Mariposa

By: Lexie Axelson

Narrated by: James Cassidy, Janine Granda

A steamy age-gap romance about a unbreakable young woman who joins the Special Forces program, the no-nonsense commander whose job is to break her down, and an incendiary, attraction that threatens to consume them both.

I made it into the special forces course, but there are three problems.
Problem number one? One of my instructors is the infamous Special Operator Beast—a man everyone fears due to his cold heart and polished career. He loathes being away from his team, which makes graduating nearly impossible for all of us, mainly his least favorite student, me.

Problem number two? My heart skips a beat whenever I look into his cruel eyes, and my blood heats whenever he’s near me. He’s tall, scarred, and a devastatingly irresistible man who never smiles.

Oh, and problem number three? He’s my ex-boyfriend’s dad.

We try to stay out of each other’s way to make our reckless attraction fade, but fate keeps bringing us together. The military calls me The Unbreakable Soldier, but falling for Kade O’Connell might be my undoing.

Strong FMC!!

Mariposa by Lexi Axelson was so good. At 11.5 hours it’s definitely not a quick listen, but did I fly through it? I sure did. The storyline was fantastic, the MMC absolutely delectable in all his gruffness and tough badassery, and the FMC determined, resilient, and a complete powerhouse. Lexi did an incredible job with this story — it truly had everything: tension, backstory, grit, romance, and spice. I mean it when I say this audiobook was phenomenal. Bravo, Lexi — this will 100% be a reread for me.

And the narration? What a pairing. Janine Granda as Violet was incredible. She brought out the fierceness Violet needed in her fight to prove to herself that she could do it just as well, if not better, than the men in her class. At the same time, she captured Violet’s softer vulnerability — the hurt and loneliness — beautifully. It was pure perfection.

James Cassidy as Kade… wow. Lexi could not have chosen better. James was outstanding, delivering so much grit and intensity while showcasing his incredible talent. His portrayal of the tough, no-nonsense officer was spot on, but it was the subtle shifts — the slightly softer moments, the man who was exactly what Violet needed — that truly stood out. His performance added so much depth and realism, and it elevated the entire listening experience.

The intensity they both brought and the chemistry between their characters was spectacular and took this story to another level. This is a definite 5/5 for both story and narration. Do. Not. Miss. Out. The chemistry, intensity, and immersive production made this such an engaging listen.

LOVE

Amazing narration! Truly brought this book alive. Kade mouth is a wet dream. Didn’t want it to end 😊🤗

Loved

This was Amazing I mean everything about was incredible I didn’t want to stop when I started it.

Excellent narration

Such a good story, ugh I cried so hard at the end but loved it so much.

Everything!

Both narrators really encapsulated and brought Kade and Violet to life! ❤️ the audiobook was an amazing experience in duet.