Between You and Me

April 9, 2012
McLaughlin and Kraus (The Nanny Diaries) explore the dark side of fame in their sixth novel. Logan has never made a fuss of pop superstar Kelsey Wade being her cousin—they haven’t even seen each other since they were children. But on Logan’s 27th birthday, an unexpected phone call results in an impromptu trip to L.A. for a reunion with Kelsey—and a job offer as her assistant. The cousins reconnect, but Logan is quickly overwhelmed by Kelsey’s high-profile lifestyle. Working with Kelsey’s overbearing parents (who have managed every aspect of her career since she was a child star) is a further challenge, especially when Kelsey begins a tumultuous relationship with Aaron, a shady backup singer. As Kelsey’s attempts to break free from her parents’ ironclad grip become increasingly disastrous, Logan tries to help Kelsey stabilize her life. But as Kelsey’s parents begin to reassert control and the paparazzi gleefully report her every move, Logan approaches a breaking point. Logan’s voice is uninspired, but McLaughlin and Kraus provide an empathetic backstory to the sorts of salacious tales readers see in the tabloids. Agent: WME Entertainment.

Two long-separated cousins are reunited when Logan becomes her famous cousin Kelsey's assistant. Logan takes on the task of organizing a European tour, planning a wedding, and helping Kelsey escape the pull of her overbearing parents. Susan Bennett captures the essence of the two 20-somethings as they navigate family, love, and career. Her voice has an energy that carries through the story and also successfully injects the hint of the sorrow and regret that both girls have for things that happened in the past. While Bennett does a good job differentiating between the male and female characters, her voicings of Kelsey and Logan are very similar, sometimes making it difficult to determine who is speaking. E.N. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine