New Reviews: Romantic Fiction

Jade Wheeler narrates the first book in the Claw Haven monster romance series. Stranded in a snowstorm, Luna is appalled by a small Alaskan town's lack of fancy accommodations. Surly innkeeper Oliver isn't fond of the rude woman who's invading his werewolf pack's space. But after drinking from a bottle of bonding wine, they're "werewolf married" until they can get a magical... Read More

Pickleball is front and center in Spencer's latest audiobook, narrated by the excellent Mia Hutchinson-Shaw. Bex has been managing her family's struggling pickleball club since her mother's death. Niko, a pompous former tennis star, comes to town and immediately clashes with Bex. When a rival racquet club hosts a pickleball tournament, Bex and Niko put aside their differences... Read More

Shakira Shute's narration of a time-traveling ready-for-love witch should be listened to--if only for the internal dialogue between the witch, Thorn Scarhart, and her cat familiar, Bandit. When Thorn's potion brings her into the 21st century, listeners will delight in the slow reveal of her true motivation for doing so. Shute uses a low, sepulchral voice for Bandit, who... Read More

Stephanie Németh-Parker's warm, conversational voice is spot-on for American actress Tess Bright, who is transported--along with her taciturn, disapproving costar, Hugh Balfour--to Jane Austen's England while filming a NORTHANGER ABBEY adaptation. Németh-Parker's narration is a liquid presence that conveys Tess's grief over her mother's death and her precarious career... Read More

Narrator Marisa Calin transports listeners to London 1898. Disgraced spinster Lady Kay Matheson has plans to marry an American millionaire, Wilson Roycroft, when she encounters her former fiancé, Devlin Sharpe, the man who broke her heart. Devlin now has marriage plans of his own. Calin effectively contrasts Devlin's British accent and Wilson's American speech. Kay's finances... Read More

Karen Cass narrates this charming audiobook, which combines rivalry and romance in a subtle nod to ROMEO AND JULIET. When Jules Caplethorne takes a leave from her publishing job to care for her Great-Aunt Flo and her bookshop, she becomes wrapped up in drama. The Caplethornes' longtime rivals, the Mountbeaus, have just opened up their own bookshop down the street. As Jules... Read More

Narrator Carly Robins returns listeners to the small town of Sweetbriar Ridge, where for the last three years Sloane Donovan has been kissing Will Campbell at the kissing booth that is part of the town's annual festival. Now she's tired of just kissing and wants to meet him. Will is just as eager to find out who she is. Robins successfully conveys Will's urgency and frustration... Read More

Regret, resentment, and hope are on the menu during a holiday train ride across Canada featuring multiple narrators. Lauren Irwin portrays Cali, who strives to reconcile with five estranged friends while heading to a Vancouver wedding. Ember, the bride's ex-girlfriend, portrayed by Nicola Barber, makes a thoughtful journey to exorcise regret. Siblings Joe and Joss (James... Read More

In a deep voice and an English accent, Cornell Collins narrates this romantic mystery. Aaron is a virtuous man, and that's a good trait for a detective sergeant in the Metropolitan Police. When his cousin's engagement is canceled after she seeks advice from another man, Aaron investigates. And after meeting handsome Joel, an impressively accurate handwriting analyst, his... Read More

Kirsten Leigh charms listeners with her impassioned portrayals of a pair of lovers: Iris, a budding blue-haired witch, and Meth, a bad-boy demon who swears up and down that he's reformed. Guiding listeners through the streets of wintry Montreal, Leigh brings the couple's tumultuous relationship to life. In scenes that range from spicy intimacy to battles with fearsome monsters,... Read More

A PRIDE AND PREJUDICE reenactment vacation takes on deeper meaning with narration from Renee Dorian and Jamie Renell. Dorian captures Macey Bennet's excitement after she wins a trip to the immersive Pride and Prejudice Park in England. Renell voices Zane, who impulsively decides to join Macey at the park. They act out Austen scenes, meet other enthusiasts, and fall in love, all... Read More

Showcasing a broad talent for accents, narrators Vaneh Assadourian and Timothy Campbell enliven a sultry second-chance romance inspired by Jane Austen's PERSUASION. Eight years after breaking the heart of her first love, Arab American Naila Darwish is reunited with Basil Trevlyn, now an earl, at her sister's wedding. Believing they may have another chance for a... Read More

Dara Rosenberg returns to narrate Meltzer's latest heartwarming novel, a second-chance romance peppered with magical realism. To the shock of workaholic television producer Evelyn, her ex-husband, David, has been hired as on-set physician for her musical production of A CHRISTMAS CAROL. As the frantically paced shooting unfolds, Evelyn is in a minor accident but declines... Read More

Listeners will be charmed by Abigail Reno's narration of this holiday audiobook featuring the beginning of a couple's love story. A ferryboat breakdown in the middle of Puget Sound leaves passengers temporarily stranded. As Avery heads for lunch with her brother, she meets several other commuters, including Harrison, a Navy sailor who is visiting his sister. A small group of... Read More

This audiobook, narrated by Billie Fulford-Brown and Joshua Riley, brings its story vividly to life. A sweeping romantasy full of magic, rebellion, and heartache, it follows Nina Harrow and Patrick Colson, who are taken from their mining towns as children to train as artisans in Belavere City. When they uncover a devastating truth, their bond shatters, thrusting them onto... Read More

Jeannie Sheneman returns to narrate the second installment in the Boneyard Key series. Sophie, a Boneyard Key native and ghost tour guide, is competing with transplant Tristan, who has moved there to establish his own ghost tour business. The two compete over which of them will become the most popular guide, but as the competition becomes more heated, so does their potential... Read More

Narrator Michelle H. Lee performs an emotional retelling of Jane Austen's PERSUASION. K-drama actress Anne Lee is caught up in her feelings for fire captain Frederick Nam, even though she left him 10 years ago to pursue acting in Korea. Frederick and Anne, as well as their friends and family in the Los Angeles area, all have distinct voices in conversation. Lee perfectly... Read More

Narrators Karissa Vacker and Will Watt delight listeners with this ghostly holiday romance. Harriet York isn't exactly Scrooge, so she's baffled about why she's being haunted by Nolan Callahan, the Ghost of Christmas Past. When they explore Harriet's past, both realize they're more connected than they thought, and Nolan begins to hope for a future with Harriet. As the narrators... Read More

Kelsey Navarro Foster and Aaron Shedlock charm listeners with this magical witchy romance. Leona Sherwood's family is the most powerful in all of Witchingdom, and she's next in line to lead the family. However, on a girls' trip to Vegas she does the unthinkable when she falls for--and marries--Erik Svensen, the son of her family's sworn enemy. Now, she wants a divorce, but he... Read More

Ramona Master and Noah B. Perez dazzle listeners in this steamy holiday romance. Valencia is ready to let loose at a holiday dance party after calling it quits with her cheating ex. However, the last thing she expects is to run into Gideon, her high school archnemesis, for whom she experiences an instant steamy attraction. They make a pact to spend 12 days together--but will it... Read More

Narrators Kelsey Navarro Foster and Tim Paige have strong chemistry in this fun paranormal romance. Witches Azrael and Victoria, childhood friends, run into each other after Victoria investigates buying a tea shop that Azrael's parents used to own. During their exchange, they accidentally summon undead spirits and must find a way to save their town before a devil consumes it.... Read More

The highs and lows of a Scottish Christmas market come into crisp focus as depicted by narrator Hannah Curtis. She chronicles the return of Frederica Hallow-Hart to Pine Bluff, where she licks her wounds after experiencing a traumatic relationship and being laid off. Curtis captures Fred's awkward stumbles as she returns to the family Christmas cracker business and faces... Read More

Amelia Hugh's narration adds emotional depth to this dark fantasy audiobook. Harmony is a poor young woman whose life spirals into chaos when her best friend is discovered at the scene of a murdered king. Hunted by a sorcerer who raises the dead and drawn into the intrigue surrounding the king's enigmatic brother, Harmony must navigate a brewing revolution, long hidden secrets,... Read More

Renata Friedman gives a glorious narration of this satisfying audiobook, which is part slow-burn romance and part heartwarming family story. After her grandmother's death, 28-year-old Seattle project manager Mallory is bequeathed her grandparents' Florida home on the condition that she help care for her "Gramps." Friedman captures the humor in Mallory's reluctance to leave her... Read More

This delightful second-chance romance takes place in sunlit Italy. After a disastrous public proposal, Ramin escapes abroad, only to bump into Noah, his high school crush and now a divorced dad traveling with his family. Their reunion blossoms into a heartfelt, spicy romance that's as much about rediscovery as it is about love. Narrators Corvin King and Vikas Adam bring warmth... Read More

Narrators Samantha Cook and Connor Crais deliver this romance novel featuring Charlotte Kendall and billionaire Jared Sterling. Sparks fly between them when they attend a wedding. Then they discover their one-night stand has led to an unplanned pregnancy. Jared wants to be in Charlotte's life, but her life is complicated. She has twin daughters, who are given youthful,... Read More

With genuine emotion, Jennifer Riker narrates this story about the demise of a romance. Sydney meets Victor, a wealthy older gentleman who is used to getting his way. He wants Sydney, and from the beginning is overbearing yet charming enough to make it happen. When they decide to marry, a controversial prenuptial agreement involving an Italian villa causes a bitter rift. So... Read More

Narrators M.K. Blackwood and Will Damron give hilarious and heartfelt performances in this contemporary romance. Avery has always been attracted to her brother's best friend, Henry. When they both become stranded on a deserted island, she decides it might be time to give in to that long, lingering attraction. But falling in love is definitely not her intention. Blackwood's... Read More

Naomi Wood and Thomas Frost entrance listeners as they narrate this paranormal contemporary romance. Rosemary is a successful horror author who can see ghosts. When she realizes the movie set of an old English manor created for the filming of her hit novel is actually haunted, she's not deterred. Ellis is a hot Hollywood actor who's looking forward to breaking free from his... Read More

Narrator Jim Frangione returns the listener to Caldwell, New York, where vampires live, unbeknownst to humans. When Lyric, a female vampire, is saved from a flying billboard by a stranger named Devlin, sparks fly between them. Yet vampires are being hunted by "lessers," humans without souls, who want to kill them. Lyric's family helps fight the lessers, and Frangione ratchets... Read More

Saylor Curda and Teddy Hamilton deliver a lighthearted rom-com. Curda captures Abi Mariano, a high-energy maid who has an independent spirit despite her financial difficulties and nearly overwhelming anxiety. Hamilton voices Declan Powell, a wealthy, workaholic bachelor, with just the right mix of reserve and sincerity. Aby is caught squatting by Declan's parents, who mistake... Read More

With a hint of a drawl, narrator Abigail Reno transports the listener to Texas. While Brodie Carter has been in town only a few months, he now owns an organic farm next to Audrey Ross's farm. In fact, Brodie's property used to belong to Audrey's family, and she wants it back. It doesn't help their complicated relationship that she dislikes him--but is attracted to him, too.... Read More

This paranormal romance is tenderly narrated by André Santana and Dani Martineck. Jamie, who uses they/them pronouns, creates haunted houses for a living and is frequently fighting their parents' disapproval over their gender presentation, especially as tensions rise with their sister's upcoming wedding. Martineck portrays Jamie's sarcasm, frustration, and passion with... Read More

Narrator Joel Leslie delivers a sympathetic reimagining of Mr. Collins from PRIDE AND PREJUDICE that grants him a happy ending. While keeping his portrayal of Mr. Collins in the realm of the expected, Leslie tempers it with kindness and curiosity, creating a complete character rather than a caricature. Mr. Collins is painfully awkward but always strives to do his best for his... Read More

Victoria Connolly and Brandon Francis perform this opposites-attract small-town romance. Prudence Welch is content to keep to herself while working at her father's gas station, writing poetry, and taking care of her mother, who has early-onset Alzheimer's. Milo Kablukov is a bit of an adventurous nomad who has returned home because his brother needs his help. Prudence and... Read More

Narrator Faith Alabi delivers a seamless portrayal of Temi, a London-based aspiring writer who is determined to publish her first novel after getting her heart broken by her former boyfriend, Wale. As her hopes of publishing dim, Temi takes on a new opportunity: ghostwriting a memoir for a celebrity client. Little does she know that the "celebrity" is none other than Wale.... Read More

Narrator Eilidh Beaton whisks the listener off to a remote Scottish castle at Christmastime. Mirren Sutherland and Theo Palliser travel from London to Scotland to help Laird Jamie McKinnon locate a rare book hidden on his estate that will help save his home. A snowstorm strands the three, along with Jamie's sister, Esmé, and the housekeeper, Bonny. Beaton brings a Scottish lilt... Read More

Listeners will enjoy Amy Hoggart's charming narration of this fresh mash-up of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE and FRANKENSTEIN. Mary is a young, queer scientist who finds the real world drab. As her sisters are entering the world of courtship, Mary is more enraptured by her deadliest experiment yet: raising the dead. While her brilliance brings her the perfect partner, he comes at a cost.... Read More

Paige Reisenfeld introduces listeners to Phoebe Blair, a historian who is hired by Armitage Gallier to research the relationship between his ancestor, Thomas Gallier, and the plus-sized vaudeville star Evelyn Cross. As Phoebe grows closer to Armitage, she notices the parallels between the story she is investigating and her own feelings for her employer. Reisenfeld's narration... Read More

Narrator Jefferson Mays, Swedish singer-songwriter Jens Lekman, and author David Levithan turn strong performances and storytelling into an unforgettable audiobook experience. When wedding singer J's girlfriend takes an open-ended job overseas, it sends the couple into fraught emotional territory. Mays balances J's charm and playfulness with his anxiety about the future of his... Read More

Narrator Bailey Carr enchants listeners in this heartfelt contemporary romance. After a mishap with a spell back in high school, Rowan Midwinter, a witch, decided to quit using her magic. Now her family has guilted her into coming home to help save the winter festival, which has no snow. She reunites with her childhood rival, Gavin, the son of the festival's landlord, who... Read More

As an elf who is a talented jewelry artisan and a half-giant find healing and romance, Sarah McEwan and Evan Elliot provide a dual narration. Fae Elikki values her independence as a traveling craftsperson. McEwan's voicing indicates her inward focus and impatience with lecherous fools like the one who placed a bounty on her head. Elliot's voice for Barra, the giant, is... Read More

Prolific narrators Brittany Pressley and Teddy Hamilton delight listeners in this romantasy featuring a merchant's daughter with a magical secret and the half-orc who rescues her. While traveling to meet her betrothed and transport goods for her father, Guinevere and her caravan are attacked. Nearby Oskar races to save the fair maiden. He then reluctantly accompanies the naïve... Read More

Mia Hutchinson-Shaw narrates this contemporary paranormal romance featuring a small-town Christmas with a vampire twist. Tiffenie Ruba is a 300-year-old vampire who desperately needs to get her life in order. When she unexpectedly inherits a bed-and-breakfast business in rural Vermont, she'll finally have the opportunity to live her Hallmark fantasies. However, she'll have to... Read More

Listeners will enjoy an enemies-to-lovers romance as grumpy Parker Harris repeatedly meets Amy Gibson at singles events. Amy remains determined to find herself a boyfriend despite a series of awkward encounters and first dates from which the cynical Parker ends up rescuing her. Vanessa Moyen and Lee Samuels shine at portraying the pair as they maintain their distance while... Read More

Trust narrator Joy Nash to make the zombie apocalypse a barrel of laughs. Edie Brandstrup is constantly on the lookout for zombies. Sure enough, some escape from a nearby prison. Rushing to save her neighbors, Edie first heads for Gaston "Max" Boucher, a brainless surfer dude who turns out to be a French vampire with hidden depths. Edie's mockery of Max in the form of incessant... Read More