Contemporary Women Audiobooks | Fiction

"Published for the first time together, ONCE UPON A HOLIDATE includes the fan-favorite story Happily this Christmas and a bonus novella from Susan Mallery's beloved Happily Inc series, never before published together! There's no place like Happily Inc for the holidays… Wynn Beauchene has a thriving business, a great kid and a mildly embarrassing crush on the guy next door-local cop Garrick McCabe. She's a strong, independent woman who can't help dreaming what-if about a man she barely knows. Until he needs her help… Garrick's pregnant daughter will be home for Christmas, and his house needs a woman's touch. Garrick and his little girl were tight once, and he's hoping a small-town Christmas will bring her back to him. But thawing his daughter's frosty attitude will take more than a few twinkle lights. Maybe sharing the holiday with Wynn and her son will remind her of the joy of family. As the season works its magic on these wounded souls, Wynn realizes it's time to stop punishing herself for a painful secret, while Garrick remains haunted by the ghosts of past mistakes. Will he allow Wynn to open the only gift she truly wants-his heart? Includes a bonus novella and a sneak peek at her next book! Happily Inc Book 1: You Say It First Book 2: Second Chance Girl Book 3: Why Not Tonight Book 4: Not Quite Over You Book 5: Meant to Be Yours Book 6: Happily This Christmas"

Susan Mallery (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

One Step Closer to You

"After Polly ends her relationship with the father of her young son, Louis, she is determined to move on. All she wants is to focus on her job, her friends and to be a good mum. No more looking over her shoulder. No more complications… Then Polly meets Ben. Ben is guardian to his niece, Emily. They become close, with Polly teaching Ben how to plait Emily’s hair and Ben playing football with Louis. Their friendship is unexpected. Polly has never been happier. But just as Polly thinks her life may be turning around, the unthinkable happens. When her new life balances on a knife edge, will she be able to stay strong for one more time? And give herself, as well as her son, a chance at a new life?"

Alice Peterson (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Big Island Sunset

"The Big Island Saga continues . . . Emma's life is in an uproar as her niece faces a decision that will change their lives forever. She's got Juniper's back, no matter what . . . but as things between Jun and her dad go from bad to worse, Emma begins to wonder if the fragile peace between her and her brother can survive this growing rift in their family. Next door, Tara deals with a fresh twist of fate that throws her family life into chaos. Through all of the stress of recent months, her relationship with Liam has been a place of refuge . . . but can their fledgling romance survive her overbooked schedule? Join the women of Pualena as they navigate life and love on the Island of Hawai'i."

Shayla Cherry (Author), Raechel Wong (Narrator)

Audiobook

Say You'll Be There: a compelling and brilliantly real novel about friendship, love and betrayal

"'This captivating book is a remarkable and moving testament to the strength and resilience that can be drawn upon from within female friendships' AYESHA MANAZIR SIDDIQI, author of The Centre 'An authentic kaleidoscope of trauma, regret, resilience, self-actualisation and love' GREG MOSSE, author of Murder at Church Lodge Say You'll Be There is a celebration of friendship, a story of survival, and a fight against the notion that some girls were destined to quietly disappear. Perfect for fans of Wahala (Nikki May) and Expectation (Anna Hope). 1997. It's Red Nose Day and Tess, Candace, Dana and Arianna rock up to school dressed as the same Spice Girl. Embarrassing. But it's the start of a friendship that will see them through the challenges of school, family life, and their first romantic relationships – good, bad and unspeakable. And sure, they only became a band for detention, but this could be the start of everything they dreamed of… 2019. The girls haven't been in touch for years – since devastating secrets and the trials of adult life tore them apart. Until, one day, Candace contacts Tess and Arianna to say Dana has gone missing. As the three women come together to search for their missing friend and fill in the gaps between the years, it opens up a world of trouble they all believed was firmly in the past. Praise for Nina Millns 'Riveting, real and raw . . . a powerful journey' BALVINDER SOPAL, actress 'Wisely and wittily leaps into the heart of friendships' SABRINA MAHFOUZ, auhthor of How You Might Know Me 'A thrilling page-turner' T.J. EMERSON, author of The Perfect Holiday 'Had me laughing out loud in some places and unable to tear my gaze from the drama in others. Highly recommended' CASS GREEN, author of The Woman Next Door"

Nina Millns (Author), Akilha Shraya (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Dating Prohibition

""Taj McCoy's writing positively crackles with energy, wit and humor." -Jayci Lee, author of Booked on a Feeling In this spicy new rom-com, an ambitious entrepreneur working to get her speakeasy supper club off the ground is pushed off balance when her childhood crush turns up, hotter than ever--then tells her she's off-limits. Now that Kendra's returned home, she can't help feeling like a kid again-back in her big brother's shadow, trying to get her restaurant off the ground while his new venture is flying high right out the gate. It doesn't help that everyone refuses to stop calling her Keke, the childhood nickname she loathes. The only bright spot is her longtime crush BJ. He's been her big brother's best friend for most of her life, and he's always been that cool, chill guy who was easy to talk to and made her laugh. Now he's looking at her like she's all grown up, and there's nothing childish about the chemistry brewing between them. Even better, he takes her dreams seriously, and he's ready to help her make her supper club a reality. But then BJ extinguishes the sparks flying between them, insisting nothing romantic can ever happen because she's "off limits." As her investors fall through and her best chance at fulfilling her professional dreams points toward leaving home again for a fresh start, will BJ be ready for love before Kendra moves on? Or will he sweep her off her feet when she least expects it? For fans of: - Brother's Best Friend - Spicy Rom-Com - Childhood Crush - Off-limits Romance - Ambitious Heroine - Second Chances"

Taj Mccoy (Author), Adenrele Ojo (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Secret of Orange Blossom Cake

""Heartfelt, heartwarming, joyful, and uplifting. You can't go wrong with a Rachel Linden book."-#1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber A magical cookbook and a summer on her family's Italian olive farm help a brokenhearted social media chef cook up a satisfying new life in this delectable novel from the bestselling author of Recipe for a Charmed Life. Rising star Jules Costa loves re-creating vintage recipes for her popular online cooking show. But when personal and professional disaster strikes, her only chance to save her career is to complete her new cookbook before the end of the summer. Panicked, Jules returns to her family's beloved olive farm on the shores of Italy's stunning Lake Garda. Seeking culinary inspiration, she's hoping to convince her spunky eighty-year-old Nonna Bruna to share her precious collection of family recipes. Jules's plans quickly go awry as she discovers that Nonna's cookbook has magical and unpredictable powers. It reveals only one recipe at a time, offering a cooking experience guaranteed to satisfy the chef's palate and bring clarity to their life. Yet the pages remain stubbornly blank for Jules. To make matters worse, the olive farm is in deep financial trouble, and Jules soon uncovers a web of family secrets involving the cookbook and a lost recipe for orange blossom cake that holds the key to everything. Then there's Nicolo, the boy next door, who broke her young heart years ago. He is now all grown up, even more attractive, and the only person poised to help Jules find answers. In a whirlwind summer beyond her imagination, Jules begins to unravel the mysteries baked into her family's history and discovers the essential ingredients to create the future of her dreams."

Rachel Linden (Author), Taylor Harvey (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Literati: A Novel

"'Like Bookish People, the novel sparkles with kooky details plucked from literary culture. A comedy of errors that gets it just right.' --Kirkus An unexpected catastrophe of literary proportions . . . Aspirant, bookish, and close to broke, 26-year-old Clemi steps into her dream job at a prestigious literary nonprofit and finds herself in the bull's eye of a financial, legal, and existential calamity. The executive director has disappeared, leaving behind an inscrutable cat to which she is highly allergic. Meanwhile, the bank accounts have been overdrawn, the FBI is asking questions, and she has three days to pull off the annual fundraising gala, a glamorous affair filled with famous writers and local literati. On the upside, she will get to meet her all-time favorite writer, who has won the award. Clemi has read and reread her novels, pouring over her every word. But her interactions with the author and her eight-year-old son, as well as with the nonprofit's Board Members, leave her wondering whether certain writers are better on the page than in person. All the while, Clemi is trying to sort out her own life: her current boyfriend is, like every boyfriend before him, a pompous poseur, and the clock is running on her apartment-sitting gig. She finds herself wondering what all the goings-on in this dysfunctional, scandal-plagued nonprofit have to do with literature. And if it's time to let go of her literary aspirations and apply to law school. In the week in which this madcap story unfolds, USA TODAY bestselling author Susan Coll weaves together a charmingly witty and warm comedy of manners that offers a peek behind the literary curtain--one that anyone who's ever been a little bit uncertain of what the future might hold can relate to."

Susan Coll (Author), Marni Penning (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Devil Book

"Brought to you by Penguin. A classic girl-meets-boy-meets-devil story from a Danish literary superstar A woman meets a man on a train in Copenhagen and agrees to visit him in London. She has lived many lives and as she sits out a two-week quarantine in his apartment, she begins to tell her story. Years ago, desperate for money, she sold herself to a man called T. He offered her a suitcase full of money and lavish gifts in exchange for total control of her body. In the bed between them lay a large kitchen knife and the promise of an iconic death. At the last moment, she chose life and fled. Now in London, the woman watches the people around her, searching for clues on how to live in the face of betrayal and loss, and what freedom really looks like. Intimate, revelatory and ultimately revolutionary, this is a portrait of a woman driven to the brink of destruction, who learns to believe in love again. 'Nordenhof's writing is electrifying' CHETNA MAROO ‘A comet in Scandinavian literature’ OLGA RAVN © Asta Olivia Nordenhof 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025"

Asta Olivia Nordenhof (Author), Neele Bjerre (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Austen Affair: A Novel

"Two feuding co-stars in a Jane Austen film adaptation accidentally travel back in time to the Regency Era in this delightfully clever and riotously funny debut. This program is read by award-winning narrator Stephanie Németh-Parker. Tess Bright just scored her dream role starring in an adaptation of Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey. It's not just the role of a lifetime, but it’s also her last chance to prove herself as a serious actress (no easy feat after being fired from her last TV gig) and more importantly, it’s her opportunity to honor her mom, who was the biggest fan of Jane Austen ever. But one thing is standing in Tess’s way—well, one very tall, annoyingly handsome person, actually: Hugh Balfour. A serious British method actor, Hugh wants nothing to do with Tess (whose Teen Choice Awards somehow don’t quite compare to his BAFTA nominations). Hugh is a type-A, no-nonsense, Royal Academy prodigy, whereas Tess is big-hearted, a little reckless, and admittedly, kind of a mess. But the film needs chemistry—and Tess’s career depends on it. Sparks fly, but not in the way Tess hoped, when an electrical accident sends the two feuding co-stars back in time to Jane Austen’s era. 200 years in the past with only each other to rely on, Tess and Hugh need to ad-lib their way through the Regency period in order to make it back home, and hopefully not screw up history along the way. But if a certain someone looks particularly dashing in those 19th century breeches…well, Tess won’t be complaining. A wickedly funny, delightfully charming story, The Austen Affair is a tribute to Jane Austen, second chances, and love across the space-time continuum. A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press"

Madeline Bell (Author), Stephanie Németh-Parker (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Irish Goodbye: A Novel

"In this debut, for fans of J. Courtney Sullivan and Mary Beth Keane, three adult sisters grapple with a shared tragedy over a Thanksgiving weekend as they try to heal strained family bonds through the passage of time. It’s been years since the three Ryan sisters were all together at their beloved family home on the eastern shore of Long Island. Two decades ago, their lives were upended by an accident on their brother Topher’s boat: A friend’s brother was killed, the resulting lawsuit nearly bankrupted their parents, and Topher spiraled into depression, eventually taking his life. Now the Ryan women are back for Thanksgiving, eager to reconnect, but each carrying a heavy secret. The eldest, Cait, still holding guilt for the role no one knows she played in the boat accident, rekindles a flame with her high school crush: Topher’s best friend and the brother of the boy who died. Middle sister, Alice, has been thrown a curveball that threatens the career she’s restarting and faces a difficult decision that may doom her marriage. And the youngest, Maggie, is finally taking the risk of bringing the woman she loves home to meet her devoutly Catholic mother. Infusing everything is the grief for Topher that none of the Ryans have figured out how to carry together. When Cait invites a guest from their shared past to Thanksgiving dinner, old tensions boil over and new truths surface, nearly overpowering the flickering light of their family bond. Far more than a family holiday will be ruined unless the sisters can find a way to forgive themselves—and one another. A Macmillan Audio production from Henry Holt & Company"

Heather Aimee O'Neill (Author), Kristen Sieh (Narrator)

Audiobook

Is This Real or Just Pretend?

"they thought they could fool everyone with a fake courtship, but they may be fooling only themselves... Alexandra Atkinson prides herself on being in control. It's why she's such an asset to her father's investment firm-along with her utter lack of a social life and her talent for spotting successful ventures for investors. But with her father nearing retirement and the board unwilling to have a female head, Alex could lose everything . . . After his business partner burned him, Lucien Taylor is determined to start over. But he doesn't know how until his childhood friend's sister, Alexandra Atkinson, comes to him with a most unusual proposal: She'll help Lucien find the funding he needs if he pretends to court her long enough to secure her claim to her father's company. But Alex and Lucien soon realize they didn't quite account for all the details in their arrangement-like how they can undo each other with just a look. And the more time they spend together, the more the intensity shimmering between them can't be controlled. Not even by Alex. And if they give in? Well, she's not sure which of them will be in more trouble . . . but she's willing to find out."

Emily Sullivan (Author), Victoria Aston (Narrator)

Audiobook

An Introvert's Guide to Life and Love

"Inheriting a seaside cottage comes with strings attached in this touching romance where an introverted remote worker must leave her city apartment and learn to connect with others-and find love-in real life. Mallory Rosen loves working from home-minimum contact with others suits her just fine. Nothing could make her leave her comfortable Seattle apartment. Until she inherits her late grandmother's seaside cottage . . . with strings attached: Take care of your grandfather. Fine. She can quickly check on Gramps, rent out the cottage, and return to her life. Yet when she arrives at the independent living community, the WiFi keeps dropping, Gramps interrupts her meetings, and the cottage needs renovating-according to the handsome, extroverted property manager. So much for grand plans. Soon Mal finds herself caught up in senior citizen aerobics, new friendships, nightly chats with Gramps-and in the sparks flying with her charming property manager. Then, just when her new life and chance at love feel worth leaving her safety net behind, she gets the worst notice ever: All employees must return to the office."

Lauren Appelbaum (Author), Renata Friedman (Narrator)

Audiobook

Contemporary Women Audiobooks in Fiction