Romance Audiobooks discussion
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Hi, My Name is ... *Introductions*
Vikisha - welcome! I'm interested in hearing what some of your favorite audiobooks are. I'm not a big urban fantasy fan but there are a lot of them here. However, I generally adore historical romance and find paranormal romances often intriguing.Look forward to your involvement in the group. Have you read the Speaking of Audiobooks column over at All About Romance?
I have not but I will do that Lea. Thanks for the welcome.
Welcome Vikisha! This is a great place to get suggestions and to share your opinion! We even have a few of the popular narrators who participate in our discussions that provides great insight into the making of an audiobook and when things might be released!
Hi all !i am Neha and I am from India.
I have never ever been into audio books, but I am hoping to change that ! I have been told tht audio books are a lot of fun too, so here I am ... :)
Can anyone suggest a good romance book/ narrator to start with ??
Oh my Neha, your opening yourself up for a lot of recommendations here. :) And welcome to the group!Humor - Anything by Susan Elizabeth Phillips with Anna Fields narrating.
Contemporary - Almost any of Nora Roberts novels.
Romantic Suspense - JD Robb's In Death series starting with Naked in Death or Anne Stuarts Fire and Ice narrated by Xe Sands
Paranormal Romance - Nalini Singh's Angels Blood with Justine Eyre narrating or Slave to Sensation with Angela Dawe narrating
Urban Fantasy with a thread of romance - Ilona Andrews Kate Daniels series with Renee Raudman narrating - it starts with Magic Bites. Or Karen Marie Monings Fever series
There's a start, you can also check out our "romance audiobook poll winners" group bookshelf for lots of favorites from romance audiobook fans.
Brenda wrote: "Oh my Neha, your opening yourself up for a lot of recommendations here. :) And welcome to the group!Humor - Anything by Susan Elizabeth Phillips with Anna Fields narrating.
Contemporary - Almost..."
Oh my ! lol... This is great !!! Thanks a ton Brenda ... I am going to start at the beginning here, and go with SEP :) and take it from there !
Hi My name is Jen. I am 26 and live in MA. I love audiobooks and especially love young adult books. I have only been seriously listening to audio regularly this year since I found that my library has so many. Some of my favorites so far were Crank and Glass by Ellen Hopkins. I do not remember the narrator. I also loved Shiver and Linger by Maggie Stiefvater and Fairest by Gail Carson Levine. It has a full cast and singing. If anyone is interested in who narrated any of those I can look it up from the library web sites. Fairest was Full Cast Audio.
I am currently listening to The Harry Potter series which so far doesn't have too much romance except for a few young crushes. I would love to know what others are reading and get more romance recommendations because I love romance but haven't listened to enough of them. Also more young adult recommendations. I really like older YA like Ellen Hopkins and I am trying to read/listen to all of hers. I look forward to making some friends here. I am not familiar with the articles or whatever it is you put out throughout the year but I would like to learn more about it! :)
Hi Jen, I know there are several Harry Potter fans here - and Jim Dale's award for having created the largest number of different voices for this series (139) is so impressive.I haven't tried many (any?) YA in audio unless you class The Secret Garden as such - I can tell you that Anne Flosnick's narration of The Secret Garden is amazing and well worth the listen.
The Speaking of Audiobooks - Romance column is found at the AAR (All About Romance) website twice if not three times a month.
Be sure and check out our group bookshelves for some great romance audiobook listens and various reviews. Then let us know what you end up enjoying.
Hi Jen,We started this Goodreads group as an extension of the Speaking of Audiobooks column. As Brenda stated, we now run the column two to three times a month (I really try for three). I've been writing the column for 2 1/2 years and the archives contain over 60 columns. The columns are full of romance audio reviews, industry happenings, new releases, interviews with authors, narrators and production companies. Here's the link for the Speaking of Audiobooks archives:
http://www.likesbooks.com/blog/?cat=174
Each time a new column goes up, I send a message to all members of our Goodreads group informing them of its featured topic, reviews, etc. You will find a link in your email.
Our discussions at Speaking of Audiobooks are an integral part of the column. We realized we wanted to continue talking between columns and found our answer at Goodreads.
The Speaking of Audiobooks column is part of a large romance site - one with millions of hits each month and we are able to reach out to many, many more listeners there. I am sure you will find a good number of recommendations in the past columns if you go looking.
Welcome! We can't wait to help you find some books!
Welcome to Neha and Jen!Jen - I don't do too much YA but my sister does. The Graceling audios were well done. Kelley Armstrong has a nice series based in her Otherworld "world" Darkest Powers (starts with The Summoning). Melissa Marr's Wicked Lovely series is pretty good but more dark fantasy.
I'm sure you'll both find tons of suggestions on this board! We're definitely enablers! ;)
Welcome Becky! You'll find a lot of Gail Carriger fans here. I'm also pretty big on mystery/thriller, urban fantasy, PNR, and Romance Suspense. I used to read a lot of historical romances but have really not been drawn into it that much in the last 10 years or so.Please post your comments on recommendation threads or start your own. Our currently reading threads are also good places get new listening ideas.
Welcome Becky. Two posts prior to yours in this thread, I explained the Speaking of Audiobooks column that ties in with this group. We have discussed just about every romance sub-genre at length over at the column. I encourage you to look through the archives for all sorts of suggestions.http://www.likesbooks.com/blog/?cat=174
If you have decided to explore one particular sub-genre, let me know and I'll direct you to specific columns.
Hi Becky, You started with the cream of the crop when you hit the romance genre with your first choices. Susan Elizabeth Phillips and JD Robb are a couple of my all time favorites too.I'm also a fan of Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series. It pulled me in with the romance in the first book and kept me with Emily Gray's excellent narration ability and the character of Alexia - good listening.
Hi I' m Bobbie and both listen to and read books constantly. I am from Charlotte, NC. I have enjoyed many audiobooks over the last 2 years,with favorites being The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo series..really my first series. I have very electic tastes so that I find I listen to a lot of different genres in audiobooks, from mysteries to memoirs, thrillers and romances. I go in spurts and right now I am on a Linda Howard kick. I listened to some of her books about a year ago and then realized that she had added several books this year. I saw where someone was asking about the audio version of Mr. Perfect. If anyone has found that, I would love to know where to get it.Have really enjoyed reading many of the posts here, just not usually a big contributor.
Welcome to the group Bobbie, listening to such a variety of genre's leaves the field wide open when it comes to your listening choices.Several of our members have discovered hard to find audiobooks at their libraries - so that's one place to try. Or keeping an eye on eBay or Amazon's used offerings if you want to purchase your own.
Borrowing between members is another avenue that's possible when all else fails.
Thank you for all of the recommendations from YA and children's books. I don't think I have listened to or read any of them yet. :) I have been meaning to read Wicked Lovely Series and the Darkest Powers seems interesting. I did not realize that was connected to another series or world. Should those other books be read first or does it matter?
HelloI'm Arlena and from the great state of Oklahoma. I married, three grown children and 11 grands.
I have loved listening to audios for several years. The authors Brenda Jackson and Vanessa Davis Griggs are among my favorites and the two narrators: Caroline Clay and Savannah Richards are simply great in my book. They make listening to the novels simply wonderful!
Welcome to the group Arlena - I'm not familiar with either of those narrators but I do have one or two Brenda Jackson books I haven't listened to yet.Any of the kids or grands into audiobooks with you?
No, Brenda none of the Kids or Grands are into the audiobooks yet. I am sure that it is coming. (smile).
Hi. I am Kathryn from New Zealand. I have been listening to Audible books for a number of years. I used to download and copy to CD until the trusty ipod came along.I enjoy a number of authors: Diana Gabaldon, Julie Garwood, Lisa Kleypas, Susan E Phillips, Robyn Carr, Kristin Hannah, Susan Wiggs, Jane Graves, Suzanne Brockmann, Paullina Simons, Rachel Gibson, Susan Maller, Emilie Richards and many others.
I enjoy a good narrator, will avoid a book if readers give narrator a bad review and will read it in different format. I loved Anna Fields and really enjoy Davinia Porter. Susan Erickson is another and like Sandra Burr as well. Don't like men reading romance, so also don't listen in audio if guy has done it.
Welcome Kathryn! It looks as though we like many of the same audiobooks and I definitely agree about Anna Fields and Davina Porter.Do you follow the Speaking of Audiobooks column? I'll point you in that direction if not. Our audio archives contain 60+ columns and a whole lot of discussion.
http://www.likesbooks.com/blog/?cat=174
Let me know if the column is new to you and I'll point out a few that I think may be of particular interest.
Thanks Lea. I don't actually follow the column, did find this forum and you through likesbooks. Would love to know the ones that might be of particular interest. I'm a slow listener, but love a good book on audio.
Welcome Abby! I live in Oklahoma and we'll be in the 50s today. Helps make up for those hot, humid summers, doesn't it?I'm totally immersed in the Maiden Lane series as well.
Are you familiar with the Speaking of Audiobooks column over at All About Romance?
We look forward to hearing from you!
Hi I'm Samantha and I'm from Ottawa, Canada. I've been reading romance since I was 11 (Rosemary Rogers- I've never been the same) and listening to books on tape (when it was tapes) since I was in my late teens. However, I've really gotten into audiobooks since I got my Ipod for Christmas 2 years ago.I started reading all about romance when Laurie (the first person I ever sent an email to-1995) moved over from the romance reader then when I got my Ipod I started looking for info on what audiobooks were worth my money. The Audiobook article's over at AAR were very useful.
I've listened to the entire Cat and Bones (Frost)series and most of the Psy-changling (Singh), about 1/2 of the in death series and several Susan Elizabeth Phillips. I seem to like Paranormals and Contempories but I also read Historical Romance and Mysteries.
I'm currently eagerly waiting for the library's digital copy of Death comes to Pemberly by PD James.
Welcome Ancientpeas! If you read the latest Speaking of Audiobooks column, you probably know that I'm in the middle of the Cat and Bones series (I wrote what I guess you could call a "Bones"review). So enjoying it. I'm a big fan of SEP's audiobooks and regularly relisten to a number. I seem to be like you - I listen to a number of sub-genres.
Please let us know your thoughts of Death Comes to Pemberly.
Hey there, I'm Jo-Ann and I live in PA (in a suburb of Philadelphia). I started listening to audiobooks about 8 years ago when I got a job that had a 45 minute driving commute each way, and if I heard one more morning DJ extole the virtues of another mattress or another mail-order bear, I was going to drive into the nearest ditch. I had already worn out all my CD's...So I turned to audiobooks. Believe it or not, audiobooks were a LOT more expensive just that short time ago and I'm cheap. So I kind of listened to what I could get my hands on. I visited the libraries and soon depleted their selections (which wasn't great). I love library sales so I was able to pick up many at great prices at those, but most of the audios tended to be abridged versions, plus I just wasn't interested in what I was listening to. So I was also getting disillusioned with audiobooks too on my drive.
Somehow I ended up listening to Nobody's Baby But Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips read by Anna Fields and it was a whole new ball game. I discovered that the reader could make or break a book for you and that there was actual ENTERTAINMENT to be had. I joined Recorded Books and quickly devoured the SEP/Anna Fields catalog, and then went searching for more.
These days I'm hoarding my last five credits at Audible, downloading many books from my library online and buying the occasional audio I just HAVE to have. The evil people at Speaking of Audiobooks are costing me money and filling up my To Be Listened pile at an alarming rate! I'm going to have to work for the next 35 years to listen to them all since driving is really the only time I get to listen. Oh, and our company moved closer to home so my commute is now only 20 minutes each way! I lost a lot of valuable listening time but I really shouldn't complain, right? Gas and quality time with the family and all that...
Okay, sorry so chatty. Read or not. Thanks.
Hey Jo-Ann W - it's so good to see you over here!SEP was the author who really got me interested in romance audio too. I started buying more and more - on tape. For those new to audiobooks, I don't think many understand just how difficult (and expensive) it was to listen just 6 years ago. I recall saving up to buy the first four Outlander books one by one - used on eBay. All were in the $80-100 EACH range. Our library didn't have many but I tried all I could.
Not too chatty for me. And we kinda like this evil status the way you describe it!
Hi Everyone, My Name is Val. I live in Southern California. I have been Listening to AudioBooks for about 3 Years. My time in the car can be anywhere from 1 to 3 hrs a day I also will throw on my headphones while working out or doing stuff around the house so the audiobooks are Awsome for me. I like PNR, UF, And YA.
I am thankful to find this group as I still get a lot of funny looks when People ask what music I am listening to and I tell them it's a book.
My favorite narrators:
The Guys: Christian Rummel, Eric G Dove, Jim Frangione, Holter Graham, Fred Berman, and Phil Gigante.
The Women: Hillary Huber, Kirsten Potter, Amanda Ronconi, Lorelei King, Cynthia Holloway, and Tavia Gilbert.
Favorite Series:
The Resurrection series by Dee Tenorino, Immortal Guardians series by Dianne Duvall, The Fallen Series and The BDB by J.R. Ward, Dark Hunter Series, Nick Chronicles, and Leauge series by Sherrilyn Kenyon, Night Huntress Series and Night Huntress World by Jeaniene Frost, Shift Series by Rachel Vincent, The Midnight Breed series by Lara adrian, Women of other World by Kelley Armstrong(the ones with Jeremy, Clay and Elena), Chicagoland Vampires by Chloe Neill, and Both Molly Harper's series
Some YA audiobooks that I have enjoyed are The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices (the second infernal devices read by ed westwick)by Cassandra Clare, Divergent by Veronica Roth, Soul Screamers by Rachel Vincent, Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini, Mercy Thompson series, and Alpha and Omega Series by Patricia Briggs, and The Darkest Powers by Kelley Armstrong.
Welcome Val! Did you see the review/interview (tribute to) of Frost's Halfway to the Grave that I wrote for the last Speaking of Audiobooks column? I finally tried the Night Huntress series after thinking about it for a year or two.I too am a fan of Ward's BDB series. Although I don't listen to a lot of UF, I have really enjoyed Moning's Fever series, Singh's Guild Hunters series, and Harris' Sookie Stackhouse series as well.
Thanks Lea,I was just over there reading the interview. I was thinking of trying the Fever series, the Hollow's or Nightwalkers Series?
Valerie wrote: "Hi Everyone, My Name is Val. I live in Southern California. I have been Listening to AudioBooks for about 3 Years. My time in the car can be anywhere from 1 to 3 hrs a day I also will throw o..."
Thank you so much, Val! :)
Valerie wrote: "Thanks Lea,I was just over there reading the interview. I was thinking of trying the Fever series, the Hollow's or Nightwalkers Series?"
Val - are you asking what series you should try first? I have only listened to the Fever series but I do give it a very hearty recommendation. We had a whole Shadowfever watch party and group listen going on at this time last year. We also had a great interview with Phil Gigante. You may want to check it out.
http://www.likesbooks.com/blog/?p=5801
Hi, My name is MariaI just joined. I review for Night Owl Romance and have my own blogs too. I just recently started listening to audio books and I have to say that I like it so far. I mostly listen when I'm in the car driving back and forth to work or to do shopping so it takes me a while to finish an audiobook but I like it so much better than listening to the radio.
Welcome Maria! I'm sure you can make some contributions to our discussions. And I'm sure you will find many recommendations for your drives. Let us know your preferences and we'll fire them your way!
Hi to Audiobook readers. Not sure this is considered Romance Audio, but I have listened to 3 of the 4 Lisa Lutz books. She writes about a wacky family with a detective agency. They are considered comedic mysteries I guess you would say. Well, here is my dilemma. All the books take place in the voice of Isabelle Lutz and she is a young woman in her 20's. Ari Gaynor (think that is her name) was the reader for the first 3 books and she WAS Izzy. In the 4th book of the series, they changed readers and she sounded like a 60 yr old grandmother. I couldn't listen and according to reviews on Audible, many felt the same way. I love her books, so read the 4th book. She has a new book coming out and I asked her on Facebook if there was a chance we could get Ari back to read the story. She told me that she has NO influence on who the reader is and half the time does not even know I'd there is going to be an audible version. Do any of you know if we the listener can influence the publishers and if so, how?
If you haven't listened to any of these books and need a little comic relief, give them a try, but listen to Ari, not Caroline or whoever the other reader is!
Thanks for letting me vent, and if any of you know where I can express my concerns in a legitimate way , please let me know.
Bobbie wrote: "Hi to Audiobook readers. Not sure this is considered Romance Audio, but I have listened to 3 of the 4 Lisa Lutz books. She writes about a wacky family with a detective agency. They are considere..."Bobbie - sorry for no replies! I think your message was lost in the introduction section. I'm copying and pasting your thoughts/question in another discussion area. Let's see if we get responses over there.
Here's the new thread centering around your question:
http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/8...
Hi everyone, I'm Brittany, though I go by Benoibe on other sites and on audible reviews. I'm an audiobook addict, and I'm so happy to have found a group of like minded audio fans. I live in New Orleans and am a non-practicing attorney, due to illness. Audiobooks are great escape for the times when pain is overwhelming. There was a time i would have turned my nose from romance books, but my taste in nonfiction and fiction is dark and too analytical. HEA's became my high.
My favorite book site is AllAboutRomance. I primarily use Audible for buying my audiobooks. I currently have 240+ in my library. Listening is best for me because it allows me to do other work while lost in a fantasy world.
My favorite romance authors are a mix a genres from Jeaniene Frost, Karen Marie Moning, to Elizabeth Hoyt, Julie Garwood and of course, Linda Howard. (Lisa Kleypas is a dear favorite too.)
I do have a list compiled of unavailable audiobooks that are missing from available online stores. I hope to find some way to get my message to audible, the authors, the production customers, etc.
I have a fiancée, I'm 32 and no children yet (my illness slowed my life down).
Finally, I believe I am the only person alive who isn't in love with SEP.
Nice to read all of your stories!
Brittany - thanks for telling us something about yourself. Sounds like you know a good deal about romance audio. Did you listen to audiobooks prior to your illness? Myself, I developed a problem with light some years ago which prohibited me from reading non-stop. Now I can read a couple of hours a day at least but during that difficult time, I started listening to more audiobooks and that is when I really locked into the whole romance audio dynamic. I have no desire to go back to print only.
It seems that when you get to know your way around the selection of narrators and learn how to choose good audios, there's no going back.
Lea's Audiobooks wrote: "Brittany - thanks for telling us something about yourself. Sounds like you know a good deal about romance audio. Did you listen to audiobooks prior to your illness? Myself, I developed a probl..."
I did listen to audiobooks in college. (10 yrs ago, renting from blockbuster). I listened during long drives home and found Harry Potter and Bridget Jones Diary (before they were famous in america) I never preferred audio until recently, until my sickness. But yes, I afraid to admit it until you expressed a similar sentimen: I dont want to read hard copy of a good book. I am completely a slave to audiobooks. I've found that the best way to kill pain is to get lost in a steamy Elizabeth Hoyt book or a little Linda Howard.
As for narrators, they can ruin a book. And some bring them to life. There are so many things that must come together to make a great audiobook.
Finally, the book that made me fall in love with audio, this time around, was Slow Heat in Heaven narrated by Dick Hill. Lol. It's smutty and silly, and i love it! I've been an audio book devotee for about a year and 1/2. I've even gotten my boyfriend involved in listening to books on audio.
My new reluctance to read printed books in lieu of listening is what drives me to my dissapointent at the missing books and authors from audible.
I also wish there was a way to share downloaded books with others. I have a collection I would love to share.
Sorry so long winded. I'm always up to helping anyone here. So keep me in mind. :)
Hi, I'm Angie, and I live in Alabama. I'm so happy this group is here. Looks like a great place to find reviews and recommendations. I've only been listening to audiobooks since 2010. The first one I listened to was Dream Man by Linda Howard. I found several more of hers at the library, and then discovered the Highlander series by Karen Marie Moning, and was forever hooked. I guess you can tell that Phil Gigante is a favorite of mine.
Some of my favorite authors in audio include Linda Howard, Karen Marie Moning, Jeaniene Frost, Molly Harper, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Ilona Andrews and Suzanne Enoch.
My favorite narrators are Phil Gigante, Tavia Gilbert, Anna Fields, Amanda Ronconi, Tanya Eby, Susan Duerden, Renee Raudman and Kirsten Potter, and I'm discovering new favorites all the time.
Thank you for the opportunity to join the group. Hopefully I'll be able to contribute something to it in the future.
Angie, I just finished Dream Man by Linda Howard and enjoyed Phil Gigante so glad to know other books he has narrated. Besides Karen Marie Moning books are there others by him you have liked. Have listenend to almost all of the Linda Howard and SEP books. Love JD Robb . I also listen to Thrillers or Romantic Suspense if I am not listening to Romance. Not super big on historicals (although I do like Lisa Kleypas in Audio) or paranormals (werewolves, vampires).
I haven't listened to too many more of his books. Even though he's a favorite, if it's a boring book or not my type, I won't listen. He's done some Diana Palmers, but mostly her newer stuff which I don't care for that much. I did enjoy Heartbreaker though. He did a great job on it. And it was a DNF when I tried to read it several years ago.I tried a couple of Christine Feehan's that he narrated, but I just cannot get into her books. They are too long winded for me, but you might like those. Many people do. I keep meaning to try one of the Heather Graham books that he's done but haven't gotten around to trying one. I've tried reading her in the past and didn't particularly care for her writing style.
I wish Phil would narrate more of the books I enjoy, especially if they have big brawny Highlanders in them.
Angie wrote: "Hi, I'm Angie, and I live in Alabama. I'm so happy this group is here. Looks like a great place to find reviews and recommendations. I've only been listening to audiobooks since 2010. The fir..."
Angie, I'm so flattered. Thank you so much for listening!
Tavia,I just wanted to say that you are my absolute favorite narrator when it comes to European historicals. I'm sure you get a lot of praise for the Jeaniene Frost books, which I love too, but maybe not for your historicals since you've only done a handful. But those Suzanne Enoch books that you narrated couldn't have been done better by anyone. Your accent is perfect. You do the male and female voices both superbly. You bring the right amount of energy and youth to the stories that the genre needs. I am anxiously awaiting the other Suzanne Enoch books that you have narrated. Hopefully they will come out very soon. Thank you for all the hard work you put into making these books come alive the way they do.
Her books are ridiculously fun! Some of the most fun books I've narrated, actually! I'm delighted that you have enjoyed them. Perhaps I'll get a chance to narrate another someday. Happy listening, Angie!
Okay - I looked and can't find an Enoch book narrated by Tavia. What am I missing?!
I've done The Rake, London's Perfect Scoundrel, England's Perfect Hero, Always a Scoundrel, and The Care and Taming of a Rogue. I'm not sure why they're not on Audible. I don't see them either. I did them for Harper.
Well, darn. How are people purchasing these? I can't find a hard copy on Amazon either.
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Romance Audiobooks
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I didn't have time to "read" a book for a while, so audiobooks gave me my fix.
My interests mostly lie in the Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, erotic romance and historical romance.
Some of my favorite authors are Kim Harrison, Laurel K Hamilton, Charlaine Harris, Gena Showalter, Jennifer Estep, Lisa Kleypas, Richelle Mead and Chloe Neill.