You Spin Me

Really took me back to the era

This was such a fun diversion. The two lead characters had wonderful depth and interesting back stories. Their chemistry was well written and made sense given the characters that Ms. Grey created. Enjoy!

Very funny. Would highly recommend.

Honestly, I adored this book. I can tell you how much I loved the male narrator’s voice for sure! I think if you just read the e-book or paperback though, you probably are missing out on how much fun the beginning of each chapter was with the little radio spot intros to get them started. But besides the awesomeness of the audiobook, the story itself was just so wonderfully written. The characters were so compelling. I fell in love with both of them right away. Cal’s story that starts us out, wow, just wow. And then Jess was such a sweetheart, so much about her so realistic. The interaction between them started with the phone call, and their chemistry was off the wall. I loved how Cal told her she had to call him when she was driving so late so that he would know she had made it home safe. What’s so fun is that because this takes place in 1988, there weren’t really cell phones for people to call into the radio station while they were driving. So all of the phone conversations had to take place after they’d reached home or work or wherever. It was fun to think about that time. When the two of them actually met face to face, that was an emotional moment. But the author wrote it so perfectly. Jess didn’t come off as too over the top accepting of Cal’s burns and scars, however her reaction and thoughts were perfect. There was one line I really loved, and I think I’m quoting it correctly, listening to the audiobook means I don’t have it in front of me to copy, but it was “My words write a laugh.” So descriptive, I love it! The personal dilemmas each of them faced were enough but then putting them together to overcome those really made for a lot of things going on. But in a good way, it all made for such a perfectly well rounded story. My only teeny tiny problem, well it has to do with what Jess’s big dramatic obstacle at the end is. I can’t say much without giving it away, I just feel like while we had little things sprinkled in from other characters mentioning to her things they were noticing, there didn’t seem to be much on her side of her not doing things that caused the big problem. But I wonder if that really is a better way to write it. If the person who is in denial of something like that wouldn’t be mentioning anything about it in their thoughts as they went about their day to day business. So that could have been a good or bad thing. In the end I just have to say this was really a great story, and I definitely recommend the audiobook if you are someone who likes to listen to books. I think it probably way outdoes the others just because of the radio station aspect.

You Spin Me is an absolute wonderful romance! Cal and Jess go from strangers to friends to lovers and more, taking time to get each step (mostly) right before moving on. Their story bursts with emotion, pulling from me so many feels. I love that the characters are flawed and relatable, and their path to HEA is messy and rough, yet absolutely beautiful. First, kudos to Ms. Grey who must have spent hours researching treatments for burn victims and the impacts of both physical and psychological trauma. Her main characters are real and three-dimensional because she is able to get listeners in the heads of her main characters. Listeners witness Cal and Jess’s individual journeys, which are filled with difficult steps and painful memories. My heart was tugged in several directions because I cared about both Jess and Cal and needed them to get it right. Jess and Cal are the opposite sides of the same coin. While she would be classified as beautiful, she sees her beauty as a flaw. She is tired of people, guys in particular, liking her because of her hot body (i.e. big boobs). Meanwhile, Cal is physically scarred and doesn’t believe anyone can see past the exterior. They are both scarred: they both have issues with their appearance and being judged because of how they look, but they both have deeper scars on the inside. Cal’s internal scars are so deep, it’s impossible for him to accept love from Jess, but also blinds him to her internal scars, thinking nothing could be as bad as what he’s been through. They finally get together, and whether it’s because they grow close via phone calls before they first meet, or because they are both good, caring people, we won’t know. But they share a passion for life and for each other that is consuming. It allows each to push at their boundaries and grow as individuals, while realizing there is damage that needs to be addressed. One of my absolute favorite moments of the book is a turning point for Cal reconnecting with his past and realizing he can become whole. The entire scene is so well written and continues to stick with me after I’ve finished listening to the book. Narration: Karen Grey, a fabulous narrator in her own right, has picked up some amazing talent for You Spin Me. The story is shared in alternating POVs with Vanessa Edwin (VE) portraying Jess’s POV and Eric Michael Summerer (EMS) performing Cal’s POV. Both are well suited for their main character, and both are equally gifted portraying the opposite gender. VE gives Jess a perkiness with an edge, but can adjust for Jess’s weariness and frustration. EMS nails Cal’s deep, DJ voice, and adjusts it flawlessly between his on-air voice and his “regular Cal” voice. Both narrators come with a vast array of character voices, making each unique and fitting. They both nail dialogue, able to create a realism of many different people all talking together. The pair works well together. Their voices and performances compliment one another. And as an added bonus, each chapter has a retro audio introduction like an ad from the radio, and even one from 80’s comedian Bobcat Goldthwait. You Spin Me is an absolute joy to listen to. The romance is heart-felt and emotionally satisfying because the characters are relatable and three-dimensional. My Ratings: Story: A- Narration: A Audiobook review copy provided by author.

Karen Grey wows me with another fabulous romantic comedy set in her “Boston Classics” series. I am loving this series, each book is entertaining and contains plenty of laugh out loud moments and heartfelt ones. I highly recommend them all. There is so much to love about this series, the author nails the nostalgia theme and brings you back to the 80’s, you do not have to know the decade to enjoy the books but it is an added bonus if you do. “You Spin Me”, yes, I had that song stuck in my head ever since I saw the title, check it out, a one hit wonder by “Dead or Alive”, the other book titles did the same, I am still partying like it is 1999 from the last book. This book is Jessica Abraham and DJ Callihan “Cal” Alonso’s story and it merged two of my favorite things, music and theater. Jessica always wanted to be a dancer but since her body betrayed her, she turned to acting. She also taught dancing until budget cuts happened. Adding insult to injury she finds out she the part she wanted went to a younger actress. She does land another part in a play outside the city. One night she calls into the radio station and winds up talking to DJ. Cal, there was something about her that made Cal want to hear more from her so he had here call back. The two hit it off and it was the start of an over the phone relationship but when Jessica wants to meet in person he hesitates. He has his reasons and thinks once she sees him she would not want anything to do with him. I loved how everything played out in this book, the story is beautifully plotted with the perfect balance of drama, humor, heartfelt emotions and romance, a wonderful, slow burn romance. Karen Grey, thank you for another awesome story, the laughs and the emotional rollercoaster ride. Also loving the originality of these stories and how you keep it all real. 🎧📚🎧 And for the wonderful narration, Vanessa Edwin and Eric Michael Summerer were the perfect cast to bring these characters to life. They have a complete understanding of the characters they are portraying, giving each a voice that is a perfect fit for that character’s persona and sounding believable that role and just as I picture the character to sound. You could hear how much heart they put into their work as they capture the character’s emotions and project them into their performance. They set the perfect tone for the story, handle the witty dialogue with ease and land the humor flawlessly. These two fabulously talented voice artists are entertaining storyteller and a pleasure to listen to. Thank you for this awesome listen.

Author Karen Grey’s Boston Classics are such fantastic stories. I don’t know how she comes up with these plot lines but they are amazing. Fresh, bright, original, laugh-out-loud funny yet serious and thought-provoking. And a marvelous trip down memory lane back to the 1980’s, when we had big hair and before cell phones and social media ruled our lives. You can read the books in any order and they are all perfect standalones, but do yourself a favor and start at the beginning and get to know these wonderful characters one-by-one as they are introduced and connect to one another. I am sure you will grow to love them all much as I have. You Spin Me begins at the end of 1988 when Jessica Abraham – vain, body-obsessed, afraid-to-grow-old Jessica Abraham – turns thirty, loses her day job, and loses the role of Ophelia to a younger actress. Not a good week. And then while she’s driving home one snowy night in early 1989 she knows the answer to a quiz on DJ Callihan Alonso’s alt-rock radio show and phones in. And suddenly for the reader it’s like violins playing and fireworks exploding. It just feels like . . . sigh . . . . Over nothing really. Just a phone call to a radio DJ. But not just a phone call. That start of . . . something. He worries about her and wants to know she gets home safe every night and asks her to call in just to let him know. And this becomes the highlight of their nights. As they talk longer and longer they feel closer and closer. But closer to what? He’s just that mysterious voice, the DJ with no posters and no publicity. He’s never seen her. She’s not sure she wants to be seen and judged on her looks one more time. It sure feels like a love story, though. But of course it’s not that simple. Can you fall in love with a voice? And surely there’s more to Jess and Cal than an aging actress and a guy who is obsessively private. As we listen in on more and more of their late night conversations and get a peek at their “outside” lives we learn there is a lot going on with each of them, a lot of childhood trauma, a lot of adult fears, a lot of unwillingness to open themselves up to rejection. Can they ever get past those fears to trust? Are they doomed to this late-night bittersweet connection with no promise or hope for the future? You Spin Me is, as are all the Boston Classics, a witty, funny, laugh-out-loud tale of two people who immediately seem perfect for each other. To the reader, anyway. But they have a few potentially huge obstacles to overcome and you should be prepared to shed more than one tear along the way. I was so worried about Jess and Cal I wanted to jump into the story and talk to them both. I really had no idea where author Karen Grey was going to go with the ending so I didn’t put the book down until I had read straight through. What wonderful writing, what wonderful people, what a wonderful story. And I was sorry to see it end and can’t wait for more. Thanks to author Karen Grey and StoryOrigin for providing an advance copy of You Spin Me for my reading pleasure and honest review. It is an amazing story, light and easy and deep and rich all at the same time. It touched my heart and I won’t soon forget it. All opinions are my own. I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it and everything this author writes without hesitation.

I love Karen White’s unique wit, imaginative premise, dynamic characters, and appreciation of the arts! Her exploration of body imagery, childhood trauma, and neurodiversity is thoughtfully and beautifully done. Brimming with friendship, heartache, love, and comedy, You Spin Me is an absolute gem! Vanessa Edwin and Eric Michael Summerer give outstanding performances as Jess and Cal!! They each brought their A game to portray these complex, emotional, endearing characters. From Cal's radio spots and Jess' auditions to their explorations of the characters' pasts, Eric and Vanessa give delightfully fun and emotionally raw performances.

Karen Grey blew me away with this book. I really enjoyed the first book in the Boston Classics series, What I'm Looking For, but she's taken it to a new level here. Jess and Cal were a wonderful couple. They meet over the phone when Jess, an actress staring 30 in the face and coming to terms with aging out of ingenue roles, wins a role in a comedy/drama production an hour outside of Boston. This necessitates a long commute each day for rehearsals, and to keep herself awake on the drive home, she starts listening to the local rock station where Cal is the late night DJ. She calls in, they start talking, and immediately start bonding without ever meeting in person. This is a good thing for Cal because his face and upper body were horribly scarred in an accidental fire at age 4. He faced years of painful surgery and treatment and was bullied unmercifully as a child, so he is extremely reticent about meeting anyone in person, feeling like everyone either pities him or is laughing at him. Given his state of mind at the start of the book, I don't think he could have made a connection with Jess in any other way. Initially, I thought this was going to be kind of a Beauty/Beast story, and it kind of was on the surface, but it soon becomes clear that the author is going much deeper with her story. Jess has her own deep and lasting scars, they are just far better hidden because they don't affect her appearance. In truth, she's no less reticent than Cal when it comes to both accepting herself and accepting that anyone else could truly love her. Seeing these two damaged yet strong people come together and get each other on the path to healing made for a beautiful and heartfelt romance. The book deals with difficult subjects for Jess and Cal, but it never bogs down or becomes too emotional. Karen Grey has a lovely, deft touch with her characters, the plot, and with the world she's created. Once again, she swept me right back to the late 1980's. I listened to alt rock throughout that time period and loved the references to the bands, and the exploration of both independent rock radio stations and community theater. Really, there wasn't anything about this book that I didn't love. I definitely need to go back and read the second book in the series, and I can't wait for the next book. I received a copy of this book from the author. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

Karen Grey continues to deliver my favorite aspects of romance in You Spin Me. Authentic and fully developed characters, laughs, tears, sexy scenes, and a wonderful HEA. While the story stands on it’s own – there’s references to events and characters from previous books, the Boston Classics series is best enjoyed in order. (pssst… at the time of this review you can grab the audio for book 1, What I’m Looking For, from Chirp for $1.99) I loved the contrast of Cal & Jess both being concerned about how people react to their looks versus the person inside but for opposite reasons. Much of Cal’s body was burned in a fire when he was a young child and he’s come to expect strangers horrified or pitying reactions. Jess was “blessed” with amazing genetics which gives her a body many admire but then make assumptions about her based on that. By calling in to the radio station where Cal is a DJ, they get to know each other and build an amazing friendship that is developing into something more. But both are afraid of what happens next. With the story taking place over several months, I love that Grey gives us a lot of time to get to know them as individuals and as a couple. While it is a difficult road for this couple and there are a few misunderstandings – I appreciated that nothing drags out too long. I like the way that Grey had Cal & Jess understand, accept, and deal with the challenges that each of them brings to the relationship. Overall a fabulous and enjoyable read.