Best Holiday Romance / Fling Audiobooks

The highest-rated holiday romance / fling audiobooks, ranked by listeners. Browse 25 titles with top narrators.

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Holiday romances thrive on urgency and intensity. When characters know they have only days—or hours—together before real life pulls them apart, every conversation matters, every touch carries weight. There's no time for games or slow burns; instead, you get vulnerability fast and emotional honesty born from scarcity. The trope trades forever-after certainty for something rawer: two people choosing each other anyway, knowing it might not last.

You'll find these stories sprinkled across romance and contemporary fiction, often set during Christmas, New Year's, or other seasonal backdrops that naturally create isolation and intimacy. Some end with "see you next year," others with surprise second chances. Expect chemistry that crackles, stakes that feel real, and the ache of knowing goodbye might be coming—even if the heart doesn't want to believe it.

These are the highest-rated holiday romance / fling audiobooks, ranked by listener ratings. A great narrator can elevate an already compelling trope — turning tension into an immersive experience.

  1. 1
    The Plight Before Christmas cover

    The Plight Before Christmas

    Holiday Hijinx Series • Book 1

    by Kate Stewart

    Narrated by Joe Arden, Maxine Mitchell

    4.46 ABR Score (67.4K ratings)
    ★ 4.18 Goodreads (63.5K) ★ 4.69 Audible (4.0K)
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    Holiday romance meets murder mystery when a Christmas cabin gathering turns deadly, complete with family dysfunction and seasonal mayhem. Joe Arden and Maxine Mitchell capture both the comedy and chemistry perfectly.

  2. 2
    Rebel Heart cover

    Rebel Heart

    Rush Duet • Book 2

    by Penelope Ward, Vi Keeland

    Narrated by Sebastian York, Maxine Mitchell

    4.42 ABR Score (26.5K ratings)
    ★ 4.07 Goodreads (22.4K) ★ 4.73 Audible (4.1K)
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    Sebastian York and Maxine Mitchell's dual narration captures the charged push-pull of a complicated contemporary romance with crackling chemistry.

  3. 3
    Deck the Hounds cover

    Deck the Hounds

    Andy Carpenter • Book 18

    by David Rosenfelt

    Narrated by Grover Gardner

    4.39 ABR Score (6.0K ratings)
    ★ 4.14 Goodreads (4.9K) ★ 4.76 Audible (1.1K)
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    Andy Carpenter's Christmas kindness toward a homeless man and his dog snowballs into another murder case. Rosenfelt's trademark humor and Grover Gardner's timing make this holiday mystery consistently entertaining.

  4. 4
    The Fall Risk cover

    The Fall Risk

    Valentine's Day • Book 2

    by Abby Jimenez

    Narrated by Julia Whelan, Connor Crais

    4.34 ABR Score (199.5K ratings)
    ★ 4.06 Goodreads (195.2K) ★ 4.59 Audible (4.4K)
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    Julia Whelan and Connor Crais transform this snappy neighbors-trapped story into pure chemistry—their banter crackles so well you'll forget it's only 1 hour 48 minutes.

  5. 5
    The Great Charade cover

    The Great Charade

    by Gerri Hill

    Narrated by Abby Craden

    4.29 ABR Score (1.6K ratings)
    ★ 4.25 Goodreads (935) ★ 4.82 Audible (639)
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    Abby needs a fake girlfriend for ten days in snowy Red River, and Nic wants her first fairytale Christmas—but neither expects real feelings.

  6. 6
    And to All a Good Bite cover

    And to All a Good Bite

    Andy Carpenter • Book 32

    by David Rosenfelt

    Narrated by Grover Gardner

    4.28 ABR Score (2.4K ratings)
    ★ 4.32 Goodreads (2.1K) ★ 4.82 Audible (278)
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    Christmas should mean football season for reluctant lawyer Andy Carpenter, but a murder leaves a dog stranded and Andy investigating. Grover Gardner captures the holiday mystery humor in Rosenfelt's latest.

  7. 7
    Your Christmas Love cover

    Your Christmas Love

    The Bennett Family • Book 10

    by Layla Hagen

    Narrated by Joe Arden, Maxine Mitchell

    4.20 ABR Score (3.6K ratings)
    ★ 4.31 Goodreads (3.2K) ★ 4.62 Audible (391)
  8. 8
    One Beautiful Promise cover

    One Beautiful Promise

    Very Irresistible Bachelors • Book 4

    by Layla Hagen

    Narrated by Joe Arden, Maxine Mitchell

    4.17 ABR Score (2.4K ratings)
    ★ 4.32 Goodreads (2.2K) ★ 4.67 Audible (220)
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    Joe Arden and Maxine Mitchell nail the chemistry and hesitation of rebuilding trust, turning a steamy reconnection into something that actually heals.

  9. 9
    The Midnight Moon cover

    The Midnight Moon

    by Gerri Hill

    Narrated by Abby Craden

    4.07 ABR Score (1.5K ratings)
    ★ 4.07 Goodreads (953) ★ 4.62 Audible (554)
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    Two women reconnect after a passionate holiday fling, only to discover their real lives are more complicated than moonlit romance suggested.

  10. 10
    Christmas Angel cover

    Christmas Angel

    Company of Rogues • Book 3

    by Jo Beverley

    Narrated by Susan Duerden

    3.99 ABR Score (3.1K ratings)
    ★ 3.98 Goodreads (3.0K) ★ 4.69 Audible (93)
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    Earl of Charrington searches for an intelligent wife without romantic fancies, finding hope in the practical Judith Rossiter during Christmas season. Their mutual agreement to avoid love creates the perfect setup for holiday romance complications.

  11. 11
    The Promise in a Kiss cover

    The Promise in a Kiss

    Cynster #0.5

    by Stephanie Laurens

    Narrated by Simon Prebble

    3.95 ABR Score (7.2K ratings)
    ★ 3.94 Goodreads (6.2K) ★ 4.39 Audible (960)
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    Simon Prebble's silky narration transforms this Regency romance into pure audio indulgence, capturing every witty aside and stolen glance with effortless charm that makes the forbidden attraction genuinely swoon-worthy.

  12. 12
    Tropical Hat Trick cover

    Tropical Hat Trick

    Hockey Hotties #3.5 • Book 3

    by Piper Rayne

    Narrated by Joe Arden, Maxine Mitchell

    3.94 ABR Score (1.7K ratings)
    ★ 4.05 Goodreads (1.6K) ★ 4.61 Audible (57)
  13. 13
    A Merry Vested Wedding cover

    A Merry Vested Wedding

    Vested Interest: ABC Corp #0.5

    by Melanie Moreland

    Narrated by John Lane, Maxine Mitchell

    3.93 ABR Score (932 ratings)
    ★ 4.43 Goodreads (923) ★ 4.56 Audible (9)
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    Christmas wedding disasters get the dual narrator treatment they deserve as Brayden and Addison's perfect holiday ceremony encounters wayward wedding parties and mischievous relatives.

  14. 14
    Sleighed cover

    Sleighed

    by Vi Keeland, Penelope Ward, Andi Arndt, Teddy Hamilton, Sebastian York, Zachary Webber, Maxine Mitchell

    Narrated by Andi Arndt, Teddy Hamilton, Sebastian York, Zachary Webber, Maxine Mitchell

    3.92 ABR Score (1.9K ratings)
    ★ 3.71 Goodreads (1.5K) ★ 4.58 Audible (373)
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    Contest winner Kelly joins a stranger on a luxury Cabo trip after both their Christmas plans imploded in spectacular fashion. Multiple narrators handle this holiday romance collection, bringing distinct voices to each couple's story of unexpected seasonal connections.

  15. 15
    Christmas at Baskerville Hall cover

    Christmas at Baskerville Hall

    Sherlock Holmes and Lucy James Mystery #7.7 • Book 15

    by Anna Elliott, Charles Veley

    Narrated by Simon Prebble, Wendy Tremont King

    3.87 ABR Score (795 ratings)
    ★ 4.25 Goodreads (695) ★ 4.36 Audible (100)
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    Holmes returns to that cursed moor for Christmas dinner, but Sir Henry's hidden agenda threatens the holiday peace. Simon Prebble and Wendy Tremont King capture both the cozy domesticity and creeping dread.

  16. 16
    Our Secret Summer cover

    Our Secret Summer

    by Harper Bliss

    Narrated by Abby Craden

    3.87 ABR Score (1.2K ratings)
    ★ 3.65 Goodreads (1.0K) ★ 4.63 Audible (156)
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    What starts as a steamy age-gap summer romance deepens into something emotionally complex and devastating. Craden's narration makes every consequence real.

  17. 17
    Merry and Bright cover

    Merry and Bright

    Home Sweet Holidays • Book 2

    by Ali Rosen

    Narrated by Barrie Kreinik, Eric Nolan

    3.81 ABR Score (23.8K ratings)
    ★ 3.78 Goodreads (23.6K) ★ 4.23 Audible (210)
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    Dual narration captures both perspectives of the fake-dating story. Kreinik and Nolan deliver authentic chemistry in a holiday romance that actually lands.

  18. 18
    Whiteout cover

    Whiteout

    Blackout • Book 2

    by Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, Nicola Yoon

    Narrated by Danielle Shemaiah, Nic Stone, Shayna Small, Bahni Turpin, Alaska Jackson, Joniece Abbott-Pratt, Kevin R. Free, James Fouhey, Korey Jackson

    3.77 ABR Score (7.2K ratings)
    ★ 3.6 Goodreads (7.2K) ★ 4.46 Audible (78)
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    Multiple narrators each voicing their own character make this snowy Atlanta romance feel like eavesdropping on real conversations between friends, turning an ensemble story into something genuinely intimate.

  19. 19
    Season of Love cover

    Season of Love

    Carrigan’s Christmasland • Book 1

    by Helena Greer

    Narrated by Barrie Kreinik, Emily Lawrence

    3.75 ABR Score (4.6K ratings)
    ★ 3.66 Goodreads (4.5K) ★ 4.28 Audible (58)
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    Miriam inherits a Christmas tree farm that forces her to confront family history she'd rather forget. Dual narrators Barrie Kreinik and Emily Lawrence capture both the holiday magic and emotional complexity beautifully.

  20. 20
    Second Chance Christmas cover

    Second Chance Christmas

    by Shawn Inmon

    Narrated by Elinor Bell

    3.73 ABR Score (239 ratings)
    ★ 3.68 Goodreads (212) ★ 4.37 Audible (27)
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    Elinor Bell's warm narration perfectly suits this gentle story of two lonely people finding connection during the holidays. Her performance captures the tentative hope that makes Christmas miracle stories work when done right.

  21. 21
    A Very Merry Matchup cover

    A Very Merry Matchup

    by Becca Kinzer

    Narrated by CJ Bloom, Adam Verner

    3.71 ABR Score (2.2K ratings)
    ★ 3.61 Goodreads (2.2K) ★ 4.53 Audible (15)
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    Travel nurse Ivy prides herself on matchmaking until her friend conspires to set her up with a baseball player. CJ Bloom and Adam Verner capture the chemistry in this Christmas small-town romance.

  22. 22
    Crystal Clear cover

    Crystal Clear

    Romance in the Rockies • Book 5

    by Rose Fresquez

    Narrated by Carmen Shantz

    3.68 ABR Score (91 ratings)
    ★ 4.53 Goodreads (90) ★ 5 Audible (1)
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    A sheltered accountant from a family resort meets a guarded man in Colorado Springs right before Christmas. Carmen Shantz brings warmth to this holiday romance.

  23. 23
    The Package cover

    The Package

    by K. Bromberg

    Narrated by Teddy Hamilton, Maxine Mitchell

    3.66 ABR Score (8.2K ratings)
    ★ 3.38 Goodreads (4.9K) ★ 4.29 Audible (3.3K)
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    Jules's terrible Christmas week—dumped, fired, rear-ended—gets complicated when she's trapped in an elevator with a stranger. Their accidentally swapped packages might just turn her luck around.

  24. 24
    Snow Place Like Home cover

    Snow Place Like Home

    Home Sweet Holidays • Book 1

    by Laura Pavlov

    Narrated by Abigail Reno, Sean Masters, Barrie Kreinik, Eric Nolan, Andre Santana, Gisela Chípe, Robert Hatchet, Andi Eloise

    3.65 ABR Score (33.0K ratings)
    ★ 3.44 Goodreads (33.0K) ★ 3.89 Audible (9)
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    A heartbroken veterinarian returns to her mountain hometown only to reconnect with her brother's Hollywood hotshot best friend. The full cast brings warmth to this holiday romance without drowning in syrup.

  25. 25
    A Very Merry Krampus Christmas: A Sweet Funny Romance Novel cover

    A Very Merry Krampus Christmas: A Sweet Funny Romance Novel

    by Patti Petrone Miller

    Narrated by Virtual Voice

    3.51 ABR Score (4 ratings)
    ★ 2 Goodreads (3) ★ 2 Audible (1)
    More about this pick

    If you want a cozy holiday romance with genuine laughs and a wildly original premise, this hits different—Krampus as a love interest is the kind of left-field casting that actually works.

How We Rank Audiobooks

Rankings are driven by listener ratings and review counts from Audible and Goodreads. Books with high ratings across a large number of listeners rank higher — a 4.5 with 50,000 ratings says more than a 4.8 with 200.

Unlike most book lists, we weight audiobook-specific factors: narrator performance, production quality, and how well a story translates to audio. A great book with a poor narration isn't a great audiobook.

We don't accept paid placements or prioritize new releases. These rankings reflect what listeners actually enjoy, not what's being promoted.

Rankings update periodically as new ratings come in and new titles are added to the collection.

Read our full ranking methodology →