Audiobook Review: The Survivor’s Guild by Gabriella Saab
The Survivors Guild
Author: Gabriella Saab
Narrators:
Saskia Maarleveld
Gail Shalan
Published: September 1, 2026
Audiobook: 12 hours 33 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Listened To: September 21-28, 2026
Jessica’s Rating: 4 stars
Book Description:
In 1912 aboard the RMS Titanic, Nabiha “Bea” Nohra is traveling to America to find work, eager to earn the funds necessary to afford passage for the family she left in Lebanon. On the same ship, heiress Marguerite Ashby sails home to celebrate her engagement to a dull British lord, a marriage that will secure her new-money family’s place in old New York society. But when the Titanic sinks, the two women’s paths are fused together when Bea saves Marguerite’s life and they are unexpectedly charged with the smallest survivor—a baby boy.
No one claims the infant, so the women form a committee to aid survivors and locate the baby’s next of kin. Bea works as the child’s nanny, desperate to bring her family to America before the difficulties in Lebanon overwhelm them. Meanwhile Marguerite hopes the committee’s charitable efforts will win society’s respect and render an advantageous marriage unnecessary, sparing her from marrying a man she does not love—unless her parents force her to fulfill the obligation no matter what society says. And when finding the child’s relatives proves to be no simple task, the women are soon enmeshed in deception and uncertainty as they seek to determine where the baby truly belongs.
The committee might grant the acceptance Marguerite craves, connect Bea with the stability she needs, and lead them to the baby’s relatives. But a committee helmed by an American heiress and a Lebanese nanny is hardly customary. Surviving a shipwreck is only the start. As Marguerite’s wedding looms nearer and Bea faces the increasing hardships of adjusting to her new country, they must fight for survival once more. This time, to survive New York society.
Jessica’s Review:
I have always been intrigued by the Titanic and when I saw this book I wanted to read it and was so glad to be granted an audiobook copy to listen to! This was such an interesting premise with a fight for survival and the aftermath of the sinking with the focus on two women survivors of different classes.
We have Marguerite Ashby who was a first-class passenger new American wealth and we also have Nabiha ‘Bea’ Nohra who was third-class and a Lebanese immigrant. The Survivors Guild is comprised of their stories told in alternating chapters. We experience the terror of the sinking with both women, who also end up with a baby boy. Together in the aftermath in New York they create a committee to help survivors and hopefully find the baby’s family. But the story is so much more, the novel shows the issues women dealt with at the time depending on their class and status, and how choices that women make may seem seemingly small become huge.
I really enjoyed this novel and it was very apparent on the research that Saab did to prepare in writing this novel. And who would have thought that there were Lebanese immigrants on the Titanic?!?! And in addition to trying to survive these passengers also had a language barrier. Imagine how much more frightened they were with possibly no one to translate and help ease those fears.
I liked both Marguerite and Bea. Two different women from two different classes forming a friendship and a committee to help other survivors? These are two strong women and we see this in the various decisions they make. I was 1000% invested in finding ‘Baby Rémy’s’ family and how that story was going to conclude.
Due to my hearing issue, I believe it made it harder for me to understand the narrator portraying Bea. I did have to go back on those tracks from time to time and concentrate more on Bea’s chapters. This is no fault of the narrator. Otherwise they both did a fine job.
Be sure to listen to the author’s note at the end of the novel. This is my first novel by Saab, and it won’t be my last!
Thank you to the publisher Harper Muse Audiobooks for granting me a copy to listen to and review!
ALC Review: Wedlocked by Hillary Frank
Wedlocked
Author: Hillary Frank
Narrators:
Alexis Campbell
Fred Berman
Helen Laser
Ian Guerra
To Be Published: October 20, 2026
Audiobook: 8 hours 28 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Listened: September 29- October 3, 2026
Jessica’s Rating: 4 stars
Audiobook Description:
Zara is one half of a fitness-influencer power couple. She has the upscale Philadelphia home, the dream husband, and millions of followers on the country’s hottest fitness app. But behind the bright lights and bumping music, Zara desperately wants a baby—a desire her husband does not share. Despite the stress of her “ticking clock,” she says she’s fine. Happier than ever, actually.
When Zara rekindles a friendship with Oscar, an old flame, he starts questioning her all-too-cheery demeanor. Zara wants to blame Oscar’s jealousy, but his pointed observations force her to reckon with the cracks she’s been trying to her eerie and erratic health episodes, as well as the strange and mysterious incidents terrorizing her. The further her life spirals out of control, the closer she comes to the sinister truth.
Featuring haunting sound design and original music, Wedlocked is an immersive audio experience that explores the space between the lives we post, the lives we actually lead, and the forces behind a woman’s choice.
An audio original from Macmillan Audio production.
Jessica’s Review:
Wedlocked is not just an audiobook listen, it is an immersive experience: The listener is pulled into the story. I felt like I was in the gym with Zara and the other instructors. This happens from the start of the novel. We experience a very high energy workout! Can you get tired from a workout by just listening to it?
Zara is under constant high stress: She is married to the boss and together they make a fitness instructor ‘power couple’. They are who everyone in the fitness world strives to be. Her job at the gym has its own stressors: The instructors are connected to an app and must log in basically everything in their lives. Instructors are also competing against each other and work to have the most followers. And highest score wins!
Another stressor that is not work related for Zara is that she is getting closer to 40 and feels that her biological clock is running out. She wants to have a baby, but her husband Ezzie seemingly does everything he can to avoid that conversation. This is what the ‘meat’ of the novel is about.
Wedlocked goes in its own unique and at times bizarre direction. You do have to suspend your belief in reality. Zara seemingly believes she has a stalker and then everything that goes on with her wanting a baby and her gynecologist appointments. The listener even goes in the room with Zara and the doctor, but all women know what that appointment is like. This novel deals with women’s health issues and just how we as women are at the liberty of a doctor. Especially in one of the most vulnerable positions a woman can be in.
This immersive listen has sound effects, music and the narrator’s amazing performances! All the narrators made you feel like you were involved in the story. Once this story really gets going you don’t want to stop listening, and I didn’t and I had no idea what direction it was going to go in, let alone the direction that it ultimately did go in.
Be sure to listen to the author’s note after finishing Wedlocked!
Wedlocked is released on October 20th and will only be available on audio. I listened to a sneak peek that was available and was intrigued enough to request the full novel. I was excited when I was approved to listen to the novel! Thanks so much Macmillian Audio!
Pre-Order Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Audiobook Review: This is Me: A Reckoning by Hayden Panettiere
This is Me: A Reckoning
Author: Hayden Panettiere
Narrator: Hayden Panettiere
Published: May 19, 2026
Audiobook: 7 hours 47 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Listened: August 30- September 4, 2026
Book Description:
Hayden Panettiere’s career in entertainment began before she was old enough to walk. From early commercials to film and television roles in hits like Remember the Titans, her career unfolded in the public eye, resulting in tremendous success by her early teens. She had become a fixture of early-2000s pop culture, earning acclaim for performances in Heroes, Nashville (which earned her two Golden Globe nominations), and beyond—while quietly carrying the weight of expectations that came with being Hollywood’s “It girl.”
Behind the image was a far more complicated reality. As Hayden entered adulthood, the industry that once felt playful grew unforgiving as she learned by experience the pressure placed on young performers, the hefty price that often comes with fame, and how quickly someone else can take control of your story. She recounts being scrutinized by tabloids, watching her body and private pain become public property, and performing storylines on-screen that echoed trauma she was living through off-camera.
In this memoir, Hayden shares a rare and intimate glimpse into her life behind closed doors, opening up about postpartum depression, addiction and recovery, trauma, domestic abuse, and loss. She holds nothing back as she reflects on the moments she calls “lifequakes”— experiences that fractured her sense of self and forced her to rebuild it from the inside out. In This Is Me: A Reckoning Hayden showcases her most vulnerable role yet. . .this is her story, on her terms.
Jessica’s Review:
Hayden Panettiere’s life began August 21,1989 and she passed away on August 16, 2026. Just a few days shy of her birthday, Hayden was only 36. This memoir was released on May 19, 2026 and through it Hayden shares with us her life in the way she wants. Hayden shares from her childhood through giving up custody of her daughter. She also shares about her life in between.
From the time she was eight months old, Hayden was involved in show business. While listening to this she never had a chance to have a ‘normal childhood’: A childhood not in the spotlight. I never had children, but who would want to expose their infant to this kind of life? Hearing about her leaving school and then going to work as a young girl was frustrating for me. She grew up in the spotlight dealing with everything the children go though but exposed for the public to see.
Hayden had many battles in her short life: post-partum depression, the unexpected loss of her younger brother, giving up custody of her daughter and addiction. And addiction is how we have ultimately lost her as it has been determined that Hayden overdosed on drugs.
While talking about her life, Hayden also doesn’t give extreme details. She talks about two events when she was 18-19 years old in Hollywood and what happened but does not give names; she only alludes as to who these ‘mystery men’ are. I think that was most likely that if she gave names, then it would have become a ‘he said/ she said’ situation and a possible battle that she did not want to fight. She does speak on her relationship with Mila Ventimiglia while filming Heroes and their significant age difference. The biggest surprise for me was that Hayden came out as bi-sexual with a preference for women. She stated that she knew this from a young age.
We get to hear about her life working on soap operas, Heroes, Nashville, and a couple of the Scream films. We also get to hear about her filming Remember the Titans, which was filmed in Georgia, so I enjoyed hearing about that time in her life. I remember going to see the movie in the theater. We also experience her addictions, her relationship with the father of her daughter Wladimir Klitschko, her postpartum depression, and more.
There was so much more that she could have shared, but so much was glossed over. But again, look at the title of this memoir: Hayden told the story of her life in the way she wanted. I listened to the audiobook and she narrated it. I am choosing to not give this memoir a star rating and just leave my thoughts to it. May she finally rest and have the peace in death that she failed to have in life.
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
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