The Latecomers Fan Club

By: Diane V. Mulligan

Narrated by: Becket Royce

Length: 6 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's Summary

What is it about guys with guitars in their hands that makes them so irresistible, even when they are obviously self-centered jerks? If Abby and Maggie could answer that question, maybe they could finally get over Nathaniel. There's just something about him when he picks up his guitar and gets behind the microphone, something that makes sensible women act like teenyboppers instead of rational, self-respecting adults.

Abby was first sucked in by Nathaniel's rock 'n' roll swagger four years ago when a drunken fling turned into a series of drunken hook-ups that became something like a relationship. Now, as New Year's Eve promises a fresh start, she wants to believe he's finally going to grow up and take their relationship seriously.

What does Nathaniel hope the New Year will bring? An escape from the disappointing realities of his life. He's 34 years old and he's barely making ends meet as an adjunct philosophy professor, which was always only a backup plan anyway. Nathaniel's real goal was always to make his living as a musician, but his band, The Latecomers, broke up a couple of years ago, and he hasn't picked up his guitar in months.

When he decides to spend the holiday with some high school friends instead of hanging out at the bar where Abby works, he gets the happy surprise of reuniting with his long-lost friend Maggie. Newly divorced, Maggie has just moved back to her mother's house to regroup. Nathaniel and Maggie were supposed to be the ones who left Worcester forever to conquer the world. He was going to be a rock star. She was going to take the world of art by storm. He's never gotten farther than Boston, and her best efforts only left her broke and heartbroken. As they ring in the New Year together, Nathaniel decides it's time to take control of his life and to start making his dreams come true. He thinks the first step will be easy. All he needs to do is break up with Abby and finally admit his feelings for Maggie.

©2013 Diane V. Mulligan (P)2014 Diane V. Mulligan

This was weird

Maggie and Abby in love with the same rock star. Nat was just weird. He was way past being a teenager yet he was still acting like one. Then both women were old enough to know what they needed in life. I was given this book via audiobook boom. I am not sure of what to think about any of these three people.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Not What I Expected

For whatever reason, I guess I expected this to be a YA story, maybe because of the description. Rock band hunk, misunderstood and long suffering and the women who pine away for him blah, blah, blah ( I am a sucker for those ). It wasn't like that at all.
The characters in this story are in their 30's and all three are coming to the grim realization that the life they dreamed of and were sure they would have has not happened. The sand in the hourglass has more than begun its' second half descent.

Abby and Maggie both love Nathaniel (in this case the rockstar hunk who is not so hunky anymore), Maggie since high school and Abby since she met him four years ago when his band was playing at the bar where she works. What unfolds over the course of the book is what happens when we are forced to open our eyes and really take inventory of where are lives are now, decide where we are headed and make the hard choices about what we want, what we wish we had, and what is actually attainable.

I did love the story. Becket Royce did a fantastic job as the narrator. She came across as down to earth and told the story. What I mean by that is, she really made me feel what the author had intended without being over the top. I think her style of narration was perfect for this book.

This audiobook was gifted to me through Audibook Blast for an honest review.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

An excellent story with believable characters

Any additional comments?

THE LATECOMER'S FAN CLUB

Author: Dianne V. Mulligan

Type of Book: Audiobook - Unabridged

Narrator: Beckett Royce

Length: 6 hours, 10 minutes

Genre: Literary Fiction, Women's Fiction

Release Date: November 24, 2014

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Abby is definitely not living her dream life. In fact, her life kind of sucks. She works at a dumpy bar and lives in a dumpy apartment. Her boyfriend of several years is basically a self-centered jerk who doesn't appreciate her and takes her for granted. The only bright spot in her life is that she shares her dumpy apartment with her best friend since childhood, Brianna. But, Brianna is engaged to be married and soon Abby will be on her own.

Maggie thought she had everything she ever wanted. She had moved away from her small hometown and travelled to California. She had dreamed of becoming an artist, but she met a rich man, married him and gave up her artistic dreams to live a different dream: the dream of a life filled with domestic bliss. Except the dream of bliss turned out not to be as great as she had hoped. Now, she is divorced and has moved home to live with her mother, and her mother's boyfriend while she figures out what to do with the rest if her life.

Nathaniel too had big dreams. He was going to make it big as a musician with his band called THE LATECOMERS. But real life has a habit of getting in the way of dreams. Now in his thirties he is stuck teaching philosophy to bored community college students. He isn't even a tenured professor. In fact, he teaches classes at three different colleges just to make ends meet and his band is no longer together.

Nathaniel and Abby have been a couple for many years. Initially they met at the bar where Abby works and where The Latecomers played once a week at Open Mike Night.

But, Nathaniel and Abby have vastly different outlooks on their relationship.

When a crisis arises and a person from the past re-enters their lives, Abby, Nathaniel and Maggie must all decide exactly what they want to do with the rest of their lives. In other words: they all have to finally grow up.

The character development throughout this audiobook is phenomenal. Listeners will find themselves caring about the main characters and becoming invested in their lives. The test of a great work of fiction (in my opinion) is when the reader (or in this case, the listener) is completely absorbed by the story. There are times when I wished I could yell at both Abby and Maggie and times I wished I could literally slap some sense into Nathaniel.

Another thing I liked about THE LATECOMER'S FAN CLUB was it's believability. Most people will be able to relate to the characters and to the situations they find themselves in throughout the book. It seems that more and more adult children are moving back in with their parents after having moved out years before. I have many coworkers whose children are once again living at home in their late twenties or early thirties.

Beckett Royce is a wonderful narrator. She has the sort of voice that regular people can relate to. She uses inflection and tone expertly to convey the emotions and ideas being portrayed in the story. It is evident that she read the book (probably more than once) before she began the process of narration. This is one of the reasons that the audiobook flows so well.

I rate this audiobook as 5 out of 5 stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

* I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Eros, Filia, Agapi!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, I would. It is a wonderful book with real characters, not the perfect type (guy especially) that usually comes with the cover. Nathaniel was full of flaws, arrogant, narcissist, and even though I really believe he can make a good father, he wasn't a 'catch' I should say.

What did you like best about this story?

I liked the down to earth complexion of the main characters of the book, Abby, Nathaniel and Maggie, their real struggles, jobs, the REAL life that can happen to any of us. I also LOVED the last part where Nathaniel explains the three different Greek words for love, and as I am Greek this part of the book was very touching and sentimental for me!

Which character – as performed by Becket Royce – was your favorite?

Becket Royce has a wonderful voice and I loved all of her performance. She gave life to the characters and she really is amazing.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, but I couldn't so I've settled in two!

Any additional comments?

I received this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts opinions and ratings are my own. I was under no obligation to post a review or give positive feedback.I hope this review was useful to you and helped your decision to read or not read this book. I love reading and sharing my opinions with other readers. Thank you very much Diane V. Mulligan and Becket Royce for this book.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

The late comers

What did you like best about this story?

“The Latecomers Fan Club” reminded me a bit of books by author like Jodi Picoult, where the human element is at the main theme and makes the book interesting. Readers who enjoy those J. Picoult will enjoy this as well.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Really human story

What did you love best about The Latecomers Fan Club?

I really liked the character development of the various characters. Everyone had their own needs, past and motives for their actions that were engaging.

If you could take any character from The Latecomers Fan Club out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Ugh ... Nathaniel ... so, I could give him a swift kick (and make him pick up the check!)!

Any additional comments?

I really enjoyed Becket Royce's performance. Really smooth and easy to listen to ... engaging and each character was specific without ever going over the top. My only complaint was that sometimes it felt like a chapter didn't end ... often there wasn't a sense of finality to the last line of a chapter and I would be listening for the next thought ... and then realize that "oh, it's a new chapter now." But that is super nit-picky ... but it did take me out of the storytelling a few times.

good perspective and honesty

Where does The Latecomers Fan Club rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I liked the sincerity of the book and much better than others for a love story.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

the end was a little unexpected so I was satisfied mostly but a happy ending is preferable :D of course. Something happily unexpected would be better for characters.

What about Becket Royce’s performance did you like?

Yes wonderful. Perfect and sincere toning.

Who was the most memorable character of The Latecomers Fan Club and why?

the pregnant girl of course. She reflected the doubts and uncertaintl and insecurity of the girls in common in society.

Any additional comments?

The characters were really living and I could see them in front of my eyes as real life ones. Thats what made me like the book.

A pleasant, character-driven surprise

What did you love best about The Latecomers Fan Club?

Abby is a put-upon girlfriend, stuck in a job and a relationship she struggles to see as anything but dead ends. Nathaniel is her arrogant, cynical boyfriend, a washed-up college philosophy professor who drank his dreams away long ago. Maggie is Nathaniel's high-school sweetheart, newly divorced and living in her parents' house while she tries to rebuild her life.

The book gives voice to each of these characters, allowing life's everyday challenges to percolate through three very different, skillfully nuanced perspectives.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

These folks live in and near Boston--let's hear some fun accents!

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

::SPOILER ALERT:: I punched the air in triumph when Maggie finally looked Nathaniel in the eye and realized that he loved his high-school dreams of her more than he loved her as a real, breathing adult. And then, at last, she walked away.

Any additional comments?

This book surprised me. Nathaniel's arrogance, narcissism, and general douchebaggery nearly drove me away twice. But I'm glad I stuck with the book. The character development in the third act was deeply satisfying, and I was relieved to find that not every loose end got tidily tied up.

What if ?????

Any additional comments?

I received this Audiobook for free in exchange for a full and honest review.

Abby works as a bartender, she has worked in the same bar for a few years now, this is where she met Nathaniel (NEVER Nate!!) 4 years ago and has a one night stand with him, this then turns into more than one night and Abby turns into a booty call for Nathaniel, and much more for Abby.

Nathaniel is the guitarist in The Latecomers, he is convinced that one day they will make it to the big time, and even though this doesn’t happen Abby supports Nathaniel because she is in love with him.

As Nathaniel has to get himself a job at a few colleges to pay for his bills he realises that he will not be a superstar one day and starts drinking, again Abby puts up with this because she loves him, Nathaniel isn’t bothered either way to be honest, Abby is convenient but Nathaniel can’t be bothered to let her go.

Maggie used to be best friends with Nathaniel, there was always a slight spark between them but nothing really ever happened, she moved away and got marries to a rich guy, she is now recently divorced and back in town, as she has moved in with her mother to help with her bills.

On New Year’s Eve the story really starts to take a turn as all of the stories start to entwine together, Abby works that night at the bar, Maggie goes to a house party, Nathaniel is there……….

I liked this story, it kind of like “The grass isn’t always greener” book or “my life wasn’t supposed to be like this.”

Narration was really easy to understand, the voices were never rushed and I was easily able to distinguish them all.

Astronaut Icecream and Drunk Dialing

"The Latecomers Fan Club" was an interesting listen. I like the way each character or the main characters had their own chapters. Abby, Maggie, AND Nathaniel. I wasn't sure how I felt about the characters. I think the girls orbited around the narcissistic guitarist who are in fact his fan club. Abby was my favorite and Nathaniel WAS a jerk. There were also great supporting characters.

I think this was a well put together book that didn't pull any punches. The characters were all introduced nicely with a natural setting. They were like people you know or have known. They were relatable. The story as a whole came off naturally which I liked.

Overall I enjoyed listening to this audiobook written by Diane V. Mulligan and hope to hear more from her in the future.

About the narrator: Beckett Royce has a wonderful voice. She worked through this audiobook fluently with great control. There were no long pauses or distractions. She had perfect voice inflections and I always knew who was speaking.

Audiobook gifted in exchange for review.