In Thank You for Listening by Julia Whelan, Sewanee”Swan” Chester graduated alongside 
her best friend Adaku Obi with dreams of them becoming A-list Hollywood actresses. It was just when she was set to star in a big film that Swan’s life took a tumble, changing everything in an instant. Seven years later finds her still struggling with her appearance. And with the direction her life should now take. For the time being, Swan is complacent as an audiobook narrator and has even had notable success for her work. Then one passion-filled night with a charming Irishman in Las Vegas has her cynical self wondering if she’s ready to “put herself out there” and chase down her dreams once more–even if she still doesn’t really believe HEAs exist.
‘SEWANEE: You can’t just look at who someone is. You have to look at WHY someone is. Surface versus substance. That’s the difference between caricature and character.
BROCK: I just figured out why you’re a better narrator than me. You’re an actress, aren’t you?
SEWANEE: Was.’
Being offered a very lucrative narrating deal upon her arrival home to Hollywood has Swan contemplating if the extra cash could make her lovable grandmother more comfortable as her health declines. It also gives Swan the chance to work with legendary narrator Brock McNight–someone who was chosen specifically by the late author, June French, to be her long distance partner on the project. As she and Brock trade first emails, then texts, and really hit it off, Swan wonders if the same would happen if they met in real life. Then there’s her sexy Irishman she can’t stop thinking about even though they never traded contact info. A surprise twist worthy of a rom-com is soon thrown into the mix, sending Swan spiraling, wondering if anything she’s figured out about her life is accurate and where to go from here.
“He said I need to stop thinking I’m nothing more than the damaged version of myself. That who I was is who I am… And it made me think: we break, in many different ways. But it doesn’t mean we’re broken.”
A smartly written romance featuring a delightfully unexpected plot twist and an audiobook narrator who doesn’t believe in HEAs, Thank You for Listening was clever, funny, and extremely heartfelt. And I would expect nothing less from Julia Whelan’s captivating storytelling.
‘It was novel, having this strong a connection with someone she’d never seen. Who’d never seen her. Then again, maybe that’s what made it possible.’
Trigger warning:View Spoiler »
I became a fan of Julia Whelan’s right away after reading her debut novel, My Oxford Year. That story tore my heart to shreds in certain passages and then had me giggling like mad at other times–something that’s typically difficult for authors to do convincingly. But that magical combination was something quite prevalent in Thank You for Listening as well–although in a completely different setting and with a bit older main characters this time. (In their early thirties) And I loved it all: from the laugh-out-loud scene on the plane to the epic texts between Sewanee and Brock to her awesome bestie Adaku and so much more.
Sewanee (pronounced swan-ee) was actually a really cool heroine to follow. A former actress turned audiobook narrator, she was still not completely 100% physically, emotionally, or even mentally after a nearly deadly accident seven years prior. I won’t spoil the details of what happened but will say Oh. My. Word. Why? It was kind of senseless how it took place, but obviously accidents do happen unfortunately. It certainly did mean that Swan’s whole world changed. Acting was off the table for a while–and just when she was on her way up the ladder in Hollywood, too. So at this point, she was still hanging on with everything she had, wanting to be her *old* self and not embracing who she was *now*. Something I think a lot of us can relate to. Narrating brought out enough of the actress in Sewanee to just barely fill that void in her life. And it was obvious in the best of ways that Whelan, being an audiobook narrator herself, added details and nuances to Swan’s work that made it come alive on the page.
It was Swan’s personal life–and the two men she met, Nick and Brock–that took the most twists and turns. While it was sort of a love triangle (you’ll see why I say sort of when reading the book), there was no cheating, but there was a lot of soul searching and even some angst. Poor Sewanee was also trying to help her absolutely wonderful grandmother, whom she called BlahBlah, through her declining health. It was sad. It had me nearly crying a few times. But the joy Swan brought to Blah’s life and vice versa was something to cherish. Oh, how I adored their relationship. And the terrific people surrounding Blah at the assisted living facility were top notch, rounding out the cast of characters I think readers will fall in love with quickly.
QOTD: Are you an audiobook lover? If so, have any favorite narrators we should check out?
Book Info:
Publication: Expected publication: August 2nd 2022 | Avon Books |
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.
