A Likely Story

A Novel

De: Leigh McMullan Abramson

Narrado por: Mia Barron, Cynthia Farrell, James Fouhey, Adam Grupper, Devon Sorvari

CBS New York Book Club with Mary Calvi and Belletrist Book Club Pick

“Raw, complex, and utterly unforgettable.”—Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author

The only child of a famous American novelist discovers a shocking family secret that upends everything she thought she knew about her parents, her gilded childhood, and her own stalled writing career in this standout debut, perfect for fans of Pineapple Street and The Plot.

Growing up in the nineties in New York City as the only child of famous parents was both a blessing and a curse for Isabelle Manning. Her beautiful society hostess mother, Claire, and New York Times bestselling author father, Ward, were the city’s intellectual It couple. Ward’s glamorous obligations often took him away from Isabelle, but Claire made sure her childhood was always filled with love.

Now an adult, all Isabelle wants is to be a successful writer like her father but after many false starts and the unexpected death of her mother, she faces her upcoming thirty-fifth birthday alone and on the verge of a breakdown. Her anxiety only skyrockets when she uncovers some shocking truths about her parents and begins wondering if everything she knew about her family was all based on an elaborate lie.

This “literary page-turner” (KJ Dell’Antonia, New York Times bestselling author) is punctuated with fragments of a compulsively enjoyable book-within-a-book about a woman determined to steal back the spotlight from a man who has cheated his way to the top. The characters seem eerily familiar but is the plot based on fact? And more importantly, who is the author?

©2023 Leigh McMullan Abramson. All rights reserved. (P)2023 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

Enjoyed very much

This was a good book to listen to. It was relaxing and easy to follow, and I enjoyed the storyline very much.

Great story!

Well written, great story, awesome audiobook. I can’t wait to see the author in Indy in a few weeks!

Her independence

I liked the way she claimed her independence and resolved her conflicts both inner and outer.

Cute story

Loved this as a light break between more heavily themed books, I loved the parallels for the mom and daughter

Good Message

Reminds me of a line the Eagles song, Already Gone. “Well, I know it wasn't you who held me down
Heaven knows it wasn't you who set me free
So oftentimes it happens that we live our lives in chains
And we never even know we have the key.”

The voices?

What in the world was up with Isabelle’s voice actor? Hard to listen to. And the way she’d do Ward or Brian? Nails on chalkboard.

This is a book about a book. But the fictional book written by Claire… wasn’t even interesting. And it got accolades? I finished the book cuz I paid for it. If it was a freebie… it would have been a solid no.

Really enjoyable read

We read this for my book club and I really enjoyed the story. The mirror of the authors book in the story and their real life was clever. I recommend it!

Very engaging !

The story was very captivating. I really had a lot of compassion for the characters. 

Why so many voices?

Engaging enough story if not a bit predictable. Unsure why there were so many voice actors - it really detracted from the story when it’s in third person

Highly Overrated

I could not get into this book. The story line is boring, the characters were boring and even the narrators
we’re bored.