Audiobook Review: Flat-Out Love by Jessica Park

Title: Flat-Out Love
Author: Jessica Park
Narrator: Julia Whelan
Published: April 17, 2012
Length: 9 hrs 40 mins
Source: Purchased
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

He was tall, at least six feet, with dirty blond hair that hung over his eyes. His T-shirt read Nietzsche Is My Homeboy.

So, that was Matt. Who Julie Seagle likes. A lot. But there is also Finn. Who she flat out loves.

Complicated? Awkward? Completely.

But really, how was this freshly-minted Boston transplant and newbie college freshman supposed to know that she would end up living with the family of an old friend of her mother's? This was all supposed to be temporary. Julie wasn't supposed to be important to the Watkins family, or to fall in love with one of the brothers. Especially the one she's never quite met. But what does that really matter? Finn gets her, like no one ever has before. They have connection.

But here's the thing about love, in all its twisty, bumpy permutations—it always throws you a few curves. And no one ever escapes unscathed.

Julie shows up in Boston, totally pumped about going off to college on her own.  But as she arrives at the address for the apartment she rented on Craig's List, she quickly realizes it was all a scam.  Here she is, stuck in Boston, alone with no idea what to do.  Luckily her mother's old college roommate happens to live in Boston and offers Julie a room in her home.  She moves in the Watkins' house and soon realizes that this may be more than she signed up for.

Can I just start by saying how I'm totally in love with Flat Finn?  And who is Flat Finn, you may be wondering?  Well, besides being the cardboard cutout of Matt's older brother Finn, he's also their sister Celeste's right-hand man.  She never goes anywhere without him.  She carries around this life-size cardboard cutout everywhere, and seems to ignore the horribly judging glares of others.  It doesn't matter to little Celeste what people think... Flat Finn comes along.

Jessica Park is an amazing storyteller.  She writes in such a way that things you may otherwise find strange (such as Flat Finn) become normal and acceptable.  Almost second nature.  This book has so much - You have romance, drama, love and loss... and oh, the humor!  I was literally laughing out loud A LOT throughout this book.  And yes, I'm sure the incredible narrator had a lot to do with that.  She was able to successfully portray Julie as the spunky, go-getter that she was, while showing Matt's genius and often awkward moments, along with Finn's lovable reactions and stories, on top of Celeste's adorable 13-year old totally immature yet brilliant self.  Park's incredible writing just made this into the wonderful story it was.  I couldn't put it down.

Each chapter began with the Facebook update of all three characters.  This was hilarious to me.  My favorite was this one:

Julie Seagle:  If you can't stop thinking about someone's update, that's called "status cling".

Baaaahahahaha!!  Come on... cute, right?!  This story was just so fun, I can't even explain it.  It's safe to say this is one of my favorite audiobooks to date.  Most anyone that likes contemporary stories will adore this one too.   And I would definitely recommend the audio.  It's flat-out lovable! ;)

Matt set his messenger bag on the stool next to him and sat down at the kitchen counter. He looked at the plate in front of him. "What is this?"

"It's a gastronomical representation of 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.'" Julie put her hands on her hips. "Don't you see it? The clear depiction of the struggle for sexual identity as evidenced by the two phallic shapes?"

Matt looked at her. "What are you talking about?"

"What are you talking about? It's manicotti, you nut. What do you think it is?"