CLEAT CUTE

Zim Avaltrades narrates from the perspective of 26-year-old soccer veteran Grace Henderson, and Dana Varden portrays 22-year-old rookie Phoebe Matthews. Henderson and Matthews find themselves playing for the same team, in more ways than one. While jokester Phoebe is hoping to score on and off the field with her childhood icon, secretive Grace is busy hiding her hip injury and her feelings for Phoebe. Avaltrades captures Grace's ice queen persona. Avaltrades's portrayal of Phoebe matches the same boisterous quality used by her co-narrator, whose energetic delivery fits Phoebe's extroverted temperament. Both are more conversational than sexy during love scenes, and patches of Varden's audio lack continuity in volume and tone. S.S. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2023]