
Comedic Timing
An 831 Stories Romance
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
3 months free
Buy for $13.50
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Sarah Taqvi
-
By:
-
Upasna Barath
About this listen
"If big bisexual energy had an official book mascot, it most definitely would be this one . . . meditations on the meaning of queerness, grief, and the ever-evolving definition of identity make this a romance with genuine heart and intellect behind it." —Vogue
“People who've been ‘that woman crying on the subway just after moving to New York’ will feel so seen. (It's me. I'm people.) Comedic Timing is a raw depiction of romance and friendship, featuring all the complexity of navigating sex and love as a bi woman.” —Kate Goldbeck, author of You, Again
For Naina Rao, moving to NYC means a fresh start: She’s officially entered her mid-twenties, she’s landed a steady job, she’s broken up with her intensely passionate older girlfriend, and she’s committed to hustling her way into a creative career.
The city doesn’t exactly embrace Naina with open arms, though—not even her new boss or new roommate seems to know what to make of her. It isn’t until meeting David, an aspiring filmmaker, and his friends that she starts to feel at home.
But finding a connection with David makes Naina question everything she thought she knew about her place in the world. Does being open to a relationship with a man mean compromising her sexual identity and her sense of self?
“I’ve never read a story that so deftly captures the beauty and overwhelm of expansive attraction.” —Haley Jakobson, author of Old Enough, a NYT Editors’ Choice
“831 Stories facilitates literary meet-cutes and brings the finest smut to the thirsting masses.” —Vanity Fair ©2025 Upasna Barath (P)2025 Simon & Schuster Audio
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Set Piece
- An 831 Stories Romance
- By: Lana Schwartz
- Narrated by: Andi Arndt, Shane East
- Length: 5 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Even one year ago, no one would have recognized Jack Felgate at a bar. But after his steamy breakout TV role, he's surprised to be swarmed by fans during a night out with friends. When the practical bartender CJ intervenes to fend off his admirers, he's grateful—and more than a little eager to stick around for an after-hours drink–turned–tryst. Five years later, Jack shows up to set for his starring role in (yet another?!) adaptation of The Great Gatsby only to find CJ is the film’s production designer.
-
-
Loved it 😍
- By Nicole R. on 06-05-25
By: Lana Schwartz
-
Hardly Strangers
- An 831 Stories Romance
- By: A.C. Robinson
- Narrated by: Jessica Sula
- Length: 4 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This is the night Shera's been waiting for: She’s at a trendy Silver Lake bar to finally get a drink with the handsome, charming filmmaker she's been pining after for months. But when Max King—the alluring and mischievous frontman of an Irish punk band—enters the picture, an electric attraction ignites between them. Shera’s evening begins to unfold in ways she never imagined, and she surprises herself by getting swept up in his energy and daring to feel again after past heartbreak. But how does she know their passionate encounter won't expire in the morning?
By: A.C. Robinson
-
Big Fan
- An 831 Stories Romance
- By: Alexandra Romanoff
- Narrated by: Heidi Rew
- Length: 4 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Maya was a rising star in the political world until her ex-husband’s high-profile sex scandal nearly derailed her career. Landing a gubernatorial candidate is the fresh start she desperately needs–a chance to focus on meaningful work and leave the drama behind. But then an email from her past sends her world spinning: Charlie, former lead singer of Mischief, the boy band that fueled her teenage obsession, is staging a solo comeback and wants Maya’s help to make it happen. Turns out, she likes the grown-up Charlie and his genuine engagement with the world.
-
-
Cute but over before you can get attached
- By margaret kelly on 11-22-24
-
My Favorite Bad Decision
- By: Elizabeth O'Roark
- Narrated by: Rose Dioro, Grayson Owens
- Length: 8 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A full week without showers, a real bed, or Internet was bad enough. Spending it with my family’s sworn enemy—the unbearably smug, indecently handsome Miller West—is a bridge too far. I’m determined to remain enemies, even if sparring with him is my favorite thing in the world. Even if he’s hell-bent on protecting me, whether I need it or not, and surprisingly kind, no matter how awful I am to him.
-
-
Almost perfect
- By Danielle C on 07-06-25
-
What Happens in Amsterdam
- By: Rachel Lynn Solomon
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Lamont
- Length: 11 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Dani Dorfman has somehow made it to her thirties without knowing what she wants to do with her life. So when an office romance ends poorly and gets her fired, she applies for a job in Amsterdam, idly dreaming of escaping the mess she’s created, but never imagining she'll actually get it. Except she does. By the end of her first week in Amsterdam, she’s never felt more adrift or alone. Then she crashes her bike into her high school ex-boyfriend—and suddenly life is blooming with new opportunities.
-
-
Wouter’s voice is insufferable
- By Amazon Customer on 07-06-25
-
It's a Love Story
- By: Annabel Monaghan
- Narrated by: Hillary Huber
- Length: 8 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the USA Today bestselling author of Nora Goes Off Script, a novel about a former adolescent TV punch line who has left her awkwardness in the rearview mirror thanks to a fake-it-till-you-make-it mantra that has her on the cusp of success, until she tells a lie that sets her on a crash course with her past, spending a week on Long Island with the last man she thinks might make her believe in love.
-
-
Another great love story!
- By JaCee on 07-10-25
By: Annabel Monaghan
-
Set Piece
- An 831 Stories Romance
- By: Lana Schwartz
- Narrated by: Andi Arndt, Shane East
- Length: 5 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Even one year ago, no one would have recognized Jack Felgate at a bar. But after his steamy breakout TV role, he's surprised to be swarmed by fans during a night out with friends. When the practical bartender CJ intervenes to fend off his admirers, he's grateful—and more than a little eager to stick around for an after-hours drink–turned–tryst. Five years later, Jack shows up to set for his starring role in (yet another?!) adaptation of The Great Gatsby only to find CJ is the film’s production designer.
-
-
Loved it 😍
- By Nicole R. on 06-05-25
By: Lana Schwartz
-
Hardly Strangers
- An 831 Stories Romance
- By: A.C. Robinson
- Narrated by: Jessica Sula
- Length: 4 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This is the night Shera's been waiting for: She’s at a trendy Silver Lake bar to finally get a drink with the handsome, charming filmmaker she's been pining after for months. But when Max King—the alluring and mischievous frontman of an Irish punk band—enters the picture, an electric attraction ignites between them. Shera’s evening begins to unfold in ways she never imagined, and she surprises herself by getting swept up in his energy and daring to feel again after past heartbreak. But how does she know their passionate encounter won't expire in the morning?
By: A.C. Robinson
-
Big Fan
- An 831 Stories Romance
- By: Alexandra Romanoff
- Narrated by: Heidi Rew
- Length: 4 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Maya was a rising star in the political world until her ex-husband’s high-profile sex scandal nearly derailed her career. Landing a gubernatorial candidate is the fresh start she desperately needs–a chance to focus on meaningful work and leave the drama behind. But then an email from her past sends her world spinning: Charlie, former lead singer of Mischief, the boy band that fueled her teenage obsession, is staging a solo comeback and wants Maya’s help to make it happen. Turns out, she likes the grown-up Charlie and his genuine engagement with the world.
-
-
Cute but over before you can get attached
- By margaret kelly on 11-22-24
-
My Favorite Bad Decision
- By: Elizabeth O'Roark
- Narrated by: Rose Dioro, Grayson Owens
- Length: 8 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A full week without showers, a real bed, or Internet was bad enough. Spending it with my family’s sworn enemy—the unbearably smug, indecently handsome Miller West—is a bridge too far. I’m determined to remain enemies, even if sparring with him is my favorite thing in the world. Even if he’s hell-bent on protecting me, whether I need it or not, and surprisingly kind, no matter how awful I am to him.
-
-
Almost perfect
- By Danielle C on 07-06-25
-
What Happens in Amsterdam
- By: Rachel Lynn Solomon
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Lamont
- Length: 11 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Dani Dorfman has somehow made it to her thirties without knowing what she wants to do with her life. So when an office romance ends poorly and gets her fired, she applies for a job in Amsterdam, idly dreaming of escaping the mess she’s created, but never imagining she'll actually get it. Except she does. By the end of her first week in Amsterdam, she’s never felt more adrift or alone. Then she crashes her bike into her high school ex-boyfriend—and suddenly life is blooming with new opportunities.
-
-
Wouter’s voice is insufferable
- By Amazon Customer on 07-06-25
-
It's a Love Story
- By: Annabel Monaghan
- Narrated by: Hillary Huber
- Length: 8 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the USA Today bestselling author of Nora Goes Off Script, a novel about a former adolescent TV punch line who has left her awkwardness in the rearview mirror thanks to a fake-it-till-you-make-it mantra that has her on the cusp of success, until she tells a lie that sets her on a crash course with her past, spending a week on Long Island with the last man she thinks might make her believe in love.
-
-
Another great love story!
- By JaCee on 07-10-25
By: Annabel Monaghan
Critic reviews
"If big bisexual energy had an official book mascot, it most definitely would be this one . . . meditations on the meaning of queerness, grief, and the ever-evolving definition of identity make this a romance with genuine heart and intellect behind it." (Vogue)
"People who've been ‘that woman crying on the subway just after moving to New York’ will feel so seen. (It's me. I'm people.) Comedic Timing is a raw depiction of romance and friendship, featuring all the complexity of navigating sex and love as a bi woman.” (Kate Goldbeck, author of You, Again)
"I’ve never read a story that so deftly captures the beauty and overwhelm of expansive attraction. Sexy, profound, and deliciously funny, Comedic Timing plunges us into the exhilaration and terror that comes along when you try something—or someone—new." (Haley Jakobson, author of Old Enough, a NYT Editors' Choice)
People who viewed this also viewed...
-
Hardly Strangers
- An 831 Stories Romance
- By: A.C. Robinson
- Narrated by: Jessica Sula
- Length: 4 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This is the night Shera's been waiting for: She’s at a trendy Silver Lake bar to finally get a drink with the handsome, charming filmmaker she's been pining after for months. But when Max King—the alluring and mischievous frontman of an Irish punk band—enters the picture, an electric attraction ignites between them. Shera’s evening begins to unfold in ways she never imagined, and she surprises herself by getting swept up in his energy and daring to feel again after past heartbreak. But how does she know their passionate encounter won't expire in the morning?
By: A.C. Robinson
-
Set Piece
- An 831 Stories Romance
- By: Lana Schwartz
- Narrated by: Andi Arndt, Shane East
- Length: 5 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Even one year ago, no one would have recognized Jack Felgate at a bar. But after his steamy breakout TV role, he's surprised to be swarmed by fans during a night out with friends. When the practical bartender CJ intervenes to fend off his admirers, he's grateful—and more than a little eager to stick around for an after-hours drink–turned–tryst. Five years later, Jack shows up to set for his starring role in (yet another?!) adaptation of The Great Gatsby only to find CJ is the film’s production designer.
-
-
Loved it 😍
- By Nicole R. on 06-05-25
By: Lana Schwartz
-
Big Fan
- An 831 Stories Romance
- By: Alexandra Romanoff
- Narrated by: Heidi Rew
- Length: 4 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Maya was a rising star in the political world until her ex-husband’s high-profile sex scandal nearly derailed her career. Landing a gubernatorial candidate is the fresh start she desperately needs–a chance to focus on meaningful work and leave the drama behind. But then an email from her past sends her world spinning: Charlie, former lead singer of Mischief, the boy band that fueled her teenage obsession, is staging a solo comeback and wants Maya’s help to make it happen. Turns out, she likes the grown-up Charlie and his genuine engagement with the world.
-
-
Cute but over before you can get attached
- By margaret kelly on 11-22-24
-
Grape Juice: A Modern Romance
- An 831 Stories Romance
- By: Eliza Dumais
- Length: 5 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In her life in NYC, Alice feels like she’s withering on the vine. So when her boss suggests she attend wine harvest in rural France, she’s on a plane faster than she can second-guess herself. On her first day of alcohol-addled adult summer camp, she’s paired with Henri—equally disillusioned, albeit in his own very French way—and she realizes just how much can change if she’s willing to get her hands dirty.
By: Eliza Dumais
-
Exit Lane
- An 831 Stories Romance
- By: Erika Veurink
- Narrated by: Kellen Boyle, Hallie Ricardo
- Length: 5 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After a post-graduation drive from Iowa City to NYC, Teddy and Marin have both had enough of each other to last the rest of their lives. But that doesn’t stop their paths from crossing over eight rocky years, punctuated by chance encounters and transatlantic visits, on a journey that eventually brings them right back to where it all started.
By: Erika Veurink
-
Show Don't Tell
- Stories
- By: Curtis Sittenfeld
- Narrated by: Michael Crouch, Curtis Sittenfeld, George Newbern, and others
- Length: 10 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In her second story collection, Sittenfeld shows why she’s as beloved for her short fiction as she is for her novels. In these dazzling stories, she conjures up characters so real that they seem like old friends, laying bare the moments when their long held beliefs are overturned.
-
-
Always a pleasure
- By joshua simons on 03-21-25
-
Hardly Strangers
- An 831 Stories Romance
- By: A.C. Robinson
- Narrated by: Jessica Sula
- Length: 4 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This is the night Shera's been waiting for: She’s at a trendy Silver Lake bar to finally get a drink with the handsome, charming filmmaker she's been pining after for months. But when Max King—the alluring and mischievous frontman of an Irish punk band—enters the picture, an electric attraction ignites between them. Shera’s evening begins to unfold in ways she never imagined, and she surprises herself by getting swept up in his energy and daring to feel again after past heartbreak. But how does she know their passionate encounter won't expire in the morning?
By: A.C. Robinson
-
Set Piece
- An 831 Stories Romance
- By: Lana Schwartz
- Narrated by: Andi Arndt, Shane East
- Length: 5 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Even one year ago, no one would have recognized Jack Felgate at a bar. But after his steamy breakout TV role, he's surprised to be swarmed by fans during a night out with friends. When the practical bartender CJ intervenes to fend off his admirers, he's grateful—and more than a little eager to stick around for an after-hours drink–turned–tryst. Five years later, Jack shows up to set for his starring role in (yet another?!) adaptation of The Great Gatsby only to find CJ is the film’s production designer.
-
-
Loved it 😍
- By Nicole R. on 06-05-25
By: Lana Schwartz
-
Big Fan
- An 831 Stories Romance
- By: Alexandra Romanoff
- Narrated by: Heidi Rew
- Length: 4 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Maya was a rising star in the political world until her ex-husband’s high-profile sex scandal nearly derailed her career. Landing a gubernatorial candidate is the fresh start she desperately needs–a chance to focus on meaningful work and leave the drama behind. But then an email from her past sends her world spinning: Charlie, former lead singer of Mischief, the boy band that fueled her teenage obsession, is staging a solo comeback and wants Maya’s help to make it happen. Turns out, she likes the grown-up Charlie and his genuine engagement with the world.
-
-
Cute but over before you can get attached
- By margaret kelly on 11-22-24
-
Grape Juice: A Modern Romance
- An 831 Stories Romance
- By: Eliza Dumais
- Length: 5 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In her life in NYC, Alice feels like she’s withering on the vine. So when her boss suggests she attend wine harvest in rural France, she’s on a plane faster than she can second-guess herself. On her first day of alcohol-addled adult summer camp, she’s paired with Henri—equally disillusioned, albeit in his own very French way—and she realizes just how much can change if she’s willing to get her hands dirty.
By: Eliza Dumais
-
Exit Lane
- An 831 Stories Romance
- By: Erika Veurink
- Narrated by: Kellen Boyle, Hallie Ricardo
- Length: 5 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After a post-graduation drive from Iowa City to NYC, Teddy and Marin have both had enough of each other to last the rest of their lives. But that doesn’t stop their paths from crossing over eight rocky years, punctuated by chance encounters and transatlantic visits, on a journey that eventually brings them right back to where it all started.
By: Erika Veurink
-
Show Don't Tell
- Stories
- By: Curtis Sittenfeld
- Narrated by: Michael Crouch, Curtis Sittenfeld, George Newbern, and others
- Length: 10 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In her second story collection, Sittenfeld shows why she’s as beloved for her short fiction as she is for her novels. In these dazzling stories, she conjures up characters so real that they seem like old friends, laying bare the moments when their long held beliefs are overturned.
-
-
Always a pleasure
- By joshua simons on 03-21-25