SOMEWHERE BETWEEN BITTER AND SWEET

Andy Aragon and Arami Malaise's seamless alternating narration creates a dazzling portrait of Pen and Xander, a young Latinx couple, and the Mexican-American community in Austin, Texas, where they live. This debut is an affecting coming-of-age story and a splendid romance, as well as a trenchant exploration of father-child relations, immigration, and the impact of crime upon a community. Malaise gives a stunning performance as the tough-on-the-outside but inwardly sensitive Pen. Aragon will move listeners with the innate decency of Xander, whose challenges include his undocumented status in the U.S. Pen and Xander share a love of cooking, and the descriptions of the dishes they prepare flavor this audio production. M.J. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2021]