DEAREST JOSEPHINE

Nathalie Pownall narrates an unconventional young adult romance audiobook. After her father dies, Josie takes a gap year before starting university. As she begins to renovate the English estate her father bequeathed to her, she comes across letters addressed to her that were written by someone 200 years earlier. Pownall's performance, though spirited, is far from stellar. Josie's closest friend, Faith, an American, is performed with an inconsistent accent. Other characters' voices are frequently indistinguishable. The story shifts between the two time periods, with the current-day conversations helpfully designated by the sounds of the messages being sent and received. Still, this production is serviceable at best. A.L.S.M. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2021]