Anyone who has listened to an audiobook will tell you a narrator can make or break the listening experience. Narrators are more than just someone who reads a book aloud; they bring stories to life and turn reading into an immersive experience that can transport us directly into the pages of a book.  

OverDrive’s Professional Book Nerds most often interview authors, but over the years podcasting duo Emma and Joe have welcomed audiobook narrators on to their show to share their experiences as the voices behind some of our favorite audiobooks. In honor of Audiobook Month, here’s a look back at some of the audiobook narrators who have appeared on the podcast. 

Santino Fontana 

Actor of stage and screen Santino Fontana sat down with Emma and Joe to discuss narrating Caroline Kepnes’s YOU series, killing superstitions, trenta coffee orders, keeping it different, Cleveland love, and more. 

Listen to the full interview here. 

Other books narrated by Santino Fontana 

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins 

The Breakaway by Jennifer Weiner 

Middle of the Night by Riley Sager 

Robin Miles 

Acclaimed audiobook narrator Robin Miles sits down with Joe to discuss her experience as narrator of The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray. In this conversation Robin also chats about the industry, displays her expertise at seamlessly switching between accents, and so much more. 

Listen to the full interview here. 

Other books narrated by Robin Miles 

A Burst of Light and Other Essays by Audre Lorde 

The Smoke That Thunders by Erhu Kome 

Wild Seed by Octavia Butler 

Julia Whelan 

This special interview episode is a conversation Emma had with Julia Whelan and popular author Emily Henry! They have a lively conversation about Emily’s book Beach Read, their favorite romance tropes, conquering every industry, their happy places, mocktail hour, and more. 

Listen to the full interview here. 

Other books narrated by Julia Whelan

An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen 

The Original by Brandon Sanderson and Mary Robinette Kowal 

We Used to Be Friends by Amy Spalding 

Daniel Henning 

Joe got to sit down with T.J. Klune, author of In the Lives of Puppets, and narrator Daniel Henning! They talk about writing, narrating audiobooks, what advice they’d give to their younger selves, post-apocalyptic queer puppets, and gas station beef jerky. 

Listen to the full interview here. 

Other books narrated by Daniel Henning 

Into Siberia by Gregory J. Wallance 

It Came from the Closet: Queer Reflections on Horror ed. by Joe Vallese 

The Man Who Ate Too Much: The Life of James Beard by John Birdsall 

Discover more top narrators in our Audiobook Month Sale 

Between now and June 30, find savings you have to hear to believe with thousands of audiobooks 25-50% off in our annual Audiobook Month Sale! Build up your collection and get started today.  

Shop top narrators on sale here 

Shop on sale and on hold here 

Shop all titles on sale here 

About the author: Jill Grunenwald is a former Professional Book Nerd and current Marketing & Communications Specialist on the North America Public Library Marketing Team. A former librarian, she joined OverDrive in 2015. Outside of the office she can be found writing, hanging out with her cats, collecting more Tarot decks than she has room for, and playing competitive pinball. Her favorite genre is something she calls “Murder at an educational institution that involves a close-knit group of suspicious characters.”