixed in with a little bit of love. I almost wish that there was a part two to the story. I very much enjoyed the characters and want to see where their relationship goes. Joe Leslie 💉, of course didn’t outstanding performance as always kudos to him! If you’re looking for an engaging read and are a little bit of a sap then this is your book!

perfect blend of sweet and creep

loved it from start to finish, keept my attention well and easy to follow.
can't help but listen to the others book to

Will and Jem’s ghostly romance

I really enjoyed this book. Will and Jem’s story was sweet but a bit creepy. All of Lily Morton’s books are incredible and this one is no exception. As always, Joel Leslie’s narration was done well.

Great Performance

I enjoyed this audiobook but I can't count it among my favorites from Lily Morton. It took quite a bit of time for me to get into the story but I'm glad I finished it. Joel Leslie's magnificent performance helped a lot.

I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion

Amazingly entertaining with a little creepy story

I adore Joel Leslie bringing Lily Morton’s stories to life. The story is totally different than I have read/listened to before from Lily, but this was incredible. Super different world from what I’ve read before but she pulls you in and gets you to want to know more of Will and Gem. I’m super interested in what happens in the story connected to this (Blue Billings) but I was able to enjoy without not understanding this story. I loved the creep factor with the ghosts and Joel does amazing giving life to the characters but will not listen to this before bed again. Lol. Definitely recommend!

SPOOKY

First let me start off with a warning. If you get scared easily DO NOT listen to this right before bed and/or in a dark room. I swear it was 10 times more creepy being able to hear the wariness in the MCs voices whenever all the ghost activity was going on. *shivers* That being said, Joel Leslie did a fabulous job bringing Will and Jem to life. The Sceptic might be a scary tale, but there is plenty of Lily Morton's signature snark between these two throughout the book. It helped add lightness to an otherwise darker tale. Much of this book is dedicated to the plot line of the haunting, while the romance takes a bit of a back seat until closer to the end. After all, it's hard to be romantic when you're sleep deprived and scared out of your wits. Don't worry though, there's plenty of UST to build up to it all.

Jem was such a likeable character and he was the perfect partner for Will, whom I already adored from his previous appearances in Blue and Levi's books. He was patient with Will, but he also knew when to push which can be a delicate balance where Will is concerned. Will's past experiences prevent him from rushing headlong into any sort of romantic entanglement, but luckily for Jem (and us) he proves too hard to resist. The ending of their story is so satisfying. You can tell how absolutely happy they are with both each other and the direction their lives have taken together. After what Will has lived through, it was a joy to see him happy and settled in the end.

The Sceptic

delightfully creepy and wonderfully romantic

the audio - I am very much a scaredy cat but would classify this is as also delightfully creepy

Jem and Will are just perfect for each other and I think they need more adventures. They need more skeptic moments that aren’t really skeptical. They need more moments at home, safe and happy. They need more spooky…but not too spooky.

great fun. highly recommend.

Spooky spooky

We get Will and Jem’s story! Although this is a standalone, I really really suggest reading Blue’s series (Black and Blue Series by Lily) first, I think it’s necessary to completely enjoy this one.
First of all, this has a different pace, there’s a lot of mystery and suspense, at want point I even wanted to stop reading cause some scenes were just too spooky for me. This is also a very SLOW burn story. On a positive we get to see two men really start to know and fall for each other.
Loved seeing everyone! But it’s gonna be a while for me before any more horror mysteries for me.

Narration 10/10