HONEY

Carrington McDuffie affects a hard-edged tone as she portrays romantic, irascible, intractable 82-year-old Honey Fasinga, the daughter of a New Jersey gangster. Now a dowager living in L.A., Honey is mourning the death of her most recent lover. McDuffie increases the pace of her delivery as Honey returns home to New Jersey and falls in love again, and she softens her tone as Honey realizes her mistakes and tries to right some wrongs. Lodato introduces a troubled teenage grandnephew whom Honey tries to rescue, deepening the listener's emotional connection to the story. This new novel from the PEN America Literary Award-winning Lodato adds to his list of masterful stories. It is amply aided by McDuffie's splendid portrayal of an unforgettable character. R.O. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2024]