7 Underrated Audiobooks to Listen to Before 2026 Ends

I love finding good audiobooks that don’t get talked about enough. There are so many great stories out there that deserve more attention. If you’re looking for something new to listen to before the year ends, here are 7 underrated audiobooks worth adding to your list.

1. Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane

Listening Length : 12 hours and 42 minutes

Narrator : Molly Pope

Francis and Brian are two police officers who end up living next door to each other. Their families don’t get along, and one terrible night changes everything. Years later, their children, Kate and Peter, fall in love despite their families’ painful past. Ask Again, Yes follows both families as they deal with love and loss.
Why I want you to read it: What I love about the story is that no one is perfect. People make mistakes, hold grudges, and sometimes hurt the ones they love. It feels like reading about real people. Also read If You Listen to Only 10 Audiobooks This Year, Make It These

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2. Before I Forget by Tory Henwood Hoen

Listening Length : 9 hours and 11 minutes

Narrator : Barrie Kreinik

Cricket Campbell is 26 and feels stuck in life. When her father is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, she moves back to their old family home to care for him. But something strange happens. As her father starts losing his memories, he seems to know things about the future.

Why I want you to read it: I love that this book is deeply emotional. At the same time it will make you laugh. Cricket’s relationship with her father is what makes the story so special. It’s sad to see him lose his memories, but there’s also something beautiful about how they slowly grow closer. I love books that make me feel so many different emotions, and this is one of them. Also read 9 Audiobooks That Actually Work for a Road Trip With Older Parents + Teen Girls

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3. By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult

Listening Length : 18 hours and 25 minutes

Narrator : Billie Fulford-Brown, Laura Benanti, Jodi Picoult, Jayne Entwistle, Andrew Fallaize, Joe Jameson, John Lee, Nicholas Guy Smith, Simon Vance, Steve West

Two women living centuries apart share the same dream of becoming writers. In the present day, Melina struggles to get her play noticed. In 1581, Emilia Bassano has the talent to write plays but lives in a world where women aren’t taken seriously. She finds a way to share her work through William Shakespeare. By Any Other Name tells the stories of these two women who refuse to give up on their dreams.
Why I want you to read it: I’m a big fan of Jodi Picoult. She always gives me something to think about. I also love historical fiction that makes me curious enough to look things up. This book made me do my own research about Shakespeare and whether he really wrote all those plays. Also read 11 Best Narrated Audiobooks With Voice Performances So Good You Won’t Want to Stop Listening

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4. The Foursome by Christina Baker Kline

Listening Length : 10 hours and 46 minutes

Narrator : Marin Ireland

In 1839, famous conjoined twins Eng and Chang Bunker arrive in North Carolina. They soon meet sisters Sarah and Adelaide Yates, who come from a family that has lost its wealth. The four become involved in a relationship that surprises everyone around them. Based on real people, The Foursome follows their marriages and family lives over several decades.

Why I want you to read it:I had heard of conjoined twins before, but I had no idea about the story of Eng and Chang. What I loved most was that the story is told through Sarah’s points of view. It was so emotional, and at times, I felt like I was getting a rare chance to see what these women were really thinking and feeling.

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5. Florence Adler Swims Forever by Rachel Beanland

Listening Length : 10 hours and 48 minutes

Narrator : Jonathan Davis, Tim Paige, Carly Robins, Jonathan Todd Ross, Tara Sands, Jesse Vilinsky, Gabra Zackman, Rachel Beanland

It’s the summer of 1934, and the Adler family is spending another busy season in Atlantic City. Florence is training to swim the English Channel, while her pregnant sister, Fannie, is on bed rest. But when a terrible tragedy happens, their mother decides to keep it a secret to protect Fannie. Florence Adler Swims Forever follows the family as they struggle with grief.
Why I want you to read it: There is so much sadness in this book, and I think that’s what stayed with me the most. The way the author writes about loss and grief feels so real.I love how the book shows that sometimes people never fully move on from a loss. They just learn to live with it.

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6. The Irish Goodbye by Heather Aimee O’Neill

Listening Length : 8 hours and 35 minutes

Narrator : Kristen Sieh

Three sisters return to their childhood home on Long Island for Thanksgiving. Years ago, a boating accident changed their family forever. Now Cait, Alice, and Maggie are all dealing with problems of their own. The Irish Goodbye is about three sisters trying to understand the past and find a way forward.
Why I want you to read it: I’m an only child, so books are one way I get to experience what it’s like to have siblings. Some stories make me wish I had brothers or sisters, while others make me wonder what it would be like to grow up in a family like this. This is one of those books. The sisters have so much history together, but also so much pain and guilt. It made me think about how complicated sibling relationships can be. Also read 23 Incredible Audiobooks From Past Year You’ll Want on Repeat

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7. A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum

Listening Length : 10 hours and 15 minutes

Narrator : Ariana Delawari, Dahlia Salem, Susan Nezami

Eighteen-year-old Deya lives in Brooklyn with her grandparents, who want her to get married. But Deya wants a different life. Years earlier, her mother, Isra, was also pushed into marriage at a young age. Deya has always believed her parents died in a car accident. Then a mysterious note makes her question everything. A Woman Is No Man tells the stories of these two women and the family secrets that connect them.
Why I want you to read it: This is one of the most heartbreaking books I’ve read. There were moments when I wasn’t sure I could keep reading. As a woman, reading about what these women go through was especially difficult. But it was also eye-opening. It’s a painful book, but I think it’s an important one.

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