Beautiful Daughters, The

De: Nicole Baart

Narrado por: Meredith Orlow

From the author of Sleeping in Eden, described as "intense and absorbing from the very first page" (Heather Gudenkauf, author of The Weight of Silence), comes a gripping new novel about two former best friends and the secrets they can't escape.

Adrienne Vogt and Harper Penny were closer than sisters until the day a tragedy blew their seemingly idyllic world apart. Afraid that they got away with murder and unable to accept who they had lost - and what they had done - Harper and Adri exiled themselves from small-town Blackhawk, Iowa, and from each other. Adri ran thousands of miles away to Africa while Harper ventured down a more destructive path closer to home.

Now, five years later, both are convinced that nothing could ever coax them out of the worlds in which they've been living. But unexpected news from home soon pulls Adri and Harper back together, and the two cannot avoid facing their memories and guilt head-on. As they are pulled back into the tangle of their fractured relationships and the mystery of Piperhall, the sprawling estate where their lives first began to unravel, secrets and lies behind the tragic accident are laid bare. The former best friends are forced to come to terms with their shared past and search for the beauty in each other while mending the brokenness in themselves.

Nicole Baart's lush and lyrical writing has been called "sparkling" (Publishers Weekly), "taut and engrossing" (Booklist), and "evocative and beautiful" (Romantic Times). The Beautiful Daughters is another exquisitely rendered, haunting story that will stay with listeners long after the last word.

©2015 Nicole Baart (P)2015 Recorded Books

Powerful tale of love and Memory

I have been a Nicole Baart fan ever since her debut novel, "After the Leaves Fall", and have followed her journey as a writer ever since, loving all of her books save one. After being seriously disappointed in "Far from here", I looked forward with anticipation for another emotional journey, where I loved the characters, got into their heads, and felt sorry to say goodbye at the end of the book.

The Beautiful Daughters did not disappoint. This is Harper and Adri's story, but it is also the story of love and disappointment, of running away and feeling trapped, of friends who are enemies, and how memory and hope can be the worst enemies of all.

Meredith Orlow is a good narrator; she is emotive in many of the right places. Thankfully, she does not try too hard to perform men's voices, which makes her dialogue weaker than it otherwise could be, but is less grating than trying too hard.

Well worth your time and credit.

Anti climactic ending.

Overall good story. Ending was a bit dull. Lots of details that ended up meaning nothing.