Can't Take It Back

I grabbed this Audible Original because I was looking for something light and it came free with my subscription. Free is always nice! The group of narrators did a good job telling this story about a group of suburban women and their marital challenges, but overall, the story was a bit of a letdown.

I didn't connect with the characters or the story which was about a slew of marital problems. The characters got on my nerves and most came off as completely self-centred. I had wanted an empowering read with a cast of women who learn about their strengths, but this wasn't that book. It was actually quite a cynical and bleak read about a handful of unstable marriages and the issues often felt forced. 

The friendship and support between the women were a highlight for me but overall, the story dragged, and I ended up not enjoying this book nearly as much as I had hoped to.

My Rating: 2.5 stars

Author: Kelly Duran

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Type and Source: eAudiobook from Audible.ca

Publisher: Audible Originals

First Published: April 2020

Narrators: Gabra Zackman, Ellen Archer, 

Elizabeth Jackson, Eric Michael Summerer

Run Time: 9 hours, 15 min

Book Description from GoodReads: A perfect next listen for fans of Abbi Waxman and Katherine Center, Can’t Take It Back is a fast-paced and relatable debut telling the interconnected stories of four women over the course of a kindergarten school year.

Huddled on their favorite park bench in a quiet Seattle suburb, Holly, Avery, Zoe, and Sasha might look like they’ve got it all figured out - but there’s more to their stories than meets the eye. When Avery’s husband Carter suggests they open up their marriage, she’s shocked and appalled - but could this new arrangement be the breath of fresh air she never knew she needed? Zoe and Aaron, whose connection has long been the standard by which their friends measure their own relationships, feel that their lives are taking them in different directions, but worry over how a divorce might affect their two young boys. Zoe turns to her best friend Holly for guidance, but as it turns out, this year has tested her own marriage to Jake in ways neither of them ever anticipated. And meanwhile, Holly’s sister Sasha - the no-nonsense PR executive and eternally single girl of the group - must decide if joining the ranks of motherhood is the right step for her.

Captivating and immersive, Can’t Take It Back is a deeply emotional novel that celebrates the complex bond of female friendships.