THE PLUS ONE

Sophia Money-Coutts has written a story so comedic, honest, and relatable that her own lackluster delivery can't bring it down. Polly has a steadily disappointed tone, which rings true for an English entertainment journalist in a life rut. Polly is determined to change this, and when she unleashes her inner romantic, her volume and pace pick up as passion rises. Money-Coutts's lack of tonal variety for the story's characters makes it difficult to distinguish them during dialogue. Despite this, listeners may captivated by Polly's search for--if not "the one," then a plus-one to accompany her to a wedding. When Polly interviews oddball candidates, Money-Coutts takes advantage of these opportunities, exercising her range and pace, and enhancing the comedy. A.L.C. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2019]