the setup…
Lenny Bellamy is reeling from the recent death of best friend Lou from ovarian cancer. Lou was her “person,” friends since kindergarten and her roommate. Now at twenty-seven years old, Lenny is bouncing from one short-term babysitting assignment to another and unable to go back to their apartment, preferring to spend nights on the Staten Island Ferry benches. She’s just accepted a new job from Reese Hollis, babysitting her precocious seven-year old Ainsley. But the job also comes with Reese’s thirty something brother Miles who has made it his mission to “oversee” things in Reese’s absence. The dynamics seem tense but little did Lenny know that this would be her life changing moment.
the heart of the story…
Lenny’s grief is palatable and profound. Losing someone who’s been with you for most of your life is excruciatingly painful and nothing prepares you for the grief afterward. She’s emotionally paralyzed and it is expressed so magnificently here in unconventional ways but if you’ve been there, it connects powerfully. Miles was a godsend as his quiet, reflective nature was the perfect contrast to Lenny’s shaky foundation, he having experienced similar trauma of his own. He makes her his mission and the process to move her through the stages was just heart warming.
the narration…
Alex Finke delivered an inspired performance and expertly managed a host of personalities. I’m an outlier here but I found her depiction of Lenny uneven, hearing her as manic more than grief stricken. However, the storytelling was excellent.
the bottom line…
Be prepared for a really slow burn but the story dictates that it be so. Everyone should have a Miles to help navigate the trauma of grief to get through to somewhere better. The romance between Lenny and Miles developed organically and slow, moving from wingman, to bestie to something more as she transitioned through her pain. This was not only a romance but a love story of two best friends torn apart by death and learning to live without. It’s incredibly raw and moving.
Book Info
- Release Date: March 4, 2025
- Narrator: Alex Finke
- Audio Length: 11 hours, 11 minutes
- Publisher: Random House Audio
Listen to a Sample!
Fab review Jo! I just listened to some of the sample, and totally agree about the depiction of Lenny sounding manic!
Thank you, Nicki💜 I really appreciate your having listened as no one else seems to mention it. It wore on me. Otherwise, she was wonderful with other voices.
I’m glad that you enjoyed it as much as I did Jonetta! Fab review!
Thank you, Jodie💜 It’s a beautiful story.
It sounds like an emotional and uplifting story.
Anne – Books of My Heart
Very much so!
Fab review! You’ve definitely made me curious… A shame about the narrator making the character sound manic though. xx
Thanks, Yvo💜 It may be my age😏 The young’uns seem to love it.
Ha I wouldn’t call myself young anymore either though. 😉
I like the sound of this story. Grief is a tough one to navigate, so it’s great that Cara Bastone does it well. Too bad the narrator missed out on the one voice. Nice review.
Thanks, Carla💜 Bastone nailed it.