Swinging on a Star

I’ll admit, I approached *Swinging on a Star* skeptical of yet another ‘plucky wedding planner finds love’ plot—but Thompson won me over by making Bella Rossi refreshingly flawed. This isn’t a heroine who’s *almost* perfect; she’s a control freak with a savior complex, and her spiritual journey feels earned, not tacked on. The Renaissance wedding subplot is pure escapist fun (think jousting groomsmen and a bride demanding a ‘fairy-tale vow renewal’), but the real tension comes from Bella’s crisis of faith when her carefully curated life starts unraveling. Is her business success God’s plan, or just her own hustle? It’s a question the book grapples with more honestly than most Christian fiction dare. Beth Kesler’s narration is the secret weapon here. She nails Bella’s rapid-fire dialogue—equal parts Southern sass and Italian hand-waving—without letting it become caricature. The production is clean, though I’d dock half a star for a few odd pacing choices in the first act, where emotional beats sometimes rush past before they land. And while the romance is sweet, the love interest occasionally feels more like a plot device than a fully fleshed-out character. Still, the audiobook’s charm lies in its specifics: the way Kesler voices Bella’s nonna’s thick accent, or the scene where a rogue turkey disrupts a venue walkthrough. It’s a cozy listen with teeth—perfect for fans of *The Wedding Planner* who wish it had more Sunday school lessons (and fewer Matthew McConaughey shirtless scenes).