A Bookish Home

This week’s guest is Michael Callahan, author of The Lost Letters from Martha’s Vineyard, a captivating page-turner about two women bound by blood but divided by a long-buried secret, and the island that holds the key to the fateful summer that changed everything forever. “Compelling and evocative, The Lost Letters from Martha’s Vineyard is a page turner … Continue reading...

This week, Sarah C. Johns is here to discuss her gem of a debut novel, The Sirens of Soleil City, a multi-generational story that follows four women, a decaying apartment complex in West Palm Beach and a Senior Synchronized Swimming Competition in South Florida. “The Sirens of Soleil City is a witty, touching story of resilience, … Continue reading Ep. 217: Dive Into The Sirens of Sole...

What a treat to have one of my favorite historical fiction writers, Madeline Martin, back this week to discuss her new novel, The Booklover’s Library, a heartwarming story about a mother and daughter in wartime England and the power of the books that bring them together. “A spectacularly well-researched and well-plotted tale of World War … Continue reading Ep. 216: Madeline Martin Brin...

This week, author Sue Mell is back on the podcast to discuss A New Day. Linked by their personal and professional relationships, the characters in these thirteen stories—all set between 1982 and 2012—struggle to achieve happiness and success. “Endlessly fascinating characters propel these wonderfully ardent stories.”— Kirkus Reviews https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/adfhqsxhuqite2xp/suem...

This week, bestselling author Marjan Kamali joins us to discuss The Lion Women of Tehran, a heartfelt, epic new novel of friendship, betrayal, and redemption set against three transformative decades in Iran. “Gorgeous, gripping…insightful, compassionate, and grounded in historical detail, The Lion Women of Tehran is an evocation of a country upended and a tribute to the … Continu...

This week’s guest is  Marc Guggenheim, author of In Any Lifetime, a heartfelt story of a devoted husband who defies fate, attempting to find the one universe where his wife is still alive. “Heartfelt and beautifully written, In Any Lifetime elegantly leaps between science fiction and romance, begging you to ask the age-old question: How far will … Continue reading Ep. 213: Marc Guggenh...

This week’s guest is Sara Shukla, author of Pink Whales, a fun smart romp about a mom who relocates to a preppy New England beach town- think “Mean Girls clad in Lilly Pulitzer.” “A satisfying romp through a New England enclave that’s not nearly as idyllic as it seems.” —Kirkus Reviews https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/3nyg6xd2yuaz5ezz/pinkwhalesfinalwithad....

This week, Dr. Amra Sabic-El-Rayess is here to discuss Three Summers: A Memoir of Sisterhood, Summer Crushes, and Growing up on the Eve of War, an epic middle-grade memoir in the three years leading up to the Bosnian Genocide. Amra shares the story behind Three Summers and more about her work at Teachers College, Columbia … Continue reading Ep. 211: Author and Bosnian Genocide Survivor, Amra...

This week’s guest is  Joselyn Takacs, author of Pearce Oysters, a lush, evocative, finely-drawn debut novel set on the Louisiana coastline during the historic 2010 oil spill, following local oyster farmers whose business, family, and livelihood are all on the brink of collapse. “Pearce Oysters is a pearl of a novel, as gritty, complex, and full … Continue reading Ep. 210: Joselyn...

Today Brooke Lea Foster is here to discuss her new novel, All the Summers in Between.  Set in the dual timelines of 1967 and 1977, All the Summers In Between is at once a mesmerizing portrait of a complex friendship, a delicious glimpse into a bygone Hamptons, and a powerful coming-of-age for two young women … Continue reading Ep. 209: Brooke Lea Foster Takes Us to a Bygone Era in the Hampto...

This week, author Dawn Tripp joins me to discuss her new novel, Jackie. This vivid, exquisitely written novel is at once a captivating work of the imagination and a window into the world of a woman who led many lives: Jackie, Jacks, Jacqueline, Miss Bouvier, Mrs. Kennedy, Jackie O. Dawn shares what drew her to … Continue reading Ep. 208: Dawn Tripp Illuminates the Many Lives of Jaqueline Ken...

This week, I’m thrilled to have Namrata Patel back on the podcast to discuss her latest novel, The Curious Secrets of Yesterday, about a family of spice healers in Salem, Massachusetts. Namrata gives us the inside scoop on crafting this comfort read, which is chock full of secrets, surprises, and relationships you’ll root for. This … Continue reading Ep. 207: Namrata Patel Talks Spice...

What a joy to have bestselling author Kristy Woodson Harvey back on the podcast to discuss a must have book for your beach bag this summer- A Happier Life-about a woman who discovers the family she has always longed for when she spends a life-changing summer fixing up her grandparents’ mysterious house in North Carolina. … Continue reading Ep. 206: Kristy Woodson Harvey on the Recipe for A H...

This week, award-winning author Hena Khan returns to the podcast. Known for her compassionate and relatable books for children that draw on her experiences as a Pakistani-American Muslim, Hena has 5 new books releasing in 2024.  We discuss the creative process behind this banner year of books, what she hopes young readers take away from … Continue reading Ep. 205: Hena Khan on Her Banner Yea...

This week, Clare McHugh is here to discuss The Romanov Brides, a novel of the last tsarina and her sisters. This is a fascinating story about two young princesses–granddaughters of Queen Victoria– who become intertwined with the Romanov family in the years preceding their downfall. “Two motherless German princesses struggle to choose husbands from the … Continue reading Ep. 204: Clare...

This week, I’m delighted to have one of my favorite authors, Annabel Monaghan, back on the podcast to discuss Summer Romance, another heart-tugging, hilarious love story about a recent divorcee and professional organizer whose life is a mess, and the summer she gets unstuck with the help of someone unexpected from her past. This book … Continue reading Ep. 203: Annabel Monaghan on Her Latest...

This week my guest is Sarah T. Dubb, author of the delightful new romcom, Birding with Benefits, in which a newly-divorced, almost-empty-nester embarks on a “year of yes” and becomes the fake girlfriend and bird-watching competition partner of a man who changes her life. “This book is unqualified joy! … Readers will absolutely relish watching … Continue reading Ep. 202: Sarah T. Dubb on the...

This week,  New York Times bestselling author Ruth Ware is here to discuss One Perfect Couple, a high-tension and ingenious thriller that follows five couples who start out filming a reality tv show and end up trapped on a storm-swept island as a killer stalks among them. “The ultimate trouble-in-paradise thriller, One Perfect Couple is timely, gripping … Continue reading Ep. 201: Ruth...

This week my guest is Eve J. Chung, author of the powerful new novel, Daughters of Shandong, which tells the story of a mother and daughters caught up in China’s communist revolution, based on the author’s family story. “One of those rare works of fiction that entertains, educates, and inspires. Harrowing, heartbreaking, and brilliantly paced, Daughters of … Continue reading Ep. 200: Eve. J....

This week I’m excited to share a conversation with Jilly Gagnon, author of the delightful new romcom Love You Mean It, featuring dueling delis, fake dating, and just the right amount of amnesia. “Beautifully written, brilliant, and perfectly salty, Love You, Mean It is a total dream of a rom-com—an instant favorite to savor on every reread. Ellie and … Continue reading Ep. 199: Jilly G...

Yukiko Tominaga is here this week to discuss her debut novel, See Loss, See Also Love, which follows a Japanese widow raising her son between worlds with the help of her Jewish mother-in-law as she wrestles with grief, loss, and—strangest of all—joy. “Yukiko Tominaga has written a book aglitter with hard-won truths. It is courageous … Continue reading Ep. 198: Yukiko Tominaga Wrestles...

This week, New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Dray discusses her captivating new historical novel, Becoming Madam Secretary, about Frances Perkins, one of the greatest political figures of the twentieth century, and an unsung heroine whose legacy is woven into the fabric of every American life. “Becoming Madam Secretary is a proud anthem to a forgotten founding … Continue read...

This week, A.H. Kim is here to discuss her enormously entertaining new novel Relative Strangers, a modern feminist spin on Sense and Sensibility featuring two half-Korean sisters and their ex-hippie mother, multiple messy love affairs and one explosive secret that could ruin everything.   This is one of the most delightful reading experiences I’ve had in … Continue reading Ep. 196: A.H. Kim...

This week, Amy Tector is back on the podcast to discuss Honor the Dead, the third book in her captivating Dominion Archives Mysteries series, which is perfect for Louise Penny fans. Honor the Dead is classic Amy Tector—an intriguing mystery peppered with fascinating historical tidbits and infused with a good dose of humor. Her cast … Continue reading Ep. 195: Amy Tector on the Power of Criti...

I’m thrilled that Henriette Lazaridis is back this week to discuss her new novel, Last Days in Plaka – think The Talented Mr. Ripley by way of Elena Ferrante–it explores the lies at the heart of an old woman’s identity and the desperation of a young woman’s struggle to belong. “A stunning novel about an … Continue reading Ep. 194: Henriette Lazaridis on Tr...