June

Set in Ohio in June 1955 and 2015, this novel is peopled with colorful characters, including a Clark Gable-esque famous actor, a proper bride-to-be with a talent for art, a boyish teenage girl, and a surprising housekeeper—and those are just from 1955. The latter period 2015 brings a broken-down but still magical mansion, a young woman who has truly lost her way, and a Hollywood dynasty. Both the month of June and a woman named June propel the events. Very well researched, this work gives listeners a view of the Fifties in small-town America—themes of friendship and loyalty give this sometimes old-fashioned novel a solid base and a sense of warmth. Beverly-Whittemore (Bittersweet) is skilled at foreshadowing and merging the actions of the past with ramifications for the future. Sofia Willingham's straightforward narration elegantly delineates the large cast of characters and events in this fast-paced story that doesn't reveal all of its secrets until the very end.