Know Your Newlywed
| Company type | Audiobook |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment, Audiobooks |
| Founded | December 10, 2024 |
| Founder | Heather Taylor, Hillary Nussbaum |
| Products | Romance audiobook |
| Parent | Simon & Schuster |
Know Your Newlywed marks the first romance audiobook collaboration between Heather Taylor and Hillary Nussbaum, released by Simon & Schuster on December 10, 2024. Executive production was led by Elena Armas, known for The Spanish Love Deception, with voice performances by Tyler Posey (famous from Teen Wolf) and Mary Mouser (of Cobra Kai). This rom-com audiobook, featuring a full cast, follows two avid fans of a fictional 1990s dating game show who pretend to be married in order to participate in its revival.
Plot
Cleo Weaver, an aspiring PhD candidate specializing in anthrozoology, prioritizes her academic ambitions over romantic involvement—until a delay in Chicago leads her to discover Javi Godoy’s dating app profile. Javi works as a project manager at a marketing firm and plans to start a food truck business. Sharing a mutual enthusiasm for the 90s game show Know Your Newlywed, they engage in flirtation from afar and decide to join the rebooted contest as a fabricated married pair.
Initially viewing their participation as a lighthearted stunt, the duo soon realizes that the $500,000 grand prize could significantly support Cleo’s educational expenses and Javi’s entrepreneurial venture. Their chemistry captivates the audience, gaining them widespread popularity as America’s beloved couple. Nevertheless, they begin to experience guilt over deceiving genuine couples competing on the show.
In the climactic finale, Cleo chooses to intentionally lose due to moral concerns. This decision causes tension between them until she shares her motivations—her family’s financial hardships and consideration for fellow contestants expecting a child. She also confesses her true emotions and her intention to remain in Chicago for her studies. With his business aspirations now within reach, Javi forgives Cleo, and they embark on a genuine relationship.
Cast
- Mary Mouser as Cleo Weaver
- Tyler Posey as Javi Godoy
- VyVy Nguyen as Hannah
- Graham Halstead as Sam
- Landon Woodson as Winston
- Jenn Lee as Dana
- Adriana Sananes as Marisol
- Vikas Adam as Monty
- Jennifer Jill Araya as Farah and additional roles
- Helen Laser as the KYN Producer and other characters
- Joniece Abbott-Pratt portraying Maci, Jordana Williams, among others
- Ramón de Ocampo as Charlie, David Chan, plus others
- John Pirhalla in roles including Hank and more
Reception
Heather Booth from Booklist described Know Your Newlywed as "one of the year’s most inventive and enjoyable audiobooks." Audible included it among their top 10 romance audiobooks of 2024, commending the casting of Mary Mouser and Tyler Posey. AudioFile Magazine emphasized the strong ensemble cast and immersive sound design that brings Cleo and Javi's reality TV romance vividly to life. Libby Life featured it among December 2024’s most notable releases, recommending it as a "captivating full-cast romantic comedy." Alan Rosenberg of The Valley Breeze praised the talented cast but pointed out a plot element that somewhat detracted from the overall narrative impact.
Honors
- 2024 - Booklist Editors' Choice: Adult Audio
- 2024 - Audible's Best Romance Audiobooks of 2024
- 2024 - Booklist Starred Review
- 2024 - Audible Editors Select: December 2024