Treat yourself this summer to an audiobook romance
Summer is a time for indulging yourself. On those hot, lazy days, there’s nothing like enjoying something just for yourself – whether it’s an ice cream cone or a light, fun-to-listen-to audiobook.
In this heat, no one’s got the focus to try Tolstoy for the first time. It’s time to put the heavy stuff away and tune into an audiobook that you won’t want to turn off. Treat yourself to some of the most in our library. There are satisfying stories for everyone in the romance section, no matter what you’re looking for. From literary classics to fantasy romances, get ready for a sultry summer of listening.
Intense Intimacies
What do listeners look for when they start a romance? Desire, fascination, intimacy – the stuff that sends a shiver down your spine as you listen. Few romances capture the super-charged tension of obsessive romance than . André Aciman’s cult classic has made its way into the mainstream thanks to a 2017 film adaptation starring Armie Hammer (who also narrates the audiobook). It perfectly captures the infatuation of first love for 17-year-old Elio Perlman, who quickly becomes obsessed with Oscar, a guest visiting his family’s Italian villa. The location on the Italian Riviera and the restless summer heat make up the perfect recipe for romance.
Fairy Tales and Fantasies
Want to add some more magic to your life? You need to break into some that combine the ardent relationships of the romance genre with a fantasy world where the rules of everyday life don’t apply.
Chosen as one of 30 Can’t-Miss Romances by Black Authors in Oprah Magazine, A.C. Arthur’s combines the best of both worlds. This one is for listeners craving a story about true love in the heightened stakes of a world where dragons and demons comingle with humanity. Let’s just say that if you were rooting for the forbidden love of Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen, Awaken the Dragon just might scratch that itch.
For anyone who’s ever dreamed of a fairy tale wedding, be careful what you wish for. Romance can be a risky thing in fairy tales. Sarah J. Maas’s delights in the edgier side of fairy tales, inspired by the story of Beauty and the Beast but with a twist. A Court of Thorns and Roses belongs to the burgeoning New Adult genre. Featuring protagonists who tend to be in the 18-30 age bracket, are like a more mature version of YA. Step into a beautiful, dangerous world of magic and betrayal with this genre-defining classic.
Elevated Emotions
As much as listeners turn to romance for something light and fun, love has always been one of the central themes of the world’s greatest literature. And while not all great love stories have that HEA (Happily Ever After) ending, that doesn’t make them any less romantic.