COUNTING RAINDROPS THROUGH A STAINED GLASS WINDOW

This debut novel takes a predictable turn on relationship phobia with its young African-American heroine not wanting to commit to marriage with her long-term boyfriend. While the predictable plot is a major drawback, Karen Chilton does a wonderful job narrating this multigenerational story of modern African-American love. This is a performance-driven narration, not a simple reading. The characters' voices are true to type. However, the flow of the narrator's delivery is frequently and inexplicably interrupted by extended pauses. Whether idiosyncratic or editorial, they are an irritant to an otherwise enjoyable listening experience. P.R. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/ SEP 07]