Starlight Between Us

I’ll admit, I approached *Starlight Between Us* with some skepticism—another 80s-set YA romance? But Kensington’s sharp, observational writing and Virtual Voice’s narration saved it from cliché. The story follows two teenagers, their lives tangled in the orbit of a fading child star’s cult following, and the way their connection blossoms (and fractures) feels achingly real. The narration has a dreamy, slightly detached quality at first, which mirrors the protagonist’s emotional numbness, but by the second act, the voice thickens with urgency, especially during the climactic confrontation. The audio production is clean, with just enough reverb to evoke a vintage recording studio, though I wish the background music had been more subtly mixed—it occasionally competes with the dialogue. What really sold me was the ending, which refuses to wrap everything up in a neat bow; instead, it leaves you with the kind of bittersweet aftertaste that lingers long after the credits roll. It’s not a perfect audiobook—some pacing choices feel abrupt—but it’s undeniably compelling.