"Open Minded" by Chloe Seager, narrated by Cicely Whitehead and Victoria Morrison, is a fascinating exploration of open relationships and communication within relationships. The story follows Holly, Will, Fliss, and Ash as they navigate the complexities of open relationships and monogamy, providing a thought-provoking look at the various dynamics at play.
One of the aspects I enjoyed about the book was its focus on poor communication between the characters, which led to a lot of drama and misunderstandings throughout the story. The narrative delves into the challenges and nuances of open relationships, highlighting the importance of honest and open communication in navigating such arrangements.
While the title and blurb may suggest a romance novel, "Open Minded" is more of a character-driven story that delves into the intricacies of relationships and self-discovery. The book challenges traditional notions of monogamy and explores the idea that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to relationships. The characters' journeys of self-discovery and growth add depth to the narrative and offer a nuanced perspective on the topic of open relationships.
As someone who is not in an open relationship and not particularly interested in the topic, I found the story engaging and thought-provoking. The novel delves into the complexities of open relationships without glorifying or romanticising the concept, painting a realistic and at times uncomfortable picture of the challenges and misunderstandings that can arise in such arrangements.

The audiobook narration by Cicely Whitehead and Victoria Morrison added a layer of depth to the story, with the narrators effectively differentiating between the characters and bringing their personalities to life. The witty chapter titles and laugh-out-loud moments added levity to the narrative, making it an enjoyable and entertaining listen.
Overall, "Open Minded" is a refreshing and thought-provoking take on open relationships and self-discovery, offering a nuanced and realistic portrayal of the complexities and challenges that come with navigating non-traditional relationship dynamics.

I think this book was really interesting. I don’t think open relationships are something people talk about much or even know much about unless they are in one and people can be very judgmental (as was portrayed in the book). I loved the two different takes on it, and I love that we saw Fliss grow so much in strength.

Open Minded - Chloe Seager

A very enjoyable listen, but I did get a little confused at one point and started to mix up the characters. A very fascinating listen into the world of open relationships. I found that one of the main topics in this book was poor communication between the characters and this led to a lot of drama along the way. Thanks so much Netgalley, HarperCollins UK Audio and HQ for this audio book in return for my honest thoughts and opinions.

4.5/5 - Honestly this was a bit of a slow burn for me and I had to restart it one day to be sure I got everything. But I really enjoyed this. Fliss and Holly are such amazing protagonists and I love each of them for their complexities. It's honestly refreshing having a delving into two women figuring out not necessarily their relationships, but rather themselves, their needs, their wants, their desires, who they want in their lives, and how their lives should play out.

While the cover may suggest it's a throuple or family style book, it's honestly such a good take and I wouldn't necessarily classify this as romance, but more coming of age/figuring out life. Open relationships, like any relationships, aren't perfect and while some may not like the portrayals of open relationships in this book, I think it shows the reality of how people approach them and how they can be flawed, but also illuminating to peoples' needs and wants. While the book is about Fliss and Holly's separate relationships, their friendship is at the core and I really appreciate that out of this book, so definitely a solid read and would read other work by Chloe Seager!

Honestly, I wasn't so sure about this book at the beginning but going through it, I started to love it and really enjoy it.

The story itself it's interesting and with a bit of humour, as there is Fliss which it's in an open relationship and goes exclusive with her boyfriend, and there's Holly the exact opposite where she's in exclusive relationship and goes in an open one as her boyfriend wanted.

And I would like to thank to the author, Net Galley and publisher for offering me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I’ll read more books by the author in the future after reading this one. This author writes with such verve and positivity and emotional intelligence. A joy to listen to!

"Open Minded" by Chloe Seager is a refreshing and candid exploration of relationships, identity, and self-discovery. The characters are beautifully crafted, and the themes resonate long after the final page.

Really enjoyed this book - was quite enlightening in terms of open relationships and it made me look into it more.
I like how the friendship between Fliss & Hollie was created and then cemented.
Good for a girl power read. Good characters and well explained plot.
Enjoyed it!

Absolutely adored this light and loving novel that deftly dissects how the societal gaze destroys peoples relationships and the power of self knowledge and following the love.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK Audio for gifting me this ALC of the audiobook to review.

Let's start by saying that this book is not a romance, by the title, the blurb and the cover I somehow assumed that it was, but after having read the book, I can tell you it is not. (And I think it is not marketed this way, or at least should not be).

So the main topic of this book is open relationships and I think this book is not doing itself many favours with that.
If you pick this book up thinking it might be educational in regards to this topic, I think you should probably pick another book. And if you are in an open relationship yourself, you might feel a bit misrepresented. Here's why:

There are two open relationships depicted in this novel, but one is a relationship where one of the partners is not sure about the other and uses an open relationship as an excuse to sow their wild oats. And the other relationship is only one example of what an open relationship could look like and can therefore only show so much. This relationship in particular is not polyamerous, meaning that the partners in the relationship only see other people for a few weeks at a time. This is where people in open polyamorous relationships might feel a bit misrepresented.

I am not in an open relationship myself and I am also not overly interested in this topic, but I don't mind reading books with "why choose mentalities" if done correctly. "Open minded" did not hit the spot for me, because the characters were not in fact open-minded. Fliss's thought processes and her take on an open relationship also kind of hurt my feelings for everyone else involved in her open relationship. She is not a cheater, because she communicates about her relationship status, but she is not open to real connections outside of her primary relationship either.

Most of the book can be filed under the "miscommunication trope", mix in open relationships and me (a person who hates cheating and gets jealous fairly easily) and this made for an uncomfortable read.

I enjoyed reading about the friendship between Fliss and Holly, but not enough to make up for how uncomfortable the rest of the novel made me feel.

Ok, so I enjoyed this more than I thought I would!

Holly and Fliss are the main characters and are each in relationships. Holly is in a monogamous relationship whilst Fliss is in an open relationship. In each of their respective relationships they explore changing their relationship to the other i.e. Fliss open relationship to monogamous and Holly vice versa. It’s during this that both ladies meet and build a friendship. We explore the ups and downs of their relationship and their lives also.

This was a really easy listen with some humour and was pretty engaging. I went into it not really knowing anything about the book. Just knowing that it explored different relationships, and it did.

I listened to the audiobook which I’d really recommend. Although it takes a couple chapters to get used to and work out which main character is speaking, you get into it and it becomes an easy read/listen.

Thanks Chloe Seager, HarperCollins UK Audio and NetGalley for this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I found Open Minded to be a really compelling and insightful read, and loved the audiobook narration.

Fliss is in an open relationship, and is thrown when her partner Ash suggests a monogamous relationship. Similarly thrown for a loop is Holly, whose partner Will proposes an open relationship instead of…proposing. Struggling to adjust to these changing relationship dynamics, Fliss and Holly meet and develop a reflective and supportive friendship.

I really enjoyed the many themes explored in this book, including navigating open relationships (well and not so well), but also self expression, authenticity, and identity. While romance was quite central to the storyline, I felt this was much more about Holly and Fliss - their friendship, shared experiences, learnings and relationships, both romantic and platonic. I must say that I found the story a little slow at first, and the internal monologue a bit repetitive. However this attention to Fliss and Holly’s personal experience really paid off in the second half of the book. I had such rich insights into the characters that I was so invested and engaged that I flew through it.

The narration was excellent, well articulated, and really brought depth to the characters experiences. The different characters were easy to distinguish, and the listening experience was truly immersive.

Thank you HarperCollins UK Audio and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.

This was FASCINATING.

I’m monogamous but share friendships
With people in many types of relationships and it was so cool to see this relationship grappling of expectations, needs and experiences laid out on tbe page in such a fantastic, absorptive and vulnerable way.

I loved the evolution of all the primary characters and the endings (especially the living arrangements) really left me feeling content in the value of so many aspects of story and possibility.

Finished this audiobook yesterday on my drive down to Norfolk… it’s been the soundtrack to my commute to my new job over the past few weeks and loved it.

Ultimately it is a love story - but more to do with the main protagonists and their relationships to themselves, really finding out more about themselves and who they are without their main male partners.

It does delve into the idea of polyamory and goes disastrously for both couples but in completely different ways. Some of the best laugh out loud moments I’ve experienced in a book for a while - the chapter titles are hilarious alone. I found it really relatable and thought provoking, but on the lighter side despite delving into some more negative feelings.

With it being an audiobook I also really enjoyed the narrator and thought they did a good job of differentiating between all the characters.

4.5 🌟

An interesting and easy read offering something a bit different from your standard Rom-Com. The book offers an opportunity to think about all the different types of relationships that exist and what they entail with a great emphasis on the need for open and clear communication.
The two main characters are both likeable and frustrating at times as they navigate through the challenges of their changing relationships and discover more about themselves and each other as the book progresses.
The narration was excellent throughout.
I am grateful to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced listener copy of this audio-book and am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

Easy enough read. Good narrator.
That sad. Everyone in this book needs therapy.
Not one healthy dynamic or example of ENM.
Not one ethical choice or healthy relationship in the entire thing.

Felt like there wasn’t enough research or understanding of ENM in this

So, I went in to Open Minded, well, with an open mind. I knew nothing really about open relationships apart from the old pampas grass innuendo’s and don’t mind admitting I’m very behind the times with relationship lingo or actually relationships full stop. Imagine your old spinster auntie if she’s fairly non judgmental but it’s just not for her? She’s like me.

So it was a real surprise to me that I learned a lot, actually opened my mind, and thoroughly enjoyed the story. I completely understood where both protagonists were coming from, and loved watching the friendship development between Fliss and Holly.
I expected a sort of preachy “get with the times grandma” type book and it was anything but.

A unique, funny, heartwarming and mind opening novel, making important points on love, friendship and being true to yourself.

I loved the audio narration! Huge 4 🌟

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins audio U.K. for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook in return for an honest review.

I listened to Open Minded on audiobook. The narrators, Cicely Whitehead and Victoria Morrison brought Holly + Fliss to life beautifully. After reading the blurb I knew I would enjoy it, it immediately reminded me of The Freedom Clause, which I read and enjoyed last summer. Open Minded was a great listen, and I enjoyed following along with the ups and downs of Holly and Fliss's open relationships.

Thank you HarperCollins UK Audio, HQ + NetGalley for the chance to listen to this audiobook. Open Minded is out now! #OpenMinded #NetGalley (less)

This is the first audiobook I have listened to that is written by Chloe Seager and I am utterly enamoured with her writing style and insight into contemporary relationships and the effects on different individuals

Holly and Fliss are so very different but as their friendship grows and their relationships change. Hollys partner Will wants to have an open relationship, Fliss' partner Ash wants to close their open relationship, could two women have relationships that were any different? Despite the challenges launched at them and through heck and high water Fliss and Holly flourish into the truest versions of themselves.

I don't usually get into RomComs, but the excerpt caught my eye and by eckers, a fantastic listen! Open Minded is genre busting and sets a new standard and style for RomComs.

Cicely Whitehead and Victoria Morrison did a wonderful job of narrating and were incredibly entertaining while still being empathetic to the writing style

The characters are very relatable and the humour was bright and engaging. Very entertaining, immersive and utterly relatable. A real delight of a book and highly recommended

Thank you very much to Netgalley, HarperCollins UK Audio, HQ, the amazing author Chloe Seager and fantastic narrators Cicely Whitehead & Victoria Morrison for this wonderful ALC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own