Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit

By: Jaye Robin Brown

Narrated by: Amanda Dolan

Length: 9 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

Joanna meets the perfect girl for her and must decide whether to break a promise that could change everything for her and her family or lose out on love in this charming young adult romance that's perfect for fans of Julie Murphy's Dumplin' and Becky Albertalli's Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda.

Joanna Gordon has been out and proud for years, but when her popular radio evangelist father remarries and decides to move all three of them from Atlanta to the more conservative Rome, Georgia, he asks Jo to do the impossible: to lie low for the rest of her senior year. And Jo reluctantly agrees.

Although it is (mostly) much easier for Jo to fit in as a straight girl, things get complicated when she meets Mary Carlson, the oh-so-tempting sister of her new friend at school. But Jo couldn't possibly think of breaking her promise to her dad.

Even if she's starting to fall for the girl. Even if there's a chance Mary Carlson might be interested in her, too. Right?

Contains mature themes.

©2016 Jaye Robin Brown (P)2019 Tantor

overall worth the listen

I did enjoy this book since it’s a nice YA coming-of-age story that focuses on finding and keeping your authenticity of self but also first love, faith, friendship, and family. However, there are some major conflicts within the story that I feel aren’t talked about with enough seriousness such as the vileness of an out person actively trying to dissuade a person newly coming to terms with their sexuality of coming out (and even being hopeful that fear and anxiety will keep them in the closet). Not to mention the horrors of the protagonist’s father ordering his daughter to hide herself as well. The book does touch on why these things are wrong but not with the gravity they deserve IMHO. I also wish it were a little longer and had gone into more depth about the lives of the characters being out in their small town. But I did still quite enjoy the book and its characters.

Narrator was fantastic with a variety of entertaining voices and an enjoyable cadence. My only criticism of the narrator is her inclusion of a number of very strange and long pauses at seemingly random moments.

such a sweet story

I loved this book. It was sweet and wonderful. The overall message was one that needs to be said and learned. The performance was great with just the right amount of Georgia drawl.

Omg

This book was so good and made me squeal more than once. I thoroughly enjoyed the writing style and humor. It was well worth the listen. The characters gripped you and it was like they were your friends

Sweet Story; Loved It

Beautiful coming of age story about young lesbians in the rural south, (Marjorie Taylor Green is the Congressional representative from the Rome, Georgia area). The central character Jo ana is asked by her father for an unreasonable concession to aid his new marriage and she accedes even though he's already forcing his daughter to move from Atlanta to Rome, Georgia for her senior year of high school. That was a little bit troubling though given the circumstances was probably necessary for the plot. Her relationship with her so very self-involved "friend" Dana, who's definition of friendship seemed to be a bit one-sided was a drag on the central story. Those two slightly negative situations didn't detract significantly from this excellent, YA leaning book.

cheesy and weird

it’s like a millennial’s wet dream of what they wish their high school life was like

Read Lesbiana's Guide To Catholic School Instead.

Performance was fine. Wide range if voices for the different characters. Personally, I thought the writing to be juvinily obnoxious, but that's kinda just how most teenagers are written (somewhat accurately) in most high school romance books.

The story was average at best, boring and downright harmful at worst. The revelations and things that made the main character different and "not like these other small-town girls" were about as spicy and delicious as red pepper flakes on an otherwise unseasoned roasted chicken. Not to mention, the father, Reverend Gordon, is played up as this supportive dad who made a mistake asking Jo to go back in the closet and who apologizes in the end, but in actuality he is the defenition of "I love you, but I don't love what you are" who does nothing to earn Jo's forgiveness in the end.

I understand this book may be a good read for some, and I can see some of the interest others show in it and the worth they might get out of it, but for me this book was a a trainwreck. There was nothing in this book that wasn't done better in The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School while in high heels and walking backwards. I recommend listening to Lesbiana's instead.

Straitest lesbian romance I’ve ever read

I was really excited to listen to a lesbian story that takes place in my home town. But I was really disappointed by this story. The dialogue was so bad it made me wonder if the writer was ever a teenager at all. The entire plot rests on a stupid premise that makes no sense at all. It’s frustrating to listen to the main characters thoughts about the main plot points because they also don’t make sense. The characters are one dimensional and catty and perpetuate harmful stereotypes.