my life as a country album

my life as an album, book 1

By: LJ Evans

Narrated by: Sarah Puckett

Length: 10 hrs and 13 mins

Publisher's summary

They said we were soulmates...and we were. Even the stars agreed. But fate did not....

Tomboy Cam Swayne is determined that football hero, Jake Phillips, keeps his eyes firmly on her. After all, she’s been his since before she was born. 

Cam has grown up so close to Jake that it’s as if she’s his left arm. They’ve played together on the street and at the lake since she could walk. Plus, they’ve saved each other in some pretty miraculous ways that even their parents found hard to believe. So, it’s only natural that, when hormones kick in, Cam feels like Jake belongs only to her. 

Jake doesn’t admit it to anyone, but he’s only himself when the girl next door is at his side. Even though he’s three years older than her and there’s a whole string of reasons for them not to be together, he can’t seem to walk away from the one girl who makes him feel whole. 

But what happens when it’s not just the long line of “gaggling geese” following him around that gets in Cam’s way? What happens when it’s the illness that Jake hides from everyone? Will Cam ever get the happily ever after she’s looking for? 

"Loving you was a race I was determined to win." 

Inspired by Taylor Swift songs, comes the award-winning coming-of-age novel about aching love and loss and learning to live again.

©2014 Laura J Evans (P)2023 Laura J Evans

Heart-wrenching yet beautiful

This story is so beautiful yet heart breaking. This story moved me in ways I did not think possible. It has been almost a month since I read this book and it is still at the forefront of my mind whenever I listen to music. L.J. Evans has a way of connecting real life events to songs we hear everyday that I have never seen done before. To this day, this book still affects my heart. I even find it hard to write this review without getting emotional. It is absolutely amazing and ripped me apart in the most beautiful way possible.

The narration was beyond perfect. The way Sarah brings out all of the emotions with her voice is something that brings this audiobook to the next level. Her southern accent and male voice are absolutely amazing and make this audio even better!

Not what I was expecting

This is the first book I've read/listened to by LJ Evans. It was excellent. Tissues. You'll need tissues for this one. But before we get needing them, you'll smile and laugh a lot. It was such a sweet story of being in love from the beginning of life. The characters were wonderful. This is definitely "to be read again" material! I didn't want it to end.

Sarah Puckett is an AMAZING narrator. She always is and that's why she's a favorite narrator. She performed with such emotion. Brought this to life.

First Love must read

I absolutely loved this story! Sarah Puckett did an amazing job narrating! She had me in all my emotions! I laughed, I cried, I was angry, and I was in love as I listened to this book!

WOW!!!

This story is absolutely amazing. It was astray from my normal reading/listening. I tend to gravitate toward rom/com, but I enjoyed this so much. I won the audio version in a giveaway and I’m so glad. The narrator was perfect. I can’t recommend this enough.

Warning! Tear Jerker!

This is my first book by this author and narrator. I'm not a country music fan at all but as I got into the story it really didn't matter. I didn't get the references but I didn't care. This story starts off right into a memory and your not sure at first what's going on. But by the 2nd chapter you are fully engrossed in these children's lives. and then adolescents and then adulthood. I'm not a teaser writer and I don't like spoilers but make sure your not in public after 2/3 through. Trust me. I listened to this while working and I had to go into the bathroom and have a good old cry!! It's been a good 5 yrs since a book made me cry let alone ball. Just thinking about it for hours and hours after I still could just start to cry. Don't let that stop you from experiencing this book. I couldn't recommend it more. Sometimes a good cry is cathartic and this book is the medicine to help bring on the release.

Truly award-worthy!

Wow, this audiobook was incredibly emotional. It left me with a feeling of having my heart ripped out and stomped on… I couldn’t stop! Obviously I have some type of obsession with hurting my heart. I haven’t read or listened to LJ Evans previously but I’m so happy that I’ve forced myself into trying new authors and new genres. This is one of those hidden gems that have been right in front of me the entire time.

Miss Evans creates her characters so deeply and so layered that I felt as if I knew them. I found myself occasionally laughing out-loud at some antics or banter. I also found myself tearing up several times. I’m not huge into coming of age stories, I mean, mine was hard enough. However, I was quickly immersed into My Life as a Country Album. It’s deeply layered in friends and family and really showcases the fears and problems family show while really sharing that love.

Sarah Puckett is a fabulous narrator! While this book is told in both male and female POVs, the book is narrated by Miss Puckett only. However, for once, this doesn’t bother me. I generally enjoy a male/female narration when the book calls for it. But Puckett creates enjoyable male voices that are very believable. She also gives us an excellent southern accent that’s a total hoot! I can’t wait to listen to more from her.

#AudiobookObsession

Fun and heartbreaking

From the start I knew in my heart what was going to happen. It still did not stop the tears from coming when it did. There were some fun silly parts go to with the heartbreaking parts. There is a HEA ending.

Loved it

My Life as a Country Album is a heart-breakingly beautiful story that you will not be able to get off your mind. This story consumed me and I listened to it all in one go. I really could not put it down.
This young adult novel is the story of Cam and Jake and their life together from childhood, as narrated by Cam and from her point of view. It was inspired by Taylor Swift songs and every chapter was titled after a country song followed by one or two of the song lines relevant to the chapter.
This is a story about friendship, love, and loss, a coming of age novel that will evoke a range of intense emotions from you. From the start I loved these characters. They were so likable and you became invested in their story in no time. A story that was so well-written, you felt each and every emotion the characters were going through. I've never had a book affect me as much as this novel did. This story broke me. I could not stop crying. But then it made me smile and gave me a HEA ending I did not expect but was so overjoyed to get.
I listened to the audible version of this novel. It was narrated by Sarah Puckett whose voice perfectly suited this story. She was able to shift from one character to the next effortlessly, was able to capture the emotions of the characters with ease and she really brought the story to life.
This gut-wrenching novel was captivating and unforgettable. I was a phenomenal read and I would give it 10 stars if possible. I loved it and would highly recommend it.
#AudiobookObsessionReviewer

Sweet wonderful listen

I thought that I reviewed this already but missed it somehow. Really throughly enjoyed this book and loved Sarah Pukkett’s Performance. Sarah your voice is growing so much and you can really rock both male and female voices now! You helped bring this book to life, it was an emotional book with all the feelings and I loved that it was realistic. It was a welcome surprise to see that it followed the characters throughout their lives and it made my heart warm, bleed, and start again and again.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

A beautiful story!

This was a very heartfelt story that touched on both the joys and sorrows of a romance that started as a childhood crush to the love of a lifetime.
I loved the storyline! That being said, it was a little longer than what I think it needed to be. Did it make me cry? Absolutely! Did it have an HEA? Yes! Was the narration amazing? Definitely yes, it was brilliant. I would recommend this book!

A Beautiful Love Story & Great Listen!🎧

Wow, LJ Evans writes and gives us an amazing & moving story, filled with love, friendship, laughs, drama, finding oneself, losing oneself and learning to live again. Great character development and storylines. I thought the leads, Cami & Jake, and their special relationship was awesome, as are many of the secondary characters. This is a beautiful that tugs at your heart, I highly recommend reading it & listening to the Audiobook. Do have tissues handy! LJ Evans, that you for this great story

I listened to the Audible edition, the narrator, Sarah Puckett delivers a superb performance!! She is a natural talent, it was like she was the lead character telling her story, you can hear & feel the raw emotion in her voice which enhanced this great story even more. Sarah Puckett, thank you for another great listen!! You are a star!!

Thank you 🎧AudiobookObsession

Emotionally Wrenching!

Like Cammie in this story, I'm not the type to get blubbery or cry over things. This book had me blubbery though. It was such a beautifully portrayed story. I loved the way that the book was directed at Jake. It made the book more personal, more emotional. The narrator did a great job at adding emotional depth to the story as well. I would like to read the rest of this series. I'd like to read other books by this author as well. I fully recommend this book. Very beautiful.

So moving!

Wow! This book is so powerful and the narration is phenomenal. It's written as Cam talking to Jake, which at first threw me off but I quickly fell into it and was captured by the story. Theirs is a love story of epic proportions and all the little details that connected them in every way. While I loved the way we got to see them together right from the start and grow up together, I did feel like the beginning years were a little bit drawn out and slow moving. I think some of that could have been sped along a little bit more. The tie-ins to the Taylor Swift songs were great and because I'm a big fan, I had some much fun matching each chapter to her songs.

Sarah Puckett gave a great performance and I thought she had just the right amount of drawl and twang for the story, it reminded me SO much of my friend from South Dakota, I swear it could have been her talking. This is a heart wrenching but beautiful love story.

A Love Story with a Mighty Fine Tune

It has taken me a few days to gather myself and get it together. I’m not usually one who goes for sappy, cry my eyes out, however, when the opportunity presented itself, I’m glad I took it. My Life As a Country Album is the type of story that is both beautiful and tragic. It was a love to last throughout the ages, the type of love everyone searches for. Cam and Jake were meant to be together and as you read about how they went through life at each stage in their life, you get so emotionally invested that you end up at your desk crying and you can’t explain why. (Mostly because you’ve been crying too hard and you can’t speak, or too embarrassed to tell anyone why you’re you’re crying!)

You fall in love with Cam and Jake from the very beginning. They are absolutely relatable and adorable. LJ Evans is new to me and I have to say the writing was spectacular. Let’s not forget the narration by Sarah Puckett! She truly brings every character to life with personality and vulnerability. What also made this interesting is this story was told to the catalog of Taylor Swift. There were a few songs I wasn’t familiar with and this book made me intrigued enough to take a listen. I can’t wait to read the next one!

there are no words

this is a really difficult review to write, not because this book was bad but because it was SO good! this book had me hooked as soon as started it , not many books can do that, it really spoke to me and hit me right in the feels , possibly the best book I've ever had the pleasure of reading/listening , it starts off from Cam telling the story of her and Jake from when they were born, growing up together and how he made her, I don't want to give too much away but you have to listen to this book ! if someone asked me to recommend just one book , this would be it
I laughed, I cried, I couldn't stop smiling .
there are no words to how much I loved this book , it was beautiful.

What a beautiful Story

I loved everything about this book. Thank you L J Evans for such a beautiful bittersweet story. It was written as a letter/story by Cam and a genius way! It felt so personal, she took you through her life on a rollercoaster of emotions. Thank you Sarah Puckett you were Cam! You are such an amazing Narrator such fantastic characterisation!

All the feels

Sarah Puckett made this come to life. LJ Evans wrote a phenomenal story. Have tissues handy.

Beautiful story

A beautiful story that worms it’s way into your heart and soul. It won’t be soon forgotten.

Raw untethered emotional story.

What an emotional story! So raw and untethered. A heartbreakingly beautiful second chance coming of age story.
Cami and Jake were always fated to be together until it ended before they had a real life together.
This only 4 stars because it was hard to get into as Cami telling their story. I’m glad I didn’t let it deter me and story itself was beautiful.

The narration by Sarah Puckett was flawless.

Oh my breaking heart 💔

There are not many books that make me cry in that ugly snot and tears way... But this is one of those books. It is one of the most beautifully heartbreaking, yet heartwarming story's of a love in it's purest form!
I can honestly say I will carry Jake and Cam's story in my heart for some time to come!
Sarah Puckett's performance was perfection! I wonder how many tears she shed performing this book!
YOU WILL NEED TISSUES! 😭💕