Whatever It Takes

A Center Stage Love Story, Book 3

By: Kathryn R. Biel

Narrated by: Torii Alaniz

Leslie:

Do your best. Be the best. Whatever it takes.

It sounds like a line from some superhero movie, not a family motto. Except it is the Moose family creed. We even have it on T-shirts. Snazzy apparel aside, it means I've grown up with a lot of pressure to, well, be the best.

Except I'm not. No matter how hard I've worked, it's time to face the fact that I'm never going to have a career as a professional ballerina. I'll do the next best thing—I can dance in the theatre. Thanks to that eight-week drama camp when I was a teenager, as well as a stubborn-to-the-point-of-foolish drive, I'm ready to take on this challenge, even if it means moving from New York City to a small Upstate town. Especially if it means I get to be reunited with the boy I fell in love with at that camp….

Josh:

Oh no. I'm not working with her.

She broke my heart, ghosting me after the most incredible summer together. But now, here she is, and we need her to make The Edison successful. The stakes are high, and if this show works out, there's a shot I'll finally get my chance to bring the production I've been writing ever since she left me to the stage.

The show must go on. Whatever it takes.

USA Today best-selling author Kathryn R. Biel takes you back to The Edison Theater for Act Three in this powerful and moving tale of second chance love and finally loving yourself.

©2021 Kathryn R. Biel (P)2022 Kathryn R. Biel

Surprisingly fun and Interesting love story

To be perfectly honest I am NOT the target audience for this Book (or possibly the whole genre)
That said this was a very fun story that bobbed and weaved bringing the main characters apart and together

what really surprised me were the things that I learned as the story unfolded. I have no background in musical theater or ballet but I learned quite a bit as I listened (i.e who knew theaters had dorms?)

The Narrator Torii Alaniz gets better as the book proceeds she is very good

The author Kathryn Biel is very talented and is great with dialog (which is a talent) She writes smart well rounded characters

Maybe I need to reevaluate my tastes audio book genres

All in all a great listen

Whatever It Takes

I listed to this book as an audio ARC on audible. It follows the story of two main characters, Leslie and Josh. Leslie has been pushed her whole life to be the best. She has put nearly impossible goals in her life and absolutely is ready to sacrifice whatever it takes to achieve those goals. And although she is successful to some degree, she is not the BEST and this derails her whole outlook on life.

Josh is a young composer and playwright. He hasn’t had an easy childhood either having lost his parents, but he has his sister and together they did the best they could. He’s in the middle of writing his own show when he comes across Leslie Moose. For the second time. The first time they met was at camp and Leslie broke his heart – shattered it.

This book follows the two young adults and their journey’s of healing themselves, finding their paths, discovering their worth, and maybe even falling back in love.

I thought this story was a beautifully written coming of age story and really develops the character of Leslie Moose. Her insecurities, her challenges, and the steps that she has to take to try and heal herself are a true representation of what happens in the real world. Sometimes, as with my own children, I found myself wanting to shake some sense into this character because I was irritated with her behavior and her treatment of Josh. I really was starting to dislike her. But if you continue to read through to the end you will see that she is meant to be frustrating because her emotions are frustrating and raw. She IS this broken. And she doesn’t even realize it herself until she starts getting the much-needed help that she should have sought out years ago. In the end, it’s beautiful to see her character’s metamorphosis.
I had a little trouble with the narration of this book. The narrator made the character of Leslie seem whiney at times. It didn’t stay true to the changes that the character was going through. But overall the narration was okay.

My rating for the book was a 4-star and for the audio narration I rate this 3.5 stars.

*I received a free audio book in exchange for an honest review.
CG 7/4/2022