I picked up Jespa The Space Trader because it is a stand alone story about a small crew on a trading vessel trying to make ends meet. Now that I am done, I am hoping it is the start of a series because I enjoyed it enough to want more. There isn't anything new here to fans of the genre, but it is an excellent blend of world building, slice of life, and character development, with your standard fare of sci-fi mixed in for good measure. The main character is Captain Albert Mead, a retired banker who liquidated his assets to buy the trading vessel, Jespa, because he wanted to turn it into a home in space for him and his 3 kids. Unfortunately, only one of those kids remains with him, Monica, who has reached womanhood aboard the ship and now wants to be a captain herself. Join Captain Mead, Monica, and a handful of others as they do their best to prosper in a solar system that is preparing for war.

It was a pleasure to learn about how Captain Mead, Monica, and the ship's AI Lynn have altered the Jespa into their home, and the unique endeavors they invest in to earn enough credits to buy more upgrades for the ship. They use worms to create soil for their farms, raise crayfish in the water they transport for profit, and also have their sights set on asteroid mining for even bigger profits. In a political solar system, not unlike that of the Expanse, they do their best to remain neutral so they can go where they choose and trade with whoever they like. Captain Mead plays the long game trying to make fair deals to create long lasting relationships, rather than quick profits, but his ethics will be put to the test as he quickly brings on more crew as the two main powers in the solar system prep for war.  This is an excellent book, and I hope it is the strong start to a series because I would definitely like more.

The audiobook is narrated by two narrators, Giancarlo Herrera who does the male voices, and Hannah Schooner who does the female ones. They do a decent job and listening is an excellent option, although some of the female character accents from Hannah certainly wouldn't have been my first choice.