Audiobooks narrated by Ann Marie Gideon

The Pink Dress: A Memoir of a Reluctant Beauty Queen

"Growing up in West Texas, Jane Little Botkin didn't have designs on becoming a beauty queen. But not long after joining a pageant on a whim in college, she became the first protégé of El Paso's Richard Guy and Rex Holt, known as the 'Kings of Beauty'—just as the 1970's counterculture movement began to take off. A pink, rose-covered gown—a Guyrex creation—symbolizes the fairy tale life that young women in Jane's time imagined beauty queens had. Its near destruction exposes reality: the author's failed relationship with her mother, and her parents' failed relationship with one another. Weaving these narrative threads together is the Wild West notion that anything is possible, especially do-overs. The Pink Dress awakens nostalgia for the 1960s and 1970s, the era's conflicts and growth pains. A common expectation that women went to college to get 'MRS' degrees—to find a husband and become a stay-at-home wife and mother—often prevailed. How does one swim upstream against this notion among feminist voices that protest 'If You Want Meat, Go to a Butcher!' at beauty pageants, two flamboyant showmen, and a developing awareness of self? Torn between women's traditional roles and what women could be, Guyrex Girls evolved, as did the author."

Jane Little Botkin (Author), Ann Marie Gideon (Narrator)

Audiobook

The California Dreamers

"A group of siblings captured in an iconic beach nostalgia photo reunite on a sunny California island, where they're forced to face the fallout of their unconventional upbringing-and the golden secret that has been simmering ever since... "A love story to an era of sun, salt air, and freedom. I promise, you will devour this novel." -Julie Clark, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Flight "Doan's latest pulls you straight to the end like a powerful riptide. Unforgettable!" -Jessica Anya Blau, bestselling author of Mary Jane It's 1980s California, and everyone's dreaming of the endless summer: sun-drenched beaches, infinite waves, and most of all, beautiful, beautiful freedom. For the Merrick siblings, this idyllic vision is their reality, as they travel up and down the coast with their parents in a van year-round, surfing and swimming their days away. But when a photographer secretly snaps a stunning photo of the family with their boards in the sand, and the image ripples across the country, the only life they've ever known is put at risk. Decades after, the now-distant siblings gather on a gorgeous, wild island to honor their late father. But their reunion is complicated when a journalist, eager for the truth behind the famous photo, discovers their identity and tracks them down. As the siblings reckon with the possibility that more of their lives could be shared, a revelation about their past forces them to confront long-held heartaches. Together, they'll have to decide whether to let the same tensions rip them apart again-or if telling their story on their own terms might just be the way to recapture the family magic. Also by Amy Mason Doan: - Lady Sunshine - Summer Hours - The Summer List"

Amy Mason Doan (Author), Ann Marie Gideon (Narrator)

Audiobook

To Look Upon The Sun

"In the shadow of pre-WWII Germany, seventeen-year-old Ilse finds herself alone, pregnant, and penniless—betrayed by her family and thrust into the arms of Lebensborn, the Nazis' secretive program designed to propagate Aryan purity. Yet, Ilse harbors a perilous secret within the walls of Lebensborn: her unborn child's father is Jewish. Surrounded by the very architects of the regime's sinister vision, she must rely on her cunning, her knowledge of herbs, and her indomitable spirit to hide the truth and keep her child safe. As the Reich's scrutiny intensifies, Ilse's place within Lebensborn becomes a gilded cage, with each day edging her closer to exposure. Forced to navigate a labyrinth of lies and make unthinkable choices, her journey turns into more than a fight for survival—it becomes a quest for identity, redemption, and defiance that could alter the course of her life forever. Contains mature themes."

Shannon St. Hilaire (Author), Ann Marie Gideon (Narrator)

Audiobook

Your Hidden Genius: The Science-Backed Strategy to Uncovering and Harnessing Your Innate Talents

"It’s time to discover your hidden genius—and embrace your life’s work. “If happiness, success, and fulfillment are your intended destinations in life (and who doesn’t want those?) Your Hidden Genius is your express-lane ticket.” —Adam Taggart, entrepreneur; president and cofounder, Peak Prosperity; and author of Finding Your Way to Your Authentic Career Featuring access to the innovative YouScience aptitude assessment, Your Hidden Genius reveals your innate talents, interests, and personality traits along with the infinite paths that can lead to your utmost happiness, career success, and personal fulfillment. Do you love brainstorming sessions and juggling multiple assignments, or are you happiest when you are given space to concentrate on a single mission? Are you a three-dimensional thinker who enjoys tangible projects, or are you more at home solving abstract puzzles? Would you say you are a social butterfly who talks to everyone, or someone who prefers a quiet, focused group to large crowds? Your Hidden Genius provides a custom-made road map to what makes you special, revealing your distinct combination of natural talents, interests, and personality traits—a mix as unique to you as your fingerprint. With the instant appeal of Enneagrams and Strengthsfinder, Your Hidden Genius instead focuses on scientific testing rather than self-reported answers as a means to unlock your potential. Included in the book is access to the groundbreaking YouScience aptitude assessment, a series of gamelike exercises that distill the science of aptitude measurement into a ninety-minute online experience, then pairs your results with its robust and proprietary career database. You’ll uncover new opportunities for work and leisure that suit both your interests and your talents. Betsy Wills, cofounder of YouScience and a pioneer in aptitude awareness, and expert career coach Alex Ellison joined forces to write this essential life and career guide based on this cutting-edge assessment and take a deep dive into different aptitude profiles and in-depth context for how to interpret your results. Whether you’re just starting out or pivoting mid-career, Your Hidden Genius will guide you through today’s complex and shifting professional landscape and be your indispensable resource through every twist and turn of the road. With science-backed results, real-life stories, and rare insight into you, Your Hidden Genius explains why self-awareness is the most important step toward a fulfilling and meaningful life. Everyone who purchases a digital copy can obtain their unique code by going to yourhiddengenius.com and entering their order or purchase number to verify purchase. Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook."

Alex Ellison, Betsy Wills (Author), Ann Marie Gideon (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Liberty Scarf: A Story of Three Women, One War, and a Scarf That Binds Them Together

"From acclaimed authors Aimie K. Runyan, J'nell Ciesielski, and Rachel McMillan comes an evocative, three-part novel about a thread of connection during World War I--a single scarf that links three extraordinary women, each battling societal expectations, enduring the devastations of war, and striving for personal growth amidst the chaos. The Liberty Scarf is a testament to the resilience of women and the enduring power of hope and unity in the harshest of times. In the midst of a seemingly endless war, a scarf connects three women in the cold winter of 1917 . . . London: As an ambitious scarf maker, Iris Braxton spends her days surrounded by color and luxury not often seen during the dark days of war that were promised to be over by Christmas. That promise has come and gone for three years with still no end in sight, and her days continue in a monotony of rations and threads while she spins a dream of becoming Liberty's first female pattern designer. She hasn't the time or interest in rakish soldiers, but the temporarily-on-leave Captain Rex Conrad is persistent--and before long his charm wins her over. But war is cruel, and, all too soon, Conrad leaves once more for the Front, but not before vowing to meet again in Strasbourg, France, the most magical of Christmas cities. Iris begins stitching small messages into each of the scarves she makes in hopes that one will find a way into Rex's hands to let him know she's thinking of him. And when she receives word that he's wounded in Strasbourg, she rushes to his side. Along the way, she passes a woman wearing one of her scarves . . . Maine: Geneviève Tremblay, a French-Canadian immigrant, is a telephone operator living in Lewiston, Maine. Her beau is a member of a prominent family who has helped to Americanize her in a community often unfriendly to Canadians. As part of this effort, she enlists in the US Army Signal Corps to serve as a bi-lingual operator. Along the way, she meets a French officer who makes her question whether losing her identity is too heavy a price for acceptance. Belgium: Clara Janssens, a Flemish Nurse, and Roman Allaire, an Alsatian violinist, connect in a Brussels palace-turned-hospital far beyond their routine provincial and countryside lives--and the expectations in those towns. Their love of music creates a spark between them, but the destruction of battle and the transient nature of their relationship threatens the bond they have built. Still, the appearance of a kind stranger and the unexpected gift of a treasured scarf bind them long beyond their stolen moments and offer them a future brighter than they could have even hoped. The Liberty Scarf is more than a piece of fabric--it's a symbol of hope, resilience, and unity in the face of war, binding these three women together in an indelible bond. Experience their stories of love, sacrifice, and survival in this captivating novel from Aimie K. Runyan, J'nell Ciesielski, and Rachel McMillan."

Aimie K. Runyan, J'nell Ciesielski, Rachel Mcmillan (Author), Ann Marie Gideon, Caroline Hewitt, Gary Furlong, Saskia Maarleveld (Narrator)

Audiobook

Christmas at Spruce Hill Farm

"USA TODAY bestselling author Kathryn Springer brings holiday cheer in this festive story about fresh starts and unexpected love blooming on a snow-covered Christmas tree farm. It's three weeks until Christmas, and Lucy Gable is not in the holiday spirit. She's the assistant to bestselling romance author Brynn Dixon, who's been suffering from major burnout. Hoping to reduce Brynn's stress, Lucy's organized an intimate book tour-one that includes a charming little Christmas tree farm. And they're still hoping that no one discovers that Lucy was the one who finished writing Brynn's last book… But Lucy's carefully planned book tour is going completely awry. The Christmas tree farm owner is a reluctant host, the fans are going wild for the changes Lucy's made to the book and Brynn's adult son-who no one else knows about-is an unexpected (if handsome) distraction. And, as if those challenges aren't enough, a winter storm at the farm is ensuring that hiding the truth is all but impossible. Yet somewhere between snowy sleigh rides, a cozy bonfire, caroling and the promise of new love, Lucy is experiencing her first winter wonderland. And Brynn is discovering that it might not be too late to find her own happy ending. With a little courage and a sense of adventure, it might just be the start of whole new chapters for both of them-and an accidentally perfect white Christmas. "Christmas at Spruce Hill Farm is a delightful story overflowing with holiday spirit. Kathryn Springer writes with warmth and charm." --RaeAnne Thayne, New York Times bestselling author "

Kathryn Springer (Author), Ann Marie Gideon (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Merry Matchmaker

""Sparkles with warmth, wit, and a sweet helping of holiday charm! The perfect stocking stuffer for readers who crave all the holiday feels and a happy ending!" -Rachel Linden, bestselling author of The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie Inspired by Jane Austen's Emma, this joyful Christmas romp tells the story of a woman who can't stop trying to help everyone around her find their happily-ever-after-even when her help leads to disaster. Frankie Lane knows what's best for just about everyone but herself. Her divorced sister, Stef, who is too young to give up on love; her shy employee, Elinor; and her daughter, Natalie, who works in Frankie's shop, Holiday Happiness, and really needs to start her own business selling the delectable chocolates she makes at home; even her best friend, Viola, who is trying to renovate her old Victorian. Frankie knows she could help all of them, if they'd just let her-and if all of her help didn't end in utter disaster. Then there's Mitch Howard, the owner of the local hardware store. They've been friends ever since Frankie opened her store, nine years earlier. He got her through the nightmare when she lost her husband in a freak accident, and he's her favorite shoulder to cry on. He's been divorced for years, and it's such a waste of man! Mitch is the fittest, finest man Frankie knows. He's easygoing, wise and kindhearted. Mitch needs someone. And she's determined to help him find that someone-whether he likes it or not."

Sheila Roberts (Author), Ann Marie Gideon (Narrator)

Audiobook

Getting from College to Career Third Edition: Your Essential Guide to Succeeding in the Real World

"The third edition of the essential guide for college students and recent graduates to help you prepare for starting your career—now revised and updated for Gen Z to reflect the realities of the current job market How do you get a job without experience and get experience without a job? It’s the question virtually every college student and recent graduate faces. With the rise of hybrid work, advances in artificial intelligence, and ever-shifting economic circumstances, the situation for aspiring Gen Z professionals has never been more challenging. But there is help. Getting from College to Career is the definitive guide to building the experience, skills, and confidence you need to tackle today’s fast-moving job search, offering action-oriented tips and strategies ranging from the simple to the expert. Revised with new material, this third edition includes up-to-date advice on how to: Use the best digital and mobile tools— including AI—for career prep and job hunting E-mail, text, and Zoom like a professional Interview in person and virtually Reskill and upskill for “jobs of the future” Manage your mental health through career ups and downs And more Getting from College to Career gives you the cutting-edge information and guidance you need to get your foot in the door of the real world. Don’t start your first job search without it! Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook."

Lindsey Pollak (Author), Ann Marie Gideon (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Winged Tiara: A Novel

"Diamonds and danger dazzle in Ciesielski's latest enchanting romp through post-war Europe as estranged spouses and jewel thieves hunt an elusive Valkyrie tiara. November 12, 1918. It was a match made in champagne-soaked heaven, but all too soon the bubbles dried up, and Esme Fox awakens the morning after celebrating the end of the Great War to find herself shockingly and accidentally married. She gathers her belongings and slips out before her new husband can stop her. After all, she knows it's best to leave before he does. Four years later, Jasper Truitt, after having made a name for himself in the underground world of jewel thieves, is on the hunt for a valuable heirloom: a one-of-a-kind winged tiara--the last Valkyrie tiara ever created. So it's with great surprise that he discovers it at a charity event atop the head of a woman he's never forgotten. His long-lost wife . . . who happens to be pursuing the tiara for a vengeful opera diva desperate to obtain the jewel for herself. The reunion is cut short when Esme vanishes--again--but their separation is temporary. With a hitman on their heels and a deadline looming, the pair find themselves in an epic game of cat and mouse across Europe following leads from the French Riviera to a shop of wonders in Venice, a fairy-tale castle in Bavaria, and a veritable circus thrown by a champagne heiress, all before a dramatic horseback flight through the French countryside. In the end only one can win, and with both of their hearts on the line, the winner may well turn out to be the loser. In her latest glamorous historical romance, J'nell Ciesielski spins a sparkling story filled with her signature snappy dialogue and vivid atmosphere that will keep you reading late into the night to see what happens next."

J'nell Ciesielski (Author), Ann Marie Gideon (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Windsor Conspiracy: A Novel of the Crown, a Conspiracy, and the Duchess of Windsor

"Georgie Blalock, the acclaimed author of The Other Windsor Girl, delivers an enchantingly reimagined fictional portrait of Wallis Simpson through the lens of her cousin who is engaged to spy on the Duchess of Windsor for her alleged Nazi sympathies and finds much more than she bargained for! American Amelia Montague defied her family five years ago to marry the man she loved, but that decision cost her everything. Disowned by her family, and left a penniless widow after her husband’s death, Amelia becomes her cousin Wallis Simpson’s private secretary in France. With no other prospects available, Amelia has no choice but to succeed, and under their Aunt Bessie’s direction, hopes to have a positive influence on Wallis and the Duke of Windsor. During the next two years, Amelia realizes that not everything with the Windsors is glittering happiness. Beneath the façade of the besotted couple simmers Wallis’s rage at her stunted ambition, and the couple soon reveal themselves to be self-centered Nazi supporters who pursue their own interests at any cost. When the Germans invade France, and the Windsors leave Amelia to escape the Gestapo on her own, Amelia finds herself in position to work for the most unlikely of employers: MI5 and the FBI. Convinced to work undercover, Amelia joins the Windsors in Nassau and soon realizes that Wallis’s treachery extends far deeper than the US and British government even knows… Richly imaginative, Georgie Blalock’s novel stuns as it explores two women, opposites in every way, and the choices they make to survive both war and each other. . ."

Georgie Blalock (Author), Ann Marie Gideon (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Best Life Book Club

""[With] a set of characters so vivid we want to be their best friends, and a story that keeps us turning the pages, The Best Life Book Club is your book club book of the year. . . . A novel of pure delight! -Patti Callahan Henry, NYT Bestselling author of The Secret Book of Flora Lea It started as a book club. It became a way to build a better life together. Karissa Newcomb is ready for a new start in a new neighborhood, as far away as she can get from Seattle, where her husband cheated on her with the neighbor who was supposed to be her best friend. She and her nine-year-old daughter are moving on to the city of Gig Harbor on the bay in Puget Sound. She even has a new job as an assistant at a small publishing company right in Gig Harbor. Her new boss seems like a bit of a curmudgeon, but a job is a job, she loves to read, and the idea of possibly meeting writers sounds fabulous. Soon she finds she's not the only one in need of a refresh. Her new neighbors, Alice and Margot, are dealing with their own crises. Alice is still grieving her late husband and hasn't been able to get behind the wheel of a car since a close call after his death. Margot is floundering after getting divorced and laid off in quick succession. They could all use a distraction, and a book club seems like just the ticket. Together, the three women, along with Alice's grumpy older sister, Josie, embark on a literary journey that just might be the kick-start they need to begin building their best lives yet. "

Sheila Roberts (Author), Ann Marie Gideon (Narrator)

Audiobook

Burning Crowns

"The perfect YA fantasy romance from the bestselling Twin Crowns series – deeply romantic and bursting with high-stakes adventure! Praise for the Twin Crowns series: “Twin Crowns cast a spell on me from the very first pages – I was thoroughly bewitched by this marvelous book! Don’t miss it!” – SARAH J MAAS ‘Magical, clever, surprising and pure fun. If you love wicked kings, sexy bandits and sister stories that are full of heart, this is a must read’ STEPHANIE GARBER ‘Pure indulgence – a minibreak in book form’ – GUARDIAN 'This book gave me butterflies. Delicious fun, in the loveliest of ways.' – LAUREN JAMES ’The charm of The Princess Bride and all the stakes of Game of Thrones. Addictive, swoony, tender and vivid – I loved it with all my heart.’ – KIRAN MILLWOOD HARGRAVE ‘Full of magic, intrigue, romance and fun.’ – DAILY MIRROR ‘Twin Crowns is so joyous that days after reading, I'm still grinning.’ – ROSHANI CHOKSI “Daring deception, spectacular settings and two very appealing love interests…” – KENDARE BLAKE ‘Fresh, funny and exciting’ – LOUISE O'NEILL ‘Reading Twin Crowns left me giddy. Adventure, romance, TWO incredible protagonists, magic, sisterhood… I loved it.’ – LAURA WOOD The epic, breathtaking conclusion to this bestselling romantasy trilogy! Wren and Rose rule the kingdom of Eana. But an ancient, powerful enemy moves in the shadows. Oonagh, the twins’ evil undead ancestor, is creating a terrifying army, and she is determined to fight for the throne. Rose must gather support from the four corners of the kingdom whilst she wrestles with what the future holds for her and her beloved Shen. Meanwhile, Wren and Alarik set out to destroy the curse that both unites and weakens them. Caught between the King of Gevra and his Captain of the Guard, Tor, Wren must decide where her heart truly lies … When Oonagh's true plans are revealed and Rose's life hangs in the balance, the stage for the final battle is set. Sacrifices will be made, blood will be spilled. Who will survive to rule the kingdom of Eana?"

Catherine Doyle, Katherine Webber (Author), Ann Marie Gideon, Ell Potter (Narrator)

Audiobook

Audiobooks Narrated by Ann Marie Gideon