The Girl She Was cover art

The Girl She Was

Preview

Try Premium Plus free
1 credit a month to buy any audiobook in our entire collection.
Access to thousands of additional audiobooks and Originals from the Plus Catalogue.
Member-only deals & discounts.
Auto-renews at $16.45/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Girl She Was

By: Rebecca Freeborn
Narrated by: Cecelia Ramsdale
Try Premium Plus free

$16.45 per month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $26.99

Buy Now for $26.99

Confirm Purchase
Pay using voucher balance (if applicable) then card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions Of Use and Privacy Notice and authorise Audible to charge your designated credit card or another available credit card on file.
Cancel

About this listen

For years she outran her past, turning away from the town and her friends. Now her past has caught up....

Seventeen-year-old Layla was just like any other teenager in the small town of Glasswater Bay – she studied hard, went out drinking with her friends and worked at the local cafe. But when she started having a relationship with her older, married boss, everything changed.

Twenty years later she's living a quiet life in the suburbs with a husband and two children, a life far removed from the girl she was. Until she receives a text message: I know what you did.

©2020 Rebecca Freeborn (P)2020 Bolinda Publishing
Suspense Women's Fiction Fiction

What listeners say about The Girl She Was

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    41
  • 4 Stars
    24
  • 3 Stars
    12
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    1
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    47
  • 4 Stars
    16
  • 3 Stars
    10
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    1
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    40
  • 4 Stars
    18
  • 3 Stars
    12
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    2

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

REFRESHING

Definitely LOVED it! Not the sort of genre I usually am into so it's great to take a risk, broaden my horizons and be rewarded with an absolute gem. Some decent twists and turns, and so enjoyable to have it written by an Australian author, placed in an Australian setting, and voiced by a really first rate narrator. So far with all my Audible purchases I have found the Australian voice actors (and most of the British) to be far superior to the vast majority of the Americans. I think there is a style that the Americans might actually prefer which really grates on my nerves. The Australians have for the most part a far more morecadenced and natural approach which is far easier and enjoyable to listen to in my opinion and Cecilia Ramsdale is no exception. She does an excellent job on The Girl She Was and is now on my list of narrators to look out for. Also, Rebecca Freeborn has earned herself a place on my list of authors to try again, especially when I need to step outside my comfort zone. A solid outing, tying together some contemporary themes for girls and women that need to be talked about far more often. This had me with tears in my eyes. I was most definitely triggered. However I don't believe that it's a reason to avoid the story, it was more a reason to embrace it. It was morehealing to read about it than not. Thankyou Rebecca.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A brilliant book

...self reflection was a valuable outcome from this. Whilst Im not a Scott, reviewing my life shows some nasty traits.

Cecelia is a brilliant reader.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Captivating but felt a bit like a manifesto

A painful but well told view of being a teenager going through something awful. Very much polarizing male characters stereotyped into misogynist and post modern man. Still it was compelling, raw - the lead character throwing herself into a train wreck and the secret drawn out. I felt the author at every turn trying to make a point - mental health, body image all thrown in for a penny. At times I was thinking my daughter must read this and at other times a bit creeped out. It did seem unbelievable towards the end.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Good Story but a bit hard to listen to sometimes

I did enjoy it but it was a bit gritty and brutal in places. If you don't like bad language and blow by blow sex scenes then you won't really enjoy this book. Having said that the language and sex were not out of place or gratuitous they were an integral part of the story and without them this story would not have carried the punch that it does. I would definitely listen to this author again and the narrator was excellent.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Loved this

Great story and well received.
I really enjoyed this book, I couldn't stop listening.
Narrator kept me very interested.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Intriguing

I very much enjoyed this book it had a very intriguing storyline and had a wonderful way to capture your curiosity!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

compelling read

great narration realistic characterisation
loved this book
compelling storyline with just enough twists to keep your interest till the end

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Enjoyable

Very solid storyline with the now & then keeping the story flowing. Cecelia Ramsdale narration was incredible and brings the story to life

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Loved it!

Really relatable story and characters. The narrator did a good job. Highly recommend this book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Avoid

This book was the epitome of cliche writing. It tried to touch on every single current socialist topic without providing substance on any, narration was poor, I felt like I was listening to a story written by a B minus lit student. Pls avoid. Nothing original in this at all.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.