This audiobook and its ensemble of narrators bring mid-twentieth-century Hollywood to life. Stand-out performer Alma Cuervo, portraying the title character, Evelyn, excels in her understanding of the reclusive washed-up starlet. Desperation, anger, and love have all been part of Evelyn's life, and Cuervo's performance delivers them all. Robin Miles captures the vulnerability of Monique Grant, a writer plucked from obscurity to write Evelyn's tell-all biography who begins to find some personal strength through her interviews with Evelyn. Julia Whelan, in a sly, catty tone, voices the sounds bites of the tabloids that dogged Evelyn throughout her life, never leaving one bit of it untouched. The story is one of pure triumph and tragedy--an absolute must for fans of Old Hollywood.
Pub Date: 2017
Duration: 12 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781508236610
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A model and a mogul get married in Vegas on a bet, and Diana Luke narrates their story with élan. While it would be easy to portray Leila Darling as a scheming caricature or Carter Bain as a ruthless businessman, Luke never crosses that line. Her portrayal of Leila is generous and encompasses the full range of her character--from the formidable professional at the top of her game to the vulnerable woman who is unsure if she can trust a man with her heart. Likewise, Luke's portrayal of Carter showcases both his business acumen and his emotional vulnerability as he opens himself up to Leila. While loosely connected to the previous Unconventional Brides volumes, this can easily stand alone.
Pub Date:
Duration: 9 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781501968471
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
After her divorce, Roberta Jewett, with her three daughters, returns to Camden, Maine, to start a new life. Such an independent move in 1916 brings difficulties with her mother, her in-laws and the townspeople. Dukes's performance, while skillful, sometimes suffer in scenes of emotional content. His pace slows, and his reading acquires the peculiar emphasis of someone trying to get instructions across to a non-English-speaking person. The effect is disturbingly laughable. When he resumes his normal pace, the story revives and personalities emerge again, but the awkwardness remains as an odd interruption to Spencer's drama of pain and love, dispelling Dukes's carefully constructed characterizations.
Pub Date:
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: Dove
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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