Real Dirty

Narrators Elena Wolfe and Sebastian York pump up this rocker romance to the level of guilty pleasure. Country music's notorious star, Boone Thrasher, gets dumped and seeks solace in a quiet bar. Its owner, Ripley Fischer, detests Boone on sight, but an attraction between them builds. Wolfe captures Ripley's fierce independence and passionate desire to avoid the limelight. Wolfe's voices for Boone and for Ripley's abusive father--whose nasty dialogue drips disdain--are equally compelling. Narrator Sebastian York voices Boone with a hint of a twang that evokes Nashville. He also gives Boone a sincerity in his internal monologues that balances his impulsiveness. The narrations transition evenly from one to the other, with both narrators contributing equally to an immersive listening experience. The production ends on a cliff-hanger, and listeners will be eager to queue up the second half. C.A. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award � AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine