Book Smart Kate

by Hillary Nussbaum and Heather Taylor (Dec 10, 2024) Thank you to @librofm for the advanced listening copy of this full-cast, dramatized audio-only novella! Below is my honest review.

Cleo has adored the 1990s game show Know Your Newlywed ever since she was a kid, captivated by how couples answered quirky questions to prove just how well they knew each other. Now, as a researcher applying to PhD programs, she’s focused on her career, leaving little room for romance. But when her friends nudge her onto a dating app, she comes across Javi, whose profile declares his dream of finding a partner he could win Know Your Newlywed with. They hit it off instantly and, in a twist of fate, discover that the show is being rebooted. On a whim, they decide to pose as a married couple to get on the show, expecting it to be a fun little adventure, with a modest prize—maybe a toaster, if they’re lucky. But when they’re accepted, they realize this reboot is a high-stakes, multi-week competition with a prize worth thousands, a life-changing sum for both of them. As they prepare to compete, learning each other’s quirks and secrets, they find themselves growing closer—but their “marriage” is built on a lie, and they’ve got plenty of challenges ahead.

At 4 hours and 54 minutes, this novella is a quick, lighthearted listen. While it had a fun premise, there were a few plot holes that pulled me out of the story—like the lack of background checks that would likely expose their fake marriage. Though I usually enjoy full-cast narration, this one didn’t quite hit the mark for me, though I can’t put my finger on exactly why. Overall, Know Your Newlywed is a cute escape that some will find charming, though it was just an okay read for me.