AudioGals Guide to Romance Audio – The Classics

AudioGals Guide to Romance Audio - The Classics

In early 2013, 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 from 2009 to 2013. 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’ requests and release a large selection of romance audiobooks each month.

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.

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.

PDF – 36″ x 34″

JPEG – 13.3″ x 12.5″

JPEG – 8.25″ x 8.79″

 

Contemporary:

 

General

 

Something About You Audio125

Something About You  – Julie James

Narrated by Karen White

 

 

AudioGals review

Original publication date: 2012

 

 

Natural Born Charmer

Natural Born Charmer – Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Narrated by Anna Fields

 

AudioGals review

Original date: 2007

 

 

Blue Eyed Devil 175

Blue-Eyed Devil – Lisa Kleypas

Narrated by Renee Raudman

 

AudioGals review

Original publication date: 2008

 

 

 

Humorous

 

Match Me If You Can

Match Me If You Can – Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Narrated by Anna Fields

 

AudioGals review

Original publication date: 2005

 

 

To Die For

To Die For  – Linda Howard

Narrated by Franette Liebow

 

Speaking of Audiobooks review

Original publication date: 2004

 

 

 

 

Practice Makes Perfect

Practice Makes Perfect – Julie James

Narrated by Karen White

 

 

Speaking of Audiobooks review

Original publication date: 2013

 

 

 

New Adult

 

Beautiful Disaster

Beautiful Disaster and Walking Disaster – Jamie McGuire

Narrated by Emma Gavin and Dan Bittner

 

AudioGals review – Beautiful Disaster

AudioGals review – Walking Disaster

Original publication dates: 2012 and 2013

 

 

 

Perfect Chemistry

Perfect Chemistry – Simone Elkeles

Narrated by Blas Kisic and Roxanne Hernandez

 

Original publication date: 2009

 

 

 

 

 

Easy

Easy – Tammara Webber

Narrated by Tara Sands

 

Original publication date: 2012

 

 

 

 

 

Historical:

 

European

 

 

Kinsale-FlowersfromtheStorm-shadow

Flowers from the Storm – Laura Kinsale

Narrated by Nicholas Boulton

 

AudioGals review

Original publication date: 2013

 

 

 

Outlander choice

Outlander  – Diana Gabaldon

Narrated by Davina Porter

 

AudioGals review

Original publication date: 1997

 

 

 

The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie  – Jennifer Ashley

Narrated by Angela Dawe

 

 

AudioGals review

Original publication date: 2012

 

 

American

 

SurrenderAudio192

Surrender   – Pamela Clare

Narrated by Kaleo Griffith

 

 

AudioGals review

Original publication date: 2013

 

 

Prince Charming

Prince Charming  – Julie Garwood

Narrated by Rosalyn Landor

 

Original publication date: 2012

 

 

 

 

 

Just Imagine

Just Imagine  – Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Narrated by Cristine McMurdo-Wallis

 

Original publication date: 2001

 

 

 

 

 

Viking to Medieval

 

Spell of the Highlander

Spell of the Highlander – Karen Marie Moning

Narrated by Phil Gigante

 

Original publication date: 2005

 

 

 

 

 

Dream of MeDream of Me – Josie Litton

Narrated by Josephine Bailey

 

Speaking of Audiobooks review

Original publication date: 2004 (approx)

 

 

 

Honor's Splendour

Honor’s Splendour – Julie Garwood

Narrated by Anne Flosnik

 

Original publication date: 2010

 

 

 

 

Paranormal:

 

Vampire

 

Lover Awakened

Lover Awakened  – J.R. Ward

Narrated by Jim Frangione

 

Speaking of Audiobooks review

Original publication date: 2009

 

 

Once Burned

Once Burned – Jeaniene Frost

Narrated by Tavia Gilbert

 

Speaking of Audiobooks review

Original publication date: 2012

 

 

 

Archangel's Blade

Archangel’s Blade  – Nalini Singh

Narrated by Justine Eyre

 

 

Speaking of Audiobooks review

Original publication date: 2011

 

 

 

Other Creatures

 

On the Edge

On the Edge – Ilona Andrews

Narrated by Renee Raudman

 

 

Original publication date: 2009

 

 

 

Dragon Bound

Dragon Bound – Thea Harrison

Narrated by Sophie Eastlake

 

 

Speaking of Audiobooks review of Dragon Bound

Original publication date: 2011

 

 

Slave to Sensation

Slave to Sensation  – Nalini Singh

Narrated by Angela Dawe

 

 

Original publication date: 2011

 

 

Humorous

 

Kiss of the Highlander

Kiss of the Highlander – Karen Marie Moning

Narrated by Phil Gigante

 

Speaking of Audiobooks review

Original publication date: 2008

 

 

 

 

Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs

Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs  – Molly Harper

Narrated by Amanda Ronconi

 

Speaking of Audiobooks review

Original publication date: 2010

 

 

 

 

Wolf at the Door Wolf at the Door – Christine Warren

Narrated by Kate Reading

 

 

Speaking of Audiobooks review

Original publication date: 2011

 

 

Romantic Suspense:

 

General

 

The Witness - Roberts

The Witness  – Nora Roberts

Narrated by Julia Whelan

 

AudioGals review

Original publication date: 2012

 

 

 

 

On Thin Ice

On Thin Ice  – Anne Stuart

Narrated by Xe Sands

 

 

Speaking of Audiobooks review

Original publication date: 2012

 

 

Kill and TellKill and Tell – Linda Howard

Narrated by Natalie Ross

 

Speaking of Audiobooks review

Original publication date: 2010

 

 

 

 

Heavy Suspense

 

Envy

Envy – Sandra Brown

Narrated by Victor Slezak

 

AudioGals review

Original publication date: 2001

 

 

 

Carnal Innocence

 

Carnal Innocence – Nora Roberts

Narrated by Tom Stechschulte

 

AudioGals review

Original publication date: 1999

 

 

 

Death Angel

Death Angel – Linda Howard

Narrated by Joyce Bean

 

Speaking of Audiobooks review

Original publication date: 2008

 

 

 

Series

 

Extreme Exposure

I -Team – Pamela Clare

Extreme Exposure , Book 1

Narrated by Kaleo Griffith

 

 

AudioGals review of Extreme Exposure

Original publication date: 2012

 

 

Naked in Death

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

 

 

 

flashpointTroubleshooters (starting with Flashpoint) – Suzanne Brockmann

Flashpoint, Book 7

Narrated by Patrick Lawlor and Melanie Ewbanks/Renee Raudman

No

AudioGals overview of the series

Original publication date: 2004

 

 

Fantasy Series:

 

Darkfever

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 Kinfe

The Sharing Knife – Lois McMaster Bujold

The Sharing Knife: Beguilement, Book 1

Narrated by Bernadette Dunne

 

Speaking of Audiobooks review of The Sharing Knife: Legacy Book 2

Original publication date: 2007

 

 

Halfway to the Grave

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

Alpha and Omega – Patricia Briggs

Alpha and Omega, Book 1

Narrated by Holter Graham

 

Original publication date: 2007

 

Magic Bites

Kate Daniels – Ilona Andrews

Magic Bites , Book 1

Narrated by Renee Raudman

 

 

Original publication date: 2009

 

 

To comment in our discussion area, please follow this link to our blog page.

 

Lea Hensley