Download the Best Full Audiobooks in Fiction, Contemporary Popular Authors

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Title: My Fair Highlander

Subtitle: English Tudor, Book 2

Author: Mary Wine

Narrator: Ray Chase

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 16 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-05-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 46 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Jemma Ramsden is a wild thing in a noblewoman's body-so thinks Gordon Dwyre, Laird Barras, watching her galloping on horseback through her brother's lands. Bold, headstrong, beautiful: the perfect bride for a lusty Scots warrior. He might be able to convince her, too, if she would hear his suit. But Barras doesn't wait to be handed what he wants. When he's forced to rescue her from English ruffians, he makes sure she stays safe-by locking her in his castle. Jemma is hardly an eager captive. She has no horse and no freedom, and she is an Englishwoman in a hostile Scots keep: a stranger without work or friend. Barras seems determined to charm her-even tempt forbidden desires, a daring game that leaves Jemma desperate for more. But with passion, love, and a new life within her grasp, Jemma is in more danger than even she knows

Members Reviews:

worth a credit

narrators voice varied from clear to muffled and at times hard to hear. I will try another in this series

Where's the highlander?

I got this book with the audible narration off Kindle Unlimited. I was skeptical about continuing this series in audio, as I did not care for the narrator when I listened to Improper Seduction. While I liked this book better than Improper Seduction, I still did not like the narrator. The performance was a little better because he got to do a Scottish accent, however sometimes his Scottish slipped into Slavic or Russian, and all his female voices sound the same (like a bad high-pitched male imitation). I doubt I will continue the series in audio at this point, the voices in my head are better.

This story continues with characters that we met in the first book, namely Gordon (Laird Barras) and Jemma (sister to Lord Ripon). We are still in the 16th Century at the end of Henry VIII's reign, though there was not much court intrigue in this book, so you only briefly hear about the king's declining health in the beginning.

Gordon is a big gruff Scot with lots of alpha male tendencies, and I absolutely loved him. He was charming, funny, and firm in all the right places. However, this is where I take issue with the title - My Fair Highlander - where's the highlander??? Gordon is a lowlander and Jemma is English. Something similar happened with Improper Seduction as well, the cover was misleading. This is aggravating when you are looking for one thing and end up with something else. At least this was a Scottish historical romance, whereas the first book was not.

As for Jemma, she was okay, but there was nothing really remarkable about her. I liked that she did not fight against Gordon as hard as Bridget did against Curan in Improper Seduction. There is not much focus on secondary characters in this book, though Gordon's former mistress made a good villain. There was a big plot twist toward the end that I did not see coming, which is always nice. This book was not quite as steamy as the first one, but you still got a good amount of descriptive smexytime. I recommend it to readers who like steamy historicals and gruff Scots.

Enjoyable...

This story had it's moments both great and just good. Enjoyable... I found myself truly missing the characters from book 1, which I have to admit I felt was better. However I ended it looking forward to book 3.

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Title: Beyond the Pale

Author: Elana Dykewomon

Narrator: Elana Dykewomon

Format: Unabridged

Length: 15 hrs and 39 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-25-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 63 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Beyond the Pale - winner of the Lambda Literary Award - tells the stories of two Jewish women living through times of darkness and inhumanity in the early 20th century, capturing their undaunted love and courage in luminous and moving prose. The richly textured novel details Gutke Gurvich's odyssey from her apprenticeship as a midwife in a Russian shtetl to her work in the suffrage movement in New York.

Interwoven with her tale is that Chava Meyer, who was attended by Gurvich at her birth and grew up to survive the pogrom that took the lives of her parents. Throughout the story, historical background plays a large part: Jewish faith and traditions, the practice of midwifery, the horrific conditions in prerevolutionary Russia and New York sweatshops, and the determined work of labor unionists and suffragists.

Editorial Reviews:

Beyond the Pale is a touching, lyrical story that follows two immigrant women from the Pale settlement in Russia to New York. Dykewomom presents a powerful look into the experience of being Jewish and a lesbian, while also looking at the greater immigrant experience against the backdrop of poverty. It's a treat to have the writer herself perform this audiobook. Because they are her own words, she easily captures the rhythms of the poetic language. Meanwhile, her voice is so loving toward the characters that is hard not to be swept away by this beautiful, moving audiobook.

Members Reviews:

great historical fiction with a lesbian twist

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend this book to anyone who is into historical fiction, as this gives great insight into the experiences of immigrants in the early 1900's NYC as well as the oppression of Jews in Russian and elsewhere during that time period

What was one of the most memorable moments of Beyond the Pale?

the Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire was as memorable as it was upsetting and difficult to read, though wonderfully written. Also the moments detailing the Pograms in Russia were painfully real, beautifully written and so tragic.Through her narration and writing you truly felt right there in the midst of the action, and you mourned the losses of loved ones right along with the main protagonist.

What about Elana Dykewomons performance did you like?

It was so incredibly authentic... these stories could have very well been her own stories that she is passing on to me, the listener

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

I was in tears toward the end, the factory fire... I challenge you to make it through that part of the book (after reading all of the events leading up to it) with a dry eye

Love the story / performance mixed

I read this book years ago when it was first published, and I loved it then, and I love it now. Elana Dykewoman captures something essential about the immigrant experience - the cultural and political and emotional worlds they experienced, including unbearable trauma and tremendous joy. At the same time, her main characters are navigating the dynamics of belonging and exile and making new home in relation to learning how to be women-loving-women in a world where there is hardly even language and only the barest beginnings of community for them. It is about family and loyalty and being true to yourself in a changing world. And beautifully written.

That said... having an author-read book is always a bit risky.

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Title: Black Chalk

Author: Christopher J. Yates

Narrator: Peter Brooke

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 31 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-19-13

Publisher: Random House Audiobooks

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 3 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

One game. Six students. Five survivors. It was only ever meant to be a game. A game of consequences, of silly forfeits, childish dares. A game to be played by six best friends in their first year at Oxford University. But then the game changed: the stakes grew higher and the dares more personal, more humiliating, finally evolving into a vicious struggle with unpredictable and tragic results. Now, fourteen years later, the remaining players must meet again for the final round.

Members Reviews:

Why The Annoying Fake English Accent?

Is there anything you would change about this book?

I'd use a real English narrator, not an American faking a 'posh' Brit accent. He gets it wrong!

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

I'm still listening. It's very good.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

By faking a 'posh' English accent. Why not get an English narrator to do it? Very few Americans can pull off an English accent convincingly- but most Americans can't tell a fake English accent from a real one, and I suppose the publishers are more interested in keeping American audiences happy.

Unusual but worth a listen

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I enjoyed the book, but the narration wasn't great, some of the accents were dubious to say the least! Glad I stuck with it though.

How could the performance have been better?

Better narration, less trying to act the parts

Not quite Tartt

Is there anything you would change about this book?

I wanted this to be more like The Secret History but it just wasn't as good at all, I found it a bit grating.

If this book were a film would you go see it?

Maybe, a director could possibly bring this story to life in a different way.

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Title: Mother, Mother

Subtitle: A Novel

Author: Koren Zailckas

Narrator: Rebecca Lowman

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 59 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-17-13

Publisher: Random House Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 112 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

From Koren Zailckas, author of the iconic memoir Smashed: an electrifying debut novel about a family being torn apart by the woman who claims to love them most.

Josephine Hurst has her family under control. With two beautiful daughters, a brilliantly intelligent son, a tech-guru of a husband and a historical landmark home, her life is picture perfect. She has everything she wants; all she has to do is keep it that way. But living in this matriarch's determinedly cheerful, yet subtly controlling domain hasn't been easy for her family, and when her oldest daughter, Rose, runs off with a mysterious boyfriend, Josephine tightens her grip, gradually turning her flawless home into a darker sort of prison.

Resentful of her sister's newfound freedom, Violet turns to eastern philosophy, hallucinogenic drugs, and extreme fasting, eventually landing herself in the psych ward. Meanwhile, her brother Will shrinks further into a world of self-doubt. Recently diagnosed with Aspergers and epilepsy, he's separated from the other kids around town and is homeschooled to ensure his safety. Their father, Douglas, finds resolve in the bottom of the bottlean addict craving his own chance to escape. Josephine struggles to maintain the family's impeccable façade, but when a violent incident leads to a visit from child protective services, the truth about the Hursts might finally be revealed.

Written with the style, dark wit and shrewd psychological insight that made Smashed a best seller, Zailckas's first novel is unforgettable. In the spirit of classic suspense novels by Shirley Jackson and Daphne DuMaurier, Mother, Mother is the terrifying story of a mother's love gone too far, and the introduction of a commanding new voice in fiction.

Critic Reviews:

"A riveting fiction debutit's the kind of book that keeps you up at night, featuring a mother to rival Medea or Mrs. BatesThe shocking and violent denouement shows Zailckas to be a consummate storyteller." (Publishers Weekly)

"Zailckas crafts an intriguing mystery surrounding this family that will keep readers on edge as she slowly peels back layer after layer of deception." (Booklist)

"A hall of mirrors reflecting chaotic maternal psychological mayhem reminiscent of Mommie Dearest or Push or Ordinary People." (Kirkus Reviews)

Members Reviews:

captivating

fascinating psychological thriller, the end was not what I imagined, keep me guessing and surprised me

This mom is a real mother ...

So this book starts out kinda slow but hang on. It is definately worth the wait. You will find yourself going wait. what??? Not a huge mystery but a really good story of a disfuntuctional family. The charaters told from the point of view of two of the children in the family. It is really a true two sides of the same story. I don't want to give to much of the book away but really, this is not a waste of your credit A bonus is Rebecca Lowman who is always great she is amazing in this book too.

Haunting and fun -- a great listen!

Any additional comments?

Great writing, great story,and a cast of wonderfully disturbing characters. Narrator was great, too. Best book I've listened to in a while.

Wow, I could not stop listening!

What made the experience of listening to Mother, Mother the most enjoyable?

Yes, the Mother was despicable, but in a real life -not over the top --way, and I found her a fascinating character.

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Title: Temptation

Author: Sherryl Woods

Narrator: Tanya Eby

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 55 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-27-13

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 54 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Number-one New York Times best-selling author Sherryl Woods reunites a mother and daughter and demonstrates that real love knows no limits.

Callie Smiths quest for success far from her Iowa roots has caused a rift with her hardworking family. And with neither her Wall Street career nor her marriage going as planned, she starts to question the choices shes made.

But when charismatic network president Jason Kane pursues her to save a failing soap opera, her life is soon full of more twists than a TV story line. Suddenly she gets to know a whole new side to her mother, and also has the opportunity to save a friends life. Most unexpected of all, she leaves heartache behind and tunes in to the love of a lifetime.

Critic Reviews:

"Sherryl Woods gives her characters depth, intensity and the right amount of humor." (RT Book Reviews)

Members Reviews:

Good Story--Really poor narration

Would you try another book from Sherryl Woods and/or Tanya Eby?

I really like Sherryl Woods books and have listened to Tanya Eby in other books. Usually both are very good which is why I was so disappointed in the narration.

What did you like best about this story?

Fun book about soap stars.

What didnt you like about Tanya Ebys performance?

The narrator made EVERY character lisp. The strong male roles all lisped and really took away from their character.

Was Temptation worth the listening time?

I enjoyed the story which is the only reason why I continued to listen. If it was my first Sheryl Woods book, I would have stopped listening after the first chapter due to the narration.

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Title: Behind the Beautiful Forevers

Subtitle: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity

Author: Katherine Boo

Narrator: Sunil Malhotra

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 16 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-01-13

Publisher: Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 16 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

National Book Award, Nonfiction, 2012

Annawadi is a makeshift settlement in the shadow of luxury hotels near the Mumbai airport, and as India starts to prosper, Annawadians are electric with hope. Abdul, a reflective and enterprising Muslim teenager, sees "a fortune beyond counting" in the recyclable garbage that richer people throw away. Asha, a woman of formidable wit and deep scars from a childhood in rural poverty, has identified an alternate route to the middle class: political corruption.

With a little luck, her sensitive, beautiful daughter - Annawadis "most-everything girl" - will soon become its first female college graduate. And even the poorest Annawadians, like Kalu, a 15-year-old scrap-metal thief, believe themselves inching closer to the good lives and good times they call "the full enjoy". But then Abdul the garbage sorter is falsely accused in a shocking tragedy; terror and a global recession rock the city; and suppressed tensions over religion, caste, sex, power, and economic envy turn brutal.

As the tenderest individual hopes intersect with the greatest global truths, the true contours of a competitive age are revealed. And so, too, are the imaginations and courage of the people of Annawadi.

Critic Reviews:

"[An] exquisitely accomplished first book. Novelists dream of defining characters this swiftly and beautifully, but Ms. Boo is not a novelist. She is one of those rare, deep-digging journalists who can make truth surpass fiction, a documentarian with a superb sense of human drama. She makes it very easy to forget that this book is the work of a reporter. Comparison to Dickens is not unwarranted." (Janet Maslin, The New York Times)

"The book plays out like a swift, richly plotted novel. Boo gives even the broadest themes (the collateral damage of globalization, say) a human face. And there are half a dozen characters here so indelible - so swept up in impossible dreams and schemes - that they call Dickens and Austen to mind." (Entertainment Weekly)

"Must read. Katherine Boo Behind the Beautiful Forevers. A Mumbai slum understood and imagined as never before in language of intense beauty." (Salman Rushdie)

Members Reviews:

Exceptional translation of astounding research

Where does Behind the Beautiful Forevers rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far?

Highly rated but have listened to many exceptional books

What did you like best about this story?

Understanding what survival means in a Mumbai slum AND Katherine Boo's note at the end that contextualises so much.

Which character as performed by Sunil Malhotra was your favorite?

Abdul - who kept wanting a life that meant more

Impossible to forget

My first listen of Behind the Beautiful Forevers was from my local library. Once I'd read it, I read it through a second time immediately & then I bought my own copy here. Although I will never forget this story it is so compelling & so beautifully told I know I will read it many more times.

I hadn't read the description of this book when I first picked it up - I completed the book & it was only when I got to the epilogue that I discovered it was non-fiction. The narrative reads like a beautiful fiction but the story is true.

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Title: Scary Tales to Tell in the Dark

Author: Anthony Masters

Narrator: Brian Bascle

Format: Unabridged

Length: 3 hrs and 31 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-28-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 8 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

It's late at night. The fire's burning low and something's howling outside. Now it's time for a ghost story. But just make sure you're not on your own...

Anthony Masters is the author of eleven works of adult fiction - notably, Conquering Heroes (1969), Red Ice (1986, with Nicholas Barker), The Men (1997), The Good and Faithful Servant (1999) and Lifers (2001) - and, prior to his death, was in the process of completing another, Dark Bridges, which he thought would be his best. Many of these works carry deep insights into social problems that he gained, over four decades, by helping the socially excluded, be it by running soup kitchens for drug addicts or by campaigning for the civic rights of gypsies and other ethnic minorities. Masters is also known for his eclectic range of non-fiction titles. It ranged from the biographies of such diverse personalities as Hannah Senesh (The Summer that Bled, 1972), Mikhail Bakunin (Bakunin: the Father of Anarchism, 1974), Nancy Astor (Nancy Astor: A Life, 1981) and the British secret service chief immortalized by Ian Fleming in his James Bond books (The Man Who Was M: the Life of Maxwell Knight, 1984), to a history of the notorious asylum Bedlam (Bedlam, 1977).

Members Reviews:

Enjoyable and well done.

The narration was good. I liked these stories because they were interesting and spooky rather than relying on overdone violence and gore. Fun read if you enjoy a scary story.

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Title: The Rosie Project

Author: Graeme Simsion

Narrator: Dan O'Grady

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 30 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-11-13

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 243 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Shortlisted for the 2014 Indie Awards

The downloadable, audiobook edition of Graeme Simsions prize-winning romantic comedy The Rosie Project, read by the actor Dan OGrady.

Meet Don. Don is a genetics professor who just might be somewhere on the autistic spectrum. He looks a little like Gregory Peck and is getting married. He just doesnt know who to yet. But he has designed a very detailed questionnaire to help him find the perfect woman. And its definitely not Rosie. Absolutely, completely, definitely not .Rosie, meanwhile, isnt looking for love; shes looking for her biological father. Sometimes, though, you dont find love: love finds you...

Members Reviews:

Aspergers Cliche? No, I loved it!

I started listening to this and thought oh no, here we go, Curious Incident... revisited. But it grabbed me. I rapidly found myself brightening up at the thought of my next opportunity to rejoin Don and Rosie. Wondered what they were up to while my back was turned. It is a light romance superbly done, and the themes explored apply to us all. This book could have so easily have been a clod-hopper, but it was a very elegant dip into what makes for solid relationships and the myriad things that can trip us up. I had a smile on my face pretty much from go to whoa.

Delightfully different!

What made the experience of listening to The Rosie Project the most enjoyable?

The story was so different to anything I've read (the only other book related to an autistic character was Mark Haddon's The curious incident of the dog in the night-time). I loved how he saw the world -- it really made me think about how I see the world and how others might see it.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Rosie Project?

There were many moments that made me smile. When he tried to think like a 'normal' person and in the end insulted Rosie. So bittersweet! And the DNA collections were just hilarious.

Have you listened to any of Dan O'Gradys other performances before? How does this one compare?

No. Loved his narration.

Who was the most memorable character of The Rosie Project and why?

Don, obviously.

Any additional comments?

This is one of those books that I started listening to with no expectations and in the end loved it.

Nerds Rule

A really delightful story where the marginalised triumph. Listen for pure pleasure as the rule bound hero makes his way toward a fully rounded life, detecting a suitable partner in a scientific fashion while dodging the bullets of academic political machinations so familiar to anybody connected to a university. I cant wait for the film. Especially for the golf club dinner episode.

Fun read

Story was great. Narrator was excellent. Loved the sustained first-person perspective of the protagonist. Enjoyed every bit of it.

Laugh Out Loud

If you could sum up The Rosie Project in three words, what would they be?

What a powerful insight into how some people think. Absolutely loved this.

What does Dan O'Grady bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book?

He really makes you feel like you're listening to the main character himself. Well read.

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

Lots of laughing.

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Title: An Offer He Can't Refuse

Author: Theresa Ragan

Narrator: Diane Daltner

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 1 min

Language: English

Release date: 04-09-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 64 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Madison needs a husband fast - three months before her 30th birthday if she's to receive a $2-million inheritance that her grandfather left her. It has to be someone who can put on the performance of his life. Someone tall, dark... and temporary.

Members Reviews:

Worse narrator I ever heard

The narrator read this book as if she was reading to small children. There was no variation in her voice for each character. She did not help the story come to life at all. She actually hindered me from enjoying the story. I could not take it. Luckily had had the kindle version of the book and read it myself. I enjoyed the story via Kindle. Great storyline, good characters and great romance. I would nor recommend this audible version.

The worst narrated EVER

What would have made An Offer He Can't Refuse better?

The narration is the worst. I finally increased the speed to cover the annoying voice.

Would you be willing to try another book from Theresa Ragan? Why or why not?

I might try another book by Theresa Ragan and see if the problem is the producer or the narrator.

How could the performance have been better?

Have the producer and narrator listen to other books. Each word is spoken slow and VERY deliberate as if the listener is not bright. I have listened to hundreds of books and never felt the need to question the ability of the producer or the narrator.

Narration disappointing

The narrator's reading cadence and pronunciation is weird. She doesn't know how to pronounce common words, like forte. Her character voices were awful. Ugh.

Narrator ruins it

I cannot imagine why anyone would accept this narrator reading anything.

The story was ok - predictable

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Title: The Tokaido Road

Author: Lucia St. Clair Robson

Narrator: Rebecca Cook

Format: Unabridged

Length: 20 hrs and 48 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-25-13

Publisher: Books In Motion

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 42 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

After the execution of her father, the young and beautiful Lady Asano is in grave danger from the powerful Lord Kira. In order to save herself Asano must find Oishi, the leader of the fighting men of her clan. She believes he is 300 miles to the southwest in the imperial city of Kyoto. Disguising her loveliness in the humble garments of a traveling priest, and calling herself Cat, Lady Asano travels the fabled Tokaido Road. Her only tools are her quick wits, her samurai training, and her deadly, six-foot-long naginata. And she will need them all, for a ronin has been hired to pursue her, a mysterious man who will play a role in Cat's drama that neither could have ever imagined.

Members Reviews:

Awesome!

A bit hard to concentrate on the story at times. Still a wonderful book that I highly recommend!

Fabulous book!

Read it years ago, and can't wait to hear the audio version! A different take on the 47 Ronin legend.

Classic quality writing

This a beautifully Witten and read book. I thoroughly enjoyed the read, it never got boring or predictable, and left me feeling like I'd taken the journey. Great read.