Unfortunately I just couldn’t get on with the narrator, her voice was difficult to concentrate on and was a little childish for the book. I had to DNF this one at 15% as I just couldn’t follow the story.

I couldn't continue listening to thus one. Narrators voice went tight through me. Too high pitched and very grating.

I thought this was a fun romantic comedy that was easy to listen to whilst puttering about at home. I found the plot very appealing, because really who hasn’t fantasised about trying out different jobs and having a fresh start? I mostly liked the narrator though I did find the high pitched voice, for one character, rather annoying.

An easy read story following the fun and hardworking Ruby. After losing her job, she decided to take a year out to try various roles in an attempt to choose a new path. She meets lots of interesting people on the way with surprises at every turn. A perfect holiday read.

My thanks to W.F. Howes QUEST for a review copy via NetGalley of the unabridged audiobook edition of ‘Working It Out’ by Nicola May. It is narrated by Penny Scott Andrews and has a running time of 7 hours, 30 minutes at 1x speed.

“If you cannot work with love but with distaste, it is better that you should leave your work.” - Khalil Gibran.

When Ruby Matthews is made redundant from her marketing job just a few days before Christmas she is naturally worried about her future. Inspired by the above quote from Kahlil Gibran she decides to sign with a temp agency and take on 12 jobs over a 12 month period, hoping to find one that she can love and commit to.

So during the rest of the novel Ruby does just this becoming an auxiliary nurse at a retirement home for actors, an advisor at a Harley Street clinic, a nanny, a waitress, an event planner, and more. Meanwhile, she is struggling with various romantic situations.

This was a pleasant romantic comedy with some very funny episodes, though there were elements of Ruby’s lifestyle that I felt were ill advised. Still, reflecting on some of my own choices when her age, I am hardly in a position to comment on the love life of a fictional character.

I felt that the audiobook’s narrator, Penny Scott Andrews, did a good job of voicing the wide variety of characters in the novel. Yet at first I found the high pitched and cutesy voice attributed to Ruby a bit distracting even though I know that some women routinely speak in this kind of ‘baby doll’ voice.

I don’t listen to a great many romantic comedy audiobooks so this may be normal for characters in lighter fiction. Overall, it didn’t effect my enjoyment of the novel or audiobook.

The cover art is adorable.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

After loosing her job and high income just before Christmas she needs to find another job before she loses her home and has to live on budget baked beans. After reading a quote about loving her work she decides to try 12 different jobs in 12 months to see which job is her ideal job. We follow her job hunt and her crazy year. With lots of characters, friendships and romance this does have it all. I loved the book and it was a welcome escape full of fun and giggles. I listened to this book by audiobook and loved the narrator.

I’d like to take a moment to thank the publishers and netgalley for an audio arc in exchange of an honest review.

Trigger warning for the book: rape.

Firstly, I did not get along with the narrator at all. I know someone can’t help their voice but I didn’t gel with it. It’s very high pitched and childish and it grated on me a lot. I couldn’t take a character seriously who’s meant to be a professional adult but they talk like a primary school teacher.

Secondly, the main character is incredibly irritating and just bothered me. Every five seconds she talks about how her nether regions react to people she meets which made me uncomfortable. Can she not think about sex for five minutes?

Also, it really bothered me that she meets an attractive Black man and immediately asks him where he’s from. He says Guildford and she says no really. Now, perhaps he’s supposed to have an accent or something but this isn’t mentioned so there’s no reason I’d assume he wasn’t just from London like her. Seems a bit unnecessary and racist.

Finally, I heard there’s a rape scene in this and therefore I’m bowing out because there should be warnings for this.