Romance Audiobooks discussion

I just started a new audiobook this morning, with a new-to-me narrator. She's got a young-ish voice. I'm not gonna say the name at this point, to keep this more about voices in general.

I've heard people complain about Davina Porter's voice sounding "too old" for Claire in Outlander, which I never felt. And I've actually listened to a Nora Roberts with a narrator who sounded about 10 years old - and I wasn't the only one who found that squicky when hearing the (thankfully subtle) love scenes!!

Anywayzz, as I'm listening, I'm thinking this womnan's narration voice doesn't sound too young, but when she does men's voices it sounds like she's a child play-acting. She also does an older woman (52!!) that way - play-acting sounding, shaky elderly-type voice. I'm imagining her playing with Barbie and Ken while she does these voices. (and I'm insulted that she thinks 52 is elderly)

Any thoughts? Feedback? Have you run across narrators who cannot do age-appropriate characters? I'm trying not to let it affect how I like the book - she's not a bad narrator, but her child-play-acting voice is annoying. If that's how the hero sounds, I'm gonna have to think hard about DNF, or else picture Barbie and Ken's faces smooshed together while she pretends they are kissing...

I was sampling a book on Audible the other day and rejected it because the narrator sounded too young and eager - like she'd be the ingenue in a play. I didn't hear enough to know if she had a play-acting quality, but I didn't think I could listen to her voice for a whole book. I don't remember what book it was.

Melinda I've listened to a Nora Roberts book that had the exact same issue, a ten year old voice reading a romance, the ick factor made it a DNF.

For me it was All I Want For Christmas, the Audible.com production, for anyone wondering.

At 51 I find it very insulting to have the over 50 crowd sound like geriatric rest home residents in an audiobook. Since I have a 33 year old daughter with whom friends and family confuse our voices over the telephone, I figure I can speak from experience, and have the right to be annoyed. :)

Your descriptive imagery of Barbie and Ken's faces smooshed together still has me laughing ..... and shuddering at the thought of hearing something that would conjure said image.

Since I'm, uh, a few years older than you, I'm way insulted! And yes! it was the same NR book! Ick! That same narrator got those same comments on other books she narrated.

Now that the story is just hero and heroine alone for several chapters, it's not too bad - or maybe I'm just getting used to Barbie's and Ken's voices.

OK, I had to go check that book on audible and listen to snippet. Gotta agree on that one! She should stick to YA titles!

She should definitely stick with being a YA narrator.

Fortunately for us Nora Roberts fans, Brilliance re - produced All I Want for Christmas about a year and a half ago, with Patrick Lawlor narrating. I really enjoyed his version.

Audible has yet to pick up the new, and much improved, version.

Brenda wrote: "....Fortunately for Nora Roberts, and us, Brilliance re - produced All I Want for Christmas about a year and a half ago, with Patrick Lawlor narrating. I really enjoyed his version.

Audible has yet to pick up the new, and much improved, version. "

Well, make sure to request it. They had Keri Arthur's The Darkest Kiss released by Recorded Books and read by Susan Lyons. Then Tantor Audio started releasing books 2 - 9 read by Angela Dawe and I was SURE audible wouldn't pick that one up so I bought it direct from Tantor when they were running a sale. Then Audible came up with it on they're just added list so now they have both versions available.

I've held off from buying Stray because on the sample the narrator sounds way too old to be a high school kid.

Same with the narrator of Patricia Briggs books. She just didn't sound right for Mercy.

Susinok wrote: "...Same with the narrator of Patricia Briggs books. She just didn't sound right for Me..."

Are you familiar with Loreili King's readings? Have you listened to the audio samples? I'd be willing to upload samples if you feel hat would help you make a more informed decision. I don't think she sounds to young.

I tried listening to Final Jeopardy by Linda Howard the other day, but had to stop after an hour because Barbara Rosenblat's narration was pulling me out of the story. Alex is supposed to be in her early to mid 30s, but Rosenblat sounded more like her grandmother. This just reinforced the influence that a narrator has on my enjoyment of a book - if the narrator sounds to young or too old, it can ruin the entire experience.

Lauren wrote: "I tried listening to Final Jeopardy by Linda Howard the other day, but had to stop after an hour because Barbara Rosenblat's narration was pulling me out of the story. Alex is supposed..."

You meant Linda Fairstein?

Lee wrote: "Lauren wrote: "You meant Linda Fairstein? "

Yes I did, lol!

The narrator's age can make a significant difference. I remember listening to a few minutes of another Linda Howard book, To Die For, and the narrator sounded like a much older woman than Blair Mallory would. Turned me off completely and I didn't buy the book.

More recently I listened to Georgette Heyer's The Grand Sophy and IMO Sarah Woodward sounded a little too old for the part. I had to ignore that niggle because she really is an excellent narrator and when I did I was able to enjoy the book.

I recently listened to Cora's Heart and I had to stop because the narrator's voice was just too creaky/old sounding. It was not good for the heroine and just plain bad for the hero. I stopped listening about half-way through. Such a disappointment.

I think because Flo Gibson was one of my first Recorded Books narrators many years ago and I so enjoy having the stories read to me more so than acted out, I find the age of the voice less an issue. I do think comtemporaries work better for me with perhaps a more age appropriate voice but the quality of narration makes the most difference to me.

Lee wrote: "I do think comtemporaries work better for me with perhaps a more age appropriate voice but the quality of narration makes the most difference to me. ."

I find that I have a problem with narrators who sound younger than me. Younger sounding narrators give the impression that the book is YA even if it isn't.