Girl at Heart

I’ll admit, I rolled my eyes at first. *Another* jock-with-a-heart-of-gold story? But *Girl at Heart* disarmed me within chapters. Charlie isn’t your typical YA heroine—she’s prickly, competitive, and *so* tired of being the ‘cool girl’ who doesn’t need romance. When her best friend, Jace, asks someone else to prom, her reaction isn’t just sadness; it’s a full-blown identity crisis. Oram writes teenage humiliation with brutal precision: the way Charlie’s stomach drops when she’s overlooked, the way she channels her hurt into throwing a faster pitch. It’s not pretty, but it’s *real*. Hallie Ricardo’s narration sells it. She doesn’t just read Charlie’s lines—she *embodies* her. The sarcasm? Perfectly timed. The moments when Charlie’s voice wavers? Devastating. My only critique? The pacing stumbles slightly in the middle, where a subplot about team drama feels a touch overstuffed. And while Jace’s redemption arc is satisfying, it leans a little too hard on the ‘miscommunication trope’ to stretch the conflict. Still, the audiobook’s production is flawless—no jarring edits, no awkward pauses—just a seamless, immersive listen. If you’ve ever been the girl who’s ‘not like other girls’ (or the guy who didn’t see her), this one will gut you. In the best way.