What to Read Next — Book Recommendations for Romance, Thrillers & Escape Reads

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I read 32 books in Q1 2026 —and I’m breaking down the cozy mysteries, thrillers, romances, and standout 5-star reads you need on your radar. In this episode, I’m sharing my honest reading recap from the first quarter of the year, including what worked, what didn’t, and the books I’m still thinkin...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. What happens when you’re forced to attend your ex-husband’s family wedding… in Paris? 😬✨ In this episode, I sit down with romance author Kate Clayborn to talk about her newest release The Paris Match and why messy adulthood makes the best love stories. We dive into second chances, complicated f...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Romantasy before it was cool? In this episode, I sit down with Elly Blake to talk about her journey writing fantasy romance—and how the genre has completely transformed over the years. We chat about the evolution from YA fantasy to adult romantasy, what readers really want (hint: it’s the romance...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Graphic novels aren’t just for kids—and this episode completely changed how I think about them. In this conversation, I sit down with cartoonist Sophia Glock to talk about her haunting and emotional graphic novel Before We Wake . We dive into how comics can explore big themes like grief in a way...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. From sorority sisters to bookish besties—this episode is all about finding your reading groove and building a community that keeps you turning pages. In this episode, I sit down with Nathalie Cañadas to talk about her reading glow-up—from occasional reader to devouring 200+ books a year. We chat...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. What happens when romance meets real life—immigration, identity, and the courage to choose joy anyway? In this episode, I sit down with Sonali Dev to talk about her latest novel How Simi Got Her Groom Back —a deeply emotional story about sisterhood, love, and what it really means to belong. We di...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. What happens when a neuroscientist writes a romance set in academia? In this episode, I’m chatting with debut author Hannah Brohm about Love and Other Brain Experiments —a workplace romance inspired by the chaotic world of research labs, anonymous peer reviews, and the surprising ways love can sh...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. If you love mystery-romance heroines who are juggling work, family, and the occasional international investigation, you’re going to love today’s episode. I’m joined by author Sam Tschida to talk about the latest installment in the Gabby Green series and the chaos that comes with writing spy-adjac...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. What happens when a rom-com meets a slasher movie? In this episode, I’m joined by debut author Shaylee Thompson to talk about her wildly fun genre-bending novel How to Kill a Guy in 10 Dates — a slasher rom-com set during a speed-dating event gone horribly wrong. We chat about how Shaylee blended...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. If you’ve ever masked your anxiety while looking wildly “high-functioning,” this episode is going to hit. Today I’m chatting with returning guest Cat Sebastian about her new contemporary romance Star Shipped — a slow-burn, forced-proximity love story between two actors on a long-running sci-fi sh...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. What happens when book bans aren’t just headlines — but federal law? In this episode, I’m chatting with historical fiction author Shelley Noble about The Sisters of Book Row , a novel set in 1915 New York during the height of the Comstock censorship laws. We talk about rare bookstores, banned poe...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. What happens when influencer culture, megachurch ambition, and algorithm-driven community collide? This week, I’m joined by longtime friend and fellow early-podcaster Alli Hoff Kosik to talk about her debut novel, Too Blessed to Stress — a sharp, nuanced story about faith, friendship, ambition, a...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Queer joy, Hollywood theater, and why romance doesn’t have to earn its happy ending. In this episode, I’m joined by returning guest Amy Spalding to talk about In Her Spotlight , her latest sapphic romance set at the intersection of celebrity culture, live theater, and second-chance love. We dig i...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Quick Note Before You Press Play: The audio quality on this episode isn’t my usual standard (thank you for your grace 😅). If you want the best experience, I highly recommend watching the video version — it includes captions and the sound is much clearer. You can find it on Spotify and YouTube. T...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. What happens when you drop a retired serial killer into a luxury retirement home full of former investigators? You get chaos, secrets… and one very suspicious death. In this episode, I chat with British comedian-turned-mystery author Fergus Craig about his latest cozy crime novel, I’m Not the Onl...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. What happens when a swoony rom-com set in Venezuela meets fake dating, music, and telenovela-level drama? I’m joined by debut author Maria José Morillo to talk about romance, bilingual reading, and writing against the odds. In this episode, I’m chatting with Maria José Morillo , a Venezuelan auth...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. What happens when a pandemic side project turns into a full-time creative career? In this episode, I’m joined by fantasy romance author Kate Golden to talk about writing through uncertainty, leaving a stable career, and why urban fantasy is having a moment. We get into Kate’s journey from working...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Making adult friends is hard — but it doesn’t have to be lonely. In this Galentine’s Day special, I’m joined by my friend Jules from Friday Night Readers to talk about how we met as adults, how to build meaningful female friendships, and the six books that celebrate the complicated, beautiful, so...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. What happens when love, music, and unfinished business collide—20 years later? In this episode, I’m joined by novelist Lisa Peers to talk about Motor City Love Song , a sapphic second-chance romance set against Detroit’s indie music scene—then and now. We dive into the late ’90s Detroit garage-ro...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Cozy Mysteries 101: Finding the Series That Actually Works for You If you’ve ever wanted to get into cozy mysteries but didn’t know where to start — or bounced off one that just didn’t work — this episode is for you. Amy from Novel Gossip joins me to break down what actually makes a cozy mystery...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. What happens when a true-crime podcaster is forced to host a romance podcast… and a real murder hits close to home? In this episode, I’m joined by author Letizia Lorini to talk about her rom-com-meets-mystery debut A Killer Kind of Romance — a smart, funny love story with serial-killer vibes and...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Coming out doesn’t always look the way we expect — especially when bisexuality, straight-presenting relationships, and queer community intersect in complicated ways. In this episode, I’m joined by novelist and journalist Jordyn Taylor to talk about her adult debut See You at the Summit and why bi...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Haunted lighthouses, bake shops, ghost hunters, and cozy mysteries with heart. In this episode, I’m joined by cozy mystery author Darci Hannah to talk about how she went from historical fiction to building three beloved cozy mystery series — including haunted lighthouses in Michigan, small-town b...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Some books don’t just retell a classic — they hold your hand through a hard season . In this episode, I’m joined by Virginia Kantra to talk about Anne of a Different Island , a modern homage to Anne of Green Gables set in the shadow of COVID, nostalgia, and finding your way forward when life does...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Bridgerton Season 4 Is Going Full Cinderella — Here’s What to Read While You Wait Bridgerton Season 4 is officially heading into Cinderella territory, and I’m breaking down what that means — from class divide drama to why Benedict might finally be the Bridgerton brother we root for. Joined by ret...