"A perfectly intoxicating delight! Thank You for Listening is a witty, clever, and open-hearted love story full of delicious twists on all your favorite romance tropes. Julia Whelan has already proven herself to be a singular, wry voice in fiction but with Thank You for Listening , she has something truly special: a story so remarkable and original that only she could write it. A must-read for anyone who loves a good love story." — Taylor Jenkins Reid, New York Times bestselling author of Malibu Rising
"Thank You for Listening is a fascinating behind-the-scenes peek at the voice actors who bring love stories to life for the rest of us. Mix Julia Whelan’s storytelling ability and smart banter with a cynical romance audiobook narrator who won’t trust a happily ever after and what do you get? Pure magic." — Jodi Picoult, New York Times bestselling author of Wish You Were Here
“A compulsively readable story about self-discovery with plenty of laughs and spice along the way.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Thank You For Listening is a delight from start to finish. Julia Whelan takes readers behind the scenes of the audiobook world in this story of second acts and second chances that’s full of wit, heart, and humor. The characters felt so real I began to miss them the moment I turned the final page." — Andrea Dunlop, author of We Came Here to Forget
[A] poignant and charming novel. Whelan’s skillfully nuanced writing truly shines. — Booklist (starred review)
“This pull-at-the-heartstrings yet sexy debut novel by Whelan, an award-winning audiobook narrator, is all about the choices we make for ourselves and others. It will delight Anglophiles as well as Jojo Moyes fans.” — Library Journal
"Thank You for Listening is one of the funniest, most clever, sexiest, and most deliciously complex love stories I've read in years. The dialogue is electric. The chemistry, both intellectual and physical, is palpable. The characters are singularly unforgettable. I can't remember the last time I was this jealous of a writer's talent. I wanted to bask in this book, and I also wished I'd written it. Julia Whelan's been my favorite audiobook narrator for years. Now she is one of my all-time favorite authors." — Emily Henry, #1 New York Times bestselling author of People We Meet On Vacation
"A fearless story! Unflinching, utterly addictive and gorgeously written! I wish I wrote this romance!" — Lauren Blakely, # 1 New York Times Bestselling Author
"Playfully sexy and boundlessly charming, Thank You For Listening is a warm and wise tale of love and affection and a must-read for anyone who loves the sound of voices speaking into a microphone." — Linda Holmes, New York Times bestselling author of Evvie Drake Starts Over
"Wickedly funny, tearfully poignant, hopelessly romantic, witty and sexy and important, plus a writer at the top of her game, and a peek behind the curtains of both Hollywood and how our beloved audiobooks are created? This book is everything. Narrator and author Julia Whelan is a true talent and THANK YOU FOR LISTENING is utterly unforgettable. A modern classic." — J.T. Ellison, New York Times Bestselling author of Her Dark Lies
“Whelan is always wonderful, but she shines in this carefully constructed, sometimes-steamy romance that manages to be laugh-out-loud funny.” - Candace Smith — Booklist (starred review)
“Hilarious and touching…this novel has everything the best romance novels should have: a reluctant protagonist, a hot partner, loving family/friends and true love. What more can you ask for?” — USA Today (four stars)
"Thank You For Listening is a romcom with serious depth and a lot of heart. It's witty, sharp, and not afraid to tackle some heavy themes, and a fascinating window into the world of audiobook narrating. The magic so often happens when someone writes about a subject they know so well, and this book is the perfect illustration. What a cracking follow-up to My Oxford Year. Julia Whelan gets better and better. I'm a huge fan!" — Lizzy Dent, Author of The Summer Job
"Wickedly funny, tearfully poignant, hopelessly romantic, witty and sexy and important, plus a writer at the top of her game, and a peek behind the curtains of both Hollywood and how our beloved audiobooks are created? This book is everything. Narrator and author Julia Whelan is a true talent and THANK YOU FOR LISTENING is utterly unforgettable. A modern classic."
"Thank You For Listening is a delight from start to finish. Julia Whelan takes readers behind the scenes of the audiobook world in this story of second acts and second chances that’s full of wit, heart, and humor. The characters felt so real I began to miss them the moment I turned the final page."
"Playfully sexy and boundlessly charming, Thank You For Listening is a warm and wise tale of love and affection and a must-read for anyone who loves the sound of voices speaking into a microphone."
"Thank You for Listening is a fascinating behind-the-scenes peek at the voice actors who bring love stories to life for the rest of us. Mix Julia Whelan’s storytelling ability and smart banter with a cynical romance audiobook narrator who won’t trust a happily ever after and what do you get? Pure magic."
"Thank You for Listening is one of the funniest, most clever, sexiest, and most deliciously complex love stories I've read in years. The dialogue is electric. The chemistry, both intellectual and physical, is palpable. The characters are singularly unforgettable. I can't remember the last time I was this jealous of a writer's talent. I wanted to bask in this book, and I also wished I'd written it. Julia Whelan's been my favorite audiobook narrator for years. Now she is one of my all-time favorite authors."
"A perfectly intoxicating delight! Thank You for Listening is a witty, clever, and open-hearted love story full of delicious twists on all your favorite romance tropes. Julia Whelan has already proven herself to be a singular, wry voice in fiction but with Thank You for Listening , she has something truly special: a story so remarkable and original that only she could write it. A must-read for anyone who loves a good love story."
My Oxford Year is an achingly beautiful debut.
Full of humor and romance, My Oxford Year has it all—I loved it!
With My Oxford Year , Julia Whelan has crafted a breathtakingly perfect picture of Oxford…a read bursting with warmth, mirth, and heart. A powerfully heartbreaking and life-affirming tribute to love and to choice—to choosing love and an open-hearted approach to the world.
My Oxford Year is a funny, tender, heart-breaking coming-of-age adventure.”
Vivid, smart, and utterly charming, My Oxford Year is a heartfelt journey.
I laughed, I definitely cried, and I learned about literature and poetry in a way that made me feel a bit smarter today.”
...Julia Whelan’s My Oxford Year , which unfolds in charming Oxfordshire and reads even better when read through a pair of thick-rimmed glasses.
The premise and setting lends itself to rich descriptions and plenty of fun literature references for us book nerds, showcasing Whelan’s deep knowledge of both the subject and the area.
This debut novel has a preponderance of heart while offering respite from heady emotions with light wit. Whelan draws from her own Oxford experience, creating a richly rendered setting of not just the university’s spires but of the surrounding chip shops and grubby pubs that are just as vital.
Booklist on My Oxford Year
Whelan combined the most heart-wrenching and romantic moments of every Jojo Moyes and Nicholas Sparks novel and added in her own touches of humanity and lovableness...Bring your tissues.
This debut novel has a preponderance of heart while offering respite from heady emotions with light wit. Whelan draws from her own Oxford experience, creating a richly rendered setting of not just the university’s spires but of the surrounding chip shops and grubby pubs that are just as vital.”
This debut novel has a preponderance of heart while offering respite from heady emotions with light wit. Whelan draws from her own Oxford experience, creating a richly rendered setting of not just the university’s spires but of the surrounding chip shops and grubby pubs that are just as vital.”
06/01/2022
Whelan brings her experience with audiobook narration to her second novel, after My Oxford Year . Audiobook reader Sewanee Chester stopped narrating romance novels because she doesn't believe in HEAs (Happily Ever After). As a favor to her boss, however, she's moderating a panel at a Las Vegas romance convention. As a bonus, she'll get to spend time with her best friend, actress Adaku Obi, who's appearing on another panel at the convention. When Adaku is called away for a meeting, she encourages Sewanee, already dressed up for dinner, to take advantage of Adaku's expense account and live it up. Sewanee, on the other hand, is planning to go back to the room and relax instead—until Nick sits down at her table and begins chatting her up. This delightful, heartwarming, romantic comedy is well-written and fast paced, pulling readers in and keeping them glued to the page. The characters are quirky, damaged, and lovable, with rich backstories and banter-filled, witty, dialogue. Emotional subplots surround the protagonists, keeping the plot grounded and realistic. VERDICT Readers will thoroughly enjoy this peek behind the audiobook curtain and cheer for the inevitable HEA.—Heather Miller Cover
★ 2022-05-25 An audiobook narrator and former actress gets more than she bargained for when she performs a book with the audiobook world’s sexiest and most mysterious voice.
Sewanee Chester grew up dreaming of being an actress, and for a short while, she made that dream a reality. But before her career could take off, an accident caused her to lose an eye and derailed her path to stardom. Now Sewanee narrates audiobooks, using all the talent and passion she once showed onscreen to bring the pages of books to life. When Sewanee isn’t working, she visits her former actress grandmother in an assisted living facility. Since Sewanee’s accident, everything about her life is orderly and planned…until she attends a book convention and ends up spending a romantic night with a stranger. Despite that one out-of-character night, Sewanee isn’t a romantic—that’s why she now says no to narrating romance novels, despite starting her career with them. After being disappointed by real life one too many times, she doesn’t believe in happily-ever-afters. But when she gets an offer to narrate a posthumous book from a romance novelist she once worked with, she agrees—only because she needs the money to help pay for her grandmother’s care. She’ll be performing the book with Brock McNight, a narrator who’s as sexy as he is secretive—people may know his voice, but they’ve never seen the man behind it. As Sewanee begins working with Brock, trading texts and emails, they forge a connection that goes beyond the book. But Sewanee quickly learns that showing vulnerability in real life is harder than performing it. Can she be brave enough to follow her dreams, even if it means risking failure? And do her old dreams even fit into her new life? Whelan, a celebrated audiobook narrator and actress herself (as well as the author of a previous novel, My Oxford Year , 2018), brings an incredible amount of realism to her descriptions of Sewanee’s career. Although there’s plenty of tragedy and angst in Sewanee’s life, there’s also a lot of humor (the story opens with a laugh-out-loud scene involving a particularly racy romance novel being played at full volume to unsuspecting airplane passengers). Sewanee and Brock have crackling chemistry in their innuendo-laden texts, and there are love scenes as steamy as the ones Sewanee narrates. Whelan also shows an awareness and appreciation of romance tropes that lead to a fun and slightly meta reading experience. Although the romance is a standout, Sewanee’s journey of self-acceptance is the real star.
A compulsively readable story about self-discovery with plenty of laughs and spice along the way.