Discover the Top 100 Audiobooks in Romance, Contemporary New Releases

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Title: Sealed with a Kiss

Author: Gwynne Forster

Narrator: Carolyn Smith

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 34 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-01-12

Publisher: Harlequin Books S.A.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 34 votes

Genres: Romance, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

For artist and free spirit Naomi Logan, sexy radio call-in host Rufus Meade is the wrong man at the wrong time. His conservative views drive her crazyespecially his theories about working women. But after telling him what she thinkson the airthe last thing she expects is to see him standing on her doorstep handsome, outspoken and sexier than any man has a right to be.

It seems that opposites not only attract, they ignite! His kisses leave her breathless. And she's awakened feelings in him that he's never felt before. But a failed marriage and the responsibility of raising two young sons alone make Rufus wary of getting too close. Then Naomi uncovers a shocking secret from her own past a secret that could drive Rufus even further away.

Will their romance lead to heartbreak or happiness for two very different people who are exactly the same in their desire for love?

Members Reviews:

Brutally slow

What was most disappointing about Gwynne Forsters story?

The story moved forward so slowly that it seemed like it wasn't going anywhere at times.

I enjoyed Beyond Desire extremely, but it is hard to believe that the same author wrote this book.

At times it seems like the story has potential, but it is just so horribly slow.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

I think there was too much time spent dealing with the inner turmoil of the main characters. The characters were so wrapped up in themselves that it made it impossible for the story to move forward efficiently.

Repetitions

The Author made telling a person about character Naomi's child seem top secret. I felt like the chapters just repeated themselves with slight changes. How many ways can Naomi deni herself love thinking Rufus would not understand. ... Just tell him already jeezzzz. Chapter after chapter Rufus gets mad at her, but then plants a kiss on her & parts her lips, just to walk away. This book feels like like a never ending Ferris wheel ride.

Sweet

This is an overall good story. I just wish the setting time frame was clearer. One minute I think it's present day then in seems as if its the 60's. But as I said overall is a good overall sweet and delicate love story.

This was a good listen. It was a time filler.

Would you try another book from Gwynne Forster and/or Carolyn Smith?

Yes I would. The story was good an the narrator read with good flow. I could picturet story unfold before me.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

The growing relationship with her son, Aaron. And the least was Rufus tring to control over Naomi's feelings without putting his on the line.

Did Carolyn Smith do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

Yes she did but she did have Rufus sounding like an old man where Jed the 90 something year old sounded much younger.

Do you think Sealed with a Kiss needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

Yes. Maybe a few years down the road. To show how Naomi handles her work, the twins and to show were things are with Aaron now and if he's more secure in her relatetionship with Naomi. Plus though in other baby or two and of course a little drama for good measure.

Worth the listen

Although there were parts that seemed to go on too long I really enjoyed this book. I loved the intereaction of the 2 main characters who were both very strong in their beliefs and willing to back up their values.

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Title: The Sweetest Thing

Author: Jill Shalvis

Narrator: Celeste Ciulla

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 4 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-15-12

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 283 votes

Genres: Romance, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Best-selling author Jill Shalvis has won raves from both fans and fellow authors for her sterling, heartfelt romances. In The Sweetest Thing, Tara returns to Lucky Harbor, Washington, her life in shambles. Helping her sisters renovate an inn, she looks to start anew - and meets a handsome sailor who changes everything.

Critic Reviews:

Hot, sweet, fun, and romantic! Pure pleasure! (Robyn Carr)

Members Reviews:

Decent Story With a Few Problems

What did you like best about The Sweetest Thing? What did you like least?

If you are going to write a book about a strong Southern woman, it might actually be a good to research the differences between someone from Texas and the Southern Belle's of Georgia. While the story mentioned more than a few times about the main character being from Texas, the narrator decided instead to drawn upon the likes of Julia Sugarbaker from Designing Women to voice over the character - mixed in with a little Scarlett from Gone with the Wind for good measure.

While that may work for a Southern Belle character from Georgia without being to offensive, not so much the case with those from Texas.

It was bad and yet the author approved the audio recording and allowed it to be released. It killed her story, what could have otherwise been a decent enough love story.

What did you like best about this story?

At heart the coming together of three sisters, struggling to find a way to be a family for the first time in their lives is nice.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

All you can think about during the entire thing was Gone With the Wind and things they said like quite frankly my dear I don't give a damn. The voiceover forth the southern girl character was so bad it was down right comical and actually bordering on offensive, being from Texas myself.

This is not how anyone from Texas or Oklahoma or anywhere other than MAYBE Georgia. It's just ridiculous.

Was The Sweetest Thing worth the listening time?

No, it really wasn't. Perhaps if it was re-released with a different more appropriate southern accent but not as it stands.

Any additional comments?

I think that this audiobook is a lesson learned for authors who don't speak up and say hey publisher, I appreciate what you've done to help my book but this is really not something I can approve of. Can we please find another voice actor?

The author could have stopped this nightmare but she chose not to and as such it reflects badly on her work.

LOL'ed...at the grocery story

I listen to about a book a week on my iPhone...doing errands...walking the dogs etc.

Usually people think I am listening to music but with this book I laughed out loud...really chuckled. Jill Shalvis does dialogue like very few other romance authors...and this is no exception!

Second in the series of Lucky Harbor. The first two are narrated by the same person who does a nice job with continuity of characters voices (and southern accents (which are often butchered in audio books.

Because of the humour, the pace and the narration I would say this is one of the few books that is better as an audio book...just be warned it may cause embarrassment laughing in strange places!

Don't pay for audiobook

Narrarator was AWFUL! Wish I would have read book instead. Voices done for characters were

so bad I had to fast forward through the story.Ford character sounded like he was going through puberty and an airhead.

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Title: Hawken's Heart

Author: Suzanne Brockmann

Narrator: Gabra Zackman

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 25 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-29-10

Publisher: Harlequin Books S.A.

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 254 votes

Genres: Romance, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Navy SEAL Crash Hawken awakens in a Washington, D.C., hospital to learn that he is the prime suspect in the assassination attempt on a commanding officer. Charged with treason, conspiracy and murder, he is alone - except for Nell Burns. Nell and Crash have a history - as friends, as lovers. And she knows he could not have committed these crimes. Soon they are on the run, determined to uncover what really happened the night of the attempted assassination. But first they have to survive another day.

Members Reviews:

good story but painful narration

Found the story to be one of the better ones of the series, but the narration was painful - the upward inflection at the end of every sentence (especially in the second half of the book) grew ever more of a distraction!

Same story, different title

This has a very similar story line to "Everyday Average Jones" except that it's the hero instead of the heroine who is pushing the other one away. I know there is a need to create some angst in the love story, but the entire book has spent too much time with the main characters running away from each other. I still enjoyed the story - just not as much as some of the others in the series.

Great Story - disappointing narration.

What made the experience of listening to Hawken's Heart the most enjoyable?

I love this series and this story is so far one of the best.

What didnt you like about Gabra Zackmans performance?

The random upward inflection at the end of most of the sentences was so hard to listen to. I got through it by restating the sentences in my mind.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

As in all of the stories in this series, I always choke up when the SEALS do their big rescue scenes.

Any additional comments?

Despite the narration, I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys this series by Suzanne Brockmann

Seals!

Hawken is the mysterious one - loved seeing his dedication and commitment expanding to Include Nell.

Horrible performance and drawn out.

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

Just couldn't get into this one. Voice made it uninteresting as well as story was drawn out

Would you be willing to try another one of Gabra Zackmans performances?

No

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Title: Trust Me on This

Author: Jennifer Crusie

Narrator: Angela Dawe

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 14 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-26-10

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 417 votes

Genres: Romance, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Dennie Banks is an investigative reporter chasing down the biggest story of her career. Alec Prentice is a government agent working undercover to catch an elusive grifter. When they meet by accident, its a case of mistaken identities at first sight. What they dont mistake is the instant attraction they have for each other, an attraction theyll do everything in their power to resist - because Dennie thinks that Alec is running interference for her interview subject, and Alec suspects that Dennie is linked to his swindler. As the confusion grows, so do their feelings for each other, and what begins as a romantic comedy of errors may just end in the love affair of a lifetime.

Members Reviews:

Love Crusie and Dawe -

I love Jennifer Crusie, and Angela Dawe does a superb job narrating the various characters and relaying emotions and sarcasm. I highly recommend this one and quite frankly almost every one of Crusie's books.

Good Entertainment

I love this author and red this book a few years ago. I was glad to listen to it again. A bit on the crazy side but used a credit and thought it was worth it.

Fun and fluffy

The book offers a welcome distraction in a relatively short story. Fun and fluffy but with a enough plot to keep it interesting through to the end.

Dated yet Charming story

I really enjoyed listening to this one. I thought it would be a bit dated - days before cell phones! - but it was still a fun story with some utterly charming characters.

Where's the slapstick?

First let me admit that I haven't listened to this completely. I've started it several times. I can't get more than an hour or two into it before I'm bored out of my mind and have to switch to something else to keep from falling asleep. The author starts off saying this is a slapstick comedy, but since I haven't laughed yet, I have to wonder what she was thinking.

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Title: 1022 Evergreen Place

Author: Debbie Macomber

Narrator: Sandra Burr

Format: Abridged

Length: 6 hrs and 4 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-31-10

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 28 votes

Genres: Romance, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Dear Listener,

Guess what? Im falling in love! With Mack McAfee.

My baby daughter, Noelle, and I have been living next door to Mack since the spring. Im still a little wary about our relationship, because I havent always made good decisions when it comes to men. My babys father, David Rhodes, is testament to that. Im so worried he might sue for custody.

In the meantime, the World War II letters I found are a wonderful distraction. Both Mack and I are trying to learn what happened to the soldier who wrote them and the woman he loved.

Come by sometime for a glass of iced tea and Ill show you the letters. Plus Ill tell you the latest about Grace and Olivia, my brother Linc and his wife, Lori (who tied the knot about five minutes after they met!), and all our other mutual friends. Oh, and maybe Mack can join us.

Mary Jo Wyse

Members Reviews:

Perfect book for a cold winter day to curl up and read with a cup of steaming coffee

I really like the Cedar Cove series. I am quite a few books in at the time of writing this review. I have come to love and care about the characters. The books move at a steady pace so you don't get bored and each book utilizes the same characters from a small town while adding a new character or two each book. While the characters are the same in each book, the focus on which character/s the story is on changes with each one. Reading makes you feel familiar and cozy.

The one problem is that they do get very predictable. There is a new love story in almost every book and they all fall in love and it happens the same way. They either hate eachother or are scared to death of love, fight fight fight, then something happens and without even dating they decide to get married. At first it was sweet but after it happens over and over multiple times per book it gets repetitive.

Still I will keep reading because I love the cozy, comforting feel of the books and there is a bit of a mystery in most of them.

Not what you hope for!

Debbie Macomber is one of my all time favorite authors! HOWEVER I was so disappointed in this Audio Book as it was like they put 4 books together and only finished 1 one them. I remembered the story lines, but since it had been quite sometime since I read them I was enjoying listening to them. It was like I was 3/4 of the way through 3 of the story lines, and the book/CD came to an end. No conclusions. I would love to reread or buy the CD's for the other stories on this CD but haven't a clue what the titles were. VERY DISAPPOINTING Really left me hanging.

Love the Cedar Cove series

It is like you live in Cedar Cove and really get to know and love the people there. Each one has a story to tell. No one's life is perfect, but that adds to the character depth and charm of Cedar Cove. You get so involved with their lives, you have to go onto the next book, to see how they make out. Love Debbie Maconbers way of telling her stories.....She is so true to life.

Who is in charge?

Another interesting and exciting story of the Cedar Cove community. The characters are realistic and I feel like I want to visit and give them advice. I will be visiting Yakima Street soon.

Debbie

This is the tenth book in the series and I am still enthralled by all their lives it is very good continuity

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Title: Valerie

Subtitle: A Selection from Orchard Valley Grooms

Author: Debbie Macomber

Narrator: Tanya Eby

Format: Unabridged

Length: 4 hrs and 44 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-26-10

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 34 votes

Genres: Romance, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Valerie Bloomfield rushes home to Orchard Valley, Oregon, when her father, David, suffers a heart attack. She and her two younger sisters, Stephanie and Norah, are gathering at his side, praying hell live, fearing hell die.

At a time like this, falling in love is the last thing on Valeries mind. And with Dr. Colby Winston, of all people! Hes Davids heart surgeon, a renowned specialist who enjoys small-town living, while Valerie is a high-powered businesswoman who prefers city life. Theyre complete opposites in every way. Yet David keeps insisting she and Colby are a perfect couple.

Members Reviews:

Valeria

I thought it was like being in la la land, quite boring. And a waste of time and money. I used a credit but that. Is same as money and to be used wisely.

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Title: Strangers in the Night

Author: Linda Howard

Narrator: Laural Merlington

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 46 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-23-10

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 120 votes

Genres: Romance, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Lake of Dreams:

Thea Marlow had encountered her soul mate in the depths of her overpowering, frightening dreams. Now, on the shores of a country lake, the stranger comes to her in the flesh - and lures her into a timeless love.

Blue Moon:

Sheriff Jackson Brody knows folks get a little crazy under a full bayou moon. But on the trail of a scorching murder mystery, it's the lawman himself who succumbs to the spell of a beautiful, mysterious stranger.

White Out:

In the midst of an Idaho blizzard, Hope Bradshaw offers shelter to a stranger - and an instant, hungry passion flares between them. When a radio bulletin warns of a dangerous escaped convict, her blood runs cold: has desire blinded her to the risks of trusting a man who is an expert at covering his tracks?

Members Reviews:

HORRIBLE

I had to check twice and then checked again to make sure these were actually written by Linda Howard. The same Linda Howard that floored me in After the Night and Shades of Twilight. The narrator was HORRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!! Don't waste your credit on this. It's not even worth 1/2 a credit. Not even if they offer if for free!!! Bad bad bad!!! I think Linda Howard is the victim of identity theft because I refuse to believe she wrote this drabble!

Smexy, spooky, romantic suspense

Three romantic suspense novels, each one about 100 pages. Two of the stories include a strong paranormal element. Fun stories, especially Blue Moon and White Out. Lake of Dreams was okay, too. I like Linda Howard.

The narrator (Laural Merlington) has a sharp, angry edge much of the time. Sometimes she relaxes; then she sounds just fine. Most of the time, I found the tone almost unpleasant. Uptight.

I enjoyed these shorter stories...

Any additional comments?

The first story was interesting. It was a bit confusing in the beginning but if you stayed with it...you had an "Aha!" moment that basically explained everything and brought it all together.

The second story was better. it was predictable but the plotline was better written and more clear.

The third story, the author nailed it! It was well written and the plot line was clear and much more developed than the first 2. I was actually unsure how the story was really going to end and for the most part, the books that I have read by this author have been fairly predictable.

horrible

Sruggled to finish. Most memorable was the end. Don't waste your money!! Not worth it.

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Title: The Substitute Millionaire

Author: Susan Mallery

Narrator: Savannah Richards

Format: Unabridged

Length: 4 hrs and 51 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-16-10

Publisher: Harlequin Books S.A.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 660 votes

Genres: Romance, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Successful businessman Ryan Bennett had agreed to masquerade as his wealthy cousin for a blind date.

But from the moment Ryan saw Julie Nelson to the moment he should have said good-night, he was captivated and couldn't resist an invitation to share her bed. In the hazy afterglow of their heated lovemaking, Ryan confessed his true identity, claiming the passion between them was real despite his deception, but Julie wasn't buying it. Obviously she considered him the enemy.

Except now she was having the enemy's baby.

Members Reviews:

An unexpected pleasure!

Don't let the cheesy-looking cover fool you. This book is really entertaining and has all the elements of a great romance. The characters are very likable and the dialogue is funny and fast-paced. It also had just the right amount of heat - the chemistry between the leads is off the charts! But what I really liked about it was it's length. It packs a meaningful story in 4 1/2 hours instead of dragging things out with a lot of tedious and unnecessary dialogue. It left you wanting more rather than having lulls in the storyline that bore you to tears. I am really looking forward to the other stories in the series.

This was definitely a credit well spent!

Nice Surprise

When I saw the cover of this one I didn't want to get it but the other reviews were so good I gave it a try. This actually had a very cute story and Savannah Richards is one of the best narrators on Audible! I actually look for books where she is the narrator because she can make a so-so story great. I really enjoyed listening to this one and will get the other 2 in the series (they also have good reviews.) Happy listening!

Not bad...not bad at all.

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Yes. It was a quick listen with a good story premise. For the price, it was worth it. It got me through a couple of hours at work.

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

I thought the voice actor did a really good job. She was clear and great with inflection.

Any additional comments?

Was this the best book? No. However, it was an entertaining listen.

Good Character Chemistry

What made the experience of listening to The Substitute Millionaire the most enjoyable?

This was a quick book - I was finished with it by the second day. The plot was a bit predictable - but the characters were likable and had great chemistry.

What other book might you compare The Substitute Millionaire to and why?

This book could be compared to any other paperback romance novel... but it's always nice to read a simple romance story with a happy ending.

Short and Cute.

For the price this was a very cute story. I liked the characters and the simplicity of the stories. This is the first of the series.

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Title: The Right Path

Author: Nora Roberts

Narrator: Gayle Hendrix

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 37 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-15-09

Publisher: Harlequin Books S.A.

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 87 votes

Genres: Romance, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

After a frightening encounter with a knife-wielding stranger, Morgan James was bewildered when her "attacker" turned out to be the very wealthy Nicholas Gregoras. But could Morgan's suspicions about the mysterious Greek tycoon withstand the all-consuming desire ignited by his kiss?

©2008 Nora Roberts; (P)2009 Audible, Inc.

Members Reviews:

A waste of a credit

I've tried downloading this book several times, but it's always the same. It ends in the middle of the story. You don't get the end of the book. It's a pretty wimpy story anyway.

old school romance

Where does The Right Path rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far?

narrator is terrible with the men's accents which is why I'm rating the performance so low. They're Greek but don't sound good at all.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Morgan- she's a strong, smart woman (speaks 5 languages fluently)

What didnt you like about Gayle Hendrixs performance?

I hated the men's voices and how abrupt they were though not being Greek maybe that's how the men sound? The reading speed is nice and the women's voices are ok.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Crime on the coast of Greece

Any additional comments?

I bought this audiobook because the book itself is one of my old favorites from a long time ago. The hero is very macho take-charge which was common back in the day

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Title: Heart of Fire

Author: Linda Howard

Narrator: Tanya Eby Sirois

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 4 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-29-09

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 303 votes

Genres: Romance, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Jillian watched him come to a fast boil when she refused to reveal their exact destination upriver in the uncharted rain forests - and resolved to stand her ground. Neither of them could foresee what the days ahead promised: an odyssey into the fiery heart of passion and betrayal, and a danger that would force them to cast their fates together, immersed in the eternal, unsolved mysteries of love....

Members Reviews:

Full of humor, adventure, and passion

Never a dull moment--"Heart of Fire" is one of Linda Howard's best.

In an effort to reestablish her deceased father's reputation Gillian Sherwood, an archaeologist, is on a quest for a legendary red diamond and proof of the Anzars existence. Ben Lewis is a ruffian, scoundrel, and the best river guide in Brazil. When they team up to lead an expedition deep into the heart of the Amazon rainforest, they must face the perils of the jungle, out-maneuver murderous thieves, and then find their way back to civilization.

Narrator Tanya Eby Sirois gave an excellent performance.

good times.

I rather enjoyed this story. It was predictable in places, but that didn't get in my way of enjoying it. It reminded me of Romancing the Stone- just a sort of romantic adventure. The characters were pretty fun. Some of them were pretty one- dimensional, some were more deep.

The narrator kind of bugged me. She read it fine, but the way she pronounced some words (and the Latino names) kind of made me giggle-- and it wasn't supposed to be funny. So, 3 stars for her. But, her reading didn't detract from the story for me.

Really good book!

This book had a great story and plenty of heat! Linda Howard really delivers on this one, especially since this is one of her earlier works. Very entertaining!

Enjoyed the story

This book ended up being better than I expected. The story was interesting and the chemistry between Ben and Julia was good. Not the best narrator but not the worst. Story = 5 stars, narrator = 3 stars, so average is 4. I like Linda Howard books and if you do too then you will enjoy this story. Excellent writing of the Amazon jungle, you could really picture it in your mind. The description of the Stone City made you wish you could visit to see it. Ending was better than most (not so sappy).

"Dangerous and Raunchy Hero" Linda's Best

What did you love best about Heart of Fire?

this is an Old Classic from Linda Howard which is a top fave of mine, beware it was written in the 90's so read reviews.

What did you like best about this story?

this is a 90's story of family loyalty coupled with an Amazon adventure. If you like Linda's current work, then this is not it. Of course long time fans of L.H. know this is a must have novel to have in their library.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

Tanya, AKA Tatitana Sokolov, recorded this story before she developed her current deeper voice reads. If you like her, then this will not disappoint, but it is NOT in her raspy deep voice.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

yes, as this is a classic romance. NOT the F.S.O.G variety, but one that has humor and wit in the dialogue.