Everybody's Favorite Guy: A Short Story

by Katherine Center, Ellie Gossage (Narrator)

He’s the last man she ever wanted to see again—or get snowed in with . It’s going to be a rocky reunion in this bittersweet romantic comedy by a New York Times bestselling author.

For Lily, falling in love with her childhood friend Walker was the easiest thing to do back in high school. His sudden rejection was unforgettably crushing. Seven years later, their families have conspired to bring them back together at a cabin in the Rockies when a sudden snowstorm traps them overnight with no power. Thanks to a cozy fire, a prowling bear, and a little forced time in an open-air gondola, they confront their unresolved feelings—and a past more complicated than Lily knows.

Genres: Audiobook

Audible Audio

Published March 17, 2026

About the author

https://katherinecenter.com/about/
https://www.instagram.com/katherinece...

BookPage calls Katherine Center “the reigning queen of comfort reads.” She’s the New York Times bestselling author of eleven novels, including The Bodyguard, Hello Stranger, Things You Save in a Fire, and her summer 2024 book, The Rom-Commers. Katherine writes laugh-and-cry books: bittersweet romantic comedies about how life knocks us down—and how we get back up. She’s been compared to both Jane Austen and Nora Ephron, and the Dallas Morning News calls her stories, “satisfying in the most soul-nourishing way.” The Netflix movie adaptation of her novel Happiness for Beginners—starring Ellie Kemper and Luke Grimes—just hit the Global Top Ten in 81 countries, and the movie of her novel The Lost Husband was a surprise Netflix sensation in 2020, hitting number one and landing in their top 25 movies for the year. Her books have made countless Best-Of lists—at Audible, BookBub, and Book of the Month, as well as Goodreads' Best Books of the Year, and Amazon's yearly Top 100 books. Emily Henry calls The Bodyguard “my perfect 10 of a book,” and Jodi Picoult says of Things You Save in a Fire, “Just read it, and thank me later.” Katherine lives in her hometown of Houston, Texas, with her husband, two almost-grown teenagers, and their fluffy-but-fierce dog.

Reviews

[BookishVegan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was bound to find one book I didn’t like by the lovely Mrs.Center

Short novella
Flat

[Allie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lily and Walker have been friends (and their families friends) since childhood, then a painful crush imploded when Walker publicly rejected Lily, ending their friendship. Now as adults, they need to return to their childhood vacation spot to scatter their dads’ ashes. Getting snowed in reveals a lot more than either of them bargained for (even if most of that actually happens the next day when their moms arrive). Cute short story that I wish could have been a full novel! It felt a little rushed because it was so short, but the potential for a great longer story is there.

3.5 stars ⭐️

I received an e-audio arc from Netgalley which did not influence my opinion in any way.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This audiobook constitutes a surprisingly full story with adequate character depth, especially considering it’s so short. Katherine Center is a favorite author of mine for a reason and this is a good example of her skill. The setting is Denver, which is somewhat local for me and will be a fun location for my patrons to read about.

The audiobook is done well. The narrator, Ellie Gossage, has a lovely, rich, clear voice. Gossage has excellent diction and delivers an emotional performance.

I would recommend this book for any reader looking for a lovely, quick palate cleanser between heavier reads.

[Karissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a sweet little short story.
Even in such a brief format, the characters felt genuine and the emotional themes were handled with so much care and tenderness.

It’s quick, heartfelt, and easy to follow, but still manages to leave an impression. Honestly, my only complaint is that I wanted more and this couple absolutely deserves a full-length story 💜🥰

A charming, feel good read that proves Katherine Center can pack a lot of heart into just a few pages 💕

Ellie Gossage did a phenomenal job narrating this!! 🎧🎧

“I will like you romantically until the day I die. “ - oh my heart 🫶🏻

[Sabrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

For being a short story this gave me everything I wanted. The fact she was able to make me care in such a short amount of time is impressive. It’s a super quick listen and the audiobook is really good.

[peppkorn_reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really cute! I really enjoyed the narrator. I love when a narrator doesn’t sound like they’re just reading, but instead feels like they’re telling a story with all the right intonations, and Ellie Gossage did just that.

[Aud · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Everybody’s Favorite Guy: A Short Story” by Katherine Center
A fun short story..
It was a Amazon Prime free library loan, an 1hr plus listen and a fun pallet cleanser for my brain. Sometimes you really need to get away from the real world. Happy Reading or listening !!

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick cute read. Nothing too deep or exciting, but a worthwhile diversion nonetheless!

[Yoana Gocheva]

Ahhhhh, why is this not a full book? I get it is a short story but it has the potential to be a great book just like the rest of Katherine Center’s books. Still thankful for anything KC gives us 🫶🏼

[Kristy Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, short novella