When it comes to romance audiobooks, I admit I’ve never given much thought to the narration style.
But I recently fell in love with an audiobook I featured in a previous list entitled The Best Romance Audiobooks on Audible Plus.
The audiobook is Mrs. Wickham, and it really opened my ears to the beautiful dynamic of a romance novel—particularly a work with memorable secondary characters—voiced as a full-cast narration audiobook.
As it turns out, there is strength in numbers with a multiple narration style!
As I look back, I have often chosen a “dual” narration format where one voice narrates an entire chapter, followed by the second narrator who takes on chapter 2, and so on.
It also got me thinking about duet narration romance audiobooks… where two narrators intertwine their voices. For example, in a F/M romance, the female narrates her character through the whole book and vice versa.
So let’s have some fun with this!
Admittedly, I haven’t found enough time in a day to listen to all these fantastic selections, from the first word spoken to the last.
Still, this growing list of the best romance audiobooks with dual, duet, and full-cast narration keeps me pressing play whenever I can grab some stolen moments—hopefully, you get a good listen in too!
Dual Narration Romance Audiobooks
I was a bit worried that I had “outgrown” dual narration romances after getting into some captivating duet and full-cast audiobooks.
Thankfully, the opposite is true, and my interests have simply expanded.
I set out to discover other titles where more traditional dual narration works beautifully and delivers the believability that drives the plot forward.
Here are my new faves!
Solomon’s Crown
By Natasha Siegel. Narrated by Ben Allen and Steve West.
This medieval M/M historical romance has Philip and Richard, real-life kings from 12th Century Europe, reimagined as potential rivals who manage to fall passionately—and dangerously—in love.
Destiny and desire go to war with ambition and betrayal…with the fate of a continent at stake.
The Neighbor Favor
By Kristina Forest. Narrated by Keylor Leigh and Malik Rashad.
I love Keylor’s adorable and relatable voice as she narrates the shy and terribly awkward heroine Lily Greene—a bookworm whose email “relationship” with a fantasy man evaporates.
That is until he “reappears” as her neighbor, Nick Brown… except Lily doesn’t know his true identity yet…
Handle with Care
By Helena Hunting. Narrated by Andi Arndt and Jacob Morgan.
Andi Arndt can do no “audio wrongs” for me… and this “Audible Narrator Hall of Fame” member delivers another stellar voice performance in Handle with Care.
Jacob Morgan is up to the task here too, and I’m enjoying their romantic roleplay as a workaholic heroine named Wren falls for her brooding hero, Lincoln.
Duet Narration Audiobook Romances
Oh, this was fun! There are more duet romance audiobooks than I’d first thought… although it took a bit of digging.
And now that I’m on the trail, I’ll search for more. In the meantime, check out these great duets between audiobook lovers!
A Very Vegas St. Patrick’s Day
By Kayley Loring and Connor Crais. Narrated by Connor Crais and Mackenzie Cartwright.
You get double the delight in this fun romance because Connor Crais is listed as a co-author and narrator on the duet audiobook.
He works his Irish-brogue magic as Nolan, an ex-boxer and self-coined “international charmer” who wakes up married to gorgeous Cora Delaney after a drunken night in Vegas.
This is a fun duet St. Patrick’s Day story that I liked so much, I’m relistening to sections!
Those Three Little Words
By Meghan Quinn. Narrated by Kelsey Navarro and Teddy Hamilton.
Book 2 in The Vancouver Agitators hockey romance series worked for me as a standalone audiobook that shoots plenty of heat and humor straight at the listener’s heart!
Eli Hornsby gets Penny Lawes pregnant. But, unfortunately, he’s a player who’s definitely not ready to be the hero… let alone a new dad…
If that’s not bad enough, Penny is also the little sister of Eli’s best friend, Pacey, who’s also his only real family in the world. Eli has to make it right, but he doesn’t count on falling in love with Penny too…
The Harris Brothers Series
By Amy Daws. Narrated by Will M. Watt and Charlotte Cole.
If you’ve fallen in love with Ted Lasso from the get-go, and you’re a fan of smexy sports romances like me…
Then the Harris Brothers could be your hot, 6-part series of duet narration audiobooks featuring hero footballers and their heroines, whose love stories play out within the world of the beautiful game!
Here’s a rundown of the series—you can pick your favorite plotline to start with, but trust me, they’re all fab:
Book 1 Challenge: a doctor heroine and playboy hero have a taboo fling… will it become more?
Book 2 Endurance: a very naughty enemies-to-lovers story with an even badder hero and an insulted doctor heroine is scorching and hilarious!
Book 3 Keeper: sweet and sexy friends-to-lovers story of the goalkeeper stepping out of the shadows of his brothers and the girl next door who’s gone from awkward to stunning.
Book “3.5” End Goal: Camden Harris gets his Highland wedding in this fun follow-up to Book 1, Challenge.
Book 4 Surrender: A reclusive hero with too much responsibility and a divorced single mom lose control together, but their shared passion becomes dangerous for them both.
Book 5 Dominate: Gareth and Sloan from Surrender conclude the Harris Brothers series with a road towards happily ever after that includes domination and submission.
The Knight’s Ridge Empire Series
By Tracy Lorraine. Narrated by Stella Hunter and James Joseph.
The author has warned readers and listeners about this “dark bully” new adult romance trilogy featuring a mafia princess and a dominating alpha hero.
And Tracy is right, we’re talking about some pretty mature themes here.
Still, the success of this trilogy spawned more books in the Empire series, and the duet narration of the brooding British hero, Sebastian, and the sassy, headstrong heroine, Stella, works with this raw and unflinching material.
Here’s a rundown of the first three scorching books featuring Stella and Sebastian:
Book 1 Wicked Knight: Sebastian is raging with his need for revenge, and he captures Stella to seek his brand of repayment. But Sebastian realizes he’s met his match in the mafia princess… and that’s not good for this wickedly bad boy.
Book 2 Wicked Princess: Stella’s life feels like a lie—but she allows herself to become Sebastian’s pawn anyway. Now he’s changed, but Stella refuses to bend, even to the man who stole her heart.
Book 3 Wicked Empire: As a mafia empire is destroyed, Sebastian knows uncovering the truth could be deadly. But he’s willing to fight and make Stella his queen—so she’ll no longer be forced to be her daddy’s not-so-satisfied little girl.
Dear Sexy Ex-Boyfriend
By Lauren Blakely. Narrated by Shane East and Andi Arndt.
Here’s a duet narration that had me pressing play when I noticed Andi Arndt is a co-narrator. Even better, Shane East voicing the hero is like Andi’s romantic match made in heaven.
Our heroine, Summer, never thought her Dear Sexy Ex letter would go viral—let alone that yummy British guy Oliver would find out about it!
This fake fiancée story is laugh-out-loud funny with sexy, friends-to-lovers scenes that deliver all the feels.
Joe Arden and Kit Swann deliver “guest appearance” narration on this one, bringing us to our next audiobook style. Cue the full-cast narration romance audiobooks!
Full-Cast Narration Romance Audiobooks
What I love about the full-cast narration style is the ability of talented voice actors to work in unison. When everyone clicks, it never sounds like you’re listening to a cheesy soap opera in romance audiobook form.
The best full-cast narrators deliver well-rounded characters that add so much to a well-written romance.
Still, spoiler alert: some of the full-cast audiobooks that are music to my ears aren’t quite in the traditional romance “happily-ever-after” category.
That said, these audiobooks contain a worthy romantic element. So let’s get listening!
A Guy Walks into My Bar
By Lauren Blakely. Narrated by Shane East and Joe Arden with a Full Cast.
How are you with a salty M/M romance starring a sarcastically witty British bartender and a cocky yet confident North American hockey player?
The smooth and sexy dialogue goes down here like a perfect pint of Guinness, and you’ll gladly listen along as a so-called fling transforms into an all-out love story.
If you’re game for an addictive romance, check out A Guy Walks into My Bar, with its two delicious heroes supported by a full and fantastic cast.
Romeo and Juliet
By William Shakespeare. Narrated by Michael Sheen and Kate Beckinsale with a Full Cast.
Okay, I get it… calling a work of Shakespeare with a famously tragic ending a “romance audiobook” is a gigantic stretch, but bear with me—or even better—give this audio version a try because it is extraordinary!
Well-known actors Michael Sheen and Kate Beckinsale were romantically involved in real life around the time of this recording more than two decades ago. They’re both highly praised for their narrations of young, star-crossed lovers Romeo and his fair Juliet.
Alive with background noises of the period and a fully fleshed cast of supporting characters, Romeo and Juliet in audiobook version is way more than just Elizabethian ear candy.
Fatal Throne: The Wives of Henry VIII Tell All
By Multiple Authors. Narrated by a Full Cast.
Listening to Romeo and Juliet piqued my interest in finding a historical romantic saga set in the Tudor period. Fatal Throne delivers a unique and special audio experience in so many ways.
Henry VIII and his six wives are reimagined in separate POVs by seven best-selling and award-winning authors:
M.T. Anderson does Henry, Candace Fleming does Katharine of Aragon, Stephanie Hemphill does Anne Boleyn, Lisa Ann Sandell does Jane Seymour, Jennifer Donnelly does Anne of Cleves, Linda Sue Park does Catherine Howard, and Deborah Hopkinson does Katherine Parr.
The British Royal Family continues to fascinate the world, and this very intimate audiobook brings a long-ago period in English history back to life in breathtaking and equally tragic ways.
Excessive
By Dan Robert. Narrated by Chloe Fineman, Joshua Jackson, Meredith Hagner, Kim Cattrall, Dan Robert, Loni Love, Debbie Allen, Emily Skeggs, Amy Sedaris, and a Full Cast.
Get an Emmy-winning writer to dream up a smart, snarky, short-length rom-com and bring in well-known actors to flesh out the voices… if you’re lucky (and this is your cup of tea as a listener), you’ll enjoy a rollicking ride, and be left wanting a lot more.
Reviews for Excessive are all over the place, just like the work itself.
I enjoyed it because it’s almost like an old-school radio play with modern zaniness, and if you want to go on a twisted journey through Vegas, consider Excessive your ticket!
Nine Women, One Dress
By Jane L. Rosen. Narrated by a Full Cast.
This genius concept centers on the power of one LBD (Little Black Dress!) that packs a lot of magic for nine different women—bringing romance to their lives, renewing faith, or otherwise leading these characters to unexpected or delightful places…
Reviewers have rightfully called Nine Women, One Dress the Love Actually of audiobooks for all seasons—for many, it’s the perfect romantic fit!
Return to Shelter Beach
By Terence Gray, Erin Day, and Ian Thake. narrated by Julia Mattison, Ali Zayn, Aaron Shedlock, and a Full Cast.
It makes sense that an Audible original would be scripted into a full-cast rom-com, like a sweet Hallmark Movie-style audiobook.
There’s always a time and place for this plotline, and if you need a summery romance, Return to Shelter Beach could be like Vitamin D for your ears when you need a dose of heartfelt sunshine.
Grace is social media savvy, but she’s been untruthful to her followers. Returning home to Shelter Beach, Grace “hides out” by bartending at the family’s local inn.
She’s definitely unprepared for the sexy local fisherman to start flirting or the Brit in the beach house next door to start bothering her!
The Marriage Contract
By Shay Davis. Narrated by Wesleigh Siobhan, Emmanuel Ingram, and a Full Cast.
Wesleigh Siobhan’s excellent and electrifying narration of Alexa got me right into The Marriage Contract, and Emmanuel Ingram’s soulful narration as Soul delivers the tingles for anyone with a pulse!
A fantastic supporting cast gives this audiobook the drama and depth of a signature Tyler Perry movie, with even more hotness and heart.
It’s a quick listen and a quality way to spend your time. The Marriage Contract is a winner!
