Review of Northern Vows by Lise Gold, Audiobook narrated by Addison Barnes

Northern Vows is the fifth and final book in the Compass series. While I enjoyed getting to know Kristine’s best friend (Eastern Nights) and Hannah’s sister (Western Shores), I couldn’t wait to get more of Kristine and Hannah themselves.

To be honest, on its own I’d probably rate Northern Vows 4* but to me, the series is 5* and as this is the ideal end to it, I’m giving it these 5*. Northern Vows takes us back to Norway, where it all began. Hannah and Kristine are getting married in the south of the country, on Midsummer’s Eve, which is very different from the north in winter, where they met. The book takes place over a week, from when the couple arrives at the resort to the day after the wedding when everyone goes back to their life. Then the epilogue, a few months later, like the perfect finishing touch.

There are a lot of characters in this book, and more than the usual amount of main characters and points of view (there’s never any confusion, don’t worry). The central couple is Hannah and Kristine, the MCs from the first two books in the series, who are getting married where it all began (or close enough). Around them: Kate, Kristine’s best friend, and Felicia, from the third book; Madison, Hannah’s sister, and Ally, from book 4; and Daisy, friend and employee of the brides, who wouldn’t say no to a fling with local girl Victoria. There are also secondary characters, such as Ally’s son Theo, Hannah’s father and his wife, Kristine’s brother, Hannah’s best friends from London, and the Norwegian couple who witnessed the beginning of Hannah and Kristine’s story and are now hosting their wedding.

It felt fantastic to spend time with most of the characters in the series again, and to get a glimpse of what happened to them since the last time Lise Gold wrote about them. And as much as I hate to say goodbye to these people, Lise Gold made it easier with this gentle, funny and very tender (and sexy, let’s not forget how sexy these books are) farewell.

I’m so happy Lise Gold managed to keep the same narrator for the whole series. Addison Barnes’ narration is beautiful. The voices she gives the various characters fit their personality and are distinct enough that I never had to wonder who was talking. And she’s a huge part of why Hannah and Kristine are one of my favourite lesfic couples (with Jess and Brooklyn from Melissa Brayden’s Kiss the Girl and Meg and Sanne from Cari Hunter’s Dark Peak trilogy). I fell in love with Hannah’s accent when I first listened to Northern Lights, it’s lovely and musical and makes my insides go all gooey. I hope Barnes narrates more lesfic in the future, I’d love to hear her voice again.