iPod Touch Gen 6 needs wireless connection for playback

[issybird]

I have a Touch Gen 6 which I use for listening to audiobooks via the relevant dedicated apps - Audible, Downpour, OverDrive. Before playing already downloaded content, the Touch requires that I have an active wireless connection. Once I start the playback, I can turn the wireless back off without incident and the book will continue to play.

What is frustrating is that this means, however, that I can't just start up an audiobook if I'm not in a hotspot, or if I'm listening and the playback cuts out for any reason, I can't start it up again. Is there a workaround for this that doesn't involve downloading and managing content through iTunes? I don't have this issue on Android devices.