Sewanee is an audiobook narrator who refuses to read romance, until she's requested to read the last book by a late romance author. The offer is too good to refuse, and she finds herself working with the mysterious and well-loved male narrator around.

I love Julia Whelan as a narrator so this book was entertaining to get a behind the scenes glimpse at the audiobook life. Sewanee's story is part self-discovery and part-romance as we see her navigate life and relationships following an accident.

I feel like there was too much going on at times that could have been simplified to help trim some length off the book or focus more attention on the relationship development. I enjoyed this one overall as we see Whelan poke a bit of fun at romance and audiobooks, and get lots of banter over emails.

Pick this up when it's out August 2!

When Julia Whelan, one of the best audiobook narrators, writes her own book (and then narrates it) about audiobook narrators, you can bet I’m going to read/listen! It was a very meta experience and one I really enjoyed.

My favorite section was in the middle of the book where Julia Whelan included text messages and email threads between the two main characters. And because she is a master narrator, she didn’t have to read the name of who the text was from because she had distinct voices for each. The emails, also, she did not write, nor then have to read, all the Re: Re: Re: parts that so many authors include when using email threads.

There were multiple nods to audiobook listeners that were pretty entertaining. For instance: “why worry about performance when people listen at 3X speed?” I was definitely called out 😂

Thank you to Avon Books for a digital ARC through NetGalley.

4 stars

In her sophomore novel, Julia Whelan takes on the world of audiobook narration in a novel that is practically bursting with romance in-jokes and tropes. At times humorous and at times heartbreaking, this book toes the line between romance and women's fiction at various points throughout to create a story that somehow feels both grounded and dreamy.

I really enjoyed the exploration of Sewanee as a character as she attempts to grapple with both physical and emotional trauma, her feelings towards her co-worker, and her seemingly directionless life. In comparison (and mainly because we never get a POV from his perspective), her love interest does feel a bit underdeveloped as several of his actions/motivations come off as rather vague.

That, on top of it feeling like some connecting scenes were missing from the second half of the book, had me dropping this down to a 4. All in all, however, I thoroughly enjoyed this romance and found myself constantly eager to pick this one back up. I'm excited to pick up Whelan's first novel and to see what she comes out with next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review!

So Julia Whelan can do it all...I have been a fan of hers for years. She is my favorite audiobook narrator and now a new favorite author. I was pleasantly surprised by this very charming story. 

This is a story about Sewanee, an author turned audiobook narrator that DOES NOT READ ROMANCE! She used to but refuses to anymore- she doesn't believe in it and she won't participate in it...That is until she is requested to read the last book of the best romance author, that has just passed away. Normally she would refuse, but she needs the money to help her sick grandmother pay for the best care. And this job means she will be working with the mysterious Brock McKnight- the most loved male romance narrator around.

I loved Sewanee. She had such a complex backstory. She has grown up close to her grandmother, who now is losing her memory. She was at the top of her acting game, when an accident changed everything- the last few years of her life and family life have been very difficult. But she is fierce and stands up for herself and what she believes in. She is a protector of the people around her and is incredibly loyal. 

I loved the slow build friendship between Sewanee and Brock. They have cute banter and understand each other. I loved seeing their relationship unfold. 

This was such a beautiful story and a fun look into the world of audio narration.

Rating: 4/5
Read if you liked: Book Lovers
Steam: 2/5
Tropes: Women’s Fiction with a Romance, Family Ties, Friends to Lovers, Workplace Romance

Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for access to this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank You for Listening will be released on August 2nd.

I had this title in multiple forms: electronic, print and audio. Because of this, I read it in multiple forms, by far my favorite was audio which I think added an element to this book that was missing from the others. If I’m honest, I was struggling to finish this book before I was given the audio…it is a very wordy book and I found myself easily distracted.

Things I Loved: This book was both witty, heartwarming and a bit tear-jerking. I loved the banter, the texts/emails added so much to this story and the relationship blooming between our MCs. This book did lean more towards women’s fictions following Sewanee’s journey in life. I loved her relationship with her grandmother. It was joyful to read while also being heartbreaking to watch Barbara’s decline in life. There was a thread of grief, loss and love throughout the whole story. “The Marriott”. I loved a bit of the behind the scenes of audiobook narrating.

Things I Didn’t Care For: The names, also….I never want to hear/read Blah-Blah again as a nickname. The timeline did jump around a lot and was hard to track. Sometimes the language felt disjointed and hard to follow.

4.5/5

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

When Sewanee Chester pairs together with Brock McNight for a deal of a lifetime on an audiobook series, things don’t go exactly the way she planned, and life gets crazy… but is it for better or for worse?

This book is absolute gold. It’s funny, witty, heartbreaking, heartwarming, and all-around wonderful. The chemistry between the two characters is just SO GOOD. I loved the email exchanges, the text exchanges, the banter, EVERYTHING! I flew through this book so fast, which is just a testament to how much I thoroughly enjoyed every second of it.

This was my first book from Julia Whelan, and I can promise you right now that it will not be my last. Looking forward to devouring every book that Ms. Whelan writes from here on out!

Will definitely be purchasing this book when it comes out on August 2, 2022!

Suwanee was an up and coming actress when a senseless tragedy changed the trajectory of her career and her life. Now, she narrates audiobooks and is outstanding in her field. Sworn off of romances (where she got her start), she is persuaded to record one last romance as a favor to the author who gave her her start in the business. It will be a dual narration with her male counterpart just as well known (and anonymous) in the field. Add to this a romantic one-night-stand in Las Vegas and a playful 'text only' relationship with the male narrator (still anonymous). You might see the end coming, but it was great fun getting there!
As a fan of audiobooks, I enjoyed the story but also the behind the scenes of the audiobook industry.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, for the opportunity to read and review Thank You for Listening by Julia Whelan in advance of the release. A truly enjoyable experience!

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.

Reading this funny, well-written novel was such a pleasure. The witty, smart dialogue, laugh out loud moments, family relationships, solid friendships, and satisfying ending create a world you won’t want to miss. You are quickly immersed into Sewanee’s world as a beloved audiobook narrator and rooting for a Happily Ever After! This book is a must read for fans of Abby Jimenez and Emily Henry. The perfect summer read! Excuse me while I go figure out how to make “The Last Word”, a much-lauded cocktail mentioned in the book 😉.

I read My Oxford Year a while ago and was very excited to get approved of this one. I also knew that Julia Whelan was an audiobook narrator so was interested to see how she would describe it and see if I learned more.

This was not a light hearted rom com though. It is about finding yourself again and embracing it. It deals with so much. Grief and love and understanding your own life/path.

It has been awhile since a book has made me really cry and this one definitely did. So make sure to have the tissues handy! You just can't help but root for Sewanee. She has had such a rough go of it and sometimes I personally felt like she was dealing with it alone.

It did have a lot of romantic elements. Certain plot points reminded me of You've Got Mail. Also, love how they talked about romance and women's fiction and all the tropes. It did make me laugh and not just cry.

I would be very interested to hear the audiobook of this one since that's what it's all about.

Really, really good - I loved it! Thought-provoking and romantic, this straddles the line between women's fiction and romance, with a heroine-centric storyline that effortlessly weaves in a rich and dynamic love story. It also balances light and playful moments with heavier, sometimes somber, scenes for maximum impact. I'm so glad that I went in completely blind; the story unravels in such an interesting and unexpected way, following our heroine as she works to find herself again. I'm not always the biggest fan of third person/single perspective romances, but it works here. It's truly the heroine's story, and she changes course as certain things are revealed. Her chemistry with the hero was fantastic, and I loved how their relationship progressed. From moments of smile-inducing banter to epistolary chapters, this has a little of everything, and the book is richer for it. If you're a romance-lover who appreciates a story that also entails significant personal growth, then this is sure to be a memorable read.

The story follows Sewanee, a former actress who began narrating audiobooks after an accident left her without an eye. She lost a lot of confidence after the accident, but narrating books has been a great way of putting her acting skills to work - without having a camera involved. While Sewanee started out narrating romance, she's too jaded to love the genre and she's since shifted into narrating other types of books. But when a beloved romance author passes away and Sewanee is asked to narrate her final work... it's nearly impossible to refuse. As Sewanee begins communicating with her co-narrator on the book, the two connect in a way that neither one expected. They've been hiding from the losses in their lives, and talking things out opens their eyes to what they truly want.

This review wouldn't be complete without talking about the powerhouse of a performance from author and narrator, Julia Whelan. This is meant to be listened to on audio, and it's clear that this is deeply personal to Whelan - without being autobiographical. Her insight into the industry adds a richness to the story that breaths life into it, and there are so many moments that will be poignant to fans of the genre. While I've listened to many audiobooks that Whelan has narrated, this is my first time reading something that she's written, and it was such a great experience. There's enough romance woven into the story that it never veered too far into women's fiction territory for this romance-lover, and Whelan is also aware of the expectations that come with each. I kinda loved that she teases us about which one this story will end up being, and that certainly kept me on my toes. Yes, Sewanee learns and grows throughout the book, but the romance is also integral to her journey. I'm sure that I'll be thinking about this book for months to come, and that's the sure sign of a great read.

Audio note: The audio was fantastic! Whelan is both the author AND the narrator, so she infuses so much into her performance. While I typically prefer duet or dual narration, Whelan does an excellent job of differentiating between the characters. She's a pro for a reason. This is also much more than just someone reading the book to you - there's a performance element to every scene, with plenty of emotion to keep things interesting. The story also lends itself well to audio, with the exception of the epistolary chapters. It did get a little awkward having each email read out in full, but that was a very small part of the book. There's just a touch of steam and it's not overly descriptive, so you should have no trouble if you want to make this a workday listen. The runtime might go a bit long for a single day at the office, but I happily binged this in one sitting. All in all, I highly recommend this on audio. I was lucky enough to receive an early copy, and am voluntarily leaving a review of this unique book.

3.5 ⭐️ This book follows Sewanne, a former actress who, after a terrible accident, becomes an audiobook narrator. Following a one-night-stand in Vegas with a charming stranger, she is presented with the opportunity to narrate a famous novelist’s last romance book. Sewanne accepts the position in order to help finance her grandmother’s care, but the catch is that she has to record it with the mysterious and popular male narrator, Brock McNight, and use her former ghost name.

What I liked:
-learning about narrating audiobooks
-the humor
- the chemistry between Sewanne and Nick

What I didn’t like:
-timeline jumped around too much
-the five parts felt disjointed

This is everything BOOK LOVERS thought it was.

Full of deeply drawn characters, mostly believable plot lines, and sparkling banter, THANK YOU FOR LISTENING is a must for romance and book nerds everywhere. There are hilarious mishaps, email/text epistolary chapters, and a peek behind the curtain of the life of an audiobook narrator. At times the structure felt a bit wonky, and it is on the longer side, but this was a great summer read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC in exchange for this review.

I started reading this book on a plane, which was so perfect given it starts on a plane! Pretty quickly I knew Sewanee was the type of character I would be friends with. She narrates audiobooks, and we follow her life as she navigates several months, and narrating a big romance project. Full of recognition of all of the tropes contained within the story -- “Snowed In.” “Just One Night.” “Epistolary.”“Mistaken Identity.” “Love Triangle.” "Second Chance” and lots of self growth as well. This was a really fun read and I'm glad I have a new author to follow! Given the topic, I kinda wish I had listened to the audiobook!

I've listened to many Julia Whelan-narrated books, but this was my first book by her! I have heard good things about My Oxford Year, so Whelan is no stranger to me. Overall, I really liked the book! I think the premise is super interesting - an actress turned audiobook narrator, navigating life after a tragic accident that has her thinking she's not deserving to take any chances on making in the acting world again. I kind of saw the love story molding its way in the book, even though the characters didn't, but I really liked the love story! The arc is more of a slow burn, but it was definitely fun and swoon-worthy. I think something to keep in mind before and during this book, that this leans on heavy than lighthearted - it deals with life post-injury, a loved one who has Alzheimer's, and broken parent relationships. But Whelan did a really great job crafting this story.

Julia Whelan is as strong of a writer as she is a narrator. I'm always delighted by her work.

I was especially delighted that this story started out with my worst nightmare. Her audiobook disconnects with her phone on an airplane without realizing it and lets just say she was not listening to a sweet little romance. I cackled. I have daymares about this exact situation at my desk at work at least once a week.

This book was so fun to get to see the behind the scenes of the audiobook industry. Carb-loading so your stomach isn't growling during recording? Limiting red wine during a romantic evening so your voice doesn't sound weird the next day? Emails back and forth to discuss how moany you want a moan to be in a recording? So many things to think about in the background of these stories I enjoy.

I'm not going to recap the plot so I don't spoil any of the fun on who Brock McNight is but boy does he give good banter. I loved that instead of the main female character having some tragic backstory that makes her as reserved in her relationships as she is, she's wearing hers right on her face. I was anxious that someone did this to her and I was so relieved that it was a freak accident.

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.

I throughly enjoyed Julia Whelan's debut novel, My Oxford Year, and was eager to pick up this new title. In completely aligning with my expectations, Thank You for Listening was EXCELLENT! The novel follows Sewanee (Swan-nee) an audiobook narrator who absolutely hates narrating Romance genre titles. Her best friend has just got her big break as an actress, and Sewanee is struggling because before a major accident that derailed her career, she too was on her way to her big break too. After a trip to a readers conference- including a one night encounter with a nearly perfect man- Sewanee is thrusted back into the Romance genre with an unlikely co-narrator.

This novel has everything you need in a Rom Com, minus the cheesiness. I thought it was genuinely hilarious from the first chapter (no spoilers but it does involve headphones that were mistakenly unplugged and an erotic Romance audiobook). Sawanee's character development was unique and intriguing. I felt it wrapped up unexpectedly and also exactly how I wanted it too.

Absolutely fantastic. I cannot wait to recommend this book to everyone I know, especially those who love audiobooks. This is definitely a book I feel should be listened to on audiobook. It's narrated by Julia Whelan and she does an amazing job. The story was original and unlike everything else I've read before. It keeps you entertained and I literally laughed out loud at some of the funny moments.

Julia Whelan is one of my favorite audiobook narrators so I jumped at the opportunity to read an early copy of Thank You for Listening. The fact that the plot focuses on audiobook narrators who both benefit and sometimes loathe the romance genre had me laughing and nodding in agreement throughout the novel. The writing is smart and clever, dialogue (both the real time and epistolary) is fantastic, and the secondary characters are well-written and unique. Whelan doesn't shy away from heavier matters: caring for aging loved ones, rising from the ashes of perceived failure, grieving the loss of a career are all addressed in Thank You for Listening. For me, the most profound theme revolves around seeing ourselves as we are and courageously allowing love into our lives, particularly when it would be far easier to avoid intimacy.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the early glimpse of this wonderful story. All opinions shared here are my own.

I enjoyed this one!

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books and Libro.fm for my advanced copies of Thank You for Listening.

I loved Julia Whelan's previous book My Oxford Year so naturally I've been patiently waiting for the release of this wonderful book. It did not disappoint. Not only was it written by Julia but it was narrated by her as well. She is what I like to call audiobook royalty. She is an amazing voice actor. I always get excited when I see her listed as a narrator on other books on my TBR.

I loved the characters in this book. I was most invested in the relationship between Sewanee and her grandmother Blah Blah. It was beautiful.
I did enjoy Nick and Sewanee together. They had great banter and chemistry. I for whatever reason was not as invested in them as a couple. I can't quite put my finger on it and that is why this book lost a star.

Overall- Recommend. I will always read / listen to Julia's books.

Julia Whelan is one of my very favorite audiobook narrators, she’s SO good and if I see she’s narrating a book I’m on the fence about, I immediately add it to my TBR when her name pops up. So I wasn’t sure what to expect from her as an author and y’all, she blew my mind! This was such a fantastic romance, it had everything that matters to me and more and will surely be in my top reads of the year list come December.

There was something so playful about this one, there is a lot of talk about various romance tropes and there some fun, witty and sarcastic commentary surrounding the genre as a whole. I fell in love with Sewanee and found her to be charming, hilarious and totally genuine. There is one whole section that is epistolary and seeing as that format is one of my absolute favorites I was happy!! I adored every single page of this one although I never do rereads I’ll be listening to this one in the future.