Emergency Contact

Narrators Joy Osmanski and Jacques Roy tell this dual-viewpoint story of young adults finding their way. Leaving for college in Austin, Penny is excited to start on the path to becoming a writer. She doesn't expect to meet her roommate's hot, slightly older ex-uncle-by-marriage. A chance second meeting during an embarrassing moment in his life ends with the two exchanging phone numbers. The last thing they expect is to fall into a friendship--and possibly love--through text messaging. Osmanski and Roy provide excellent renditions of the characters' personalities. Though there are some volume variations between the narrators and some unclear character differentiation when Osmanski narrates dialogue, this audio will have the listener rooting for Penny and Sam to find their way together. A.L.S.M. � AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine

October 1, 2018

Gr 9 Up-Narrators Joy Osmanski and Jacques Roy prove to be convincing partners in propelling two awkward misfits toward each other. Osmanski's Penny Lee is slightly detached. UT-Austin might be less than 80 miles away, but 18-year-old Penny imagines she's headed for a whole new world-literally, as she wants to hone her sci-fi writing skills. Roy takes on slightly older Sam, who happens to be Penny's new roommate's 21-year-old ex-uncle-by-marriage. Versatile Roy could be 20 or 40, just as Sam's falling-apart-life might suggest multiple ages, from college drop-out ex-boyfriend of Someone Kinda Famous to filmmaker-in-the-rough who's biding his time as an overqualified barista forced to sleep where he works. Penny and Sam's chance second meeting involving a panic attack results in their fatefully designating each another as "emergency contacts." Let the texting begin. VERDICT Fans of Maurene Goo, Jenny Han, and Julie Murphy: get ready to listen in.-Terry Hong, Smithsonian BookDragon, Washington, DC

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