This was a great romance novel that had me hooked! I really enjoyed reading this book and will recommended it for months to come!

I received Thank You For Listening from Netgalley and Avon Books. The main character, Sewanee, an actress who had an accident and is now a audiobook narrator. It was a fun read since it’s a job we never really read about. As with love stories, she works on a book’s audio that she needs to pair up with another narrator, but the catch is they both use romance pseudonyms. This book comes out tomorrow 8/2, preorder or buy it tomorrow.

Thank you Avon books and Netgalley for this arc.

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. This book was a delight and I have already pre-ordered my audiobook so that I can enjoy it all over again!

What's it about (in a nutshell):
Thank You for Listening by Julia Whelan is a contemporary story about Sewanee (Swan) Chester, her career as an audiobook narrator, and a time in her life when she is at a crossroads.

Initial Expectations (before beginning the book):
The cover is cartoonish, which tells me that this is a story with some humor. The blurb on the cover mentions that the novel is witty and clever, which, when mixed with humor, is my favorite kind of telling. I'll be honest – the book description on the back is rather wordy and completely lost me, so I'm not sure exactly what this story is about or what to expect.

Actual Reading Experience:
I adored this story and the characters from page one and didn't want the story to end. The writing is clever, with loads of witty banter and comedic moments instantly pulling me in. I loved the laugh-out-loud moments and the more poignant, heartbreaking ones. They all come together and tell a tale that is relatable and fascinating.

I also enjoyed the insider's look at the audiobook production world. I never realized what all went into it and how demanding a career in this field actually is. Interestingly, there are awards and even a fan base for this line of work. The story seems to accurately describe what it's like to be an audiobook narrator. Since the author is also an audiobook narrator, it's like hearing her tell her profession to the reader.

The format of the book is also exciting. Each chapter is titled after a trope found in romance novels. I loved this nod to what makes a romance or a women's fiction story. It is very clever and done in a way that fuels the compelling nature of the tale.

Swan's relationships in this story are all uniquely complex. Swan and her grandmother Blah, Blah share an enviable closeness that becomes incredibly poignant as the story unfolds. She is close to her parents, but there are many issues with their relationships that tell a tale of a past that has shaped and molded the family they are now. And Swan and Nick… what can I say to do this pair justice? They develop a relationship crafted from mutual respect and open hearts.
Characters:
Swan started out as an actress. After an accident that left her with an eye patch and a shoulder that doesn't work as it's supposed to, she became an audiobook narrator –highly regarded in the industry. She is working to overcome the tragedy that changed the course of her life, but it has not been an easy path. All the support characters are described in terms of who they are in Swan's world, and I loved this incredible focus.

Narration & Pacing:
The story is told using a combination of third-person focused narration through Swan's perspective and epistolary format (a story told through letters – currently, email and text also fall under this device). I thought the epistolary sections worked exceptionally well, as they told me so much in a clever and pithy manner that helped to keep the pace relatively fast.

Setting:
Thank You for Listening is set in the audiobook production world. In this story, Swan lives in Los Angeles, attends a convention in Las Vegas, and takes a trip to Italy. However, the locale is not a significant part of the story. The Los Angeles setting does add to the character development of Swan, but beyond that, the places are largely irrelevant.

To Read or Not to Read:
If you love a story that is witty and clever and want that happily ever after, Thank You for Listening is the book you are looking for.

Happy publication to this delight of a book!

This was a lovely surprise hit! Romance is not typically my genre, but the audiobook narrator component mixed with a well-loved audiobook narrator's voice was GOLD. Even in print this book worked very well, though I did think it was a little bit longer than it needed to be, with parts of the ending dragging a little. I didn't even mind this a whole lot, as both main characters were total delights, flaws and all! Every side character was great as well (which is not always the case in these types of books).

Definitely for fans of banter-y romance novels like Book Lovers!

Review: Thank You for Listening by Julia Whelan 3.5 stars

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.

Julia Whelan's My Oxford Year is one of my favorite romances and I love her audio narration, so I was so excited to see her new novel all about audiobooks. Thank You for Listening had a lot going on - between the
unique format (it jumped around, had a very long chapter in the middle titled "Epistolary") and content (a mix of romance and women's fiction filled with self discovery as well as complicated family dynamics) - and it suffered from being a little too long with a few too many side characters/storylines.

Thank You for Listening explored almost every romance trope out there, but I loved that they embraced it and even called it out in the book. The banter between the love interests was so fun and effortless and I loved that the reader got an inside look into the world of audiobooks.

What a gem of a book! Romcom meets women's fiction in the best possible way. As the characters themselves state, their story is a combination of romance tropes including snowed in, one night stand, epistolary, mistaken identity, and love triangle (the last is a bit of a wink). Although that may seem like overkill, I truly enjoyed all of it. The banter between the characters is witty and had me laughing out loud. At the same time, there are real, serious issues at play that provided the perfect counterbalance to the irreverent moments.

Who better to write a book about an audiobook narrator than the penultimate narrator herself, Julia Whelan. She gives the reader a fascinating peak into the ins and outs of narration. It takes true skill and an incredible amount of prep work to make a stellar audiobook. I enjoyed all the insights, especially the conversations and conflicted feelings about romance narration. I will be buying the audible copy because I can’t wait to hear Julia perform the story.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the digital reviewer copy.

I was totally hooked by the unique premise of this book! One of my favorite things was the call back to classic rom com tropes through the chapter titles, I thought it was so fun! I also really enjoyed learning more about the audiobook world, something I didn’t know much about before. The romance was very cute and the hero was definitely swoon-worthy!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review

Having read Julia Whelan's previous novel, My Oxford Year and loving it, I was very excited to read her newest! Thank You for Listening seemed to have a bit more spice than her last one and a completely different subject matter, but at the heart of it, it was still a romance. I appreciated the main character, Sewanee and the struggles she faced. While one could classify this as a romance, I think it also did a great job of highlighting how much the main character grew as the story progressed with the romance as the cherry on top! I loved the setting of the audiobook world and learning about it as the author is a prolific audiobook narrator. The supporting characters in it were fantastic from Brock McNight to Blahblah. And the epilogue provided a little closure for some of the characters! All in all, it was a fantastic escapist read that was much needed!

I think Thank You for Listening might be one of the more unique romances or women's fiction that I've read recently... she's an audiobook narrator! Who is narrating the most anticipated dual-narration romance story with the most in-demand male narrator! And their banter is 1000%. Only the queen of narration herself - Julia Whelan - could write something so authentic with so much heart and emotion and humor.

Sewanee Chester is an audiobook narrator, who used to be an actress before an accident derailed the upwards trajectory her career was on. Wanting to retreat from the public eye with the resulting disfigurement, she started out narrating romance books. Before long, she became established enough to have her pick of genres and leaving romance in the rear view mirror, believing herself too cynical or jaded to read anything involving a happily-ever-after. She's had a few flings in the ensuing years, most recently with a very sexy Irish man in Vegas, but doesn't do love anymore - not in real-life nor in her career. But when her beloved grandmother needs more care (read: expensive) than her family can afford, she reluctantly accepts an lucrative offer to perform a dual-narration of the last book from a recently deceased author June French, with whom Sewanee got her start in audiobooks, and work with Brock McNight, the most in-demand male voice in romance. As she dives back into the world of romance audiobooks, resurrecting her long-retired alias of Sarah Westholme, her professional relationship with Brock turns personal, and she has an opportunity to dip her toes back into acting, all while struggling to come to terms with the injury and disfigurement that sidelined her acting career. Torn between her past, her present, and her future, she struggles to figure out what she truly wants in life and summon the courage to pursue it.

Title: Thank You for Listening
Author: Julia Whelan
Publisher: Avon and Harper Voyager
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"Thank You for Listening" by Julia Whelan

My Assessment:

"Thank You For Listening" was a good story of how Sewanee Chester's life changed from being an actress to an audiobook narrator. Being able to change one's voice was quite something that Sewanee was still able to do so well even with her complex life. As the story continues, these questions and so much more will be answered by the end of the read, so you will have to keep up because there will be heartwarming/heartbreaking drama, grief, comedy, romance, and two sides of this story. The reader will love the bantering that will have you laughing out loud. What had happened to Sewanee to make such a significant change in her life? Why did she feel that romance novels weren't actually for her? What will happen after Sewanee meets a stranger while visiting Vegas?
As the continues on...
What will happen when she's asked to narrate the last series by a novelist who had requested her before passing and meeting Brock McNight, who was also an audiobook narrator? Seeing Sewanee come out of her shell after that horrible accident was good. In the story, we get some excellent characters...like her friend Adaku Obi, BlahBlah [Sewanee's grandmother, Henry [Her dad], Marilyn [her mom, Brock McNight [Nick], and Mark [Sewanee's boss]. Now to see who is who and all of that, I recommend that you pick up 'Thank You for Listening' as all of the above questions will be answered and much more from this wonderful read.

All that's left to say is to sit back and enjoy 'Thank You for Listening.'

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sewanee Chester or Swan as her friends call her was an actress just getting her career started when a freak accident leaves her with one eye. Because of this accident she makes a career change to a audiobook narrator to continue acting without her appearance being apart of the equation. Sewanee doesn't believe in happily ever afters since she feels like hers was cut short but when a past client gives her a once in a lifetime job with another famous audiobook narrator Brock McNight, she can't say no.

I loved Thank You for Listening, the banter was so fun and quick witted to read. It was a steamy romance but also had some deep topics that I think many readers can relate to. I fell in love with Sewanee and her journey throughout this book. Thank You for Listening is one of my favorite summer reads so far and I can't wait to read more from Julia Whelan!

I was drawn to this book for it's title and it didn't disappoint. I was drawn in from the beginning! It made me laugh, smile and cry. It was more than i expected it to be.

I loved everything about this book. The characters are likable. I was laughing at Swan and Nick throughout most of the book. Their banter and chemistry is perfect. Blah is a sweet, funny grandma and I felt for Swan as she deals with her situation.

The story is broken up into parts, which are typical points in a romance story. This made the story predictable, but the way the author wrote each chapter/section was perfect.

I imagine the audiobook version of this is amazing!

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I enjoyed this book from the first page. Sewanee is a great character. The relationships she had with her family and friends felt very real. Her relationship with Brock was written so well! I loved the twists and they made me laugh out loud. I loved the humor and the complex emotions in the book. It left me feeling good when I finished it. I would definitely recommend this author. I received an advance copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Since the accident that forced Sewanee into a career change, she's just kind of been allowing life to happen to her. Her best friend is becoming a mega superstar, a dream they both once shared. Her grandma is beginning to forget who Sewanee is, her dad is...well he exists and her mom is galavanting the world with her current boyfriend. When her boss asks her to take his place at a book convention, of course she says yes. As an audiobook narrator she knows just enough about the recording side of things to fudge her way through her panel. A night out with her best friend doesn't go at all as anticipated when the bff has to bounce and a smokin' hot irishman pops up giving Sewanee a night she will never forget.

Left only with the memories of that night in Vegas, Sewanee returns to her humdrum life and jumps back into recording her next book. What she doesn't anticipate is the instantaneous connection she feels with her narration partner Brock, who just so happens to be the top male narrator the romance genre has to offer. Conflicted over her feelings for a man she has never met and one that gave her a night to remember, a family in chaos, and still living with her past life hanging over her head; can Sewanee solve it all before her world crashes down around her?

Huge thanks to Netgalley, Julia Whelan, and Avon Books for the advanced copy of this book.

First thoughts right off the bat, this book is in the top 3 funniest books I have read in the last 5 years. I literally was laughing out loud so often my partner kept giving me the strangest looks. This is a romance novel that has every trope in the book so everyone is bound to enjoy it. We all know how much I love my epistolary novels and this one did not disappoint on that front.

When we are introduced to Sewanee we can see she is sassy, has a sense of humor, is dealing with emotional baggage she likes to pretend she has already unpacked and she keeps those around her at a distance. Her sass and humor come across in every interaction that she has whether in dialogue, text or email. There isn't any deviation from her voice throughout the entire book which made it all the more wonderful to read.

It's not hard to figure out where the story is going once you are introduced to ALL the characters, but don't think that you know everything. There are still some surprises in store for you by Julia Whelan. Thank You for Listening is a serious breath of fresh air that yanked me out of a reading slump by the hair and threw in my face all the reasons I love to read.

I highly recommend this book. Be prepared to laugh your ass off, get a little teary eyed, and want to return to Sewanee again and again.

I love romance novels, obviously, and Julia Whelan's insider-take on them was such an interesting world to delve into. I thought it was maybe a smidge longer than it needed to be, but I was satisfied by the ending nonetheless. Swan's journey to self-acceptance and healing is not one I'll soon forget.

(Thank you to Netgalley and Avon for the ARC!)

Julia Whelan is a revelation! I mean, she was my favorite audiobook narrator before this, but male voices, female voices, Irish, Italian, Boston, New York and Southern accents, is there nothing this woman can't do?! This book perfectly showcases her many talents.

If you are a romance lover, read this, if you are an audiobook fanatic, read this for the behind the scenes look into an audiobook narrator's job. Julia Whelan discusses it all, the Facebook fan groups, pseudonyms, the romance community, no stone is left unturned. And she does it all with intelligence, wit, and most of all, a healthy dose of SWOON.

Readers want to know if Sewanee's life parallels Julia's but the author dispenses with that in the Author's Note. Sewanee became disillusioned with Hollywood and turned her acting talents to audiobook narration. She is hugely popular and very successful, and is very reticent to return to her romance audiobook roots when an opportunity presents itself. Sewanee has also become very disillusioned with the idea of romance in real life.

When she meets Nick, a devastatingly handsome stranger, in Vegas, she decides to throw caution to the wind for just one night, and, using a pseudonym, spends one amazing night with the Irishman.

He looked quickly at her dress then had the grace to look away. He muttered, almost to himself, “If I knew you better I s’pose I’d be ashamed.” After a moment, he dared to look at her. “But I don’t. And I’m not.”

I loved when Sewanee tried to explain to Nick the differences between the romance and women's fiction genres. Their banter is absolutely priceless and when listened to in Julia Whelan's low growl, completely swoony.

“I’m curious,” Nick said. “Do they talk to each other in these Romance novels of yours or just get straight down to business?” “Of course there’s talking. Talking is foreplay. The other stuff doesn’t work without the talking.” He smiled slowly. “You don’t say.”

There are wonderful and fully imagined secondary characters that each play an important role in the story. The epistolary format of one section is just perfection. And it's funny! I am sure this book is just as enjoyable in book form but the audiobook was next level. One of my favorite books of the year!

“Cover up whatever you please for the world, but in intimacy? Hide nothing. In intimacy, everything is beautiful."

(I received an advanced listening copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.)

I was expecting another run of the mill Rom Com, but this book delivered a lot more. Swan, our main character has had to stop acting due to a tragedy we are kept in suspense about, and instead narrates audio books while still being happy for her actress friend who is killing it. In comes our leading man, but wait, he’s just a distraction. This book throws in themes of friendship, aging, parental relationships, daring to challenge yourself, in addition to the expected romance. It was a home run for me. Thank you NetGalley and Avon for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank You for Listening was surprisingly wonderful! I didn’t even know the synopsis before I read it. This is a case of judging a book by its cover and I really like the cover!. Julia Whelan does a wonderful job of dissecting romance tropes and honestly I wish I could read fictional author June French‘s books! I had some issues with the main male character but that didn’t take away from the arc of the story. There was one quote by the fictional romance author June French that I don’t want to spoil but delves into the misogyny they romance readers face and that really hit home for me. Additionally there was an important focus on the role of female friendships which I think should be in all romance novels!

Thank you #netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Julia Whelan certainly knows what she is writing about. The hugely successful audiobook star's new novel throws back the veil to reveal a fascinating corner of the publishing industry. But thats not even the best part! This romance novel *about* romance novels stars an endearing couple who meet, circle around each other and eventually attain their (romance novel required) HEA. Their dialog is funny; thier inner struggles are realistic; and their mutual respect is refreshing. The chapters are named for romance tropes, and Whelan's self-referential humor was a big hit for me.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.