Thank You For Listening by Julia Whelan: Review

Thank You For Listening is a highly-entertaining story of a former actress now audiobook narrator whose life changed after a traumatic accident. It is one of my favourite books of 2022.

[book-info]

From The Publisher:

From the author of My Oxford Year, Julia Whelan’s uplifting novel tells the story of a former actress turned successful audiobook narrator—who has lost sight of her dreams after a tragic accident—and her journey of self-discovery, love, and acceptance when she agrees to narrate one last romance novel.

For Sewanee Chester, being an audiobook narrator is a long way from her old dreams, but the days of being a star on film sets are long behind her. She’s found success and satisfaction from the inside of a sound booth and it allows her to care for her beloved, ailing grandmother. When she arrives in Las Vegas last-minute for a book convention, Sewanee unexpectedly spends a whirlwind night with a charming stranger. 

On her return home, Sewanee discovers one of the world’s most beloved romance novelists wanted her to perform her last book—with Brock McNight, the industry’s hottest, most secretive voice. Sewanee doesn’t buy what romance novels are selling—not after her own dreams were tragically cut short—and she stopped narrating them years ago. But her admiration of the late author, and the opportunity to get her grandmother more help, makes her decision for her. 

As Sewanee begins work on the book, resurrecting her old romance pseudonym, she and Brock forge a real connection, hidden behind the comfort of anonymity. Soon, she is dreaming again, but secrets are revealed, and the realities of life come crashing down around her once more.

If she can learn to risk everything for desires she has long buried, she will discover a world of intimacy and acceptance she never believed would be hers.

My Thoughts:

When you combine a favourite author with a favourite narrator you always have a winner. The fact that the author is also the narrator makes this book all the more enjoyable. If you are at all inclined to read romance or women’s fiction you will absolutely love this book. One other thing – do yourself a favour and choose the audiobook version.

I loved, loved, loved this book. I rarely give a romance novel 5 stars but this one is so deserving. The characters are so well developed, there is plenty of funny banter, and the author writes and performs a highly entertaining and engaging storyline. The romance between Sewanee and Brock is full of twists and turns and I enjoyed every minute of it.

There is plenty of more serious moments in Thank You for Listening. Sewanee experienced a significant blow to her body image after a tragic accident. Her passion for her work faded as a result. Her beloved Grandmother Blah Blah (Sewanee couldn’t pronounce Barbara when she was younger) has dementia and is fading away before her very eyes.

The narrative pacing of the book was exceptional. I felt completely invested in the book all the way through – laughing out loud one minute and experiencing Sewanee’s disappointments the next. Having had the unfortunate experience of losing a loved one to dementia, I also felt her anxiety. Having said that, one of my favourite scenes in the book is when Sewanee and a friend are visiting Blah Blah and her fellow residents in the care home. You have to take the good moments when you can.

I was lucky enough to listen to the audiobook version of Thank You for Listening. What I’d like to say back to the author is Thank You for Writing and Performing this book. I am not a re-reader or collector of books, but I am so glad I purchased this book from Audible as I will be listening to it again. How Julia Whelan performs these voices is spectacular in itself. The diversity in gender, age and accents is amazing – all from the one woman’s performance. I simply cannot recommend this book enough.

What I Liked:

• The well-developed and likeable characters
• The balance of more serious narrative to humorous moments
• The author’s performance in the audiobook

Similar Books I’ve Reviewed: