Audiobook Review: Wanderlust by Lauren Blakely, narrated by Richard Armitage & Grace Grant

"Hey, Archie." 

"Hi, Judy." 

With my free hand, I brush his hair away from his forehead. "I'm falling in love with you." 

It's not hard to say. It doesn't take a lot of courage. It's just the truth, and I want him to know, no matter what comes next. 

A smile crosses his lips, lighting him up like the night sky. "I'm madly in love with you."

Don't you love it when a much anticipated book that you've pre-ordered lands in your tablet hours earlier than you expected it to? That's what happened with Wanderlust, an Audible Original written by Lauren Blakely and narrated by Richard Armitage and Grace Grant. This audiobook marked a number of firsts for me. This was my first audiobook pre-order, my first Lauren Blakely audiobooks (although I make no secret of the fact that I've read and loved her books in the past), my first listen to anything narrated by either Richard Armitage or Grace Grant, and my first ever foray into the world of Audible Originals, which are basically stories specifically written in order to be released on Audible (FYI: the ebook for this particular title will be released sometime in March of this year). Once I realized it was already sitting in my tablet, I immediately pressed play and listened for nearly nine hours straight, all thanks to that wonderful, but at times elusive, superpower called multitasking, and these were hours well spent! There's no resisting a well-written, adventurous love story told by two voices that felt like it was their story to tell.

Wanderlust is the story of two people trying to find a place where they belong. When their paths first cross, it's at a café in Paris, with him offering up the correct way to order a chocolate croissant that she's got her eye on. They guess each other's names--her coming up with what she believes is a proper British name to match his properly panty-melting accent (Archibald, aka Archie), and him whipping out a name that he considers quite apt for the gorgeous and gregarious American in Paris (Judy). They part ways, neither one offering up their real names or a mobile number or email address. When they see each other again, it's outside yet another café. Maybe it's kismet or a mere coincidence. What it turns out to be is a predetermined meeting between a translator and his client--Griffin Thomas and Joy Lively, the couple formerly known as Archie and Judy. They may not be able to pursue their mutual attraction but they certainly be friends--friends who happen to have the hots for one another. But even if they were to cross the line, it will come to an end because Griffin will have to leave Paris and Joy will need to stay.

Le sigh. What can I say? I'm a sucker for a romance that pulls a smile out of me while also tugging on my heartstrings. If you think this is nothing more than a fluffy love story with nary any sort of substance, you're sorely mistaken. Griffin and Joy have their respective reasons for being in Paris, but while she feels like she's finally able to live beyond the humdrum of her life in the US, Griffin is living a life away from London that's half-inspired and half-dictated by a bucket list handed to him by his late brother Ethan. As much as Joy wants to feel like she belongs in Paris, Griffin doesn't give himself the chance to feel the same, feeling the desire to wander about take over. While Joy may often find herself lost in translation, Griffin is simply lost, his brother's passing having altered the direction of his life in more ways than one. Listening to Armitage and Grant bring Blakely's story to life made me believe I was actually listening to Griffin and Joy share their unique tale of love and language in the City of Light. It was a coming together of three true talents. I'm highly recommending you give Wanderlust a listen. Five-plus stars. ♥

Release Date: 06 February 2018 05 February 2018 (early release)

Date Listened to: 05 February 2018

Learn more about Lauren Blakely.

Learn more about Richard Armitage and Grace Grant.

Purchase Wanderlust on Audible.