CONVENTIONALLY YOURS True Colors, Book 1

At first, narrator Joel Froomkin is not an obvious choice for the character of Alden, a highly controlled gamer. However, a tournament road trip with his nemesis, Conrad, reveals Alden's inner fragility, and no one does emotionally distraught quite like Froomkin. He wallows in Alden's misery, lingering deliciously over his dramatic pronouncements. Narrator Kirt Graves, portraying Conrad in a low, rumbling voice, is an excellent foil. Family problems have made Conrad cynical, and his tone reflects weary resignation. As the miles pass, Conrad and Alden discover mutual respect and romance. Both narrators are equally skilled at building and maintaining the tension of courtship and of road trip adventures and gaming matches. While Froomkin occasionally sounds off-mike and Graves's East Coast accent for Alden sounds a little assumed, the listening experience is thoroughly positive. C.A. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2020]