Member Reviews
I started this book and almost put it down for good after the 2nd-hand embarrassment I felt in the opening scene on the plane. I am so glad I didn’t. I loved this book. Loved it. The characters were great. They made me laugh out loud. They made me stand up and walk away only to immediately sit back down and continue reading. Their story kept me wanting to know what was next. Reading this book was an absolute pleasure.
Julia Whelan is the queen of narrating, and apparently she's also the queen of writing. This book was absolutely precious!! I adored the narration by Julia. 10/10!
THIS BOOK. It is everything you need in an audiobook about an audiobook narrator. I loved it so much. I loved the way all of the stories intertwined, the accents and voices were particularly fantastic (naturally), not to mention the behind the scene tidbits were so great. Highly recommend, especially on audio.
I try to stay on the side of the internet and bookish world that unapologetically loves and celebrates romance novels, so at first I was wary of the way the heroine in this book looked down on them and tried so hard to distance herself from them. However, this story ended up captivating me and I truly loved this book. Julia Whelan really knows how craft a story.
Narration: Obviously Julia Whelan narrates her own book so you get both the benefits of an award winning narrator and an author narrating their own book. In fact, it wouldn't be worth it to eyeball read this book over listening to it.
Thanks to Harper Audio and NetGalley for my chance to review.
There is no better way to experience this book than in its audio format. Author and narrator, Julia Whelan is one of my top three favorite narrators. Her narration always adds an extra layer of enjoyment to the story.
The book itself was a complete package – it featured engaging characters, a delightful infusion of humor, a thoughtful exploration of serious topics, and an intriguing glimpse into the world of audiobook narrating. Julia Whelan's narration brought the story to life in a way that only a talented author-narrator could.
In my book of rom-coms, this one easily lands in the top five. It delivers all the elements that make this genre so enjoyable – laughter, heartwarming moments, and an engaging plot. If you're a fan of romantic comedies and appreciate the art of audiobook narration, this is a must-listen.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This has got to be my favorite rom com ever. With it being narrated by the one and only Julia Whelan herself, the audiobook is absolutely recommended!
Full rtc
Many thanks to Avon books and netgalley for my review copy.
Okay, I'll be completely honest and admit that I've tried to get into this book three different times but this time I was determined to give it a longer ago. And once I got up to about 20% I finally got more invested. But it definitely took me a while to get into this one. Even though, there's an interaction at the beginning that was like super fun. The romance is such a slow build.
But this is such a fun story! It had such great banter! It kind of gave me an Emily Henry vibe. Were you have really good banter but you always also have a deeper more emotional overall plot involving family. And I feel like the romance was a pretty small part until the second half. But I really enjoyed the romance and it was super cute. The guy is just so swoony!
The overall plot or storyline of this being about narrators was so interesting especially since Julia is a really good narrator. She, of course, narrated this story wonderfully. She does different voices so well you forget that you're not cool guys voice. It made me feel happy and emotional.
The only reason I'm not quite giving it five stars is because I had such a hard time getting into it but I am glad I finally finished. And I really loved how it ended and the author's note was really great too! I will say my Oxford year is definitely still my favorite but I can't wait to see what she writes next! And of course I'm excited for her next narration book.
After a tragic accident ends her acting career, Sewanee has found success and satisfaction as an audiobook narrator. She stopped narrating romance book, but a large financial incentive and a request from a late author, she agrees to one last book. Sewanee resurrects her old pseudonym and begins a texting relationship with the industry's hottest male narrator Brock. As she works on this project, Sewanee discovers what her dreams really are.
I loved this! Julia Whelan is an incredible audiobook narrator AND author. It was so good, and I highly recommend you LISTEN to this!
I loved this book, and the narrators were great - not surprising, love the meta of it all, being a story about romance novel narrators!
Going into Thank You for Listening all I knew was that it was about an audiobook narrator and I was quite surprised but how much I enjoyed this. We follow Sewanee Chester who dreamt of being a film star, but she has found success and satisfaction from inside a sound booth. While still caring for her beloved ailing grandmother. But when doing a book convention she has a whirlwind night with a charming stranger. But when a job comes up to the narrator using her old romance pseudonym, she feels as if she needs the money for her grandmother. When things don't turn out the way she thought she must face secrets, and realities as life come crashing down.
I love anything set around the book world, if it's publishing, editing, bookstore, or whatever it may be I love it! Whelan's writing of wit and charm, and the playfulness of these characters are fun. I liked the relationship between Sewanee and her grandmother, it made her have another side and you couldn't help but feel for her.
This is a charming story of a young woman finding herself after events that have changed her, and all you want is a happily ever after for her.
Julia Whelan, audiobook narration queen, writes a novel about an audiobook narrator... it's so meta and I am here for it. While parts of this romantic comedy didn't totally land for me, I was still delighted to go behind the scenes of how audiobooks get made. I really enjoyed the back and forth between the two narrators about finding the characters' voices and how to proceed through some of the more intimate romance novel scenes. Overall, a fun romp if a tad predictable in places.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an audio galley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Loved this one. Whelan, an audiobook narrator, narrates her own book about - you guessed it - an audiobook narrator. So meta! A satisfying romcom.
Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of this book.
A love letter to audiobook listeners, Thank You For Listening is a layered, compelling story full of so much heart.
Sewanee Chester an award-winning audiobook narrator who’s found her niche after her past life in the tv/film world. She now splits her time between the sound booth and caring for her grandmother.
During a short but sweet weekend at a Vegas book convention, she spends an unforgettable night with a charismatic stranger. Shortly after, she gets an offer to perform the last book written by one of the romance world’s favorite authors, alongside Brock McNight. His voice is the industry’s hottest, most mysterious. Romance is a genre Sewanee’s sworn off long ago–personally and professionally, but she finds herself drawn to Brock and the author who helped shape her second-act career.
The epistolary elements are exquisite, the banter is sensational, and the story will both break and warm your heart. Whelan naturally narrates the audiobook, and it just wouldn’t have been the same experience if she didn’t. She excelled at accents, all the emotional aspects, and kept listeners utterly entranced. Thanks to Avon books and Harper Audio for a giveaway win of an ALC via NetGalley Shelf.
I loved this book! Purchased for patrons and recommend often. It was a fun twist and very likable characters. I love the protagonist wasn’t perfect…didn’t always make best decisions. Very relatable,
I love Julia Whelan. She's my all time favorite narrator and now she wrote a book of her own! Thank You For Listening a really good romance. It's a familiar formula, but the good thing with romance is that books with a familiar formula work very well. I may have been able to predict how it would end, but books like this are more about the journey. Whelan takes us on a wild ride with an interesting and likable protagonist and a colorful group of supporting characters and even takes some time to hit you right in the feels. I may have received this from Net Galley for an honest review BUT this will definitely be purchased and put on my shelf.
Truly enjoyed this book! Julia Whelan is not only a great writer but also an amazing narrator! I loved that she portrayed all the various characters in the book and she did an amazing job of portraying each character in a realistic way.
The story itself is also enjoyable but I'm very happy I ended up listening to the audiobook for this instead of reading a digital version. Cute romance with main characters that are also audiobook narrators. Just a warning that Julia Whelan is hilarious so you'll be cracking up throughout the book!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!
If you're on the hunt for your next audiobook, I recommend picking up Julia Whelan's Thank You for Listening! It follows Sewanee, a jaded audiobook narrator who reluctantly agrees to dual narrate a romance novel. She's been through enough trauma to believe that happy endings are pure fantasy. But, as she grows closer to her new co-worker, she starts to rethink her stance.
Usually you won't find me advocating for a heroine who slanders romance novels, but I really liked the way Whelan showed how it stemmed from Sewanee's own feelings about the happy future she had once envisioned for herself being lost. She can't let go of that pain, and Whelan shows her journey to recognizing that she's still hurting and learning to open up to the idea of healing as being complicated and rewarding in equal measure. All of this is tempered with excellent banter and humor woven throughout.
This book sits on that line of women's fiction and romance, and I thought it balanced both really well. I don't want to add too much about the hero (he's a bit mysterious after all), but let's just say there's an Irish accent involved so I was sold! And I loved the parallels Whelan created between him and Sewanee to allow them to connect.
If you've ever wondered what narrating looks like behind the scenes, this book offers an insightful glimpse! Whelan (as a narrator herself) was able to weave in fun facts as well as real issues that narrators face in the industry—such as the emergence of AI and the importance of having human narrators. On that note, Whelan hit it out of the park—as usual!—with her stellar narration of this audiobook.
One character I haven't mentioned yet is Sewanee's grandmother, Blah. Their bond is incredibly important to Sewanee, especially as she watches Blah's increasing struggles with dementia, and I loved their hilarious and meaningful moments on page together.
I firmly believe that this is The Book that Julia Whelan was destined to write. It was such a genuine delight, and no one would be able to write about this industry quite as well (or as charmingly) as Whelan. I would read this over and over again for the first time if I could.
Sewanee is a successful audiobook narrator who fell into the business after an tragic accident left her unable to pursue her burgeoning acting career. She used to narrate romances but gave up on them many years ago because she doesn't believe in happpily-ever-afters the genre promises. So when she's offered to narrate one last romance for a very large sum of money, she has to think hard about it. When she realizes that she can use the money to help her grandmother- who's suffering dementia- to settle in to a retirement home that can care for her better, she goes for it.
She's paired with Brock McKnight- a legendary but mysterious romance audiobook narrator. Initially they exchange emails than phone numbers- just to plan and coordinate their parts in the book, but they begin a relationship that grows, sharing sexy banter and baring their deepest secrets.
What follows is a novel that is part romance and part relationship fiction- a hearty mix of fantastical romantic situations paired with everyday issues like dealing with surviving a serious physical injury, to living with a disability, working through career transitions, and having a beloved family member with dementia.
Trends I noticed in this book were:
1) friendship was a central theme here
2)the 2 main characters are in the publishing/literary industry.
These are 2 themes I've seen popping up a LOT lately in books- which is a good thing because I'm a fan.
I enjoyed the meta quality of this book- listening to a book about book narrartors- narrated to me. Both main characters felt very distinct and real. The accents were good- not too broad or put on.
As book lovers, we often enjoy seeing the behind-the-scenes with authors and publishers. Whelan is giving us that insight into the audio side of this world, all through the story of two narrators and their own journeys - some of it personal, some of it business, and much of it intertwined. It explores heartbreaking matters, personal journeys, love and romance, and it manages to do so with an engaging and funny voice. The two main characters in particular have a very relatable and sometimes irreverent snark with each other and it's just so... cozy. It's familiar and inviting and allows the reader to absorb themselves into the growing relationship.
This book was super cute!
I'm not gonna lie I had a hard time at first figuring out what was the flash backs
... not my proudest moment but I genuinely loved this book.
What stood out to me the most was t
Her relationship with her grandma and how sweet it was!