White Houses

I’ll admit, I approached *White Houses* skeptical of yet another ‘hidden love story’ about a historical icon. But Amy Bloom’s novel won me over by refusing to play it safe. The affair between Eleanor Roosevelt and Lorena Hickok isn’t treated as a scandalous titillation—it’s a messy, often painful relationship between two women who *need* each other more than they like to admit. Bloom’s Eleanor is prickly and self-aware, a far cry from the saintly First Lady of textbooks, while Hickok’s narration (in the audiobook) drips with the cynicism of a woman who’s seen too much. Tonya Cornelisse nails this balance: her voice is world-weary but never bitter, and she handles the novel’s sparse, punchy prose with perfect pacing. No over-emoting here—just the quiet devastation of two people who can’t quite give each other what they need. That said, the audiobook isn’t without flaws. The nonlinear timeline can feel jarring in audio format, especially when Cornelisse’s delivery doesn’t always signal shifts between past and present. And while Bloom’s dialogue is razor-sharp, some of Hickok’s monologues veer into *too* much tell-not-show territory, which drags in the final act. Still, the production quality is impeccable—no distracting edits or volume inconsistencies—and the intimacy of the narration makes it feel like Hickok’s confiding in you over late-night whiskey. If you’re looking for a love story with teeth, or a fresh take on a woman who’s been mythologized into dullness, this is your audiobook. Just don’t expect easy answers—or a happy ending.