I think some people have an ear for listening to books and others don’t. My wife is the same as you, but I can totally synchronize my mind with an audiobook and enter a flow state. I also really appreciate the task stacking the author describes it helps me stay on task with monotonous chores.

I think the most surprising thing for me is that I see/imagine the same images and have the same feelings when reading a book and when listening to that same book.