Becoming the Talbot Sisters

By: Rachel Linden

Narrated by: Madison Lawrence

Length: 10 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's summary

Twin sisters Waverly and Charlie Talbot have drifted far apart as they pursue opposite dreams of stardom and service to the poor. Now they must come together to face their fears, find their courage, and fight for what they love.

Celebrity chef Waverly Talbot has built a successful career with her home-entertaining show Simply Perfect. Yet she and her husband, Andrew, have never been able to realize the true desire of Waverly’s heart: to become a mother. Meanwhile Waverly’s twin sister, Charlie, buries her bitter disappointment and shattered idealism beneath a life spent serving others as an international aid worker in Budapest, Hungary.

When the beloved aunt who raised them passes away, Waverly and Charlie come together in their grief after living years on separate continents. Struck by a fierce desire to bridge the distance between them, Charlie offers Waverly and her husband the selfless gift of surrogacy.

But soon the sisters find they are each in danger of losing their jobs, seemingly putting their dreams on hold once again. When Waverly shows up unannounced in Budapest with a plan to rescue Simply Perfect, the sisters embark on an adventure across central Europe that could save them both from occupational hazards. Though the twins haven’t had to rely on each other since childhood, a dramatic turn in their journey forces them to stand together to save their careers, the baby, and each other.

©2018 Rachel Linden (P)2018 Simon & Schuster Audio

Best read in years

I could not put this book down. Rachel has a gift to draw you right in ... within minutes I was in the story myself. Her writing is impeccable. It’s on point on every level. And being somebody who has traveled in this part of the world, and lived myself for many years, the story is told and painted with such preciseness and excellent detail. I love the characters and places this story traveled to. It’s inspirational and not only draws you in to issues facing women in this part of the world but also layers in the complexities of various relationships and touches the heart. In the end it brings to light the power of brave vulnerability and how our very personal choices are what lead us into greater life and freedom. I couldn’t put this book down!

An Essential Listen, A Tragic Issue

The world as we know it is changing, hopefully with permanence, for women in general, and for women at risk and in peril specifically.

There is the #MeToo movement. There is the #TimesUp movement. Easy to remember, catchy names for incredibly valiant efforts to right the terrible and mostly silent transgressions of sexual predators.

But there is no hashtag for a deeper, more opaque version of even more systematic sexual harassment and abuse: the worldwide pandemic of sexual slavery and human (mostly female) trafficking.

Rachel Linden’s Becoming The Talbot Sisters will cast for you a bright, painful, searing light on this issue, and illustrate clearly how it could happen to anyone, at any time. Even someone you know and love.

In her debut as an audiobook narrator, Madison Lawrence delivers this heartbreaking story with the patience, pathos and gentle precision that echoes the storytelling abilities of a veteran narrator. She paints scenes and draws characters in a rich and detailed fashion, yet never calls undue attention to that talent: she simply lets Linden’s words do the heavy lifting, and the story shines because she does.

I highly recommend you listen to this book. Hopefully, it will move you to higher awareness and action.

Interesting story. Disinterested narrator.

My southern upbringing and my mother’s voice in my head saying, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all,” often win out over my desire to leave a review. This time, however, I’m just going to say it, because I’m so annoyed. I’m maybe halfway through this audiobook and the story is literally wrought with emotional storylines and drama, yet the narrator sounds so extremely bored. She’s just saying words. I listen to audiobooks all the time while I’m working. This narrator isn’t so bad that I can’t stand it, but I’m constantly annoyed. I think this book would be much better if I just read it.

Simply ridiculous storyline

I endured this book out of sheer hope. The implausible storyline was almost laughable. I don't enjoy neat & tidy resolutions that border on miraculous.
The narration was so monotone it was like listening to someone reading a shopping list. The male voices & accents were non-existent. It was so bad, I will never purchase a hook narrated by this person again.
I can't say this strongly enough: just don't.