Reviewer Emma Rawson

On the cover of the print version of Take Two, Nicky Pellegrino describes fellow author Danielle Hawkins as: ‘New Zealand’s very own version of Marian Keyes’. It’s a big, bold claim to say that the fiction writer could walk in the leopard print heels of bestselling author and Irish national treasure Keyes — but Pellegrino is not wrong. Hawkins,  who lives on a 450-ha farm in Ōtorohanga and works as a rural vet,  might be more comfortable in Skellerup gummies, but she shares Keyes’ knack for a funny turn of phrase.  In the same way that Keyes’ books are sprinkled with Irish idioms and craic, Hawkins delivers delicious dollops of Aotearoa.

Audiobooks are the natural second home for Keyes (who reads many of her audiobooks), and similarly, Hawkins’ books are delightful when narrated. Take Two is a cosy, comical romance that takes on an extra layer of snuggly warmth when narrated by New Zealand actress Jessica Grace Smith. 

Comparisons can be a good way of assessing whether a book is your cup of tea. Still, they can also be diminishing, and this reviewer doesn’t want to take anything away from Hawkins’ writing skill by mentioning the similarities to Keyes. Take Two has been on the Aotearoa bestsellers list for much of 2024 — and for good reason.

The story follows Laura, a thirty-something freelance communications specialist who has been single for several years since breaking up with Doug, her ex, after he decides he doesn't want children. In a cruel twist of the knife, Doug has moved on to have kids with his new French wife Camille, meanwhile Laura discovers she is infertile.

Fast forward several years, and Laura pops in to visit her former in-laws after hearing the news that Doug’s dad Peter has terminal cancer. She arrives on the family farm to a chaotic scene: Cat, Doug’s mother, has been rushed to hospital with a broken leg; pregnant Camille has gone into labour 12 weeks early, and their two other anklebiters, Polly and Riley, are running riot. Laura stays for a few days to lend a hand, making lunches, dinners and cups of tea for the family and farm workers. Things get even more complicated when she gets close to Doug’s handsome younger brother, Mick.

Take Two’s story stays grounded in its rural setting, with distinctly Kiwi moments popping up like clover flowers in the pugged farm soil. There’s a kiss between Laura and Mick while they are dagging sheep, shearers who write ‘lunch is at 11.30’ into the icing of a cake, and stoic farmer Peter who, despite his terminal illness, is obsessed with the ‘incapacitation of his lawnmower.’ The characters feel real. There’s Auntie Zelda, the busybody aunt, and Laura’s critical mum, who thinks her greying hair is a sign Laura has given up on finding a partner. Mick’s banter feels like chatting to someone you went to school with. The conversations between the characters in Take Two are comfortable and familiar, like an old pair of Barkers trackpants.

Jessica Grace Smith’s narration perfectly matches the story, and her Kiwi accent won’t scare off overseas readers. Smith reads it straight, doing a few voices for the characters but not in an over-the-top way. We are spared from hearing a French accent for Camile, and in the hands of another narrator, this could have been cringey listening — zut alors. There’s a trend in audiobooks for multiple narrators or female narrators who put on comically low voices for the male characters. Smith’s performance doesn’t beat around the bush, and it’s better for it. It’s one of the best narrations of a New Zealand book this reviewer has heard, and gosh, it is good to listen to a Kiwi accent sharing a delightfully Aotearoan story.

Reviewed by Emma Rawson