Dog-Eared Life

De: Hannah Rae

Narrado por: Rob Connolly

Henrietta Jones is stuck. It’s almost as if she’s dog-eared a page in the big Book of Life. A page with familiar characters and a comfortable setting and a manageable plot… and even though she wants to find out what happens next, she is scared.

Kenny Russo is scared too. Not for the same reasons Henri is, but because he has never fallen for a girl quite like her. He wants to give all of himself to her, but each time he takes a step toward doing just that, Henri takes a step back.

Dog-Eared Life is a story of trust and vulnerabilities. It’s a story of acknowledging differences and accepting them. Skipping ahead isn’t an option. Neither is revisiting the past.

©2024 Hannah R Meeson (P)2025 Hannah R Meeson

I didn't see it coming!

First and foremost, this book is incredibly well-written.

Secondly, the characters are both lovable and relatable. I became so wrapped up in their lives that when the big reveal happened, I was actually taken aback! There were hints; I should have known! But... I was so enthralled with the entire story that I missed some of the clues.

This book is a must listen. The novel itself is wonderful. Hannah Rae has done a phenomenal job with character development and pacing. But Rob Connolly's narration is impressive. He provides a unique voice for each character and delivers each line PERFECTLY.

Five stars for the book, five stars for the narration, and five stars for the bonus material at the end. This novel was an absolute pleasure and I will definitely be listening to it again in the future.

A Must Listen! This Audiobook Has It All!

This book has everything that you could want: a romance, small-town charm, a colorful cast of characters, funny banter, and emotional depth. And that’s just the plot of Rae’s novel! The production and narration by Rob Connolly was amazing! He gave each character a distinct voice, accurately captured the tone of Rae’s narrative, and he even sang in parts of the audio! He brought the book to life! The audiobook also featured an original song, an interview with the author, as well as a full-length interview with Flannel Lobster! As an avid audiobook listener, I couldn’t have asked for more!

Music, beer, and friends. This is about knowing who you are, not where you're going. LGBTQIA+ friendly.

Following the members of the band Flannel Lobster as they welcome, new friends, learn who they are, and what really matters.

What you should know before reading:
Low stakes, easy read, mild humor, with strong home town vibes.

My favs:
Fun music references
Craft beer
People who truly care about each other
Definitely a comfort read
The formatting is really great with excerpts from an interview with the fictional band Flannels Lobster interspersed throughout.
(Audiobook version) The narrator has a pleasant voice and does a great job bringing the characters to life.

Dislikes (audiobook version):
The narrator sings some of the songs, it's not bad but not for me.
If you don't like the sound of people chewing skip chapter 26 entirely. You won't miss any critical plot points and it won't make you want to claw your face off.

Take aways:
Hannah Rae paints a world I would like to live in and I genuinely like the gents from Flannel Lobster. I will be following up this read with Hannah Rae's other books about this group, Kick it one more time and Uptempo, down.

So REAL, Relevant, So Thought Provoking, So Perfect!

Powerfully believable, life changing, life affirming, thought provoking and emotional: “Dog-Eared Life”, EVERY single moment deserves to be heard! I can’t believe how REAL these characters have become to me, how they have made me think, and how they have made me FEEL! Their stories, their personalities, their LIVES - When it comes to Lake Caywood, reality and fantasy have completely blurred and I can’t get enough! In “Dog-Eared Life” we get updated on everyone, BUT we get an in-depth, “behind the veil” expose’ into Henri and Kenny (or just “Russo” to most of us). I can’t share ANY details for fear of ruining the magic of this fabulous listen, but believe me when say, DO NOT SKIP THIS ONE, and while we’re at it, don’t race ahead, and don’t assume anything - just grab drinks, snacks, tissues and envelop yourself in THIS story! I listened twice through completely absorbed! I felt “as one” with the characters, feeling what they felt! As I let “Dog-Eared Life” consume me, our authors words transporting me to another world, I realized that THIS is the kind of world I want to belong to, I need to belong to! Speaking of hearing … I would be seriously remiss if I didn’t mention the out of this world narration! I had to go back and check the credits because I could not believe that this stunning story is narrated by one person - but lo and behold - IT IS, and it’s convincingly authentic, smooth flowing and five star fantastic! Every character has their own unique voice AND that voice fits their personality like a glove, but what totally blew me away was how PERFECTLY our narrator turns on a dime, rapidly switching back and forth BETWEEN perfectly voiced characters when MULTIPLE people are together speaking in the same scene. Emotions are also beautifully emoted through stunningly accurate vocal nuances that are never exaggerated, and never feel inauthentic, leaving no doubt in MY mind that this, THIS, is exactly how our author planned EVERYTHING about “Dog-Eared Life”! There is also an abundance of extra “goodies” included in this production that made my heart sing - lips sealed there too, but WOW, listen and see if you too don’t have reality vs fantasy issues 😉😉! I can only stress once again, seriously, please, do not skip ANYTHING in this fabulously perfect production. From the first beautifully narrated, powerfully perfect word to the last, FIVE fabulous stars, across all categories! This one needs to be heard!