MEANT TO BE

Narrator Susan Bennett portrays sisters Vera and Kelly Exton, who live in Mason, Kansas. The novel highlights inflection periods in their family as the story moves from the period of the Vietnam War to 2019. Bennett digs into sibling resentment and small-town gossip with relish and well-placed humor, using a slight Midwestern accent that sounds casual and warm. Kelly's voice is friendly, while Vera's is driven, in a way that matches her globe-trotting aspirations. Bennett uses a rich, persuasive voice with a Hispanic accent for Vera's love interest, Miguel, and a throatier, authoritative voice for local landowner Adam. The vignettes cascade one into another, sharing intergenerational themes of love and family, while Bennett's steady voice, inflected with emotion, ties everything together. C.A. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2021]