This was a book that was hard to put down. I loved the complex characters and they kept me engaged throughout I thought the plot was cleverly crafted.
Many thanks to Avon Harper Voyy and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you for listening
rating: 4.5⭐️
genre: contemporary romance
read this if you liked: Nora Goes Off Script

Julia Whelan is undoubtedly met favorite audiobook narrator - I will listen to anything she narrates! When it’s her own book that she’s narrating you just *know* it’s going to be good! If you’re an audiobook lover, this book is for you! Thank Your for Listening felt like an ode to audiobook lovers and contemporary romance lovers. This book is filled with witty banter, a peek into the audiobook industry which was fascinating & a little enemies to lovers romance to boot! I couldn’t get enough. The main characters, Sewanee and Brock, have such a great authentic connection and were so lovable. I actually found myself laughing out loud a few times while listening to this book. If you’re looking for your next audiobook - look no further than the audio queen herself!

I have mixed feelings about this book. The characters are quirky, but interesting. The storyline is compelling. I have personally never cared for audiobooks, since they literally put me to sleep, but the depth in which the author describes the industry is very educational. But I did find myself, skimming over parts of the book and finally wondering "when is this book going to end?"

The main characters are Sewanee Chester and her best friend Adaku Obi. They went to Julliard together and were going to make a million dollars as actresses. But a freak accident, took Sewanee out of the game, until she found her calling in audiobooks. And then one night in Vegas leads to a whole new life. Romance or Women's Fiction is the question.

I read a ARC offered by the publisher from NetGalley.com. This is my unbiased and voluntary review.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review. This is the kind of romance/women’s fiction I like - something easy to read but with substance. The book focuses on an audiobook narrator and I really enjoyed all the industry talk and the discussion of romance as a genre, especially as it compares to others.

Funny and witty inside scoop on the narrators we love! I’ve been a fan of Julia Whelan for a long time so when I saw she was writing her own book of course I had to read it! This is a heartwarming story about love and family and the family we create. I loved all the little insider tips about narrators and their craft. Listening to audiobooks is one of my favorite ways to read and I’ll definitely be listening to this story again!

I haven't found something by Julia Whelan, especially the things she narrates, that I haven't enjoyed. The story kept me entertained. I liked the characters a lot. I may or may not have avoided some very necessary tasks, and maybe my spouse because I just wanted to keep reading. This is in my top 5 for 2022 and I will read it again. Just a heads up that there is some mature content if that isn't your thing.

BOOK REVIEW: Thank You for Listening by Julia Whelan
2022 Publication Date: August 2

⭐️⭐️⭐️

CONNECT WITH A BOOK | T.I.M.E. SIMPLE LIVING TIP
When choosing love, consider how you would choose if you were meeting without seeing...

T.I.M.E. BOOK REVIEW:
An Uplifting Story of Love and Self-Discovery
Are you looking for uplifting best contemporary romance novels full of self-discovery, love, and acceptance? Look no further than Thank You for Listening by Julia Whelan. This captivating romance novel tells the story of Sewanee Chester, a former actress turned successful audiobook narrator. After a tragic accident caused her to lose sight of her dreams, she agrees to narrate one last romance novel — with Brock McNight, the industry’s hottest voice.

Let’s take a closer look at why this book may be a match for you...

The Characters
Julia Whelan does an amazing job of crafting this story by creating characters that feel real and believable. Her writing is very detailed and paints vivid pictures that bring these characters to life.

The main characters are beautifully developed with unique personalities that make them stand out from one another while still having commonalities that draw them together like strong bonds we all wish to have in our own lives.

Sewanee Chester is the main character in Thank You for Listening. She’s a talented and hardworking former actress who discovers one of the world’s most beloved romance novelists wanted her to perform her last book — with Brock McNight, the industry’s hottest and most secretive voice. In fact, no one knows who he is!

The anonymity between the two characters encourages unfettered witty banter and a relaxing of the characters' defenses which certainly nurtures an interesting dynamic. This refreshing character development continued to make me wonder how it would be to enter a relationship within these same parameters!

Sewanee is thrown into a whirlwind of emotions as she begins work on the book with Brock but never sees him in person. She discovers that Brock isn't what he seems beneath his guarded exterior — but nor is she!

The Writing Style
Julia Whelan's writing style will keep you hooked until you finish reading this lovely novel. Sewanee's journey is told in an engaging way that draws readers in with its honest portrayal of love, acceptance, and overcoming personal obstacles.

The story unfolds slowly as small details are revealed and secrets are unveiled throughout the book. It's impossible not to be moved by Whelan's powerful writing as she paints vivid scenes and characters who come alive on paper.

Themes and Messages
Throughout Thank You for Listening, readers are reminded about never giving up on themselves or their dreams... even when it feels like all hope has been lost.

The themes explored range from learning to accept yourself no matter what life throws at you to appreciating life’s simple pleasures and finding beauty even in the most difficult of circumstances.

These important messages make this novel an inspiring read that will leave readers feeling uplifted and empowered after finishing it!

If you're looking for an inspiring read about self-discovery and love, then Thank You for Listening by Julia Whelan should be your next choice!

Perfect for readers looking for an inspiring read about self-discovery and love, beautifully written characters and immersive scenes that draw readers into the story.

Thank You For Listening is an uplifting story that will leave you feeling inspired by its characters’ journeys and the endearing connection between them both.

Julia Whelan has crafted a beautiful tale where two people come together despite all odds, finding solace in each other’s company while discovering new things along the way which ultimately leads them to a deeper exploration of accepting themselves for who they are no matter what life throws at them.

This book is sure to leave readers feeling warmhearted with its compelling plot line full of emotion guaranteed to touch your soul!...✨😎✨

Pages: 423
Genre: Best Contemporary Romance Book
Sub-Genre: Hidden Identity Romance
T.I.M.E. Jalapeno Rating:️ 🌶 (Mild Spicy)
Time Period: Present Day
Location: Las Vegas | Los Angeles (US)
Publisher: Avon Books | Harper Voyager US

IF YOU LIKE THIS BOOK THEN TRY…
Book: With Love from Wish & Co. by Minnie Darke ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Movie: Working Girl ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A heartwarming story about love, self-discovery, and acceptance...

Sewanee Chester had given up on her dream of becoming an actress after a tragic accident changed her life forever. She became an audiobook narrator instead, but she was still struggling to accept herself when the world's most beloved romance novelist asked her to perform her last book — with Brock McNight, the industry's hottest and most secretive voice.

With no face-to-face interaction between them, they forge a real connection hidden behind the comfort of anonymity as they never see each other.

As Sewanee begins work on the book with Brock, their relationship develops and blossoms into something more than just recording sessions. They share stories about their lives and learn more about each other through their conversations.

As time goes on, their friendship deepens as Sewanee starts to open up and accepts herself despite the challenges she's faced in life.

Can the solace they find in each other's company forge a real connection that changes both of their lives forever?

Julia Whelan delivers an emotional rollercoaster ride filled with important messages about never giving up on our dreams no matter how difficult life can get at times... So grab your copy today — you won't regret it!

BOOK CLUB DISCUSSION:
• Self-discovery is essential for personal growth.
• The power of human connection — even behind the comfort of anonymity — can bring solace during difficult times and ultimately change.
• Never give up on your dreams no matter the obstacles you face or even when it feels like all hope has been lost.

BOOK QUOTE:
"If I don't hear back from you, I'll find another way." — Thank You for Listening by Julia Whelan

--------------------

All my book reviews can be seen at This Is My Everybody | Simple Living | Denise Wilbanks at thisismyeverybody.com/blog/what-book-should-i-read

♡ Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

This is a new to me author and I have to say I am looking forward to reading more by this author! I loved this book

I love Julia Whelan, AKA the queen of narration. And who could better write a love story between two audiobook narrators than one who knows best from experience?

I loved this book so, so much!! The story, the top notch banter, the representation, everything! Most definitely my favorite romance of the year!

Thank You For Listening is almost the definition of “meta.” It’s a story about an actress/audiobook narrator, written by an actress/audiobook narrator and the audiobook itself is narrated by the author! And it was utterly delightful.

There are lots of tongue-in-cheek rom-com tropes included along the way: snowed in; just one night; epistolary; mistaken identity; love triangle; second chance. They even laugh about it near the end of the book.

There are some serious topics covered along the way - Sewanee, the main character, was involved in a terrible accident a few years back and her face has been disfigured. She has a lot of grief over lost life options that she is still trying to deal with. Her beloved grandmother, Barbara (“BlahBlah” as a nickname cracked me up) is slowly losing her memory and sinking into dementia. (This one really hit home for me, due to personal experience.) You also get a great inside view of what it really takes to record an audiobook: nope, the narrator doesn’t just walk into the studio and start reading!

Julia Whelan is an incredible narrator and now I have discovered that she’s an excellent writer too. I loved a funny scene near the beginning of the book where a waiter refuses to believe that Sewanee had done all the voices in a particular audiobook, even the male ones. I could imagine that actually happening because that’s how good Julia Whelan is!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book. I bounced between the ARC and the published audiobook, courtesy of my public library. Julia Whelan, of course, did a fantastic job with the various voices and accents.

Sewanee didn't want to be an audiobook narrator but after her dreams of being an actress are crushed by a freak accident, this is the next best thing. It makes her enough money to take care of her grandmother and that is all she needs. An opportunity arises to narrate an extremely popular romance book (which she swore off of narrating years ago) alongside an extremely popular audiobook narrator by the name of Brock McKnight, and she just can't say no.

In my opinion, this book was meh. Lackluster. Any other words that describe a mid book. I was not invested in anything. The characters, the plot, the conflict, all of it. It just bored meeee.

Maybe if this book had been 100 pages shorter (maybe even 150?) I would've found some enjoyment in it. Once a romance book hits the 400 page mark though, there's an 80% chance I'm going to find it boring because of too many details. This book falls into that category.

I did enjoy the first few chapters, but after that, I literally cannot tell you what happened. I just finished it and I feel like I know nothing about this book. Could I have paid better attention? Yes. Would I go back and try to pay more attention? Definitely not, it's just not worth it.

Now don't let my opinion sway you. Perhaps if I cared even a little bit more about the characters I would've enjoyed it. However, I did not, and my rating will reflect that.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange of an honest review.

2.5 stars.

I love Julia Whelan's audio narration. I enjoyed her debut novel, My Oxford Year. So obviously, I was very excited about her second novel which is pretty meta due to the focus on audiobook narration, specifically of romance novels. I thought this novel was complex and I loved all the insider information on audiobook narration (green apples, anyone!?). I did think that there was a beautiful grandmother relationship in the novel which did touch my heart. It grounded the decisions of the main character well. I highly recommend this novel and definitely recommend that you listen to it on audio if given a choice of formats.

Wonder-freaking-ful writing and immersive story about an audiobook narrator who re-discovers herself and what it means to start over after experiencing a traumatic injury.

Immediately, this book gripped me. There are opening chapters and lines that just REEL you in, and this was no exception. It was hilarious and relatable and while I have 230823928973 other books on my shelves, once I picked this up I couldn't put it down.

I started with reading the physical copy, but found the audio and listening to Julia narrate this was even more fantastic!

I loved the witty banter, I loved the relationships and complexity of the characters and just everything was so beautifully done. I won't lie- Julia had me googling on 'how to be an audiobook narrator' by the time I finished!

Book: 4 Stars
Audiobook: 5 Stars

Julia Whelan is one of my favorite audiobook narrators. Can she also write? Yes, she can. But her, reading her own book? Absolutely fabulous.

Thank You For Listening is a rather meta story…there’s audiobook narrators, romance authors, social media fans. It was kinda funny reading/listening to a book about the world I love and spend so much time in. As Julia Whelan said at the end of the audiobook, she knew people would read this book and think it was autobiographical (it’s not). I didn’t think that so much, but I was reminded of this advice for authors: write what you know. And she clearly did. So much of this book was an interesting look into the world of audiobook narrators.

Anyway, there was a lot more depth to this story than the funsie-looking cover. The heroine only became a narrator when she experienced a life-changing accident and abandoned her career as an actress. When she takes a job in the genre she left behind for more “serious” work so she can pay for her beloved grandmother's care in an expensive memory care facility, it sets her life down a different path.

This book was hilarious, but also heartbreaking. It had the perfect balance of humor and heart, and loads of fantastic dialog. It had plot twists I didn’t see coming, which is quite a feat for me these days. I started out reading the book - which was good. But when I discovered the audiobook was available and I was able to make progress on the book while running errands and cleaning my house, it was like a little present to myself. I can’t imagine any book Julia Whelan wouldn’t make better by narrating…this one just happens to be her own book.

So now I need to add Julia Whelan’s first book to my miles-long TBR list. Maybe I’ll find it on audiobook…

* thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Not only is Julia Whelan queen of the audio but she is now the queen of writing about audio. Thank you to Avon for the gifted ARC my honest review.

Julia Whelan is hands down the best audiobook narrator out there. The way she handles banter is my favorite. After reading Thank You For Listening, I can confirm that she also writes banter as well as she performs it.

This story was cute and fun. Sewanee and Brock's chemistry sizzled off the page. Their emails back and forth were what romcom dreams are made of. Thank You For Listening gave You've Got Mail vibes with an updated perspective using the life of audiobook narrators as a backdrop. I truly enjoyed it from beginning to end.

Unfortunately, so many of the random tidbits were just that: random. The backstory of what left Sewanee permanently scarred seemed so bizarre. Everything going on with her parents, and random exes popping in and out, Adaku and her career as an actress, it was just a lot. However, the relationship between Sewanee and her grandmother "Blah Blah" was the true heart of the story and Whelan did an amazing job of the reality of loving someone dealing with dementia.

Overal, I do recommend Thank You For Listening. It is a bit of a ride but ultimately, the destination was worth all the twists and turns along the way.

I really enjoyed this book. This comes from the woman known almost exclusively for being an audiobook narrator, an amazing one. The writing is spectacular and the plot was interesting and engaging enough to keep me on my toes and interested the entire time throughout the read. I would highly recommend this one!

⁉️Do you have a favorite audiobook narrator?
It’s @justjuliawhelan and @marinireland for me. I’ll listen to anything they read, but I guess I didn’t realize that there’s a whole celebrity in the audiobook narration world until reading this book.

Thank You for Listening by @justjuliawhelan
Pub date: August 2, 2022
432 pages
@avonbooks @harperaudio

Obviously I had to, at least in part, listen to this one on audio. I’m always more inclined to defer to audio over print when an author narrates their own books. While usually I find that’s the case with memoirs, this is no memoir (see author’s note at the end of the book). Julia pulls very few bits of her life into this story, though it exists in audiobook world where a narrator tiptoes the line of some notorious romance tropes while navigating her own love life.

It was perfect. This was exactly what my mood called for, and Thank You for Listening delivered. I thought it was smart and sweet (without being too sweet), there was some heavier content that didn’t feel forced into the narrative at all. It required a little suspending reality to believe the romance for me but still a definite romance recommend👌

A rounded up ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks @avonbooks @netgalley for an early e-copy of this book!

#juliawhelan #thankyouforlistening #netgalley #netgalleyreads #bookreview #bookreviewer #bookblog #bookblogger #bookandflowers #booksandbotanicals #booksoutside #booktography #bookish #bookfeaturepage #bookaccount #booktherapy #bookthings #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #instabooks #instareaders #readersofinstagram #avonbooks #readspinrepeatbookclubnbn

This story is a clever romance with witty dialogue between two audiobook narrators…one named Brock McKnight. I enjoy Julia Whelan’s audiobook narrations but especially enjoyed her book! I do recommend the audio version. I purchased the audiobook and the paperback book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance reader copy.

I just reviewed Thank You for Listening by Julia Whelan. #ThankYouforListening #NetGalley

Sewanee Chester is an audiobook narrator who doesn't do romances, thinking they are too unrealistic with their happy ever after endings. What she rails against however, happens to her, with coincidences and surprises that make her life one romance trope after another.

Meeting and falling in love with a stranger in Las Vegas during a book convention, falling for another audiobook narrator whom she texts but doesn't meet face to face, possibly finding a happy ever after ending in spite of her reservations,

The plot is clever and full of not so surprising surprises, the characters engaging. I enjoyed the book's twists and turns quite a bit.