A Summer Smile

Traci Svendsgaard's soft, sensual voice wraps itself around every word of this early Johansen story of rescue and romance in the desert. The production would be fine with better writing and a more organized plot, but both are lacking. Daniel snatches Zilah from a terrorist who hopes to ransom her, and they fall into each other's arms immediately. Naturally, Zilah is carrying some emotional baggage, which bothers Daniel but doesn't seem to enter Zilah's trite thoughts. Normally, a good reading would enhance the text and characters, but the former is dreadful and the latter are shallow and, in Zilah's case, whiny. The only being you care about is a tiger cub, who says nothing. Try one of Johansen's later efforts. J.B.G. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine