Plans Are Booked

This week we're gushing about a memoir that deeply moved us by a writer and influencer we've long admired. We discuss our parasocial relationship with @simonsits, our reverence for the level of honesty in this book, relating to falling in love with New York City, the paragraph about pet parenthood that wrecked us, and how elated we are that this book is getting a TV series adaptation. In our catch...

This week we are joined by author, educator, bookseller, dog mom and champion of plus-size protagonists Jenny L. Howe. Jenny shares how her passion for stories began at two years old with a wild imagination, that the horror genre was her first love, what it's really like being in the query trenches, and how she eventually landed on a path to traditional publishing via an idea spawned by her grad s...

This week we are pleased as punch to welcome debut author Kat Stoddard to the show. Kat shares about her childhood as a library kid and how Pride & Prejudice taught her what a great novel could be. We talk about a shared love for messy family dramas, Wasp's Nest being inspired by The Philadelphia story, Cape Cod as the predestined setting, why writing three points of view was a wild choice for...

This week we're diving into a delicious family drama. Molly shares her Mount Rushmore of books in this genre, and we talk about the messiness of relationships, the haves vs. the have nots, a deep sense of place, the power of descriptive writing, the joy of short chapters, how easily we could see this as a stage play, and our hopes that it becomes a perfect, 90-minute film. In our catch up this wee...

This week we're discussing a memoir that reads like fiction. We deep dive on Belle Burden's story of the dissolution of her marriage. We ask questions like - how would this have been different if they weren't affluent? How do her children feel about all of this being made public? Is her husband the world's biggest super villain? We also share our thoughts on Gwyneth Paltrow being cast in the upcom...

We are absolutely tickled to have author and fandom queen Emma Brodie on the show this week! She shares how her love of story began at a young age, including acting out her favorites alongside her younger siblings. Steph notes the themes that resonated for her in both of Emma's books, they discuss their shared fandoms, and a crop top that nearly bankrupted Emma. Emma also touches on being surround...

This week we deep dive on the first book in Elle Kennedy's popular hockey romance series, which is now available to stream as an on-screen adaptation. Steph shares how she first got into the series and plots this story on the Beartown to Heated Rivalry scale. We talk about the instant appeal of the fake dating trope, Hannah's similarities with Laney Boggs from She's All That, the utopian world of...

This week we're talking about a book that has taken the reading community by storm. We share how much we loved her first book - Songs in Ursa Major, the singular nature of this story rooted in improv and on-stage partnership, the main characters' cosmic connection, AJ's unique and powerful character arc, who we pictured as Noah, and how deeply this love story resonated. In our catch up this week,...

This week we are delighted to welcome to the show veteran journalist and debut novelist Juliet Izon. We discuss her childhood love of writing, her dream to work at Vogue, the first kernel of her book idea, the original title for The Encore and its deep meaning, casting inspiration for a future screen adaptation, her advice for aspiring writers, and why she believes adults need to have creative hob...

We have a thematic episode for you this week, as we share our favorite sports books. Spanning contemporary fiction, non-fiction, young adult, and middle grade, our top picks cover stories about baseball, football, surfing, track & field, and more. Our chat includes a lively discussion about the difference between being a fan of live sports vs. being endlessly curious about the behind-the-scene...

This week we welcome To The Gallows author Elizabeth Skarpnes to the show. She discusses her childhood love of reading, choosing library time over recess, how her book was inspired by a TikTok video, writing the first line in a Taco Bell parking lot, deciding to describe the story as "Tangled meets The Princess Bride," transitioning from nursing to writing full-time, the importance of booksellers...

This week we're chatting about the upcoming novel from an author we all adore. We deep dive on Cherry Baby, discussing the reality of moving through the world in a plus-size body, the love triangle that progressed unexpectedly, Rowell's commitment to honesty and messiness in relationships, who we think really needs to read this book, and how each of us rated it and why. In our catch up this week,...

This week we're discussing a debut novel that the author self-describes as "Daisy Jones & the Six meets Gossip Girl." We chat about receiving an early copy, meeting Juliet on her book tour, the cover art, how we pictured the three lead characters in our minds, the focus on music, the nostalgia of the college years, and our hopes for this to be adapted for the screen. In our catch up this week,...

This week we are joined by author and Heated Rivalry super fan, Jessica Guerrieri. We talk about what hooked us on the show, the beautiful combination of safety, consent, and vulnerability, the tunnel scene, Rose as the most beloved supporting character, freckle pens, and a shared love of Taylor Swift. Then, Jessica chats with us about her upcoming book, Both Can Be True. We discuss the category o...

This week we're discussing an epistolary novel that has taken the world by storm. We chat about the joy of reading letters, the fiery personality of the main character, the wide variety of topics covered - love, loss, grief, regret, romance, gardening, and gossip, the cover art design, and who we think will enjoy this book. In our catch up this week, Steph signs copies of Golden Hour at a bookstor...

This week we're solving a mystery with Holly Jackson's debut adult thriller. We discuss the expert pacing of the story, the interesting use of past and present tense, the endearing friendship between Jet and Billy, and our desire for this to become a TV miniseries. In our catch up this week, Kaitlin starts researching 55+ communities, and Molly admits her new obsession with her local "Buy Nothing"...

Our "I'm coming to the cottage" candle is lit and we're talking about books 4 - 6 of the Game Changers series. We gush about the cherub of a person that is Harris, Ilya as a dog dad, the wedding scene we hope makes it to screen, the final book as a "love blimp," Kaitlin's desire for Kingfisher merch, and how the Heated Rivalry fandom rivals the Swiftie fandom for most dedicated. In our catch up th...

We've got all the feels like week after reading Emily Henry's homage to annual traditions. We talk about her gift for conjuring nostalgia, the way she creates intimacy without relying on the physical, the beauty with which she captures the evolution of friendship, and the setting details she chose for the state of Maine. In our catch up this week, we break down the Tell Me Lies series finale, shar...

This week we're talking about a deeply emotional book. Lily King is a Massachusetts native, now living in Portland, Maine, who has written a book about a love triangle that evolves over several decades. We praise the brevity of her writing, the way she trusts the reader to fill in the gaps, how expertly she handles two big time jumps, and the way she accurately captures life in your early twenties...

It's a giggle fest this week as we explore one of our favorite topics: books we'd love to see become TV shows or movies. Each of us share our top picks for stories we'd love to see make it to the screen. In our catch up this week, Kaitlin reviews two restaurants in Cambridge, Molly recaps her trip to North Carolina, and Steph asks a Heated Rivalry question that leads to a lively debate. In what we...

We have a special treat for you this week. Stephanie interviews Vanessa Lillie, author of Blood Sisters, The Bone Thief, Little Voices, and For the Best. She is also the coauthor of the Young Rich Widows series. Lillie shares the stories she treasured as a child - fairy tales, Greek mythology, The Boxcar Children, and anything by R.L. Stine, her love of historical fiction, and how moving to Rhode...

This week we're talking about a powerful and moving book by Woody Brown, an author who is non-verbal. This is the story of the clients, parents, and caregivers at a facility for adults with disabilities. Brown does an incredible job of sharing the inner monologues of individuals who cannot communicate with speech, and educating the reader on the common misconceptions surrounding this particular ch...

Heated Rivalry fans, this week's episode is for you! We are breaking down our thoughts on the first three books in Rachel Reid's Game Changers series. We talk about her hockey universe, the complexity of her characters, the spice level, and our sincere belief that the Heated Rivalry page-to-screen adaptation may be the best in history. In our catch-up this week, Kaitlin gets the DNA test results f...

This week we're under the spell of the beautiful and lyrical writing of Amy Jo Burns. We talk about her upcoming novel featuring two women trying to find their place in the world, and how they unexpectedly find "home" in each other. We praise Burns' creativity, character development, and unique ability to showcase love without the typical tropes. We also share ideas for who could play these charac...

We're in a hockey state of mind this week with Fake Skating by the queen of banter, Lynn Painter. We talk about her signature storytelling style, share about our favorite character (hello, Grandpa Mick), praise her use of the fake dating trope, and confess to the power of a flirtatious wink. In our catch up this week, Kaitlin visits local icon Town Spa Pizza, Steph deals with a pest problem and be...