Natural Selection

A Short Story

By: Elin Hilderbrand

Narrated by: Erin Bennett

When her boyfriend bails at the last minute, a New York woman embarks on their couples’ cruise alone to find that maybe the person she was supposed to fall in love with was herself.

After a string of bad dates and no prospects, Sophia Othonos has finally hit the jackpot: an actual nice guy. When he suggests a romantic getaway, she’s sure they’re about to take the next step toward their future. A rustic cruise to the Galápagos Islands isn’t exactly her idea of a vacation, but Sophia is ready for anything…until her boyfriend has to cancel.

Now she’s all alone on a trip that was meant for two. Sophia finds herself at a crossroads about who she is, what she wants, and whether her relationship is really everything she thought. But if she’s going to suffer an identity crisis, at least she gets to do it amid the unexpected majesty of nature.

Eight days of wild, unobstructed beauty are enough to make anyone reevaluate their life. These islands are all about adapting to your surroundings—and change just might be what Sophia needs most of all.

©2024 Elin Hilderbrand. (P)2024 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“Narrator Erin Bennett gives a great performance, delving into Sophia's ruminations with excellent pacing and varying tones that reveal her feelings about her life as it is now and how she got there. The Galapagos Islands become the force of nature that helps Sophia decide what her future will look like. The story is short, but the effects of Bennett's performance may persuade listeners to check in with their own lives and feelings.” —AudioFile Magazine

It was good......

This was good but it was not great. It was very different but predictable.
I do recommend it. And the narrator is really good.

Never stop writing Elin!

immediately enjoyed this surprise short story from one of the best storytellers. Such an immersive yet intuitive, captivating quick story. Erin Bennett is the best Narration!

Good ending

Perfect length audiobook for a typical length flight to listen to & help pass the time much quicker than nothing.

Predictable

A whole credit for under 2 hours of story telling was disappointing as it won’t even cover three of my walks.

Great Short Story

Uplifting quick read. Perfect for a lazy afternoon on the patio or a moderately long drive.