Here’s our regular look at the new and upcoming releases that Gals are most looking forward to listening to in the coming weeks. We all had a bit of a tough time coming up with titles we were really enthusiastic about this time around – November seems to be a lean month – but hopefully we’ve found some things that will whet your aural appetites. Drop by and tell us which new audiobooks you’re most eager to get your hands (and ears!) on in the comments!
A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire by Jennifer Armentrout
Narrated by Stina Nielsen
Though I have yet to listen to the first book in the Blood and Ash series, it got very good reviews, and with book two, A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire coming out this November, it seems like it’s time to start listening to this series. I prefer to listen to fantasy romances sequentially and now that there are two books – and at close to twenty and twenty-four hours, respectively, they are long books worth spending a credit on! – BJ
One Time Only
by Lauren Blakely
Narrated by Teddy Hamilton and Jacob Morgan
Yeah… no, I don’t need to know what this is about – Teddy & Jacob are enough for me! (I think it’s a bodyguard romance, though…;)) – Caz
The Sugared Game
by KJ Charles
Narrated by Cornell Collins
Book two in KJ Charles’ spiffingly clever and entertaining 1920s adventure series sees former soldier-turned-bookshop-owner Will Darling once again teaming up with aristocratic spy and all-round shifty bastard, Kim Secretan to foil a dastardly plot – this time one that ends up hitting very close to home. I had a few reservations about Cornell Collins’ narration in the previous book, but they weren’t enough to put me off wanting to listen to this one. – Caz
The Scandalous, Dissolute, No-Good Mr Wright and Beauty and the Blacksmith 
by Tessa Dare
Narrated by Carolyn Morris
Tessa Dare and Carolyn Morris are releasing a couple of novella length audiobooks and having enjoyed their Spindle Cove collaborations in the past, I’m looking forward to listening to these new additions. – BJ
I remember reading The Scandalous, Dissolute, No-Good Mr. Wright when it first came out and loving it, so I was really pleased to see if coming to audio at long last. Carolyn Morris did an excellent job with the other Spindle Cove books, so I’m pleased to see her back in the narrator’s chair to complete the series. – Caz
Spotlight by Eden Finley
Narrated by iggy Toma
I’ll listen to Iggy Toma narrate pretty much anything and I enjoyed the previous instalment in Eden Finley’s new Famous series about the former members of a mega-successful boyband, so I’ll be queueing this one up when it’s released. – Caz
Forget About Me by Karen Grey
Narrated by Emma Wilder and Brian Pallino
Author Karen Grey is, in her alter ego of Karen White, an incredibly talented and popular narrator of romances, so it’s no wonder that she’d be able to turn her hand to writing them! Forget About Me is book two in her 1980s-set Boston Classics series, and it’s a second-chance romance between two people who were separated by tragedy but never stopped loving each other. Sadly, it was one of the last things recorded by Brian Pallino before his recent and untimely death :( I’ve enjoyed his work very much in the past, and am looking forward to listening to this – although it’s going to be a bittersweet experience. – Caz
American Christmas by Adriana Herrera
Narrated by Sean Crisden
A novella-coda to Adriana Herrera’s Dreamers series, this story features two of the secondary characters from the series. I enjoyed the other books and Sean Crisden’s performances very much, so this will be a short-but-sweet listen. – Caz
The Duke Who Didn’t by Courtney Milan
Narrated by Mary Jane Wells
I’m looking forward to listening to this one. Before Audible Escape ended I listened to a few of Courtney Milan’s books and enjoyed them, and Mary Jane Wells is one of the best historical narrators out there, so this should be a great pairing for a listen! – BJ
I’ve read this one already but plan to listen as well. Mary Jane Wells is one of my favourite narrators for historical romance. I hope she does a good job with the various Chinese and Hakka dialects which crop up in the book. Fingers crossed. – Kaetrin
The Bright and Breaking Sea by Chloe Neill
Narrated by Danielle Cohen
It’s a new Chloe Neill series with lady-swashbucklers! I’m so excited! – Kaetrin
My Best Friend’s Mardi Gras Wedding by Erin Nicholas
Narrated by Amanda Stribling and Neill Thorne
I usually enjoy Erin Nicholas books. Both narrators are new to me and unfortunately the sample is only of Neill Thorne but he sounds really good so I’m keen to try this one, which riffs from the plot of My Best Friend’s Wedding (but better because it has a HEA). – Kaetrin
Metahuman Files Classified: Out of the Ashes, New Horizons, Fire in the Heart (3 novellas)
Narrated by Greg Boudreaux
I’m a huge fan of this series, and was delighted to see the novellas finally making it into audio. – Caz
A Dangerous Kind of Lady by Mia Vincy
Narrated by Kate Reading
Although this is Mia Vincy’s third published book, it’s actually #2 in her Longhope Abbey series, and is a terrific antagonists-to-lovers story featuring two fiercely independent characters, packed with Ms. Vincy’s own brand of snark and insightful dialogue. I really enjoyed it in print when it came out earlier this year, and Kate Reading’s bound-to-be superb performance will only make a good story even better. – Caz
While I’ve enjoyed reading each book in Vincy’s Longhope Abbey series, listening to Kate Reading narrate the audio versions somehow made the first two even better! I’m eager to listen to heroine Arabella match wits with our irresistible hero, Guy Roth, Marquess of Hardbury. Vincy pits these two against each other just when they both most need someone in their corner. Reading about them falling for each was a fun and frustrating trip, and I can’t wait to listen to Reading bring their complicated romance to life in audio. – Em
I think there was a taster for ‘One Time Only’ on ‘When You Walked Into My Bar’. I haven’t listened to either of those narrators before, so, in the interest of expanding my narrators list, I should probably listen to this ;) I’m hoping for more of the same – two sexy voiced men having a lot of sexy times – probably somewhere other than London this time.
Listening to audios of books that I haven’t read seems the safest at the moment. I won’t be listening to The Sugared Game, even though it’s one of my favourite books of the year. I had so many issues with the audio of Slippery Creatures that it was a DNF for me. Sad, really.
Re One Time Only: Trigger warnings for death on a motorcycle. This trigger never gets flagged, but it affects hundreds of thousands of people, me included. If its a trigger for you too, now you know. I don’t think I’ll finish, not right now anyway. But the narration is great and sounds very different from the ‘Him’ trilogy. What I listened to sounds a bit edgier than the usual Lauren Blakely product.
Oh, thanks. That isn’t a trigger for me but I thought One Time Only would just be fluff, like WHWIMB.
I read the Him trilogy for the first time earlier this month and enjoyed them, so might listen to them instead!
Wendy, I highly recommend Him on audio! I listen to a lot of mm romance, and have been a reader of the genre for 10 years or more. This trilogy is easily in my top ten list, maybe my top five. And the narration is really just perfection, Morgan and Hamilton ARE Wesmie. Enjoy your listen, its great when you’re in the mood for lighter fare.
Wendy, I agree with KesterGayle. The Him trilogy is one of my top 10 audio listen for this year. I highly recommend listening to it.
KesterGayle- thank you for the trigger warning. It’s important that readers know these things going in, and motorcycle accidents are all too common. ::virtual hug::
Oddly, I re-listened to HIM just a few days ago when I was between listens and nothing on my TBR pile tempted me! I still love it… I’m planning on reviewing One Time Only as soon as I can slot it in.
Thank you, Carrie. I wish blurbs were better about mentioning issues that can trigger people just in general, but this one never gets mentioned. And in a Blakely title in particular it really blindsided me because she rarely deals with trauma of any kind; she tends toward fluff. Its not graphic or anything, but it was enough to stop me listening.
I loved Carolyn Morris narrating A Week to be Wicked, and I’m planning on listening to more.
Am I the only one who doesn’t like the cover of Forget About Me? The woman’s boobs look like balloons! LOL! I didn’t realize the author is Karen White. I look forward to hearing your thoughts, Caz.
The Bright and Breaking Sea looks like fun. I don’t think I’ve ever read anything by this author.
I still want to listen to the Metahuman books, but my TBR pile is high and my audio buying budget is low. Someday!
A Dangerous Kind of Lady is fantastic. Probably my favorite of the series, and that’s saying something since I am not a big fan of angst/tension in books. Kate Reading is at the absolute top of her game here. As hard as it was for my little anxious heart to sit through this, it will be on my top 10 list this year, for sure!
Hah – I thought exactly the same thing about the cover of Forget About Me :) I think my review is up tomorrow. so watch this space.
I kind of liked seeing those big boobs because mine look like that! No matter what size my rear end is, the boobs get there five minutes before I do. Its just what my life has been since age 12 or so, but it is rather nice seeing a little bit of yourself reflected back, you know?
Hah – sadly, I’ve always been the exact opposite; I don’t think I’ve ever read a heroine with a (small) B cup in a romance novel!
In my defense my books have both! The upcoming holiday novella’s has a heroine with A cups :) and I think of Kate in book one’s as B’s.
Be careful what you wish for! Bras built like tanks, no button-front blouses, pinchng your boobs with an elbow in your sleep, etc. Hubs is a fan, and they are quite effective on people like mechanics, and I can wear the lowest of lowcut tops with no danger of exposure, but getting an eye exam is problematic if you can’t get close enough to the eyepiece. Lol!!
I’m listening to the Chloe Neill now. The worldbuilding is really fun and different. Enjoying it so far!