Audiobook Sample
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- Title: Best of Us
- Author: Robyn Carr
- Narrator: Thérèse Plummer
- Length: 08:36:00
- Version: Abridged
- Release Date: 08/01/2019
- Publisher: Recorded Books
- Genre: Romance, Contemporary
- ISBN13: 9.78E+12
As someone who’s spent years chasing stories across continents, I’ve learned that the most compelling narratives often emerge from the simplest human connections. Robyn Carr’s “Best of Us”, brought to life by the exceptional Thérèse Plummer, is one such story that wrapped around my heart like the smell of piñon wood smoke on a Colorado evening – warm, comforting, and impossible to ignore.
Listening to this audiobook transported me back to a small mountain town in Chile where I once spent a winter writing. Like Carr’s Timberlake, that place taught me how communities can become families, and how landscapes shape love stories. The novel follows Dr. Leigh Culver and her aunt Helen, two fiercely independent women discovering that needing others isn’t weakness – it’s the very texture of life. Carr’s genius lies in making this universal truth feel as intimate as a conversation between old friends.
Thérèse Plummer’s narration is nothing short of masterful. She reminded me of that Oaxacan grandmother from my travels, whose storytelling could make even grocery lists sound profound. Plummer gives each character distinct vocal textures – Helen’s voice carries the rasp of wisdom and late-night writing sessions, while Leigh’s resonates with the crisp efficiency of a busy ER doctor. When she voices male characters like the Sullivan’s Crossing locals, she avoids caricature, delivering instead nuanced performances that feel authentically masculine.
The audio production shines in its treatment of silence. In pivotal scenes – like when Helen first sees Sullivan’s Crossing – Plummer lets quiet moments breathe with the same reverence I’ve witnessed in Japanese tea ceremonies. These pauses allow listeners to absorb the emotional weight, much like the restorative silences between waves on a beach. The technical quality is impeccable, with consistent volume levels that make for comfortable listening whether you’re on a mountain hike (as I was during chapters 12-15) or curled up at home.
Carr’s exploration of late-in-life romance particularly resonated. As someone who’s documented love stories across cultures, I recognized the truth in Helen’s journey – how love after 60 isn’t less passionate, but differently so, like comparing the complex depth of aged mezcal to the bright fire of fresh tequila. The novel beautifully dismantles societal biases against aging while celebrating second acts.
If I had one critique, it’s that some supporting characters could benefit from deeper backstories – I found myself wanting to know more about certain Sullivan’s Crossing residents, like a traveler craving just one more local legend before leaving town. But this minor point hardly dims the overall brilliance.
For audiobook lovers who enjoyed Kristin Hannah’s “The Great Alone” or Nancy Thayer’s Nantucket novels, “Best of Us” offers a similar blend of vivid setting and emotional depth, with Carr’s signature focus on community bonds. The romance unfolds like a Colorado sunset – gradually, beautifully, and with colors that linger long after the last chapter.
What makes this audiobook exceptional is how it balances being both a comforting listen and a quietly revolutionary one. In a genre that often focuses on youthful passion, Carr and Plummer together assert that love and self-discovery have no expiration date – a message that rang particularly true to me after years observing how different cultures honor relationships at all life stages.
May your journeys – literal and literary – be ever meaningful,
Marcus
Marcus Rivera
