Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings, has no plans to marry. However, that doesn’t stop the society mothers from working to pair him off with one of their daughters. In an effort to dodge their grasp, he concocts a plan with the lovely Daphne Bridgerton: they’ll fake an engagement. Though Miss Bridgerton certainly has an alluring something about her, Simon knows he has no plans to marry. Now he just needs to remember it.
For Daphne, appearing to be the centre of a duke’s world will surely help her attract the best suitors available when their sham is up. But as the clever debutante waltzes in the arms of her fake betrothed, she has trouble reminding herself that their relationship is just that: fake. Daphne will have to work even harder if she doesn't want to lose her heart and soul to this hell-raiser duke.
Listen to the tale that kicked off the Bridgerton craze, now adapted into a fan favourite Netflix original series. Hampstead-born actress Rosalyn Landor deftly narrates The Duke and I, capturing all the delicious secrets and simmering romance. She brings the gravitas of a West End performer to this roiling drama of Regency London and her clear delivery makes this a must-listen period romance.
An Extraordinary Union comes highly recommended within the romance community. Experienced narrator Karen Chilton of The New Jim Crow, offers a lovely voice and narrative quality that brings Alyssa Cole's gripping Civil War-era novel to life. The plot concerns Elle, a former slave with an eidetic memory who leaves her freedom in the North to spy for the Union Army in the house of a Confederate senator. Malcom is a Scottish immigrant pretending to be a Confederate soldier for essentially the same purpose. The more they work together, the closer they get to each other—and a dangerous secret.
Gail Carriger’s Romancing the Inventor sees beloved character Genevieve Lefoux in her own tale of romance and mystery. Cross-dressing inventor Genevieve is working in the same vampire hive in which Imogene, a maid, finds herself employed. Imogene sets her heart on winning Genevieve, despite all the complications of class differences, culture, and paranormal interference. Narrator Emma Newman, herself a fantasy writer, lends her voice to this title with enthusiasm and feeling for a passionate tale you won’t be able to pause.
Beverly Jenkins Tempest is especially pause-resistant. This gripping title features a headstrong woman who ends up shooting her intended husband before she ever even meets him, which offers suspense and action. On the flip side, Jenkins also highlights a broken family that is healed by the love and acceptance she brings to their lives. The title is narrated by Kim Staunton, voice of and several other works. Her smoky voice makes the perfect addition to this twisting and alluring tale.
