Acceptable Riff On "Real Housewives Of.." Wherever

If you are entertained by the misbehavior of slutty, bored, spoiled trophy wives.. this J.A.Leake offering is for you. Aging one-time beauty queens with hyphenated names like ''Sarah-Ann' & 'Mary-Elizabeth' meet over espressos & pitchers of sweet tea to complain about their husbands' businesses, their children's school problems, their torrid affairs, their inability to get pregnant, and sex Sex SEX. A token "working mom" ('Maria') joins the author's fictional group fto introduce some relatability - but the book is essentially voyeuristic "Reality TV" fare.
Fortunately, Leake is reasonably good at this stuff. She introduces a scheming blackmailer to confront this circle of manipulative bitches and expose their juicy secrets. The secrets themselves are a bit clichéd.. but Leake does a capable job exploring them.

On the negative side, Jennifer Woodward is a below-average reader. Her diction, timbre, cadence, and timing are fine.. but her tone is mechanical (she's clearly reading from a book lying open on her lap), and her voice-acting is execrable (her interpretations of children are gratingly falsetto and her Southern Drawls are cartoonish).

I personally find this subject matter insufferable - but if you enjoy the guilty pleasure of rubbernecking "can't-look-away" gossipy drama, this 4.5/10-star recording isn't a horrible waste of time (if you can get it as a 'Plus' option). If asked for a Credit, however, you're a fool to spend it.
Better offerings beckon.

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