The Pacific Between

By: Raymond K. Wong

Narrated by: Brian Callanan

"Betrayal makes us do strange things."

When Greg Lockland returns to California for his parents' funeral, he discovers letters that suggest an affair between his ex-lover Lian and Greg's late father. Suspicion, anger, and jealousy take Greg on a transpacific journey to find the truth. One by one, people from the past return to his life, including elusive and perfect Lian. Uncovering deep-rooted deceptions creates more twists and turns to the past than an old Chinese alleyway.

The Pacific Between evinces the power of unconditional love and deals with personal subjects such as death, estrangement, and betrayal. It is a man's journey to discover himself and the world around him. Told with wit and humor, this nostalgic tale speaks true to the heart about relationships, families, and sacrifices.

©2005 Raymond K. Wong (P)2017 Raymond K. Wong

Good Story

Overall good story. Narration was great. I will recommend this book to my friends. I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.

Brilliant narration, pretty good story...

Would you listen to The Pacific Between again? Why?

No, I wouldn't listen to it again. Once was enough for me.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

Meh. The ending is one of two reasons why I didn't rate the story higher. It was a fun journey, with lots of laughs (literally lots of lol's in the car). I sped up the last two hours or so to 1.5 speed because I was really wanting to get to the end but wasn't in love with the story at that point. The other reason, FWIW, is that the main character got on my nerves. A lot.

BUT...Maybe you're like my husband, who enjoys it when things aren't always wrapped up all pretty at the end. If that's you, then I definitely recommend giving this book a look. The words and narration make you feel like you're there and I could easily picture each and every character, which was great.

Have you listened to any of Brian Callanan’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I haven't listened to any of his other performances, but I would happily do so. He differentiates characters really well and handled the various characters accents from around the globe perfectly. I really enjoyed listening. He made the story come alive.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Not really. I loved how drawn in to Hong Kong I felt. Between the narrator and the authors obvious knowledge of the area and customs, well it was a nice escape from suburbia for me.

Any additional comments?

Okay, so I started listening to it and at first, I honestly wasn't sure that I was going to like it. The narration is very different than what I'm used to, especially with the Chinese characters. But then I grew to love it. For a while, the story flew and I was eagerly anticipating what in the world was going to happen next. Then closer to the end it slowed back down and I started losing interest. Also, the main character is annoyingly selfish and acts oftentimes ridiculous for a 32 year old. Now, the author knows this, as reference is made to the fact that it's always about him. It just got a little redundant. He acted like a bratty, spoiled child.

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.

Great Listen

Any additional comments?

Greg discovers evidence that his ex-lover Lian was having an affair with his now-deceased father at the time that they were together. Searching for the truth, he travels to Hong Kong to confront Lian. What he discovers will challenge everything that he thought he knew about his father and shape the man that he himself is becoming.

The Pacific Between was a beautifully written novel of self discovery. Facing the betrayals of his past, Greg gained a better understanding of the human condition and grew from it. The wonderful imagery and interesting characters took me on a journey as well. The narration was well done and kept me engaged. The Pacific Between was a great listen and I would recommend it.

I was voluntarily provided this review copy audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator. This review is my honest opinion.

I received this book via BookBoom

Any additional comments?

I received this book via BookBoom in exchange for an honest review. The author did a wonderful job of setting the scenery and the book itself. I thoroughly enjoyed the narrator and will look for other books he has done. I tend to shy away from angsty characters and struggled with some of them through most of the book. However, I will recommend this to my friends. It was a great listen especially for a long drive or just needing a little down time.

Pretty Good overall

I got this book via audiobook boom. This story took you on a roller coaster ride of discoveries, deceptions, and truths. Greg finds evidence that seems to say your old lover was actually having an affair with your father at the same time. He then leaves his new girlfriend to go back home to discover the truth. I am not sure if I like him or not. But what he does discover is filled with lots of plot twists that keep you listening to see what will happen next. The narrator was right for the story and made it enjoyable.