THIS IS THE ONLY KINGDOM

Listeners will be moved as bilingual narrator Almarie Guerra delivers this family saga, which takes place in a barrio in Puerto Rico and in South Beach, Miami. The coming-of-age story follows Maricarmen, a Latina who marries a Black musician who is a kind of Robin Hood figure in their poor community. When he's killed by police, he leaves his youthful widow to cope with raising their baby and his little brother. The baby is named Nena, and her story, filled with trauma and identity issues, becomes central to this character-driven novel. Guerra's strong, passionate voice guides listeners through this story, which explores racism, sexism, homophobia, family estrangement, despair, addiction, and cultural clashes. This audiobook is emotionally draining but worth the pain. D.L.G. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2025]