Thank You for Listening by Julia Whelan
Stars: 4 out of 5
Spice: 2, there is one spicy scene but it is not particularly descriptive
This was both my first book by Whelan AND the first fiction audio book I had listened to after one disastrous attempt many moons ago. This was the perfect one to start with, it was like an inside look at the audio book industry read by the author herself.
Sewanee Chester is a well-regarded, award-winning audio book narrator who in her past life was an up and coming actress. After a tragic accident, she left acting and became a narrator, which it turns out is a lot like acting. While attending a romance convention in Las Vegas, she has a thrilling one night stand. But then it is back to her reality in LA, where her beloved grandmother is starting to suffer from dementia and will need additional, and more expensive, care. An opportunity arises for Sewanee to narrate a romance, something she hasn’t done in years, alongside romance audio books hottest male narrator, Brock McKnight. She can’t pass up the money and soon she and Brock are exchanging texts and emails and a friendship has blossomed.
I won’t spoil the surprise, but this is a romance, so you see where this is going. I have to say, there was a lot of great tension building up for the reader for when Brock and Sewanee will eventually meet. It had me on the edge of my seat and I was even a little shocked.
I enjoyed Whelan’s writing style and her narration. This is a book about a mature woman finding out what makes her happy in life, saying goodbye to old dreams and realizing that she needs to forgive herself so she can move on. Sewanee is learning to relate to her parents and her grandmother as an adult and that is not always easy. All the characters were great, I mean especially the cast at Seasons Assisted Living, they could have a sitcom all their own.
I’ve already taken her first book, My Oxford Year, out of the library, so I am ready for my next Whelan book. And then I look forward to what is coming next from Whelan. I would highly recommend reading this as an audio book!