THE BRIGHTEST STAR

With a light Southern drawl, narrator Susan Bennett voices dutiful daughter Lauren Montgomery, who runs Razzle Dazzle Decor, her parents' holiday store in North Carolina. Bennett assumes a fluttery voice for Lauren's traditional mother and an irritatingly authoritative one for her father. Lauren struggles between family duty and a lucrative writing opportunity, and Bennett clearly captures her ambivalence. The story's numerous shifts in tone are less easily dealt with. Bennett faithfully mirrors all the obstacles to Lauren's happily-ever-after, but numerous disasters that never fully materialize make for a confusing listening experience. Bennett's pauses in phrasing are also difficult to follow as she sometimes stops in the middle of sentences. Listeners will love Lauren but may have difficulty following her journey. C.A. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2020]