NESTING

Louisa Harland performs with a quiet intensity that is just right for this disturbing look at the effects on a family trapped in an abusive relationship in Dublin. Ciara, a pregnant mother of two, must get away from Ryan, her controlling, easily angered husband. Harland makes this audiobook so real that listeners will mentally cringe each time Ryan verbally or psychologically attacks Ciara. While he hasn't struck her . . . yet, she finally leaves, intending to start a new life for her girls and herself. Facing the harsh realities of homelessness and despair, Ciara manages to relocate to an emergency shelter. Harland's narration is appropriately painful and uplifting by turns, and the afterword reminds listeners that this story is considerably more than fiction. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2025]