My Favorite Books and Audiobooks from 2019
I am going to be mixing books and audiobooks for this list. Only four books I read rated 5 stars (or higher) in 2019, but there were a ton of great audiobooks. In 2019 my reading switched from 50-60% audible to about 80%. In most cases the same review would apply for the book and audiobook, but there are a few exceptions of note. Heidi’s Guide to Four Letter Words is one, the audio HAD to make the book better because Andi Arndt was hysterical. Red, White and Royal Blue is just the opposite; the narration actually took away from the story for me.
The links to my full reviews still don’t have spoilers, but they list my likes and dislikes.


Just My Type by Tara Sivec
Just My Type by Tara Sivec is one of only three books/audiobooks this year that I happily gave more than 5 stars to. This spin off of The Simple Life by Tara Sivec was even better than the first, and it easily stands alone.
Blurb:
Have the greatest job ever working on my family’s pumpkin farm? Check.
Marry the town pharmacist and have a nice, quiet life with our son? Check-check.
“Oh, I’m sorry. Did you say you were happy? LOLOLOLOL!” ~ Life
Ember Hastings never thought she’d be dragged away from White Timber and everything she loved, thrust in the middle of a big city she hated, or have her husband of nine years say, “I can’t do this anymore,” all within the span of three months, yet here she is.
She misses her family, she misses the farm, and she misses having a backbone and caring whether or not the stain on her shirt is chocolate or sh*t. She works from home doing transcription. Does she really need to shower or leave the house?
Baker Matthews has been bringing everyone down lately with his grouchy attitude. His job is stressful and sometimes depressing, but he wouldn’t change anything about it. When a glitch with the transcription company he’s using mistakenly sends him notes he wasn’t supposed to see, Baker finds himself laughing out loud for the first time in months.
He’s never met a woman who says whatever she’s thinking and doesn’t fawn all over him when she finds out what he does for a living. Until Ember Hastings comes barreling into his life, calling him Sh*t Mouth and asking if he has any balls.
But she wants to keep this professional. She made him pinky swear, and you don’t mess around with pinky swears. Baker will have to get creative if he wants to prove to Ember that he’s just her type.
āItās called a piss boner, it makes you pee in two streams instead of one, it looks like a goddamn spitting cobra, and you can look it up.ā
āWhatās a piss boner?ā Lincoln asks. āI want one. Can I have one?ā
The Down & Dirty:
See My Full Review
Amazon | Audible
Audible is $1.99 additional or FREE in Audible Escape
**Another MUST READ 5 Star book by Tara Sivec:

Christmas Cliche by Tara Sivec
Blurb:
and all through L.A.,
Allie Parkerās famous twin sisters
were driving her cray.
She fled to the mountains
with a hostage in tow,
hoping to sleep through the holidays,
which were a sh*t-show.
A crash in a blizzard,
and a hot mountain man,
definitely wasnāt part
of her evacuation plan.
Santas, and stockings,
and creepy nutcrackers too,
everywhere she looks,
itās a crazy Christmas zoo.
But there are hugs, and smiles,
and a beautiful view,
kisses and laughter,
and no time to be blue.
Maybe this family,
with their hot mountain man,
will make this a Christmas
Allie can actually stand.
The Down & Dirty:


Slow Burn by Kristen Ashley
It’s funny that my two 5+++ books this year are from my top two authors; both of them have topped every list since 2012. I loved Slow Burn to pieces, but I do think that to fully appreciate it, you need to read The Hookup first.
Blurb:
And when Toby returns to his hometown of Matlock, Kentucky and claps eyes on Adeline Forrester, he knows sheās the one.
The problem is, his brother Johnny has a new girlfriend. And Addie is her sister. Last, Toby would do nothing to hurt Johnnyās chance at happiness.
Toby hangs around town to get to know the woman Johnny fell in love with. He also hangs around to get to know Addie.
But heās fallen hard, and he knows the best thing for himāand Addieāis for him to leave.
Addie Forrester is thrilled her sister Eliza found a good, solid man. Johnny Gamble is the salt of the earth. The best guy in the world.
The best except for his brother, Toby.
Toby doesnāt know it, but Addieās fallen hard too. Heās perfect, except for the fact that heās hands off and itās torture, being friends with Toby when she wants so much more.
Addie also has a lot on her mind. Sheās got bills to pay, her young son needs food, Christmas is coming and her job at the grocery store just isnāt cutting it.
Toby is steering clear of Addie. Addie is steering clear of Toby. But everyone around them knows this is the slow burn.
Because just like Eliza and Johnny, Addie and Toby were made for each other.
āGive them time and a situation that was not extremeālike both of them wanting to go there for seven months, nursing a slow burn, they blew on it, and it became an infernoāit was likely to take the phenomenal of what theyād just done to fucking cosmic.ā
The Down & Dirty:
Audible is $1.99 additional or FREE in Audible Escape
See my Complete Guide to Kristen Ashley


Heidi’s Guide to Four Letter Words by Tara Sivec and Andi Arndt
Narrated by Andi Arndt
Uff-da! I know the Tara Sivec/Andi Arndt collaboration would be good, but I honestly had no idea how good! Heidiās Guide to Four Letter Words is the first book I ever listened to once, then went right back and listened again. Then while writing the review and transcribing the quotes, I ended up listening for a third time!
Blurb:
Now I, Heidi Larsen, a sweet former kindergarten teacher in Waconia, Minnesota, lead a scandalous double life reading erotic novels to the listening world. And with each episode, I find myself embracing my new alter ego more and more. Now I’m starting to feel more comfortable in my own skin and do things I never would have dreamed of – like kissing my neighbor.
Look out, Waconia, because Heidi’s on the loose! She’s in your ears, in your hearts, and down your pants…wait, that didn’t sound as good as it did in my head. Well, you get the picture, don’tcha know!
āThe kind of fire that makes me want to ask him to touch my butt. Oh my god, I feel so scandalous.ā
The Down & Dirty:
FREE in Audible Escape


Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Narrated by a cast of 20+ including Jennifer Beals and Benjamin Bratt
Daisy Jones and the Six is by far my most recommended read for 2019 because it appeals to anyone, including those who don’t read romance. With an all star cast, I highly recommend the audio. It is in the process of being made into an Amazon Prime show by Reese Witherspoon and are supposed to start shooting in April 2020. Here is a great article on the casting.
The Blurb:
Also getting noticed is The Six, a band led by the brooding Billy Dunne. On the eve of their first tour, his girlfriend Camila finds out sheās pregnant, and with the pressure of impending fatherhood and fame, Billy goes a little wild on the road.
Daisy and Billy cross paths when a producer realizes that the key to supercharged success is to put the two together. What happens next will become the stuff of legend.
The making of that legend is chronicled in this riveting and unforgettable novel, written as an oral history of one of the biggest bands of the seventies. Taylor Jenkins Reid is a talented writer who takes her work to a new level with Daisy Jones & The Six, brilliantly capturing a place and time in an utterly distinctive voice.
āMusic can dig, you know? It can take a shovel to your chest and just start digging until it hits something.ā
The Narration:
Holy cow. With over 20 narrators including actors Jennifer Beals, Benjamin Bratt, Judy Greer, Pablo Shreiber and more, listening to the story unfold was a large part of the experience. I am not sure I would have enjoyed the interview format nearly as much if I read it as I did listening to it. It lent itself perfectly to audio.
The Down & Dirty:


Birthday Suit by Lauren Blakely
Narrated by Andi Arndt, Sebastian York, and a full cast
Lauren Blakely was already the Queen of audiobooks. Birthday Suit turned her into The Goddess of audiobooks. Birthday Suit was a groundbreaking, full cast audiobook with some of the best narrators in the business and brought a new trend of incredible duet and full cast novels.
The Blurb:
Keep listening for an exclusive backstage conversation with Arndt and York, the electric duo whose chemistry as Lulu and Leo is too delicious to resist.
āLeo, I donāt think I realized how attractive you were before, and Iām glad I didnāt. But itās all hitting me at once. And right now, I kind of want to jump you. I want to throw the plates to the ground, crawl across the table, and straddle you. I want to grind against you and kiss you all over and do all sorts of very bad things to you.ā
The Narration:
I was worried that 12 narrators would be overkill and hard to digest, but it was so natural sounding! Birthday Suit has by far the best narration I have ever heard in a book. Each person was assigned a character, and they were all so perfect for their roles. You will want to hang on to this cast list, it helped a lot!
The Down & Dirty:

Overnight Service and Special Delivery by Lauren Blakely
Honestly, I listened to every audiobook Lauren released in 2019, and that’s at least 12. Let me tell you, I loved every single one of them. There is a reason she is my favorite audiobook author! Lauren writes her books with the audio and narrator in mind which makes for an amazing audiobook, but her stories are all smart, happy, and sexy. Lauren can take a common trope and make it into the perfect escape.
Overnight Service Blurb:
- She’s my fiercest rival.
- She’s also my fiery ex.
- We’re going up against each other in a stiff competition to win the hottest new client on the market.
And yet, I’d like to be up against the wall in a stiff competition to get her to call out my name.
Time to double down on my resistance to her tough-as-nails, take-no-prisoners, sexy-as-sin attitude. The same attitude I find irresistible.
That’s a big problem, because in this race to nab the client, I run into Haven in the hotel, on the beach, in the guest quarters late at night.
Hate sex would be a terrible idea.
Except it’s the complete opposite, and now we can’t keep our hands off each other.
Trouble is, I’m not so sure it’s hate I’m feeling anymore.
And that’s the biggest reason sleeping with the enemy you’re falling for is a bad idea – my job literally depends on never letting her into my heart.
Special Delivery Blurb:
Instead, I’m stuck planning all the holiday parties with the one guy who makes me want to break my dating diet.
Who thought that was a good idea?
Oh, me. Yep, brilliant, strategic me who raised her hand and said yes I’d love to hang mistletoe with that hot former sports star. (Note to self: Mistletoe leads to toe-curling, knee-weakening kisses.)
And I’d love to get snowed in with the one guy I shouldn’t fall for. (Addendum to the note to self: You know exactly where eight inches of snow leads to. Ahem, eight inches.)
As long as I can make it through the holidays, I’ll be on my merry way, fa la la la la. But the holidays have a surprise for me.
This special production also includes a behind-the-scenes conversation with Andi Arndt and Dan Bittner, a blooper reel, and an exclusive sneak preview of Asking for a Friend, starring Andi Arndt, Jason Clarke, Zachary Webber, and Erin Mallon!
The Down & Dirty:
When you listen to a 7 hour audio, you donāt do it expecting you are going to turn around and listen again. But thatās just what I did! I wasnāt ready for Overnight Service to end. It was the perfect blend of humor, heart and HEAT! The full-cast narration just bumped it up that extra notch, and the banter and dialogue was just perfect. The bonus book of The Engagement Gift alone was worth it! Make sure you listen to that part when you, ummmmm, have a little āhelpā (a man or batteries) because ?????.
Special Delivery:
It is so rare to finish a novella and feel like I had a complete story that didnāt feel overly rushed. Sweet, cute, sexy and it totally got me in the holiday spirit early, Special Delivery by Lauren Blakely is a new holiday favorite.
*NOTE: Make sure you listen to the end! There were some bonus bloopers and interviews.
See My Review for Overnight Service | Amazon | Audible
See My Review for Special Delivery | Amazon | Audible
Both books are in Audible Escape


The Guy on the Right (The Underdogs Book 1) by Kate Stewart
Funny, sweet, angsty and unique, Kate Stewart has found her way onto this list for the past three years.
The Blurb:
Iāve spent most of my life answering to Teddy, because I couldnāt make Theo work.
Except for here. College. The place where all bets are off, and Iāve managed to redeem myself.
Thereās only one problem, my new roommate, Troy, is football royalty and looks like he stepped off the set of an Abercrombie shoot.
Doesnāt matter, I cook a mean breakfast for his panty parade, and we get along well.
And anyway, this year I got the girl. And sheās perfect.
Thatās right. Theodore Houseman, former band geek, now marching band rock star has finally landed the girl of his dreams.
Everything is perfect.
That is, until Troy takes a good look at her.
Iām not going down without a fight. As a matter of fact, Iām not going down at all. As glorious as these days may be for my all-star roommate, Laney is my end game.
I may not know much about play strategy, but Iāve been the good guy my whole life. Iāve been listening and I know exactly what women want. Framed in a picture standing next to me, Troy may seem like Mr. Perfect, but heās underestimating the guy on the right.
Spoiler alert: In this story, the underdog is going to win.
āIām unsure if Iām worthy of such a gift. The gift of knowing him, of seeing him this way, of being on this side of his affection. I mightāve fallen slowly, but I just landed impossibly deep.ā
The Down & Dirty:



Nine: The Tale of Kevin Clearwater by T.M. Frazier
If T.M. Frazier writes a book, apparently it will end up on this list, because I just love everything she has written so far.
The Blurb:
Nine can be read as a complete standalone.Nine lives.
Nine inches.
One chance to make her his.
Preppy’s brother is about to live up to the family legacy in more ways than one.
This is the story of Nine, The Tale of Kevin Clearwater.
āHear me when I say that you are more than one thing. A person can be both sensitive and heartless. Both selfish and selfless. Quiet and loud. Fearful and bold. Jealous and proud. A killer and a savior. Flawed, yet perfect. We can love and hate in equal measure. We can be crazy sometimes and sane in the next.ā
āBecause you arenāt one thing. You canāt be, because youāre everything.ā
The Down & Dirty:


Dirty Letters by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward
Narrated by Jacob Morgan and Andi Arndt
The Blurb:
Griffin Quinn was my childhood pen pal, the British boy who couldnāt have been more different from me. Over the years, through hundreds of letters, we became best friends, sharing our deepest, darkest secrets and forming a connection I never thought could break.
Until one day it did.
Then, out of the blue, a new letter arrived. A scathing one – one with eight years of pent-up anger. I had no choice but to finally come clean as to why I stopped writing.
Griffin forgave me, and somehow we were able to rekindle our childhood connection. Only now we were adults, and that connection had grown to a spark. Our letters quickly went from fun to flirty to downright dirty, revealing our wildest fantasies. So it only made sense that we would take our relationship to the next level and see each other in person.
Only Griff didnāt want to meet. He asked that I trust him and said it was for the best. But I wanted more – more Griff, in the flesh – so I took a big chance and went looking for him. People have done crazier things for love.
But what I found could change everything.
āI wonāt always be able to give you your light back, because sometimes you need to find that within yourself, but Iāll stand by your side and hold your hand in the dark so things arenāt so scary.ā
The Narration:
I loved Jacob Morgan and Andi Arndt in Dirty Letters. They were each in top form and were perfect for the roles. Jacob Morgan with a British accent? MORE PLEASE!
The Down & Dirty:


The Girl He Used to Know: A Novel by Tracey Garvis Graves
The Blurb:
Jonathan Hoffman joined the chess club and lost his first gameāand his heartāto the shy and awkward, yet brilliant and beautiful Annika. He admires her ability to be true to herself, quirks and all, and accepts the challenges involved in pursuing a relationship with her. Jonathan and Annika bring out the best in each other, finding the confidence and courage within themselves to plan a future together. What follows is a tumultuous yet tender love affair that withstands everything except the unforeseen tragedy that forces them apart, shattering their connection and leaving them to navigate their lives alone.
Now, a decade later, fate reunites Annika and Jonathan in Chicago. She’s living the life she wanted as a librarian. He’s a Wall Street whiz, recovering from a divorce and seeking a fresh start. The attraction and strong feelings they once shared are instantly rekindled, but until they confront the fears and anxieties that drove them apart, their second chance will end before it truly begins.
āDid you ever fall in love with a girl who was different? Not just from any girl youād ever dated before, but from most people in general?āĀ
The Down & Dirty:


Red, White & Royal Blue: A Novel by Casey McQuiston
Narrated by Ramon de Ocampo
Had I read this one instead of listened, it could have been my top read. The audiobook took away from the experience a bit.
The Blurb:
Heads of family, state, and other handlers devise a plan for damage control: staging a truce between the two rivals. What at first begins as a fake, Instragramable friendship grows deeper, and more dangerous, than either Alex or Henry could have imagined. Soon, Alex finds himself hurtling into a secret romance with a surprisingly unstuffy Henry that could derail the campaign and upend two nations and begs the question: Can love save the world after all? Where do we find the courage, and the power, to be the people we are meant to be? And how can we learn to let our true colors shine through? Casey McQuiston’s Red, White & Royal Blue proves: True love isn’t always diplomatic.
āIām the son of the first female president. And Iām not white like she is, canāt even pass for it. People will always come down harder on me.ā
The Narration:
I think the narration took away from the book and I wish I read instead of listened. There were too many characters with too much dialog to be able to follow easily. While Ramon de Ocampo did a pretty good job of switching voices and accents, I did notice several times that he used the wrong voice for a line here and there. If ever a book needed an ensemble cast this would be the one.
The Down & Dirty:
Red, White & Royal Blue has all the makings to be a hit. Itās fresh and different. Itās modern. Itās relevant. Itās fun. It has a wonderful message of inclusiveness with the understanding of the consequences. But I think the narration, for me, took away from the story. There were a lot of characters and I had a hard time following along with who was speaking. The beginning moved a bit slow for me, but the last third of the book was amazing. Though this is definitely an adult book with some sexual scenes, the actual sex is fade-to-black which I think works fine for this and will help it appeal to the more mainstream reader. I loved the characters and the storyline was just perfect. I see why everyone has been talking about Red, White & Royal Blue, but I think the narration held me back from being as blown away as everyone else.
*Note: while taking the photo I started listening again, and now that I know the characters I am enjoying it even more. Though the beginning is still a bit of an info overload ā I can see why I had trouble following, because itās a lot even the second time.


Letters to Molly: Maysen Jar Series, Book 2 by Devney Perry
Narrated by Teddy Hamilton and Jillian Macie
The Blurb:
The letters are full of promise, hope, and love, but truth be told, Molly wishes she could unread them all.
Because the man who wrote these letters is not the one sending them.
āThe thing about divorce is, there isnāt always one mistake. One nuclear bomb dropped on a couple that destroys their marriage. Sometimes, it creeps up on you slowly.āĀ
The Narration:
I love Teddy Hamilton all the time and this was no exception, but I think this was my first time hearing Jillian Macie, and I sure hope it isnāt my last! I loved her narration.
The Down & Dirty:


When Ashes Fall by Marni Mann
The Blurb:
You canāt split your heart, soul, and body in half.
But Iām here to tell you, you can.
Dylan Cole is like ice, sharp and unpredictable, the thunder inside a tumultuous storm.
Smith Reid is warmth, soft and gentle, perfect like a sunny day.
Both are mine.
But I can have only one.
There are two sides to this tale.
I’m here to tell you mine.
If you think this story is about a cheater, you couldnāt be more wrong.
The Down & Dirty:
Amazon | AudibleĀ ($1.99 or Audible Escape)
The Forge Trilogy by Meghan March
Narrated by Joe Arden and Erin Mallon
Meghan March has always been a favorite of mine. She writes a great combination of HOT alphas and exciting, sexy storylines. I listened to several of her books this year, but The Forge Trilogy was 5 stars across the board.
Blurb (for book 1):Ā
One look at Jericho Forge and I knew the rumors were true. He was a predator, and he had set his sights on me.
I knew better than to bet more than I could afford to lose that night. I knew better than to bet myself. But desperation leads to bad decisions, and I thought there was no way I could lose.
I was wrong.
Now I have no choice but to make a deal with the devil.
āThey can torture me. Peel the fucking skin from my body. But if they fucking dare to touch one hair on her headā¦Iāll burn the entire world down.ā
The Down & Dirty:
See my review for Deal with the DevilĀ | Amazon | Audible
See my review for Luck of the DevilĀ | Amazon | Audible
See my review for Heart of the DevilĀ | Amazon |Audible
There are a few books that I need to mention but I arm hurts too much to add anymore. My author of the year was for sure Lauren Blakely and in addition to the 3 already on this list I need to add these:
These audiobooks were also some 2019 Top Picks
These books were published before 2019, but since I listened in 2019, I will include them here:

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