I love this book! Though I’m not typically a huge fan of romance, this book is smart, funny, poignant and really kept me turning the pages. The book is so much more than a romance; it deals with family, friendships, tragedy, healing, reinventing yourself…the list goes on and on.

Sewanne and Nick are two audiobook narrators who are intentionally brought together to narrate the final novel of a famous romance author. Sewanne “does not do romance,” but reluctantly agrees in order to afford the expense of her grandmother’s assisted living facility. Though they are doing the work remotely, these two have sizzling chemistry, fantastic banter, and a friendship that is believable and real. Though there are definitely serious themes throughout, this was such a fun, satisfying read.

I have a new respect for audiobook narrators. I learned so much about what they go through preparing for and recording books. Bravo Julia Whelan!

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this delightful book.

Julia Whelan takes us into the world of an audiobook narrator with her character, Sewanee Chester. Sewanee's dreams didn't pan out like she planned so she finds herself behind the scenes reading the book instead of being a world famous actress. She is a likable character and I found myself rooting for her to find love. I read where the author narrated some huge audiobooks like Malibu Rising, Four Winds, Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and a host of others so she is obviously writing about a world that she is familiar with! This book has a lot of heart and great dialogue... but I think I went into it with too high expectations. My Oxford Year is one of my favorite books ever. I had hyped this one up and it just didn't pack the same punch as My Oxford Year. It's good and it would be find for an afternoon beach read but it isn't one that will stay with you for years!

This was an entertaining, laugh out loud funny, steamy and an emotional read. I also found the story to be unique and refreshing. I appreciated that the author tackled themes of dementia, and disability realistically. Second chances was also a main focus and it comes together so well.

3.5 stars Thank you for my advanced copy of of this book. I loved My Oxford Year. I loved the quirky side characters and the romance. I still think about it over a year after reading it. Obviously I know Julia Whalen's work in audiobooks and I wish she would narrate my life.

This book was fun and enjoyable! There are some tougher plots but it's mostly a light read. The banter was excellent. This was predictable and reminded me a lot of You've Got Mail.

The biggest con is I think it was a tad too long. Some extra plots I think could have been left out.

Very different feeling from My Oxford Year but still will read anything Julia Whalen writes.

This was a fun one! I really enjoyed the romance and their relationship. Their little cute moments literally made me cry. Swan was also a great main character and it was nice watching her development. The intimate moments were written in such a unique way, which made their moments feel infinitely more special. I did feel like the rest of the components of the story, for example, the other characters, were a little disjointed. The plot kept getting more complex and it got a little frustrating to read. Despite this, however, I could not put this book down and finished it in one day.

This was really fun and immersively written, but it did feel a little bit overlong. I think this is a personal preference issue--I prefer my romances on the shorter side. However, the characterization was great, the secondary characters were well-developed too, the banter between the MC and her love interest was pretty great, and the background info on audiobook narration was super cool and interesting as well.

WOW. I loved My Oxford Year, but Thank You for Listening was even better. Loved the characters. The storytelling was on point. The full circle of the characters was everything I could have asked for. I wholeheartedly recommend this book. It was funny, heartwarming, and just overall a wonderful, pleasing read.

I have been a Julia Whelan fan for years - as a narrator. I was so excited to read this one and overall it was okay for me. I found it a bit hard to get into in the beginning, but overall it was good.
Thank you!

I am a massive Julia Whelan fan, beginning with her days on Once and Again. I adored My Oxford Year, which is another book you think about long after you finish it, and I've been waiting four years for another of hers!! I will listen to anything she narrates, and she has enhanced my reading experience so much with some of the books she narrates. Her own books are phenomenally written, well developed characters, with a strong supporting cast. I absolutely loved the banter and the twists in this one!

Sewanee Chester is a well-known audiobook narrator and former actor, after a tragic accident, her acting days were short. She is approached to narrate the final book written by a late author she admired, in the romance genre. She hasn't touched romance books in years since she stopped believing in the Happily Ever After. But the financial appeal is too strong since she is also a caretaker for her grandmother with advanced Alzheimer's.

The co-narrator for the project, Brock McNight, is beloved and mysterious in the industry and the two set out to narrate this book without ever meeting.They find themselves becoming friends through email, texts, and voice messages. 

This is a story of second chances, reimagining your life after an unexpected tragedy, self-acceptance and gaining confidence, taking risks, being seen by others, loyalty and love for family and friends. This story is sharp, melancholy, funny, and charming.

This is reminiscent of Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail. I laughed so much throughout, empathized with Sewanee, and adored her relationship with her grandmother, Blah Blah. As a major fan of audiobooks, I loved learning more about the industry and process, learning more about the collaboration of co-narrators, the discussion of tropes and poking fun at the tendencies of audio listeners! I laughed so hard at some of the comments fans say about specific narrators and bumping the speed up to 3x, both of which I am guilty of too! I loved hearing them mispronounce words and their inside jokes. For Pete's sake! The tellingphone! The scenes at the Seasons with her grandmother were pure comedy. Sewanee's friendship with Adaku is genuine and you feel their love and undying support for each other. This is a book that will give you that book hangover feeling! It is so realistic and will put a smile on your face! And since Julia narrates this, I will definitely be doing a reread when this comes out on audio!!

For those that love audiobooks - what speed do you listen at? I usually am at 2.5Thank you to Avon Books for the gifted ARC via NetGalley. Pub date is 8/2/22.

I read this entire book in one sitting because I was absolutely loving the banter and the twists (even if I did have my suspicions all along). I loved the humor mixed with the real and raw emotions that come with processing hardships and changes in life, and the fact that the two can coexist.

Sewannee Chester is well-known for her audiobook narrations - both as herself and under a pseudonym. It’s not where she ever thought she’d see herself, but after an accident cut her days on the silver screen short, she finds joy (and financial security) giving a voice to the books on people’s shelves.

When Sewanee is approached with the request to narrate the final book written by a late author she admired, she balks at the idea. She hasn’t narrated romance - or touched her pseudonym - since she stopped believing in Happily Ever Afters herself. But the opportunity to provide her aging grandmother with the care she needs proves to be too good to pass up - and Sewanee teams up with another narrator - Brock McNight, the most beloved and mysterious in the industry - to try and do justice to the late author’s last book.

As they narrate - from across the country and without ever meeting - Brock and Sewanee find themselves becoming friends - and maybe more - but the fact of their total anonymity and well-kept secrets may cause everything to come crashing down.

Thank You for Listening is one is for all the Nora Ephron fans out there! It is Sleepless in Seattle meets You’ve Got Mail for the 21st Century. I laughed out loud, I cried, I read it all in one sitting! And yet I am so sad I finished reading it.

This book will definitely give you that book hangover feeling. It is so, so funny, but also realistic. My only goal in life now is to grow old and live at Seasons with friends like Mitzi, Betsy, and BlahBlah.

“Thank you for Listening” by Julia Whelan was about Sewanee Chester an audiobook narrator. She had big dreams of being a film star but a tragic accident derails those plans along with some of her confidence. She however creates success in the audiobook world and decides to lend her voice one last time to a beloved author on a romance. She is however co authoring with the voice of the infamous Brock McNight. With new connections, new adventures and friendships along with some unexpected twist will Sewannee gain all her confidence back to pursue all her potential?

I love a good audiobook so getting a little glimpse into that world was so fun. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#julesbookshelf #thanksforlistening #juliawhelan #audiobooks #netgalley #arc #goodreads #release8/22

Thanks to NetGalley & HarperCollins for the e-ARC.
I've been waiting 4 years for another Julia Whelan book. I loved My Oxford Year, one of those books you think about long after you've finished it. The same is true here. The characters are wonderful, so well written you feel like you know them. I'm guessing Ms. Whelan is as much of a "word nerd" as her main character, Sewanee; her writing is so beautiful: "....the sunset was less a bowl of bright sherbet and more a slowly expanding puddle of spilled strawberry milk shake."

From the very beginning of the book, you'll be laughing out loud. The texts between Sewanee and Brock are absolutely hilarious. The euphemisms, the "tellingphone" - brilliant! The scenes at the Seasons with her grandmother & other residents unfold like a comedy on film. The relationship between Sewanee and Adaku is so real, you see yourself & your own best friend in them. And then there's Nick. Can't say too much without spoilers but man, don't you just want a Nick in your life?

This is so much more than a rom-com (although it is that!), so nuanced. I can't recommend this highly enough. Would give it more than 5 stars if I could. Thank you for writing, Ms. Whelan.

☀️☀️☀️Coming Soon☀️☀️☀️

🎧Thank You For Listening by Julia Whelan🎧

I went from a book slump to a book hanger in 18 hours. Just long enough to binge read this long awaited book. As many of you know I’m an unapologetic Julia Whelan fan, and that set high expectations. I have to say, It’s pretty much perfect, absolutely over delivering. Thank you to Avon Books for the gifted ARC via NetGalley. Pub date is 8/2/22.
This is a story of moving forward, of reimagining a life in unexpected and beautiful ways. It’s about serendipity, a little matchmaking, and the undeniable power of being seen…even when we don’t see ourselves. It’s about the fierce loyalty and love of family, and how they can see right through you when you need it the most.
Having changed careers from acting to audiobook narrating, Sewanee Chester is hardly an advocate or believer in HEA: Happily Ever After. This makes her an unlikely moderator for the Romance forum at BiblioCon but a large chunk of Sewanee’s work is under an alias in steamy romance. She is contacted to collaborate on a book, a last request that the author made. It must be Sewanee under her alias and Brock McNight, THE male romance narrator.
This is not only one of my most anticipated books of the year, but most surprising. It’s romance, it’s steamy (that door is OPEN friends) 😉, but there’s so very much more to this story. Sewanee has been through some trauma, physical, emotional, and she’s still sorting it out. I loved the dialogue between she and Brock. It’s sharp, funny, brash, and knowing. They are communicating largely electronically so the anonymity frees both to be and explore who they genuinely feel they are, and serves as framework for each to answer who they want to be.
I give Thank You For Listening my very highest recommendation. It’s perfect for fans of romance, women’s fiction, and books about books. This is going to be an absolutely perfect pick for beach bag and poolside reading. I’d be remiss in not mentioning for my audiophile friends that Julia Whelan does indeed narrate this (yes, I’ve preordered!).

I genuinely enjoyed this read from Julia Whelan. It's a love letter to romance books and romance readers and audiobook creators and lovers especially. I loved the looks inside the world of audiobook creation and narrating and was truly captivated by the personalities around Sewanee. The excerpts from June's "article" with cosmopolitan article were pure love from romance readers everywhere.

I liked our main characters and the tropes they went through throughout their relationship overall, but I felt like the characters didn't grow as much on their own as I would've loved. I liked the complexities of Sewanee and her life and the relationships around her. They gave her depth and made her feel like a friend I could love and understand.

Many book lovers know author Julia Whelan from her award-winning audiobook narration work. But truthfully, I recognized her from her role on the brief but brilliant television show “Once & Again.” When I saw her name on the book cover for “Thank You for Listening,” I was intrigued, wondering if her writing would be as smart and poignant as her dramatic performance in the early aughts.

“Thank You for Listening” is a treat. It’s sharp. It’s romantic. It’s funny. It’s melancholic. It’s about Sewanee Chester, who once upon time was a Hollywood star on the rise, but now, following a tragic injury, is an audiobook narrator/studio manager. Her life is busy but also strangely bare… days are filled with challenging narrating work; studio errands and chores; visits with her lively but mentally-deteriorating grandmother; and chats with her best friend, who is the half-glass-full to her half-glass-empty. But then a chance encounter in Las Vegas with a handsome stranger, a once-in-a-lifetime job offer, and a flirtatious email correspondence with a witty colleague upend her usual routine and make her rethink what else is possible.

“Thank You for Listening” is more than a love story. Yes, it engages romantic tropes—so much so that chapters are named after them!—and it does so in a clever, fun way. However, while the chemistry between Sewanee and Nick and then between her and Brock is strong and captivating, the dialogue and depicted relationships between our protagonist and her friends and family members are also rich and compelling. The book is about love, but it’s about self-acceptance, female friendship, and familial bonds (both the close ones and the fractured) too.

My only complaint about “Thank You for Listening” is that the last quarter of the story seemed overstuffed and even a bit overwrought at times. But overall the book has so much humor and heart that I would still recommend this romance mash-up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. My review was posted online on April 8, 2022 here on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4636912811.

"Do they talk 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."

So so precious! I love a good look behind the scenes of nearly anything so that mixed with a romantic comedy is a match made in heaven for me. Julia Whelan's "Thank You For Listening" takes the inner workings of audiobook narration and publishing and combines it with a mystery man, will they won't they, slow-burn romance to make a five-star read.

The chemistry between Sewanee and Nick/Brock is obvious, from the night that Sewanee and Nick meet in Las Vegas through Brock and Sewanee's text flirtations, to when they finally come together in real life. There's just enough banter and heart to make you believe in them as people and their relationships.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to see what Julia Whelan can give us next.

Thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for providing an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this eARC!

I really enjoyed this book and the characters. The love story was fun and I loved the email and text communication in the book. I know that can bother some readers, but I love how authentic the communication feels when reading transcribed messages between two characters.

A lot happens in this book, and I think it might have been too much. There were a lot of subplots going on which made the book drag on a little bit. I think it is a little too long for my specific romance reading taste. Certain parts got slow, and some were also a bit heavy, which is not uncommon for a romance, just something to note.

I loved the couple in this book - Sewanee and Nick - and I loved how they came together and worked through the things that bothered them. They had great communication for the most part, and great chemistry as well. *For my specific reading taste*, I would have like some more spice lol. Overall, I did enjoy my time reading this, and I think a lot of readers will love it - it just wasn't an all-time favorite for me.

I wish I could read this one again for the first time - it was EVERYTHING I Love in a book! I admit, going into it I was not familiar with Julia Whelan, but I had kept hearing about this book and was so lucky to be able to read an advance copy. The writing was quick and smart, the romance was GOOD and the perfect amount of steamy, I absolutely loved the characters. They have such heart and they are not one dimensional.
Now, realizing that Julia Whelan is actually the queen of audiobooks, this makes sense as to why I felt like I was getting a behind the curtain look at the audiobook world. The main character is an audiobook narrator and learning about that process and that world through her life in this book was fascinating to me.
I don't want to spoil any thing, so I just will say - READ IT. I read it in a day and am actually sad it's over. I will absolutely read it again.

Thank you to Avon Books & NetGalley for the Advance E-Galley of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Full transparency, I enjoy the occasional romance novel but rarely ever READ them (as opposed to listening to them). They are part of my "guilty pleasures" category, that is typically relegated to audio-only so multitasking can occur; my inner book snob can't quite accept giving up productive life time for something with less meat.

Julia Whelan is one of my favorite audiobook narrators, though, so I couldn’t resist the urge to check out her writing chops and found it a very fun and engaging time.

In a nod to her own profession (and must be at least somewhat semi-autobiographical, right?), Thank You for Listening stars former actress and hit audiobook narrator Sewanee (pronounced Swa-nee) Chester, as she hits her “face the demons and come into her own” stage of life. After a tragic accident altered both her appearance and self-confidence, Sewanee found she could easily hide from the demons in a sound booth, translating her acting talents into narrating audiobooks. She lives in a prime spot in the Hollywood Hills, her best friend is a successful actress, and she gets to be near her elderly grandmother. All well and good, except she’s still essentially hiding. When a famous romance author whose books she narrated in her earliest days passes away with a wish for Sewanee to perform her last book, she sacrifices her never-again rules on reading romance in exchange for the handsome payout that will allow her to upgrade her grandmother’s care. What follows is a classic romance trope of mistaken identities, improbable coincidences, and a lead character forced to accept she deserves happiness.

It is not without its cliches - a damaged lead with some family skeletons, a successful best friend unintentionally rubbing success in their face, and a creative meet-cute are clearly requirements to be given the romance genre label. With few exceptions, though, Whelan overcomes the predictability that is a big part of why I don’t devote much time to romance and women’s drama…er…fiction. You still know where you’re going because happily ever after is an actual requirement, but little twists and snappy, engaging dialogue and scene settings keeps you from knowing too far in advance how you’re going to get there. A large part of this should be credited to there being more attention to the quality of the writing than is often given to romance novels, where the machine of cranking out 2-3 books a year sometimes leaves you feeling like you just read a story full of steamy flirtation written by a 5th grader.

The other bonus was learning more about how audiobooks actually come to be. Whether any bits of the story are autobiographical or not, Whelan’s extensive experience as a narrator lends credibility to details. At heart I knew there was much more to a successful audiobook performance than just sitting down and reading a book to a microphone, but reading the little tidbits added a great extra layer to the quality.

While not perfect (biggest complaint is the source of Sewanee’s trauma, it is just a skosh too outlandish for me) and technically a romance, the creativity of the story and quality of the writing make it an enjoyable read. And because it will be Julia Whelan reading Julia Whelan, I will very likely reread when the audio is released.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.