Audiobook Review: Emmie and the Tudor King – Natalie Murray – Agirlandhertablet

Author: Natalie Murray

Narrator: Shakira Shute

Length: 9 hours and 37 minutes

Series: Hearts and Crowns, Book 1

Publisher: Natalie Murray

Released: Oct. 27, 2021

Genre: Young Adult Romance

One moment, Emmie is writing her high school history paper; the next, she is lost in 16th century England, where she meets a dreamy but dangerous Tudor king who is destined for a dreadful fate. Able to travel back to her own time but intensely drawn to King Nick and the mysterious death of his sister, Emmie finds herself solving the murder of a young princess and unravelling court secrets while trying to keep her head on her shoulders, literally. With everything to lose, Emmie will come to face her biggest battle of all: how to cheat the path of history and keep her irresistible king, or lose him – and her heart – forever.

Natalie Murray is the award-winning author of Emmie and the Tudor King (2021), Emmie and the Tudor Queen (2021), and Emmie and the Tudor Throne (2022) from Midnight Tide Publishing. A cross between Outlander and The Other Boleyn Girl, the romance trilogy follows a high school girl to a reimagined Tudor England, where she meets a doomed – but dreamy – Tudor king destined for a dreadful fate.Emmie and the Tudor King was an award-winning finalist in the 14th Annual National Indie Excellence Awards in the New Adult Fiction category and has received acclaim from Foreword Reviews, YA Books Central, and popular authors Brigid Kemmerer (A Curse So Dark and Lonely) and CJ Flood (Infinite Sky), among others.

Shakira Shute is a full time audiobook narrator and voice actor and is an alumni of the internationally acclaimed National Youth Theatre of Great Britain. In a previous life (before relocating with her family to Canada 7 years ago), Shakira was a commercial litigation lawyer in London, England. Shakira has had the privilege of narrating projects for Penguin Random House, Tantor Audio, Dreamscape Media, Findaway Voices, Orange Sky Audio, Audio Sorceress and East House Productions. She has also narrated books in collaboration with Oxford University Press and MIT. She is able to perform character voices, multiple UK regional accents, as well as a general American accent.

4.77/5 Stars! One of my favorite parts of the book is ironically at the beginning when Emmie talks about how her teacher thinks she knows everything about England just because she lived there as a child and had not lost her accent. There are many stereotypes in life, and everyone is blameworthy for using them, so having them used in a very comical situation is brilliant. Her use of colors and scenes are entrancing, and she took me away from the mountains back to the Tudor Dynasty and into the courts of what could have been Elizabeth I’s son, Nicholas. There were many times if I closed my eyes, I would be able to see the scene unfolding. The way Emmie felt for Nicholas, that she instantly loved him, made it more reasonable and likable. The mystery of the sister added a wonderful twist, as well. I usually love time travel, though I haven’t read any “what if history,” it was wonderfully written and I cannot wait for the next installment. Shakira Shute’s Narration 4.99/5 Stars! I love a British accent, and it makes the story wonderful to listen to, I keep finding more and more narrators that I want to listen to over and over again. Her dialect was enchanting, and I can’t wait till the next novel is brought out on audiobook!I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Natalie Murray. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.