Inés del Castillo gives spirited voice to absolutely everyone in this packed first novel about a flamboyant Venezuelan family living illegally in Trinidad. Everything is fine until a gangster named Mr. Ugly forces the family to pay off their late aunt's debt by working in his strip club. Del Castillo gives our protagonist, the feisty 20-something daughter named Yola, a nice mix of sarcasm, drama, and sweetness. She also handles with flair Yola's love of swearing and over-the-top descriptions. The rest, from Yola's in-your-face mother to the menacing Mr. Ugly, are rendered just as believably. With some discussion of the plight of refugees intertwined with the story's wackiness, the audiobook is as timely as it is eye-rollingly amusing.
Pub Date: July 7, 2020
Duration: 9 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781797110035
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Heartwarming and enjoyable.
Narrator Kathleen McInerney transports listeners to Ireland, where two sisters, Maeve and Therese Dunagin, are brought together by their mother’s death. The sisters have inherited a portrait that could be worth millions. In need of money, they travel to Ireland to discover the truth about the painting and learn about their roots. There, Maeve meets Liam, a local whiskey distiller. The sisters meet a crotchety old woman, performed in a gravelly voice by McInerney, who has connections to their family. McInerney gives Liam a charming Irish brogue, which is a lovely contrast to the women’s American accents. Maeve and Therese start out at odds with each other but grow closer over the course of their journey, and McInerney's performance reflects this.
Heartwarming and enjoyable.Pub Date: June 2, 2026
Duration: 14 hrs, 57 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250444721
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: May 26, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2026
Both narrators provide authenticity, quiet precision, and immediate connection.
Beautifully paired performances by Sarah Mollo-Christensen and Daniel York Loh bring out the two voices of a marriage in this story about fate and second chances. Mollo-Christensen conveys the resentment, regret, and resignation that shadow Dana Smiley, a 39-year-old ER nurse, wife, mother of three, and family breadwinner whose life unravels in a parking lot. When a stranger offers Dana a weeklong vacation from her current life via an alternate history, she accepts. Loh's soothing voice and English accent add charm and resonance to his portrayal of 43-year-old Nigel, who, laid off for almost a year, feels a widening rift with Dana and a growing sense of failure.
Both narrators provide authenticity, quiet precision, and immediate connection.Pub Date: June 1, 2026
Duration: 9 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781511389334
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Review Posted Online: May 30, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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