THE NEW NORMAL

With wry empathy, narrator Amy McFadden walks listeners through the pain of Carli Lancaster's divorce and the romance she finds with neighbor and fellow divorcé Ben Chase. McFadden clearly conveys their mental anguish without making either character sound self-pitying. Carli's voice invites listener commiseration, while Ben's is deeper and friendly. McFadden even uses a subtle Michigan accent as a nod to the story's setting. McFadden captures Brogan's gentle humor, which emerges through vignettes of Carli's dog and her new morning TV job. Her conversational style and deft phrasing keep the story's slower pace interesting. Secondary characters receive careful attention. Carli's daughters, Tess and Mia, are clearly differentiated with completely different vocal personalities. A fun, mostly clean contemporary romance with a solid narration. C.A. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2020]