Thank you for the e-arc @Avonbooks @netgalley, and the ALC @libro.fm!

This was perfect! Entertaining as always with Julia Whelan narrating! Loved the concept and thought it was so easy to fall in love with. This one will for sure pull on your heart strings with sweet and difficult family relationships and also make you laugh out loud with the wittiness. The relationship with her grandma with dementia was super sweet and felt so personal.

There are main characters that you want to root for, a strong bff relationship, great overall character arcs, themes that add depth, and amazing insight on Hollywood and the audiobook world.

I binged this in one day! Highly recommend the audio version for this one as well as listening to the Author’s Note at the end.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publishing team for sharing this ARC with me!

This story follows Sewanee Chester, an audiobook narrator who is a long way from her old dreams, leaving the days of being a star on film sets 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 and in the days that follow, this stranger becomes a little something more.

There were parts of this book I enjoyed and other parts that had me skim reading. I think Sewanee's character was an interesting one! You liked her and sympathized with her. Her journey as a character was a satisfying one, especially as you watch her overcome her demons. Nick was our other character and he was definitely charming and someone you also rooted her. When I first started reading, I honestly thought I would DNF the book but then we reached the banter and I loved their chemistry! Nick and Sewanee were hilarious and had such wit together and for me, their conversation and connection saved the book. While I appreciated the side plots/characters, I wasn't too attached to any of them.

I thought the book had nice lessons that I appreciated. The pacing of the story was a little off in some places making it feel a little confusing and I do think it felt too long, but overall, I thought this was a cute read! Romance readers can definitely enjoy it!

Julia Whelan is one of my favorite narrators and I’m so glad she wrote this glimpse into the life of an audiobook narrator. I adore books about books and this is the first I’ve ever read about audiobooks.

Audiobooks + all the romantic tropes (love that there’s humor mixed in) + wonderful & heartfelt supporting characters + personal growth makes this such a fantastic read.

4.5 stars

When I first saw that this book was written by everyone’s FAVORITE audiobook narrator, Julia Whelan- an actress who herself now uses her acting skills to bring to life the words of many of our favorite authors- I wondered if it was autobiographical. 🤔

Although that doesn’t seem to be the case, it does allow us have a glimpse, into BOTH worlds, which added an extra layer of intrigue to the story for me!

It definitely shows the side of audiobook narration which isn’t as glamorous as what one would imagine, and it was fun to learn that just like acting there is A LOT of PREP WORK that goes into it-you don’t just sit down and read a book aloud!!

Sewanee Chester, (Swan) named after her grandmother’s hometown, no longer believes in HEA (happily ever after).

An accident which resulted in the loss of one eye, took away her dreams of becoming a film actress, and while her best friend, and fellow Actress Adaku, soared to fame-she retreated to a sound booth, getting her start narrating novels for iconic romance author, June French, using the alias, Sarah Westholme.

As she developed her own following as a narrator, she gave up the romance genre, and moved on to others, but when her ailing grandmother, Blah Blah, (she couldn’t pronounce Barbara as a toddler) needed to be moved to the very expensive “memory care” wing of her assisted living home, she decides to reconsider when offered the kind of money she would need to pay for this move.

June French had recently passed away, and her wish was that her LAST novel be read by “Sarah” and the hottest male narrator in the industry, Brock McNight.

I loved the relationship that Swan shared with Blah Blah, as I was extremely close with my late grandmother, so this dimension added a lot to the story for me. It was also refreshing to see a strong, female friendship portrayed as well!

But, it wouldn’t be a satisfying ROMANCE novel if there wasn’t chemistry between Sewanee (Sarah) and Brock.

Fortunately the book DOES have the playful banter which makes these stories fun, and the HEAT 🔥 to make you want to believe in HEA!

The first half was stronger for me, as the story got a little to preachy and cheesy around the 75% point-but the ending had me closing my Kindle wearing a satisfied smile.

This title will be released on. August 2, 2022 and you can read it or LISTEN 🎧 to it narrated by Julia herself!

Thank You to Avon Books for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!

I am a fan of Julia Whelan-- both her first novel and her narration! I thought the characters here were vivdly drawn, empathetic, and real. I just had a hard time investing in the tropes as they played out. Not my favorite, but a compelling read. Thank you NetGalley and Avon for the ARC.

Thank You For Listening follows Sewanee, an actress, after an accident topples her career and leaves her with an eye patch. She has turned this set back into a successful career narrating audiobooks, but struggles to feel wholly herself in her scarred skin. After accepting a job to pay for her grandmother’s memory care, she falls for her mysterious co-narrator. They discover they have a bit more in common than previously thought, and Sewanee struggles with trusting their burgeoning relationship.

I had the pleasure of reading this while already having experience in audiobook narration. It was fun to engage with the little quirks that the author, a narrator herself, let the reader into (green apples! tsk-ing!). When this novel releases, I can confidently say that it will make a splash. I think readers will enjoy the wit of the first half, and recommend it to their friends. The strongest moments were between Sewanee and her grandmother, and Sewanee and her best friend Adaku.

Spoilers ahead!

Even with my enjoyment, I do think some things could have been improved. Adaku, despite my love for her sunny disposition, felt flat until the very end. We know nothing about her family, love life, friends outside of Sewanee, etc etc. I loved her enough that I would read a second novel all about her, but it wasn’t until the very end that I got to see her talk about herself in any real complexity. I know Blah’s friends, Nick’s friends, even Mark’s love life. I wish I had less Nick and more Adaku.

I think the chapter of Stu talking to Nick was pedantic. Nick repeated his life story so many times throughout the second half it was almost like- am I imagining this? Didn’t he just say this? I really struggled getting through it.

I loved how Sewanee reacted to the reveal of Nick & Brock. It felt like a grounded response in the outlandish scenario, and contrasted wonderfully against it.

The moment when Sewanee yells at her dad about her disability- wow. The strongest, most raw part in this novel. I just feel like the relationship with Nick was so lackluster in comparison to the strength in the other moments of the book. That’s not to say that the sex scene was rough- it was fine. Nick was fine. I just think it would be better with 10 percent of his scenes cut.

All in all, I’m choosing to give this four stars based on the sheer enjoyment I felt reading the first 65% percent of it. It was witty, fun, and a page turner. I think that on release this book will be well loved.

I tried to get into this book 3x and I just never got hooked. I have to DNF. I do think I would enjoy the book if it wasn’t so long and the beginning grabbed my attention better. I will give i my another try on audio once the book is released!

This is my first Julia Whelan novel and won't be my last. The characters jumped off the page and I truly enjoyed myself.

I am not an audio book person and this novel sparked my interest in the behind the scenes work of the voices on them. Sewanee is an audio book voice going through so many life altering experiences at once: grandmother with dementia, detached divorced father, wanting life to return to where it once was. The chance for a lucrative voice job is a saving grace. As life unfolds so do her insecurities, desires, and chances for love.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved this book! I am a big fan of Julia Whelan as a narrator and as an author so I was anxiously waiting to read/listen to this one. I loved all of the little tidbits about audiobook super fans, the behind the scenes look into the narrator life, and of course all of the scenes written about the Audies (a dream to see I am sure). I appreciate the way the tone can go from humor to being serious effortlessly. The banter between Sawanee and Nick was impeccable. I think Julia could rival writing banter at the same level as Emily Henry (and we love some EH banter). The character growth of Sawanee was so great. I love a woman MC who has believable growth and acceptance by the end of the book.

I will probably be adding to my review of this book a few times because there is just so much to love and gush about and I don't think all of my thoughts are totally together still.

Big thanks to Avon, Netgalley (and whoever added this as a read now so I could grab it) and Libro for the ALC of this great audiobook by Julia Whelan.

Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager, Libro.Fm for my copy! All thoughts are my own.

I have been loving books that feature characters in the entertainment industry and I had such a great time reading Thank You For Listening! I loved Julia Whelan’s debut, My Oxford Year. It was one of my first forays into the Romance genre and before I knew Whelan’s background as an actor and audiobook narrator career. Her latest is on the more humorous side, with lots of nods to the Romance genre, but still pulls at your heartstrings like we expect from her writing.

Synopsis:

“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.”

What I Liked:

The Premise—I loved the premise of this book. It was so fun to follow an audiobook narrator and actor. It was a familiar enough world for me that it made me happy but also fun and exciting to explore a side of the industry I don’t know as much about.

The Humor—I laughed out loud at so many points. It was so funny! And still heartfelt and deeply emotional like My Oxford Year, but not as heartbreaking.

The Tongue-In-Cheek Romance References—I love “in the know” jokes about Romance. If you love the genre, you will find yourself snorting and giggling.

What Didn’t Work:

Contrast—I wasn’t quite expecting the deeply emotional moments because the tone was so funny at first. I think there could have been a little more built into the transitions, but I also suppose unexpected changes are part of life!

Character Authenticity: 4/5 Steam Rating: 1/5 Overall Rating: 4/5

Content Warnings:

Memory loss; Eye trauma & loss of vision; Death of a grandmother; suicide attempt

This is my first time reading anything of Julia Whelan's, though I'm familiar with her audiobook work. And I've got to say, I was pleasantly surprised by this! A solid, enjoyable romance, I found myself snickering along with all the audio romance references, and the proliferation of innuendos. The humor is very much present, and though the plot is understandably predictable, the main characters are relatable and easy to root for. I especially enjoyed the exchange of emails and texts-- it made this book easy to love!

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for the arc!

Thank You for Listening was a great story. Although it was predictable, I enjoyed the old Hollywood twist it had, and especially enjoyed learning more about the job of an audiobook narrator. The story of BlahBlah added some depth to the story, and the relationships throughout the novel were precious. Stu was my favorite! Julia Whelan has become one of my must read authors. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this sweet book!

I have been a fan of Julia Whelan's narration on many audiobooks and was so excited to step in to the world of narrators in this book. I loved everything about it -- I felt so connected to Sewanee, I was rooting for her from the start -- and I loved getting all the insider tidbits about audiobook narration. I loved not only all the characters, but also the sense of place that Julia Whelan established -- I could visualize the studio and Sewanee's home, as well as her wandering the streets of Venice.

I would recommend this to any fans of rom coms -- but it's also one I would recommend to anyone, because there is so much to the story besides romance. Easily one of my favorite books of the year!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

The chemistry between our two characters Sawanee and Nick was impeccable. This dive into the world of book narration was so fun and interesting! I definitely plan to check out the audiobook because I feel like the audiobook would add another dimension to this story.

Thank you Julia Whelan, NetGalley and Avon for the ARC.

After a tragic accident, Sewanee Chester has settled into a career of being an audiobook narrator and leaving behind her acting career. She started in the audiobook career reading romance, but since her success has left that genre behind. After one magical night with a stranger while at a conference, Sewanee returns home to find that she has an offer to record an audiobook with a world famous narrator, but it’s a romance and she is hesitant. This with lots of changes in her family and friends life leave Sewanee at a point of change in her life, she just has to pick which direction to go.

It's funny because while this book is fiction it really seemed to me almost autobiographical in nature (which luckily author addressed at the end of the book). A former actress turned audiobook narrator? That’s Julia Whelan. But the characters are very much their own and not rooted in real life, which considering they felt real I was very impressed.

My favorite parts of the book are the ones in which Sewanee spent time with her grandmother Blah, they felt the most real to me and hit me the hardest, even bringing tears into my eyes. There were complicated friend and family dynamics covered in this book that I enjoyed very much and hit home a lot. I will say, the plot of this book was fairly predictable which is why it’s a 4 and not 5 star read for me. I guessed every single plot point from the beginning of the book which did take away from my enjoyment a bit.

Whelan with her second novel, gives a heartfelt story about a woman accepting her circumstances and forgiving herself for the mistakes she made leading to this point. It’s also a love letter to audiobooks and the artists who make them.

Sewanee is an audiobook narrator who likes to forget. She liked to forget she started with romance audiobooks (she's now onto more prestigious literary fiction), she likes to forget about her dashed dreams of being a famous actress, and she likes to forget about the accident that left her with a disfigurement. However, one night in Vegas might turn that all around.

This is squarely a romance. It has some very spicy language. I enjoyed this and it was not exactly what I was expecting. I loved the main female friendship and many of the characters. I could have used less spice. Overall, this was a better than just fun book and as long as you like romance, you'll like this one. For fans of the movie The Lost City (with less action sequences).

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review.

Julia Whelan is my all-time favorite audiobook narrator, and having her give me a peek into the audiobook narration world was the cherry on this fabulous book sundae.

There's so much to like about this book. The characters are amazing, relatable, likable and quirky. Although there's quite a bit going on with the plot, it manages to move along fast and easily. The dialogue and banter are perfection. And everything put together just works. I loved it!

A big thank you to the author, NetGalley and Avon for an advanced e-copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book was a little bit rough for me to get into at first. The main character is named Sewanee (nicknamed Swan), a former actress who got into reading books after an accident that took one of her eyes. The book begins with her on a plane listening to a romance audiobook on the way to a book convention, seated next to a child. After having a conversation with the girl and her mother, Sewanee goes back to her audiobook, which is of course playing an intimate scene, and of course is no longer properly plugged in, and of course it takes Sewanee a second to realize that. This scene is literally my worst audiobook nightmare, and while I was recently listening to a book podcast where someone said they like reading romance books on audio because of the way the banter comes to life, I never read them because the thought of having an intimate scene read to me makes me feel awkward. So yes, you have a main character with a quirky first name and some secondhand embarrassment.

Sewanee is an audiobook narrator who got her start reading romance books under a pseudonym but in general looks down on the romance genre and hasn’t touched it in years. Under her real name, she narrates literary fiction and science fiction and in general Thinky books. But after getting an offer to read the last book by this romance author she used to read for (and one of the few romance authors that she considers legitimately talented), an offer that will allow her to take care of her grandmother who is suffering from dementia, Sewanee agrees. What happens next is a text and email exchange between romance audiobook superstar, Brock McNight, who’s just in it to make a living and is equally as cynical about the genre. This actually leads into some interesting discussions about what exactly is the romance genre, what constitutes that, and what makes it different from women’s fiction? This book is technically considered a romance, but the romance actually doesn’t really come into play until much deeper into the book and it feels a bit heavier than that.

This book delves into some difficult topics. Sewanee taking care of her grandmother takes up a huge portion of the book and so talks about how difficult that can be to take care of an ailing family member. Sewanee is also traumatized by the loss of her eye and how much that has changed her life and how things are at a stand-still. This is partly what makes her so cynical that she looks down on romance.

What drew me to this book in the first place is really the most interesting part, the peak into the audiobook world and how it works and also some fears for the future, with computer generated audiobooks becoming a possibility that will threaten the future of narrators. I also enjoyed Sewanee’s friendship with her best friend, which is mostly positive but also feels realistic as of course people are complicated which makes friendships sometimes complicated.

I will definitely read more from Whelan in the future.

Thank you Avon for my NetGalley ARC and Libro.fm/Harper Audio for providing an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Pub date: 8/2/22
Genre: romance, books about books
In one sentence: After an accident ended Sewanee Chester's acting career, she's found success as an audiobook narrator, and sparks fly as she co-narrates a romance audiobook with industry heartthrob Brock McNight.

Julia Whelan is one of the top audiobook narrators working today - who better to write a book about audiobook narrators? I loved all the references to the narration process, book conventions, and romance tropes. The banter between Sewanee and Brock was spot on! I liked both the text and audio for this one, but I think the dialogue is better suited to audio, as Whelan just nails Brock's voice.

I enjoyed the layers of this book - in addition to the narration storyline, the reader also learns about Sewanee's past, and how the accident completely changed her life. Seeing her come to terms with what happened to her was very powerful, and I loved how she started to move forward. You can probably guess some of the romance plotline from the blurb - but there were a few pleasant surprises that made me smile.

This book reminded me a lot of Emily Henry's Book Lovers, and if you liked that one, I bet you'll like this one too!