Florida Woman

A Novel

By: Deb Rogers

Narrated by: Eileen Stevens

"Razor-sharp... Deb Rogers writes with such verve and honesty about all the ways we stumble through life, and, like all great storytellers, gives us something wondrous when we reach the end of the journey.” —Kevin Wilson, bestselling author of Nothing to See Here

A gleefully dark and entertaining debut for fans of Kevin Wilson and Karen Russell, about one young woman’s sensational summer at a Floridian wildlife center for exotic monkeys

Jamie is a Florida Woman. She grew up on the beach, thrives in humidity, has weathered more hurricanes than she can count, and now, after going viral for an outrageous crime she never meant to commit in the first place, she has the requisite headline to her name. But when the chance comes for her to escape viral infamy and imminent jail time by taking a community service placement at Atlas, a shelter for rescued monkeys, it seems like just the fresh start Jamie needs to finally get her life back on track — until it’s not.

Something sinister stirs in the palmetto woods surrounding her cabin, and secrets lurk among the three beguiling women who run the shelter and affectionately take Jamie under their wing for the summer. She hears the distant screams of monkeys each night; the staff perform cryptic, lakeside sacrifices to honor Atlas; and the land, which has long been abandoned by citrus farmers and theme park developers alike, now proves to be dangerously, relentlessly untamed.

As Jamie ventures deeper into the offbeat world and rituals of Atlas, her summer is soon set to inspire an even stranger Florida headline than she ever could’ve imagined.

Disappointing, even as a Daily Deal

Just so disappointing in so many ways. The narrator did an amazing job, simply being able to read the story, but I could not enjoy this at all. The characters are so lacking in every way. I think I am done with purchasing Daily Deals from Audible. In the past I often found new authors/books that were very interesting, sometimes leading me to read other works by the same new authors. Now, however, these deals are simply not worth the time. I don't plan to even look at the Daily Deal again!

Riveting

I really enjoyed this - most unique book I’ve enjoyed in quite a while. The voice was lovely and added more to the bizarre riveting novel.

Good climax/ending

I liked where the book went in the end, but I felt like it spent too long hinting that things were wrong while pretending things were ok. In other words, I thought the pacing was kind of slow.

Addictive story and great narration

Found this story from a thread of best summer book recommendations. Opted for the audio version because it makes a great companion while taking long walks. I found myself walking every day, for long stretches to get back to this suspenseful story. Highly entertaining and loved the skill of the narrator changing voices for every character. It felt very much like a live-acted drama.

Fast, Fun, and Engaging

This may not be great literature, but it kept me engaged from first to last. The protagonist isn’t like me or anyone I know, but she has a yearning for connection most of us can empathize with. Her adventures serving a jail sentence with community service in the wilds of a Florida jungle bring out the best in her, ultimately. A satisfying read.