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I picked this book up on a whim, after reading about it in a Reese’s Book Club newsletter. I was about to go on a two-hour road trip and wasn’t really in the mood to listen to music or a podcast. I did a cursory read of the description and thought why not? I mean, Reese is recommending it, right? I like, no, love her movies. And, I’d like to think that her choice in movie roles and book reads are somewhat similar. I was oh-so-wrong and, yet, so right.
BOOK DETAILS
Title: Seven Days in June
Author: Tia Williams
Narrator: Mela Lee
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: 1 June 2021
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Format: Audiobook
Listening Time: 10 hours and 32 minutes
ABOUT THE BOOK (from the book)
Seven days to fall in love, 15 years to forget, and seven days to get it all back again…
Eva Mercy is a single mom and bestselling erotica writer who is feeling pressed from all sides. Shane Hall is a reclusive, enigmatic, award‑winning novelist, who, to everyone’s surprise, shows up in New York.
When Shane and Eva meet unexpectedly at a literary event, sparks fly, raising not only their buried traumas, but the eyebrows of the Black literati. What no one knows is that 15 years earlier, teenage Eva and Shane spent one crazy, torrid week madly in love. While they may be pretending not to know each other, they can’t deny their chemistry – or the fact that they’ve been secretly writing to each other in their books through the years.
Over the next seven days, amidst a steamy Brooklyn summer, Eva and Shane reconnect – but Eva’s wary of the man who broke her heart, and wants him out of the city so her life can return to normal. Before Shane disappears though, she needs a few questions answered…
With its keen observations of creative life in America today, as well as the joys and complications of being a mother and a daughter, Seven Days in June is a hilarious, romantic, and sexy‑as‑hell story of two writers discovering their second chance at love.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tia Williams is the bestselling author of THE ACCIDENTAL DIVA, the It Chicks series, and THE PERFECT FIND – which was adapted to a Netflix film starring Gabrielle Union. Seven Days in June was an instant New York Times and USA Today Bestseller, and Reese’s Book Club pick. A TV series adaptation is in development with Will Packer Productions.
Keep up with Tia Williams on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
ABOUT THE NARRATOR
Mela Lee is an American voice actress based in Los Angeles. She has voiced characters in a number of animated series, films, television shows, and video games.
Keep up with Mela Lee on Instagram and Twitter.
BOOK REVIEW
Story
I’ve often said that first love is probably the most powerful love, especially when it happens during your teen years because it’s so all-encompassing, everything is heightened due to the hormone rush, add into it trauma and that first love can be unforgettable and unforgiving. This is the case with Eva and Shane. They met as teenagers, each of them with unbearable home lives. Both grow up to become bestselling authors, their books subtle messages to each other. A “chance meeting” throws them back into each other’s lives, giving them a chance to right past wrongs, answer questions, get closure, or, perhaps, rekindle their romance as consenting adults without all the headiness of teenage passion.
I thought the plot was believable and moved at a pretty steady pace. The verbal banter between the characters was spot on — I’ve been in situations where I’ve reconnected with friends after an extended absence and it really has picked up like no time has passed. Even though both people have grown and changed, there are familiar patterns. I also thought the emotional tug of war was fairly accurate too. I can see people being torn between what was, what could have been, and what still may be.
And, last, but not least, there was humor in this story. Despite the touchy subjects, there were places where I genuinely laughed out loud.
Narration
This audiobook is narrated in whole by the talented Mela Lee. Mela Lee is an American voice actress who voices characters on a number of animated series, films, television shows, and video games. She did a great job of adapting her voice to fit the different characters. I could tell when one character ended and a new one began without the addition of “Eve said” or “said Shane,” which was nice. I especially liked the way she interpreted Eva’s daughter, Audre; I could hear and feel the mix of adolescent angst, exasperation, know-it-allness, and childishness in her voice. There were even points where I had to giggle because the voice reminded me so much of what I heard in my own kids’ voices when they were young. The pace of the reading was even and easy to follow. I’d definitely listen to other books narrated by Mela Lee.
If you like listening to books while driving or doing household chores, I recommend giving this a try. Just use earbuds because there’s a lot of spicy language. I mean, the opening sentence includes a vibrator and gum.
Overall
I honestly don’t know if Eve and Shane are good for each other, still, I couldn’t help rooting for them. Seeing them fight through all the messiness of the past and dealing with the realities of being a single mom with a debilitating illness (Eva) and a recovering addict with attachment issues (Shane) was both fascinating and insightful. The supporting characters were well-rounded and fully flushed out. I could picture them as real people doing and saying the things described in the book. Additionally, this book is written with Black characters and there is every bit of Black culture flowing through the words. I think having a Black voice actress contributed to the authenticness of the story.
I hope that Tia Williams will actually write a book about Eva’s family because I was wholly invested in that story.
Trigger Warnings
Sexual content. Drug use. Self-harm. Alcoholism. Murder.
IT’S YOUR TURN
Have you read this book? What are your thoughts? Let’s discuss in the comments below. If you haven’t, feel free to purchase the book using the link below.
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BOOKISH THINGS
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