Narrator Lameece Issaq makes the most of this dramatic family saga in which a mother and father split up, forever changing their own lives as well as that of their daughter. Issaq capably handles the Arabic words and phrases sprinkled throughout this contemporary story of love gone wrong, as Saeeda and Muneer, two young Saudis, try to save their marriage. The narration is light and easy on the ears, wrapping listeners into the story. Issaq sounds consistent and believable whether portraying annoyed Muneer, questing Saeeda, or thoughtful Hanadi. She shifts seamlessly between their three points of views, which are presented in consecutive sections. Fans of world literature will appreciate learning about Saudi culture and the all-important secret of where Hanadi has been hidden, since childhood, from her father.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2021
Duration: 7 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781662075933
Publisher: Dreamscape
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Ireland’s sensitive performance turns what could have been soap-opera melodrama into a poignant family drama.
Marin Ireland is quite wonderful delivering this audiobook that explores a selfish action taken in the ’70s and its consequences years later. Facing a joyless marriage with a husband who shies away from intimacy, Nina leaves him and her family for a more promising life with her next-door neighbor, Finn. The decision shocks their respective families and has an especially devastating effect on Nina’s teenage daughter, Clara. Ireland handles the many voices with professional skill, but her strongest work lies in conveying the inner thoughts and feelings of the people involved. She brings truth to Nina’s guilt, Finn’s sense of urgency, and the children’s pain and disbelief.
Ireland’s sensitive performance turns what could have been soap-opera melodrama into a poignant family drama.Pub Date: today
Duration: 9 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780063377707
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Feb. 10, 2026
Reflective and deeply touching, this open-hearted story may require having tissues close at hand.
Andrew Grace delivers a restrained yet deeply expressive performance in this tender tale, which chronicles events that shape the Hasegawa family as seen through the eyes of the middle son, Kaoru. At the novel’s center is Sakura, the loyal family dog whose steady presence embodies quiet resilience in the face of the family’s joys and tragedies. Grace’s subtle shifts in tone trace the passage of years, revealing the mother’s quiet suffering; the family’s admiration for Hajime, Kaoru’s older brother; and their adoration of his precocious sister, Miki. At each turning point, Sakura becomes both witness and teacher, steadfastly offering comfort as she absorbs the family’s memories.
Reflective and deeply touching, this open-hearted story may require having tissues close at hand.Pub Date: today
Duration: 7 hrs, 55 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063389977
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: yesterday
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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