Here we are, at our penultimate Picks for 2023! As always, the Gals have chosen the titles they’re most looking forward to listening to in the coming weeks, based on what we know at time of posting. We love to hear from you about what YOU’RE eager to get into your earbuds as well, so do drop by for a chat in the comments!
Narrated by J.F. Harding
This is the first book in the Iron on Iron series of crossover-to-end-all-crossovers featuring our favourite Asheverse characters. Each of the four books centres one couple, with the others appearing in secondary roles, and there’s an overarching mystery as well as some individual puzzles to solve, too. This first book has Jem and Tean (from The Lamb and the Lion) as the leads, on the trail of a murder tied up in wildlife trafficking while making some very… unique… new friends. J.F. Harding returns as the voice of Jem and Tean and I can’t wait to start listening. – Caz
Narrated by Alexander Cendese
I haven’t read the others yet, but I’m going to give this one a try. I enjoy baseball and I like this narrator. – Carrie
This third book in KD Casey’s Unwritten Rules series of baseball romances features an emotional and bittersweet second chance romance. I was a bit sad to see that Jon Waters wasn’t on board for this one, although Alexander Cendese is a reliably good narrator I’ve enjoyed listening to in the past. – Caz
Narrated by Shane East & Saskia Maarleveld
I enjoyed Rosie Danan’s début, The Roommate, but honestly, it’s the names of the narrators that has made me want to listen to Do Your Worst! – Caz
I spotted this one as well – a change from contemporary romance for this author but I’m willing – Kaetrin
Narrated by Tom Alexander & Sebastian Humphreys
Medieval romances don’t seem to come along all that often these days, and m/m ones are even rarer, so I’m interested in this story of two men who meet under… interesting circumstances. The narrators are both new-to-me, but the reviews look promising. – Caz
Narrated by Karissa Vacker
Maybe boardgames romance will be the new sports romance. – Kaetrin
Narrated by Greg Tremblay
A new FISH book?? WOO-HOO!!!! I know I’ve read it, but *looks back through reviews* it came out in 2019 and I’d honestly given up hope that this series would continue in audio. Jackson and Ellery are one of my favourite couples, and in this fifth instalment in the series, they’re opening up their own law firm – and are very quickly dragged into a murder investigation. Greg Tremblay being back is the icing on the fish-shaped cake! – Caz
Narrated by Josh Dylan
I’m looking forward to this one! – Carrie
I read an ARC of this one and enjoyed it a lot – it’s a good wrap-up to the overarching plotlines and the antagonists-to-lovers romance between a bored aristocrat and a scrappy journalist is full of snark and steam. I’m not familiar with the narrator, but I’ve read some good things. – Caz
I enjoyed A Marvellous Light so I think I’ll give this one a try too. – Kaetrin
PLEASE NOTE: Where not available for pre-order, self-published audiobooks generally do not have purchase links available until the day of publication. The links given will take you to the Amazon book page, and you can purchase from there as soon as it is released.
When you get excited about a book, Caz, I perk up! I’ve put the first FISH book on my wishlist. One Night in Hartswood looks interesting, so I’ll be watching for your review on that one. I’ll definitely read The Christmas Veto by Andrews, but I’m not sure whether in print or on audio yet.
I’m wondering why there’s a rerelease of The Other Side of Midnight by Simone St. James? The one Ilistened to was expertly narrated by Mary Jane Wells. I enjoyed Billie Fulford-Brown on a couple of Lucy Parker’s books, but her voice is kind of light and airy and I can’t see it fitting this story as well as MJW’s. The MJW version is still in my Audible library, but is no longer available for sale on the website.
Be warned – the Fish books can get pretty angsty – book 2 in particular packs a real whomp. I’ve reviewed all of them (I think) here; let me know if you want any spoilery details :)
The MJW recording of The Other Side of Midnight wasn’t available in the UK, so I imagine it was US only. This new one IS available here, so I’d guess the publisher has bought new – international – rights. I don’t know why they didn’t just re-issue the MJW version, as it’s excellent; again, I can only surmise it’s a rights issue. I have the older version, too and won’t be rushing to replace it.
Gotcha! I’ll take time to read your reviews and ask questions if needed! :-)
I’m sure Billie Fulford-Brown does a great job with the anrration, but I’m still glad I have the MJW one. It’s a little like having the original Georgette Heyer audiobooks. Some of those narrators are hard to beat, and even though I’m glad the audiobooks are being rereleased and are reaching a wider audience, I’m also glad I have the original ones for the most part. It would be hard to beat Phyllida Nash on The Talisman Ring for me!
Daniel Philpot in The Unknown Ajax is terrific. Some of those older ones weren’t great – the newer Naxos ones that came out a while back (and which have since disappeared) had really good narration as well, and if you’ve looked at Audible UK reviews for the new ones, there are quite a few complaints about mispronunciations. I don’t know if they’ll be made available in the US – it seems odd just to redo them for the UK market, but I imagine the rights are quite complicated.
Audible US now has about 20 new recordings of Georgette Heyer’s books released by Penguin Audio. I haven’t listened to any of them, but I saw that Joe Jameson narrates The Talisman Ring and Frederica. I listened to the samples of The Talismen Ring and Frederica, and it sounds fine, although I still think Ms Nash is better. I also listened to the sample of Gemma Whelan on Venetia which sounded quite good.
Daniel Philpott is wonderful, and I really enjoy Eve Matheson and Cornelius Garrett. I guess I’m used to the narrators for the older Heyer books. I can’t remember any of the books where I didn’t enjoy the narration. But it’s been years since I’ve listened to some of them, so I might find them wanting now since I’ve listened to so many talented narrators.
They must be the same ones that came out over here a couple of years ago. I have the Jameson Frederica and Matt Addis narrating Sylvester, and I want to get a couple of the others, but I’m mostly content with the older ones I’ve already got. I recognise quite a few of the narrators’ names but not many of them are romance narrators so aren’t ones I’ve listened to before.