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. Some historical figures feel larger than life — until you finally meet the woman behind the myth. In this episode, I’m joined by Lynn Cullen , an acclaimed historical fiction author who has spent decades uncovering the real people behind cultural legends. We dive into her latest novel about Maril...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. If you love romance but want to dip your toes into mystery without gore, trauma, or thriller chaos—this episode is for you. In this conversation, I’m joined by Jenny Elder Moke , author of the millennial cozy mystery-romcom She Doesn’t Have a Clue and her upcoming release Cross Your Heart and Hop...

Before What to Read Next was a podcast… before author interviews, Kindle Unlimited lists, and mystery obsessions—there was one conversation that changed my reading life forever. In this throwback episode, I’m sharing a 2016 interview that quietly reshaped how I read, why I read, and eventually, why this podcast exists at all. We talk about losing your reading life in grad school, rediscovering boo...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. What happens when you don’t give up on writing—even after a failed debut attempt, agent rejections, and a long detour through corporate life? In this episode, I’m joined by London-based author Rosie Storey , whose debut novel Dandelion Is Dead is finally making its U.S. release. We talk honestly...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. What if Indiana Jones , National Treasure , and a swoony rom-com had a bookish baby? That’s exactly what today’s episode delivers. I’m joined by Jo Segura , author of adventure rom-coms that bring danger, banter, and kissing back into the genre. We talk about why Hollywood stopped making true adv...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. What does it really look like to make a living as a romance author in today’s publishing landscape? In this episode, I’m joined by romance author Lauren Connolly for a candid conversation about hybrid publishing, creative sustainability, and her latest rom-com Love in Plane Sight . We talk about...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. What My Reading Taste Actually Looks Like (and Why I Let Go of Goals) What happens when you stop chasing trends, ditch reading streaks, and finally admit what you don’t like to read? In this off-the-cuff solo episode, I’m talking honestly about my reading taste reset — what 2025 taught me, what I...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. What happens when a former newspaper crime reporter turns her real-life investigative instincts into pulse-pounding fiction? In this episode, I sit down with Laura Griffin to talk about crime fiction, small-town mysteries, and the real-world research that makes her thrillers feel terrifyingly rea...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. What happens when a romance author leans fully into the dark, twisty world of thrillers—but keeps the emotional payoff readers crave? In this episode, I’m joined by Mia Sheridan to talk about her evolution from emotional romance to romantic thrillers—and why this hybrid genre works so well for re...

Reading should be fun… so why does choosing your next book sometimes feel impossible? In this Group Chat episode, I’m joined by Amy and Sarah for an honest conversation about how our reading lives have evolved — and how we actually choose what to read now. We talk about reading paralysis, juggling ARCs and backlist titles, the joy of cozy mysteries, why Goodreads ratings don’t tell the whole story...

What if Goodreads and Reddit had a baby—and it was actually fun to use? In this episode, I’m joined by Lucy Zhao and Jennifer Dobak, the co-founders of Pagebound, a beautifully designed, reader-first book tracking app that brings back the joy of talking about books while you’re reading them. We talk about why they built Pagebound as a community—not an algorithm—how anonymous discussion makes readi...

This episode originally aired September 21, 2020. Yes, this was Rachel Reid's very first podcast interview. This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. What happens when you take one of the most toxic masculinity sports cultures in the world—and rewrite it with tenderness, queer joy, and emotional honesty? 🏒💖 In this retro What to Read N...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Tropical Christmas romance, but make it mermaids + bartenders + island chaos . In this episode, I’m chatting with Lizzie Stanley, Natalie Parker, and Christina Berry about their Merry Mermaids holiday novella series—aka the underserved niche of Christmas reads where nobody is pretending it’s snow...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Small-town Christmas chaos + rom-com hijinks? Yes, please. In this episode, I’m joined by romance author Erin Nicholas to talk holiday books, audio “girlie” life, and her newest festive romcom, Merry Mayhem . Erin’s been publishing since 2009/2010 (and has 70–80+ books … she’s lost count in the b...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. A holiday romance for people who hate the holidays? Yes, please. In this episode, I’m hanging out with romance author Natasha Madison to talk messy Christmas travel, big-family chaos, and why a happily-ever-after matters—even in true crime. Natasha and I also get into how romance trends have shif...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. What happens when a former Harlequin author turns indie, builds a direct sales empire, and writes an entire series about small-town single dads? In this episode, I sit down with contemporary romance author Amy Knupp to talk about the business of romance and her cozy, Christmasy small-town world....

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. A royal Christmas ball, a mischievous rescue dog, and a dog trainer who drives the princess up the palace walls—what could possibly go wrong? In this feel-good holiday episode, I’m chatting with Christmas romcom queen Karen Schaler , writer of A Christmas Prince , Christmas Camp , and her new roy...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. When life feels heavy, sometimes you just need a cozy small town, a perfect pumpkin spice latte, and a YA romance that feels like a warm sweater. In this episode, I’m chatting with author Katie Cicatelli-Kuc about the comfort reads that got her through some of the hardest seasons of her life—and...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Forty is not the end of your love story—it might be the beginning of your best one yet. In this episode, I’m chatting with romance author L.B. Dunbar all about love over 40, menopause, midlife reinvention, and why Christmas romances are the perfect escape when life feels like… a lot. We dig into...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Curl up with a blanket, a warm drink, and a stack of Christmas classics—Victoria from BiblioLifestyle is back to help us build a cozy, low-pressure December reading plan. In this episode, we go beyond A Christmas Carol and talk about beginner-friendly classics, emotional reads, and the magic of r...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. What if your romance career didn’t hinge on going viral—but on quietly writing your way to 118 books and counting? In this episode, I’m chatting with holiday romance queen Samantha Chase about sustainable careers, Christmas comfort reads, and why she’ll always write a Christmas book. We talk abou...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Looking for a cozy, witchy holiday romance with world-building that feels like slipping into a warm sweater? Today I’m sitting down with debut author and longtime video-game writer Morgan Lockhart , whose background explains exactly why her book feels so immersive and magical. In this episode, we...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. When your obsessive book boyfriends start looking a little… reasonable compared to real-life dating disasters, this episode is for you. Today I’m chatting with debut author Laura Bishop about her dark rom-com Love Me, Stalk Me —a twisty, funny, walking-red-flag romance that somehow still makes yo...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. If you love cozy small-town romances, holiday charm, and stories that feel like emotional comfort food, this episode is for you. Today I’m chatting with fan-favorite author RaeAnne Thayne , whose Christmas novel Snow Kiss delivers all the warmth and heart of a Hallmark movie… with even deeper emo...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. What happens when a Regency-era duke accidentally time-travels to 2025 Chicago? In today’s episode, Bryn Donovan joins me to talk about Her Time-Traveling Duke — a magically cozy, Chicago-set romcom that blends Regency charm, modern vibes, and a touch of science-meets-spellwork chaos. We chat abo...