Without the benefit of looking back through pages, I find it difficult to review audio books. But I will try, because this was so enjoyable. The writing itself is solid. Each chapter begins with a reflection about how soap operas function, and how it seems Sophie's life has become one. Although the parents are hard to believe characters, their pre-occupations with their own pleasures drive the story. You do want to slap Daniel and Edith, sister Marley, and especially dad's new girlfriend, Persia. They are well worth the trouble though because you get to meet the Larkman family, who are all "salt of the earth." They have been in the gravel business for 3 generations, but are not drab, as one would expect. They meet the Olivette family's challenges with grace and wit, and become the next best thing for Sophie.

It was hard to separate the appreciable art of the narrator, Christina Moore. I fell in love with her rounded mid-western accents. I will be looking for more titles authored by Cooney or narrated by Moore. ( )

This book was set up like a soap opera, so it was extremely unrealistic. I kept getting frustrated with the characters and all of them were so out of touch with the real world that I wanted to scream at them.
Review by: ???

i really liked the book. it was ok i guess.
Review by: srygrf

this book really got me connected to how life really is. people really do that kinda stuff, it's not unrealistic at all. young adults like sophie have to go through life like that, most people just get lucky and don't have troubles until they are grown and they don't know how to handle life's complications. ( )