Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan
Fiction
2026
Narrated by Julia Whelan
Finished on July 21, 2026
Rating: 4.5/5 (Very Good)
Publisher's Blurb:
Dolly Brick has never met a problem she couldn’t solve. Not when her mom left when she was twelve, and not at thirty-nine when she moves with her son back to Whitfield, Rhode Island, for the summer to keep her dad and brother from losing the family home.
So when she comes across Stewart Whitfield—annoyingly handsome scion of the Whitfield family—with a flat tire and at the wrong end of a very public, very humiliating breakup, it’s in her nature to help. But Stewart’s proposed arrangement ends up being more than either of them bargained for, because as public dinners and high-society benefits turn into sunset boat rides and kisses that hit her bloodstream like a ghost pepper, Dolly starts to feel something more than helpful. She’s never relied on anyone besides herself—can she really start now?
When asked what type of books I enjoy reading, I usually state that fiction (contemporary, literary, and historical) is my go-to, as well as mysteries and the occasional (very occasional) science fiction and horror. I also enjoy nonfiction, with memoir as my main focus. What I don't typically read is romance novels. I think that last book that I read that falls into this category is The Wedding People, which I classified as a "romantic comedy."
OK. Searching my blog for a similar book to Dolly All the Time, I came up with You Are Here by David Nicholls. And then when I searched for the audiobook narrator, Julia Whelan, I come up with several others. Thank You for Listening. Evvie Drake Starts Over. My Oxford Year. Book Lovers. Those titles reminded me also of Me Before You, Things You Save in a Fire, as well as The Lost and Found Bookshop. Obviously, I misspoke. Apparently, I do read romances! These mostly earn average (3/5) ratings from me, although there are a few that I loved (Me Before You, After You, and Still Me, all of which were written by Jojo Moyes).
Listening to this genre is pure brain candy, especially those read by Julia Whelan. She breathes life into each character, their voices distinctive and as unique as if narrated from an ensemble of readers. When a character is on the verge of tears, Whelan's voice cracks as though she is on the verge of breaking down. (And yes, I choked up more than once.) And when she reads a humorous scene, I chortle out loud, not at all concerned if anyone hears me.
Dolly All the Time is written by Annabel Monaghan, an author with whom I'm unfamiliar, but I will most certainly read more from her backlist. As with most "romances," the usual tropes (fake dating, as well as rich man--poor woman) can't be ignored, and the storyline is not without predictability, but I was thoroughly entertained.
Recommend!
Glad to hear your thoughts on this one, Les. I know that many others have enjoyed the read and it has an enormous hold list at our local libraries. It evidently suits a bunch of readers and I agree that Julia Whelan is a very talented narrator. Will keep it in mind when I'm in the mood for a romance. Have a good weekend!
ReplyDeleteKay, I can see how this one is so popular. Lots of word-of-mouth, I suspect. I'm looking forward to reading more by the author. Hope you have a nice weekend, too!
DeleteI really enjoy Julia Whelan's narration. I don't think I've listened to a large number of her audiobooks but she stands out as one of my favorites anyway. I need to read one of the books she actually wrote herself.
ReplyDeleteJen, Whelan is a great audiobook narrator. She's one of my favorites. Of the two books that I've read that she's written, I enjoyed Thank You For Listening better than My Oxford Year.
DeleteJulia Whelan is a fantastic narrator! I just got a copy of this but now wish I'd gotten the audiobook. Argh!
ReplyDeleteHelen, you could always reread it on audio some day. Or maybe gift the book to someone and get the audio from the library.
DeleteI need to go look for this one. I would say (without looking it up) that I don't read a lot of romances that I enjoy a lot, but if I did research this, I, like you, would probably find that I am mistaken about myself!
ReplyDeleteDeb, I checked the Goodreads rating for this one and wasn't surprised by its high rating (4.36). I wonder if you'll read and enjoy it. I look forward to trying more by the author.
DeleteDarn! We don't have it at our library. Our county system's budget was cut this year, sadly, and it's much harder for me to get books from our library than it used to be. I have to see if I can find it at a nearby library.
DeleteOh, too bad, Deb! It was really worthwhile. So much so that I'm now trying another "romance" by a different author. Who am I?!?!
DeleteNow I've got to listen to this one too! You mentioned several books that I really enjoyed--fun, interesting, easy--I didn't recognize the reader's name, but the voice cracking was a definite memory jog! I like Romance as long as it isn't too predictable or cloying.
ReplyDeleteJane, this one wasn't too predictable. Give it a try and see what you think.
DeleteEvery once in a while - a romance or rom com novel can hit the right spot. It depends if they're done well. I thought Me Before You was a good one. This seems like a nice summer kind of read at the beach or on the deck. Glad for your report.
ReplyDeleteSusan, this really did hit the right spot. Yes, a perfect beach read.
DeleteBrain candy for sure, and I loved it! You Are Here and The Wedding People scratched the same itch. I think I need to start a list of possibilities for the next time that mood strikes...
ReplyDeleteJoAnn, did you read that You Are Here is being adapted for tv, starring Claire Foy and Matthew Macfadyen? It will be an 8-part series, filmed in the Lake District, which I think is great! As far as romantic reads, I'm eager to try more, too.
DeleteYes, I'm already looking forward to that adaptation!
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