Allie and Bea

By: Catherine Ryan Hyde

Narrated by: Lauren Ezzo, Janet Metzger

Length: 10 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's Summary

Bea has barely been scraping by since her husband died. After falling for a telephone scam, she loses everything and is forced to abandon her trailer. With only two-thirds of a tank in her old van, she heads toward the Pacific Ocean with her cat - on a mission to reclaim what's rightfully hers, even if it means making others pay for what she lost.

When fifteen-year-old Allie's parents are jailed for tax fraud, she's sent to a group home. But when her life is threatened by another resident, she knows she has to get out. She escapes only to find she has nowhere to go - until fate throws Allie in Bea's path.

Reluctant to trust each other, much less become friends, the two warily make their way up the Pacific Coast. Yet as their hearts open to friendship and love from the strangers they meet on their journey, they find the courage to forge their own unique family - and begin to see an imperfect world with new eyes.

©2017 Catherine Ryan Hyde (P)2017 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

I did not see this coming

I was hooked from the first chapter, and couldn't walk away file more than a few hours until I'd devoured the entire book. the author, the narration, all deserve high praise. I hope to see a long line of books to follow by Ms. Hyde

83 people found this helpful

Fantastic

This is the kind of book that you can't stop once you start. Great writing and character development. Can't recommend this book enough. Finally a book I can truly give 5*

68 people found this helpful

If You've Read One Catherine Ryan Hyde...

I've got a lot of Catherine Ryan Hyde in my Library. And she's obviously a prolific writer who comes up with unique stories and very likable characters. "Allie and Bea" fits this pattern. Unfortunately, it fits the rest of her pattern of styling also.
All her stories start with everything hitting the fan, every despicable character hitting the lives of her protagonists. (Here: Scam artists, new utter poverty, violent sociopaths, even, gasp! Human trafficking!). Then once the main story point is made? Wham! Nothing. Many scrapes and tough situations but no conflict as nothing, absolutely nothing comes of them except for glowing epiphanies stated in long monologues (Here: Allie realizes that things aren't all black and white, so she has a speech for that. Bea realizes she's let her world become small and filled with fear, so she has many, many long speeches for that). Situations that are dire, that could have devastating consequences come to nothing as suddenly, for the last 2/3rds of the book, every single character they meet has a heart of gold, and there's nothing the world, which has dealt them a hard hand, loves and rewards so much as when you act in the name of faith.
What?!?
It gets boring. The only thing that saves CRH's books is that the characters are usually engaging enough that they propel you to the inevitably sunshine conclusion.
I got "Allie and Bea" cheap with the Kindle Unlimited whispersync bundle, and I'm glad I did as I don't think it's worth the full credit.
Was it worth the time? I guess so, but now I really, really know what I'm in for with her.
If you love her, love her books, love the soliloquies of faith and love without an ounce of conflict, you'll love this book. It's just that I'm pretty much done...

166 people found this helpful

Excellent Book

I bought this book because of the reviews and I am so glad I did. It is the first book from Catherine Ryan Hyde that I have listened to and won't be the last.
This is the story about the unlikely friendship between a runaway teen and an older woman, embittered by life. Bea and Allie meet when Allie jumps into her van (a.k.a. Home) while running from a very bad situation.
Bea is less than happy about sharing her space with this stranger and only wants to be rid of her. But, as the story unfolds, Bea is transformed as she begins to see the world through the eyes of her young companion. Altogether poignant, sad and funny, this story is ultimately about the timing of love in unlikely circumstances. A Great story!!!

Lauren Ezzo and Janet Metzger were good with the delivery of the story but only one of them was really necessary.

15 people found this helpful

Wonderful real characters

The story pulled you in quickly and the characters were very believable. The audio version was well done

25 people found this helpful

Made for TV

I must have got on a list for teen readers for this book to have been recommended to me (I have bought some books for my granddaughter). I stopped reading after a couple of chapters, time is so precious and there are so many books left to read, I gotta move on!

13 people found this helpful

Depressing, but ends okay.

Trouble after trouble and after trouble. Depressing. Ends okay, with hope I guess. Narrators are okay, not my favorite, a little gruff and a little formal, but good with different voices.

13 people found this helpful

VERY SLOW MOVING

Based on all of the great reviews, I purchased this audiobook. I was disappointed.... it's very slow moving and nothing really happens. It could have been at least two hours shorter and it wouldn't have made a difference. I found it hard to believe, based on her age, the deep thinking and self awareness of Allie. I also didn't care for the narrator. Would I recommend it? No.

8 people found this helpful

Great read..and good for teens too!

If you have ever wanted to know what could happen to a teen with no home!
This girl was lucky but many aren't!
Loved the contrast and growing connection between the 15 year old girl and the crotchety old woman. Has a couple good chuckles! The generation gap made for some very interesting thoughts.

16 people found this helpful

Saccharin and ridiculously simplified

1) grouchy, selfish people are not cute or charming. They are just unpleasant.
2) very few people have a change of heart and behavior this quickly and easily.
3)these were caricatures of “types” of people.
I found the whole book almost offensive in its polarity. Annoying. Sorry.

3 people found this helpful

Brilliant!

Thoroughly enjoyed this audio book.
Excellent story and narration.
Sensitively addressed a very emotive subject.

2 people found this helpful

Brilliant story. Had me hooked!

Loved the story. Characters were brilliant. So different to other books I've read and listened to.

1 person found this helpful

CHARMING, QUIRKY & WONDERFULLY WARM!

I fell in love with the charm & characters of this lovely book. A sweet, feel-good story, a tad quirky, and like nothing I’ve ever read before. Thoroughly enjoyed it. I’ll be seeking out more from this author.

worth a listen unless you get a better offer!!

I enjoyed the narration of Ali's life much more than that of Bea down in part to the accent n nuances the narrator of the latter brought.Allies storyline seemed pacier and less plodding than Beas.
All in all worth listening to but it really does depend how you would be using that listening time were you indeed not listening!! I like the sort of book that I will never really forget but I think in all probability this one will have slipped out of my mind completely in a few weeks time completely!