Audio books are the biggest growing sector in the book world I keep hearing but having produced my own I’ve found the market to be somewhat sluggish, at least so far. However, copies do keep being listened to so I assume traction has to grow like everywhere else.
I distributed my audio book via Findaway Voices so it is wide on all the platforms. It was while I was checking where I could find it that I thought it would be a great idea to try a free months subscription and listen to any I could find that are already on my to-be-read list. Enter Baby Dear…
Everything about having, or not having, babies can be so complicated and often emotionally all-consuming and this is reflected in this story. Caro and Jeff are devastated when they are told Jeff is infertile. While Sharon, a career woman, is equally devastated to be pregnant but has a husband, Craig, who shows zero interest in becoming a father.
There is a lot of introspection in this book, as expected really given the subject matter as well as plenty of self-absorption with several characters obsessing about their own needs rather than supporting their partners, which so easily happens in real life too. Misunderstandings and confusion being caused along the way.
I found Caro difficult to like, until much later on in the book when a moment of self-realisation makes her into a better person, although it was a shame she didn’t share her thoughts with Jeff. Sharon had, I thought, a character arc that probably many women would recognise, of being in a place she didn’t want to be but finding herself eventually welcoming the drastic changes in her life.
The person I liked the most though was Julie. She was at a different stage in her life, single and struggling in ways the other two weren’t. However she remained upbeat and supportive to all those around her and I loved the fact she found someone to call ‘family’ as well as a possible future with someone else – no spoilers here!
I listened to Baby Dear for free via Scribd here. I’m sure you can find it on many other audio platforms but I’ll put the links to Amazon below as it can be found on Audible via those.
Thank you very much, Georgia! I’ve still to get into audiobooks; apart from excerpts of my own I’ve never listened to any. It must need a different kind of concentration to follow a story all the way through – what do you do while you’re listening?
You’re welcome, Linda. I am not really into audiobooks either but I listen to podcasts when I work so I wondered if I could change that into books and up my review rate. I’m still undecided about that as concentration is an issue. As soon as I get to anything I have to think about I stop listening and then have to rewind. I don’t think I take the storyline in as well as I do when I read either, plus your imagination does get informed by the narrator. Having said all that I would certainly listen to more as and when it fits in with everything else.
I must try one sometime, though I feel I’d be rewinding continuously. They might be good for a long train journey or the like, where you don’t have to do anything apart from look out of the window.
Yeah, any type of commute is good for audio. I know some people listen while on dog walks, but I’m too busy plotting then 😀 😀
Although I haven’t listened to it as an audio book, this remains a favourite offering from one of my favourite writers. Thanks for this reminder.
That’s good to hear, Barb, and you’re welcome. Thanks for reading. 🙂