by Samantha Markum
Narrated by Ellen Quay
Coming June 11, 2024!
(5 / 5)
Wyn is a college freshman who wants to be a journalist and works on the school’s newspaper. When a reporter position becomes available, it opens up a rivalry between her and Three, the other freshman working on the paper.
I had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook version of Love, Off the Record. I thought the narrator did a good job, with enjoyable pacing and expression. In some spots the mic seemed to pick up the narrator breathing, but it didn’t really take away from the story.
This was one of those books where I loved it so much, I was sad to see it end. I absolutely loved the characters and thought they felt realistic. The rivalry and banter between Wyn and Three were great, creating a tension that kept things interesting and provided for some fun moments along the way. While on the surface the story is a coming-of-age romance, it dives into a lot of deeper topics that characters have to overcome, such as finding their individual selves amidst family expectations and how low self-esteem and trust issues can affect relationships between people. There’s also a theme of Wyn struggling with being fat, which mostly portrayed a sense of body positivity while also highlighting the insecurities that come with it. The anonymous dating app storyline was pretty predictable, but I still liked how it helped see characters from a different angle. This was a story that I felt completely invested in, and it was really hard to put down! I’ll definitely be seeking out more books by Samantha Markum.
Thank you to Spotify Audiobooks and NetGalley for the free audiobook copy of Love, Off the Record! All opinions in my review are completely my own.
