FAMILY TRUST

Ah, the lives of the rich . . . New Yorkers Edward Kirkland (family money) and Becca Reinhart (self-made venture capitalist) enjoy the good life, though Becca's work means she hardly has a life, and Edward's aim is to date as many beautiful women as possible while improving his squash game. When they become co-guardians of Emily, the 4-year-old daughter of friends killed in a plane crash, they find their lives changing. But this is not the way Edward's mother and his childhood friend, Bunny, have it planned. Kathe Mazur, who reads with style and humor, has a light touch that is perfect for this story. She captures all the characters, including Emily (children always being a challenge for narrators). Becca's straightforward yet warm manner and Edward's unpretentious humor are woven into Mazur's narration, and she conveys the love both develop for Emily without sentimentality. Even the ending seems more credible, given Mazur's emotional style. M.A.M.
(c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/ MAR 04]