When We Were Bright and Beautiful audiobook

When We Were Bright and Beautiful Audiobook …. read by Marin Ireland …..11 hours and 39 minutes HEADLINE NEWS….A CASE THAT WILL AFFECT EVERY WOMEN IN AMERICA…..is hitting a National Nerve: (everyone has an opinion)….Billy is called “The Pretty Boy Rapist”Outside the courthouse people holding signs are saying:….”Princeton’s Rapist”….”Justice for survivors”….”Angry females of all ages chant rapist, rapist, prison, prison”. …Men were chanting “The real rapists are the falsely accuse”….”Innocent until proven guilty” “This trial is about rape. It’s not about sex, relationships, or love. It’s about rage, privileged, power, violence”…I had a great time with this book. I was hanging on to every word from beginning to end….. …..drowning out my own inner voice of personal concerns. For me ….. this was a highly enjoyable audiobook modern scandal intrigued. Besides the suspenseful plot (which is deliciously addictively suspenseful), the themes about being white male and privilege today — along side the ‘me-too’ movement were fascinating and thought-provoking. When in the mood for these ‘type’ of books: [domestic thriller courtroom drama]—“When We We’re Bright and Beautiful”….is one of ‘best-of-the-best’. A little quibble:…..personally I think the title is too long. A shorter title may have given this gem an advantage….A couple of titles I came up with are:….”The Socialite Scandal”or….”Entrepreneur Lies”However ….great engaging Audiobook!Belongs in the category called “unputdownable”. Buzz-hype worthiness! I loved it! Court is dismissed!

What are you willing to do to protect your family?In this domestic suspense legal thriller, the rich and powerful Quinn family of New York are under attack when the youngest son Billy is accused of brutally raping his on again, off again girlfriend. A family bound by wealth and privilege, Lawrence, Eleanor, Nathan and Cassie rally behind him. But is Billy guilty or innocent? Before the case is decided, dark family secrets will be exposed and will threaten to upend their lives.This dark and disturbing thriller delves into many uncomfortable territories, while sensitively depicting the real conflicts and struggles of different types of victims. I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed this book as much as I did. Marin Ireland’s narration is superb as always. She is one of the absolute best audiobook narrators! I highly recommend listening to this one.4/5 stars

If you're seeking a "bright and beautiful" book, "When We Were Bright and Beautiful" is not for you.In fact, this emotionally traumatizing family/courtroom drama easily gets my nomination for the darkest and most deeply disturbing book of the year.What happens when a wealthy male Princeton student is accused of rape and brought to trial?  WARNING #1:Whether the Princeton student is innocent or guilty is NOT the major thrust of this book.Instead, this book poignantly showcases the issues of privilege, sexual assault, family dynamics, abuse of power, betrayal, the violation of trust, loyalty, and the plight of victims.  Also, the devastating ramifications of a media-frenzied trial are also explored.WARNING #2:  This book is not for the faint-hearted.   Midway through the book, readers are thrown a powerful twisty curve ball. The result? The book's very dark storyline takes even a darker turn.A shout-out to narrator Marin Ireland, for an Academy Award performance for the audiobook's narration.This was my first book by author Jillian Medoff and I look forward to reading the author's future titles.4.5 stars

I read Jillian Medoff’s WHEN WE WERE BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL without interruption today. I legitimately couldn’t put it down. Alternating between the audiobook and physical book was a huge win for me. I’ve never read anything by Jillian Medoff before, but this controversial family drama through me for a loop in the best way.The story focuses on Cassie and her adoptive family, the Quinn’s. Ultra wealthy and privileged, the Quinn family doesn’t have to answer to anybody. That is, until the youngest member of the family is accused of raping his girlfriend. Billy is wrapping up college and hoping for medical school, but after this allegation becomes a criminal case, the family is worried that this could jeopardize Billy’s future and bring shame to the family. Billy claims his innocence, but the Quinn’s will do anything to protect their image and influence. I don’t want to go too deep with this review because it’s ultimately a family / courtroom drama that needs your attention while it unfolds. The writing is perfection and completely engaging, no matter how slow-burning the chapters are. I really fell under the Quinn family’s spell while reading this book, knowing full well that something else sinister is at bay. The ending is going to be very controversial and will polarize readers, but ultimately I love a unique spin on my dark, twisted reads. The messaging behind this book is powerful and I can’t wait to discuss with readers about how this book sat with them. It won’t be for everyone, but it was a win for me. Assume there’s trigger warnings based on the above synopsis description. I can’t wait to read what Jillian Medoff has in store for readers next.

Absolutely loved this book

Ostensibly about a rape trial, there is much more dysfunction lurking within a prominent, shiny NYC family. Despite having the twist figured out before it happened (the hints are there), this in no way impeded the powerful punch that this novel delivered. This is a quick read that is raw, realistic, and dark.

don't let the low goodreads score fool you. people are giving this bad reviews because they don't like the outcome of the plot which..........(I will leave my thoughts to myself on why thats bad way to rate a book) this book is nuanced and brilliant

“I want to believe that we are more than the worst things we have done.” Set in the prestigious work of Manhattan’s Upper East Side, the story centers around Cassie Quinn. Cassie leaves grad school and rushes home when she learns that her younger brother Billy is accused of rape. Billy junior at Princeton proclaims his innocence and his family decides to stand by him. Cassie struggles with understanding why Diane, the accuser of Billy’s rape is doing this. After all, Cassie understands how devastating relationships can be since had an affair with an older wealthy man that left her shattered. I could not put this one down! I finished the audiobook in only 2 days(it typically takes me 7-10 days). I just had to know how the story would play out and to find out if Billy was innocent or guilty. With today's current events this is a story that unfortunately is all too common: the Ivy League Caucasian male from a wealthy family accused of rape. In the days before the #metoo movement, it wasn’t unheard of for these defendants to simply walk because of their class/status but more recently there have been cases where justice prevailed. I was drawn to this story to see if Billy truly was guilty or not. But this isn’t a story that’s either black or white. The author delves into the complexities of relationship violence and sexual assault. She also delves into family bonds: what ties us together and what breaks them. A big part of the story is a courtroom drama that kept me both enthralled and on the edge of my seat. The story takes a twist and shocked me to the core. I cannot say much about the ending without giving anything away but I will say that it is unforgettable. IJillian Medoff did a brilliant job writing When We Were Bright And Beautiful. It was clear that she did a lot of research while writing this novel and is very knowledgeable about these type of cases. The audiobook was narrated by the fantastic Marin Ireland (one of my favorites). I've been a fan of hers for a while since she has narrated some of my favorite audiobooks: Nothing To See Here by Kevin Wilson, Anxious People, and Beartown by Fredrik Backman. This book is not for everyone. As it contains depictions of sexual violence, I would recommend those who find the subject triggering stay away from this one. But if you enjoyed My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell then I would highly recommend When We Were Bright And Beautiful by Jillian Medoff. A massive thanks to Libro FM, Harper Audio, and Harper Books for the gifted copy!

While this is categorized as contemporary fiction, this nail biter of a family drama/court procedural gave off some psychological thriller vibes. An intriguing mashup of themes, Jillian Medoff does an excellent job at showing us the inner workings of an elite American family and how power can lead to a family’s undoing. None of the characters in this were particularly likeable, and seeing how the relationships between family members played out, was both intriguing at times, disturbing at others. I really liked how the family dynamics played off each other from one moment to the next. A really interesting read and excellent on audio. I definitely recommend giving this one a try.

This is a family saga with many trigger warnings, but I didn't feel it was overly graphic. It took me a bit to get into this story, but I definitely was intrigued to find out what exactly was going on with this family. Lots of courtroom drama,band family secrets in this one, and it just pulled me in.Cassie Quinn is being raised by this family after her parents have passed away. They are beyond wealthy, and live in the Upper East Side of Manhattan. When her brother Billy is accused of rape by his ex-girlfriend, the family rallies around him during the trial. As the trial is going on, other secrets are exposed, and you will become very uncomfortable with it. Overall, this is a page turner, but proceed with caution! Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own!!

When We Were Bright and Beautiful opens with a phone call from Nate telling sister Cassie that their baby brother has been arrested for rape. Meet the Quinn family—wickedly wealthy, privileged, and proud. From outside the gated walls, it appears that they are the perfect family. Adopted daughter Cassie tells the story as the family circles the wagons to defend, at all cost, their poor, stuttering and helpless Nate. Jillian Medoff has written an enthralling description of the court trial, but the reader is in for so much more. As the twisting story of the trial progresses, the shade is raised in the Quinn household, and secret after dirty secret is revealed, No one is spared; everyone is guilty of something. I could not read this book fast enough and yet, there were times when I could not breathe. This book is a deeply emotional family saga, and the courtroom drama plays out so well that one can see the action. It is superbly written, as captivating as it is complex. The suspense is strong and pushes the reader to read just one more chapter. This is certainly one of the best books I have read this year. This is Jillian Medoff’s fifth book. I can’t wait to read the rest of them. Don’t miss it! Thank you to author Jillian Medoff and Harper Collins for the gifted copy.

A very well-written book about some tough and horrifying events.I don't think this book deserves it's low rating... I really think it is worth the read as long as you can handle the subject matter.4 stars

I absolutely LOVED this book! I had read and enjoyed several of Medoff's novels before - but When We Were Bright and Beautiful is even better. Once I started, I literally couldn't put it down. I thought I was "just" going to be reading about a rape trial, but that's only the beginning of the story. The twists and turns kept me guessing until the end. I'm looking forward to reading it again soon.

Absolutely loved this book - couldn’t put it down and finished in 3 days. I was so caught up in the story, I found myself anxiously racing through to find out what was going to happen next. So many twists and turns, truly keeps you on the edge of your seat. Characters are lovable, hatable and relatable. Highly recommend!