Adult Fiction
At First Spite.
By Olivia Dade. Read by Joy Nash.
2024. 13hr. HarperAudio, DD (9780063215931).
Johnny Vine promised to always take care of his fiancé, Athena Greydon, but at their engagement party in historic Harlot’s Bay, she eavesdrops on Johnny being convinced by his unmarried brother, Dr. Matthew Vine III, that she would never be an acceptable spouse, declaring her irresponsible, careless, and too spoiled to be loved. Weeks later, Johnny abandons Athena, leaving her emotionally and financially shattered. Deciding to be joyful against unfavorable odds, she moves into the Spite House (her wedding gift to Johnny) and chases retribution against annoying Johnny and hypercritical Matthew, who live tangibly close. But that decision sparks a steamy and quite unforeseen romantic entanglement that becomes electrifying. Dade (Ship Wrecked, 2022) maintains value and depth in the storyline about a curvaceous, sexy woman and accentuates the humanity in negative emotions common in clinical depression with therapy, laughter, and eroticism. Listeners will be captivated by Nash as the single narrator intensifying the conflict, awkward passion, vulnerability, and pride of the characters. She moves the steam meter in climactic chapters all the way up to sizzle. —Vanessa Denby
Fangirl Down.
By Tessa Bailey. Read by Callie Dalton.
2024. 11.5hr. HarperAudio, DD (9780063308398).
In this romantic comedy, superfan Josephine Doyle gets the offer of a lifetime: to caddy for the down-on-his-luck golf pro Wells Whitaker. Josephine welcomes the opportunity after her pro shop is hit by a hurricane; she needs employment to get health insurance necessary for managing her diabetes. In turn, Wells needs Josephine’s talent to read a golf course, and her positive disposition, to help bring him out of his recent playing funk. Narrator
