Narrator Roshni Shukla's style lends an Austen-esque air to this contemporary retelling of the rich-boy-meets-poor-girl trope. Ayesha and Khalid are Muslims, Indian-Canadians, and neighbors. They both struggle to reconcile their traditional upbringing as the children of immigrants with the contemporary society that surrounds them. Shukla shifts between Ayesha and Khalid's points of view, which are given in alternating chapters. Khalid's conservatism and Ayesha's ambitions are brought vividly to life in Shukla's energetic telling. She also captures the differences between the younger generation and their mothers by characterizing the older women with slightly accented English. Rom-com fans will enjoy this updated version.
Pub Date: June 4, 2019
Duration: 11 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781984890405
Publisher: Penguin 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: N/A
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: N/A
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: Dove
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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