Speak Now

By: Ash Perez

Narrated by: Jena Malone, Arienne Mandi, Benjamin Norris, Inés del Castillo, Charles Linshaw, Ali Andre Ali, J.S. Arquin, Jason Culp, Kevin R. Free, Kelly Krauter, Jane Oppenheimer, Bahni Turpin, Jesse Vilinsky

The wunderkind chef of an acclaimed restaurant is reunited with “the one that got away” when she’s hired to cater her wedding in this charming, full-cast queer rom-com, perfect for fans of Alison Cochrun and Casey McQuiston, by TV writer and former BuzzFeed personality Ash Perez.

What would you do for a second chance at your first love?

Alex Perez is a culinary genius: she’s on the verge of becoming the youngest ever head chef at the famed Sempervirens restaurant, a fine dining treasure tucked away in a boutique hotel in the majestic Big Sur mountains. Her demanding schedule and perfectionist tendencies leave little room to think about romance. That is, until her ex-best friend Genevieve shows up at her restaurant—and gets engaged.

Twelve years ago, Alex was just a quiet transfer student with no friends until she met Genevieve Jones, an effervescent extrovert who took Alex under her wing. They remained inseparable through the rest of high school, until a fateful road trip changed everything, and they haven’t seen or spoken to each other since.

Now Genevieve’s longtime boyfriend Derek, a real estate mogul in the making, has brought her here not only to propose, but to offer sizable investment in the hotel…if they can host and cater the perfect fairytale wedding. Leaving Alex in an impossible situation: cater the wedding for the only woman she’s ever loved, or give up her dream job as a head chef.

Speak Now is a charming and laugh-out-loud funny story of self-discovery and second chances from an exciting new voice in queer fiction, performed by a full cast led by Jena Malone (The Hunger Games, Pride & Prejudice) and Arienne Mandi (The L Word: Generation Q, Chicago PD).

Critic reviews

"A vibrant, immersive audiobook for anyone experiencing a little gay panic in their life. With its breezy pacing and lively conversational energy, Ash's debut is an easy, joyful listen from start to finish.” (Page Powars, New York Times bestselling author of And They Were Roommates)

"Cinema for my ears! Speak Now is a master class in romantic fiction with witty banter, swoon-worthy romance and heartfelt tension that had me buzzing. Perez elegantly strikes a balance between a story of self-discovery and a yearning-filled second chance romance. This cast is spectacular and had me glued to my earbuds to consume every word and sound. Will be relistening. An absolute MUST listen for your next audiobook!" (Peyton Corrine, bestselling author of Unsteady)

“Hilarious and utterly charming, the world fell away listening to the brilliant performances and engrossing, messy queer love story between Alex and Genevieve. A triumphant love letter to good food, unwavering friendship, and the power of choosing the love and life you deserve. I can’t wait to read everything Ash Perez writes.” (Carlyn Greenwald, author of Sizzle Reel and Director’s Cut)