My Oxford Year

My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan
Fiction
Read by the author
2018 HarperAudio
Finished on February 1, 2020
Rating: 3/5 (Good)

Publisher's Blurb:

Set amidst the breathtaking beauty of Oxford, this sparkling debut novel tells the unforgettable story about a determined young woman eager to make her mark in the world and the handsome man who introduces her to an incredible love that will irrevocably alter her future—perfect for fans of JoJo Moyes and Nicholas Sparks.

American Ella Durran has had the same plan for her life since she was thirteen: Study at Oxford. At 24, she’s finally made it to England on a Rhodes Scholarship when she’s offered an unbelievable position in a rising political star’s presidential campaign. With the promise that she’ll work remotely and return to DC at the end of her Oxford year, she’s free to enjoy her Once in a Lifetime Experience. That is, until a smart-mouthed local who is too quick with his tongue and his car ruins her shirt and her first day.

When Ella discovers that her English literature course will be taught by none other than that same local, Jamie Davenport, she thinks for the first time that Oxford might not be all she’s envisioned. But a late-night drink reveals a connection she wasn’t anticipating finding and what begins as a casual fling soon develops into something much more when Ella learns Jamie has a life-changing secret.

Immediately, Ella is faced with a seemingly impossible decision: turn her back on the man she’s falling in love with to follow her political dreams or be there for him during a trial neither are truly prepared for. As the end of her year in Oxford rapidly approaches, Ella must decide if the dreams she’s always wanted are the same ones she’s now yearning for.

I didn't recognize Julia Whelan's name when I heard it mentioned in a recent podcast (What Should I Read Next, Episode #209), but after doing a little research, I discovered that she's the reader for The Great Alone, an audiobook I listened to a couple of years ago. I also learned that she played Sela Ward's daughter, Grace, in Once and Again, a TV series that I used to watch in the late 90s. I enjoyed her audio performance of her debut novel, My Oxford Year, and was impressed with her ability to create unique and distinguishable voices for all of the characters in her book. The novel held my interest and was entertaining, but I kept thinking it was a little too similar to Jojo Moyes' outstanding novel, Me Before You. One could compare plot points, but that's where the similarities end. Unlike Moyes' book, My Oxford Year didn't move me, nor did it leave me broken-hearted for the characters' pain and suffering. Whelan's story, while entertaining, is predictable and underwhelming. For those seeking a light and breezing read, My Oxford Year has all the makings of a decent beach read.