The Taste of Air

By: Gail Cleare

Narrated by: Marnye Young

Length: 8 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's summary

A simple phone call disrupts Nell Williams's well-ordered life. Her mother, Mary, is in a hospital in Vermont. But her mother is supposed to be safely tucked away in an assisted-living facility in Massachusetts, so Nell can't fathom why she would be so far from home.

After notifying her sister, Bridget, Nell hops on a plane and rushes to her mother's side. There, she discovers that her mother has been living a second life. Mary has another home and a set of complex relationships with people her daughters have never met.

When Nell and Bridget delve deeper into their mother's lakeside hideaway, they uncover a vault of family secrets and the gateway to change for all three women.

©2016 Gail Cleare (P)2017 Gail Cleare

Critic reviews

"In The Taste of Air, Cleare deftly explores the consequence of our choices, even those made with the best of intentions. A family saga bridging decades and filled with shocking revelations, hope and love, you won't be able put this book down." (Kate Moretti, author of New York Times best-seller Thought I Knew You)

"In this terrific novel, when two women learn their mother wasn't who they thought she was it leads them to question their own lives and choices. Deftly written, with lush descriptions of the New England setting, this is a book to choose as a companion for curling up on a sofa on a dark winter day or for laying on the beach in the summer. The Taste of Air is character-driven fiction at its best." (Ann Warner, author of The Babbling Brook Naked Poker Club series)

A Nice Easy Listen

This was a good book with an interesting story and characters who were fairly well developed. The narration was good though she seemed to struggle with some words and phrases and the sound quality fluctuated throughout the entire book.

The story itself was an interesting exploration of family dynamics, secrets, love, and loss. I didn't find the twists surprising but it didn't detract from the enjoyment of the book. I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in an easy, entertaining read.


This audio book was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review.

Amazing Story

What an amazing story. Truly a heartfelt story spanning many decades with secrets that go to the grave and secrets that come out after so many years. The author and the narrator are both new to me and I can not wait to find more by both. This was a great story from the very beginning and I highly recommend it. This is definitely a compelling audio listen.
“I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.”

Kept my interest

What did you love best about The Taste of Air?

The plot was something a little different. It wasn't totally predictable.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I liked Adam best because he was a nice guy and not pushy.

Which character – as performed by Marnye Young – was your favorite?

I thought she did a good job with all of them.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When the mom died and Nell felt guilty for not being present but Bridget reframed that.

Wow!!!

This book was incredible. The secrets that went to the grave and the ones discovered were perfectly fitting of the times. Both the author and narrator were new to me, and I think both are extremely talented. I loved how the narrator was able to put so much emotion into the various character voices. This book is full of heartaches, happiness and discovery. My review is not a synopsis of the book, but rather my opinion of it. I was voluntarily provided this review copy audiobook at no charge by the author, narrator, and or publisher.

The Taste of Air

This book is SO good!How many of us truly know our parents?Nell gets a phone call from a hospital a state away telling her that her mother is there in the ICU.Nells mother lives no where near there.Thinking it was a mistake,Nell drives there and finds a whole other life for her whole family.Marnye Young was a wonderful narrator.“I was given this free review copy audiobook and have voluntarily left this review.

Loved This!

Any additional comments?

What a great listen! The Taste of Air spans many decades, with family secrets eventually coming to light. Bridget and Nell thought that they knew their mother and are initially shocked to discover her second life and the secrets that she has kept buried. With time, they begin to understand her choices and embrace them.

This was such a well written story and although it alternated between different time periods, it was very easy to keep up. I loved how Bridget and Nell were able to find happiness out of the grief of losing their mother. The imagery of the Vermont town was captivating and makes me yearn for a simpler life. The narration was outstanding and enhanced my listening experience. I would highly recommend The Taste of Air.

I was voluntarily provided this review copy audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator. This review is my honest opinion.

A Beautiful Story

Would you listen to The Taste of Air again? Why?

I would listen again, because the feel and flow of the story was lilting. I wanted to be Mary. I live on the Cape and grew up in Springfield. I know these areas well.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Mary was my favorite character. She was very strong and responsible and loving to her family, all her family. I marvel how she was able to pull off the double life. Did Thomas ever suspect anything?

What about Marnye Young’s performance did you like?

Marne Young's performance was perfect. Able to distinguish each character and she developed the atmosphere the author presented.

Who was the most memorable character of The Taste of Air and why?

I admired Bridget for finally grabbing hold of her life and getting it all together

Any additional comments?

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.

Family drama with a twist. A must listen.

Any additional comments?

I loved this listen right away. You are introduced to the dynamics of the Riley family in the first chapter and then it's off to the races from there.

Nell, Bridgett and Mary (the mother) are the central characters and at it's core, it's their history and life stories being told. I liked the tone of the book and the author gave us a variety of parent/child dynamics to ponder.

The narrator was the perfect choice. She was nurturing and strong and soft and real. There were some audio glitches where her voice changed mid-sentence but that did not deter from the listen.

This was a great book to ponder the "what if's" and "why not's". With a solid thumbs up to the state of Vermont, this listen is totally worth it.

Loved It

I truly enjoyed listening to this book, Gail Cleare and Marnye Young did a great job keeping my focus throughout the entire story.

Entertaining

The story, the characters were great. it kept skipping in the last three chapters which was very frustrating!!!