This was a fun read! It follows an audiobook narrator, which was fascinating to get a peek behind the curtain, so to speak! The romance was sweet and fun, I liked their banter and the meet cute(s).

Getting the elephant out of the room...I went in with very high expectations due to my love of My Oxford Year and literally anything Julia Whelan narrates. She is gifted, she is the best at what she does and I was so unbelievably honored to get an advanced copy of this book!

Unfortunately it didn't live up to my (maybe unrealistic) expectations. I loved how meta it all was. She poked fun at listeners who read at 3x speed, romance in general with its crazy tropes and loyal fans and even the unrealistic HEAs, but hey thats why we love romance. I loved this aspect of the book!

Where this felt a bit too much for me, was the large cast of characters and what felt like undeveloped story lines. We had daddy issues, a Mom who lived on a cruise ship and was always in a new city, a grandma with memory loss and a personal tragedy of her own that was built up very much in the beginning of the book. I wish there was one or maybe two elements rather than all of these. It just felt a bit *too* much and forced.

However, I think when this publishes and you can listen on audio, I really do think it would shine. I think this book was written for audio! I may even give it a listen when it comes out. While this wasn't my favorite, it was thoroughly enjoyable!

Thank You for Listening gives you romance, friendship, family and a glimpse into the life of an audiobook narrator.

Sewanee steps away from acting after an accident and finds herself a career as an audiobook narrator. At a book convention she meets someone and has a whirlwind no-strings attached night and then returns to real life. Then she starts a project with a popular male narrator and begins to think there might be something there. Swan learns a lot about love, family and her career throughout the course of the story.

This one started really slow for me. I'm not sure if it's because it was an advanced copy but I got confused about names, places and what was going on. Once I hit ~30% I started to enjoy it more. It was a romance but not with your typical tropes, instead poking fun at the genre in a kind way.

I did feel like there was a lot going on between daddy issues, career problems and boy drama so I can't say it was a complete knockout but I'm glad I read it. It's fun ride and unlike other books I've read which I appreciate.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

So first off; I’m a huge fan of Julia Whelan and her audiobook narrations. I’ve listen to dozens of her absolute masterpieces and every time I just want to tip my hat to a woman who knows her craft and exceeds my every expectation. That being said I was so ecstatic when I saw she had written her own book. I definitely went in with high assumptions that this would be a fun read, and I was absolutely right. I mean, this woman has read so many books for her career how could this possibly go wrong?

Sewanee (Swan) is the protagonist of this story. She is a former actress and current audiobook narrator. She detests reading romance novels (though that’s where she got her start), and doesn’t believe in Happily Ever After. She currently focuses more on large fantasies and bestselling novels and she uses a different name to separate herself from her past. She lost one of her eyes and because of that she wears an eyepatch to cover the scaring. This is part of the reason why she no longer acts and lives a more secluded life’s

While at a convention in Las Vegas she is interviewing a panel of romance narrators and meets a mysterious, Irish, stranger back at the hotel bar. They bond, they drink, they eat, they dance, and enjoy the experience of being in Vegas. Reality soon intercedes and they must go their separate ways; her to LA and him to Dublin.

When she gets home she is given a huge money making offer to record the last audiobook of a recently deceased romance author. She has to team up with Brock McNight to do the dual narrations for the story. Brock is a big time romance book narrator and it’s a huge opportunity for them both to branch out into other interests. It’s a romance novel so I don’t have to tell you that sparks fly.

Let me just say I enjoyed my reading experience so much with this book. It was fun, it was heartbreaking, and it was sweet. This is a book I will easily recommend to people looking for something that will make them laugh out loud and giggle with absolute delight. This was everything I could have hoped for and it just reaffirms my opinion: Julia Whelan is supreme.

A perfect romance for audiobook lovers who get to see behind the curtain into how audiobooks are recorded. Immediately fall in love with Sewanee Chester as she navigates the impact of a tragic accident, the possibility of new love, the challenges of aging family members, and more. The secondary characters are winsome and hilarious!

Thank You for Listening is a lot of things: a peek behind the curtain of show business, particularly audiobook narration and a glimpse into the film industry, a love letter to romance books, a touching exploration of healthy female friendships, realistic romances, family drama, learning how to move forward. Above all, it's an absolute gem of a story and is now in my top 5 favorite romances.

It's another well-executed romance/women's fiction hybrid about a lot of things, but it's primarily about coveted audiobook narrator Sewanee Chester honoring a beloved, late romance novelist's last request to perform her final book with a fellow popular narrator, the enigmatic Brock McKnight. Despite both narrators working and communicating under pseudonyms, they share a genuine connection and the line between anonymity and reality become frighteningly blurred.

All the while, Sewanee balances her struggle to overcome a mental roadblock that accompanied a traumatic deformity, her best friend's push to resurrect her promising acting career, her lively grandmother's losing battle with dementia, and the lingering memory of a handsome stranger she spent one unforgettable night with in Las Vegas that kicked off this rollercoaster.

I loved every moment. I'm a sucker for meta fiction, an even bigger sucker for character driven romances, and just an absolute fool for smooth, hilarious writing that makes me genuinely cackle. Steam takes a backseat in this romance, but the rich character development and palpable chemistry between the MCs makes up for it. This leans more towards women's fiction than romance, but rest assured there's still an HEA.

Can we talk about a rarity that normally flounders in romances but is so well done here? It's the best friend, who is usually a cardboard cut out, a negative or positive plot device for the MCs, meant to be seen and not heard. Not Adaku. Adaku is not restricted to just a hype woman for Sewanee, but actually pulls her weight whenever she's on the page and is her own separate force. There's no jealousy, backstabbing, purpose limited to nudging the FMC in the right direction. It's a healthy female friendship wherein both women respect, uplift each other and overcome obstacles together, and other romance authors need to take note.

Do I recommend this? Absolutely. But despite my glowing review, this book won't be for everyone. However, it's worth a shot. And! If you're an audiobook aficionado, Julia Whelan is an acclaimed audiobook narrator who is the voice of a few Taylor Jenkins Reid novels (ever heard of her?), Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (or her?) and Emily Henry's highly anticipated 2022 release, Book Lovers, and, obviously, will narrate this book. Have I piqued your interest yet?

Thank you SO much to Avon Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank You For Listening is a delightful gem of a novel!

We follow successful audiobook narrator and former actress Sewanee as she navigates life after a tragic accident, supporting her ailing beloved grandmother, Barbara (aka BlahBlah), professional opportunities, and an unexpected encounter with a charming venture capitalist (or is he?!). I fell in love with the characters and appreciated the insights some shared on romance novels and women’s fiction.

This was moving and funny, with dashes of hope and heartbreak throughout. A wonderful premise that is well executed and well-written, featuring different styles including an epistolary chapter (a modern version aka emails and texts). The romance between Sewanee and her love interest is palpable and cheekily touches on several tropes.

If you loved My Oxford Year (I did!), this is a must-read. I can’t wait to see (and read!) what Julia does next. I recommend this to fans of great banter and smart and sweet romance.

I read over 150 books a year and already know this will be one of my top/favorite reads of the year. I am still thinking about it weeks later and smiling when I recall how much I enjoyed the story and my reading experience.

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

I loved My Oxford year so I expected to love this book more than I did. It was just a miss with me. I just didn’t connect with the characters as much as I like but for sure give it a try!! You never know! The story line is great! Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the ARC!!

Thank you for listening was a great read! The main character, Sewanne, survived a life threatening accident which set her life on a new track. This book is all about the unexpected turns in life and love.

I couldn’t put the book down and enjoyed reading it. I did find myself enjoying the first half much more than the second, but still would recommend!

This book was exactly what I needed this past week! A delightful storyline about Sewanne, an actress-turned-audiobook narrator who decides to co-narrate a romance series with another well-known narrator, Brock McNight, in order to pay for her grandmother's move to a memory care unit. What follows is a very tongue-in-cheek storyline that touches on several HEA tropes: getting snowed in, mistaken identity, love triangle.....It's a charming story with lovable characters and takes you into the audiobook world. @justjuliawhelan is a gifted writer and storyteller, of which I first learned in My Oxford Year, so I was very excited to get a chance to read an early copy of this one from @harpercollins and @avonbooks
via @netgalley.

Look for this book to hit bookshelves on August 2!

I am a vivacious reader but have never tried an audio book—though it certainly could give me something to do during my long commutes. But I was certainly intrigued about the premise for “Thank You For Listening,” which introduces us to Sewanne, a former actress turned audiobook narrator. Her star was just starting to rise when she suffered a disfiguring accident that required her to find an occupation where so much attention would not be paid to how she looked on camera. Audio narration turned out to be a good fit, but while she wet her feet in the genre of romance, she switched to more serious fiction. Yet, when her grandmother’s (named Blah!) health care becomes too expensive, Sewanne considers the possibility to co-narrate a series with another well-known narrator who is known as Brock McNight.

I can typically tell if I am going to enjoy a novel by its first chapter and Julia Whalen’s ability to put me right into Sewanne’s thoughts and feeling made me care about her instantly. Sewanne is a winsome character who has suffered a huge setback, but her voice never becomes too maudlin. Her best friend, Adaku, her boss, Marc, and her grandmother are all wonderful supporting characters, but what cements this novel as a standout is the correspondence (texts and emails) between Sewanne and her co-narrator as they become more than just colleagues because they share the common thread of heart break and starting over again.

I have not yet had the opportunity to read Julia Whalen’s debut novel, “The Oxford Year,” but I plan to now because of how much I enjoyed this novel.

My thanks to Julia Whalen, NetGalley and the publisher for granting my wish so that I could read this book.

Sweet love story. It did take me a bit to get into it but once I did, I tore through it. Would recommend.

Julia Whelan is one of the best audiobook narrators there are, and thankfully, she is prolific. After reading/listening to her narration of her first book, My Oxford Year, it became clear to me that she is also a gifted writer. Needless to say, when I was approved by her publisher via NetGalley to review an ARC of Thank You for Listening, I was delighted. With my initial notes, thanks, and praise for Ms. Whelan firmly established, what follows is an honest and I hope clear-headed review.

This book is deliberately meta--that's not supposed to be a secret--but it is also trying to accomplish too much and feels uneven in parts for that reason. The text comes alive when Ms. Whelan is allowing the reader to peek behind the veil of the audiobook narration process. Her writing feels certain, surefooted, and sparkling at those moments and it's such a delight to be able to breathe easy with her in those sections because it doesn't feel like she's trying to be clever or convince the reader or herself of anything.

The meta construct is the throughline, but it goes beyond audiobook narration. The goal is to hit every trope in the romance genre while simultaneously interrogating said trope. In some cases, the idea is to turn the trope on its head, sometimes to poke good-natured fun at it, but the book sometimes feels hyper self-conscious of this effort. I think it's supposed to be satirical and cheeky, but the execution was a little clumsy and a tad overburdened in parts because the book is crowded with too many errands. And I couldn't help but feel that maybe the author is a little disdainful of the genre while trying not to alienate its readers. That's fine. I'm more than okay with people having complex feelings, but it seems to all be being worked out here, and as a result feels half-baked.

We have a very put-upon heroine with a more than credible and intriguing backstory of disappointment who is at a moment of personal crisis/a fork in the road when we meet her. She also has a distinguished physical "mark" which adds some gravitas and complexity to her character devleopment. We have the requisite cheerleader best friend (who has her own life, her own goals, thankfully), and we have, of course, the hero. But we also have a beloved grandmother with rapidly-worsening dementia and the issue of the cost of her care, a problematic relationship with a father, and the heroine's mild disdain of narrating the romance genre. Add to these, the "b" plot of the house where the heroine does most of her audio recording being sold (to a well-meaning but not very self-aware actor acquaintance), and I found myself wishing at least one of these obstacles had been eliminated because the lynchpin--the romance itself--wasn't nearly as developed as it should be to make the pairing feel earned and the HEA the cause celebre it should be. Some of the page real estate needed to be ceded back to the couple.

The "Epistolary" chapter is really where the romance build-up shines and is the most convincingly conveyed. I struggled to feel that the in-person interactions matched the chemistry of the text and email exchanges which were smart, fun, flirty, and emotionally open.

With all this said, I will be delighted to read and listen to the book in its final form. I know that Ms. Whelan's narration will elevate the text because it always does.

A huge fan of Julia Whelan! Discovered her via her numerous narrated titles [especially Taylor Jenkins Reid], then seeking out her audio books because of her impact & talents. [as one reader reviewer put it "I'll listen to Julia Whelan read a physics textbook! yep!]
Discovered her first book by chance, was delighted to discover she had a new one coming soon.
I might argue her narration skills are stronger, but still a greatly talented storytelling--thanks for opening me up to the world of HEA! A charming, finely plotted tale with well-developed and complex characters.
With great thanks to NetGalley & Harper Collins for this ARC!

Thank You For Listening by Julia Whelan is an absolute joy to read! It has the feeling of a play within a play, but not so literal. The twists and turns are classic for a romance trope, but on the page, it is acknowledged how silly everything is and that it sounds like a movie or a book! I don't read audiobooks because I am a visual learner, but reading about the industry was fascinating!

I can't write a synopsis without giving it all away, so here is what you will get with Thank You For Listening: disability representation, former Hollywood Star loves her granddaughter, textual chemistry, page sex, spectacular quotes from a Cosmo interview with a fake romance author, the best dip recipe ever, Venice, and it's a Marriott!, love, and an HEA.

I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

As a lover of romance and someone who often enjoys Women's Fiction, I have to say that this book just didn't hit for me. From the start, the narrator insults both of those genres, and that approach doesn't really let up, I really liked the plot of the story -- the one night stand, reuniting, etc.--but I never felt a lot of chemistry between the characters. Overall, for a book labeled as both romance and WF, it relied too much on mocking both genres, almost like it was embarrassed to me among their ranks?

This is a full story of one woman's journey and I'm sure some readers will really enjoy it, it just wasn't for me.

4.5

super good. i flew through it! unique, with a lovable cast of characters. better than my oxford year!

#netgalley

What a clever book about an audiobook narrator. Julia Wheelan knows all the insights to being an audiobook narrator along with all the rom com tropes and uses them to craft a funny and interesting romance. And yes fellow romance readers - this DOES meet the definition of a romance! The main character connects with a handsome stranger in Las Vegas and soon after begins working with and texting the mysterious and famous romance book narrator Brock. The reader may think they have figured out where the author is going, but there are some twists and turns along the way. We also get some family drama; divorced parents, an aging grandmother and a meetup with mom/mom's boyfriend. The plot between romance, family and character growth flowed easily. This one is a unique and memorable read!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Julia Whelan’s uplifting novel “Thank You for Listening” 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 was my first book of Whelan’s and won’t be my last. With her extensive background as an audiobook narrator herself, Whelan gives us a behind the scenes look into the world of putting real voices to our beloved characters. Our protagonist, Sewanee, is one you can instantly love. Her dry sense of humor, quick wit and loyalty to her family and friends make her someone you want to be friends with. She is so sure she’s fine, that’s she’s dealt with her accident that she doesn’t realize she’s lost sight of who she is or what she wants. Her journey through these pages was so real, add in a love story that felt more realistic than any trope that you can throw at it, made for an honest and wonderful book.

Major SLOW burn! Sometimes I felt just as frustrated as the characters during all the times that kept them apart. If you love the classic romance tropes, this book is full of clever twists on all of them.

This was an unedited version, so I can’t wait to reread the final cut to see if parts were slimmed down and also the emojis/images that were part of the text exchanges.

Thank you NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
#netgalley
#thankyouforlistening
#juliawhelan

This book was a great read. It has the full range - from horrified laughing out loud at the start (honestly, anyone listening to steamy audiobooks in public? You are the bravest of the brave) to misty eyed from the sweet and the sad at the end.
My favorite thing though? I love a good trope. And with the characters being ‘in the industry (or whatever you want to call it) you get all this fun trope discussion between them, without having to break the fourth wall. And there were so many well done tropes, at one point they make a list. (No credit for reversal of the one bed trope though? …maybe because we never actually see that second bed…)
There are some serious themes, dementia, disability, substance abuse (that last is more discussion of a character’s past, not a current issue for them other than a mention they’re sober now), I feel like they are all well handled and an important part of the story. Which I loved. I feel like second (and third, and so on) chances were a *main* theme and it all comes together so well.
(Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC)