What To Read Next Podcast

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 best way). We get into how the romance industry has shifted from the “dark ages” of early ebooks to today’s audio boom, plus why small towns hit peak magic at Christmas.

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 shifted (alpha heroes, golden retrievers, dark romance, and the whole “tropes-everywhere” era), plus the comfort reads she’ll never stop recommending. If you’ve ever wanted a holiday book that doesn’t feel like a Hallmark script—or you’ve got thoughts about how romance marketing has changed—this one’s for you.

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.We chat about Amy’s journey from writing category romance for Harlequin to going fully indie, how she uses direct sales and Shopify to connect with readers, and why she loves writing emotional, character-driven small-town stories. Then we dive into her Single Dads of Dragonfly Lake series and her new Christmas romance Single Wish, featuring a grumpy Christmas tree farmer, a reformed mean girl, and a delicious second-chance enemies-to-lovers arc set in a Tennessee lake town.

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 royal romance A Ruff Royal Christmas.Karen shares how she went from war correspondent and hard-hitting journalist to writing the cozy, comforting Christmas stories so many of us binge every December. We talk about the inspiration behind A Ruff Royal Christmas (including the real-life “devil dog” who inspired Stormy), how she stays in a Christmas mood all year even while living in the desert, and why she’s built a portfolio career across movies, books, audio, travel shows, and even real-life Christmas Camp retreats. We also go behind the scenes of filming Christmas Camp for Hallmark, talk about the power of comfort watches/r

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 how they might help you, too.Katie and I talk about her YA novels Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice and Mint to Be, how Pumpkin Spice unexpectedly went viral on TikTok, and what it was like to write through chemo and recovery. We also get into cozy, low-gore spooky reads (perfect if you’re squeamish or easily triggered), plus YA and middle grade recommendations that balance heart, hope, and just the right amount of chills. If you’re craving comfort, holiday vibes, and gentle escape, this is the episode for you.

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 how L.B. pivoted her career to write romance with characters in their 40s and 50s, what makes second-chance love hit different in midlife, and why today’s Gen X and Millennial readers are craving stories that reflect their real lives—kids, divorce, therapy, hormones and all. Then we switch into full holiday mode to talk about her grumpy/sunshine Christmas romances (including a sexy maybe-Santa), plus a few cozy cowboy recs if you love a small-town escape.

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 reading aloud at the holidays.We chat about why classics hit differently in our hyper-busy lives, how to pick approachable reads if you’re intimidated, and why some stories just land better in December. Victoria walks us through a four-week Christmas classics challenge (with lots of public-domain options), child and adult read-aloud ideas, and her own tradition of reading Letters from Father Christmas every year. I also share a bit about my childhood Christmases, Disney trips, and why I always reach for comfort reads this time of year.Whether you’re craving something short and heart-squeezing like The Gift of the Magi

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 about what it really looks like to treat writing like a job (in the best way), how Samantha built a wide, library-friendly backlist instead of relying on Kindle Unlimited, and why she’s more interested in consistency than fame. Then we dive into her newest holiday romance, A Holly Brown Christmas, plus a whole sleigh-full of her backlist Christmas books and a couple of festive recs from Lauren Blakely.

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 chat about her 20-year career in game writing, the pivot back to her “first love” of books, and how A Spell for Midwinter’s Heart blends cozy romance, magic-light vibes, and real-world emotional stakes. If you love Hallmark holiday romances but wish they had a touch of witchy charm, this is the perfect entry point into the cozy-paranormal space. We also dig into her craft, world-building, burnout, motherhood, and the comforting wave of cozy stories readers are reaching for right now. 

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 you root for the hero.We get into why so many of us stay in toxic relationships, what it means to choose the brave-but-scary option in life, and how an AI boyfriend app plus a secretly obsessed coworker turned into one of the buzziest dark rom-coms of the year. Laura also shares her whirlwind path from self-publishing plans to a traditional deal with Atria, her genius BookTok biker content strategy, and why putting yourself on camera is both terrifying and healing.

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 emotional layers.In our conversation, RaeAnne shares the inspiration behind Snow Kiss, her plotting process, why fake dating is her new favorite trope to write, and the joy of crafting holiday stories that remind readers to choose kindness. We also talk about her extensive backlist, her women’s fiction summer releases, and her 2025 novel The Lost Book of First Loves. Plus—double book recs from RaeAnne across two different interviews!

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 about Bryn’s life as a former greeting-card writer, why the Art Institute of Chicago feels like pure magic, how she built a low-stakes, lightly-magical world, and the romance titles she’s loving right now. If you love Bridgerton, cozy fantasy, or romcoms with heart, spice, and smart heroines, this one’s for you.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.If you love late-bloomer romances, sex-positive storytelling, and YA coming-of-age vibes, today’s episode is for you.In this conversation, I chat with debut author Zakiya N. Jamal about her two 2024 releases — the YA romcom If We Were a Movie and her upcoming adult romance Sparks Fly. We dive into the behind-the-scenes of book packaging, the realities of writing two debuts in one year, and why she wanted to flip the virgin-trope on its head. We also get into her writing process, K-drama obsession, telenovelas, Turkish dramas, and the book recs she’s currently loving.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.If you love contemporary romance with a dash of magic, messy feelings, and big conversations about art and identity, you’re going to love today’s episode.I’m joined by author duo Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka to chat about their newest novel Seeing Other People—a tender, paranormal-light romance about grief, connection, and rebuilding your life. We also dig into their love story (yes, they’re high school sweethearts!), how their writing evolved from YA to adult romance, and why exploring art, performance, and personal truth keeps showing up in their books. Plus: great recs for fall vibes, emotional reads, and cozy witchy stories.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.Looking for the perfect low-stakes escape this fall? Today I’m diving into cozy fantasy with debut author Emily Krempholtz, whose novel Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore blends plant magic, self-forgiveness, a grumpy alchemist next door, and cottagecore vibes that feel like a balm for a messy world.In this episode, Emily and I talk about reinventing yourself after a hard season, the rise of cozy fantasy since the pandemic, and why magic makes the perfect metaphor for emotional growth. We also get into identity shifts, nervous system regulation, and how fantasy can gently mirror the work we do in real life. And of course—Emily shares her must-read fall cozy fantasy picks.If you're craving comfort, whimsy, emotional depth, and a touch of magic (without the overwhelming high-stakes quests), this episode is for you.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.If you’ve ever picked up a Southern women’s fiction novel and thought, this feels like a warm hug, today’s episode is for you. I’m joined by author Grace Helena Walz, who writes heartfelt, community-centered stories set in the South—full of family, quirky characters, and deeply emotional themes.In this conversation, Grace and I dive into her two novels—Southern By Design and Good Hair Days—and chat about writing family-driven stories, magical realism, Southern settings, and what makes Southern women’s fiction feel so comforting. If you're curious where to start with this genre, Grace gives us a fantastic starter list featuring authors like Dorothea Benton Frank, Mary Kay Andrews, Kristy Woodson Harvey, and more.We also get into her writing process, her love for the low country, how family expectations shape her characters, and the surprising emotional depth behind her latest Steel Magnolias-esque novel.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.If you’ve ever felt intimidated by literary fiction, this episode is your warm invitation in.I’m joined by reader and library advocate Laura Bird to talk about eight accessible, emotionally rich literary fiction novels — all written by women. We chat about what makes literary fiction “friendly” for beginners, why libraries are democracy’s secret weapon, and how you can support your local branch beyond borrowing books.Whether you love short, quiet novels that pack a punch or intergenerational stories about women’s resilience, Laura’s recommendations will expand your TBR and your heart.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.Ever wish your favorite academic rivals-to-lovers romance felt real? Author and researcher Dr. Jodi McAlister joins me to prove it can be.In this episode, I chat with Australian author and romance scholar Dr. Jodi McAlister about her new novel The Academic Affair — a smart, funny rom-com set inside the cut-throat world of higher ed. We talk about how academia inspired her rivals-to-lovers + marriage-of-convenience story, what it’s like to study popular romance for a living, and how genres like New Adult and rom-coms have evolved. Jodi also shares her favorite Australian and New Zealand romance authors you need on your TBR.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.What if the person you trusted most kept one last secret — a deadly one?In this episode, I chat with thriller author Elle Marr about her newest novel, The Lie She Wears — a tense, mother-daughter cat-and-mouse story perfect for fans of Gone Girl. Elle shares how she built a propulsive plot full of twists, why she cut the romance from her early drafts, and the moment every reader gasps halfway through her book.We also talk about her recent reads — from The Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins to twisty thrillers by Yasmine Ango and Brianna Labuskes — plus what makes a good surprise ending work.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.Julia Diaz-Young is back on the pod! In this episode, we catch up on her new role in wellness nonfiction marketing and dive into why nonfiction can feel just as gripping as your favorite rom-com. Julia shares upcoming books she’s working on—from Anatomy of a Con Artist to Mundane Magic—plus her current romance and historical reads.We also talk about her favorite new reading app, Page Bound, breaking up with Goodreads, and why romance readers will fall in love with inclusive historicals and witchy self-help.If you love smart, joyful book talk with a publishing insider, this one’s for you.