THE REAL MRS. TOBIAS

Callie Beaulieu and Kendra Hoffman narrate this contemporary multigenerational audiobook set in New York City and Iowa. Their contrasting vocal styles create an uneven listening experience. The story is mainly told from the perspectives of three women--controlling Jewish matriarch Veronika, a psychiatrist; her down-to-earth daughter-in-law, Mel, a social worker; and Mel's daughter-in-law, Birdie, a yoga instructor who is married to Mel's charming but hapless son, Micah. Family tensions escalate when Micah refuses to report having left the scene of an accident in which he "hit something." In a lively cadence and sympathetic tone, Hoffman engages listeners with her portrayal of Mel. While Beaulieu's quieter tones suit Birdie's and her Iowan relatives' reserve, her portrayal of Veronika lacks the vibrant expressiveness of such an imposing woman. M.J. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2022]