Contemporary Women Audiobooks | Fiction

A Katherine Reay Bookish Collection: Includes Lizzy and Jane, The Bronte Plot, and The Portrait of

"Literature, love, and second chances collide in this beautifully crafted collection from award-winning author Katherine Reay. With heartfelt characters, classic literary nods, and evocative settings--from cozy Seattle kitchens to windswept English moors and sun-drenched Italian vineyards--these stand-alone novels explore what it means to find your way by going back to where it all began. Book One: Lizzy and Jane Estranged sisters. A faltering restaurant career. A return to family--and maybe even love. Chef Elizabeth Hughes has lost her spark, and when her sister Jane is diagnosed with cancer, Elizabeth heads home to care for her. What begins as a temporary visit becomes a life-altering season of healing, rediscovery, and a chance at romance with Jane's charming coworker, Nick. In the heart of family, food, and literature, can Lizzy become more than just Elizabeth again? Book Two: The Brontë Plot Lucy Alling sells rare books--but not always honestly. When her secrets are exposed, she loses everything. An unexpected invitation to join her ex-boyfriend's grandmother on a literary tour of England offers more than escape--it offers transformation. As they journey from London to Haworth, Lucy must face the truth about her past, her future, and what it really means to live like a Brontë heroine: brave, bold, and unafraid to begin again. Book Three: A Portrait of Emily Price Fix-it-all Emily Price knows how to repair anything--except her own heart. When Italian chef Ben Vassallo sweeps her off her feet, Emily says yes to love and a new life abroad. But once in Italy, her need to fix things threatens to unravel everything. In a world steeped in family tradition and long-held secrets, Emily learns that some things must be broken to be made beautiful again. For readers who adore emotional journeys, literary flair, and the kind of love that heals, the Katherine Reay bookish collection has your perfect next read. Each novel stands alone--but together, they form a tapestry of self-discovery, courage, and grace."

Katherine Reay (Author), Emily Sutton-Smith, Kate Rudd, Laura Kirman (Narrator)

Audiobook

A Lie for a Lie

"A deadly game of cat and mouse unfolds when a housewife with a secret life takes on a tech billionaire with secrets darker than her own . . . from the author of How I'll Kill You. Margaux leads a double life that would make most people dizzy. By day, she's a seemingly ordinary interior decorator with a picture-perfect marriage. By night, she works for a mysterious employer known only as Mr. X. Her specialty: infiltrating the lives of dangerous targets, gaining their trust, and ultimately exposing their crimes. Her latest assignment: unraveling the secret life of Bertram Casimir, a billionaire tech CEO whose career is as mysterious as his past. His sister claims he stole her app to build his fortune. Not only that, his girlfriend may or may not have recently gone missing. Bertram sees through Margaux's carefully constructed facade, matching her move for move. As the lines between hunter and prey blur, Margaux finds herself unexpectedly drawn to Bertram. They share more than she'd like to admit-a dangerous intelligence, a taste for high-stakes manipulation. When the evidence begins to shift, threatening to destroy everything she knows, Margaux realizes this is far more than just another job. Her own secrets-and her life-are now on the line. One lie remains, and it might just save her."

Ren DeStefano (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

People Pleaser

"Brought to you by Penguin. “You’re so desperate to make everybody else happy that you’ve forgotten what makes you happy. You’ve not just forgotten it, you’ve abandoned it, on a bonfire full of all your other hopes and dreams. A bonfire you’re too scared to light in case the neighbours report you to the council.” Olivia Greenwood has been trying very hard to please people for a very long time. But today is going to change Olivia in a big way. A soul-crushing career disappointment, a fiery young woman with a chip on her shoulder and a cigarette in her hand, and one single blue hallucinogenic gummy all lead to a raucous night out and one hell of a hangover. And when Olivia wakes up the next morning, it seems she’s unable to please anyone but HERSELF. So who actually is Olivia Greenwood, when she’s not trying to be what everyone else wants her to be? Fiercely funny and instantly relatable, this is the first novel from the No.1 Sunday Times bestseller Bryony Gordon – the most joyfully honest feminist in journalism. © Bryony Gordon 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026"

Bryony Gordon (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Mothers and Other Strangers: A Novel

"For readers of Claire Lombardo and J. Courtney Sullivan, a moving and surprising story about two women, best friends since childhood, who reunite as expectant mothers after a mysterious falling out between their mothers (also best friends) keeps them apart for years-and who must finally contend with the secrets between them. When Sydney and Mae meet on the playground as toddlers, it seems like kismet. Even their very different mothers-the type-A Beth Ann and the free-spirited Joni-agree the girls are made for each other, and it's not long before even the mothers become inseparable. Then a falling out draws them apart, and decades later, the loneliness still lingers for the newly pregnant Sydney. Adrift in the absence of her closest friend, Sydney has been drawn into a Multi-Level Marketing scheme, exacerbated by the demands of her inflexible mother, Beth Ann, whose constant scrutiny seems reserved only for her daughter. Across the city, Mae is stunned to find herself single, pregnant, and still haunted by the loss of her mercurial late mother, Joni, whose mysterious death holds as many unanswered questions as Mae does herself. Mae is an artist who has lived under the shadow of the one painting (of two girls) that made her famous years ago, the success of which confines as much as it defines her. When Sydney and Mae find themselves back in one another's lives, each with a baby girl on the horizon, it once again seems like destiny. Each begins to pull the other away from the coercive influence of outsiders-mommy groups, marketing schemes, artistic pressures, and ex-boyfriends. But the two women will soon discover that it's not destiny that has drawn them together this time, but a devastating secret at the center of their orbits-a truth that finally will bind them or shatter them, for good. An intimate and searing novel about mothers and daughters, and destiny and desire, MOTHERS AND OTHER STRANGERS takes a full-hearted look at those relationships in life that are as impossible as they are utterly essential."

Corey Ann Haydu (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Strangers in the Villa

"From the international bestselling author of The Drowning Woman, a psychological thriller about a couple rocked by infidelity who moves to a villa in Spain's Costa Brava to rebuild their relationship, only to welcome a pair of visitors who have no intention of leaving. Sydney Lowe's life in New York is shattered when her husband, Curtis, admits to a meaningless affair with a client. Begging for forgiveness and vowing to prove his devotion, Curtis suggests the couple retreat to a remote hilltop house in Spain to repair their marriage. High above the Mediterranean, Sydney and Curtis are working on the isolated property and their relationship when a pair of Australian travelers turns up at their door in dire need of help. Lonely for companionship and desperate for free labor, Sydney and Curtis invite the attractive young couple to stay. But as the days pass, dark secrets come to light, the Lowes' bond is tested, and not everyone will leave the villa alive."

Robyn Harding (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Too Blessed to Stress: A Novel

"For fans of Bad Summer People and The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, four influencers begin to suspect their mega-church's new pastor isn't as devoted as he seems, and must decide if exposing him is worth revealing their own secrets. Camryn, Savannah, Trishy, and Kristin are #blessed. As influencers at the trendiest megachurch in town, Moving Word, the quartet is committed to sharing everything from modest (but stylish!) clothing tips to advice on finding the godliest man possible. Across platforms (#synergy), they show just how easy it is to be a modern, Christian woman-especially if you use their discount codes. But behind their veneer (and veneers), the truth isn't quite so picture perfect. Despite her popular lifestyle videos, Camryn is barely making ends meet. Savannah struggles to break free of her reality TV upbringing and start a family of her own, while Trishy attempts to leave her less-than-holy past behind. And Kristin, the group's youngest member, isn't finding it as easy to fit in as their color-coordinated outfits make it seem. When Moving Word's charming leader, Pastor Kyle, and his ridiculously perfect wife, Cassidy, decide to host a lavish fundraiser to put the megachurch further on the map, Camryn, Savannah, Trishy, and Kristin find themselves knee deep in the most important event since the Last Supper. But the brighter the spotlight, the darker the shadows - and when the women discover an incendiary secret at the heart of Moving Word, they are forced to confront questions of hypocrisy, exposure, and how to wield one's power for good."

Alli Hoff Kosik (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Encore: A Novel

"In 2003, at the prestigious Brookfield Conservatory in Boston, a chance encounter sparks an inimitable friendship between driven pianist and singer Anna Buckley and composer wunderkind Will Pendleton. As they strive toward careers as professional musicians, their bond deepens both from shared skill and the inexplicable sense that they're kindred souls. But soon after graduation, one night forever alters the trajectory of their lives, destroying their relationship in the process. Twenty years later in New York, sixteen-year-old piano virtuoso Lottie Thomas is grappling with the rigors of her elite prep school and the confounding disappearance of the woman who gave her up at birth. When Lottie suddenly discovers the startling truth of her identity, the revelation catalyzes a chain of events that not only reunites Lottie with her birth parents, but forces them together on a rock tour-bus for a careening cross-country journey. It is there, trapped in these tight confines, that the three must finally reconcile with irrevocable choices from the past."

Juliet Izon (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Akiko's Quiet Happiness: A Novel

"Two lonely former classmates reconnect in Tokyo and unravel a family secret in this touching new novel from the internationally bestselling author of The Art of Hearing Heartbeats. Still grieving the death of her mother, 29-year-old Akiko is single and lives in self-imposed isolation in Tokyo. Then one evening, she unexpectedly runs into Kento, her first love from school. Kento now leads a reclusive life as a hikikomori, only venturing out at night. At the same time, Akiko discovers evidence that her mother had been lying to her about their family, causing her to doubt everything. She has to admit to herself that she doesn’t know who she is. With Kento’s help, Akiko embarks on a journey into her own history, which takes her life in surprising directions and leads her to questions she had never dared to ask herself before: How do I want to live? And do I have the courage to love?"

Jan-Philipp Sendker (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Motherfaker: A hilarious and unputdownable debut novel about what to expect when you're not expectin

"HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO FOR A YEAR OFF WORK? Meet Barri Brown. Respected teacher. Upstanding citizen of Guernsey. Down for a bit of law-breaking . . . Barri is preparing for a year's paid maternity leave but there's a catch: She isn't pregnant. With seven foam bumps, a wardrobe full of smock dresses and a great pregnancy heist planned, all Barri has to do is blag it until she can disappear for good, without getting caught and being sent to prison for fraud. Child's play. But can she really get away with telling the mother of all lies? Praise for Motherfaker 'An unforgettable story with an unforgettable main character . . . Funny, moving, relatable and keeps you on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens next' LIBBY PAGE, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Lido 'I couldn't put this down! Hilarious, surprising, and sneakily tender' NATALIE SUE, international bestselling author of I Hope This Finds You Well"

Anna Brook-Mitchell (Author), Laura Aikman (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Pohaku: A Novel

"From the award-winning author of Hula, a dazzling saga that moves from Hawaii to California and back, about the generations of women tasked with protecting the history and place that made them. A young woman lies in a hospital bed in a coma, watched over by her estranged grandmother. Some say she jumped off the cliff; others say she was swept away by a wave. But her tutu at her bedside suspects something else is wrong, that the reason for the hardship and heartbreak in their family history is tied to a story that she’s never told—one about a powerful stone, the pohaku, that her family was tasked with protecting generations ago. In fits and starts, the grandmother begins . . . We travel back in time to the eighteenth century, when the explorer James Cook becomes the first European to visit the Hawaiian Islands. Cook arrives in pursuit of an ancient prophecy, a key that would unlock the mysteries of the world, but he is killed before he can learn about the mysterious stone—a stone born alongside future Hawaiian royalty, the key to something even more powerful than Cook could have imagined. So begins a thrilling family saga of the women charged with protecting the pohaku, as it is taken from Hawai’i to California and possibly beyond, bringing fortune to the well-intentioned and misfortune to the bad. But with each successive generation, the fractures caused by its displacement widen until it becomes clear that the pohaku’s story must survive if there is to be any hope at all of the family's—and a nation’s—reconciliation with their home, with nature, and with each other. Reminiscent of Yaa Gyasi’s Homegoing, Min Jin Lee’s Pachinko, and Tommy Orange’s There, There, The Pohaku is an immersive and bold novel about the history, perseverance, and resilience of the Hawaiian people."

Jasmin Iolani Hakes (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Heartsong: A Novel

"For fans of Ruby Dixon comes a steamy monster romance from S. E. Wendel, following a museum worker who gets the shock of a lifetime when one of the (very attractive) gargoyle statues in an exhibit comes to life and claims her as his mate... A gargoyle warrior unprepared for the modern world… Fifteen hundred years ago, Frey and all his kind were cursed by the vicious fae queen, their magick stolen and their bodies rendered stone. It has been a hellish existence, frozen in time as the world changes around them. A proud warrior, Frey rages against his stone prison, but with every year that passes, hope slips away that the curse can ever be broken. That is, until he and some of his kin are placed in an odd little museum. And she walks through the door. A modern woman not ready for a medieval male… Anna Kincaid has struggled most of her life, but she’s finally landed a job that will help her get ahead. It feels too good to be true—full healthcare and helping manage a museum full of exquisite artifacts? Her heart and history degree are thrilled, but something about the museum is….strange. The owners are a mysterious couple who call the collection the clan. And the collection is…well, monstrous. Huge, savage-looking statues from the late-Celtic period. Magick stolen can be reclaimed, and curses cast can be broken… When the museum is stormed by masked commandos one night, it isn’t even the weirdest thing to happen. No, that has to be when one of the statues comes alive to save her. Or when he flies off with her. Or when he tucks her into his big body and growls mate. Monster romance fans looking for their next read will love this sensitive and sexy love story that is packed with all of their favorite tropes: fated mates he falls first close proximity moody winged hero fish out of water medieval meets modern hurt/comfort"

S.E. Wendel (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Book of Forbidden Words: A Novel

"From bestselling author Louise Fein comes a new historical novel about an encrypted manuscript that unleashes a chain of consequences across 400 years, set in a world of banned books, fear of new ideas, and the dangers of censorship, perfect for fans of The Briar Club and Weyward. ''What power lay there in words on a page. And with that thought, Charlotte knew she would not rest until she had seen what was in the manuscript that Lysbette so desperately wanted to preserve in print.” 1552, Paris: Against a backdrop of turmoil, suspicion, and paranoia, the printing press is quickly spreading new ideas across Europe, threatening the power of church and state and unleashing a wave of book burning and heretic hunting. When frightened ex-nun Lysbette Angiers arrives one day at Charlotte Guillard’s famous printing shop with her manuscript, neither woman knows just how far the powerful elite will go to prevent the spread of Lysbette’s audacious ideas. 1952, New York: Milly Bennett, lonely and unmoored, is a seemingly ordinary housewife with a secretive past. Balancing the day-to-day boredom of keeping house and struggling to find her way with the mothers at her children’s school, she finds her life taking an unexpected turn as conspiracies spread amidst the paranoid clamors of McCarthy’s America. When a relic from her past presents her with a 400-year-old manuscript to decipher, she is reluctantly pulled into a vortex of danger that threatens to shatter her world. From the risky backstreets of sixteenth-century Paris to the unpredictable suburbs of mid-twentieth century New York, the stakes couldn’t be higher when, 400 years apart, Milly, Lysbette, and Charlotte each face a reality where the spread of ideas are feared and every effort is made to suppress them. Dramatic and affecting, and inspired by the real-life encrypted Voynich manuscript, Book of Forbidden Words is both an engrossing story about a timeless struggle that echoes through the ages and a testament to the indomitable spirit of those who dare to let their words be heard."

Louise Fein (Author), Ell Potter, Emma Fenney, Fiona Hardingham (Narrator)

Audiobook

Contemporary Women Audiobooks in Fiction