SEARCHING FOR PARADISE IN PARKER, PA

Addy Lipton has been married to the same man for 28 years. She's had enough of Lucky's "kingdom of krap" (their garage stuffed with bowling balls and seemingly useless machine parts) and the unrelenting dullness of their life together. Disaster strikes when Lucky needs back surgery and a planned trip to Costa Rica for a second honeymoon is cancelled. Barbara McCulloch voices this story of ordinary people with everyday problems, creating well-drawn secondary characters such as Addy's hapless husband, Lucky, and her free-thinking sister, Hel. McCulloch's performance highlights all of Addy's resentments and turmoil. And as she begins to discover her own needs and enjoy the company of an understanding group of women, McCulloch makes Addy's personal awakening empowering. This is definitely chick-lit beach reading. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2008]