Audiobook Review - THE BREAK-UP BOOK CLUB by Wendy Wax

 

Title:  The Break-Up Book Club
Author:  Wendy Wax

Narrators: Hillary Huber, Nicole Lewis, Renata Friedman, Cassandra Morris
Genre:  Women's Fiction
Release Date:  May 18, 2021
Listening Length: 12 hours and 12 minutes

About the Book

Named one of 2021’s Best Beach Reads by Bustle ∙ Country Living ∙ Cosmopolitan ∙ Augusta Chronicle ∙ E! Online ∙ SheReads ∙ and more!

Breakups, like book clubs, come in many shapes and sizes and can take us on unexpected journeys as four women discover in this funny and heartwarming exploration of friendship from the USA Today best-selling author of Ten Beach Road and My Ex-Best Friend’s Wedding.

On paper, Jazmine, Judith, Erin and Sara have little in common - they’re very different people leading very different lives. And yet at book club meetings in an historic carriage house turned bookstore, they bond over a shared love of reading (and more than a little wine) as well as the growing realization that their lives are not turning out like they expected. 

Former tennis star Jazmine is a top sports agent balancing a career and single motherhood. Judith is an empty nester questioning her marriage and the supporting role she chose. Erin’s high school sweetheart and fiancé develops a bad case of cold feet, and Sara’s husband takes a job out of town saddling Sara with a difficult mother-in-law who believes her son could have done better - not exactly the roommate most women dream of.

With the help of books, laughter, and the joy of ever evolving friendships, Jazmine, Judith, Erin and Sara find the courage to navigate new and surprising chapters of their lives as they seek their own versions of happily-ever-after.

AMAZON / Goodreads / Barnes&Noble

My Review:

Wendy Wax once again knocks it out of the ballpark with characters you can't help but love. In The Break-Up Book Club she brings us four ladies, each with their own story that goes straight to your heart. Jazmine is a single mom who has put her love life on hold for far too long, Judith is dealing with trouble in her marriage and then a horrific loss, Erin's fiance drops her one week before their wedding, and Sara finds out shocking news about her husband. Add in Dorothy, Erin's troublesome mother-in-law, and Meena, Judith's best friend, along with several other interesting characters and you have an amazing collection of book club friends who take the time to support each other. 

I listened to the audio book and found the narrators to be extremely good. The story was heartbreaking at times and made me smile from ear to ear at other times. But no matter what was happening, this author kept me engaged in the story.

This is a feel-good book that awakens the reader to the fact that no matter what hurdles you have in life, with good friends and a bit of determination, you can go on to a better life. I highly recommend this book as a great summer read!

Additional note: Tears came to my eyes as I listened to the author's note and dedication at the beginning of this audiobook. Wendy Wax, my thoughts and prayers are with you and I hope and pray you have a support group of friends like those you write about. Friends who are there for you during this difficult time. 

My Rating: 

About the Author:

I write novels that explore friendship, self-discovery and the challenges life brings us, leavened with a touch of humor. I'm proud of all my books and perhaps best known for my "Ten Beach Road" titles including the USA Today bestsellers, Ten Beach Road and The House on Mermaid Point, and for While We Were Watching Downton Abbey.

I was born in St.Petersburg, Florida and grew up on St. Pete Beach within spitting distance of the Gulf of Mexico. I went, appropriately enough, to Sunshine Elementary School where recess and art class sometimes took place on the beach, and the highlight of every school year was the annual fish broil.

It’s hard to be a type-A personality when you grow up in such a laid back environment, but I managed. Convinced that you were expected to know how to read BEFORE you showed up for school, I forced a neighbor friend to teach me to read at the age of five. I’ve been reading ever since.

Books, in all forms, are one of my greatest pleasures and best forms of escape. And they’ve had a major impact on my life.

I went to the University of Georgia after reading Gone with the Wind one too many times. For a while I re-read Margaret Mitchell’s classic yearly, saw the movie whenever it played within twenty miles, and could quote large passages from memory. Today I have a growing GWTW collection, and the time I spoke at he Margaret Mitchell House was an incredible last thrill. 

After college I worked in radio, television, and film. Like Olivia in 7 DAYS AND SEVEN NIGHTS, I’ve done live talk radio. I hosted a show in the eighties called Desperate & Dateless, and while I was never locked in an apartment for a week with a webcam rolling as she was, I did fall in love. Happily, the man who swept me off my feet consults with financial types and understands the bottom line. Unlike Olivia’s nemesis, Matt Ransom, my husband has never, to my knowledge, advised anyone to ‘love the one they’re with.’ We live in Atlanta with our two sons

Wendy loves to hear from her readers! You can reach her at wendy@authorwendywax.com.