Monsters: A Love Story

By: Liz Kay

Narrated by: Allyson Ryan

Length: 10 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's summary

A hilarious debut novel about a perfectly imperfect love story that will delight fans of Evvie Drake Starts Over.

Even the smartest people can be stupid at love.

When Stacey Lane writes a feminist take on Frankenstein, she never imagines it will catch the eye of unbelievably sexy Hollywood star Tommy DeMarco. Tommy’s passion for her book - and for her, a recently widowed poet, mom, and certified mess - threatens to turn her life upside down, or maybe right-side up. From their first poolside meeting the two are set on a collision course as they go about making the book into a movie, making each other crazy, and making love, if only in secret. Fueled by desire, love, grief, expertly poured cocktails, and crackling dialogue, Monsters: A Love Story is a witty portrait of a relationship gone off the rails and two people who are made for each other - even if they’re not so sure they see it that way.

**A Summer Beach Read Pick for Harper’s Bazaar, the Associated Press, Purewow, and Refinery29**

“This fast-paced novel will have readers immersed in the heady feeling of an alcohol-fueled affair with one of the sexiest men alive.” (Library Journal, starred review)

"An addictive page-turner, ripe with seduction and charm, that drops insights into this messy, crazy, wonderful thing called love.” (Washington Independent Review of Books)

“Entertainingly dyspeptic.” (Vogue)

“A perfectly imperfect love story.” (Bookpage)

©2016 Liz Kay (P)2016 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

Selected as a Summer Beach Read Pick by Harper’s Bazaar, Associated Press, Purewow, and Refinery29

“The unlikely romance between a feminist poet and the Hollywood heartthrob who options her book is at the center of Kay’s entertainingly dyspeptic Monsters.” (Vogue)

“In the tradition of Lolly Winston’s Good Grief....this fast-paced novel will have readers immersed in the heady feeling of an alcohol-fueled affair with one of the sexiest men alive.” (Library Journal, starred review)

“Witty and so nimbly-worded, Monsters had me at hello. From the near-madcap improbability of the novel’s premise, to the punchy repartee and ping-pong banter between Stacey and Tommy, it’s impossible to resist the book’s charms. .” (Jill Alexander Essbaum, author of Hausfrau)

easy listen

enjoyable, no brainer, predictable. probably a good beach read. no problem stopping to make dinner or visiting. very strange title.

Movie Please!

Would you listen to Monsters: A Love Story again? Why?

Yes. I really liked the story. I was not expecting it to draw me in the way it did.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Monsters: A Love Story?

The collision of Stacey, Tommy and her boyfriend in Omaha. She seemed especially cruel in how dismissive she was toward him.

What does Allyson Ryan bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

She did a great job of capturing the characters. Sometimes when children's voices are narrated it's hard for me to not hear the child's voice, even in the adults. Allyson did a very good job of separating them.

Where are the redeeming qualities?

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I can't say I hated this book but I really hated it's characters. They were all self-absorbed jerks with little to no redeeming qualities. I realize this book is about imperfect people falling in love but I saw nothing to make these characters worth my time.

Waste of time

I hated this book and I hated the characters. Long drawn out love? Story with the f word and the word a- hole every other line. Seriously so boring. I'm surprised this even got published. Skip it!

Blah

The main character was so pretentious - I didn't like her at all. She complained constantly about people who eat meat and sugar because it's "awful for you" but she was basically an alcoholic. She never was honest with anyone in the book & pretty much just said, "f*** you!" to anyone who disagreed with her. She was really the worst & the ending was so unrealistic.