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Best Audiobooks to Listen to in Summer 2026

Summer is the perfect season to dive into a great audiobook. Whether you’re planning a beach vacation, heading out on a road trip, relaxing by the pool, or simply looking for your next binge-worthy listen, the right audiobook can make every summer moment even better.

From addictive thrillers and emotional fiction to fantasy adventures and unforgettable romances, these are some of the best audiobooks to add to your Summer 2026 listening list.

1. Fourth Wing

Author: Rebecca Yarros
Narrators: Rebecca Soler, Teddy Hamilton

Fantasy romance continues to dominate audiobook charts, and Fourth Wing remains one of the biggest audiobook sensations in recent years. Filled with dragons, dangerous trials, romance, and nonstop action, this audiobook is nearly impossible to pause once you start listening.

Why it’s perfect for summer:

Fast-paced and addictive
Incredible fantasy worldbuilding
Perfect for long road trips and vacation listening

2. The Housemaid

Author: Freida McFadden
Narrator: Lauryn Allman

Psychological thrillers continue to dominate audiobook listening in 2026, and The Housemaid remains one of the most talked-about suspense novels among audiobook fans. Twisty, fast-paced, and impossible to stop listening to, this thriller is perfect for late-night summer listening sessions.

Why listeners love it:

Short, binge-worthy chapters
Major word-of-mouth popularity
Constant surprises and twists

3. First Lie Wins

Author: Ashley Elston
Narrator: Saskia Maarleveld

If you love suspenseful stories filled with secrets, deception, and unexpected turns, First Lie Wins deserves a spot on your summer listening list. This audiobook keeps listeners guessing from beginning to end.

Why it stands out:

Smart, fast-moving thriller
Great pacing for audiobook listening
Perfect for fans of psychological suspense

4. Funny Story

Author: Emily Henry
Narrator: Julia Whelan

Summer and romance audiobooks are the perfect combination, and Emily Henry continues to be one of the most popular authors for feel-good listening. Funny Story blends humor, romance, and emotional storytelling into a highly entertaining audiobook experience.

Perfect for:

Fans of romantic comedies
Beach and vacation listening
Listeners looking for lighter summer stories

5. The Women

Author: Kristin Hannah
Narrator: Julia Whelan

Kristin Hannah delivers another deeply emotional and unforgettable listening experience with The Women. Historical fiction fans continue to praise this audiobook for its storytelling, powerful characters, and immersive narration.

Why listeners recommend it:

Emotional and inspiring story
Excellent audiobook narration
Ideal for fans of historical fiction

6. None of This Is True

Author: Lisa Jewell
Narrators: Kristin Atherton, Ayesha Antoine, Louise Brealey, Alix Dunmore, Elliot Fitzpatrick, Lisa Jewell, Thomas Judd, Dominic Thorburn, Nicola Walker, Jenny Walser

Lisa Jewell has become one of the most popular names in psychological suspense, and None of This Is True is one of the most addictive audiobooks listeners have discovered recently. The layered storytelling and suspenseful narration make this an ideal binge-listen.

Why it’s a summer favorite:

Creepy, suspenseful atmosphere
Excellent narration
Hard to stop once it begins

7. Listen for the Lie

Author: Amy Tintera
Narrators: January LaVoy, Will Damron

Mystery and thriller fans looking for an addictive summer audiobook should add Listen for the Lie to their listening list immediately. Blending dark humor, suspense, and podcast-style storytelling, this audiobook keeps listeners guessing until the very end.

Why audiobook fans love it:

Fast-paced and binge-worthy
Excellent narration
Perfect for fans of true crime and psychological suspense

8. The Frozen River

Author: Ariel Lawhon
Narrators: Jane Oppenheimer, Ariel Lawhon

Historical mystery fans looking for a rich, immersive audiobook should add The Frozen River to their summer list. Combining suspense, historical detail, and emotional storytelling, this audiobook has quickly become a listener favorite.

Best for:

Mystery and historical fiction fans
Mystery and historical fiction fans
Listeners who enjoy atmospheric storytelling

9. Remarkably Bright Creatures

Author: Shelby Van Pelt
Narrators: Marin Ireland, Michael Urie

Heartwarming, emotional, and beautifully narrated, Remarkably Bright Creatures continues to win over audiobook listeners through word-of-mouth recommendations. Its unique characters and uplifting story make it one of the most memorable audiobooks to enjoy this summer.

Why listeners connect with it:

Emotional but uplifting
Unique and memorable storytelling
Wonderful narration

10. Hidden Potential

Author: Adam Grant
Narrators: Adam Grant, Maurice Ashley, R.A. Dickey, Evelyn Glennie, Sara Maria Hasbun, Francis Idehen, Alison Levine, Benny Lewis, Kari Louhivuori, Nelli Louhivuori, Brandon Payne, Richard Pine, Gil Winch, Various

Summer is the perfect time to focus on growth, motivation, and new perspectives, and Hidden Potential has become one of the most popular nonfiction audiobooks for listeners looking to improve both personally and professionally. Adam Grant combines research, storytelling, and practical insights into an engaging audiobook that works especially well in audio format.

Why listeners are enjoying it:

Thought-provoking and motivating
Thought-provoking and motivating
Great for commuting, workouts, and travel listening

Find Your Next Summer Audiobook

Whether you enjoy fantasy adventures, emotional fiction, suspenseful thrillers, or feel-good romance, Summer 2026 offers plenty of incredible audiobooks to discover. A great audiobook can turn any drive, workout, vacation, or relaxing afternoon into an unforgettable experience.

Browse thousands of bestselling audiobooks, new releases, and listener favorites at AudiobooksNow.com and discover your next favorite summer listen today.

Great Belief in an Open and Honest Mind…”The Point of It All: A Lifetime of Great Loves and Endeavors”, by Charles Krauthammer

Before his death, American Columnist and Political Analyst, Charles Krauthammer compiled a collection of his most important works. The book, entitled The Point of It All: A Lifetime of Great Loves and Endeavors. Krauthammer was highly regarded for his opinions and analyzes of current issues and their effect on global democracy. He always cut through all the background noise of politics to get to the important issues with clarity and integrity. The book is edited and introduction written by his son, Daniel Krauthammer.

The book will fill the void left for thousands of fans who had great respect for Charles, and who tuned in with great anticipation to hear what he would have to comment on the issues of the day. He never disappointed in his clear, concise views. Even the most uninterested could have their interest peaked by his observations. But the book does more…… it shows his personal side, that of a husband, a dad and just a human being, who enjoyed chess, baseball, ideas, and competition.

The best description of Krauthammer’s book is the following…… it’s brimmed with a cup overflowing toward emotion paired with precise logic, and yet succinct in word craft nailing to the logical analysis…….a look at the man behind the words……one who had a great belief in an open and honest mind. R.I.P. Charles Krauthammer.

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Integrity, Trust in God, and the True Power of Forgiveness…”Higher is Waiting”, by Tyler Perry

When one thinks of Tyler Perry, the actor, we think of his comedic character Madea. He created the character which has brought him much recognition and success as actor, director, and producer of the Madea movies. However, with the publishing of his book, Higher is Waiting, Perry also adds serious author to his resume.

The novel is very poignantly written, describing Perry’s life in vivid, moving prose, even though his early childhood and life were filled with brutality, depravation, and fear. He chose to be thankful for those people who helped him survive, rather than dwelling on the negatives. He gave praise to people such as…….his Aunt Mae who gave care to her grandfather, and who was born a slave and sewed quilts that told generational stories; Mr. Butler, a blind man who sold penny candies; and, his beloved Mother, Maxine, who endured abuse, money problems, and the daily struggle growing up in the old south. Perry very tenderly creates portraits of these people who taught him the important life lessons of integrity, trust in God, and the true power of forgiveness.

One reviewer says this of Tyler Perry…….despite his experiences early on in life, and despite having that natural ability to “sniff out” danger or ill intention, Perry has managed to develop an accepting and loving graciousness toward people, even toward those who have wronged him.

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Codenpendence, Eating Disorders, Abortion as Well as Many Others…”I’m Fine…And Other Lies”, by Whitney Cummings

You expect a book by Whitney Cummings, stand-up comic, actor and creator/co-creator of two network sitcoms, including the long-running “Two Broke Girls” would be funny. What you wouldn’t expect is that her memoir “I’m Fine … And Other Lies” would be such a frank, deeply moving account of her experiences with codependence, eating disorders, abortion, consent, fertility as well as many others.

“I feel I had dealt with a lot of my codependence in my personal life and professional life but it still was rearing its ugly head in other ways,” she told me. “Codependence is like a game of whack-a-mole. You think you’ve dealt with one part, another part pops up.”

“I so badly wanted everything to be easy that I ignored reality,” she continued. “The same mentality can be, ‘Oh, this guy will change. He’s done this with every other woman but if I just love him enough, he’ll change.’ Or, ‘My boss yells at me every day but if I just dress a certain way or get this brief in on time, she’ll stop.’ These things that we tell ourselves to self-soothe but ultimately end up putting us in dangerous situations, for me is a slippery slope.”

The theme of her book mimics her comedic style. There will be honesty and humor enough for any “2 Broke Girl” fan.

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Never Fear the Haters…Fear the weak who listen to them…”Obsessed or Be Average”, by Grant Cardone

From the New York Times bestselling author of The 10X Rule and If You’re Not First, You’re Last comes an in-your-face wake-up call for anyone truly ready for success. We’re in the middle of an epidemic of average. So-called “normal” people get up every day, go to work, do what’s asked of them, leave promptly at 5, and return home to sit on the couch and watch TV. Society tells us that this is what it means to lead a balanced life. Don’t stress too much or work too hard. Your career isn’t everything. But Grant Cardone thinks this preoccupation with balance has really just given an excuse to be mediocre.

This book will give you permission to be obsessed. It will make you aware of the haters and the naysayers. Grant points out the difference between the two, and how naysayers are worse than haters. “Never fear the haters – fear the weak who listen to them.”

It was a great refresher into obsession as a positive in business. Combine this with “Ego is the Enemy” and you have a powerful strategy. Literally makes you want to sprint to your goals and conquer them. Makes what you have to do obvious and clear.

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Harnessing the Electrifying Power of a Bold Vision…”Shoe Dog”, by Phil Knight

Phil Knight, the founder of Nike has written a very honest and entertaining memoir about how he became the chairman of the board for one of the most successful companies in business history. His decision to try something other than the usual corporate employment and ladder climbing was reached after a back-packing trip through Asia, Europe, and Africa. He was 24 years old and was questioning what his future would hold. During that trip, he decided to follow an unconventional path…….one that would lead him to be the chairman of a company that now grosses $30 billion annually.

Knight was a graduate of the University of Oregon, where he was a runner on their track team. He decided that he wanted a career in something that would allow him to not only make money, but afford him the opportunity to pretty much “play all the time”. He began his amazing venture by borrowing $50 from his father, and sold Japanese made running shoes from the trunk of his Plymouth Valiant. He says that in his first year, he made a profit of $8,000. That “company” was named Blue Ribbon, after those hanging on his bedroom walls representing his own running competitions.

The road to his current multi-billion dollar corporation was not always rosey. Knight encountered many successes and setbacks along the way. But through those good and bad times, he persevered, with his most cherished accomplishment being the formation of relationships that formed the foundational heart and soul of Nike. One can only imagine the current thoughts of the struggling graphic designer who was paid $35 to create the iconic swoosh! The chairman Knight, and his “ragtag group of misfits”, together “harnessed the electrifying power of a bold vision and a shared belief in the redemptive, transformative power of sports, and created a brand, and a culture, that changed everything.”

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Feeling Strong and “Pretty Happy”, by Kate Hudson

One would think by looking at Kate Hudson, that she effortlessly goes through life ever beautiful, ever in the best of physical fitness. The truth is…….she has had to learn how to take care of herself, to strive to her fullest potential. She outlines her fitness journey in her book……Pretty Happy: Healthy Ways to Love Your Body. She is the mother of two, a businesswoman with her line of clothing, and actress. Her time is very precious, so she makes the most out of work outs. It takes motivation and a lot of discipline to meet your personal goals…… a whole lot of hard work. Her best feeling about it all is when physical and mental combine to give her a sense of feeling strong.

The book is not some tell all. It is meant to give an explanation of how, over a period of time, Kate developed a focus on how to connect with what her body needs by connecting to herself. In that way, she does not even have to think about what she needs to eat or how long she should work out.
She explains that she is not always the smiling, upbeat persona that the public is used to seeing in movies……she says, nobody is. She has great days, not so great days, and awful days, just like everyone else. She is leading a much more complicated life than in her earlier years, but feels more relaxed, self-assured, and confident than ever. She attributes this to feeling at peace with herself, which gives her the energy to face new challenges and new projects.

“When you understand yourself and connect to how you can become body smart, you realize pretty quickly that the perfect, the ideal is not the goal…….the goal is feeling good in your body.”

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Smiling Makes You Look Younger….”Timeless Beauty”, by Christie Brinkley

At 61 years old Christie Brinkley appears to be half her age, with a glow that would fool many who might be trying to guess her age. In her new book, Timeless Beauty, she has shared her secrets to an ageless beauty that anyone would love to have. The former supermodel spent five long days of personal appearances, and in retail stores autographing her book, but still managed to look fabulous. She has appeared on over 500 magazine covers around the world. Among her many honors have been being the first to appear as Sports Illustrated’s swim suit cover girl for three consecutive years, being the face of Cover Girl make-up for several years, and being selected as a featured person in the 100 Most Beautiful People in People Magazine. Christie is an active Vegan……..the 5’9″ beauty attributes her youthful glow to her healthy lifestyle, and to inheriting her mother’s good looks. She is the mother to Alexa 29, Jack 20, and Sailor 17.

One free tip before you read the book filled with over 100 beauty secrets……..Christie says the best secret to looking younger is a great smile!

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There Must be a Pony Here Somewhere, “A Lucky Life Interrupted”, by Tom Brokaw

Tom Brokaw, the former news anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News has written a new book, A Lucky Life Interrupted: A Memoir of Hope, in which he reflects back on his life and considers what he would still like to achieve. He was 75 years old and had extreme back pain due to his multiple myeloma. Every day that he went outside his Manhattan apartment, he was smacked in the face by a huge billboard of a young, healthy Tom Brady starring back at him. He admitted to Tom Brady the first time they met, that he therapeutically cursed that billboard every time he saw it. He told Brady that his cursing him got him through cancer treatment. The story gave the New England Patriots quarterback a good laugh.
Brokaw was very touched by all those who reached out to him with support during his battle with cancer. Among them were the current President, President George W. Bush, Charles Barkley, and many more, including David Letterman, who was very kind in checking on him and inviting him to dinner. It was immensely helpful to him to have such considerate people caring about him.
In the book, he considers his bucket list: ● Learn to sail solo ● Learn to play chess ● Get a short story published ● Spend more mornings by the sea, with his wife, Meredith, a copy of The New Yorker, and plenty of black coffee ●Fish more river and saltwater flats
Brokaw insists he is an eternal optimist, even through the difficult journey of having multiple myeloma. A great story he used as illustrating that optimism was when Ronald Reagan used the great line “about a child comes down in the morning, and beneath the Christmas tree there is just an enormous pile of horse dung. And he starts thinking, ‘there must be a pony here somewhere’. That is kind of my attitude about life.”

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Thinking Big, Giving Big….”Living Big”, by Pam Grout

Do you ever say to yourself, “Is this all there is?” Most of us ask ourselves the question, then just go back to the program we are watching on television. Author, Pam Grout has written a helpful book to give advice on how to get the most out of your life if you seriously want more.

Some of the subject titles are: “Thinking Big, Giving Big, Blessing Big, Imagining Big…….” The list is quite lengthy. She gives examples of many different people who have accomplished their goals. There are ordinary people, extraordinary people, people with money, people without, and people who have fallen on hard times. Some people overcame huge obstacles just to be able to help others.

One key to “Living Big” is to get over your suspicion of others when thinking, “wonder what they want from me”. We must remind ourselves that what we give is what matters, not what we may receive in return. We were always taught……it is better to give than to receive.

The object of the book is to teach how to shift attitudes, how to make the most out of your day, and become the person that we wish we could be. By “Living Big” in all facets of your life, each of us has the ability to make a difference on our own lives, and in the world!

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