All the Beautiful Girls
A Novel
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Prime members: New to Audible?Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
All the Beautiful Girls
Buy for $18.00
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Sarah Scott
About this listen
“An exquisitely crafted novel of love discovered and friendship found.” (Martha Hall Kelly, author of Lilac Girls)
Ruby’s life glitters with success, but she still must conquer her tragic past and discover what love really looks like.
Lily Decker never meant to become a showgirl. As a young girl in small-town Kansas, she danced to forget the pain of losing her family in a car accident. And dancing made her feel beautiful when the attentions of her uncle Miles only brought shame.
In 1967, Lily is grown and ready to leave her past behind. She changes her name to Ruby Wilde and heads to the Rat Pack’s Las Vegas to make a name for herself as a troupe dancer. However, the competition is fierce, and she finds work as a showgirl, instead, doing fan-kicks in sky-high headdresses and sparkling costumes. Her new life brims with glamour and excitement, but something is still missing. Is it love? What choices will she make to feel whole again, and at what cost?
With her uncanny understanding of the hidden lives of women, Elizabeth J. Church captures the iconic extravagance of an era and the bravery of a woman who blazes her own path to freedom.
Praise for All the Beautiful Girls:
“[Elizabeth] Church’s lively coming-of-age tale transports us to a world of ostrich-plumed headdresses and pinky-ringed mobsters while tracing a tumultuous quest for acceptance and love.” (People)
“A gorgeously written novel with the bite of a gin martini, All the Beautiful Girls goes beyond the splashy, gaudy dazzle of Las Vegas in the sixties to reveal the beating heart beneath the glamorous façade of a showgirl with big ambitions.” (Sara Gruen, New York Times best-selling author of At the Water’s Edge)
“A stirring bildungsroman that follows a girl from trauma in 1957 Kansas to self-discovery in 1960s Las Vegas.... Church paints an unflinching, frequently heartbreaking portrait of a resilient young woman’s coming-of-age set against an exciting, glamorous backdrop.” (Publishers Weekly)
“Church’s appreciation of language is apparent as she masterfully creates pictures with words.... All the Beautiful Girls provides a delightful antidote to cold and dark mid-winter days.” (Associated Press)
“A beautifully rendered tale of personal redemption filled with friendship, loss, extravagant furs, and feathery headdresses.” (Kirkus Reviews)
©2018 Elizabeth J. Church (P)2018 Random House AudioListeners also enjoyed...
-
Homecoming
- By: Kate Morton
- Narrated by: Claire Foy
- Length: 17 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,632
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 2,296
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,292
Adelaide Hills, Christmas Eve, 1959. At the end of a scorching hot day, a local deliveryman makes a terrible discovery. A police investigation is called, and the small town of Tambilla becomes embroiled in one of the most shocking and perplexing murder cases in the history of South Australia. Many years later and thousands of miles away, Jess is a journalist in search of a story. Having lived and worked in London for nearly two decades, she now finds herself laid off from her full-time job and struggling to make ends meet. Until a phone call out of nowhere summons her back to Sydney.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Loved the compelling audiobook version!
- By Melissas Bookshelf on 04-07-23
By: Kate Morton
-
An American Beauty
- By: Shana Abe
- Narrated by: Gail Shalan
- Length: 11 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 493
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 451
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 451
1867, Richmond, Virginia: Though she wears the same low-cut purple gown that is the uniform of all the girls who work at Worsham's gambling parlor, Arabella stands apart. It's not merely her statuesque beauty and practiced charm. Even at seventeen, Arabella possesses an unyielding grit, and a resolve to escape her background of struggle and poverty. Collis Huntington, railroad baron and self-made multimillionaire, is drawn to Arabella from their first meeting. Collis is married and 30 years her senior, yet they are well-matched in temperament, and flirtation rapidly escalates into an affair.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Loved everything about it
- By Leigh H. on 07-10-23
By: Shana Abe
-
The Last Carolina Girl
- By: Meagan Church
- Narrated by: Susan Bennett
- Length: 9 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 191
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 178
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 178
For fourteen-year-old Leah Payne, life in her beloved coastal Carolina town is worlds away from the harsh realities of the day. Loyal to her lumberjack father, she knows only of the familiarity of her small community, the magic of the natural world, and the creative intuition that prompts her to march to the beat of her own drum. But when an accident takes her father's life, leaving her an orphan, Leah finds herself cast into a family of strangers whose welcoming façade hides a terrible secret.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
WOW
- By Savannah Brown on 06-10-23
By: Meagan Church
-
The Atomic Weight of Love
- By: Elizabeth J. Church
- Narrated by: Jennifer Van Dyck
- Length: 10 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 999
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 887
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 882
For Meridian Wallace - and many other smart, driven women of the 1940s - being ambitious meant being an outlier. Ever since she was a young girl, Meridian had been obsessed with birds, and she was determined to get her PhD, become an ornithologist, and make her mother's sacrifices to send her to college pay off. But she didn't expect to fall in love with her brilliant physics professor, Alden Whetstone. When he's recruited to Los Alamos, New Mexico, to take part in a mysterious wartime project, she reluctantly defers her own plans and joins him.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Unbearable weight of self-pity
- By Lori K. on 04-08-17
-
The Bookshop of Second Chances
- A Novel
- By: Jackie Fraser
- Narrated by: Ell Potter
- Length: 12 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 788
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 713
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 710
Thea Mottram is having a bad month. She’s been let go from her office job with no notice - and to make matters even worse, her husband of nearly 20 years has decided to leave her for one of her friends. Bewildered and completely lost, Thea doesn’t know what to do. But when she learns that a distant great uncle in Scotland has passed away, leaving her his home and a hefty antique book collection, she decides to leave Sussex for a few weeks. Escaping to a small coastal town where no one knows her seems to be exactly what she needs.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Childish
- By Elizabeth Miller on 11-13-21
By: Jackie Fraser
-
The Last Dress from Paris
- By: Jade Beer
- Narrated by: Tamsin Topolski
- Length: 11 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 495
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 451
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 447
London, 2017. There’s no one Lucille adores more than her grandmother. So when her beloved Granny Sylvie asks for Lucille’s assistance with a small matter, she’s happy to help. The next thing she knows, Lucille is on a train to Paris, tasked with retrieving a priceless Dior dress. But not everything is as it seems, and what Lucille finds in a small Parisian apartment will have her scouring the city for answers to a question that could change her entire life.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
The Last Dress from Paris
- By Mona-Alisa on 07-01-22
By: Jade Beer
-
Homecoming
- By: Kate Morton
- Narrated by: Claire Foy
- Length: 17 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,632
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 2,296
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,292
Adelaide Hills, Christmas Eve, 1959. At the end of a scorching hot day, a local deliveryman makes a terrible discovery. A police investigation is called, and the small town of Tambilla becomes embroiled in one of the most shocking and perplexing murder cases in the history of South Australia. Many years later and thousands of miles away, Jess is a journalist in search of a story. Having lived and worked in London for nearly two decades, she now finds herself laid off from her full-time job and struggling to make ends meet. Until a phone call out of nowhere summons her back to Sydney.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Loved the compelling audiobook version!
- By Melissas Bookshelf on 04-07-23
By: Kate Morton
-
An American Beauty
- By: Shana Abe
- Narrated by: Gail Shalan
- Length: 11 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 493
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 451
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 451
1867, Richmond, Virginia: Though she wears the same low-cut purple gown that is the uniform of all the girls who work at Worsham's gambling parlor, Arabella stands apart. It's not merely her statuesque beauty and practiced charm. Even at seventeen, Arabella possesses an unyielding grit, and a resolve to escape her background of struggle and poverty. Collis Huntington, railroad baron and self-made multimillionaire, is drawn to Arabella from their first meeting. Collis is married and 30 years her senior, yet they are well-matched in temperament, and flirtation rapidly escalates into an affair.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Loved everything about it
- By Leigh H. on 07-10-23
By: Shana Abe
-
The Last Carolina Girl
- By: Meagan Church
- Narrated by: Susan Bennett
- Length: 9 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 191
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 178
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 178
For fourteen-year-old Leah Payne, life in her beloved coastal Carolina town is worlds away from the harsh realities of the day. Loyal to her lumberjack father, she knows only of the familiarity of her small community, the magic of the natural world, and the creative intuition that prompts her to march to the beat of her own drum. But when an accident takes her father's life, leaving her an orphan, Leah finds herself cast into a family of strangers whose welcoming façade hides a terrible secret.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
WOW
- By Savannah Brown on 06-10-23
By: Meagan Church
-
The Atomic Weight of Love
- By: Elizabeth J. Church
- Narrated by: Jennifer Van Dyck
- Length: 10 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 999
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 887
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 882
For Meridian Wallace - and many other smart, driven women of the 1940s - being ambitious meant being an outlier. Ever since she was a young girl, Meridian had been obsessed with birds, and she was determined to get her PhD, become an ornithologist, and make her mother's sacrifices to send her to college pay off. But she didn't expect to fall in love with her brilliant physics professor, Alden Whetstone. When he's recruited to Los Alamos, New Mexico, to take part in a mysterious wartime project, she reluctantly defers her own plans and joins him.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Unbearable weight of self-pity
- By Lori K. on 04-08-17
-
The Bookshop of Second Chances
- A Novel
- By: Jackie Fraser
- Narrated by: Ell Potter
- Length: 12 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 788
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 713
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 710
Thea Mottram is having a bad month. She’s been let go from her office job with no notice - and to make matters even worse, her husband of nearly 20 years has decided to leave her for one of her friends. Bewildered and completely lost, Thea doesn’t know what to do. But when she learns that a distant great uncle in Scotland has passed away, leaving her his home and a hefty antique book collection, she decides to leave Sussex for a few weeks. Escaping to a small coastal town where no one knows her seems to be exactly what she needs.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Childish
- By Elizabeth Miller on 11-13-21
By: Jackie Fraser
-
The Last Dress from Paris
- By: Jade Beer
- Narrated by: Tamsin Topolski
- Length: 11 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 495
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 451
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 447
London, 2017. There’s no one Lucille adores more than her grandmother. So when her beloved Granny Sylvie asks for Lucille’s assistance with a small matter, she’s happy to help. The next thing she knows, Lucille is on a train to Paris, tasked with retrieving a priceless Dior dress. But not everything is as it seems, and what Lucille finds in a small Parisian apartment will have her scouring the city for answers to a question that could change her entire life.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
The Last Dress from Paris
- By Mona-Alisa on 07-01-22
By: Jade Beer
-
Shrines of Gaiety
- A Novel
- By: Kate Atkinson
- Narrated by: Jason Watkins
- Length: 15 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 702
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 613
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 613
1926, and in a country still recovering from the Great War, London has become the focus for a delirious new nightlife. In the clubs of Soho, peers of the realm rub shoulders with starlets, foreign dignitaries with gangsters, and girls sell dances for a shilling a time. The notorious queen of this glittering world is Nellie Coker, ruthless but also ambitious to advance her six children, including the enigmatic eldest, Niven, whose character has been forged in the crucible of the Somme. But success breeds enemies, and Nellie’s empire faces threats from without and within.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Rich characters of all stripes
- By Glorious Lorius on 11-09-22
By: Kate Atkinson
-
Big Trouble on Sullivan's Island
- A Carolina Tale, Book 1
- By: Susan M. Boyer
- Narrated by: Courtney Patterson
- Length: 9 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 334
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 300
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 300
Eugenia Ladson’s husband—retired judge Everette Ladson—is engaging in marital misbehavior—she’s certain of it. But to activate the clause in her prenup, she needs proof, and is willing to pay for as many hours of surveillance as it takes. When Eugenia turns up dead, Hadley is in Greenville, South Carolina—three and a half hours away—where she’s followed Everette. Every instinct tells Hadley Everette is responsible for Eugenia’s death, but she is regrettably his alibi.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Boyer’s Best Yet!
- By Deb Branwell on 04-14-23
By: Susan M. Boyer
-
Lady Be Good
- A Novel
- By: Amber Brock
- Narrated by: Julia Whelan
- Length: 8 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 37
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 30
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 30
Kitty Tessler is the winsome and clever only child of self-made hotel and nightclub tycoon Nicolas Tessler. Kitty may not have the same pedigree as the tennis club set she admires, but she still sees herself as every inch the socialite - spending her days perfecting her "look" and her nights charming all the blue-blooded boys. It seems like the fun will never end until Kitty's father issues a terrible ultimatum: she may no longer date the idle rich. Instead, Kitty must marry Andre, her father's second-in-command, and take her place as the First Lady of his hotel empire.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
pleasant read
- By Kim K on 11-27-19
By: Amber Brock
-
Famous in a Small Town
- By: Viola Shipman
- Narrated by: Nancy Peterson
- Length: 11 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 64
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 63
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 62
For most of her eighty years, Mary Jackson has been waiting. As she’s endured the steady invasion of tourists, influencers and real estate developers who have discovered the lakeside charm of Good Hart, Michigan, she’s also patiently anticipated the arrival of a stranger she’s believed since childhood would one day carry on her legacy—the Very Cherry General Store. Like generations of Jackson women before her, Cherry Mary, as she’s known locally, runs the community hub.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Bravo
- By Fireball on 06-21-23
By: Viola Shipman
-
The Woman at the Front
- By: Lecia Cornwall
- Narrated by: Hannah Curtis
- Length: 15 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 200
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 180
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 176
When Eleanor Atherton graduates from medical school near the top of her class in 1917, she dreams of going overseas to help the wounded, but her ambition is thwarted at every turn. Eleanor's parents insist she must give up medicine, marry a respectable man, and assume her proper place. While women might serve as ambulance drivers or nurses at the front, they cannot be physicians - that work is too dangerous and frightening. Nevertheless, Eleanor is determined to make more of a contribution than sitting at home knitting for the troops.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
couldn't stop listening
- By QueenSheba on 03-24-22
By: Lecia Cornwall
-
The Surgeon's Daughter
- By: Audrey Blake
- Narrated by: Susan Lyons
- Length: 13 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 549
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 490
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 488
Two women develop a groundbreaking surgery: the Cesarean section. It's a highly dangerous procedure and the research is grueling, but even worse is the vitriolic response from men. Most don't trust the findings of women, and many can choose to deny their wives medical care. Already facing resistance on all sides, Nora is shaken when she meets a patient who will die without the surgery. If the procedure is successful, her work could change the world. But a failure could cost everything: precious lives, Nora's career, and the role women will be allowed to play in medicine.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Love it!
- By aewnd01 on 02-18-23
By: Audrey Blake
-
The Women of Chateau Lafayette
- By: Stephanie Dray
- Narrated by: Tavia Gilbert, Emma Bering, Rachel L. Jacobs
- Length: 23 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,385
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,100
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,090
An epic saga from New York Times best-selling author Stephanie Dray based on the true story of an extraordinary castle in the heart of France and the remarkable women bound by its legacy.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
An absolute masterpiece of a book!
- By Kindle Customer on 05-15-21
By: Stephanie Dray
-
Well Behaved Wives
- A Novel
- By: Amy Sue Nathan
- Narrated by: Tavia Gilbert, Gail Shalan
- Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 262
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 231
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 230
Law school graduate and newlywed Ruth Appelbaum is acclimating to life and marriage in a posh Philadelphia neighborhood. She’ll do almost anything to endear herself to her mother-in-law, who’s already signed up Ruth for etiquette lessons conducted by the impeccably accessorized tutor Lillian Diamond. But Ruth brings something fresh to the small circle of housewives—sharp wit, honesty, and an independent streak that won’t be compromised.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent
- By nancy M on 12-02-22
By: Amy Sue Nathan
-
So Long, Chester Wheeler
- A Novel
- By: Catherine Ryan Hyde
- Narrated by: Michael Crouch
- Length: 9 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 953
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 846
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 839
Lewis Madigan is young, gay, out of work, and getting antsy when he’s roped into providing end-of-life care for his insufferable homophobic neighbor, Chester Wheeler. Lewis doesn’t need the aggravation, just the money. The only requirements: run errands, be on call, and put up with a miserable old churl no one else in Buffalo can bear. After exchanging barbs, bickering, baiting, and pushing buttons, Chester hits Lewis with the big ask. Lewis can’t say no to a dying wish.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Catherine Ryan Hyde is a phenomenal writer
- By Ken Lewis on 02-05-23
-
Not Our Kind
- A Novel
- By: Kitty Zeldis
- Narrated by: Tavia Gilbert
- Length: 10 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 117
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 103
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 103
One rainy morning in June, two years after the end of World War II, a minor traffic accident brings together Eleanor Moskowitz and Patricia Bellamy. Their encounter seems fated: Eleanor, a teacher and recent Vassar graduate, needs a job. Patricia’s difficult 13-year-old daughter Margaux, recovering from polio, needs a private tutor. Though she feels out of place in the Bellamys’ rarefied and elegant Park Avenue milieu, Eleanor forms an instant bond with Margaux. Soon the idealistic young woman is filling the bright young girl’s mind with Shakespeare and Latin.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Gasping narration
- By Laurie on 12-07-19
By: Kitty Zeldis
-
When the Rain Ends
- By: Mary Ellen Taylor
- Narrated by: Megan Tusing
- Length: 9 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 312
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 282
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 282
When artist Dani Manchester learns she’s slowly losing her vision, she becomes unmoored. Her ex-husband died only months before, leaving Dani and her preteen daughter grief stricken. Suddenly, the life Dani built for her family on the Outer Banks feels like a painful reminder of all they’ve lost. On a whim, Dani sells her waterfront home and buys an old farm inland near the Virginia state line. But Dani’s daughter recoils at the sudden, drastic change. The Outer Banks’ sun-swept beaches, pink dawns, and savage storms are all she’s ever known.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent for Grievers
- By Jeri B on 07-19-23
-
The Burning Island
- By: Hester Young
- Narrated by: January LaVoy
- Length: 11 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 196
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 172
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 172
Journalist Charlie Cates has always believed in facts, in what can be proved - her career depends on it. Which is why she has never truly accepted the supernatural visions that guide her to children in danger. After her work on a high-profile missing-child case brings unwanted fame, she reluctantly flees to the lush Big Island of Hawaii with her best friend, Rae. Determined to avoid her disturbing visions, Charlie begins writing what seems to be a harmless interview of a prominent volcanologist. But soon, she's haunted by dreams of a local girl who went missing six weeks earlier.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
I enjoyed the story
- By M. Abrego on 03-04-20
By: Hester Young
Related to this topic
-
Trading Dreams at Midnight
- By: Diane McKinney-Whetstone
- Narrated by: Shari Peele
- Length: 10 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 37
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 26
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 25
Diane McKinney-Whetstone, the award-winning and best-selling author of Tumbling, presents Trading Dreams at Midnight - - an Essence Book Club Recommended Read. Back in 1984, 15-year-old Neena's mother left and never came back. And now Neena is following in her footsteps.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Hard to follow
- By Nevada on 08-13-10
-
The Untelling
- By: Tayari Jones
- Narrated by: Michele Blackmon
- Length: 8 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 957
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 870
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 871
Aria is no stranger to tragedy. Fifteen years ago, a family outing took the lives of her father and baby sister, leaving remaining members of this fractured family struggling with their own guilt - real and imagined. At 25, Aria believes she can reinvent herself through her planned marriage with all its promise of a family of her own. Her infertility changes her life as swiftly and irrevocably as the urban landscape around her.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Don’t waste your time!
- By shasha on 09-18-20
By: Tayari Jones
-
Ain't She Sweet?
- By: Susan Elizabeth Phillips
- Narrated by: Ann Marie Gideon
- Length: 11 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 258
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 229
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 230
The girl everybody loves to hate has returned to the town she'd sworn to leave behind forever. As the rich, spoiled princess of Parrish, Mississippi, Sugar Beth Carey had broken hearts, ruined friendships, and destroyed reputations. But 15 years have passed, and now she's come home - broke, desperate, and too proud to show it. The people of Parrish don't believe in forgive and forget. But none of them have reckoned on the unexpected strength of a woman who's learned survival the hard way.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
wonderfully read
- By older reader on 06-14-20
-
The Lost Family
- A Novel
- By: Jenna Blum
- Narrated by: Will Damron
- Length: 14 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 102
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 94
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 93
In 1965 Manhattan, patrons flock to Masha’s to savor its brisket bourguignon and impeccable service and to admire its dashing owner and head chef Peter Rashkin, the most eligible bachelor in town. But Peter does not care for the parade of eligible women who come to the restaurant hoping to catch his eye. Running Masha’s consumes him, as does his terrible guilt over surviving the horrors of the Nazi death camp while his wife, Masha - the restaurant’s namesake - and two young daughters perished. Then exquisitely beautiful June Bouquet, an up-and-coming young model, appears at the restaurant, piercing Peter’s guard.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
STIMULATES THE HEART, MIND AND IMAGINATION
- By Miss Manners on 07-01-18
By: Jenna Blum
-
Just Kiss Me
- By: Rachel Gibson
- Narrated by: Hillary Huber
- Length: 8 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 188
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 170
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 174
"Hello, Ms. Vivian...it's been a long time." And with those words, Vivian Leigh Rochet nearly melted. It's been years since she last saw Harrison Whitley-Shuler. She was a teenager scrubbing houses for a living. He was the gorgeous son of rich parents, not fit for the likes of her. Vivian had vowed to get out of Charleston, become a big Hollywood star, and stick it to the snooty girls who made her cry. She got what she wanted - and more - but why does her glamorous life seem so trivial?
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
enjoyed
- By Josh in Austin on 07-29-16
By: Rachel Gibson
-
Homesick for Another World
- Stories
- By: Ottessa Moshfegh
- Narrated by: Alyssa Bresnahan, Richard Poe
- Length: 8 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 299
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 265
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 265
There's something eerily unsettling about Ottessa Moshfegh's stories, something almost dangerous, while also being delightful and even laugh-out-loud funny. Her characters are all unsteady on their feet in one way or another; they all yearn for connection and betterment, though each in very different ways, but they are often tripped up by their own baser impulses and existential insecurities.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Funny, Dynamic Writing
- By Sofia Macht on 06-13-18
By: Ottessa Moshfegh
-
Trading Dreams at Midnight
- By: Diane McKinney-Whetstone
- Narrated by: Shari Peele
- Length: 10 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 37
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 26
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 25
Diane McKinney-Whetstone, the award-winning and best-selling author of Tumbling, presents Trading Dreams at Midnight - - an Essence Book Club Recommended Read. Back in 1984, 15-year-old Neena's mother left and never came back. And now Neena is following in her footsteps.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Hard to follow
- By Nevada on 08-13-10
-
The Untelling
- By: Tayari Jones
- Narrated by: Michele Blackmon
- Length: 8 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 957
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 870
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 871
Aria is no stranger to tragedy. Fifteen years ago, a family outing took the lives of her father and baby sister, leaving remaining members of this fractured family struggling with their own guilt - real and imagined. At 25, Aria believes she can reinvent herself through her planned marriage with all its promise of a family of her own. Her infertility changes her life as swiftly and irrevocably as the urban landscape around her.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Don’t waste your time!
- By shasha on 09-18-20
By: Tayari Jones
-
Ain't She Sweet?
- By: Susan Elizabeth Phillips
- Narrated by: Ann Marie Gideon
- Length: 11 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 258
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 229
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 230
The girl everybody loves to hate has returned to the town she'd sworn to leave behind forever. As the rich, spoiled princess of Parrish, Mississippi, Sugar Beth Carey had broken hearts, ruined friendships, and destroyed reputations. But 15 years have passed, and now she's come home - broke, desperate, and too proud to show it. The people of Parrish don't believe in forgive and forget. But none of them have reckoned on the unexpected strength of a woman who's learned survival the hard way.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
wonderfully read
- By older reader on 06-14-20
-
The Lost Family
- A Novel
- By: Jenna Blum
- Narrated by: Will Damron
- Length: 14 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 102
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 94
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 93
In 1965 Manhattan, patrons flock to Masha’s to savor its brisket bourguignon and impeccable service and to admire its dashing owner and head chef Peter Rashkin, the most eligible bachelor in town. But Peter does not care for the parade of eligible women who come to the restaurant hoping to catch his eye. Running Masha’s consumes him, as does his terrible guilt over surviving the horrors of the Nazi death camp while his wife, Masha - the restaurant’s namesake - and two young daughters perished. Then exquisitely beautiful June Bouquet, an up-and-coming young model, appears at the restaurant, piercing Peter’s guard.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
STIMULATES THE HEART, MIND AND IMAGINATION
- By Miss Manners on 07-01-18
By: Jenna Blum
-
Just Kiss Me
- By: Rachel Gibson
- Narrated by: Hillary Huber
- Length: 8 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 188
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 170
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 174
"Hello, Ms. Vivian...it's been a long time." And with those words, Vivian Leigh Rochet nearly melted. It's been years since she last saw Harrison Whitley-Shuler. She was a teenager scrubbing houses for a living. He was the gorgeous son of rich parents, not fit for the likes of her. Vivian had vowed to get out of Charleston, become a big Hollywood star, and stick it to the snooty girls who made her cry. She got what she wanted - and more - but why does her glamorous life seem so trivial?
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
enjoyed
- By Josh in Austin on 07-29-16
By: Rachel Gibson
-
Homesick for Another World
- Stories
- By: Ottessa Moshfegh
- Narrated by: Alyssa Bresnahan, Richard Poe
- Length: 8 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 299
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 265
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 265
There's something eerily unsettling about Ottessa Moshfegh's stories, something almost dangerous, while also being delightful and even laugh-out-loud funny. Her characters are all unsteady on their feet in one way or another; they all yearn for connection and betterment, though each in very different ways, but they are often tripped up by their own baser impulses and existential insecurities.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Funny, Dynamic Writing
- By Sofia Macht on 06-13-18
By: Ottessa Moshfegh
-
She's Come Undone
- By: Wally Lamb
- Narrated by: Linda Stephens
- Length: 18 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,094
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,822
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,838
Meet Dolores Price. She's 13, wise-mouthed but wounded, having bid her childhood goodbye. Beached like a whale in front of her bedroom TV, she spends the next few years nourishing herself with the Mallomars, potato chips, and Pepsi her anxious mother supplies. When she finally rolls into young womanhood at 257 pounds, Dolores is no stronger and life is no kinder. But this time she's determined to rise to the occasion and give herself one more chance before really going belly-up.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Really disappointing narrator!
- By Jessica Williams on 01-21-12
By: Wally Lamb
-
The Vine of Desire
- By: Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
- Narrated by: Julia Whelan
- Length: 11 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 102
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 95
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 95
Anju and Sudha formed an astounding, almost psychic connection during their childhood in India. When Anju invites Sudha, a single mother in Calcutta, to come live with her and her husband, Sunil, in California, Sudha foolishly accepts, knowing full well that Sunil has long desired her. As Sunil's attraction rises to the surface, the trio must struggle to make sense of the freedoms of America - and of the ties that bind them to India and to one another.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Vine of desire
- By Mz Shantay on 03-27-21
-
Hiding Out
- A Memoir of Drugs, Deception, and Double Lives
- By: Tina Alexis Allen
- Narrated by: Tina Alexis Allen
- Length: 9 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 98
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 90
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 90
Actress and playwright Tina Alexis Allen's audacious memoir unravels her privileged suburban Catholic upbringing that was shaped by her formidable father - a man whose strict religious devotion and dedication to his large family hid his true nature. When Tina was 18 her father accidently discovered the truth about her sexuality. Instead of dragging her to the family priest and lecturing her with tearful sermons about sin and damnation, her father shocked her with his honest response. The two became trusted confidants in a relationship that eventually spiraled out of control.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Self-indulgent crap
- By Bridgid O'Donnell on 03-27-18
-
Grand Central
- Original Stories of Postwar Love and Reunion
- By: Melanie Benjamin, Amanda Hodgkinson, Pam Jenoff, and others
- Narrated by: Carla Mercer-Meyer
- Length: 12 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 72
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 63
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 65
On any particular day, thousands upon thousands of people pass through New York City's Grand Central Terminal, through the whispering gallery, beneath the ceiling of stars, and past the information booth and its beckoning four-faced clock, to whatever destination is calling them. It is a place where people come to say hello and good-bye. And each person has a story to tell.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Grand Central: Memories
- By ZacharyKindle Customer on 05-03-17
By: Melanie Benjamin, and others
-
Charmingly Yours
- A Morning Glory Novel, Book 1
- By: Liz Talley
- Narrated by: Brittany Pressley
- Length: 9 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 682
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 614
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 617
For Rosemary Reynolds, life in tiny Morning Glory, Mississippi, is just like the fabric store she runs: it seems she's always waiting around for someone else to make the first stitch. Then a dear childhood friend passes away, leaving behind a gift that sends Rosemary on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. Despite her mother's protests, Rosemary heads to New York City for a stay in her cousin's trendy SoHo loft. On her first day in town, a wrong turn leads her to Little Italy...and into the arms of handsome, outgoing Sal Genovese.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
One I'll listen to again and again!
- By Allison on 09-09-16
By: Liz Talley
-
Second House from the Corner
- By: Sadeqa Johnson
- Narrated by: Robin Miles
- Length: 9 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 584
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 535
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 535
Felicia Lyons, a stressed-out stay-at-home mom, struggles to sprint ahead of the demands of motherhood while her husband spends long days at the office. Felicia taps, utters mantras, and breathes her way through most situations, but on some days, like when the children won't stop screaming her name or arguing over toy trucks and pretzel sticks, she wonders what it would be like to get in her car and drive away.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
No ending to any of the situations that opened.
- By Tina on 03-12-16
By: Sadeqa Johnson
-
Some Girls
- My Life in a Harem
- By: Jillian Lauren
- Narrated by: Tavia Gilbert
- Length: 8 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 431
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 341
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 345
A jaw-dropping story of how a girl from the suburbs ends up in a prince's harem and emerges from the secret Xanadu both richer and wiser. At 18, Jillian Lauren was an NYU theater school dropout with a tip about an upcoming audition. The "casting director" told her that a rich businessman would pay pretty girls $20,000 if they stayed for two weeks to spice up his parties. Soon, Jillian was on a plane to Borneo, where she would spend the next 18 months in the harem of Prince Jefri Bolkiah....
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Boring, Pretentious Book
- By Marcos on 04-23-11
By: Jillian Lauren
-
The Wangs vs. the World
- By: Jade Chang
- Narrated by: Nancy Wu
- Length: 14 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 456
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 421
-
Story3.5 out of 5 stars 419
Charles Wang is mad at America. A brash, lovable immigrant businessman who built a cosmetics empire and made a fortune, he's just been ruined by the financial crisis. Now all Charles wants is to get his kids safely stowed away so that he can go to China and attempt to reclaim his family's ancestral lands - and his pride. Outrageously funny and full of charm, The Wangs vs. the World is an entirely fresh look at what it means to belong in America - and how going from glorious riches to (still name-brand) rags brings one family together in a way money never could.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Spectacular
- By Barbara on 10-11-16
By: Jade Chang
-
Boardwalk Summer
- A Novel
- By: Meredith Jaeger
- Narrated by: Rebecca Gibel, Marisol Ramirez
- Length: 9 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 49
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 46
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 45
In this new novel from the author of The Dressmaker’s Dowry, two young women two generations apart discover the joy and heartbreak of following their dreams. Aspiring Hollywood actress Violet makes a shocking choice in 1940, and 70 years later, Mari sets out to discover what happened on that long ago summer. Santa Cruz, Summer 1940: When auburn-haired Violet Harcourt is crowned Miss California on the boardwalk of her hometown, she knows she is one step closer to her cherished dream: a Hollywood screen test.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Wonderful Story set in Santa Cruz.
- By Christina on 11-02-19
By: Meredith Jaeger
-
Mustique Island
- A Novel
- By: Sarah McCoy
- Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell
- Length: 10 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall3.5 out of 5 stars 177
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 149
-
Story3.5 out of 5 stars 150
It’s January 1972 but the sun is white hot when Willy May Michael’s boat first kisses the dock of Mustique Island. Tucked into the southernmost curve of the Caribbean, Mustique is a private island that has become a haven for the wealthy and privileged. Its owner is the eccentric British playboy Colin Tennant, who is determined to turn this speck of white sand into a luxurious neo-colonial retreat for his rich friends and into a royal court in exile for the Queen’s rebellious sister, Princess Margaret.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Vivid Imagery
- By GeauxGetLit on 07-24-22
By: Sarah McCoy
-
Truly Madly Yours
- By: Rachel Gibson
- Narrated by: Emma Bates
- Length: 9 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 247
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 224
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 224
When pretty hairdresser Delaney Shaw returned home to Truly, Idaho, for the reading of her stepfather's will, she planned on paying her respects and getting out of town. But it seems the will has some unexpected stipulations - like the one that says if Delaney wants her inheritance she needs to stay put and have nothing to do with sexy Nick Allegrezza...for an entire year!
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Truly Enjoyed
- By MaxineSap on 10-12-13
By: Rachel Gibson
-
Children Playing Before a Statue of Hercules (Unabridged Selections)
- By: Edited by David Sedaris
- Narrated by: David Sedaris, Mary-Louise Parker, Cherry Jones
- Length: 2 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 359
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 216
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 217
Children Playing Before a Statue of Hercules is a collection of short stories, some classic, others impending, selected and introduced by David Sedaris.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Great stories but only 5 of 17 are included
- By Terri Kirk on 07-13-12
What listeners say about All the Beautiful Girls
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- RueRue
- 05-10-20
Excellent
Excellent book. It had interesting, realistic (and some hateful) characters, a well defined time and place ( Las Vegas circa late 1960's), and a compelling story. Trigger warning, there are some pretty discriptive sections of sexual activity, some of it abusive,
The narrator was perfect for this, no over-emoting, enhancing the emotional impact of the story.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jamie Aguilar
- 07-07-18
Loved it!
Incredible read. It’s hard at times, as your heart breaks for Lilly, but is fantastic! Thoroughly enjoyed this jewel of a book!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 04-19-18
Incredible Story
What a great read!I couldn’t wait to get in the car and hoped for traffic so I could listen longer. Great characters, lots of twists to the story. I’m sad he story has ended. LOVED IT!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- lisa hopkins
- 09-23-23
Love is painful and good
The truth life is hard and we can still be soft sometimes. So enjoyed the non religious look at moving on from pain .
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- Christina Whalen
- 07-14-24
Triumph over Tragedy
While I was rooting for the main character and felt bad for all the things she went through, I wasn’t completely drawn into this book for some reason. It wasn’t a bad read and parts of it are. Hard to forget, I didn’t love it either.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!