Listen to Trending Full Audiobooks in Fiction, Historical

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/789145 to listen full audiobooks.

Title: A Simple Habana Melody: A Novel

Author: Oscar Hijuelos

Narrator: Fabio Tassone

Format: Unabridged Audiobook

Length: 11 hours 49 minutes

Release date: February 11, 2025

Genres: Historical

Publisher's Summary:

From a Pulitzer Prize-winning author comes a “masterpiece” about a composer returning to his beloved homeland after WWII (Kirkus, starred review). The year is 1947. Israel Levis, a Cuban composer whose life once revolved around music and love, is finally returning home. En route to Habana, Cuba from Spain, he is a shadow of his former self, disillusioned after he was mistakenly sent to a camp during the Nazi occupation of France. In Habana, he escapes his anguish by reminiscing about his happiest moments before the war, when he lived a life of pleasure and excitement—and had a loving, if unrequited romance with Rita Valladares, the alluring singer who inspired Levis’s most famous composition, “Rosas Puras.” A tender homage to music, art, and a vibrant country at the edge of modernity, A Simple Habana Melody is a virtuoso performance from one of America’s most talented writers. Includes a reading group guide.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/792986 to listen full audiobooks.

Title: Red Clay

Author: Charles B. Fancher

Narrator: Dion Graham

Format: Unabridged Audiobook

Length: 10 hours 34 minutes

Release date: February 4, 2025

Genres: Historical

Publisher's Summary:

An astounding multigenerational saga, Red Clay chronicles the interwoven lives of an enslaved Black family and their white owners as the Civil War ends and Reconstruction begins. In 1943, when a frail old white woman shows up in Red Clay, Alabama, at the home of a Black former slave—on the morning following his funeral—his family hardly knows what to expect after she utters the words “… a lifetime ago, my family owned yours.” Adelaide Parker has a story to tell—one of ambition, betrayal, violence, and redemption—that shaped both the fate of her family and that of the late Felix H. Parker. But there are gaps in her knowledge, and she’s come to Red Clay seeking answers from a family with whom she shares a name and a history that neither knows in full. In an epic saga that takes us from Red Clay to Paris, to the Côte d’Azur and New Orleans, human frailties are pushed to their limits as secrets are exposed and the line between good and evil becomes ever more difficult to discern. Red Clay is a tale that deftly lays bare the ugliness of slavery, the uncertainty of the final months of the Civil War, the optimism of Reconstruction, and the pain and frustration of Jim Crow. With a vivid sense of place and a cast of memorable characters, Charles B. Fancher draws upon his own family history to weave a riveting tale of triumph over adversity, set against a backdrop of societal change and racial animus that reverberates in contemporary America. Through seasons of joy and unspeakable pain, Fancher delivers rich moments as allies become enemies, and enemies—to their great surprise—find new respect for each other.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/789144 to listen full audiobooks.

Title: The Sable Cloak

Author: Gail Milissa Grant

Narrator: Murphy Lorenzo Applin Jr, Karen Chilton

Format: Unabridged Audiobook

Length: 9 hours 11 minutes

Release date: February 4, 2025

Genres: Historical

Publisher's Summary:

In this atmospheric novel set in the Jim Crow South, a powerful Black family fights to protect their empire—for readers of Tayari Jones. Jordan Sable, a prosperous undertaker turned political boss, has controlled the Black vote in St. Louis for decades. Sara, his equally formidable wife, runs the renowned funeral establishment that put the Sable name on the map. Together they have pushed through obstacles in order to create a legacy for their children. When tragedy bursts their carefully constructed empire of dignity and safety, the family rallies around an unconventional solution. But at what cost?  Set in the Midwest in the 1940s, The Sable Cloak is a rarely seen portrait of an upper middle class, African American family in the pre-Civil Rights era. This deeply personal novel inspired by the author's own family history delves into legacy and the stories we tell ourselves, and celebrates a largely self-sustaining, culturally rich Missouri community that most Americans may not be aware of.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/788113 to listen full audiobooks.

Title: Isola: Reese's Book Club: A Novel

Author: Allegra Goodman

Narrator: Fiona Hardingham, Allegra Goodman

Format: Unabridged Audiobook

Length: 12 hours 54 minutes

Release date: February 4, 2025

Genres: Historical

Publisher's Summary:

REESE’S BOOK CLUB PICK • “A shocking story, made all the more stunning by the fact that it has its roots in true history.”—Jodi Picoult, author of By Any Other Name “A new generation of survival story . . . an extraordinary book that reads like a thriller, written with the care of the most delicate psychological and historical fiction.”—Vogue (Best of 2025 Preview) A young woman and her lover are marooned on an island in this “lushly painted” (People) historical epic of love, faith, and defiance from the bestselling author of Sam. Heir to a fortune, Marguerite is destined for a life of prosperity and gentility. Then she is orphaned, and her guardian—an enigmatic and volatile man—spends her inheritance and insists she accompany him on an expedition to New France. That journey takes a unexpected turn when Marguerite, accused of betrayal, is brutally punished and abandoned on a small island. Once a child of privilege who dressed in gowns and laced pearls in her hair, Marguerite finds herself at the mercy of nature. As the weather turns, blanketing the island in ice, she discovers a faith she’d never before needed. Inspired by the real life of a sixteenth-century heroine, Isola is the timeless story of a woman fighting for survival. *This audiobook contains a PDF with a map and recommendations for further reading from the book.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/788088 to listen full audiobooks.

Title: Harlem Rhapsody

Author: Victoria Christopher Murray

Narrator: Robin Miles

Format: Unabridged Audiobook

Length: 15 hours 5 minutes

Release date: February 4, 2025

Genres: Historical

Publisher's Summary:

“A gripping narrative, don't miss this historical fiction about the woman who kicked off the Harlem Renaissance.”—People Magazine “A page turner and history lesson at once, Harlem Rhapsody reminds us that our stories are our generational wealth.”—Tayari Jones, New York Times bestselling author of An American Marriage (Oprah’s Book Club Pick) She found the literary voices that would inspire the world…. The extraordinary story of the woman who ignited the Harlem Renaissance, written by Victoria Christopher Murray, New York Times bestselling coauthor of The Personal Librarian. In 1919, a high school teacher from Washington, D.C arrives in Harlem excited to realize her lifelong dream. Jessie Redmon Fauset has been named the literary editor of The Crisis. The first Black woman to hold this position at a preeminent Negro magazine, Jessie is poised to achieve literary greatness. But she holds a secret that jeopardizes it all. W. E. B. Du Bois, the founder of The Crisis, is not only Jessie’s boss, he’s her lover. And neither his wife, nor their fourteen-year-age difference can keep the two apart. Amidst rumors of their tumultuous affair, Jessie is determined to prove herself. She attacks the challenge of discovering young writers with fervor, finding sixteen-year-old Countee Cullen, seventeen-year-old Langston Hughes, and Nella Larsen, who becomes one of her best friends. Under Jessie’s leadership, The Crisis thrives…every African American writer in the country wants their work published there. When her first novel is released to great acclaim, it’s clear that Jessie is at the heart of a renaissance in Black music, theater, and the arts. She has shaped a generation of literary legends, but as she strives to preserve her legacy, she’ll discover the high cost of her unparalleled success.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/796913 to listen full audiobooks.

Title: Bethnal Green: The vibrant debut novel and love letter to the NHS that is captivating readers

Author: Amélie Skoda

Narrator: Jacqui Bardelang

Format: Unabridged Audiobook

Length: 10 hours 39 minutes

Release date: January 30, 2025

Genres: Historical

Publisher's Summary:

'Captures with grace and profundity the experience of immigrants and health workers' TASH AW 'A beautifully immersive coming-of-age tale set amongst the brilliance and bleakness of 1970s London' LOUISE HARE Penang, 1971. When Suyin Lim is offered the opportunity of a lifetime - a place as a trainee nurse in London's Bethnal Green Hospital - she jumps at the chance to leave her job as a seamstress and unite with her sister, who left for the same path a year before. However, without warning her sister returns to Penang, a shadow of her former self and Suyin is forced to leave without any answers. Suyin soon finds herself starting a new life in London, falling in love with the vibrant city and its people and as she immerses herself in the gruelling but rewarding work of caring for her patients, she begins to understand what she really wants out of life . . . BETHNAL GREEN explores the themes of sacrifice and heartbreak, the power of using your voice and the will to build a life of one's own against the odds. It is also a powerful love letter to dedicated NHS workers from around the world, whose work touches countless lives every day. 'Heartstring-pulling and hopeful' SARAH TURNER 'I was hooked from the first page' LAUREN HO

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/788792 to listen full audiobooks.

Title: Grace of the Empire State

Author: Gemma Tizzard

Narrator: Erin Bennett

Format: Unabridged Audiobook

Length: 10 hours 50 minutes

Release date: January 28, 2025

Genres: Historical

Publisher's Summary:

In this breathtaking debut novel, a daring dancer must take her twin brother’s place as a riveter high atop the in-progress Empire State Building to save her family from ruin. After the death of their father, it’s up to Grace O’Connell and her twin brother Patrick to support their family as the Great Depression takes its toll on New York City. When Grace is laid off from her dancing gig and Patrick is injured at work on the construction of the Empire State Building, desperation leaves them only one solution: Grace must disguise herself as Patrick and take his place on the half-built skyscraper. She soon proves herself as capable as any man on the steel, and her affection for the loyal men around her—especially Italian immigrant Joe—grows by the day. But when a terrible accident happens high above the city and Grace is the only one capable of saving her stranded colleague, she must make a split-second decision to risk everything or live with her conscience forever. Set against the backdrop of a city at a crossroads, this electrifying story is full of heart and hope, family and friendship, and the sacrifices we make for those we love.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/788604 to listen full audiobooks.

Title: The English Problem: A Novel

Author: Beena Kamlani

Narrator: Vidish Athavale

Format: Unabridged Audiobook

Length: 16 hours 35 minutes

Release date: January 28, 2025

Genres: Historical

Publisher's Summary:

A young Indian man is tapped to help his country’s fight for freedom—but his heart engages him in a different war. “Grand, sweeping, mesmerizing . . . a richly detailed, politically profound story of love, of migration, of individuals caught up in the great convulsions of history.”—Joseph O’Neill, PEN/Faulkner Award–winning author of Godwin Shiv Advani is an eighteen-year-old growing up in India. But he is no ordinary young man. Shiv has been personally chosen by Mahatma Gandhi to come to England, learn their laws, and then return home and help drive the British out of India. Before he leaves, his family insists he fulfill his arranged marriage, and he is hastily betrothed to a young woman he hardly knows. He arrives in London and soon discovers a world he is both repelled by and drawn to. Shiv knows his duty: get in, learn the letter of the law, get out. But as anyone who has ever lived in a British colony can tell you, “the English Problem” is multifaceted. The racist colonialism of “the empire on which the sun never sets” seeps into everything—not just landed territories, but territories of the mind: literature, language, religion, sexuality, self-identity. Soon the people Shiv sought to be liberated from will be the people he desperately wants to be a part of. In the end, Shiv must fight not only for his country’s liberation but also his own. Set against the backdrop of the Indian independence movement, with appearances by historical figures such as Virginia and Leonard Woolf and Mahatma Gandhi, The English Problem is so self-assured and ambitious, it is hard to believe it is a debut.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/788829 to listen full audiobooks.

Title: Call Her Freedom

Author: Tara Dorabji

Narrator: Soneela Nankani

Format: Unabridged Audiobook

Length: 9 hours 26 minutes

Release date: January 21, 2025

Genres: Historical

Publisher's Summary:

A sweeping family saga following one woman’s struggle to protect her culture and her family amidst the backdrop of a military occupation. In the foothills of the Himalayas, the picturesque mountain village of Poshkarbal is home to lush cherry and apple orchards and a thriving community—one divided by a patrolled border. Aisha and her mother Noorjahan live on the outskirts—two women alone in a world dominated by men. As the village midwife, Noorjahan teaches Aisha how to heal using local herbs and remedies. Isolated but content, Aisha is shocked when Noorjahan decides it is time for her to attend the village school as few girls do. Despite the taunting of her classmates and the teacher’s initial resistance to having her in the class, Aisha becomes a star student, destined for college. When Aisha’s hand is bequeathed to a local boy in the village, she is forced to abandon her dreams of college. She comforts herself by staying on her ancestral land, creating a nourishing life with her children and husband. But her mother’s secrets come back to haunt her and her marriage and the growing military presence in Poshkarbal force Aisha to make impossible choices in order to save her family and preserve the independence Noorjahan fought for. What follows is a family chronicle brimming with life, love, and humor, about sacrifice and honor, and fighting for your home and culture in the face of occupation. A deeply moving novel about one woman’s love for her family, this is an epic investigation of colonialism, militarization, and the loss and innocence on the journey to creating home. Spanning 1969 to 2022, Call Her Freedom is a love story that untangles family secrets and heals generational wounds, announcing Tara Dorabji as a thrilling new voice in fiction.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/802186 to listen full audiobooks.

Title: Frankie: A Novel

Author: Graham Norton

Narrator: Graham Norton

Format: Unabridged Audiobook

Length: 9 hours 5 minutes

Release date: January 14, 2025

Ratings: Ratings of Book: 4 of Total 1

Ratings of Narrator: 5 of Total 1

Genres: Historical

Publisher's Summary:

''Warm and wise, Frankie is a woman worth getting to know.''—Bonnie Garmus, New York Times-bestselling author of Lessons in Chemistry From the internationally bestselling author and host of The Graham Norton Show, a dazzling and decades-sweeping story about love, bravery, and what it means to live a significant life. Always on the periphery, looking on, young Frankie Howe was never quite sure enough of herself to take center stage—after all, life had already judged her harshly. Now old, Frankie finds it easier to forget the life that came before. Then Damian, a young Irish caretaker, arrives at her London flat, there to keep an eye on her as she recovers from a fall. A memory is sparked, and the past crackles into life as Damian listens to the story Frankie has kept stored away all these years. Traveling from post-war Ireland to 1960s New York—a city full of art, larger-than-life characters and turmoil—Frankie shares a world in which friendship and chance encounters collide. A place where, for a while, life blazes with an intensity that can’t last but will perhaps live on in other ways and in other people.