New Reviews: Romantic Fiction

Narrator Rebecca Gibel transports listeners to the small town of Lakeview Harbor, where Walker Bradshaw is rebuilding his grandparents' resort. There, Walker encounters real estate agent Harlow St. James, and passion ignites. But Harlow has been trying to get Walker's grandparents to sell the resort, and when Walker realizes who she is, Gibel's portrayal of him becomes hostile.... Read More

Narrators David Berry and Marny Kennedy are effective foils as they portray deeply committed scholars who find themselves competing for the same faculty position in a job market where desirable appointments are scarce. The solution? Apply as a two-for-one package using the university's spousal hire benefit. The details of university politics are realistic as Jonah and Sadie... Read More

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

Narrator Kerry Gilbert brings this friends-to-lovers contemporary romance to life. Chloe Fairway isn't where she wants to be in life by a long shot: She hates her job, and she's currently living with her parents while recovering from a painful breakup. So, after having been voted "most likely to succeed," she hardly wants to attend her high school reunion. That's when a dating... Read More

In their heartwarming performances, narrators Teddy Hamilton and Brittany Pressley portray a love that can't be stopped by distance, growth, or time. Annie and Freddy are college sweethearts whose paths diverged after graduation, former lovers who never thought they'd meet again. But when Freddy unknowingly purchases Annie's childhood home, the pair find themselves back in each... Read More

Gilli Messer and Teddy Hamilton, both of whom performed Dahlia's previous audiobook, return to narrate this enemies-to-lovers romance. Twenty years ago, Nellie and Noah were high school sweethearts. When their relationship imploded, Nellie told no one why, not wanting their secret to ruin Noah's relationships with their friends. Decades later, at their friends' un-wedding... Read More

This tightly paced riff on the classic "Best Christmas Pageant Ever" is brought to life by narrator Ferdelle Capistrano. Still grieving the death of her beloved brother, Charlie Ward must now help move her grandmother into a senior living community and sell the house she and her brother grew up in. In the process, she finds herself reluctantly agreeing to lead a newly formed... Read More

Holter Graham returns to narrate another Alpha & Omega audiobook, this time a collection of interrelated stories--two new and three previously published. When Asil's friends set him up on five blind dates as a holiday gift, the ancient werewolf unhappily goes along with their plans. But instead of finding love, Asil finds disasters that require his unique skill set to fix.... Read More

The magic of Christmas is front and center in this time-traveling holiday romance, delightfully narrated by Nikki Massoud. Libby hasn't spent more than a few days in her hometown in Canada since she moved to Toronto. But now she's back, and a chance encounter with a handsome Christmas tree farmer sparks mutual interest. Then misfortune strikes: She hits her head and blacks... 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

Patti Murin's delightful narration reflects the tongue-in-cheek tone of this holiday romance novel. Aspiring screenwriter Jill Jacobs returns to her hometown in Illinois for a family Christmas. Unfortunately, her ex, who broke up with her on Christmas Eve a few years earlier, will be in town, too. Murin depicts Jill's unsatisfying encounters with her past, one after another.... 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

Samantha Cook narrates this heartfelt cowboy romance. Sheena Patrick has done well for herself--all things considered. After her dad died due to illegal gambling activities, she managed to raise her sisters, doing the best she could. Denver King watched from afar, secretly being there for her when she needed it. Now, years have passed, Denver owes Sheena a favor, and she's... 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

From baby talking to a cat named Pumpkin to voicing the devious tones of Lucifer, narrator Ellie Gossage manifests the whole moral spectrum in this devilish queer rom-com. Samantha Cooper has had a horrible day. Her girlfriend, Hannah, just rejected her marriage proposal, and now she's stuck in an elevator with a cunning (and gorgeous) demon. Daphne grants Sam six wishes in... Read More

Natalie Duke's narration elevates this spellbinding audiobook. The new historian of the Riverwood Coven, Georgie Pendell, frees an ancient dragon shifter from an enchanted book, an accident that soon challenges her beliefs about love and destiny. As the coven's secrets begin to unravel, Georgie and the others must confront past wrongs and protect their community. Duke brings... Read More

James Phoon gives a charming performance of this delightful romance, set in the theater world of London's West End. Jonah is playing Achilles, the role of a lifetime, and has just won a prestigious award for it. His life offstage might not be perfect, but at least his career is taking off--that is, until his rival, Dexter, joins the production, and Jonah inconveniently falls in... 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

Arya Shahi and Michael Crouch give emotional performances of this 130-year love story. Shahi voices Shams, whose life changes forever one day in 1895 when a wish he makes grants him immortality. Shahi captures all of Shams' passion, youthful stupidity, later remorse, and ongoing love of life. Crouch voices Oliver, whose life becomes inextricably linked with Shams' when they... Read More

This audiobook delivers a gripping blend of political intrigue, forbidden love, and divine influence. Luca Matius and Maris Casperia are heirs from opposing sides of Isara whose hidden bond sparks consequences tied to a century-old rebellion. Dylan Reilly Fitzpatrick and Leela Bassuk's thoughtful pacing and tonal control make the dual points of view and timeline transitions... Read More

Samantha Brentmoor's voice is flippant yet vulnerable as she portrays Joonie, who is looking for love. But no man measures up to Ryke, the merman from her favorite romance series. When Joonie learns that Ryke is based on a real person, she sets out to find him, only to have her plans derailed once her brother's friend, Nico, unexpectedly joins her. Brentmoor's slightly gravelly... 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

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

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

Narrators Amanda Ronconi and Teddy Hamilton return listeners to Starfall Point, an island in Lake Michigan inhabited by ghosts and witches. When witch Cora Seaworth is attacked, Iggy Galinsky is accidentally hit with a tranquilizer dart, and Cora is forced to bring him to her home. Attraction sparks between them, and Iggy joins Cora in dealing with an old enemy of her family.... Read More

Christine Lakin and Teddy Hamilton deliver a heartwarming performance of this seasonal romance. When a scandal puts the Davenport family's toy company in a bad light, up-and-coming young executive Clara Davenport is sent to the town of Fraser Falls, home of Jack Kelly, whose toy design the Davenports stole. While Jack wants nothing to do with her, and neither does the rest of... 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

Karissa Vacker gives a spirited performance of this holiday romance about two people who hate Christmas. When Holly returns home after being laid off from her job, her brother drags his best friend, Nick, to the family gathering to set them up. While Holly figures this out quickly and plots with Nick to get back at her brother, she's in the dark about the reason her parents... 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

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

Samantha Cook and Connor Crais team up to narrate the renewed romance of Brooke Snyder and Aiden Sterling. They've known each other since they were teenagers; they even had one night together before Aiden left to become an overseas reporter. Now he's returned to help out at his family's firm, where Brooke works. Cook narrates the portions of the story told from Brooke's point... 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

Narrator Abigail Reno returns listeners to the small town of Spanish Fort, Texas, at Christmastime for the romance that blossoms between Willa Rose Gibson and leather worker Tripp Callahan. The pair meet when Tripp hires Willa Rose's father to work in his leather shop. Willa Rose has some doubts about moving to a new town, and Reno captures her trepidation. She also brings just... Read More

Soneela Nankani surrounds listeners with the warmth of Toronto's Christmas festivities as she portrays the romance between two Muslim Canadians. Ruby meets Rashid at a Christmas tree lot and finds him to be a sullen Grinch. But Rashid's persona changes as he and Ruby communicate honestly and agree to Christmas outings with his two nieces. Ruby's dedication to holiday traditions... Read More

Narrator Karissa Vacker delights listeners with this contemporary romance involving a brother's best friend. When Beth Lundberg flies with pilot George Bunsen, she's instantly turned on. However, when that first flight with George ends in an emergency landing, she's a bit mortified at her little crush on him. Nonetheless, when he offers her discounted flying lessons, Beth can't... 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

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

Narrators Stephen Dexter and Joy Nash delight listeners with this hilarious second-chance romance. Molly and Karl never dated in high school, but the feelings between them were always present. And then there was the time right after graduation when they almost crossed the line. Years later, when Molly returns to Harlot's Bay after reading Karl's obituary--which turns out to be... Read More

The start of a new series, Hand and Heart, is narrated by Samara MacLaren. Grey Flynn is a knight with a magical well of power; her partner, Kier, is a mage who draws his power from her. They're childhood friends--and an extremely effective team in battle. When they embark on a dangerous mission to rescue a girl who is a prisoner of war, the odds of succeeding are slim. But, if... 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

Narrator Brittany Pressley returns the listener to Maine and Poole Manor, the house Sonya has inherited--complete with ghosts and a curse. A witch, Hester Dobbs, has cursed the family and over the years has killed seven Poole brides. Sonya; her boyfriend, Trey; her best friend, Cleo; and her cousin, Owen, are determined to break the curse and rid the manor of Dobbs. Cleo is... 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

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

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

Emma Ladji's narration ensures that this romantasy has engaging moments. Violet has spent her entire life carrying out the evil deeds of a dark sorcerer. Now that he's dead, she's determined to use her powers for good, so she reinvents herself as the owner of a flower shop. But reinvention is more difficult than she imagined. She must share her greenhouse with her prickly... Read More