The Room Next Door (by Wendy Walker)
Before reading this post, you might want to check out my previous one about struggling with Emily Henry’s People We Meet on Vacation here.
Like that post, this isn’t a traditional book review. It’s about my experience with Wendy Walker’s The Room Next Door—and continuing to give myself permission to DNF books I’m not loving.
While I was going back and forth on whether to bail on the Henry book (I didn’t hate it, but I wasn’t loving it either), I decided to start the next audiobook on my list. I hoped that jumping into something new might make the decision easier. That book was The Room Next Door by Wendy Walker, which was included with my Audible membership. (Those perks are the best.)
It had been a while since I’d read anything by Walker, and my memory of her previous book was just “okay.” I was hopeful this one would be better, especially since it’s a full Audible production with multiple narrators and sound effects—something I usually enjoy.
At first, it felt like a breath of fresh air. I was genuinely relieved to be enjoying it. But then the story shifted from the adult characters into flashbacks centered on teenagers when one of them goes missing. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized I prefer to avoid suspense thrillers that focus heavily on teens—something the book description didn’t mention. I was really connecting with the adult protagonists and was excited to keep learning about them.
I suspect my frustration with the Henry book was spilling over, because I soon started feeling annoyed by the production itself. The music and sound effects began to feel over-the-top, like I was listening to a 1940s radio play rather than a modern thriller.
I ended up taking a break and briefly returning to People We Meet on Vacation to give it one more chance. Once I confirmed that one wasn’t working for me either, I came back to Walker’s book. The ratings on Audible are excellent—many listeners clearly love the immersive production, and I’m happy for them. Goodreads ratings are a bit more mixed. Still, I caught myself getting stuck in that familiar trap: wondering if I should like it just because so many others do. That was a mistake.
By this point, I was feeling disappointed and frustrated that two audiobooks in a row hadn’t clicked. Then it hit me: I’m always saying there are so many great books I want to read. Why complain about moving on from ones that aren’t working? DNFing The Room Next Door simply brings me one step closer to the next book I’ll truly love—and helps me get more comfortable with letting go.
Third time’s the charm! I went back to a series I started years ago, and I’m happy to report I’m thoroughly entertained. Stay tuned to find out what audiobook I’m loving right now.
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