Whelan's novel is the stuff of book lovers' dreams!

     Just released yesterday on August 2nd, Julia Whelan’s Thank You for Listening has already gotten rave reviews and I’m going to add another one to the pile! This romance book about an audiobook narrator written by a real-life audiobook narrator is a book lover’s dream read that I can’t recommend enough.
     For Sewanee Chester, being an audiobook narrator is a long way from her old dreams, but the days of being a star on film sets are long behind her. She’s found success and satisfaction from the inside of a sound booth and it allows her to care for her beloved, ailing grandmother. When she arrives in Las Vegas last-minute for a book convention, Sewanee unexpectedly spends a whirlwind night with a charming stranger. On her return home, Sewanee discovers one of the world’s most beloved romance novelists wanted her to perform her last book—with Brock McNight, the industry’s hottest, most secretive voice. Sewanee doesn’t buy what romance novels are selling—not after her own dreams were tragically cut short—and she stopped narrating them years ago. But her admiration of the late author, and the opportunity to get her grandmother more help, makes her decision for her. As Sewanee begins work on the book, resurrecting her old romance pseudonym, she and Brock forge a real connection, hidden behind the comfort of anonymity. Soon, she is dreaming again, but secrets are revealed, and the realities of life come crashing down around her once more. If she can learn to risk everything for desires she has long buried, she will discover a world of intimacy and acceptance she never believed would be hers.
     This book is the perfect story for anyone who loves books (especially romance)! Whelan, who is a popular audiobook narrator herself, gives readers an inside look into the world of audiobook narration and what it’s like to work in the publishing industry.
     While this book is branded as a romance book, it also pokes fun at the genre with its HEAs and tropes while embodying those same qualities. However, it doesn’t match the exact trajectory of classic romance novels. The book mixes in elements from Women’s Fiction and other genres to craft an entertaining and touching story about a woman trying to find her way through life when life keeps throwing obstacles her way.
     For any romance lovers out there, this one’s for you and I, for one, cannot wait to see what Whelan will write next!

*I received an ARC from Harper Collins in exchange for my honest opinion.

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