New Reviews: Romantic Fiction

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

Narrator Angela Dawe returns listeners to a world of humans, psychics, and changelings. Justice Psy Eleri is hunting a serial killer in falcon changeling Adam Garrett's territory. Eleri and Adam have a past that Eleri wants to atone for before she has a complete psychic break. After having been reconditioned, most of her emotions have been eliminated, and Dawe gives her an... 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

Lucy Boynton gives an emotionally wrenching performance of this enemies-to-lovers story. She uses differentiated voices for Andie, a New York City senior publicist from England, and her newest author, the suave Jack Carlson. Thrown together, they keep secret their earlier relationship at Edinburgh University. Andie still feels deeply wronged by Jack. As the pair stumble into a... 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

Logan Rozos expertly narrates a heartfelt queer romance. Eli, an editorial assistant who wants to be a writer, has sworn off romance. Finally, his friends set him up on a date with handsome but awkward Peter--which turns out to be a bust. Now Eli's boss wants him to continue seeing Peter and to write a series of articles about it to provide dating tips for readers. Eli's first... 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

Daniel Henning's talent for voicing larger-than-life characters brings a group of drag queen witches to life. It's 1989, and Joe plans to spend a summer bartending on Fire Island, a known gay hotspot. Joe is heartbroken over the loss of his boyfriend and is quickly taken in by a couple of older gay men who are secretly disco witches tasked with protecting the island and other... Read More

Escape with narrator Samara MacLaren on a mystical journey filled with magic and dragons in this Celtic-inspired fantasy-romance. Aemyra, a powerfully blessed blacksmith, has been forced to live in hiding while awaiting the current king's death--upon which she can bond with his dragon and take her rightful place on the throne. However, her biggest enemy, Prince Fiorean, an... 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

With his seasoned delivery, Richard Poe brings a theatrical maturity to this story of a man who is looking for a huge second chance. Charlie and Vivian once met, fell in love, and married--but it didn't last. They were just too young and struggled with his alcoholism and their mutual immaturity. Forty years later, Charlie reappears, hoping to make amends and rekindle the flame... 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

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

In the first installment of The Siren Mage romantasy series, narrator Ell Potter transports listeners to a land of myth and magic. After her siren powers emerge, Imogen begs Theodore, a king who is visiting for her engagement celebration, to rescue her from certain death. Forging a blood bond for their safety, the two wrestle with their feelings for each other and the... 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

Shakira Shute delivers a performance perfectly matching the emotional tone of this romance novel. Amelia, a driven professional who is healing from a breakup, encounters Jude, a charismatic and possessive billionaire, during a visit to a luxury spa. What appears to be a spontaneous connection quickly reveals itself to be a carefully orchestrated encounter. As their relationship... 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

Narrator Adelaide Fernport performs this opposites-attract contemporary romance. When Sadie Fox agrees to return to her small town to care for her father's pumpkin patch, she makes a deal with the universe: She'll grow a huge pumpkin and win the Indiana State Fair's blue ribbon, and all will be well with her father again. However, some wild hogs ruin her entire patch. Then, she... 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 Andi Arndt transports listeners to Lake Tahoe as Lexi Clark returns home after years away. Lexi joins her stepsister, Ashley, and former classmate, Heath, who've been tasked with delivering envelopes to people who were wronged by Lexi's late mother, from whom she was estranged. A free spirit, Ashley is the more joyful of the sisters, while Lexi is more cautious. Arndt... Read More

Kyla Garcia takes listeners to rural Oklahoma with this slow-burn contemporary romance written by and featuring Native Americans. After an ill-advised magazine cover causes backlash and claims of cultural appropriation, pop superstar Avery Fox goes to her mother's hometown, where she hopes to learn about her heritage. Ranch worker Lucas Iron Eyes agrees to help her. As the two... Read More

Imogen Church and John Hartley perform this warm romantasy. Sloane MacGregor, whose family is hexed, once swore she'd never return home to the town of Briarhaven, Scotland. But on her twenty-fifth birthday, she'll come into her powers, and her grandmother has one request: Break the hex. Mayor Knox Douglas, who's been working hard to keep the town's magical folks safe, doesn't... 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

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

Samantha Summers and Connor Crais deliver a uniquely narrated romance novel. Danica, voiced by Summers, is a divorce lawyer who has been assigned a high-stakes case that could elevate her to partner. Ezra, portrayed by Crais, is the opposing counsel, who is from a powerful family firm. The two have sparred in and out of the courtroom multiple times and are struggling to keep... 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

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

Anna Acton narrates this workplace contemporary romance. When former soap actress Kate Elliot agrees to pose as a romance author on a book tour for a publicity-shy client, she has no idea she'll find her own real-life love story. Charlie Francisco is hoping to become more than Kate's talent agent. Acton's light, expressive tone captures Kate's doubts, vulnerabilities, and... Read More

Christy Woods narrates a slow-burn love story, the first in a new series set in Iceland. When a promotion sends London retail manager Rachel abroad, she hopes it will rekindle her stale relationship with her long-term boyfriend. Growing close with her new friends, in particular adventurous tour guide Jonas, causes her to recognize the romance and feeling of connection missing... 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

In this British romance novel narrated by Connor Swindells and Rebekah Hinds, Lexi and Zeke have both had rough days when they agree to one no-strings-attached night of passion on Zeke's houseboat. The next morning, they wake up adrift in the North Sea after a mishap with the boat's ropes. Hinds captures Lexi's gruff determination, while Swindells is vulnerable and... 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

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

Narrator Mayuri Bhandari introduces Pakistani American Ziya Khan, who is feeling resigned after receiving another rejection of her latest book submission. Out of her desperation comes a wish granted: Aashiq, the physical manifestation of her literary talent, whose purpose is to help her make life changes. Bhandari portrays Ziya in a well-modulated voice with hints of... 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