JUST LIKE YOU

Ben Bailey Smith and Hattie Ladbury's exemplary performances engage the listener from the start of Hornby's latest audiobook, set in the UK during the pending Brexit vote. Lucy, a white woman in her 40s, is going through a difficult separation. She starts a relationship with Joseph, a Black man two decades her junior, who agrees to babysit for her children. While this premise suggests a story merely about generational and racial misunderstandings, Hornby imbues the empathetic characters with depth while weaving in issues relating to politics, race, class, and education. Smith's performance focuses on Joseph's youthful impulsiveness; Ladbury's performance captures the contemplative older woman who connects with Joseph but also considers the implications beyond their immediate intimate relationship. S.P.C. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2020]