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A few months ago, we started looking for listeners’ favorites in a large number of romance sub-genres. We took a close look at those most talked about audios at our Romance Audiobooks Goodreads group over the past three years. We studied the results of the two Favorite Romance Audiobooks Polls held at AAR in 2011 and 2012. We considered the numerous listeners’ emails and messages we have received over the past four years. We reviewed listeners’ comments at Speaking of Audiobooks for the past four+ years. And we tallied the comments and survey results at AudioGals. All in an effort to come up with a basic listening guide for romance audio. A guide to the best the genre has to offer – our AudioGals Guide to Romance Audio.
All audios chosen for The Classics graphic are well written, expertly performed, and contain quality production. We like to think of it as a core curriculum for romance listening – by listening to each of these audios, one can fully grasp the intense diversity romance offers and understand the high level of entertainment high quality audiobooks can provide.
We’re hoping this graphic will serve a number of purposes. First, to direct existing romance audio listeners to new listens. Second, enticing non-romance audio listeners to try the romance genre. And third, serving as a guide for those new to audiobooks – to get a taste of the best romance audio has to offer and build a desire within these new listeners to keep listening.
These are the audiobooks that keep inspiring highly favorable comments year after year as listeners either discover these titles for the first time or take a trip down memory lane by relistening to these old favorites yet again. It also includes new titles that have received an overwhelming “hurrah!” from romance listeners.
As we look at listener favorites over the past five years, there are a few titles from the 1990s that remain standouts even today including Anna Fields’ performance of a number of Susan Elizabeth Phillips’ titles, Davina Porter’s delivery of Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series, and Tom Stechschulte’s narration of Nora Roberts’ Carnal Innocence. But audio performances have changed greatly in the past thirteen years with narrators now expected to perform rather than merely read. The availability of more sophisticated production equipment also means we are discontented with poor production quality. No longer are we so tolerant of a low hum in the background or editing that fails to cut out swallowing, breathing, and such. Therefore many of the titles on The Classics graphic are from the past few years as more is expected and subsequently delivered. Listeners have embraced a number of newer titles as much as they once did Gabaldon’s Outlander series, long seen as the golden standard for romance audio. We see narrators meeting the magnificent standards set by those such as Davina Porter and Anna Fields.
In the end, today’s graphic includes titles from ten publishers over sixteen years with the oldest released in 1997 and the newest released in 2013.
We want to thank Tantor Audio for supporting this event and for their unfailing commitment to quality romance audio as they pay attention to listeners’ request and release a large selection of romance audiobooks each month. As part of this event, Tantor’s titles included in this graphic are 50% off.
We have detailed each of the audio titles on the graphic below. You will find that each title links to the hard copies, if available. Listed separately are links to Audible and Tantor’s sale.
There are many titles that came so very, very close to making The Classics list. We’d love to hear from you if there are titles you think deserve inclusion as this is just the first in a series. In 2014, we’ll be looking for the best in various sub-genres and plan to eventually devote a graphic to each of the major romance sub-genre, allowing us to include many more titles. We’ll hold your suggestions close. Feel free to share in our discussion area or use our contact form.
There are two titles we are certain would be listeners favorites (and would have made this list) if only they didn’t lie in that hard-to-find category – Karen Robards’ One Summer released in 2002 and narrated by Anna Fields plus LaVyrle Spencer’s Morning Glory released in 2003 and performed by Kate Forbes. Both cry for rerelease and to be among these treasured titles.
We encourage those who work with groups of listeners to download either our jpeg or pdf files. Our pdf file will print out as a good size poster if desired.
Contemporary:
General
Something About You 
Narrated by Karen White
Original publication date: 2012
Natural Born Charmer
Narrated by Anna Fields
Original date: 2007
Blue-Eyed Devil
Narrated by Renee Raudman
Original publication date: 2008
Humorous
Match Me If You Can – Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Narrated by Anna Fields
Original publication date: 2005
To Die For 
Narrated by Franette Liebow
Original publication date: 2004
Practice Makes Perfect
Narrated by Karen White
Original publication date: 2013
New Adult
Beautiful Disaster
Narrated by Emma Gavin and Dan Bittner
AudioGals review – Beautiful Disaster
AudioGals review – Walking Disaster
Original publication dates: 2012 and 2013
Perfect Chemistry
Narrated by Blas Kisic and Roxanne Hernandez
Original publication date: 2009
Easy
Narrated by Tara Sands
Original publication date: 2012
Historical:
European
Flowers from the Storm
Narrated by Nicholas Boulton
Original publication date: 2013
Outlander 
Narrated by Davina Porter
Original publication date: 1997
The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie 
Narrated by Angela Dawe
Original publication date: 2012
American
Surrender 
Narrated by Kaleo Griffith
Original publication date: 2013
Prince Charming 
Narrated by Rosalyn Landor
Original publication date: 2012
Just Imagine 
Narrated by Cristine McMurdo-Wallis
Original publication date: 2001
Viking to Medieval
Spell of the Highlander
Narrated by Phil Gigante
Original publication date: 2005
Dream of Me – Josie Litton
Narrated by Josephine Bailey
Original publication date: 2004 (approx)
Honor’s Splendour
Narrated by Anne Flosnik
Original publication date: 2010
Paranormal:
Vampire
Lover Awakened 
Narrated by Jim Frangione
Original publication date: 2009
Once Burned – Jeaniene Frost
Narrated by Tavia Gilbert
Original publication date: 2012
Archangel’s Blade 
Narrated by Justine Eyre
Original publication date: 2011
Other Creatures
On the Edge – Ilona Andrews
Narrated by Renee Raudman
Original publication date: 2009
Dragon Bound
Narrated by Sophie Eastlake
Speaking of Audiobooks review of Dragon Bound
Original publication date: 2011
Slave to Sensation 
Narrated by Angela Dawe
Original publication date: 2011
Humorous
Kiss of the Highlander
Narrated by Phil Gigante
Original publication date: 2008
Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs 
Narrated by Amanda Ronconi
Original publication date: 2010
Wolf at the Door
Narrated by Kate Reading
Original publication date: 2011
Romantic Suspense:
General
The Witness 
Narrated by Julia Whelan
Original publication date: 2012
On Thin Ice 
Narrated by Xe Sands
Original publication date: 2012
Kill and Tell
Narrated by Natalie Ross
Original publication date: 2010
Heavy Suspense
Envy – Sandra Brown
Narrated by Victor Slezak
Original publication date: 2001
Carnal Innocence 
Narrated by Tom Stechschulte
Original publication date: 1999
Death Angel
Narrated by Joyce Bean
Original publication date: 2008
Series
I -Team – Pamela Clare
Extreme Exposure 
Narrated by Kaleo Griffith
AudioGals review of Extreme Exposure
Original publication date: 2012
In Death – J.D. Robb
Naked in Death, Book 1
Narrated by Susan Ericksen
Speaking of Audiobooks review of Naked in Death
Original publication date: 2004
Troubleshooters (starting with Flashpoint) – Suzanne Brockmann
Flashpoint
Narrated by Patrick Lawlor and Melanie Ewbanks/Renee Raudman
No
AudioGals overview of the series
Original publication date: 2004
Fantasy Series:
Fever – Karen Marie Moning
Darkfever, Book 1
Narrated by Phil Gigante and Joyce Bean/Natalie Ross
Fever Series Two Gals Talking Discussion
Original publication date: 2008
The Sharing Knife – Lois McMaster Bujold
The Sharing Knife: Beguilement
Narrated by Bernadette Dunne
Speaking of Audiobooks review of The Sharing Knife: Legacy, Book 2
Original publication date: 2007
Night Huntress – Jeaniene Frost
Halfway to the Grave , Book 1
Narrated by Tavia Gilbert
Speaking of Audiobooks Halfway to the Grave review
Original publication date: 2010
Alpha and Omega – Patricia Briggs
Alpha and Omega, Book 1
Narrated by Holter Graham
Original publication date: 2007
Kate Daniels – Ilona Andrews
Magic Bites 
Narrated by Renee Raudman
Original publication date: 2009
Lea Hensley
Thank you for this fabulous guide! I know a lot of those books you listed and have listened to about 1/3 of them. Unfortunately, about half of them (e.g. those by Pamela Clare, Linda Howard, Julie James, Nalini Singh, Anne Stuart) are not available as downloads either from tantor or audible for listeners from Germany due to regional restrictions. I hope that this list may give them a push to be made available for us listeners from Europe – okay, we may buy those audiobooks on CD…
I’m sure geographical restrictions can prove to be extremely disappointing. We have two reviewers outside of the US – Australia and Britain, and we must watch this with review books as well. In fact, we will soon feature a three way chat about these restrictions.
Are you saying that you can buy these titles in CD format? One of Brenda’s screenshot tutorials gives instructions for doing so if it is of interest to you: https://audiogals.allaboutromance.com/simple-tech/take-audiobook-cds-to-an-ipod-playlist/#.UlP84xa1nww
We’re thrilled you enjoyed the guide!
Yes, there is no problem with buying those audiobooks in CD format from a bookseller in Germany. It is only with downloads – and on Tantor, I get the info that I also would not be allowed to buy those CDs from them. But if I try a seller like amazon.de or buy them at a German bookstore, than there is no problem with that. I don’t want to sound mean/close-fisted or something like that, but I have an subscription on audible.com (and one on audible.de) and I would really like to use my credits there and not spend additional money on buying those CDs.
However, I would like to thank you for this list of highly recommended audiobooks.
I “use” those audiobooks not only for entertainment (although this is my main motivation for listening to them), but also to combine pleasure and listening practice since I’m mainly in contact with English in the form of specialised literature. So I look forward to adding some of those to my to-be-listened-to – list…
How cool is this! Must go save to favorites…….
Thank you Lee! That’s what we are hoping – that listeners will save for future listening. :)
My must read guide for the for the next year.
Thank you AudioGals for putting this together.
Sue – I imagine you have listened to a number of these? I hadn’t thought about it being a guide for the coming year but what a great idea!
I love this graphic! I love the fact that my books are included. Thank you so much, AudioGals! I bet that took a lot of work.
With regard to Tantor, they often don’t buy international distribution rights, which means they can’t sell the books to customers outside the US/Canada. I’m not sure why they make that choice, but it is very frustrating for my international listeners. I have a lot of readers in the UK and Australia who wanted to listen to the audiobooks but can’t.
Thanks Pamela! Choosing the titles did take a good bit of time but the graphic was put together by the graphic designer who created the art for our site, JLS Design. We love her work!
The geographical restrictions continue to mystify me but I’m informed just enough to acknowledge that there are things at play that I simply don’t know or understand. I didn’t even know that it was in a package (so to speak) and could be referred to as “international distribution rights”. Do you know if rights can but purchased for just the UK or Australia or must it all be covered under the “International” tag?
It’s my understanding that it can be packaged or that the rights can go country to country. The English speaking Commonwealth nations tend to get lumped together.
My print books are “world English-language rights,” where the foreign language countries are all individual. With the audiobooks it seems to be North America only and then (of course it’s all English-language) the UK/NZ/AUS get left out, not to mention non-English countries, where many people speak English and want to listen to them. I haven’t yet found a way for them to download the audibooks.
If anyone figures out how someone in Australia or Germany or Spain can buy the books, please let me know!
Thank you Pamela!
Thanks, Lea and crew for putting together such a comprehensive guide, and for supporting our efforts to create audiobooks to the best of our collective abilities!
I’m honored to even be in the same category as Anna Fields, who generously helped me out at the beginning of my career, and I’m thankful to have been paired with Julie James, a writer of exceptional talent. Her way with words truly makes my job easier, and a lot of fun.
Brenda and discussed just last week the influence of Anna Fields on romance audio and wondered if she is considered somewhat of a pioneer in the genre by other female narrators. What a tremendous loss for all audio enthusiasts as I know she narrated more than just romance. In all sincerity, it’s fortunate that narrators such as you are stepping in to fill this void in contemporary romance.
Pioneer because she was performing the books earlier than other narrators?
I do find her approach inspiring as she was able to convey humor so well, her voice was SO expressive – and in the lower range which helps make the men more believable. Most of all, I think her books are seamless. You don’t hear “character voices”, you hear the characters. Does that make sense?
She was generous with me in terms of explaining how the business worked when I was getting started. I am forever grateful for the hour or so she spent on the phone with me – as a favor to a friend of a friend of a friend.
Pioneer in that she “got” romance so completely and she acted rather than just read during a time when narrators were still reading with expression rather than performing the characters. And all the things you mentioned. You don’t find that much in other romance audiobooks of the 90s.
Ah, I “get” it ;)
What a great list! I know I narrate and all, but I also listen obsessively to audiobooks, especially while cooking. Now my kitchen can get hot for other reasons than burning a risotto. Not that I’ve ever done that. Ahem.
Seriously, what a lot of work. I’ve starred a bunch of these to my wish list and have started listening already.
Thanks Tanya. Hope you’ll let me know what worked best for you. I may come asking…
Thank you so much for this wonderful guide!! I’ve been looking for something like this for ages. Your hard and loving work is mana for my starving ears! I’ve always been an avid reader but I discovered the magic of audiobooks just a couple of years ago and they have transformed the barren hours of boring and numbing routine tasks and chores into something to look forward to (truth be told they also posed the minor problem of sleepless nights when said hours do not suffice and you can’t stop listening! I imagine that after going through this list my eyes will be in dire need of concealer…). You Gals rock!!
Bea – been there, done that many times! I now have a much cleaner house and exercising goes by more quickly than when I’m just listening to music. Thanks for the good word. Knowing we have helped you find some new listens is what we hope for!
Awesome list. I’m surprised to find Alpha and Omega instead of Mercy Thompson, but to each their own I guess. A note about the Fever series though, I listed to them all and Phil Gigante’s voice does inappropriate things to my insides now, but it’s not actually Phil and Natalie in the initial few volumes, it’s Joyce Bean. She narrates the first 3 books. She’s very good too actually, and if they hadn’t switched mid-series, it probably wouldn’t have suffered, but it’s worth mentioning to those who are new to Mac and Barrons so there’s not confusion.
*listened to them all. Typo. Sorry.
Thanks Shawny for the Fever series clarification. We “meant” to indicate that Joyce Bean narrated the first three books and then the final books were narrated by the team of Gigante and Ross. Obviously we didn’t word that quite right! I enjoyed Bean’s narration but (as I imagine you know) Moning fans were crying out for Gigante’s narration remembering his narration of her Highlander series. It was a difficult transition for me to make at the beginning of Dreamfever but since I too am a big Gigante fan, I loved the end result. I didn’t care for Bean’s performance of Barrons all that much although I was glued to those first three books. :)
Good observation on the Mercy Thompson series. It was in the running most definitely. This is just the sort of thing we want to hear from listeners.