Review of ‘Night Voice’ by C.F. Frizzell, audiobook narrated by AJ Ferraro
This book has been on my reading list for a while and as it’s about a radio DJ, it’s perfect to listen to the audiobook version. I liked the originality of the plot but I have mixed feelings about its execution.
Murphy Callahan is an online seller by day and seductive radio presenter Sable on late-night radio. She keeps her real identity and her heart well guarded, but when local tradeswoman Riley Burke enters her life, her protecting walls begin to crumble. Will she be able to give her heart to someone new?
I liked the premise of this book, an anonymous and seductive late-night radio presenter, a lesbian icon in Provincetown who makes women swoon with her bedroom voice. I loved the idea of secrecy and anonymity, of chance encounters and intense connections that challenge all odds. The author built the chemistry between the characters on and off the radio slowly but surely and she also did great in building relationships between each main character and their best friends.
Having said that, my main issue was that some important parts of the plot didn’t seem very plausible. I don’t want to spoil anything but I couldn’t help thinking that a seductive voice such as Sable’s could be recognised with relative ease and the anonymity factor, so crucial in the plot, would go out the window. Additionally, I wasn’t convinced by the conflict around the 80% mark as it felt more like a plot device rather than as a result of the character’s expected behaviour.
I listened to this narrator in the audiobook version of ‘Totally Worth it’ by Maggie Cummings which I loved. ‘Night Voice’ is a very demanding book to narrate as there are many different voices both on and off the radio but Ms. Ferraro did an excellent job in performing them all. However, I didn’t find Sable’s voice very seductive but that’s absolutely my personal taste and it won’t necessarily be the same for other listeners. I think that this is the typical case in which the narration improves the written story.
Overall, an entertaining lesbian romance audiobook with some plot holes but with a very good narration. 4 stars.
Length: 9 hrs and 30 mins
