Narrating from three points of view, with flashbacks to earlier times, Julia Whelan delivers the story of three generations of Hollander women: matriarch Vivian, daughter Leah, and granddaughter Sadie. Facing the financial demise of their family's New York winery, the trio find common ground through reading romance novels written decades ago, taking lessons from the heroines and regaining control of their lives. Whelan provides a high-quality narration. As with many of her other performances, she exquisitely portrays the large cast of characters. Seamlessly moving between each, she expertly captures their emotions and personalities--regardless of age, gender, or place of origin. Whelan's talents will have listeners feeling as if they are sitting on the veranda at Hollander Estates, enjoying a glass of the vineyard's Merlot.
Pub Date: June 22, 2021
Duration: 11 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780593408698
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Jones and Bourke provide fizz and joy, plus charming Australian accents, to bump up this fun world a notch.
The past cannot be changed, but what if you could travel to the past to view an event in your own history, or to attend a historical event? This is the premise Moriarty creates with a Time Travel Agency in Sydney, Australia. Kellie Jones ably performs chapters featuring Anna and Jade—both single mothers of teenage daughters. Jones expresses the joy Anna takes in literature and her uncertainty in her parenting abilities as well as Jade’s grief at the loss of her sister and disbelief that her daughter might be a bully. Mitchell Bourke’s excellent performance conveys Teddy’s confusion regarding the breakup of his marriage and his visits to the past for an explanation. A particular highlight is Bourke’s narration of the hilarious and heartwarming texts between Teddy and his friends.
Jones and Bourke provide fizz and joy, plus charming Australian accents, to bump up this fun world a notch.Pub Date: Aug. 4, 2026
Duration: 13 hrs, 37 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217297948
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: Aug. 21, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2026
While not all of Allman's character voices are successful, she moves the story forward with wry style.
With a sultry, smoky voice, narrator Lauryn Allman drops listeners into bohemian 1960s San Francisco, the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood, and the counterculture movement. Sisters Winnie and Miranda Hartley may be on two different career paths—one a writer/poet and one a winemaker—but they both make choices withlasting consequences. Fifty years later, Miranda’s daughter, Dawn, who is dealing with her own secrets, is assigned to write about Hartley Vineyards and discovers truths about her family’s past—and about who actually penned the famous Vineland novels that revealed so much about her family.
While not all of Allman's character voices are successful, she moves the story forward with wry style.Pub Date: July 7, 2026
Duration: 12 hrs, 7 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217336357
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: today
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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