let me begin with the good:
-it was a quick listen
-it takes place in coastal New England
-our MMC is a doctor with a slight British accent
-lots of relatable mom moments

the bad:
-preppy white-collar characters stereotypes
-FMC has no real agency, and very low self-esteem, which is a huge pet peeve of mine in characters
-it didn’t feel realistic that someone who grew up in the South was so unaware of preppy-ness. A lot of places in the South are extremely preppy, and old money runs deep. So, some of the FMC’s confusion or lack of knowledge felt more like she was just sheltered, or just not a realistic character device.
-overall the FMC is a frustrating character, and I struggled to empathize
-disjointed sub-plot/commentary on opioids which felt out of place, then became a major plot point, but I wasn’t invested

This setup really needed more development for me. I don’t mind “glimpse into a life” style books, but there is something missing here. A big twist or shift in expectations. It wasn’t it for me. 2 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley, and Brilliance Audio for this advanced copy in exchange for my unbiased review!

Overall, this audiobook was just okay. A little bit of drama here and there but nothing that kept you on the edge of your seat. I wasn't really connecting to the main character, Charlie. She was very one dimensional and dull. The narrator was excellent. She had distinct voices for each character so you always knew who was talking.

Huge thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the publisher, Brilliance Audio, for this advanced copy of the audiobook. #netgalley #pinkwhales

Pink Wales was a fun audiobook. A regular millennial mom gets dropped in with stepford moms in an exclusive seaside town and chaos unfolds.

A satiric, character-driven beach read novel that dives into sense discovery and resilience. Charlie is a stay-at-home mother of twins who tries to “fit in”in her new preppy, affluent New England town. She hardly sees her doctor husband, Dev and harbors jealousy towards his female clinic partner. Secrets are revealed about the town, its residents and even her personal life as she befriends the social elites. The writing style was full of amazing one-liners such as “I felt like a mismatched accessory in a marble kitchen”. The female narrator did a great job portraying the different characters and their emotions, making the experience of listening an enjoyable one.
My graphic design trained heart really appreciates the simplistic, emotive cover design!

A novel about rich people behaving badly is what I thought this book was going to be about, but it was so much more! A very enjoyable read with lessons in morals taught throughout.

Charlie and her husband, Dev, move to an affluent seaside New England town, where the very well-to-do “summer”. Dev is a doctor and has joined a practice with his ex-girlfriend and it leaves Charlie with anxiety and worry that there is more going on than work. As Charlie is struggling with never seeing Dev and raising her twins by herself, she is befriended by the rich mom group of the neighborhood. As secrets are revealed and this luxury lifestyle is shared with Charlie, she begins to find out who are her true friends and who are not.

I was surprised that there was so much depth in this novel and I really enjoyed listening to it in an audiobook. The narrator was Whitney Dykhouse and she did a fantastic job. I also thoroughly enjoyed Charlie’s parents, who were YouTube travel influencers, and there were little check-ins with them throughout the book. I found that very humorous because I watch those types of travel vlogs.

Thank you NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for allowing me to read this Advanced Readers Copy. It has my full recommendation when it is published on June 4, 2024. #NetGalley #PinkWhales