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- Title: Mister
- Author: E L James
- Narrator: Dominic Thorburn, Jessica O’hara-Baker
- Length: 16:29:00
- Version: Abridged
- Release Date: 16/04/2019
- Publisher: Random House (Audio)
- Genre: Romance, Fiction & Literature, General, Contemporary, Contemporary Women, Romance, Fiction & Literature, General, Contemporary, Contemporary Women
- ISBN13: 9.78E+12
It’s not every day you stumble across a romance audiobook that sweeps you off your feet and carries you across continents, but “Mister” by E L James, narrated by Dominic Thorburn and Jessica O’hara-Baker, does just that. The story unfolds like a winding road through the heart of London, the rugged cliffs of Cornwall, and the haunting beauty of the Balkans – a roller-coaster of danger and desire that kept me hooked from the first chapter. As a travel writer who’s spent years chasing tales across dusty trails and bustling markets, I found myself drawn into this contemporary romance with a hunger for its landscapes and the human connections at its core.
Let me take you back to a memory that flickered to life while I listened. A few years ago, I was winding through the Atacama Desert in Chile, the surreal expanse of sand and salt flats stretching out like a dreamscape. I had Gabriel García Márquez’s “One Hundred Years of Solitude” playing through my earbuds, and the narrator’s voice wove magic into that barren beauty. Listening to “Mister”, I felt a similar pull. Dominic Thorburn’s rich, aristocratic timbre as Maxim Trevelyan paired with Jessica O’hara-Baker’s delicate yet fierce Alessia Demachi brought the story to life in a way that reminded me of those desert nights – intimate, expansive, and unforgettable.
The book follows Maxim, a privileged Londoner who’s never known a hard day’s work until tragedy thrusts him into a world of responsibility he’s unprepared for. Then there’s Alessia, a mysterious Albanian woman with a past shadowed by danger, whose musical talent and quiet strength turn Maxim’s world upside down. Their romance is a dance of longing and restraint, set against a backdrop that shifts from urban sophistication to wild, untamed corners of the earth. You can almost feel the damp London fog on your skin, taste the salt of the Cornish sea, and hear the faint echo of Alessia’s piano drifting through the air. E L James has a knack for building atmosphere, and this audiobook experience amplifies it tenfold.
What struck me most was how the story mirrors the journeys I’ve taken – not just the physical ones, but the emotional ones. I remember staying with a family in Oaxaca, where their grandmother would spin tales each evening by the fire. Her voice had this way of pulling you in, using pauses like brushstrokes to paint the scene. Thorburn and O’hara-Baker channel that same oral storytelling magic. Thorburn’s Maxim is all charm and vulnerability, his British accent lending a weight to every aristocratic quip and quiet confession. O’hara-Baker’s Alessia is a revelation – her soft, accented delivery carries the weight of a survivor’s resilience, making every note of her journey hit home. Together, they create a listening experience that’s as immersive as a late-night conversation with a stranger who becomes a friend.
Thematically, “Mister” digs into transformation – Maxim’s shift from carefree playboy to a man grappling with duty, and Alessia’s quiet defiance against the forces that threaten her. It’s a contemporary romance with a pulse, blending privilege and peril in a way that feels both fresh and timeless. The cultural threads – London’s elite circles, Cornwall’s rugged isolation, the Balkan echoes of Alessia’s past – reminded me of the hidden histories I’ve uncovered in my travels. There’s a raw humanity here that James captures well, though at times the pacing stumbles, lingering a bit too long on Maxim’s inner turmoil when the story begs to race forward.
The audio quality is crisp, with the dual narration adding depth to the shifting perspectives. Thorburn’s energy lifts the tension of Maxim’s high-stakes world, while O’hara-Baker’s subtlety grounds Alessia’s quieter moments. At just under 17 hours, the duration feels right for a tale this expansive – long enough to sink into, but not so sprawling that you lose the thread. That said, there were moments where the dialogue felt a touch overwritten, and I wondered if a tighter edit might’ve sharpened the emotional stakes. Still, the narrators’ chemistry carries it through, making this a standout in the romance audiobook genre.
Compared to James’s “Fifty Shades” trilogy, “Mister” trades some of that series’ provocative edge for a broader, more grounded narrative. It’s less about shock and more about connection – think of it as “Fifty Shades” meets a sweeping travelogue. If you’re a fan of contemporary women’s fiction with a dash of danger, or if you loved the lush romance of “The Bronze Horseman” by Paullina Simons, this one’s for you. The audiobook experience elevates it beyond the page, letting the voices breathe life into every twist.
For all its strengths, “Mister” isn’t flawless. The plot occasionally leans on convenience – Maxim’s wealth and charm solve problems a little too neatly at times – and Alessia’s backstory, while gripping, could’ve been fleshed out more. But these are small quibbles in a story that sweeps you up and doesn’t let go. It’s the kind of audiobook that begs for a long drive or a quiet evening with a glass of wine, where you can lose yourself in its world.
I’d recommend this to anyone who craves a romance that’s as much about the journey as the destination – listeners who love vivid settings, complex characters, and a narration that feels like a warm hand guiding you through. It’s not just a story; it’s an experience, one that lingers like the scent of a far-off place you’ve only just left behind.
Until our next adventure, happy listening,
Marcus Rivera
