REVIEW: Say It Out Loud by Ashley Schumacher

Say It Out Loud by Ashley Schumacher: Juniper thought she had her life all figured out, well that was until grief, failure and a terrible career gamble left her back in her childhood bedroom wondering where it all went wrong. So when she is offered the chance to narrate an audio adaptation of The Meadow, the vampire romance she and her late mother once adored, Juniper sees a chance to reclaim a piece of her old magic and kind of find a new spark in her life. However there is a catch… her co-star is non other than James, her college Romeo and the man who broke her heart over a decade ago. Forced into the spotlight together, James and Juniper have no choice but to revive their old chemistry even if it is all for show, if they want to have any hope of saving not only the project but also their careers. Soon their professional partnership begins blurs into something dangerously close to the real thing. As Juniper and James navigate late nights in the recording booth, healing old wounds and figuring out how to control the undeniable spark they thought they’d left behind.

Say It Out Loud was one of those books that quietly tugs at you from the very first page, blending nostalgia, grief and a second chance romance into a story that feels both familiar and fresh. Schumacher did a beautiful job in capturing that aching in-between stage of adulthood, when you’re old enough to know life doesn’t follow a neat script but also still young enough to long for the magic you thought you’d lost. Personally I found this so beautiful to read. Add in the fact that we have witty main characters and it was hard not to get lost in this story.

Juniper was just the kind of leading lady who feels instantly real. She was vulnerable, messy and so relatable. She carries the weight of grief over her mother’s death and the disappointment of her stalled career, but beneath it all is a spark of resilience and a longing to reclaim the magic she once believed in. I loved getting to see her finding her own spark again and really allowing herself to embrace bring hopeful and happy again. Now James on the other hand was charming yet guarded. He was the kind of hero whose success masks the regrets and mistakes he’s carried for years. While I did find Juniper the heart of this book, I just could help but want James to find his way forward and learn to accept his own flaws. I loved the way Schumacher balanced and played Juniper’s self-doubt and vulnerability to clash and entwine with James’s quiet intensity and lingering guilt, creating a slow burn tension that felt irresistible.

These two were slow burn, simmering longing perfection. There was no just in the build up to their second chance but instead we get this slow almost earned and fought for second chance at love and happiness. While their shared past and journey to reconnected was beautiful on its own, I just loved the added layer of their push and pull banter. There was just something so real about James and Juniper as they tried to navigate their old wounds, their professional obligations and the blooming feelings that seem to pop up each time they are together.

I will say I did really like the addition and added detail we got about The Meadow, while completely fictional, I loved the added element it brought to the book. Most of all I loved getting to see it bring Juniper join and allow her to feel connected to her mother again.

All in all I have to say that I really enjoyed reading Say It Out Loud, this was more than just a cute second chance romance, this was a heartfelt story of not only finding but believing in lost magic and happiness. If you are looking for a cute story that has heart then this is a definite must read!
 
 

Book Info:

Publication: September 30, 2025 | Del Rey |

Juniper Green doesn’t believe in magic anymore. Not since her mom died, her dreams of a publishing career fizzled, and her podcast—the one bright spot in her life—was stolen out from under her. Now, at thirty-two, she’s living in her dad’s spare room and wondering if life peaked when she was a teenager with a stack of vampire books and an unhealthy obsession with enigmatic immortals.

Then comes the email: an invitation to audition for the lead role in the audio drama adaptation of The Meadow, the wildly popular vampire romance series that once defined her teenage years. It’s a dream opportunity—until she learns her co-star is James Neely, the brooding, talented actor who played Romeo to her Juliet in a one-night-only college show before breaking her heart and disappearing from the stage and her life . . . right along with the magic.

To save the project (and her career), Juniper and James must revive their on-stage chemistry, playing The Meadow’s star-crossed lovers for the microphones and social media alike. But as the lines between performance and reality blur, Juniper is left wondering: can you rewrite the ending of a story you thought was over? Because love, like magic, is a fragile thing to lose . . . and to find again.