Absinthe Minded

I went into *Absinthe Minded* expecting another lazy rom-com, but Hearst and her narrators turned my skepticism into full-blown delight. Aaron Shedlock’s Gabe is a revelation—less the cliché mafioso playboy, more a man who’s spent a lifetime building walls and one baby just handed him a sledgehammer. His gruff command of the role, especially in high-tension scenes, feels lived-in, like he’s actually carrying the weight of a 500-year-old family dynasty on his shoulders. Stella Hunter’s performance as Lila is even better: she nails the razor-sharp wit of a woman who’s spent years pretending she doesn’t care, then lets the cracks show when they matter most. The story itself is a masterclass in pacing—just when you think you’ve got it figured out, Hearst yanks the rug out with a twist that feels earned, not contrived. My only real critique? The side characters sometimes blur together, their motives getting lost in the sauce (no pun intended) of Gabe and Lila’s chemistry. And while the production is stellar, a few of the more emotional crescendos could’ve used a beat more breathing room to linger in the gut-punch. But these are minor quibbles in an audiobook that nails the trifecta: laugh-out-loud banter, smoldering tension, and a setting that practically oozes atmosphere. If you’re craving a romance with teeth and a side of dirty martinis, queue this up now.