THE LEFTOVER WOMAN

Narrators Sura Siu and Caroline Hewitt deliver gripping performances of this suspenseful family drama. In the first-person, Siu voices Jasmine Yang, a young woman who flees to New York City from China to track down the daughter her husband gave up for adoption. Siu captures Jasmine's desperation and determination. In contrast, Hewitt's third-person narration portrays Rebecca, a white publishing executive whose career is on the rocks. Rebecca, along with her husband, adopted Jasmine's child, whom they've named Fiona. As secrets mount in both families, the narrators dial up the pace and tension despite the clichéd melodrama. While the story is predictable, listeners will find plenty to root for. V.T.M. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2023]