FEMALE FANTASY

Samantha Brentmoor's voice is flippant yet vulnerable as she portrays Joonie, who is looking for love. But no man measures up to Ryke, the merman from her favorite romance series. When Joonie learns that Ryke is based on a real person, she sets out to find him, only to have her plans derailed once her brother's friend, Nico, unexpectedly joins her. Brentmoor's slightly gravelly voice is a great match for Joonie's determination and stubbornness. Chapters alternate between scenes from Joonie's real-life adventures and passages from Joonie's favorite romantasy novel, which Brentmoor reads with reverence. When Joonie and Nico find themselves in a ridiculous Mob-related scheme, Joonie wonders if her soul mate is closer than she ever realized. Fantasy and reality collide in Hariri-Kia's latest. C.A.P. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2025]