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

Game Set Match: The Tennis Romance You Need to Read with Jennifer Iacopelli

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. If you've been sleeping on sports romance, this episode is your wake-up call. Tennis romance is officially having its moment in publishing — and the author who was writing it a decade before anyone else is finally getting her flowers. In this episode, Laura chats with Jennifer Iacopelli, author of Game Set Match and its sequel Wild Card — new adult tennis romances newly re-released through Little Brown's Requited imprint after Jennifer's YA novel Finding Her Edge was adapted into a Netflix series. They dig into Jennifer's 15-year publishing journey, the ensemble cast storytelling structure of the Game Set Match series, the road from canceled Olympics to Netflix, and why tennis provides the perfect natural force-proximity setup for romance. Plus, Jennifer shares her top sports romance recs (including a few you can grab right now) and a YA F1 romance that's coming in 2027 that you'll want to add to your TBR immediately. Perfect for fans of Challengers, sports romance, and anyone who loves a resilience arc — in fiction and in real life. 📚 BOOKS MENTIONED Game Set Match by Jennifer Iacopelli — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4alIwIi] | New Adult Romance / Sports Romance / Tennis | KU ✅ (backlist) | Audio ✅ (check availability) Wild Card by Jennifer Iacopelli — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4akmeGR] | New Adult Romance / Sports Romance / Tennis | (sequel to Game Set Match; releasing June 2026) Finding Her Edge by Jennifer Iacopelli — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4fea3il] | YA Romance / Sports Fiction / Olympic Figure Skating | Now a Netflix series ✅ Break the Fall by Jennifer Iacopelli — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/43B3HT0] | YA Romance / Sports Fiction / Olympic Gymnastics | Audio ✅ (check availability) Thirty Love by Tom Vellner — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4uGelUi] | Adult Romance / Sports Romance / Tennis | MM Romance | (recently released) The Open Era by Edward Schmit — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4uKWP1o] | Adult Romance / Sports Romance / Tennis | (recently released) The Fast Track by Angelica Chang — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/43CFziP] | YA Romance / Sports Fiction / F1 Racing | (releases summer 2026 — add to your TBR now!) The Someday Garden by Ashley Poston — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4u4um5y] | Adult Romance | Secret Garden vibes | (upcoming — release date June 2026) ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS [00:00] Welcome & intro — Jennifer Iacopelli joins the show [00:45] Jennifer's background: YA and new adult sports romance author [01:30] Game Set Match debut in 2013 — the pre-BookTok era of publishing [02:30] How the 2008 financial crisis led Jennifer to write her debut novel [04:30] Publishing journey: aging the book down, small digital publishers, and a closed imprint [06:00] Break the Fall — writing in response to the USA Gymnastics scandal [07:30] The COVID Olympics cancellation and its impact on her publishing career [08:30] Finding Her Edge and the road to Netflix [10:00] Little Brown's Requited imprint and bringing Game Set Match back as new adult [11:30] Tennis romance having its moment — the publishing landscape then vs. now [13:00] The ensemble, serialized storytelling structure of the Game Set Match series [14:30] The tennis calendar as a natural force-proximity story engine [15:30] What's next: could a US Open book be coming? [16:00] Jennifer's involvement in the Finding Her Edge Netflix adaptation [19:00] Writer's room, ensemble TV storytelling, and the evolution of teen drama [21:30] The non-linear reality of publishing careers [23:00] The book format conversation: mass market paperbacks, special editions & reading culture [25:00] Book Recs: Thirty Love by Vellner— tennis rivalry MM romance [26:00] Book Recs: The Open Era by Edward Schmit — tennis romance [26:30] Book Recs: The Fast Track by Angelica Chang — YA F1 romance (2027) [27:30] Book Recs: The Someday Garden by Ashley Poston — Secret Garden vibes [29:00] The rise of women's sports and niche sports fandoms [31:00] Where to find Jennifer online [31:30] Wrap-up JOIN THE CONVERSATION Subscribe to our Substack [https://wtrnblog.substack.com/] for exclusive recommendations. (wtrnblog.substack.com [https://wtrnblog.substack.com/]) Follow & Subscribe: What to Read Next Blog [https://www.whattoreadnext.com/] | YouTube: What to Read Next [https://www.youtube.com/@WhattoReadNextBlog] Subscribe & leave a review!

A Debut Romance Set at the US Open You Need to Read | The Open Era by Edward Schmit

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. What happens when the first openly gay man competes in a Grand Slam — and falls for his opponent across the net? Debut author Eddie Schmit joins the show to talk about The Open Era, his queer tennis romance that's equal parts heart-racing competition and sweet slow-burn love story. Eddie shares how a mental health journey led him to tennis, how tennis led him to a book deal with Penguin Random House, and why the US Open — right in his Queens backyard — became the perfect backdrop for a story about identity, anxiety, and falling in love at exactly the wrong time. We also dig into his reading list: the Andre Agassi memoir that gripped him from page one, a practical mental health survival guide, a quirky queer literary novel about a mountain lion in the LA hills, and a cozy paranormal romance that reads like a warm hug. 📚 BOOKS MENTIONED The Open Era by Edward Schmit — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4uKWP1o] | Queer Romance / Sports Romance | Audio ✅ Open by Andre Agassi — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4vffu5e] | Memoir / Sports Nonfiction | Audio ✅ Where to Start by Mental Health America, illus. Gemma Carrell — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/3RGJkBd] | Nonfiction / Mental Health | Young Adult crossover; also available in Spanish The Inner Game of Tennis by W. Timothy Gallwey — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4edp4Qh] | Nonfiction / Sports Psychology | 50th Anniversary Edition | Audio ✅ Dearly Departed by Chip Pons — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4uGe3wG] | Queer Paranormal Romance / Mythology Romance Open Throat by Henry Hoke — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/3RCEll3] | Queer Literary Fiction | Short / great for gifting | Audio ✅ ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS [00:00] Welcome & introducing Eddie Schmit [00:30] Eddie's background: acting, PR, and New York City life [02:00] Finding tennis as a mental health tool [04:30] How tennis became a full personality — and a book [06:00] The Open Era: plot, characters & what makes it special [08:00] Anxiety, masking, and representing mental health realistically in fiction [10:00] The messy, non-linear journey of managing anxiety [12:00] How Eddie ended up writing romance [14:30] Why romance is the perfect genre for character arcs and high stakes [16:00] Nonfiction rec: Open by Andre Agassi [18:30] Nonfiction rec: Where to Start by Mental Health America [20:30] Nonfiction rec: The Inner Game of Tennis by W. Timothy Gallwey [23:30] Fiction rec: Dearly Departed by Chip Pons [24:30] Fiction rec: Open Throat by Henry Hoke [25:30] Where to find Eddie + The Open Era release date JOIN THE CONVERSATION Subscribe to our Substack [https://wtrnblog.substack.com/] for exclusive recommendations. (wtrnblog.substack.com [https://wtrnblog.substack.com/]) Follow & Subscribe: What to Read Next Blog [https://www.whattoreadnext.com/] | YouTube: What to Read Next [https://www.youtube.com/@WhattoReadNextBlog] Subscribe & leave a review!

The YA Authors Writing Adult Books You'll Obsess Over

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. If you loved YA but drifted away — or if you're a YA fan wondering where to start in adult fiction — this episode is your permission slip to do both. School librarian and book lover Kelly Mayfield joins Laura to talk about the YA authors crossing over into adult fiction, and why the YA genre has been ahead of the curve on diversity, representation, and storytelling for years. From Rainbow Rowell's slow-burn adult romances to Jesse Q. Sutanto's cozy mysteries with unforgettable ensemble casts, Kelly shares four authors you'll want on your radar — whether you're coming from YA or discovering them fresh. It's also National Library Week, so we're talking about why school libraries matter more than ever and the real-world impact they have on literacy and access. 📚 BOOKS MENTIONED Rainbow Rowell * Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell — https://amzn.to/3PJOKuCBuy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/3PJOKuC] | Contemporary YA / Romance | Audio ✅ * Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell — https://amzn.to/4nP2JvPBuy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4nP2JvP] | Contemporary YA | Audio ✅ * Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell — https://amzn.to/4dEhRraBuy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4dEhRra] | Adult Contemporary Romance | Audio ✅ * Cherry Baby by Rainbow Rowell — https://amzn.to/4dtJ8OdBuy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4dtJ8Od] | Adult Contemporary Romance | Audio ✅ (new release) Jesse Q. Sutanto * The Obsession by Jesse Q. Sutanto — https://amzn.to/4nYujGXBuy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4nYujGX] | YA Thriller | Audio ✅ * You Will Never Be Me by Jesse Q. Sutanto — https://amzn.to/3RqhMQwBuy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/3RqhMQw] | Adult Thriller | Audio ✅ * Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto — https://amzn.to/4dKtKf8Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4dKtKf8] | Cozy Mystery | Audio ✅ * Mrs. Mabel Goes Back to the Chopping Block by Jesse Q. Sutanto — https://amzn.to/3RJSi0pBuy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/3RJSi0p] | Cozy Mystery | Audio ✅ (check KU availability) T. Kingfisher (also writes as Ursula Vernon) * A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher — https://amzn.to/3Rxxg5aBuy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/3Rxxg5a] | Fantasy / Fairy Tale Retelling | Audio ✅ * Snake Eater by T. Kingfisher — https://amzn.to/49Ojph6Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/49Ojph6] | Fantasy / Suspense | Audio ✅ * Wolfworm by T. Kingfisher — https://amzn.to/4nR8TvxBuy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4nR8Tvx] | Fantasy | Audio ✅ (newest release) Melissa de la Cruz * The Five Stages of Courting Dalisay Ramos by Melissa de la Cruz — https://amzn.to/4dOWBPHBuy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4dOWBPH] | Adult Contemporary Romance | Audio ✅ * Blue Bloods series by Melissa de la Cruz — https://amzn.to/4wQpZ0iBuy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4wQpZ0i] | YA Paranormal / Vampire | Audio ✅ Also Referenced (briefly mentioned): * The Secret History [https://amzn.to/4dKQ5JK] by Donna Tartt [https://amzn.to/4dKQ5JK] * Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow [https://amzn.to/42VCKJq] by Gabrielle Zevin [https://amzn.to/42VCKJq] ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS * [00:00] Welcome & guest intro — Kelly Mayfield, school librarian and book lover * [00:01] National Library Week: why school libraries matter * [02:00] Book banning, funding gaps & the 40% of schools without a trained librarian * [03:00] Laura's reading history: growing up in Puerto Rico without public libraries * [05:00] What makes YA different — happy endings, diverse representation, and being ahead of the curve * [07:00] Novels in verse and other formats YA pioneered before adult fiction * [10:00] Book Rec #1: Rainbow Rowell — Eleanor & Park, Fangirl, Slow Dance, Cherry Baby * [12:30] Book Rec #2: Jesse Q. Sutanto — The Obsession, You Will Never Be Me, Vera Wong series, Mrs. Mabel * [16:00] Book Rec #3: T. Kingfisher — A Sorceress Comes to Call, Snake Eater, Wolfworm; horror light vs. true horror * [18:30] Book Rec #4: Melissa de la Cruz — Blue Bloods, The Five Stages of Courting Dalisay Ramos * [21:00] Bonus mentions: Ashley Poston, Amy Spalding, and other YA-to-adult crossover authors * [23:00] Kelly's Substack + the joy of backlist reading and breakout hits 💌CONNECT WITH KELLY MAYFIELD https://kellymayfield.substack.com/ [https://kellymayfield.substack.com/] JOIN THE CONVERSATION Subscribe to our Substack [https://wtrnblog.substack.com/] for exclusive recommendations. (wtrnblog.substack.com [https://wtrnblog.substack.com/]) Follow & Subscribe: What to Read Next Blog [https://www.whattoreadnext.com/] | YouTube: What to Read Next [https://www.youtube.com/@WhattoReadNextBlog] Subscribe & leave a review!

She Wrote Her Debut at 18 — Now It's a Viral Romantasy Series | Powerless by Lauren Roberts

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. She wrote her debut novel at 18, self-published it, went viral on TikTok — and now she's a Simon & Schuster author with a dramatized audiobook. Lauren Roberts is living proof that passion plus scrappiness can take you very, very far. In this episode, Lauren breaks down the wild origin story behind Powerless — from pitching the idea live on TikTok to Googling her way through ISBN numbers and copyright filings. We talk about what makes the Powerless trilogy so addictive (enemies to lovers! forbidden romance! high-stakes trials!), the incredible new dramatized audiobook of Powerless, and the literary fiction authors who are quietly shaping Lauren's writing voice. Whether you're a romantasy superfan or just looking for your next unputdownable series, this one's for you. 📚 BOOKS MENTIONED Powerless by Lauren Roberts — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4uiCosz] | Romantasy / YA Fantasy | Audio ✅(Dramatized Audiobook available! [https://amzn.to/4ui5x6U]) Reckless by Lauren Roberts — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/3RJKqvQ] | Romantasy / YA Fantasy | Audio ✅ Fearless by Lauren Roberts — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4uL4Rqs] | Romantasy / YA Fantasy | Audio ✅ Alone With You in the Ether by Olivie Blake [https://amzn.to/4uzR4Ul] — Buy on Amazon | Literary Fiction / Romance | Audio ✅ Masters of Death by Olivie Blake — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/497MPqb]| Literary Fiction / Fantasy | Audio ✅ One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/492mv0O] | Gothic Fantasy | Audio ✅ Vicious by V.E. Schwab — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4eNIrAk] | Dark Fantasy | Audio ✅ Dance of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/42G3eOY] | Fantasy / Romantasy (Duology) | Audio ✅ ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS [00:00] Welcome & introducing Lauren Roberts [00:45] Lauren's background — writing at 18 and the TikTok origin story [02:30] Figuring out self-publishing from scratch (ISBNs, copyright, editors) [04:30] Simon & Schuster reaches out — the surreal moment it all changed [05:30] What drives Lauren: supporting other creatives and following your passion [06:30] Elevator pitch for Powerless — the plot, the world, the magic system [07:45] The romance: enemies to lovers, forbidden tropes, and sky-high stakes [08:30] The dramatized audiobook of Heartless — a movie for your ears [10:30] Behind the scenes: scripting, sound effects, music, and casting the voices [12:30] Lauren voices a character herself — and what it felt like to hear Powerless fresh [13:00] Lauren's reading life: the literary fiction curveball [14:00] Olivie Blake and V.E. Schwab — balancing lyrical prose with fantasy [15:00] Where Lauren's own writing is heading next [15:30] Book recommendations: Lauren's top picks for listeners [16:30] Where to find Lauren online (Instagram, TikTok, Substack) JOIN THE CONVERSATION Subscribe to our Substack [https://wtrnblog.substack.com/] for exclusive recommendations. (wtrnblog.substack.com [https://wtrnblog.substack.com/]) Follow & Subscribe: What to Read Next Blog [https://www.whattoreadnext.com/] | YouTube: What to Read Next [https://www.youtube.com/@WhattoReadNextBlog] Subscribe & leave a review!

Quit Your Job & Open a Bookshop: 3 Reads You'll Love | Reads with Alicia

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. What if your dream bookshop was hiding inside the pages of a book? This week's guest is making that fantasy feel very real. London-based bookworm and Substack newsletter writer Alicia joins us to share her love of a very specific and very delightful trope: woman quits job to open a bookshop. If you've ever fantasized about leaving it all behind for a life surrounded by shelves and the smell of old paper, Alicia has three gorgeous, lesser-known reads that will feed that daydream beautifully. From translated Japanese fiction to a moving Korean novel, these books explore healing, community, and the quiet courage it takes to build a life you actually want — even when you're not sure you're ready. 📚 BOOKS MENTIONED The Bookshop Woman by Nanako Hanada — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/42n6iPZ] | Nonfiction / Memoir | A quiet, insightful look at the world of bookselling and how small changes create big impact. Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4dikjUb] | Japanese Translated Fiction / Contemporary | A healing, character-driven story about a woman who finds herself — slowly — through books. Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-reum — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4wrYrhY] | Korean Translated Fiction / Contemporary | A raw, courageous story about a woman who opens a bookshop from a place of grief and finds herself living her values anyway. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS [00:00] Welcome & introduction — meet Alicia from London [01:00] What Alicia reads: contemporary, literary, historical fiction & nonfiction [02:00] Alicia's nonfiction picks: memoirs, economics, music [03:30] What led Alicia to start Reads with Alicia on Substack [05:00] Building a bookish community online — Substack, BookTok & beyond [07:00] Alicia's Seasonal Reads with Friends collaboration series [08:30] The episode's trope: "Woman quits job to open a bookshop" [10:00] Book #1 — The Bookshop Woman by Nanako Hanada [13:00] Why book recommendations are an act of care [14:00] Book #2 — Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa [16:00] Book #3 — Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-reum [19:30] Living your values even in hard times [20:00] Where to find Alicia online & wrap-up JOIN THE CONVERSATION Subscribe to our Substack [https://wtrnblog.substack.com/] for exclusive recommendations. (wtrnblog.substack.com [https://wtrnblog.substack.com/]) Follow & Subscribe: What to Read Next Blog [https://www.whattoreadnext.com/] | YouTube: What to Read Next [https://www.youtube.com/@WhattoReadNextBlog] Subscribe & leave a review!