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    While We Were Watching Downton Abbey
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    While We Were Watching Downton Abbey
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    While We Were Watching Downton Abbey
    Audiobook10 hours

    While We Were Watching Downton Abbey

    Written by Wendy Wax

    Narrated by Orlagh Cassidy

    3.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    FROM THE AUTHOR OF TEN BEACH ROAD AND OCEAN BEACH, A NEW NOVEL OF FOUR FRIENDS-AND A SHARED PASSION THAT COULD CHANGE THEIR LIVES.

    When the concierge of The Alexander, a historic Atlanta apartment building, invites his fellow residents to join him for weekly screenings of Downton Abbey, four very different people find themselves connecting with the addictive drama, and-even more unexpectedly-with each other…

    Samantha Davis married young and for the wrong reason: the security of old Atlanta money-for herself and for her orphaned brother and sister. She never expected her marriage to be complicated by love and compromised by a shattering family betrayal.

    Claire Walker is now an empty nester and struggling author who left her home in the suburbs for the old world charm of The Alexander, and for a new and productive life. But she soon wonders if clinging to old dreams can be more destructive than having no dreams at all.

    And then there's Brooke MacKenzie, a woman in constant battle with her faithless ex-husband. She's just starting to realize that it's time to take a deep breath and come to terms with the fact that her life is not the fairy tale she thought it would be.

    For Samantha, Claire, Brooke-and Edward, who arranges the weekly gatherings-it will be a season of surprises as they forge a bond that will sustain them through some of life's hardest moments-all of it reflected in the unfolding drama, comedy, and convergent lives of Downton Abbey.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateApr 2, 2013
    ISBN9781101605936
    Unavailable
    While We Were Watching Downton Abbey

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    Reviews for While We Were Watching Downton Abbey

    3.5/5

    101 ratings20 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Just a good, fun read.
    • 4/5
      Being a fan of the addictive "Downton Abbey", I was drawn to this book because of the title and the author. This is the second Wax book I've read and I found it fun! Samantha, Claire, and Brooke reside in a condo building in Atlanta. Edward, the concierge, is a fan of the show and watches every Sunday night. Eventually the three residents end up being his viewing companions and friendships form that otherwise never would've happened. I loved this delightful book and read it in one day, the characters are interesting and fun. Wax knows how to write a good story. I liked how the girls friendships form, each week layers of their fake exteriors are peeled away as they begin to be "real". I received an ecopy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
    • 4/5
      I originally wanted to read this book because I am completely in love with Downton Abbey. The movie centers around three very different women who lie in the same building in downtown Atlanta. They find themselves attending a weekly screening of the first two seasons of the wildly popular BBC series Downton Abbey, arranged by the concierge of the building, Edward. Claire, Brooke, and Samantha slowly become friends, each week bringing them closer together.I really enjoyed this book. While it can be labels chick lit to some degree, it is clearly written in a more mature voice than many out there. Wendy wax is a wonderful writer who really brings her character-good and bad-to life. I would love to see a sequel- especially more about Edward!
    • 5/5
      Is this great literature? No. But for the kind of book it is, I have to give it 5 stars. I seldom encounter characters that are so interesting and likeable. There was nothing slow about this novel, it just kept moving and kept me interested. I wanted to know what happened to each of the three main women characters, enough so that I finished it in two days. Light reading, but well done and a very interesting story.
    • 4/5
      The basics: Set in The Alexander, a chic condo building in Atlanta, While We Were Watching Downton Abbey is the story of its inhabitants who forge unlikely friendships once building concierge Edward, whose ancestor was a British country house butler, begins screening Downton Abbey on Sunday evenings.My thoughts: Going into While We Were Watching Downton Abbey, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. It was my first experience with Wendy Wax, but she's an author with whom I was already familiar. As both a big fan of Downton Abbey and the city of Atlanta, where I spent almost half of my life (and met Mr. Nomadreader), I was curious to see how Wax used both the city and the show as backdrops. As I read, I found myself perfectly able to picture the Midtown Atlanta setting the characters inhabited.I first jumped onto the Downton Abbey bandwagon over Christmas break. I marathoned the first two seasons and impatiently waited to devour the new episode each Sunday. The entire series was still fresh in my mind as I read this novel, yet I still found myself watching along with the characters. Wax incorporates so much detail into the first few screenings as the characters have impassioned discussions, and I ended up almost feeling like a character in the book. Our shared love of Downton Abbey really helped me connect with the different characters early on in the novel. As the novel progresses, Wax shifts the emphasis to the drama of her characters, but Downton still provides a nice backdrop throughout the novel.The verdict: While We Were Watching Downton Abbey is a delightful novel of unexpected friendships and bonds. Downton Abbey first brings the characters together, but it's not what keeps them together. Similarly, I read this novel because of the Downton Abbey connection, but I ended up enjoying it for its own characters.
    • 4/5
      A fun book about friendship and finding out who you are. Four women who meet while watching the show Downton Abbey and how they help each other through various situations. All the women are from different backgrounds, but discover things about themselves and the true meaning of friendship.
    • 5/5
      What I fully expected to be a story that focused on the female friendships as these 3 strangers encounter one another in the lobby of their building, actually turned out to expand on that theme and incorporate Edward, the concierge, as a mastermind who fully integrated his business motto of “making your life easier” into the lives of the residents in the building he oversees.

      Downton Abbey’s first two seasons provide a backdrop for the real action: while the residents experience a ‘taste’ of England and immerse themselves in the drama on the screen, they are acclimatizing themselves to one another: and have easy conversation starters. With a mix of cajoling and strong-arm tactics, Edward moves the three women: Claire, Brooke and Samantha, into a prime seat, for somehow he sensed that the three would be compatible.

      From the first tentative steps toward friendship, through devastatingly difficult circumstances, these three women learn to trust in themselves and one another, while navigating the challenges that life throws at them. Throughout it all, Edward serves as quiet directorial hand, providing opportunities, making suggestions and encouraging the women’s interactions, while maintaining an air of quiet dignity that hides the caring heart within.

      From the very first page, Wendy Wax has managed to create a story that has characters with complexity and secrets, moments of utter embarrassment and sheer frivolity. These three months are loaded with events large and small that reinforce the relationships between the women, and their relationships and view of themselves. While Downton Abbey is the tie that brought them together, their story is just as enchanting and transfixing as the one on the screen.

      Women who are aware of the power of friendship will find much to agree with in this book, those who tend to shrug off the power that support and caring from your female friends can bring are in for an awakening. A book that I will be suggesting to several of my friends, in fact names were popping into my head as I read the book!

      I received an eBook copy from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
    • 3/5
      As a huge Downton Abbey fan I was so excited about this book then I realized it took place in Atlanta and I was hooked.

      Overall, I really enjoyed the characters but felt like the first half of book was an introduction to all, the middle focused on Claire( who is my least favorite) and the end was all about Samantha. I kept wanting more Brooke, although her story line seems pretty predictable. I hope we get a sequel as they watch season 3 (and 4?) of DA, which based on the ending seems like a possibility.
    • 4/5
      A step up from chick lit, While We Were Watching Downton Abbey caught my attention and kept it for the entire book. I wanted to know more about these characters, wanted to see inside their homes and hear what they had to say about season 3 of Downton Abbey.
    • 4/5
      A chick-lit-ish story about three very different women who all live in the same building in Atlanta and become friends through a series of screenings of Downton Abbey arranged by their building's concierge. Each of the women has a problem to overcome, which they do with the help of their new friends throughout the course of the book. A pleasant read with a few truly affecting scenes, but ultimately definitely a light read. I was also a little disappointed that Downton Abbey didn't figure a little more specifically into the story. The women really could have been watching anything--the particulars of DA didn't really have any bearings on the friendships formed or the problems solved. Perhaps this was an intellectual property rights impossibility, but I think the story would have been better for more interworkings between this story and DA.
    • 4/5
      As a Downton Abbey fan, this book was great fun to read. Characters were very likeable and real. I loved the concierge of the building.
    • 3/5
      Even though I have read several of Wendy’s other books and loved them and was so looking forward to this one as had pre-ordered; however, was a bit disappointed. I lived in Atlanta for 14 years prior to moving to Florida, in Buckhead and Midtown and loved the Atlanta highlights; however, compared to her other books, there was just something missing for me.
    • 5/5
      I loved the residents in the Alexandra apartments. Very funny real women. Even the minor characters were a hoot! It's the story of friendships formed at a weekly screening of Downton Abbey. It was much fun to hear the quotes from Downton and remember the episodes! Made me wish I had some friends over, a glass of wine and was watching the series for the first time again!
    • 4/5
      As a huge fan of "Downton Abbey", I was curious to see what this book was all about. Even though I have heard of Wendy Wax, I haven't read any of her books, but will certainly be adding them to my list of to-reads in the future.In WHILE WE WERE WATCHING DOWNTON ABBEY, we are introduced to three very different women who all live in the gorgeous downtown Alexander. They are brought together when Edward Parker, the British concierge of the Alexander, offers Sunday night showings of "Downton Abbey" in the club room. Samantha is married to Johnathan Davis, part of Atlanta's oldest and richest families. Samantha has lived her life in gratitude to Johnathan for saving herself and two siblings after their father and mother died in a car accident. When her siblings continue to drain Johnathan of his fortune and continue to embarrass their family, she wonders why Johnathan continues to stay married to her. Samantha continues to keep a brave face and fake her happiness all while under the watchful eyes of her mother-in-law, who may surprisingly become her biggest ally.Claire, an accomplished author left the suburbs after sending her only daughter off to Northwestern. Claire moves into the Alexander to spend a year writing her third novel. Claire spent her whole life working multiple jobs while writing and caring for her daughter as a single mother. Now with a whole year in front of her, she can't seem to find the words to create her next novel. Admitting that to her publisher and her daughter could mean the end of her career.Brooke is recently divorced from her plastic surgeon husband. Throughout their marriage, Brooke worked multiple jobs and raised their children to get her husband through medical school. Now that his practice is booming, he no longer needed her and left Brooke for a someone he could practice his plastic surgeon skills on. Brooke, her two daughters and their dog are constantly put in the path of her ex-husband and his new "Barbie" girlfriend. While Brooke continues to feel completely inadequate compared to the other people living in the Alexander and to her ex-husband, she finds a new calling as a professional mom. Edward Parker hires her to handle a 6-year-old birthday party as part of his Private Butler business and has maybe just given Brooke a new look at life without her husband. Wendy Wax has a great talent in creating characters the reader can both imagine and care about. From the very beginning, I found a piece of each character that I could relate to and began to root for them through each chapter. With all the different characters and storylines, Wax finds ways to blend them all together without confusing or losing the reader. While reading the character's stories we also find their lives connecting with those in "Downton Abbey". The merging of the novel with the show made for an interesting piece to the novel that was subtle, yet thought-provoking. I found that even though the initial descriptions of the characters would make them unlikely friends, their friendship became very believable and necessary. I really enjoyed the story and even though parts of the book were predictable, I was pleased with how the character's lives were concluded in the novel. I was able to guess some of the outcomes, I just didn't know how they were going to get there which is what I loved about the book. I certainly enjoy a novel that can showcase women's friendships that are caring, fun, and with them supporting each other rather than being catty and spiteful.I think this would make an excellent book club choice, especially for fans of "Downton Abbey". There are discussion questions included at the end of the new mass-market paperback version if you need them. But, I think your group would find plenty of topics to discuss without the questions. You will also find the first two chapters of Wax's novel TEN BEACH ROAD included in the back of the book.
    • 4/5
      What an outstanding book for anyone who loves a great story about finding friends, ourselves and what makes us happy with the outstanding back drop of the series Downton Abbey. This was our book club pick for the month, which I think will be a hit! 4 stars
    • 2/5
      I am a huge Downton Abbey fan & that was the draw for me reading this one. Unfortunately, I didn't think this was very good. Downton was barely a backdrop & basically seemed like any popular show could have been plugged in for the very same story (While We Were Watching The Walking Dead or While We Were Watching Scandal). The characters were stock & flimsy, doing nothing unexpected & ending up exactly where you would predict. Aside from the descriptions of the posh building, I never felt these characters existed in any sort of lush surroundings approximate to my beloved Downton. I skimmed the last third of the book out of sheer need to finish because it was, by that point, clear that it was irrevocably boring & a trite ending was coming. There's nothing wrong with a light read but I wouldn't even recommend this one for a weekender. It simply had no charm to speak of, that I found & offered nothing new as a twist to an old trope (women at various stages in life, forging friendships). This reader was disappointed at this middling (at best) story.
    • 5/5
      If you are a fan of Downton Abbey you will love this book. Well-written chick lit with modern storyline.
    • 5/5
      Samantha was the rich girl everyone envied. Brooke was the single mother recently divorced. Claire was the empty nester and author. What did these women have in common. Nothing! That was until they started to go to the screening of Downton Abbey in their building. The women started out as complete opposites and strangers and began to bond instantly. Samantha would listen to the problems the other women had and she stayed the prim and proper housewife that her mother-in-law would expect her to be. The walls started crumbling down for all three of these women. With friendship and Downton Abbey they would all live happily ever after.I loved the way the book spoke of friendship with all walks of life. The rich girl, the help, they all coexisted. The writing is smooth and flows easily. You feel like you are friends with the characters. I enjoyed the book and not having ever watched Downton Abbey was able to follow the book with no trouble. I think after reading this I will definitely have to get a few friends together to watch the series. I would recommend that you read this book. A nice book for any woman in your life.Rating: 4.5Heat Rating: MildReviewed By: RaeCourtesy of My Book Addiction And More
    • 5/5
      Edward, concierge of the Alexander, invites the owners and tenants in the building for a showing of Downton Abbey in Wendy Wax’s WHILE WE WERE WATCHING DOWNTON ABBEY. Because of that unlikely friendships form and bear the brunt of what friendship is and how it works.WHILE WE WERE WATCHING DOWNTON ABBEY is a delightful read. Focusing on four people in the Alexander we are able to see how friendships form, how they grow, how they change the people involved, and how they help. Samantha Davis seemingly has it all but when she finally realizes what true friendship is she is able to let others behind the wall she has spent her life behind. Claire Walker has a year to devote to writing full time. Her problem is that she now cannot find the words. When she learns how much she has changed since moving to the Alexander the words inside her flow. Brooke has put her ex-husband through school and set up his practice and he leaves her for a patient. Not only that but now he and his girlfriend have moved into the Alexander. Brooke learns that looks can be deceiving when she discovers who her friends are. Edward also learns about friendship as he watches the lives of those in the Alexander change through his invitation. He sees the weaknesses and celebrates the strengths of his Alexanderites. WHILE WE WERE WATCHING DOWNTON ABBEY gives us good characters. These are people who are different from one another but learn the importance of each in their lives. When they give into the friendships they are forming they learn that they do not always have to be the ones to give. They can take when they need to. They can cry and moan and be honest and these friends won’t leave. Yes, there are villains here or maybe they are people who are shortchanging themselves by their behaviors. It was fun to watch these people. While this book reminding me of THE JANE AUSTEN BOOKCLUB by Karen Joy Fowler , it is lighter in the writing style. It made me feel good. It made me want to pick it up and plunge myself into their lives. It had me a little worried at times. These are special people who I wanted to protect so that the bad did not come into their lives. While I enjoyed each woman’s story, I especially enjoyed Samantha and Jonathan’s story. I think she came the furthest of all. She had to look at her past and where she erred and she had to look at how she changed over the years of her marriage and admit how she changed. It was hard for her but she had the strength of her friends behind her and, at last, let it be known how she felt. Great stuff!
    • 4/5
      Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.Quick & Dirty: A refreshing tale of three women that are so different from one another, but come together for a great friendship.Opening Sentence: As a child Samantha Jackson Davis loved fairy tales as much as the next girl.The Review:I was drawn to Wendy Wax’s While We Were Watching Downton Abbey mostly because of the infamous TV show. For those of you who don’t know, Downton Abbey is a period drama about life in the early 1900s, between the life of those upstairs (the wealthy) and downstairs (the help). I am a huge fan of the show, so when I read that the premise was about three women coming together for weekly screenings of the show, I had to read it. Wax is marvelous writer, bringing me the lives of these three very different women and rekindling my love for the show.In While We Were Watching Downton Abbey, Summary Samantha Davis, Claire Walker, Brooke MacKenzie are all residents of The Alexander. Each one with an individual story, and each with their own problems. They arrived at The Alexander for different reasons: the prestige, a settlement, and a fresh start. A weekly viewing of Downton Abbey brings these three women together. A show is the main reason for introductions and a bond, but they are what keeps them together. A merry group brings together these wonderful story of love, friendship, and Downton Abbey.Samantha was swept off her feet by her husband. Along with his riches, he played her white knight and saved herself and her two younger siblings. She is indebted for his generosity and financial support. Many years later, Samantha is about routine and expectations. The expectations she puts on herself to keep a happy home to make her husband’s life as stress free as possible. Routine of meeting her mother in law and placating her weekly questions. But through it all, Samantha loses who she is and whom her husband met all those years ago. I liked Samantha. Many people misconceive who she is. Deep down she’s warm and loving, and a regular person like anyone else. She was easy to get along, and my favorite, by far.Claire is seeking a fresh start. She is a writer who is finally considering herself a full-time writer. Her daughter is away at college and has downgraded from her spacious home to a place at The Alexander. Claire left her husband long ago, when she felt that it wasn’t right for her or her daughter. Her writing saved her, Highland romances with a humble following. But the time is now for Claire to start thinking about herself and her goals. The only problem is, she can’t focus with all this free time. I didn’t relate to Claire as much as the other two women, but I enjoyed her story. Starting fresh isn’t something that can be taken with a grain of salt. I’m glad she had friends to help her, even if I felt she could have done it on her own.Brooke is a divorced mother of two. She put her husband through medical school and has quickly become the starter wife. Her husband isn’t the kindest man, nor is he consistent. Brooke has catered to everyone but herself. Her husband is threatening to cut her financial support and to kick her out of her home. But with due diligence, Brooke slowly gains her independence. I liked Brooke’s story. I feel she had the most difficult situation, only because I disliked her ex-husband. But she is a strong character, not only as a mom, but as a woman.While We Were Watching Downton Abbey is written in a mature voice. The women are established in who they are, despite any shortcomings they feel they may have. The dialogue is witty and clever, perfect for the genre it is written in. I never once felt like the story dragged, nor did I feel the characters were mundane. The Alexander serves as a great background for the story, allowing Wax to mirror between present day and the time period of Downton Abbey. Regardless of social stature, Wax made it clear that self respect and self worth was important. I also found it interesting that the scenes chosen from Downton Abbey were relevant to the scenes in the story. It made everything come full circle, and also for an enjoyable read.I really enjoyed While We Were Watching Downton Abbey. Friendship plays a big part in the the story, from the power to the importance. And I really appreciate the fact that it wasn’t about romance or about a guy. The story was just about women believing in themselves and in each other.Great read! I urge you to pick it up and enjoy it for yourself.Notable Scene:Brooke barely breathed as she watched a finger tap out a message on a Teletype. A train whistle sounded. The train cut through the countryside while an unknown man stared out the window. Scenery swept by. Music played lightly. The hum of the telegraph wires that ran along the track could be heard, an urgent clacking. The message arrived at a British telegraph office, but it was too early to deliver it.The music swelled and a magnificent castle loomed toward the screen to better breathe in the stunning opening visuals as the servants began their day and the fateful telegram arrived. Beside her Samantha Davis went still as Robert, the Seventh Earl of Grantham and his rich American wife awoke to discover what the sinking of the Titanic would mean to all of the inhabitants of Downton Abbey.FTC Advisory: Penguin/Berkley Trade provided me with a copy of While We Were Watching Downton Abbey. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.