Listen to the Best Full Audiobooks in Fiction, LGBTQ+

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/673850 to listen full audiobooks.

Title: Yorùbá Boy Running

Author: Biyi Bandele

Narrator: Chiwetel Ejiofor

Format: Unabridged Audiobook

Length: 7 hours 15 minutes

Release date: July 4, 2024

Genres: LGBTQ+

Publisher's Summary:

Brought to you by Penguin. Yorùbá Boy Running charts Samuel Ajayi Crowther's miraculous journey from slave to liberator, boy to man, running to resisting 'Run, Àjàyí, run!' The day the Malian slave traders invaded the Nigerian town of Òsogùn, thirteen-year-old Àjàyí's life was split in two. Before, there was his childhood, surrounded by friends and family, watched over by the ancient Yorùbá gods of forest and water, earth and sky. After: capture, slavery - and release, into the service of a new god, his own culture left far behind. So Àjàyí becomes Samuel Crowther - missionary, linguist, minister - and abolitionist: driven to negotiate against his own people to end the miserable trade in human beings which destroyed his family. Drawing on the prolific writings of Samuel Ajayi Crowther, Biyi Bándélé has created a many-voiced, kaleidoscopic portrait of an extraordinary man. From the heart-stopping drama of Àjàyí's last day of freedom to the farcical intrigue of the Òsogùn court; from a meeting with Queen Victoria; to his consecration as the first African Bishop of the Anglican Church, his journey, like all great odysseys, circles back to where he began. By turns witty, moving and quietly political, Biyi Bándélé's reimagining of Crowther's life is a brilliant tour de force. WITH AN INTRODUCTION FROM WOLE SOYINKA 'A true artist. A brilliant writer. An original thinker' Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie ‘Biyi Bándélé had a prolifically talented and creative mind, shown in everything he touched. Yorùbá Boy Running is no exception’ Chiwitel Ejiofor ©2024 Biyi Bandele (P)2024 Penguin Audio Cover artwork Chris Ofili, Blind Leading Blind, 2005 © The artist.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/671976 to listen full audiobooks.

Title: Remember, Remember

Author: Elle Machray

Narrator: Jessica Hayles

Format: Unabridged Audiobook

Length: 14 hours 43 minutes

Release date: March 14, 2024

Genres: LGBTQ+

Publisher's Summary:

Gunpowder, treason and a plot like no other… **AN OBSERVER TOP 10 DEBUT NOVELIST OF 2024** **WINNER OF THE UNICORNS CULTURE AWARD 2024** **SHORTLISTED FOR SCOTLAND’S NATIONAL BOOK AWARD – FIRST BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024** 'Ignites a fire in your heart' ANYA BERGMAN 'An explosive re-imagining …' STACEY THOMAS 'Characters you love and root for' LUCY BARKER *** 1770. Delphine lives in the shadows of London: a secret, vibrant world of smugglers, courtesans and small rebellions. Four years ago, she escaped enslavement at great personal cost. Now, she must help her brother Vincent do the same. While Britain’s highest court fails to administer justice for Vincent, little rebellions are no longer enough. What’s needed is a big, explosive plot – one that will strike at the heart of the transatlantic slave trade. But can one woman, one fuse and one match bring down an Empire? An incendiary alternative history, Remember, Remember is a gripping story of conscience, conspiracy, queer identity and courage in the face of injustice. *** 'One of the most anticipated debuts of the year … Prepare to have a good cry while simultaneously punching the air' STYLIST ‘I don’t know if my heart will quite recover’ ELVIN MENSAH ‘Couldn’t put this book down. Beautiful, tender, and ruthless’ HANNAH KANER ‘Luscious and raw’ BRONWYN ELEY ‘Deliciously evocative and atmospheric’ HAYLEY NOLAN ‘Powerful and hopeful … I cried buckets!’ JESSICA BULL

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/676702 to listen full audiobooks.

Title: The Story Collector

Author: Iris Costello

Narrator: Rosina Aichner, Jane Slavin, Kristin Atherton

Format: Unabridged Audiobook

Length: 11 hours 45 minutes

Release date: February 29, 2024

Genres: LGBTQ+

Publisher's Summary:

Brought to you by Penguin. THREE LOST SOULS. A LONG-BURIED SECRET. THE TRUTH THAT COULD SET THEM FREE... London, 1915: Tarot reader Katerina is trying to hold her life together amid the wartime chaos. When she opens a bakery that offers divination alongside sweet treats, she is hailed as a beacon of hope. But Katerina is hiding a dark truth that could cost her everything. Germany, 1918: A mute British soldier is taken to a prisoner of war camp where he meets Miriam, a researcher. She is drawn to his gentle manner and secretly vows to help him. But soon she will have to make an impossible choice: will she save the one she loves, or herself? Cornwall, Present Day: Recently widowed Edie is astonished to discover a mysterious box hidden in the wall of her newly renovated cottage. As Edie starts to investigate, she uncovers a secret that has lain hidden for over a century... The Story Collector tells the story of three people, divided by time and circumstance yet bound by a long-held secret. PRAISE FOR IRIS COSTELLO 'A rich and tender story of fortitude, family and friendship' Ruth Hogan, The Keeper of Lost Things 'The perfect winter read' Amanda Prowse, To Love and Be Loved 'Simply spellbinding, very addictive, and so beautifully written' Sophie Irwin, A Lady's Guide to Fortune Hunting 'Richly atmospheric, evocative and moving - a triumph of storytelling' Abbie Greaves, The Ends of the Earth 'Full of intrigue and loss, this beautifully written gothic tale makes for a spellbinding read' Rhiannon Ward, The Shadowing 'An intriguing story which skilfully entwines the past and present' Heidi Swain, A Christmas Celebration 'Absorbing, moving and multi-layered... A book to curl up with' Emma Curtis, Invite Me In 'Beautifully written with a story that draws you in' Jane Corry, We All Have Our Secrets ©2023 Iris Costello (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/670511 to listen full audiobooks.

Title: The Phoenix Crown

Author: Janie Chang, Kate Quinn

Narrator: Katherine Chin, Saskia Maarleveld

Format: Unabridged Audiobook

Length: 11 hours 34 minutes

Release date: February 15, 2024

Genres: LGBTQ+

Publisher's Summary:

An unforgettable story about the intertwined lives of two wronged women, spanning from the chaos of the San Francisco earthquake to the glittering palaces of Versailles… San Francisco, 1906. In a city bustling with newly minted millionaires and scheming upstarts, two very different women hope to change their fortunes: Gemma, a golden-haired, silver-voiced soprano whose career desperately needs rekindling, and Suling, a petite and resolute Chinatown embroideress who is determined to escape an arranged marriage. Their paths cross when they are drawn into the orbit of Henry Thornton, a charming railroad magnate whose extraordinary collection of Chinese antiques includes the fabled Phoenix Crown, a legendary relic of Beijing’s fallen Summer Palace. His patronage offers Gemma and Suling the chance of a lifetime, but their lives are thrown into turmoil when a devastating earthquake rips San Francisco apart and Thornton disappears, leaving behind a mystery reaching further than anyone could have imagined . . . Until the Phoenix Crown reappears five years later at a sumptuous Paris costume ball, drawing Gemma and Suling together in one last desperate quest for justice . . . Praise for The Phoenix Crown: ‘Impeccably researched, magnificently rendered, and breathlessly paced’ JAMIE FORD ‘Seamless, page-turning masterpiece of history and suspense – shot through with women rising up from the margins of society to claim their own singular futures, I could not put this triumphant novel down’ MARIE BENEDICT ‘Heart-pounding, gasp-out-loud storytelling – The Phoenix Crown is the best book I’ve read all year’ VICTORIA CHRISTOPHER MURRAY 'Lushly detailed, richly imagined, and utterly satisfying, The Phoenix Crown will entrance readers' BOOKLIST 'Action-packed, this novel skillfully uses its strong female leads to examine racism, sexism, and classism. Readers won't want to put this one down' HISTORICAL NOVEL SOCIETY '[A] seamless collaboration of two terrific novelists' THE WASHINGTON POST

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/674815 to listen full audiobooks.

Title: The Lucky Penny

Author: Dilly Court

Narrator: Annie Aldington

Format: Unabridged Audiobook

Length: 10 hours 51 minutes

Release date: February 1, 2024

Ratings: Ratings of Book: 5 of Total 1

Genres: LGBTQ+

Publisher's Summary:

Step into the world of Dilly Court and uncover her utterly heartwarming and emotional historical romance! Clinging tightly to the penny in her palm, Flora’s fortune was about to change… Flora is forever grateful for the day the Stewart family rescued her from her life of poverty on London’s streets. Adopted as one of their own, she shed her rags and was finally given a place to call home. When a twist of fate calls her back to the cobbles, Flora’s new life is torn apart. Flora must make her own way if she is ever to find where she truly belongs… From the No.1 Sunday Times bestselling author of The Rockwood Chronicles comes an emotional and captivating fireside read about finding home in the most unlikely places. Don't miss Dilly Court's next captivating novel, coming October 2024 – available to pre-order now! Readers LOVE Dilly Court! 'Another truly special book from Dilly. Warm and touching, with friendship and romance in the mix' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'There is a great selection of characters, so vividly depicted. It was lovely to see characters from the Rockwood series!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Another brilliant family saga by this brilliant author. Read this book in one sitting' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'There were some characters that make an appearance from previous books…another fabulous read' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Brilliant plot, fantastic characters and the best out there for books of this genre' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'The Lucky Penny was just a lovely read and I read it in one day. Love the story of Flora' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Dilly Court is one of my go-to authors…no matter what the story is about, I know I won't be disappointed' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Another superb historical saga which grabs you from the very first page. This is so good I just couldn’t put it down' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I did not want this book to end… [Dilly] draws you into the lives of the characters so effortlessly' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Another fantastic book from Dilly Court. An easy 5*' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/674567 to listen full audiobooks.

Title: Quint

Author: Robert Lautner

Narrator: Nick Landrum

Format: Unabridged Audiobook

Length: 8 hours 59 minutes

Release date: February 1, 2024

Genres: LGBTQ+

Publisher's Summary:

‘Puts some of the balls back into serious English fiction’ GILES COREN, THE TIMES ‘Whisky-soaked, guttural, stinking and funny' EVIE WYLD, OBSERVER ‘Thrilling, brutal, poetic, literary and irresistible, one of the 21st century’s first great 20th-century American novels' LOUISA YOUNG Before there was Jaws, there was… QUINT You already know the end of his story: now find out where it all began. Quint: the taciturn and grizzled sea captain who survived the shark-ridden sinking of the USS Indianapolis, only to meet his maker in the maw of a Great White at the end of JAWS. So much more than a fisherman – a survivor, a fighter, a man who has left three wives in his wake. In this vivid and utterly compelling masterpiece, Robert Lautner reimagines the life of a truly iconic character. ‘Excellent… a profound portrait of a life dislocated by war and violence’ THE TIMES, Best Summer Reads ‘If Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea was doused in whiskey and strained through the gills of a tiger shark, it would not sound dissimilar… one of this year’s literary miracles' IRISH INDEPENDENT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/669391 to listen full audiobooks.

Title: The Beholders

Author: Hester Musson

Narrator: Elliot Fitzpatrick, Ashley Tucker, Harriet Carmichael

Format: Unabridged Audiobook

Length: 10 hours 54 minutes

Release date: January 18, 2024

Genres: LGBTQ+

Publisher's Summary:

'Held me completely in its thrall until the very last line’ SUSAN STOKES-CHAPMAN 'I was hooked from the start' DAILY MAIL A SUNDAY TIMES HISTORICAL FICTION BOOK OF THE MONTH A TIMES BESTSELLER SHORTLISTED FOR THE HISTORICAL WRITERS' ASSOCIATION DEBUT CROWN PRIZE June, 1878. The body of a boy is pulled from the depths of the River Thames, suspected to be the beloved missing child of the widely admired Liberal MP Ralph Gethin. Four months earlier. Harriet is a young maid newly employed at Finton Hall. Fleeing the drudgery of an unwanted engagement in the small village where she grew up, Harriet is entranced by the grand country hall; she is entranced too by her glamorous mistress Clara Gethin, whose unearthly singing voice floats through the house. But Clara, though captivating, is erratic. The master of the house is a much-lauded politician, but he is strangely absent. And some of their beautiful belongings seem to tell terrible stories. Unable to ignore her growing unease, Harriet sets out to discover their secrets. When she uncovers a shocking truth, a chain of events is set in motion that could cost Harriet everything, even her freedom… What readers are saying… 'I didn't want to stop reading!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'This story has everything: murder, love, intrigue and heartbreak' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Plenty of unexpected twists and turns. A sold five stars from me!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I couldn't put it down til the very end' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Heartbreaking, intriguing, hard to put down' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/676038 to listen full audiobooks.

Title: Unsinkable

Author: Jenni L. Walsh

Narrator: K.C Sheridan, Barrie Kreinik

Format: Unabridged Audiobook

Length: 11 hours 2 minutes

Release date: January 9, 2024

Genres: LGBTQ+

Publisher's Summary:

“AN INSTANT USA TODAY BESTSELLER” The Titanic was only the beginning. What she survived has become legend. Inspired by true stories of survival and resilience, Unsinkable entwines the lives of two women, one from World War 1 and another from World War 2, as they face adversity and take hold of the second chances given to them. Violet Jessop is Miss Unsinkable. After her mother becomes too ill to work, the responsibility to provide for the family falls to Violet as the oldest of nine. When the world enters the Great War, she serves as a nurse, helping men who could very well be her brothers. Working as a stewardess and wartime nurse, Violet not only survives a shipwreck but also two sinkings, one on the infamous Titanic. No one can understand why she would return to sea, but something keeps drawing Violet back to the tumultuous waters, where she struggles to put the tragedies of her past behind her and pursue a life and love all her own. Daphne has survived calamity of her own. Daphne Chaundanson grows up as an unwanted child after her mother died in a tragedy. She throws herself into education, collecting languages like candy in a desperate attempt to finally earn her father's approval. When the Special Operations Executive invites her to be an agent in France in World War II, her childhood of anonymity and her love of languages make her the perfect fit. She sees it as an opportunity to help the country she loves and live up to her father's expectations. But the dangers of war challenge Daphne in ways she never could have expected, and the secrets from her own past must be faced for her to truly have a future beyond the conflict--if she can survive it. Inspired by true stories of Violet Jessop and the thirty-nine women of the Special Operations Executive. Two unsinkable women. Two stories of survival, family, and finding one's own happiness. One connection that reshapes both their lives forever. - Historical, stand-alone novel - Themes of: true events, second chances, and happy endings - Book length: approximately 103,000 words - Includes discussion questions for book clubs

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/676963 to listen full audiobooks.

Title: The Storm We Made: A Novel

Author: Vanessa Chan

Narrator: Samantha Tan

Format: Unabridged Audiobook

Length: 10 hours 52 minutes

Release date: January 2, 2024

Ratings: Ratings of Book: 3.67 of Total 6

Ratings of Narrator: 5 of Total 1

Genres: LGBTQ+

Publisher's Summary:

NATIONAL BESTSELLER * A GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK * LONGLISTED FOR THE CENTER FOR FICTION 2024 FIRST NOVEL PRIZE In this “espionage-laden family epic” (Vanity Fair), an ordinary housewife becomes an unlikely spy—and her dark secrets will test even the most unbreakable ties. Malaya, 1945. Cecily Alcantara’s family is in terrible danger: her fifteen-year-old son, Abel, has disappeared, and her youngest daughter, Jasmin, is confined in a basement to prevent being pressed into service at the comfort stations. Her eldest daughter Jujube, who works at a tea house frequented by drunk Japanese soldiers, becomes angrier by the day. Cecily knows two things: that this is all her fault; and that her family must never learn the truth. A decade prior, Cecily had been desperate to be more than a housewife to a low-level bureaucrat in British-colonized Malaya. A chance meeting with the charismatic General Fujiwara lured her into a life of espionage, pursuing dreams of an “Asia for Asians.” Ten years later as the war reaches its apex, her actions have caught up with her. Now her family is on the brink of destruction—and she will do anything to save them. Told from the perspectives of four unforgettable characters, The Storm We Made spans years of pain, triumph, and perseverance. “The tenderness in its details, the ordinary ways that these characters love and laugh in the face of the extraordinary…Chan shows us, with clarity and care, how the truest mirror comes from the intimacy of human connection” (The New York Times Book Review).

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/673765 to listen full audiobooks.

Title: The Paris Housekeeper

Author: Renee Ryan

Narrator: Callie Beaulieu, Elizabeth Knowelden, Henrietta Meire

Format: Unabridged Audiobook

Length: 12 hours 28 minutes

Release date: December 26, 2023

Ratings: Ratings of Book: 2 of Total 1

Ratings of Narrator: 3 of Total 1

Genres: LGBTQ+

Publisher's Summary:

From the author of The Secret Society of Salzburg comes a powerful and moving story of bravery and resilience in World War II Paris and one woman who must face impossible choices to survive… Paris, 1940 German tanks rumble through the streets of Paris, forcing frightened citizens to flee. But not everyone has the luxury to leave. Camille Lacroix, a chambermaid at the world-famous Hôtel Ritz, must stay to support her family back home in Brittany. Desperate to earn money, Camille also acts as a lady’s maid for longtime guest Vivian Miller, a glamorous American widow—and a Nazi sympathizer. Despite her distrust of the woman, Camille turns to Vivian when her friend and fellow hotel maid Rachel Berman needs help getting out of Paris. It’s then that Camille discovers that Vivian is not what she seems… The American has been using her wealth and connections to secretly obtain travel papers for Jewish refugees. While they're hiding Rachel in an underground bunker under a Nazi’s nose, a daring escape plan is hatched. But as the net grows tighter, and the Germans more ruthless, Camille’s courage will be tested to the extreme… “Renee Ryan is a brilliant storyteller.” —Madeline Martin, New York Times bestselling author of The Librarian Spy