ABC7 Eyewitness News Coverage (2019)

Lustily Ever After: The Audiobook Musical

Back in 2019, ABC7 Eyewitness News caught wind of something a little unusual happening in the audiobook world: a fully produced audiobook musical parody packed with original songs, over-the-top romance novel tropes, and performers from The Groundlings and Upright Citizens Brigade bringing the whole delicious mess to life!

That something was Lustily Ever After: the Audiobook Musical.

This news piece dug into how the project came together, which it turns out, is what happens when a romance audiobook narrator with a background in musical theater and improv comedy finally stops fighting her most chaotic instincts. Throw in some '90s-inspired original songs, a schmillionaire love interest, and enough romance novel clichés to fill a very steamy library, and here we are.

We're thrilled the project got this kind of love, and we're sharing the full article below.

Full Article Text

Stephanie Bentley Presents Lustily Ever After: The Audiobook Musical, the First Audiobook Musical for Adults Only

LOS ANGELES – Combining a titillating collection of romance tropes, LUSTILY EVER AFTER: THE AUDIOBOOK MUSICAL, created and composed by Stephanie Bentley and performed by a multitalented musical cast from the Groundlings and Upright Citizens Brigade, makes a surprising and innovative contribution to the audiobook listening experience.

With 20 original songs inspired by ’90s pop music and a spicy story penned by erotica ghostwriter Miranda Ray at its core, the musical parody pushes the limits of sexual innuendo right to the edge before tipping over into the throes of uproarious ridiculousness.

When sassy Raleigh Jackson interviews for a six-week contract to be the fake girlfriend of Trystan Lay—schmillionaire playboy, politician, ex-Navy SEAL, songwriter/astronaut, and “the world’s most perfect human”—she knows the outcome will change her life.

A student, waitress, and intern living with her obligatory best friend Kim, Raleigh overcomes her medical condition—chronic clumsiness—and snags the job, beginning a whirlwind of extravagant travel and glitzy events.

LUSTILY EVER AFTER: THE AUDIOBOOK MUSICAL covers the span of romance novel clichés, from the brooding playboy to the fake romance trope, with sprinkles of paranormal love. The story is sultry, silly, snarky—and hilarious.

Chapter titles are sung in harmonies invoking the R&B group En Vogue. The characters voice their own dialogue and routinely burst into song as they fumble through pillow talk and relive steamy memories in songs such as “Talkin’ Dirty” and “50 Shades of Lay.”

The creator’s inspiration for LUSTILY EVER AFTER: THE AUDIOBOOK MUSICAL came from her unusual day job.

“I’m a romance audiobook narrator by day and a musical theater performer by night. Every day in the booth I giggle at the same tropes coming up again and again. Then these song lyrics just started coming to me, and pretty soon the whole musical just came tumbling out.”

The project also includes an e-book companion containing the story and all of the lyrics, and Bentley has hinted that the story world may continue.

“I thought we had hit most of the tropes, but now I realize we may have only just begun,” Bentley says.

About the Creator

Stephanie Bentley is the creator and composer of Lustily Ever After: The Audiobook Musical, a funny, sexy love story inspired by romantic fiction and ’90s pop music.

She is a musical theater and musical improv comedy performer and audiobook narrator with experience acting in television and film. She studied improv at Upright Citizens Brigade and has performed throughout Los Angeles and New York.

Stephanie and her cast are also available for live performances of pieces from the book.

Publication Details

Lustily Ever After: The Audiobook Musical

Audiobook: $6.95

Length: 2 hours 37 minutes

ISBN: 978-1089023753

E-book: $2.99

Length: 104 pages

Publication Date: August 2019