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Gay the Pray Away  By  cover art

Gay the Pray Away

By: Natalie Naudus
Narrated by: Natalie Naudus
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Publisher's summary

Valerie Danners is in a cult. She just doesn’t know it yet. When she finds a queer book at the library and smuggles it home, her conservative Christian homeschooling world begins to crack. And when the cutest girl she’s ever met shows up to Bible class, she starts to question everything.

Riley is so confident and kind, and she and Valerie bond quickly over existing as multiracial teens in a very white Christian community. As Valerie explores her feelings for Riley, she begins to see that the world she knows is a carefully crafted narrative.

Publicly, the girls are close friends—holding hands in prayer, rooming together at a conference. Privately, they grasp at any chance to continue their forbidden romance—until they are found out. Now, Valerie must choose between staying with a family she fears will never accept her, or running away with the girl she loves.

©2024 Natalie Naudus (P)2024 Natalie Naudus

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What listeners say about Gay the Pray Away

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Stunning! Deeply moving, beautifully written and read! Wow

I just finished it and I'm stunned at everything I just lived through. This was a journey into a worlds I never knew existed. I wasn't prepared for this and I can tell you it was amazing. The beautiful expression of love, hope and compassion has had a profound effect on me. I'm so grateful for this book, and hope it offers us. Beautifully written and performed!

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A Must-Listen!

I loved Natalie Naudus’s debut novel “Gay the Pray Away”.

It is a sapphic YA romance about a young woman (Valerie) who has been raised in an ultra-conservative religious family. Even though this is a work of fiction, it incorporates many of the author Natalie Naudus’s personal experiences. She grew up in a similar environment, raised by a very cultish religious family and her childhood ordeal is woven into this story.

The focus of “Gay the Pray Away” is on the main character’s oppressive home life, but the narrative is also infused with such a strong dose of hope. It is an ode to closeted queer kids which primarily shows them that they are not alone and that there is a much larger world out there.

The overall themes also reinforce the importance of queer books for LGBTQ youth. Valerie was fed propaganda and harmful rhetoric her entire life and books help to expose her to a community which exists outside of her stifling religious cult.

Other instances in the story where the real world meshes with the fictional one are the nods we see to some of Natalie Naudus’s narrated work. One of her best audio performances is her narration of “One Last Stop” by Casey McQuiston and this book is prominently featured in “Gay the Pray Away”. Reading “One Last Stop” helps to lead to the character Valerie’s awakening and the book was also impactful in the author’s life as well. Natalie Naudus has publicly commented that her narration of Casey McQuiston’s book prompted her to come out as bisexual.

Even though “Gay the Pray Away” is based on religious trauma, it is ultimately very hopeful and I wholeheartedly recommend it. Natalie Naudus is an exceptional narrator and her emotional connection to the story makes the audiobook a must-listen.

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I could not stop reading!

This book was fantastic! I found myself wanting to get home from literally everywhere to continue listening! The story was heartwarming, heartbreaking and enlightening. Narration by the author was on point! I highly recommend this read/listen.

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Fast, Easy, Hopeful Read

This was such an amazing book. I know it's influenced by the author (who also narrates!) and her upbringing. It's a beautiful story about breaking out of forced expectations to realize that you are good and worthy of love and acceptance as you are. Highly recommend!

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Fantastic

A truly good book. This is something every queer kid needs. Although the book covers painful topics, especially religious trauma and family trauma, but the main character, Valerie, works to get free. This is a book about self-love and looking for found family. It is kindness in a world that, at times, can be cruel to queer kids.

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Excellent Story

In her debut novel, Natalie Naudus weaves a captivating and poignant story that resonates with today’s young LGBTQ+ community. Set against the backdrop of a conservative Christian homeschooling environment,

Naudus skillfully portrays the pain and struggle faced by queer individuals within fundamentalist Christian communities. The forbidden romance between Valerie and Riley is both heartwarming and heartbreaking, as they navigate their feelings while hiding from a world that condemns their love. The author’s writing is realistic, raw, and unflinching, capturing the emotional turmoil and resilience of these characters.

Naudus, a beloved audiobook narrator, brings depth and authenticity to the characters. Her performance enhances the emotional impact of the story, making it a powerful listening experience.

This novel is more than a love story; it’s a call for acceptance, understanding, and compassion. Naudus sheds light on the harmful treatment faced by LGBTQ+ individuals within religious circles, urging readers to question the narratives they’ve been taught. “Gay the Pray Away” is a must-listen for anyone seeking hope, healing, and a reminder that love knows no bounds.

If you’re looking for an audiobook that combines captivating storytelling with important themes, “Gay the Pray Away” is an excellent choice

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wonderful

Overall I enjoyed this book. It honestly captured what discovering you're queer as a teen while being trapped in fundamental evangelicalism feels like without being trauma porn or overly triggering. And even though the situation faced by the protagonist is hard, the book overall is hopeful. For a debut the writing feels quite polished although simple and straightforward (a writing style I generally enjoy). I would definitely read another book by this author! Narration was great as always with Natalie Naudus!

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You are not alone

First, I do not read a lot of YA books. There are some, though, that transcend “age” labels and this is one of them. Fair warning, there are mentions of abuse, in multiple forms, as it concerns not only religious groups or cults, but the anti-LGBTQ+ agenda. But Naudus manages to include just enough information about such events to enlighten us about this world without overwhelming us with the horror and sadness of it. Second, normally I pick out a quote or two, but I cannot do that here because the whole thing can be quoted, so good are the words chosen to convey the thoughts, feelings, images, and message. Had this book existed for many of us of a certain age (and hopefully we’d have access to it, thank you librarians for doing the hardest work out there), we might have had a greater understanding of things earlier in life. Third, imagine for a moment you read this book in e-format or paperback. It would be a marvelous experience in the way that I, as an amateur baker, can enjoy a homemade soufflé. Now think of this audiobook as the same soufflé, but it’s read to you by Natalie Naudus, narrator extraordinaire. She presents this soufflé to you as a master baker, and you will enjoy it so much more. Finally, the title above comes from a secondary character talking to a MC. It’s true, you are not alone.

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A story about being seen, heard and loved.

What a magnificently told story. My heart breaks that this is what so many young people experience or worse from people supposed to love you. Natalie Naudus tells this story from so many angles with insight to a lot of the emotional experience and support needed by young people. It was an eye opener for me of the conservative theocracy that runs so many cult like religions. I found the inner strength and courage of these young characters so inspiring. This is a great story of the courage it takes to be who you are called to be. Bravo, love it, great author, amazing narrator and a story so beautiful!

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Such a good book with meaning!

I loved this book! You could feel the struggle! I’m really hoping for a second book. I want one of the characters too figure her stuff out a little later in life and I want her to have her own book.🙃

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