
Penelope in Retrograde
A Novel
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
$0.99/mo for the first 3 months

Buy for $20.00
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Eva Kaminsky
-
By:
-
Brooke Abrams
About this listen
In this witty and heartfelt debut from author Brooke Abrams, a romance writer with a passion for astrology reluctantly travels home for Thanksgiving to make amends with her estranged family…and possibly manifest her own happily ever after.
Romance writer Penelope Banks can write the perfect love story, but when it comes to family, all she’s got is a rough draft. Penny shelved the idea of fitting in with her high-achieving family years ago, but when her new business venture—a romance bookstore—is at risk of closing before its doors have opened, she’s forced to ask for help from the one place she never expected. Home.
Penny’s prepared for the usual Thanksgiving lineup: her perfect sister, meddling nana, matchmaking mother, and workaholic father. The guest she didn’t anticipate? Her ex-husband, Smith. After an awkward rideshare with Smith leaves Penny questioning why the romance in her life exists only in her novels, Penny adds some fiction to reality and turns her father’s colleague into the perfect fake boyfriend.
With only four days to mend damaged relationships, and her bookstore’s future at stake, all the stars must align for Penny to finally write a happily ever after for herself and her family.
©2023 Brooke Abrams (P)2023 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Woke Up Like This
- A Novel
- By: Amy Lea, Mindy Kaling - introduction
- Narrated by: Natalie Naudus
- Length: 8 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Planning the perfect prom is one last “to do” on ultra-organized Charlotte Wu’s high school bucket list. So far, so good, if not for a decorating accident that sends Charlotte crash-landing off a ladder, face-first into her obnoxiously ripped archnemesis J. T. Renner. Worse? When Charlotte wakes up, she finds herself in an unfamiliar bed at thirty years old, with her bearded fiancé, Renner, by her side.
-
-
Sweet story.
- By Jenn on 02-09-24
By: Amy Lea, and others
-
Fortune
- A Novel
- By: Ellen Won Steil
- Narrated by: Jane Oppenheimer, Jennifer Aquino, Lauren Ezzo, and others
- Length: 10 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One drop of blood for a chance at a multimillion-dollar windfall. Is it a philanthropic gesture from a billionaire widow? Some suspect a darker motive behind the DNA lottery—one tied to the eighteen-year-old mystery of an infant’s unidentified remains that mars the history of idyllic Rosemary Hills, Iowa. Right after the blood lottery is announced, three local women fall under suspicion of knowing something about that night, and their carefully kept secrets threaten to spill out too.
-
-
Well written
- By Mary on 04-01-25
By: Ellen Won Steil
-
The Starfish Sisters
- A Novel
- By: Barbara O'Neal
- Narrated by: Laura Jennings, Jenn Lee, Shaun Taylor-Corbett
- Length: 11 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Phoebe and Suze used to be closer than sisters. Growing up in a quiet and wildly beautiful coastal town in Oregon, they shared everything. Until the secrets they couldn’t share threatened their bond and complicated their lives. Now, decades later, Suze, a famous actress desperate for safe haven following a brutal attack, is back in town. Phoebe, a successful illustrator and fabric designer, has discovered keeping a secret means she can’t let anyone get close, aside from her beloved granddaughter, Jasmine.
-
-
Became political
- By Robin on 10-13-23
By: Barbara O'Neal
-
The Spy Coast
- A Thriller (The Martini Club, Book 1)
- By: Tess Gerritsen
- Narrated by: Hillary Huber, Brittany Pressley
- Length: 10 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Former spy Maggie Bird came to the seaside village of Purity, Maine, eager to put the past behind her after a mission went tragically wrong. These days, she’s living quietly on her chicken farm, still wary of blowback from the events that forced her early retirement. But when a body turns up in Maggie’s driveway, she knows it’s a message from former foes who haven’t forgotten her. Maggie turns to her local circle of old friends—all retirees from the CIA—to help uncover the truth about who is trying to kill her, and why.
-
-
OUTSTANDING!!!!
- By shelley on 11-01-23
By: Tess Gerritsen
-
Recipe for Second Chances
- By: Ali Rosen
- Narrated by: Natasha Chandel
- Length: 8 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Stella Park is elated to celebrate her best friend’s wedding in the Italian countryside—and maybe she also needs this escape from her personal and her professional life. Writing recipes for a living isn’t all it’s cooked up to be. But the revelry is short lived when she runs into the ex she hasn’t seen since she broke his heart ten years ago, Samuel Gordon. As her past gets propelled to the forefront, Stella tries not to question the choices she made a decade ago.
-
-
good book
- By Kindle Customer on 04-16-25
By: Ali Rosen
-
Don't Forget to Write
- A Novel
- By: Sara Goodman Confino
- Narrated by: Helen Laser
- Length: 9 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Marilyn Kleinman is caught making out with the rabbi’s son in front of the whole congregation, her parents ship her off to her great-aunt Ada for the summer. If anyone can save their daughter’s reputation, it’s Philadelphia’s strict premier matchmaker. Either that or Marilyn can kiss college goodbye. To Marilyn’s surprise, Ada’s not the humorless septuagenarian her mother described. Not with that platinum-blonde hair, Hermès scarf, and Cadillac convertible. She’s sharp, straight-talking, takes her job very seriously, and abides by her own rules…mostly.
-
-
So good!
- By Kristin on 09-07-23
-
Woke Up Like This
- A Novel
- By: Amy Lea, Mindy Kaling - introduction
- Narrated by: Natalie Naudus
- Length: 8 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Planning the perfect prom is one last “to do” on ultra-organized Charlotte Wu’s high school bucket list. So far, so good, if not for a decorating accident that sends Charlotte crash-landing off a ladder, face-first into her obnoxiously ripped archnemesis J. T. Renner. Worse? When Charlotte wakes up, she finds herself in an unfamiliar bed at thirty years old, with her bearded fiancé, Renner, by her side.
-
-
Sweet story.
- By Jenn on 02-09-24
By: Amy Lea, and others
-
Fortune
- A Novel
- By: Ellen Won Steil
- Narrated by: Jane Oppenheimer, Jennifer Aquino, Lauren Ezzo, and others
- Length: 10 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One drop of blood for a chance at a multimillion-dollar windfall. Is it a philanthropic gesture from a billionaire widow? Some suspect a darker motive behind the DNA lottery—one tied to the eighteen-year-old mystery of an infant’s unidentified remains that mars the history of idyllic Rosemary Hills, Iowa. Right after the blood lottery is announced, three local women fall under suspicion of knowing something about that night, and their carefully kept secrets threaten to spill out too.
-
-
Well written
- By Mary on 04-01-25
By: Ellen Won Steil
-
The Starfish Sisters
- A Novel
- By: Barbara O'Neal
- Narrated by: Laura Jennings, Jenn Lee, Shaun Taylor-Corbett
- Length: 11 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Phoebe and Suze used to be closer than sisters. Growing up in a quiet and wildly beautiful coastal town in Oregon, they shared everything. Until the secrets they couldn’t share threatened their bond and complicated their lives. Now, decades later, Suze, a famous actress desperate for safe haven following a brutal attack, is back in town. Phoebe, a successful illustrator and fabric designer, has discovered keeping a secret means she can’t let anyone get close, aside from her beloved granddaughter, Jasmine.
-
-
Became political
- By Robin on 10-13-23
By: Barbara O'Neal
-
The Spy Coast
- A Thriller (The Martini Club, Book 1)
- By: Tess Gerritsen
- Narrated by: Hillary Huber, Brittany Pressley
- Length: 10 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Former spy Maggie Bird came to the seaside village of Purity, Maine, eager to put the past behind her after a mission went tragically wrong. These days, she’s living quietly on her chicken farm, still wary of blowback from the events that forced her early retirement. But when a body turns up in Maggie’s driveway, she knows it’s a message from former foes who haven’t forgotten her. Maggie turns to her local circle of old friends—all retirees from the CIA—to help uncover the truth about who is trying to kill her, and why.
-
-
OUTSTANDING!!!!
- By shelley on 11-01-23
By: Tess Gerritsen
-
Recipe for Second Chances
- By: Ali Rosen
- Narrated by: Natasha Chandel
- Length: 8 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Stella Park is elated to celebrate her best friend’s wedding in the Italian countryside—and maybe she also needs this escape from her personal and her professional life. Writing recipes for a living isn’t all it’s cooked up to be. But the revelry is short lived when she runs into the ex she hasn’t seen since she broke his heart ten years ago, Samuel Gordon. As her past gets propelled to the forefront, Stella tries not to question the choices she made a decade ago.
-
-
good book
- By Kindle Customer on 04-16-25
By: Ali Rosen
-
Don't Forget to Write
- A Novel
- By: Sara Goodman Confino
- Narrated by: Helen Laser
- Length: 9 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Marilyn Kleinman is caught making out with the rabbi’s son in front of the whole congregation, her parents ship her off to her great-aunt Ada for the summer. If anyone can save their daughter’s reputation, it’s Philadelphia’s strict premier matchmaker. Either that or Marilyn can kiss college goodbye. To Marilyn’s surprise, Ada’s not the humorless septuagenarian her mother described. Not with that platinum-blonde hair, Hermès scarf, and Cadillac convertible. She’s sharp, straight-talking, takes her job very seriously, and abides by her own rules…mostly.
-
-
So good!
- By Kristin on 09-07-23
-
Sing, Wild Bird, Sing
- A Novel
- By: Jacqueline O'Mahony
- Narrated by: Aoife McMahon
- Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It’s 1849 on the west coast of Ireland. Resilient Honora O’Donoghue is accustomed to fending for herself and to reading the language of the natural world. It was always said she’d been marked for something different, but it’s not until she suffers devastating losses in a country gripped by the Famine that Honora begins to understand how that difference will save her. With the hope of a better life in America calling, Honora keeps moving toward her freedom.
-
-
Beautifully written and narrated
- By Grace B. Monroe on 11-07-23
-
There's No Coming Back from This
- A Novel
- By: Ann Garvin
- Narrated by: Andi Arndt
- Length: 9 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It seems lately that Poppy Lively is invisible to everyone but the IRS. After her accountant absconded with her life savings, newly bankrupt Poppy is on the verge of losing her home when an old flame, now a hotshot producer, gives her a surprising way out: a job in costumes on a Hollywood film set. It’s a bold move to pack her bags, keep secrets from her daughter, and head to Los Angeles, but Poppy's a capable person—how hard can a job in wardrobe be?
-
-
Inaccurate & poorly researched
- By Amazon Customer on 08-12-23
By: Ann Garvin
-
City People
- A Novel
- By: Elizabeth Topp
- Narrated by: Caroline McLaughlin, Shakira Shute, Inger Tudor, and others
- Length: 10 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When beautiful and successful Susan Harris jumps from the roof of her apartment building, she sets a tremor through her New York City mothers’ group that forces them all to look at one another with new cynicism: How could this have happened right under their noses? To one of them? Between her death and the harrowing private school admission season on the horizon, these women are forced to explore the hard truths about themselves.
-
-
Wow!
- By Happy Cat on 04-02-25
By: Elizabeth Topp
-
Morning in This Broken World
- A Novel
- By: Katrina Kittle
- Narrated by: Krystal Hammond
- Length: 10 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Grieving but feisty widow Vivian Laurent is at a late-in-life crossroads. The man she loved is gone. Their only daughter is estranged and missing. And the assisted-living facility where her husband died is going into quarantine. Living in lockdown with only heartache and memories is something Vivian can’t bear. Then comes a saving grace.
-
-
Great narration & likable characters
- By Thinker on 09-26-23
By: Katrina Kittle
-
The Night Raven
- The Moonwind Mysteries, Book 1
- By: Johan Rundberg, A. A. Prime - translator
- Narrated by: Nina Yndis
- Length: 4 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It’s 1880, and in the frigid city of Stockholm, death lurks around every corner. Twelve-year-old Mika knows that everyone in her orphanage will struggle to survive this winter. But at least the notorious serial killer the Night Raven is finally off the streets…or is he? Mika is shocked when a newborn baby is left at the orphanage in the middle of the night, by a boy with a cryptic message. Who is he? And who is this “Dark Angel” he speaks of? When a detective shows up, Mika senses something even more sinister is going on.
-
-
ODD DETECTIVE PAIRING FOR THE WIN!
- By Lyric G. Eads on 05-18-24
By: Johan Rundberg, and others
-
Nineteen Steps
- A Novel
- By: Millie Bobby Brown
- Narrated by: Millie Bobby Brown
- Length: 8 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It’s 1942, and London remains under constant threat of enemy attack as the second world war rages on. In the Bethnal Green neighborhood, Nellie Morris counts every day lucky that she emerges from the underground shelters unharmed, her loving family still surrounding her. Three years into the war, she’s grateful to hold onto remnants of normalcy—her job as assisting the mayor and nights spent at the local pub with her best friend. But after a chance encounter with Ray, an American airman stationed nearby, Nellie becomes enchanted with the idea of a broader world.
-
-
A Heartfelt Book
- By Danielle Dugdale on 02-20-24
-
Housemoms
- A Novel
- By: Jen Lancaster
- Narrated by: Maria McCann, EJ Lavery, Jeremy Carlisle Parker
- Length: 9 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
How fast can charity fundraiser CeCe Barclay’s unimpeachable society life come tumbling down? One minute she’s speaking before Chicago’s glitterati. The next, her financier husband is wanted for embezzlement. Her assets seized and her fall mortifyingly public, CeCe grasps for refuge—and employment—as a sorority housemom at Eli Whitney University, her daughter Hayden’s alma mater.
-
-
Had potential, but fell flat
- By Desiree Paulhamus on 01-04-25
By: Jen Lancaster
-
Someone Else's Shoes
- A Novel
- By: Jojo Moyes
- Narrated by: Daisy Ridley
- Length: 12 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Nisha Cantor lives the globetrotting life of the seriously wealthy, until her husband announces a divorce and cuts her off. Nisha is determined to hang onto her glamorous life. But in the meantime, she must scramble to cope--she doesn’t even have the shoes she was, until a moment ago, standing in. That’s because Sam Kemp—in the bleakest point of her life—has accidentally taken Nisha’s gym bag. But Sam hardly has time to worry about a lost gym bag—she’s struggling to keep herself and her family afloat.
-
-
Bad language
- By Kerbear on 02-25-23
By: Jojo Moyes
-
La Vie, According to Rose
- A Novel
- By: Lauren Parvizi
- Narrated by: Shiva Negar
- Length: 10 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Rose Zadeh pleases everyone, except herself. Memories of her late Iranian-immigrant father, who valued hard work and family, keep Rose in a dead-end job as a Silicon Valley copywriter, and tethered to her guilt-trippy mom and needy sisters. As much as it would disappoint her father, Rose needs an escape. Voilà! A mandated vacation gives her the chance. Three weeks on a long-dreamed-of trip to the City of Light. Instead of landing in a Parisian fairy tale, Rose falls under the spell of a charming and possibly dangerous expat.
-
-
Expertly crafted with adventure and romance
- By Bluberry on 09-24-24
By: Lauren Parvizi
-
Mine Till Midnight
- By: Lisa Kleypas
- Narrated by: Rosalyn Landor
- Length: 10 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Miss Amelia Hathaway, a beautiful and strong-willed spinster, has looked after her unruly younger siblings ever since the death of her parents. Romance is the last thing on her mind. But when reckless brother inherits a title, the Hathaways are flung into the unfamiliar world of the English peerage. And Amelia, who’s always refused to lean on anyone’s shoulder, finds herself turning to a sexy, dark-haired stranger for help.
-
-
It’s a No for me.
- By Kathleen H. on 06-25-20
By: Lisa Kleypas
-
After I Do
- A Novel
- By: Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Narrated by: Julia Whelan
- Length: 9 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Lauren and Ryan’s marriage reaches the breaking point, they come up with an unconventional plan. They decide to take a year off in the hopes of finding a way to fall in love again. One year apart, and only one rule: they cannot contact each other. Aside from that, anything goes. Lauren embarks on a journey of self-discovery, quickly finding that her friends and family have their own ideas about the meaning of marriage. These influences, as well as her own healing process and the challenges of living apart from Ryan, begin to change Lauren’s ideas about monogamy and marriage.
-
-
Good writing but maybe pass if married
- By Austin Whitmore on 07-12-23
-
Matchmaking for Beginners
- A Novel
- By: Maddie Dawson
- Narrated by: Amy McFadden, Joyce Bean
- Length: 12 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Marnie MacGraw wants an ordinary life - a husband, kids, and a minivan in the suburbs. Now that she’s marrying the man of her dreams, she’s sure this is the life she’ll get. Then Marnie meets Blix Holliday, her fiancé’s irascible matchmaking great-aunt who’s dying, and everything changes - just as Blix told her it would. When her marriage ends after two miserable weeks, Marnie is understandably shocked.
-
-
I Wanted to Like It More
- By Marshallchick on 06-24-18
By: Maddie Dawson
Critic reviews
“Rounded out by a quirky cast…the book will leave readers with a real sense of the family dynamics at play here. Abrams' writing shows a lot of promise.”—Booklist (starred review)
“An ex-husband, a fake boyfriend, and a snarky, weed-growing grandma are just a few of the guests at the Banks’s family Thanksgiving that make Brooke Abrams’s debut unputdownable. Penelope in Retrograde will make you laugh a lot, cry a little, and want to call your dysfunctional family to tell them you’ll be home for the next holiday. Spice Girl’s Honor.”—Ali Brady, author of The Beach Trap
“Penelope in Retrograde sucked me in from the very first page! Abrams’s voice is a standout—she had me laughing on one page and tearing up on the next. With sparkling wit and characters I want to be best friends with, Abrams has crafted a story that cuts right to the heart of what it means to be a family, and she does it beautifully. This book is perfect for anyone who has ever struggled to find their place. Abrams has penned a brilliant debut, and I can’t wait to see what she does next!”—Falon Ballard, author of Just My Type
People who viewed this also viewed...
-
Night of a Thousand Darlas
- A Novel
- By: Brooke Abrams
- Narrated by: Eva Kaminsky
- Length: 8 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Liza Day’s mother isn’t dead, but leave it to Darla Day to throw herself a funeral anyway. It’s the kind of attention grab Liza left behind to build a quiet life for herself and her rebellious teenage daughter, Avery. But between her students discovering her old daytime TV show—putting her teaching job at risk—and her mother’s unexpected funeral invitation, Liza’s life feels truly like a soap opera.
-
-
CHAOS, CAMP AND CLOSURE
- By Bradley on 04-22-25
By: Brooke Abrams
-
When We Were Enemies
- A Novel
- By: Emily Bleeker
- Narrated by: Carlotta Brentan, Eva Kaminsky
- Length: 11 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Camera-shy Elise Branson is different from the other women in her maternal line. Her mother is an award-winning actress. Her late grandmother, Vivian Snow, is a beloved Hollywood icon. But when Elise’s upcoming wedding coincides with a documentary being made about Vivian, Elise can’t escape the camera’s gaze. And neither can her grandmother, even in death.
-
-
who were the enemies?
- By Amazon Customer on 01-05-24
By: Emily Bleeker
-
To Die For
- By: Lisa Gray
- Narrated by: Eva Kaminsky, Samara Naeymi, Andrew Eiden, and others
- Length: 8 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the elite world of luxury real estate, it is often kill or be killed, something agent Andi Hart knows all too well—and after recent events, she’s ready to set her own rules. So when her boss challenges the team to find a buyer for a glitzy Malibu beach house, with a prize commission of a cool $1 million, she knows it’s her ticket to a new life. But she’s not the only one who not only wants but needs the money. Each of her four colleagues has secrets they’re eager to hide—secrets $1 million would go a long way in concealing.
-
-
Too many POVs
- By Amanda D on 08-12-23
By: Lisa Gray
-
Let's Pretend This Will Work
- A Novel
- By: Maddie Dawson
- Narrated by: Helen Laser
- Length: 10 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After too many dates, thirtysomething Mimi Perkins is still single, unmoored, and longing for love. So when Ren Yardley—a handsome, divorced fellow drama teacher and single father—falls in love with her and proposes, she’s sure this is at last the good news her psychic predicted. Soon after proposing, Ren receives the devastating news that his ex-wife has been in a debilitating car accident, prompting him to temporarily move back into his former home to care for her and his daughters.
-
-
Excellent narration
- By D. N. Fox on 07-16-24
By: Maddie Dawson
-
Grave Talk
- By: Nick Spalding
- Narrated by: Imogen Church, Steve West
- Length: 9 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The last thing Alice expects to see at her husband’s graveside on his birthday is a giant, talking frog. On closer inspection, it’s a grown man dressed as Kermit. Turns out Alice’s husband is buried next to Ben’s older brother Harry, who—as a parting practical joke in his will—insisted that Ben visit his grave each year, on this specific day, dressed in an as-yet-undisclosed pageant of embarrassing fancy dress.
-
-
Grave talk
- By Linda on 04-20-25
By: Nick Spalding
-
Summer Ever After
- By: Jane Crittenden
- Narrated by: Karina Fernandez, Joe Gaminara
- Length: 10 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ten years ago, while travelling before starting a cookery apprenticeship, Alice fell head over heels for Barcelona: the food, the sun and the gorgeous Andy Hall…Family tragedy sent her back to London, but now, finally, she’s been given the chance to return. Only to find herself working alongside none other than Andy, the only man to ever break her heart. The decade apart has changed them both, though he still has his frustratingly good looks—and is Alice imagining it or does the spark that always existed between them still burn just as brightly?
-
-
Love this Book
- By Rose22 on 08-14-24
By: Jane Crittenden
-
Night of a Thousand Darlas
- A Novel
- By: Brooke Abrams
- Narrated by: Eva Kaminsky
- Length: 8 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Liza Day’s mother isn’t dead, but leave it to Darla Day to throw herself a funeral anyway. It’s the kind of attention grab Liza left behind to build a quiet life for herself and her rebellious teenage daughter, Avery. But between her students discovering her old daytime TV show—putting her teaching job at risk—and her mother’s unexpected funeral invitation, Liza’s life feels truly like a soap opera.
-
-
CHAOS, CAMP AND CLOSURE
- By Bradley on 04-22-25
By: Brooke Abrams
-
When We Were Enemies
- A Novel
- By: Emily Bleeker
- Narrated by: Carlotta Brentan, Eva Kaminsky
- Length: 11 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Camera-shy Elise Branson is different from the other women in her maternal line. Her mother is an award-winning actress. Her late grandmother, Vivian Snow, is a beloved Hollywood icon. But when Elise’s upcoming wedding coincides with a documentary being made about Vivian, Elise can’t escape the camera’s gaze. And neither can her grandmother, even in death.
-
-
who were the enemies?
- By Amazon Customer on 01-05-24
By: Emily Bleeker
-
To Die For
- By: Lisa Gray
- Narrated by: Eva Kaminsky, Samara Naeymi, Andrew Eiden, and others
- Length: 8 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the elite world of luxury real estate, it is often kill or be killed, something agent Andi Hart knows all too well—and after recent events, she’s ready to set her own rules. So when her boss challenges the team to find a buyer for a glitzy Malibu beach house, with a prize commission of a cool $1 million, she knows it’s her ticket to a new life. But she’s not the only one who not only wants but needs the money. Each of her four colleagues has secrets they’re eager to hide—secrets $1 million would go a long way in concealing.
-
-
Too many POVs
- By Amanda D on 08-12-23
By: Lisa Gray
-
Let's Pretend This Will Work
- A Novel
- By: Maddie Dawson
- Narrated by: Helen Laser
- Length: 10 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After too many dates, thirtysomething Mimi Perkins is still single, unmoored, and longing for love. So when Ren Yardley—a handsome, divorced fellow drama teacher and single father—falls in love with her and proposes, she’s sure this is at last the good news her psychic predicted. Soon after proposing, Ren receives the devastating news that his ex-wife has been in a debilitating car accident, prompting him to temporarily move back into his former home to care for her and his daughters.
-
-
Excellent narration
- By D. N. Fox on 07-16-24
By: Maddie Dawson
-
Grave Talk
- By: Nick Spalding
- Narrated by: Imogen Church, Steve West
- Length: 9 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The last thing Alice expects to see at her husband’s graveside on his birthday is a giant, talking frog. On closer inspection, it’s a grown man dressed as Kermit. Turns out Alice’s husband is buried next to Ben’s older brother Harry, who—as a parting practical joke in his will—insisted that Ben visit his grave each year, on this specific day, dressed in an as-yet-undisclosed pageant of embarrassing fancy dress.
-
-
Grave talk
- By Linda on 04-20-25
By: Nick Spalding
-
Summer Ever After
- By: Jane Crittenden
- Narrated by: Karina Fernandez, Joe Gaminara
- Length: 10 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ten years ago, while travelling before starting a cookery apprenticeship, Alice fell head over heels for Barcelona: the food, the sun and the gorgeous Andy Hall…Family tragedy sent her back to London, but now, finally, she’s been given the chance to return. Only to find herself working alongside none other than Andy, the only man to ever break her heart. The decade apart has changed them both, though he still has his frustratingly good looks—and is Alice imagining it or does the spark that always existed between them still burn just as brightly?
-
-
Love this Book
- By Rose22 on 08-14-24
By: Jane Crittenden
-
The Starfish Sisters
- A Novel
- By: Barbara O'Neal
- Narrated by: Laura Jennings, Jenn Lee, Shaun Taylor-Corbett
- Length: 11 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Phoebe and Suze used to be closer than sisters. Growing up in a quiet and wildly beautiful coastal town in Oregon, they shared everything. Until the secrets they couldn’t share threatened their bond and complicated their lives. Now, decades later, Suze, a famous actress desperate for safe haven following a brutal attack, is back in town. Phoebe, a successful illustrator and fabric designer, has discovered keeping a secret means she can’t let anyone get close, aside from her beloved granddaughter, Jasmine.
-
-
Became political
- By Robin on 10-13-23
By: Barbara O'Neal
-
Don't Forget to Write
- A Novel
- By: Sara Goodman Confino
- Narrated by: Helen Laser
- Length: 9 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Marilyn Kleinman is caught making out with the rabbi’s son in front of the whole congregation, her parents ship her off to her great-aunt Ada for the summer. If anyone can save their daughter’s reputation, it’s Philadelphia’s strict premier matchmaker. Either that or Marilyn can kiss college goodbye. To Marilyn’s surprise, Ada’s not the humorless septuagenarian her mother described. Not with that platinum-blonde hair, Hermès scarf, and Cadillac convertible. She’s sharp, straight-talking, takes her job very seriously, and abides by her own rules…mostly.
-
-
So good!
- By Kristin on 09-07-23
-
Mona Acts Out
- A Novel
- By: Mischa Berlinski
- Narrated by: Alyssa Bresnahan
- Length: 10 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Celebrated stage actress Mona Zahid wakes up on Thanksgiving morning to the clamor of guests packed into her Manhattan apartment and to a wave of dread: her in-laws are lurking on the other side of the bedroom door; she’s still fighting with her husband; and in just a few weeks she will begin rehearsals as Shakespeare’s Cleopatra, the hardest role in theater. In an impulsive burst, Mona bounds out the door with the family dog in tow (“I forgot the parsley!” is her lame excuse) to find her estranged mentor, Milton Katz, who was recently forced out of the legendary theater company he founded.
-
-
Hilarious 48 hour romp through New York with a somewhat unbalanced Shakespearean actress and her Beagle.
- By Sally T. Warthen on 02-04-25
By: Mischa Berlinski
-
What Is Love?
- By: Jen Comfort
- Narrated by: Scarlett Everdeen, Rock Engle
- Length: 10 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Trivia is the magic in the mundane, the connection in the commonplace, and Maxine Hart’s second-favorite pastime. A self-proclaimed Brooklyn street rat and a high school dropout, Maxine has never been a fan of formal education, but thanks to her ADHD “superpowers,” she’s a glutton for knowledge—and a good fight. And when Maxine enters the trivia game show Answers!, her brilliance, coupled with her penchant for big bets, devastates her competition. Even record-holding, 76-time-winner Teddy Ferguson.
-
-
A super fun, interesting easy to listen to story
- By Madeline on 03-28-25
By: Jen Comfort
-
Hello Stranger
- A Novel
- By: Katherine Center
- Narrated by: Patti Murin
- Length: 10 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sadie Montgomery never saw what was coming . . . Literally! One minute she’s celebrating the biggest achievement of her life—placing as a finalist in the North American Portrait Society competition—the next she’s lying in a hospital bed diagnosed with a “probably temporary” condition known as face blindness. She can see, but every face she looks at is now a jumbled puzzle of disconnected features. Imagine trying to read a book upside down and in another language. This is Sadie’s new reality.
-
-
Slow, miscommunication trope, unlikeable characters
- By Jennifer on 07-28-23
By: Katherine Center
-
Behind Every Good Man
- A Novel
- By: Sara Goodman Confino
- Narrated by: Helen Laser
- Length: 9 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It’s a doozy of a bad day for Beverly Diamond when she catches her husband, Larry, in a compromising position with his secretary. What’s a DC suburban wife to do with a soon-to-be ex, two young kids, and no degree or financial support in 1962? Beat the louse at his own game, that’s what.
-
-
So entertaining
- By Compute on 09-16-24
-
Things You Save in a Fire
- By: Katherine Center
- Narrated by: Thérèse Plummer
- Length: 10 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Cassie Hanwell was born for emergencies. As one of the only female firefighters in her Texas firehouse, she's seen her fair share of them, and she's excellent at dealing with other people's tragedies. But when her estranged and ailing mother asks her to uproot her life and move to Boston, it's an emergency of a kind Cassie never anticipated. The tough, old-school Boston firehouse is as different from Cassie's old job as it could possibly be. Hazing, a lack of funding, and poor facilities mean that the firemen aren't exactly thrilled to have a "lady" on the crew.
-
-
Pretty predictable
- By Susan Jordan on 09-14-19
By: Katherine Center
-
The Story Collector
- By: Evie Woods
- Narrated by: Heather O’Sullivan
- Length: 9 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One hundred years ago, Anna, a young farm girl, volunteers to help an intriguing American visitor translate fairy stories from Irish to English. But all is not as it seems and Anna soon finds herself at the heart of a mystery that threatens her very way of life. In New York in the present day, Sarah Harper boards a plane bound for the West Coast of Ireland. But once there, she finds she has unearthed dark secrets – secrets that tread the line between the everyday and the otherworldly, the seen and the unseen.
-
-
Finding your place when you’re so lost
- By Bobbi Stoffers on 08-05-24
By: Evie Woods
-
How to End a Love Story
- A Novel
- By: Yulin Kuang
- Narrated by: Katharine Chin, Andrew Eiden
- Length: 11 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Helen Zhang hasn’t seen Grant Shepard once in the thirteen years since the tragic accident that bound their lives together forever. Now a bestselling author, Helen pours everything into her career. She’s even scored a coveted spot in the writers’ room of the TV adaptation of her popular young adult novels, and if she can hide her imposter syndrome and overcome her writer’s block, surely the rest of her life will fall into place too. LA is the fresh start she needs. After all, no one knows her there. Except…
-
-
very good story
- By Jessi Johnson on 06-01-24
By: Yulin Kuang
-
Is She Really Going Out with Him?
- By: Sophie Cousens
- Narrated by: Kerry Gilbert
- Length: 11 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Columnist Anna Appleby has left her love life behind after a painful divorce. Who needs a man when she has two kids, a cat, and uncontested control of the TV remote? Besides, she’d rather be single than subject herself to the hell of online dating. But her office rival is vying for her column, and no column means no stable source of income. In a desperate attempt to keep her job, Anna finds herself pitching a unique angle: seven dates, all found offline, chosen by her children.
-
-
Meh
- By LMH on 12-04-24
By: Sophie Cousens
-
Frankie
- A Novel
- By: Graham Norton
- Narrated by: Graham Norton
- Length: 9 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Always on the periphery, looking on, young Frankie Howe was never quite sure enough of herself to take center stage—after all, life had already judged her harshly. Now old, Frankie finds it easier to forget the life that came before. Then Damian, a young Irish caretaker, arrives at her London flat, there to keep an eye on her as she recovers from a fall. A memory is sparked, and the past crackles into life as Damian listens to the story Frankie has kept stored away all these years.
-
-
The accents were amazing.
- By Karen Santos on 02-26-25
By: Graham Norton
-
Friends with Secrets
- A Novel
- By: Christine Gunderson
- Narrated by: Sarah Naughton, Andi Arndt
- Length: 12 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
What you see isn’t always what you get. Take Ainsley. The gorgeous mother of two lives a picture-perfect life with her husband, Ben—aspiring politician and heir to a candy fortune—in suburban Washington, DC. But in reality, Ainsley has no idea what she’s doing and is terrified someone will figure out who she really is and where she came from.
-
-
Characters
- By Amy Arnold on 10-17-24
What listeners say about Penelope in Retrograde
Highly rated for:
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amber
- 01-27-24
So much fun!
This was such a fun and brilliant book. I will be recommending this to everyone!!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Cas
- 12-22-23
Great story and characters
Fun story with great characters. Kept me engaged and went by fast. I was actually sad for it to end
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Susan Ry
- 04-12-24
Loved it!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The story is fun and the dialogue engaging. I laughed out loud numerous times. My eyes may have teared up just a little during some of the more tender family times. I highly recommend it!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Claudia
- 05-24-24
The bond between family
How long it took the main character to be more self aware of her actions
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- g lamas
- 03-21-24
Entitled
Had enough of two people who both want everything their way, entitled brats. Not rom/com at all.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Nancy A.
- 03-30-24
Not so much...
...at first. I had a hard time with the first 2-3 chapters but the book picked up from there for me. Its set in one of my favorite places to vacation so there is a little added attraction. If it weren't for a few of the better characters and the wonderful narrator I probably wouldn't have finished. Too much poor little rich girl/family problems.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Cheryl C
- 03-30-24
The performance was excellent
Great story great performance! definitely a five-star. An all around good fun listen.
And I need one more word...
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 01-18-25
What An Awesome Read!
I usually pay attention to where I am in the book I’m reading (listening to). This one caught me by surprise and I was very disappointed that the book was over!!!!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- BookDragonGirl
- 10-13-23
Witty, Heartbreaking and Heartwarming!!
This book was so good!!!!
I laughed, huffed, cried and swooned. And it left me feeling warm all over.
Penelope is such a relatable character. There were times I felt outraged for her with her family and ex-husband. But Penelope and her family learn, they all have to adjust their judgment and Penelope has to learn to let them in.
This was such a satisfying read. I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys RomComs, Contemporary Romance, Family Dynamics and Romance old and new!! The writing is terrific, the characters so vivid and interesting, and the plot flowed smoothly and was never dull.
The narrator did a wonderful job of capturing the characters!!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
9 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- JKW
- 03-21-24
Enjoyed it very much!
Very fun and funny. I totally related to the characters. It was quite an entertaining book which I highly recommend.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!