Gigi is a romance lover bookstore owner that has gotten the chance to join a ten-day bus tour through the countryside.

But not for the beautiful outside. No, the person who is leading the tour is Zane her favorite audiobook narrator as well as the man of her dreams.

What was a bad plan at meeting him turns out to be a story of friendship, love as well as some grief.

This book pulled me in as well with the secondary characters.

They brought funny scenes and cute moments.

I loved seeing all the reveals of their lives.

It was all so touching.

DNF at 33%. I thought the premise of Gigi Listening sounded really good - Gigi has developed a crush on her favorite audiobook narrator just from hearing his voice. Her friends send her on a guided tour where the narrator is scheduled to be the tour guide - perfect! Or is it?

Well - I won’t ever know because at 33% in I feel like I’m really still waiting for the story to begin. It’s too slow moving for me and I’m not invested enough to stick with it. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance reading copy.

A bus trip in England with romance and found family. Sign me up.

Gigi Listening
By Chantel Guertin
4⭐️

Gigi is a romance bookstore owner who has the hots for an audiobook narrator, Zane. For her birthday, her friends gift her a trip to England where Zane is a tour guide. When Gigi gets on the bus, Zane is not there. She feels like she’s lost the chance to meet her soulmate. Or maybe she hasn’t?

This was so cute. I loved all the literary references throughout. Gigi strikes up relationships with all the other people on the tour and you get to know their quirks and their baggage throughout. I enjoyed the found family aspect pretty equally to the romance.

Review to run in next two weeks

Gigi, Listening is the story of a girl who falls in love with the voice of an audio book author and determines he is her one true love. Naturally, her life’s journey takes a lot of twists and turns as she pursues her fantasy man.

Our story starts with Gigi’s birthday party during book club. Her friends hand her a ticket to England (nice!) and to a bus tour called Shires! Spires! Shores! led by none other than Zane, her audiobook crush. Gigi promptly calls her brother Lars, who is between jobs at the moment, to run the bookstore she owns and takes the plunge to go on the trip.

Once in England, she is ten minutes late arriving at the bus but is saved by the fact that Zane is a no-show, so the tour hasn’t left. Needless to say, Gigi is bummed. The whole point of going was meeting Zane, so what use is being there without him? After some haggling with Taj, the bus driver, and substitute guide Angus, she reluctantly agrees to stick with the tour. Zane will be joining them later, hopefully, so her trip overseas won’t be a total bust.

At this point, we are only twenty percent of the way through the tale, and my eyes were already strained from all the rolling they had been doing. I couldn’t figure out how in just a couple of weeks' time, Gigi was able to get the needed paperwork to travel to a foreign country. It can take as long as six weeks just to get a passport. Did she have one lying around? If so, why? I found it hard to believe that she had a profitable bookstore that focused only on romance. Very few shops can pull that off in this day and age. Her friends spent a fortune on her gift. - as described, it would cost at least several thousand dollars, and that seems an awful lot of money, even spread over the handful of people involved. It would have been more believable from a wealthy aunt or a lottery win. Gigi actually refuses to listen to the explanation given to the tour group for why Zane isn’t there while she stands outside the bus, trying to figure out if there is any purpose to being in England (!!!) if she can’t meet him.

I had also already encountered my second problem with the text by this point which is Gigi’s immature attitude toward love. Setting aside the fact that a thirty-year-old woman is treating a celebrity crush seriously, I struggled with how immaturely she viewed the whole concept of couplehood. Gigi was focused on a meet-cute. Her own parents had met when her father read a book aloud at a bookstore (irritating to other customers who are trying to peruse their own volumes but I digress) and her mother had fallen in love with him right then, so it seemed natural to her she would fall in love with the man who performed the audiobook version of the same volume. She fantasized about how amazing it would be to tell her children how both she and her mother had fallen in love with a guy who read Their Finest Hour aloud. It did not seem special, natural -or healthy- to me. Gigi also seemed to have no understanding that beyond their first meeting, there would need to be a whole relationship.

Strike three came during the first day of the tour. Gigi, jetlagged due to not planning a hiatus between arrival in England and departure on the tour, takes up Taj’s whole break by first sleeping on the bus and then insisting on doing a few non-tour activities. Her attitude was that he shouldn’t be upset about this because she is the customer and taking care of her is his job. As he explains, he is employed to drive the bus. That’s a whole other issue, as numerous comments in the text treat being a bus driver with heaping handfuls of derision. What really bothered me here is that Gigi seemed like the worst sort of customer at this moment, feeling entitled to being catered to by Taj simply because he was employed by a company providing her with a service. She wasn’t in the least remorseful for demanding far more than what he was contractually obligated to supply.

Eventually, we get to meet the quirky folks who are along on the tour with Taj and Gigi. All of them but a young woman named Jenny lack depth. They are fun or poignant as needed, but the story just felt dragged down by their presence.

Zane makes his appearance at about the 60% mark, delivering a love triangle since by this point Taj and Gigi have been spending time together and are enjoying each other’s company in spite of Gigi’s elitism.

Overall, I did not enjoy Gigi, Listening. The second half of the book is better than the first, but I shouldn’t have to read a bad book to get to a good one. I don’t recommend this.

Gigi is a romance buff, she loves all things love and owns a romance bookshop that she inherited from her parents. Growing up hearing her parents' love story, Gigi absolutely believes in "happy ever after" and soulmates. So when her friends book her a trip to England to meet the voice behind a sentimental book to her, the voice that she's fallen in love with, she knows this is her chance to find true love.

I really enjoyed this book, reading it in one day. As a sucker for 'found family' tropes, I gravitated toward the side characters' stories and formed an attachment to them. The romance was okay, I really enjoyed the cheesy-romance portions of the book, in typical fashion, it made me a little giddy and excited. Overall I think that the 'found family' aspect of the novel was much stronger than the romance, though I loved watching her fall for Taj without knowing that was happening! Loved it!


I received an ARC from Netgalley in return for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this book so much ! The start of this book the MC being on a date with a book in hand? Sold ! I was so fortunate to receive an advanced copy and fell in love with this story thoughout.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

Gigi, Listening
by Chantel Guertin
Pub Date: 28 Mar 2023

This had the perfect blend of so many things! Quirky characters, meet-cute, book references, road trip, sweet and funny moments...but also, darker issues such as loss of family members/trauma and Alzheimer's.

Gigi was given a surprise trip by her friends with the intention of her meeting the man she has been dreaming about who is the voice of her favorite audiobook (the book that started the love story of her deceased parents). The trip, however, becomes so much more. Especially when Zane who is supposed to be the guide for the bus trip is a no show in the beginning. This opportunity lets Gigi experience so much more than just meeting the man of her dreams...until he ends up showing up and throwing off the already established relationship with a man she has met on the bus, the driver Taj. Which is better, reality or the fantasy? I love the building of relationships in this story even beyond the romantic ones!

4.5 stars

This was a sweet read! A little predictable but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I didn’t love Gigi as a character, but she and Taj were cute (when Gigi wised up and realized love does what it wants)

Gigi, hopeless romanic, finds herself on an English bus tour thanks a generous gift from her friends for her 30th birthday. But the twist? She's there to meet the voice from her favorite audiobook, who happens to also be a tour guide for this tour. Facing disappointment that there is a substitute guide for the first few days of the tour, Gigi gets to know her diverse (and at times, wacky) fellow passengers.

I most enjoyed the camaraderie and wide backgrounds of the tour group. While at first they seemed like a lot of characters to follow, I appreciated the various storylines and histories they all had. Guertin also paints a detailed picture of recovering after loss, with depth to many of these personalities. I especially appreciated Angus and Charlotte's side storyline.

However, I was disappointed in Gigi's shallow perspective. I can appreciate a main character with room to grow, but her snap judgments and thoughtless comments were at times downright painful to read. This one was too much conflict/misunderstanding with not enough reward for me. 2.5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This is a sweet story with fun side characters. It’s a light hearted romance with Gigi focused on meeting the man she’s built up in her mind. It’s not too heavy and is a clean romance.

Thank you to Kensington Books for providing this ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

In Canada, where I live, I've now seen that this book was published as Two for the Road.

Gigi has emotional ties with a specific audiobook and starts to develop feelings for the narrator. Her friends surprise her with a guided tour of England that is *gasp* led by the very same narrator she loves! Things on this trip don't go as planned and Gigi has to figure out her situation and really her life too in a way.

This was a really fun read for me. As someone who has never been able to travel to Europe but absolutely dreams of it I took this as a chance to live vicariously through our main character Gigi. I loved that she is a book store owner as that is my "if I win the lottery dream job," but what I thought was cute at first with the book dropping (like name dropping but book titles), did wear on me a bit by the end as it was done pretty excessively in my opinion.

I loved the cast of supporting characters and the development that they all see throughout the book. I also felt like the tour guide parts were done really well, some of the places mentioned caught my attention so much that I was Googling them to get even more information/see what they looked like. I really appreciate all of the research that Chantel put into that aspect of the book.

Most of the main plot was fairly predictable but it really is a feel good book so go in with that mindset and not thinking there will be a lot to make guesses about along the way ‎ツ

4.25 stars
Gigi Listening, by Chantel Guertin, is a really sweet, heart-warming love story, with an unforgettable ending! The story started strong, though there were times it felt a tad far-fetched and it did drag a bit in the middle, but the last third of the book was so touching and endearing, I fell in love!

Gigi, a devoted romance bookstore owner, who took the business over from her late-parents, is gifted a trip of a bus tour of England by her friends. This is a dream come true as the bus tour guide is none other than Zane, the audiobook narrator who’s book was the impetus for the meet cute for her parents years ago. When he doesn’t show for the tour, Gigi makes friends with Taj, the charming bus driver. He seems to understand her and just what she needs, and makes the tour memorable. Gigi’s prayers are answered when he shows up for the last portion of the tour, but sometimes love comes in unexpected places, and not always how we envision it.

There were a few elements I wasn’t a fan of, but I loved the quirky cast of characters, the slow-burn romance, the development and lessons learned by Gigi, and the concept of love when you least expect it. It was absolutely charming and story that will put a smile on your face!

DNF at 10%.. I may try to come back to this book another time, but I was not feeling the plot of "go to England to meet a stranger whose voice your obsessed with from an audiobook narration". Thank you Kensignton Books and NetGalley for the ARC for my honest review.

This novel is a like a warm hug. I couldn't get enough of this story. I felt like I was on the bus with all the characters. I absolutely LOVED this novel. It was just what I needed.

Gigi is on a trip to meet what she thinks could be the love of her life, a narrator of her favourite audiobook. He isn't in the first leg of the trip but why not go anyway?

The characters in this novel are friends you want to have. An odd cast of characters. A YouTuber, a southern, an older gentleman, a couple and a grumpy bus driver.

Will Gigi meet Zane eventually? Is he everything she hoped for? Or is there something right in front of her face that she is missing?

Pick up this novel today and join the bus trip! It's too cute not to!

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for this novel! It was perfection!

This is a cute, somewhat predictable rom-com that was entertaining and very enjoyable. It is absolutely a must read for those who love storytelling. I liked the premise of the main storyline but really liked the parallel stories of the other characters. However, I really enjoyed all of the details that were presented during the bus tour of London and surrounding area. Thanks #NetGalley #KensingtonBooks

Gigi, Listening by Chantel Guertin had potential. I was intrigued by the premise. However, I did not fall hard for this book like Gigi did for the fantasy of Zane, the audiobook narrator who she considers her soulmate. I did lose interest at times, but some of the side characters redeemed the book overall for the three-star rating. This was a slow burn with no steam.

TW: Death of parents.

Thank you, Kensington, Recorded Books, Inc, NetGalley, and LibroFM, for my gifted copies.

I liked this book. I didn’t love it. I wanted to. Bookshop owner. London setting. Meet cutes. Grumpy lead. Scatterbrained sibling. It was all there.

For me it was Gigi. She was made to be to over the top about this meet cute and how it was supposed to be. With who SHE thought it should be. She is supposed to be an older character but I felt her to be to childish and not in a charming, hot mess lead character we all love kind of way.

The side characters and group adventure kept me interested enough to finish the book but overall I didn’t love.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read and review.

Gigi Rutherford runs a romance bookstore in Ann Arbor. She’s had many bad dates from dating apps, but who she really wants is Zane Wilkinson, the narrator of her favourite audiobook. For Gigi’s thirtieth birthday, her friends surprise her with a trip to England to go on the bus tour that Zane guides as his regular job. However, when she arrives at the bus tour, Zane isn’t there. Gigi still goes on the tour, but she’s stuck hanging out with Taj, the brooding bus driver. Though the trip doesn’t start out as she planned, Gigi may still find what she was looking for.

This was such a cute story. Gigi references a lot of novels throughout the story, which avid readers will recognize. I always love it when characters like to read. There were some emotional parts in the story, such as when Gigi talked about her parents’ deaths. I liked that some key parts of the characters’ pasts were kept from the reader until close to the end, which made their histories seem more mysterious. Gigi and Taj were a grumpy/sunshine pair. There was a little bit of enemies to lovers, which is one of my favourite tropes.

Gigi's Listening is an exciting book about a fun England road trip and a cute romance!

Thank you Penguin Random House Canada for sending me a physical copy and Kensington for sending me a digital copy.

Content warnings: death of parents, car accident (mentioned), parental estrangement, early onset Alzheimer’s

***Thanks to Netgallery for the digital copy of this beautiful book.***

This reading kept my constant attention, leading me to be immersed in the journey that Gigi was about to live. From chapter two, the plot totally hooked me and doesn't let go until the end.

Initially, I found some difficulty in adapting to the diversity of characters that were part of the journey, however, the author pleasantly surprised me by managing to establish an emotional bond with the secondary characters. The group of travelers on the bus had completely different personalities and temperaments, but they all had an unknown reason for being on this trip, which resulted in the gradual revelation of their respective lives.

Gigi could be a bit maddening at times, however the road trip across England and the detailed descriptions of the scenery were truly incredible. The novel managed to awaken in me the desire to know more about England.

The book featured both funny and sad moments, which managed to evoke a variety of emotions in me, even bringing me to tears. The author managed to perfectly describe the emotions of the characters, allowing the reader to feel part of the story.

Overall it was a very enjoyable read, with Taj being my favorite character hands down. Although the ending may have been somewhat predictable, I personally enjoyed it immensely.

Gigi, Listening by Chantel Guertin follows book-store owner, hopeless romantic and orphan as she embarks on a 10-day adventure to meet the audiobook narrator of her dreams. Literally... Gigi is obsessed with the narrator of her favorite romance book and sees it as a sign. She is presented with the opportunity to travel to the English Countryside to meet Zane, the tour guide on his family's tour bus.

Things do not go as planned when Zane doesn't show up to do the tour due to "family circumstances." However, the cast of characters on the tour are multi-faceted with their own level of drama, mystery and romance.

WIll Gigi ever meet Zane? Is he really the man of her dreams?

I enjoyed this refreshing approach to a romance plot.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. This book is available now!