Novels written in the first person lend themselves especially well to audio, and Parsons's debut—a sort of Kramer vs. Kramer
à la Nick Hornby—is no exception. British narrator Buchanan is amiable and engaging as Harry, a London talk show producer who suffers an early midlife crisis as he approaches 30. When a co-worker offers the opportunity for a one-night stand, Harry impulsively accepts, but regrets it the next morning. Too late—his wife, Gina, finds out and files for divorce, leaving him shattered. She takes a job in Japan, and Harry insists on keeping his young son, Pat, with him until she returns. He struggles to be a good father, fumbling through day-to-day routines and crises. Slowly, father and son form a close bond, and Harry realizes he can handle solo parenting—and then, of course, Gina returns, seeking custody. Buchanan handles the British characters with ease, creating believable character voices; he stumbles only when attempting an American accent for Harry's new Texan girlfriend. The abridgement is smooth, except in one instance, in which a character refers to a scene dropped from the audio version, so the listener doesn't know what the character is referring to. Overall, however, this is an entertaining and moving recording. Based on the Sourcebooks hardcover (Forecasts, Feb. 12, 2001). (May)
