Ian McEwan remains one of my favorite writers working today, and On Chesil Beach provides testament as to why. As with his previous books, detail is key. McEwan places the reader so solidly in the story that it feels as though you're standing right alongside the main characters.

The novella centers around a brand new married couple and the events of their wedding night. The story is set in the late 50s, when sexual mores were obviously significantly different than they are today. Both husband and wife have serious hangups and fears going into the big night, and we flash forward and backward to see the evolution of their relationship. The story is brutally realistic, but beautifully told. McEwan is able to write sentences so sublime that they require reading and re-reading. As with all McEwan novels on my list, this one is highly recommended.

I got the audio version of this and it's read by the author. I don't tend to like audio-books read by the author, they generally seem too monotone for me or something. Also, the beginning just seemed to go on too long about her aversion to sex. I got bored and my mind wandered.
This book has generally good ratings so my recommendation would be not to listen to the audio version. Maybe you will have better luck with it than I did. Good luck.