THE FAMILY YOU MAKE The Sunrise Cove, Book 1

From the outset, narrator Erin Mallon captures the tension when strangers Levi and Jane are trapped on a swinging gondola in the middle of a blizzard. When they think they are about to die, Levi calls his mother and tells her Jane is his girlfriend. Mallon aptly expresses Levi's exasperation with his overbearing family but still allows his love to shine through her narration. Jane had a troubling childhood, which has affected her adult relationships, and Mallon deftly portrays her emotional changes as she learns to overcome her past. Jane's best friend is from the South, and Mallon gives her a hint of a twang that is a lovely contrast to Jane's West Coast accent. Mallon smoothly moves between the male and female characters, creating an enjoyable listening experience. S.B. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2022]