Who Do I Lean On?

About This Audiobook

Who Do I Lean On? isn’t another tale of broken lives neatly repaired—it’s a raw, deliberate excavation of what happens when pride, trauma, and motherhood collide. Gabrielle Fairbanks isn’t handed redemption; she claws for it, one uncomfortable conversation at a time. Working at a homeless shelter while rebuilding her fractured family life, she’s surrounded by people who mirror her pain—but seeing it in others doesn’t make her own easier to face. Neta Jackson avoids tidy resolutions, instead leaning into the friction between independence and interdependence, making this a rare exploration of emotional surrender in contemporary fiction. It’s not about bouncing back—it’s about learning how to reach out without shame. Martha Manning’s narration is a masterclass in restraint and empathy. She doesn’t overplay Gabrielle’s grief or her slow thaw, opting instead for a warm, grounded tone that feels like a confidante sharing secrets over coffee. The audiobook gains depth from Manning’s subtle shifts between characters—each voice distinct but never theatrical, preserving the story’s emotional authenticity. With steady pacing and clean production, the focus stays firmly on the inner lives of people who’ve learned to survive but are just beginning to live. This is audiobook storytelling that trusts its audience to sit with discomfort—and be rewarded for it.