When Kyle is killed on 9/11, his sister and ailing father are left reeling. In the year that follows, single mother Cat (the sister) searches for Kyle's orphaned child, and Sam (the father) struggles to reach out to his daughter, as she will soon lose him as well. The chapters in this book are alternately narrated by Mel Foster and Tanya Eby, and the tag-team approach adds interest to this slow-paced story. While Foster's diction is good, it’s occasionally difficult to distinguish his narrative from his characters' dialogue. Eby is more expressive in her delivery, and she provides Cat with a quiet intensity that is fully believable. The result is a pleasant, if not always gripping, audio experience.
Pub Date: June 9, 2009
Duration: 6 hrs
Publisher: Brilliance 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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