Hazel Says No

A Novel

By: Jessica Berger Gross

Narrated by: Emma Galvin

When a tight-knit family moves from Brooklyn to Maine, their lives are upended by an event that will alter their new community forever in this bighearted, sparkling debut for fans of Now Is Not the Time to Panic, Pineapple Street, and Schitt’s Creek

Hazel Blum, please report to the principal’s office. Hazel Blum.

When Hazel Blum’s father gets a tenured job at a prestigious college, she and her family relocate from the hustle and bustle of Brooklyn to a middle-of-nowhere college town in Maine. With her mother, Claire, a clothing designer, and her father, Gus, an American Studies professor, Hazel and her eleven-year-old brother, Wolf, spend the summer at the town pool, where they acclimate to their new lives and connect with the town’s sprawling community. That is, until a dramatic fallout on the very first day of her senior year tips the fickle balance of idyllic Riverburg and impacts everyone in her family.

Tracking through the perspectives of each member of the Blum family, this relatable fish-out-of-water story handles big issues with great empathy and humor, capturing the love that unites one unforgettable family and the essence of life in small-town Maine. Emotionally deft, authentic, and compulsively readable, Hazel Says No is a debut novel not to be missed.

This audio edition includes a bonus conversation with Jessica Berger Gross, Emma Galvin, and John Glynn (editor of Hazel Says No).

Wonderful writing and fully developed characters

Loved this book! I am the mother of a teen daughter and a tween son, so this book came at just the right time for me. But the characters are so relatable and the story is so well written that this book will resonate with all readers.

I couldn’t stop listening

Timely story Each character is very relevant, special and interesting. The story is very empowering to so many different kinds of people. The I was hooked from the first chapter.

Overall perspective

I thought the writing was engaging and loved that she gave a perspective of all characters in involved in the situation but not losing the meaning of the story. The topic was heavy and relevant to current society.

unexpected plot twists

an updated (and welcome) version of a long used plot device. Empowering and unexpected characters. Narration lived up to the writing. Excellent read.

Unpleasant listening experience

I found the story unengaging and the characters extremely unlikable. Furthermore, the narrator’s delivery was particularly off-putting. It was performed with a whiny, petulant tone that felt like being yelled at throughout the entire duration.

Overall, this was the most disappointing book I have encountered in terms of both content and performance.