In Chip Cheek's intense, erotic debut novel, narrator George Newbern offers perfect voices for innocent newlyweds Henry, 20, and Effie, 18. In 1957, the Georgia couple honeymoon in Cape May, New Jersey, where they begin to discover the pleasures of each other. But it isn't long before they're seduced by the more worldly Clare and Max, and Max's mysterious half-sister, Alma. The hedonistic trio open Effie and Henry's eyes to sensuality they never imagined--with consequences they never considered. In an intimate-sounding delivery, Newbern makes every steamy moment of Cheek's lyrical prose vivid for listeners. Some unevenness in sound quality can be annoying, but one forgives, and almost forgets. Newbern's spot-on performance of this exploration of sexual desire, relationships, and the 1950s makes that possible.
Pub Date: April 30, 2019
Duration: 7 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250317643
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Ayla, one of the "others," is adopted by a clan of Neanderthal cave people. She struggles to conform to their ways, but her advanced human traits overwhelm and threaten their primitive culture in this initial installment of an immensely popular series. Although the story might benefit from abridgment, Rowena Cooper easily carries out the formidable task of enlivening the mostly silent and stereotypical characters with consistent, diverse personalities and human dimension. Through skillful phrasing and inflection, she maintains the reader's interest and suspense, especially with Ayla and her plight, throughout this rambling and imaginative story.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 22 hrs
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America/ Chivers
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
This lyrical, sensual novel of woman's lot in Manchu, China, is as well researched as it is well written. Authentic in tone, it's nonetheless written for Westerners by a Western expert on China. Moreover, Susan Clark performs the demanding text superbly, with only occasional signs of fatigue. For the most part she not only sustains the quaint diction and Asian atmosphere, but also, creates whole worlds with her voice. She acts the book, rather than reads it, and, in so doing, turns a pretty trifle into a stupendous beauty.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 4 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Audio Literature
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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