Bookstore Owner Seeks Audiobook Narrator

Gigi, Listening follows the story of Gigi Rutherford, a romance bookstore owner who embarks on an impulsive trip to England. Gigi has fallen in love with the voice of Zane, an audiobook narrator. Determined to meet him, she joins a tour in the UK, only to find herself in unexpected situations when Zane doesn't show up, leaving her with a quirky group of fellow travellers.

Gigi, Listening stands out for its unique premise and engaging writing style. The characters are well-developed, and the themes of love and self-discovery are thoughtfully explored. However, the book may not appeal to everyone, especially those who prefer more traditional romantic narratives. Its strengths lie in its humour, charm, and emotional depth, making it a worthwhile read for fans of contemporary romance.

Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington Books for the advanced copy of this book. Overall, this book was just okay to me. I had a hard time getting into it because I found Gigi's choice to chase down a voice a bit much. I understand she longed for what her parents had but it felt far too fantastical for me. It was well written and I really enjoyed the setting but it was an average read for me.

What drew me in was that she was a romance book shop owner. She has fallen for the narrator of her favorite audio book. So she books a tour and where Zane is leading it. Unfortunately he doesn't show up for the first few days and Taj takes over.
It's a cute book. Wonderful for a romance reader. The characters are entertaining and keeps the reader interested.

Gigi has fallen in love with the voice of the narrator of her favorite romance book, and now she has an opportunity to go on a tour where he will be the guide. But when she arrives, he's not there, the tour is full of wildly different people, and she keeps clashing with the bus driver.

I got a little frustrated with how long it took Gigi to let go of the romantic future she's imagined and see the romance right in front of her, but overall I really enjoyed the cast of characters on the tour.

💛💛💛 / 5

🌶️🌶️ / 5

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Review:
This was such a sweet romcom full of self discovery and the joy of living in the moment.

Did I hate a particular character? Yes very much so. But I loved all the others and I enjoyed watching their relationships and friendships blossom and thrive as they spend more time living in the moment with each other. This is a fantastic example of a) never meet your hero’s and b) it’s always the people that add that person touch and put in the most effort that make the biggest change in your life.

I really enjoyed this romcom, it was full of love, and found family, forced proximity and change. It highlighted the growth and that all is not as it seems on the surface.

This was a cute read and I liked the premise. I liked Gigi's conviction in the value of romance novels. Grumpy/sunshine is my favorite trope so I enjoyed the dynamic here and who doesn't love a cute guy with a British accent? I liked Taj and Gigi but I struggled a lot with both of their backstories. I think the characters could have been fleshed out a lot more and that would have added a lot to the depth of the story. The rest of the cast of characters were quirky and fun though so that helped. Overall, I think better characterization and more growth in the love story would have helped. It dragged out a lot and then rushed at the end.

A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

I thought the protagonist’s career as a narrator give the book a charming premise and enjoyed the character development.

This rom com of a book has is following Gigi as she goes on an bus tour in England she goes for one reason but soon fine out things won’t be like the story she made up in her head. With love and self discovery and healing this book had me hooked over all I give it 4 stars

So I was really excited about this one. It sounded fun and interesting and I was so excited when it popped up on Netgalley. Unfortunately it didn’t live up to my excitement. While I was intrigued about a woman falling for a man’s voice from an audiobook the obsession was really hardcore and it honestly put me off a lot. It’s just beaten into the book so much that I think it’s too much. We get it, she’s on the trip for him. Stop already.

First of all thanks to Netgalley for letting me read this copy in advance in exchange for an honest review.

I don't even know where to start. It has taken me a long time to write this, I have already deleted two crafts, I am hoping this is the last one.

When I first started reading I was expecting to connect with Gigi, I am a sucker for romance books, yet, i just ended up disappointed and cringed. I understand that we as readers tend to fantasize about meet cutes, romance stories, enemies to lovers etc. But to travel to another country and to get disappointed and angry that a person has a real personality and desires you didn’t expect is just too much.

I am not defending the guy, he is an asshole, but i just keep thinking “what was Gigi expecting? for him to see her and say "oh yea she is the love of my life?”” just WTF. Her character was just insufferable for me.

The problem is, just everything. I know it is a romance book, but every decision made, thoughts and dialogue were cringy. Literally all the other characters are way more interesting than Gigi.

I think my biggest problem is the idealization Gigi has with the guy of her dreams. I know it is normal to have a crush on somebody, but that’s it. You may or may not have a chance with them, but to the point of idealizing a person and creating a whole personality and to feel disappointed when they don’t fulfill the expectations was just too much.

Luckily we have a variety of characters who go along with her in the tour, they have their own struggles, and backstories, I was more interested in getting a little more information about them. I was so happy we could remove the focus off Gigi just for a little bit.

Personally this is a book I wouldn't recommend, it’s the type of story I wouldn't mind spending my time watching on a crappy movie, but to read it, just no.

this one was okay. not my favorite. i couldn’t connect with the fmc nor the storyline. it took me a long time to finish and towards the end i was skimming and just not interested.

This book was quirky and cute! I appreciated having an older main character. The writing was good and the plot, while not immaculate, was fun. I read this a few months ago and forgot to write the actual review but I remember really liking this book!

Gigi is a hopeless romantic, she’s owns a book store and spends her time listening to audiobooks. She refuses to continue dating because she hasn’t had luck doing so. There is an audiobook narrator named Zane that she fantasizes about. She is convinced that he is her soulmate. There’s a bus tour in England that Zane will be a part of. She thinks that this trip is going make her fantasies come true. A sweet and cute romance story. A great plot an eclectic group of characters mix together well to make a an incredible romance story.

Disclaimer: Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for this review copy and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

It was an alright book. That’s it mostly, just alright.

I fairly enjoyed the concept and I enjoyed reading this but it wasn’t something that I was always looking forward to picking up, hence why this review took much longer than anticipated.

Someone who loves books being read by someone who loves books. I just overall expected more.

cute, but i was almost left wanting more??? idk if it waes because of the no spice thing, or what, but this book just didn't tickle my fancy the way I was hoping it would. I did still enjoy it, don't get me wrong, it just wasn't one of my faves.

I found this story more funny and charming than swooning when I am suppose too. This book shouldn't be market as romance book rather than with women fiction. It's more about Gigi getting out of her comfort zone and be more of herself. Making risks than being stuck in the pages or listening to her favorite narrator.

A quirky rom com yet with a lot of holes in the plot. I struggled through this over romanticised story that borders on being obsessive and stalkerish.

I know I'm not alone when I say this book was so difficult to continue reading. Gigi, in the first half of the book, was irritating to be around with, had I taken a sip of water every time she mentioned "Zane", I'd be hospitalised for water intoxication. But, it does make a turn for the better. In fact, the character arc was wonderful.

The cast of the tour were all lovable, and each of them had a role to play to further the story, but also had developments of their own. It's hard to stop reading when the side characters were interesting, especially Taj, the bus driver.

As for the romance, I enjoyed the banter, and how the relationship developed over time. The pacing felt suitable, and if you can look past how infuriating Gigi was for most of the book, it's actually a pretty good romance!

3. 5 stars
While it became clear very quickly how the story would end, the journey was still lovely. FMC Gigi's friends gift her a UK bus tour that is meant to allow her to meet the audiobook narrator whose voice she has been obsessing over. She has a whole back story of how, because of the book that this man narrates, they must be soulmates. So, with the support of her brother (who I don't think got near enough credit), she heads overseas, only to find out that the narrator is not where he was expected to be. Gigi is rather anxious, and I think that comes off as rude, initially. However, I found her reactions relatable.
Thankfully, the tour guide convinces her to still go with them, otherwise this book would have been very short. That's when Gigi meets MMC, Taj, who is driving the tour bus. They definitely get off on the wrong foot, but the chemistry is there and they bond as the trip goes on.
Eventually the audiobook narrator guy shows up, Gigi tries to make herself fall in love with him as a person, not just as a voice, and it, of course, does not go as planned.
Overall, it's a cute story. It would make a great Hallmark movie! That being said, I could have used some spice. Any spice. But, I did enjoy the setting and the really unique premise, so I would recommend it to someone who is looking for a PG romance book.