The Memory Keeper

A Heartwarming, Feel-Good Romance

By: Jenny Hale

Narrated by: Melie Williams

Length: 8 hrs and 13 mins

Publisher's Summary

From the USA Today best-selling author of The Summer House comes a story about lost loves, chasing dreams, and the people who show up when they're needed the most.

Hannah Townsend has the perfect job at a New York magazine, a small but elegant apartment in the Upper West Side, and a successful beau named Miles Monahan. This year, she’s leaving the icy city sludge for sunshine! She’s got tickets for two to Barbados, and she’s meeting Miles at the airport for a week of cocktails, sandy beaches, and the music of steel drums.

But her life is turned upside down in the span of that one morning. Hannah is rocked by the news that her beloved grandmother is very sick, and Hannah needs to come home to her small Tennessee town right away to be with her family and help run her gran’s dilapidated flower shop. If that isn’t enough to deal with, she discovers her boyfriend is seeing someone else.

On her birthday, she finds herself packed into a car on a ride-share to her hometown of Franklin, Tennessee. When everything seems to be going wrong, it’s the kindness of a handsome man from Hannah’s past named Liam McGuire that might just save her. But a new development that threatens Gran’s shop and secrets surrounding Liam could alter both their lives forever.

©2021 Jenny Hale (P)2021 Jenny Hale

life changed happens when least expected....

For me this was more than a romance. This was about more than the loss of a relationship and finding a new one. Hannah found herself. Okay. Let's be real for a moment. She finds more than herself, but that was the important part first. Then she dive in and be about Liam. Liam was another unexpected in Hannah's life. How she deals with it will be another memory for her to keep.

Melie Williams was a new narrator for me. I enjoy the cadence and inflection points. The narration was not flat.

You can go home again...

This is the first book I have listened to by the author and it will not be the last. It is the perfect feel-good story that reminds one of watching a Lifetime or Hallmark movie. Hannah works for a magazine in New York and lives on the Upper West Side. Adding to her life is her boyfriend, Miles, who she planned a romantic birthday getaway to Barbados. However, nothing seems to be going as expected. First, she receives a phone call that upends her entire world and Hannah radically changes her plans to get to her hometown to see her sick grandmother. Second, she spots her boyfriend surrounded by another woman and third, she bumped into a person from her past, Liam. Will the worst day of her life lead her to something she never expected but become what she needed? Overall, this is one well written storyline with complex characters who are brought to life by the vocal stylings of Melie Williams. This is the first book I have heard by Ms. Williams and she has a melodic voice that shows its dexterity as she crafts the different characters with their southern accents and other nuances. What stands out is Hannah’s journey of self-discovery as to what is truly serving her and what she really wants. One also gets the feeling of you can go home again no matter what. I look forward to hearing more from this narrator and reading more by the author.

A feel-good story

This is the second novel I've read by Jenny Hale and I enjoyed it as much as the first. If you like sweet stories about family, friends, and love, you will love The Memory Keeper!

The narrator, Melie Williams, has a great voice and is easy to listen to. Lots of great emotion and a variety of voices.

Highly Recommended!

Jenny excels in world building and writing characters that stay with the reader long after the end of the story.

Melie Williams shines as the narrator of a beautifully written story.

Excellent read!

The Memory Keeper

The Memory Keeper - Jenny Hale
Narrated by Melie Williams 

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review thanks to Harpeth Road Press

Hannah Townsend has the perfect job at a New York magazine, a small but elegant apartment in the Upper West Side, and a successful beau named Miles Monahan. This year, she’s leaving the icy city sludge for sunshine! She’s got tickets for two to Barbados, and she’s meeting Miles at the airport for a week of cocktails, sandy beaches, and the music of steel drums.

But her life is turned upside down in the span of that one morning. Hannah is rocked by the news that her beloved grandmother is very sick, and Hannah needs to come home to her small Tennessee town right away to be with her family and help run her gran’s dilapidated flower shop. If that isn’t enough to deal with, she discovers her boyfriend is seeing someone else.

On her birthday, she finds herself packed into a car on a ride-share to her hometown of Franklin, Tennessee. When everything seems to be going wrong, it’s the kindness of a handsome man from Hannah’s past named Liam McGuire that might just save her. But a new development that threatens Gran’s shop and secrets surrounding Liam could alter both their lives forever.

I was lucky enough to listen to the audiobook version of The Memory Keeper and I think that the voice of Melie really added to the enjoyment of this book. I was touched by the family feel of this book, Hannah has missed so much in the lives of her family and friends and yet she is still welcomed home. 

I think this book is one of the most relatable books I have found recently. The characters are well written and the character development is done slowly and realistically. Throughout the book there are many potentially life-changing decisions that need to be made and all of the characters must find a way to work together to overcome the obstacles they face, whilst making new memories.

Like the other Jenny Hale books I have read, this book left me with a warm and cosy feeling. I can see this being adapted for a TV movie. 

Rating 5/5

Narrator sounds as if she is yelling

The narrator is terrible. I usually like Jenny Hale, but I cannot get past the narrator. She sounds whiny with no true inflection. I am in the middle of chapter 1 and cannot tolerate the narrator any further. I will be returning this book.

Narrated

She spoke is such a high pitch tone. But overall a good book. Will recommend

Lovely

I started this and then stopped because I underwent emergency surgery. So I took a break to listen to a bunch of old favorites – because narcotics & book reviews don’t mix y’all. I’m on the less potent stuff now and diving back into my TBL.

This turned out to be the perfect book at the perfect time for me. While some heavy subjects are covered, this didn’t feel angsty at all. This is so much more than a romance, it’s really a woman coming to terms with whether or not all the achievements and goals she originally set for herself are still what she wants. Discovering that the town she left behind didn’t forget about her even when she neglected them.

Hale does a wonderful job of introducing the listener to Hannah on one of the worst days of her life. You can’t help but want her to find happiness, security, and love – in all it’s forms. There’s a fantastic road trip, a consecutive storyline featuring her gran’s journal, a family reunion, old & new friends, and an intriguing single dad. Lots of small town feel goods to go around. Hannah is a bit of a fixer and in giving wisdom to others, she reminds herself of what’s really important.

Also, I adore books with kids in them. Liam and his son make a wonderful addition to the story and Hannah’s world. As a closed door romance there isn’t anything more than a few kisses, but Hale builds a wonderful relationship between Liam & Hannah.

I loved the ending and the epilogue. While this completely stands on it’s own and there wasn’t any overt indication it would be a series – I can see how Hale could bring us more lovely stories from this small town and flower shop.

Narration:
Melie Williams is a new narrator to me – but I’m so excited to have discovered her. She was a great choice for this book and I love her performance. She is terrific as Hannah but also captures the nuances of the other characters and keeps everyone consistent. I’m looking forward to hearing more of her work.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from the author/publisher and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Warm and romantic.

Enjoyed listening to this audio book, it kept me company whilst cooking and during my workouts. The narrator was great, I loved the American accent and the story was amazingly cosy and beautifully written. Five stars to this warm and romantic masterpiece.