This was an interesting book for me - I really enjoy the first half but then found that the second half had so much going on, but not all necessary. It felt rushed at the end with so many additional storylines and plot points that didn't feel like they served the original story. I think it could have been stretched into a slightly longer book or been made into a duet. I think the rushing in the latter part of the novel didn't give the story enough time to unfold. Saying that, the main romantic plot between Julia and Liam was really enjoyable to read - the chemistry written between was interesting and did have you thinking about why their relationship didn't work first time round.

The secondary plots about Julia's personal history and her roommate didn't deliver like I'd hoped - they felt particularly rushed for drama rather then being fleshed out. If they were fleshed out more, I would have enjoyed this plot points more. It just felt like so much going all, all at once.

The performance was well done - I think Rosenburg did an amazing job at bringing the story to life. There was enough emotion in the delivery without taking away from the story itself! I would recommend listening!

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

I feel terrible saying this, but I was so close to dnf’ing this one, and I never dnf. I just really could not stand how all over the place this story was. There were a few times I forgot what the premise of the story was even supposed to be because the most random things kept happening.

Also, Julia’s ex boyfriend? I did not see the appeal in him at all. He was an asshole 95% of the time. Maybe a bit more of a background of Julia’s relationship with Liam years prior would’ve been helpful, like a few quick flashbacks that make Liam seem like a kind, caring boyfriend. Instead, he’s a complete jerk and Julia won’t stop wanting this man.

Despite my issues with the story, the audiobook itself was great quality!

⭐️ 2/5 ⭐️

I really wanted to like this book, as the premise for it seemed really good. But "I can't even" with this book.

First of all, the main character's mindset is childish, and it felt like reading a teenagers diary, rather than reading an adults story. None of the characters seemed genuine, in either the romance or the family. Everyone just seemed... petty? mean? immature? Not in a funny, good banter, sort of way, but more like they were all just using each other to get what they wanted.

The romance between Julia and Liam is not believable at all. Not only are they unkind to each other, but the parts where I'm supposed to believe they're into each other feel rushed and forced.

Despite the story being difficult to get through, the narrator does a good job voicing all the different characters.

This was such a fun listen! I loved the humor of Julia and it made me laugh out loud so many times. I also really loved the dynamic between the sisters. The second chance romance aspect was uniquely done, there were some choices made by Liam that I didn't love, but he mostly redeemed himself so that definitely helped. While this book had romance, I loved the arc of the sisters and how they were forced to live together after their mom's death. The way they came together and really learned more about each other through the process and found themselves without their mom was just really great!

I l oved Dara as the narrator, she matched the personality and the humor of Julia perfectly and it really added to the reading experience!

Julia’s mom must REALLY have it in for her (and her sisters). Julia finds out her mother, Babs, is seriously ill and asking for Julia. To say they’ve had a rocky relationship is putting it mildly, but Julia travels home across the U.S. to see Babs (doesn’t even call her “Mom” and with good reason) only to learn Babs never really wanted to see her anyway. Still, Julia stays to help her two sisters, who are at their wits’ end trying to take care of Babs.

And who does Julia see next door but her ever-so-sexy high-school boyfriend and first love, Liam. Given how dirty she did him when she left town and never came back, he’s not feeling warm and fuzzy toward her. So between Liam, family issues, and the fallout from Babs’ death and will reading, Julia’s mental and emotional plate is FULL.

I Can’t Even had a little bit of everything—family secrets, high emotions, sisterhood, ridiculousness, second chances, small beach town vibes, banter, and all the fun. The second chance romance element is littered with bumps, drama, and tension. I struggled a bit with both characters—Liam was pretty horrible at times and Julia wasn’t doing herself any favors either, and they both baffled me at times. Still, I loved the way the sisters reconnected and bonded, which was the most fulfilling part of the book for me.

The narrator, Dara Rosenberg, was fantastic. Her inflection and tone were spot-on, and the character voices really worked.

Julia is forced to confront her past when she is called home by her sisters to see their dying mother. As she attempts to reconnect with her toxic estranged mother, she discovers that her ex-boyfriend, the boy next door, Liam, still lives there.

🌴 Second-chance romance
🌴Beach setting
🌴Family drama

I really loved the relationship between the sisters. They were really there for each other after their mom died, and I loved how they all worked together to process their complicated grief. I honestly didn't like Julia and Liam's characters that much. I liked the idea of them initially, but both felt a little toxic at times. It was a little refreshing, though, to see the female main character be the one in the wrong for a change. The family parts of this book were by far my favorite, and it overall made for a cute listen! The narrator did a really great job portraying the different characters, and it was a perfect listen at 1.75 speed!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Audio for the advanced reader audiobook copy of this book!

Three sisters dealing with the passing of their mother discover her controlling ways persist after death. Not only do they have to live together and keep her urn on display in front of the window, but the truth about the middle daughters birth brings about an avalanche of feelings. Top this off with the boy next door, and this turned into a very spicy and illuminating story.

I Can’t Even by Jenn McKinlay surprised me in the best way—it was far more emotional than I expected. At its core, this is a story about grief: how it hits like a freight train or sneaks up when you least expect it, and how healing looks different for everyone. What resonated with me most was the reminder that no one can go through it alone—we all need a tribe, even if it ends up looking nothing like we imagined. Mine sure didn’t. But, like the characters in this story, I’ve found the people who hold me up.

I connected deeply with all three sisters, especially Jules, whose complicated past and emotional return home felt honest and raw. There were scenes that absolutely wrecked me—but there were also moments that made me laugh through the tears (and yes, sometimes through the snot). McKinlay blends heartbreak and humor so well, making the story feel real and grounding even through the heavier moments.

And for those wondering—yes, there’s spice. Jules and Liam bring the tension, and it pays off in a few steamy scenes that don’t overpower the emotional weight of the story, but definitely add heat to it.

I’m really hoping we get companion books for the other sisters, especially Soph—because whew, her husband? Not it. I’d love to see her thrive.

This is a touching, witty, deeply felt second-chance romance wrapped up in family drama, secrets, and healing.

I wanted to love this because I love Jenn McKinlay but I found Jules, the FMC, to be so utterly and thoroughly obnoxious throughout 80% of the story. Every time I saw a glimpse of something in her that I could root for she'd turn around and resume being the worst.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

I'm still figuring out exactly how I feel about this book. It had a strong beginning and a really good ending, but the middled, just kept me wanting a little more. The cover was so fun and then in the beginning I got sucked into the storyline and the bond between the sisters. I felt there was a little lacking in the middle, but it ended well.

The narration done by Dara Rosenberg was very well done and kept me engaged in the book.

Overall, a 3 star.

Thank you NetGalley for this ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Ooh, Babs is not a nice person, and Julia did not deserve to feel unwanted her whole life because of Babs choice. The cousin is manipulative and greedy and Jenn McKinlay did a great job writing both characters because I disliked them both.

This was a great story and I like how the sisters learn to open up to each other and grow individually and together. There were some fun sexy scenes with that bedroom window and I loved Julia's sisters reactions when they were caught.

This was a fun change from the cozy mysteries that Jenn writes and I will read more of her romance novels in the future.

Dara Rosenberg did a great job narrating the story and I have added Dara to my search list for NetGalley.

This is one where I think the narrator was not a good fit for the book. I’m not sure exactly what it was but her voice didn’t work for this one and it made it difficult for me to follow the story. I almost quit a few times but stuck it out and, while this isn’t my favorite Jenn McKinlay, I can appreciate where she was going with the story and how it all unfolded. For me, I think I would have preferred the focus be on the relationship of the three sisters and their mother rather than the romance because there was so much more that could have been explored on that front. The romance felt cheesy and forced to me and I cringed at the spicy moments. Otherwise, this was a good way to while away the afternoon, and I enjoyed the relationship between the sisters.

I have to be honest. I started this and stopped thinking, oh this is not for me. Not sure why as I love this author so this was surprising. Fast forward a few days and I restarted listening and am so glad I did. Clearly I was in a mood, because I loved this book. It’s honest, funny, irreverent, ironic, filled with love, regret, anger, family issues, in particular, mother issues, emotional abuse, deal with mourning of a mother the siblings all have different life experiences of, infidelity, LGBTQ+ (a part of the story handled beautifully as it wasn’t a big deal, just acceptance and a part of the story as it should be), abandonment, lies, seriously, really big lies, crazy relatives, an insane will and at the heart of it all, lots and lots of love, acceptance, understanding, growth and forgiveness. This is a book I am sure I’ll listen to again. The narration was great. Not sure what my problem was the first time, but I really enjoyed this book and definitely will be listening to it again when I need to laugh and feel good.

A sweet, light-hearted romance. That I simply couldn’t get enough of.
The character development was extremely satisfying and the story so vivid, she truly does an incredible job at bringing her characters to life. They just jump off the pages.
They are truly memorable characters and unforgettable story.
The writing is witty and engaging.
I just love McKinlay‘s writing style. It’s fun and welcoming.

Julia left Gulls Harbor 9 years ago never to return until she has been told by her sisters, that her mom, Babs, is not being herself, and that they are seriously worried about her. Julia returns and we find out that her relationship with Babs is a terrible one and a fight they had years ago was why she didn’t return earlier. Liam, her ex, still lives next door and she wants to get back with him.

This book was just not my thing for several reasons.
1, Babs is a terrible mother, and there is a “surprise” as to why she’s that way. I could see it coming from a mile away. If Babs can’t deal with it, she should’ve cut her losses instead of treating Julia that way.
2, The reason Julia left without telling the “love of her life,” was not a solid enough reason, nor an excuse to maybe make Babs look better🤷🏽‍♀️ (as one of her friends at the end suggests she did it to make sure Julia fulfilled her dreams) Ummmm, no
3. Julia is a stalker, ick. And why she just doesn’t tell Liam from the start why she and his best friend left without a word to Liam, was so dumb. Both Jesse’s reason and Julia’s reason is not solid enough, especially when Liam was supposed to be so close to J&J!!
4. Too much spice. I get it, they are hot for each other still. But really?! Liam has no respect for himself when he just dives right back in with Julia because, I mean, she must be irresistible! 🙄 And having great sex and a lot of sex with someone does NOT equate to being in love with someone. Where’s the slow burn in these romance novels today?!.
5. Why wasn’t Julia’s emotional story dealt with? She needed to heal, but nothing was addressed, It was just skimmed over by jumping into bed with Liam. You just don’t get over that kind of childhood trauma by having vigorous sex with someone. Also, Emily, the youngest sibling, needed a better storyline dealing with her grief.

Anyway, could have been a good beach read, but I just found myself rolling my eyeballs so much!! One positive, I did like Sophie and her two kids, and would have liked a good revenge story for her and her cad of a husband.

I really wanted to like this book. I loved the cover and the premise sounded promising , but a little less than half way I threw in the towel.

Why you ask? Well one of the reasons was I really didn’t like the writers writing, or certain ways she described people- there was way more slut shaming than I care to admit, and i just couldn’t continue .

Julia returns to her hometown to help her sisters care for their ailing mother. While there, she crosses paths with her ex who lives next door and nothing is quite the same after that.

This was my first Jenn McKinlay book, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I listened to the audiobook, and Dara Rosenberg was the perfect narrator. She really brought the story to life. The book had me laughing out loud at times and tugged at my heartstrings at others. There were even a few twists I didn’t see coming.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for providing me with an ARC of the Audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This audiobook was a delight to listen to. Julia Blummer was called home to her small beach town in California by her sisters when their mother was dying. Even though they were estranged, Julia hoped for the best because she had been told her mother had asked for her. What she found was a complicated set of family dynamics, hidden secrets, and her high school boyfriend still living next door.

I wasn’t able to guess what was happening before it was revealed so that made the story even better. Solid narrator who was able to differentiate all the different voices.

This was a fun read! I really enjoyed the audiobook narration on this one! The story wasn’t my favorite, but it was still entertaining to listen to. Thank you so much for the audio arc!

I try very hard to give a solid effort to finish ARCs even if I’m not enjoying them but “I can’t even” with this one. I DNF around 25%. I think this book would have worked better as a family drama without the romance due to the heaviness of the family secrets and the mother/daughter relationship, or as a romance that had more lightness to the family drama plot.

I also felt that the narration was very “caricature-y” to the point that it was distracting.