Clara’s Verdict
I should be honest about what The Banning of Bath Bombs is before I review it. This is a 55-minute piece of comedic fantasy fiction by AJ Sherwood, built around characters who appear to have an established readership from earlier work in the same fictional universe. The premise is exactly what it says: bath bombs turn out to be magical portals. A mage named Declan appears, uninvited, in Ross’s bathtub. The Unholy Trifecta, who are apparently a recurring ensemble in Sherwood’s fiction, are drawn in because Ross refuses to handle portal magic alone. It is very funny and completely unapologetic about being exactly what it is.
With a 4.6 rating from one listener review, self-published and released in March 2026, this is a short piece designed purely to entertain. It achieves that goal efficiently. I am reviewing it on its own terms, which means acknowledging that it is not attempting anything beyond being enjoyable company for an hour.
About the Audiobook
Published on 26 March 2026 by AJ Sherwood, this is a standalone short story or novella rather than a full novel. The characters Ross, Ivan, Kay, and the mage Declan from Detroit appear to belong to a larger fictional universe that Sherwood has been building across other titles. The portal that connects Declan’s bath bomb experiments first to Ross’s bathtub and then to Ivan’s provides the core comedic engine, and the story follows the attempt to reunite Declan with his clan while navigating the escalating domestic chaos his uninvited arrivals create.
The synopsis is deliberately brief, reflecting the story’s own brevity. There is not much more to it than the premise suggests, which is genuinely not a criticism. Comedy that tries to do too much often does nothing well. Sherwood keeps the scope tight, the pacing brisk, and the jokes consistent. The Unholy Trifecta’s dynamic is apparently well-established enough in Sherwood’s other work that existing readers will find immediate pleasure in the reunion. New readers will find a warm, self-contained piece that functions as a reasonable introduction to the wider universe.
The Narration
The question of whether the premise can sustain a 55-minute story is answered in the affirmative. Sherwood does not try to do more than the premise allows, which is a significant strength. Many short-form comedy pieces overreach and collapse; this one is content to be exactly what it is and nothing more, which is a kind of discipline that is harder to achieve than it looks from the outside.
Kirk Griffin narrates with the lightness and comic timing that this material demands. He differentiates the characters clearly without resorting to broad caricature, and he handles the comedic rhythm of the portal arrivals with good instinct. At under an hour, there is limited runway for the performance to breathe, but Griffin makes efficient use of the available time. His reading does not rush, which is the right instinct: fast comedy loses its shape if the pauses disappear.
The performance suits the register of the material precisely: warm, slightly chaotic, and clearly having fun with the premise. Comedy narration requires the reader to trust the writing and not push it toward the punchlines, and Griffin does not push. The jokes land because he reads straight rather than performing them, which is consistently the right choice for this kind of material.
What Readers Say
The reviews are brief and enthusiastic. One listener called it an absolute hoot and expressed immediate interest in the wider Sherwood catalogue, noting that the book made them want to discover who Declan and company actually are in the longer series. Another described it as a real treat to catch up with favourite characters in one bathing incident, and recommended it without reservation. A third offered what is perhaps the most honest response: it is a good giggle, but too short, and they suggested the premise could sustain a full novel or even a series of its own with these promising characters.
One listener found the collaborative authorship slightly uneven, noting that distinct writing styles were visible in different sections. This is worth noting for listeners who are sensitive to tonal inconsistency, though it was clearly not a problem for the majority of the readership.
Who Should Listen?
Existing fans of AJ Sherwood’s work will want this immediately and will get the most out of it. Listeners who enjoy light, comedic fantasy with an ensemble dynamic and no particular stakes will find it a pleasant 55 minutes. It works as a palette cleanser between longer, heavier listens, or as a lunch-break piece when you need something uncomplicated and funny. Listeners approaching it cold without familiarity with Sherwood’s characters will still be amused, but will miss the additional pleasure of recognising people they already know. If this is your first Sherwood, treat it as an introduction to a voice worth following rather than a complete experience in itself.
The Banning of Bath Bombs is available on Audible UK. Listen on Audible UK
