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A Novel
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Narrated by:
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Julia Whelan
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By:
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Julia Whelan
About this listen
From the author of My Oxford Year, Julia Whelan’s uplifting novel tells the story of a former actress turned successful audiobook narrator—who has lost sight of her dreams after a tragic accident—and her journey of self-discovery, love, and acceptance when she agrees to narrate one last romance novel.
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.
©2022 Julia Whelan (P)2022 HarperCollins PublishersI loved Whelan's debut book and this follow up did not disappoint. This woman is so insanely talented. As a narrator, she takes on every single character with great gusto and gives them individuality and personality. As an immensely clever writer, she manages to turn a rom-com full of every single romance trope into a most original and wildly entertaining story, simultaneously a satire about and a homage to the romance genre. How can anyone fail to love this story featuring audiobook narrators written with such wit and charm by the reigning queen of narration herself?
Listening to Whelan expertly bringing to life her wonderfully rendered characters, I alternately teared up and hooted with laughter throughout the book. There are so much raw emotions and a wagyu-grade meaty backstory explaining Sewanee's lack of confidence and unwillingness to believe in HEAs. Her eye patch hid more than the visible scars for while her face was disfigured by the accident, her dreams and ambitions and were pulverised when her promising acting career was cut so brutally short.
The enigmatic Brock McKnight aka Irish charmer with the baritone voice capable of turning women listeners to jelly, not the firm jelly, but the sloppy, melted kind. Irish! Need I say more?!! The bantering is first-grade, the emails sublime, the texts transcended even that.
The cast of secondary characters is just dynamite. The star actress bestie, the flamboyant nan and her irrepressible friends at the aged care home, other friends and relatives - each are so vividly portrayed and so are the relationships Sewanee had with these. The story is complicated and layered and goes beyond just boy meets girl, although the boy meets girl part was done deliciously well, so much so that Whelan gave us a second boy meets girl scene to savour and gush over. The very accurate and moving depiction of the slow absorption of a brilliant personality into the haze of cognitive decline is inspired by Whelan's personal brush with dementia. In fact as Whelan is at pains to point out in the enlightening author's end notes, though much of the storyline was inspired by various experiences she has had in Hollywood and in the world of narration and romance literacy, none were actually based on real life characters. Like this book, real life brings with it its share of laughter, heartbreak and unpredictability, but surely real life can never be consistently this much fun and exhilarating for 11 hours straight!
Julia Whelan is the master jack of all trades!
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Definitely worth it
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Who knew Julia could write as well as she narrates!
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Loved listening
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genuinely speechless
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Thank You for Narrating
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Such a fantastic book...
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Amazing book
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Such a great story and narration. Cannot wait for her next book!
Absolutely loved this book!
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Would love love love to see this book as a movie!!
Please write more book <3
Just amazing
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