Erin Bennett offers a compelling performance of this novel by Elin Hilderbrand, who's now writing with her daughter. Though Tiffin Academy has jumped up in the national rankings of private boarding schools, nothing really seems that any different there. As the school year begins, faculty and students are either discovering secrets or hiding them. This audiobook is a mystery that mostly revolves around the many characters at Tiffin, and Bennett performs them well. Her portrayals of individuals are specific enough that the listener can immediately identify everyone in the large cast. Bennett also gives clarity to the school's mysteries and expresses the emotions in the dialogue. Longtime fans of Hilderbrand's Nantucket novels will enjoy her familiar writing style, too.
Pub Date: Sept. 16, 2025
Duration: 13 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668643860
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Deepa Samuel's narration brings steadiness and emotional clarity to this story of the longstanding friendship between Ruchi and Deepa, who are shaped by class, migration, and unspoken longing. Samuel softly portrays the girls' intimate friendship during their Indian school days. Samuel's voice gradually deepens as the narrative moves into adulthood and the pressures of marriage, motherhood, and resettlement in suburban Connecticut. Samuel's pacing allows the evolving tension between the women to surface naturally, especially as jealousy, obligation, and affection collide across decades. Subtle tonal adjustments distinguish private interior moments from scenes of family and community life. Samuel's attentive performance supports the novel's exploration of devotion, distance, consequence, and friendship.
Pub Date: Feb. 3, 2026
Duration: 11 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781639737871
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Heller's penchant for salt-of-the-earth characters is reflected in Kate Marcin's narration. On an Edenic homestead in Vermont, Frith, a wild girl, is living an unconventional childhood with her bohemian mother, Hayley, a former academic, and their dog, Bear. They support themselves through picking their apples in the fall and tapping their maples in the spring. Marcin balances the novel by illuminating the sense of wonder in both their narratives. She voices the young Frith's sunny naïveté and the older Frith's yearning for answers to questions that plague her. This account of the magic of childhood--while seen through rose-colored glasses--captures the listener's heart.
Pub Date: Dec. 2, 2025
Duration: 5 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217174140
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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