What to Read Next Podcast l Book Recommendation Show

Tropical Christmas Romances (With Mermaids!) | Christina Berry, Natalie Parker and Lizzie Stanley

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 snowing. We get into how they built a shared rom-com universe around The Salty Palms (a bar where “Happy Mermaid Hour” is absolutely a thing), plus what makes each novella hit: insta-love-turned-slow-burn injuries, reverse grumpy/sunshine with a town “bitch” heroine, and a marriage of convenience featuring ace-spectrum rep and a yacht-owning boat captain. 📚 BOOKS MENTIONED  Seas & Greetings by Christina Berry — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4pGi3ei] | Holiday Rom-Com | KU ✅ Tropical Tidings by Natalie Parker — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/48DpcWF] | Holiday Rom-Com |  KU ✅ Jingle Shells by Lizzie Stanley — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/3KLcr3i] | Holiday Romance | KU ✅ Fast and Dirty by Natalie Parker — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4iXr5RC]| Small Town Rom-Com | KU ✅ Lavender Moon by Natalie Parker — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4afLy1N] | Emotional Small Town Romance | KU ✅ Hearts of Texas (series) by Christina Berry — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/3XXaJ1F]| Small Town Firefighter Rom-Com | KU ✅ Lost in Austin (series) by Christina Berry — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/3L1gOqT] | Contemporary Romance | KU ✅ / Audio ✅ (mentioned upcoming) That Perfect Fit by Lizzie Stanley — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4qcOgd6] | Short Rom-Com | KU ✅ Wishbone Tattoo (series) by Lizzie Stanley — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/3MLUYbr] | Emotional Romance Series | KU ✅ Still by Lizzie Stanley — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/453gqyP]| Romance (Wishbone world spinoff) | KU ✅ ⏱️TIME STAMPS [00:00] Welcome + why tropical Christmas is underrated [00:01] Meet the authors + how they all became writing besties [00:04] Building the shared universe: The Salty Palms + Happy Mermaid Hour [00:06] Seas & Greetings pitch (insta-love → slow burn via injuries) [00:08] Tropical Tidings pitch (reverse grumpy/sunshine + sheriff crush) [00:10] Jingle Shell pitch (marriage of convenience + ace-spectrum rep) [00:14] Where to start in Natalie’s backlist (Fast and Dirty + more) [00:18] Where to start in Christina’s backlist (Hearts of Texas, Lost in Austin) [00:19] Where to start in Lizzie’s backlist (That Perfect Fit, Wishbone Tattoo) [00:26] Writing friendship + character crossovers + future collab ideas [00:29] Where to find each author online 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! Mentioned in this episode: 🎧 Try Audible Today I love Audible for their original novellas, binge-worthy Plus Catalog (like Deanna Raybourn’s Veronica Speedwell series), and their amazing audiobook sales. Currently, Audible is offering a special promotion for new members and returning listeners. Audible [https://whattoreadnext.captivate.fm/audible]

Merry Mayhem: Small-Town Christmas Chaos (Romcom!) | Erin Nicholas

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. 📚 BOOKS MENTIONED  Merry Mayhem by Erin Nicholas — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/49azqOp]| Holiday Romcom, Small Town | KU ✅  Boys of the Bayou Gone Wild by Erin Nicholas — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/3MzsTnL] | Small Town Romcom Series | KU ✅ / Audio ✅ In a Rush by Kate Canterbary — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/44um2SJ] | Contemporary Romance | KU ✅ / Audio ✅ Shucked by Kate Canterbary — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4iX9fhp] | Small Town Romance, Fish-Out-of-Water | KU ✅ / Audio ✅ Copper Valley Thrusters by Pippa Grant — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/48UnyyX] | Hockey Romcom Series | KU ✅ / Audio ✅ Fangirl Down by Tessa Bailey — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/3KQPiw8] | Sports Romance (Golf) | Audio ✅ Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4oPFEI9] | Contemporary Romance | Audio ✅ My Favorite Kidnapper by Melanie Moreland — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/3MZdlcV] | Romcom | KU ✅ / Audio ✅ A Love Most Fatal by Kath Richards — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4oSlQnu] | Mafia Rom-Com | KU ✅ ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS [00:00] Meet Erin Nicholas + 16 years in romance [00:01] Industry shifts: early ebooks → Kindle → 2020 romance boom [00:02] Erin’s origin story: writing since childhood + first publishing path [00:07] Audio “girlie” life + cozy mysteries at bedtime [00:08] Merry Mayhem setup: holiday competition + romcom chaos [00:09] Writing Christmas in September (peppermint mocha + Mariah) [00:10] Why small towns feel extra magical at Christmas [00:12] Where to start with Erin’s backlist + Boys of the Bayou Gone Wild [00:14] Erin’s romcom recs (Kate Canterbary, Pippa Grant, Tessa Bailey, etc.) [00:18] The wildest rec: My Favorite Kidnapper [00:19] Mafia romcom chat + A Love Most Fatal [00:22] Where to find Erin online 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! Mentioned in this episode: Advertise with Us Do you have a book or service that you want to share with our engaged audience? Check out our opportunities to sponsor with us. Advertise With Us [https://whattoreadnext.captivate.fm/sponsorship] 🎧 Try Audible Today I love Audible for their original novellas, binge-worthy Plus Catalog (like Deanna Raybourn’s Veronica Speedwell series), and their amazing audiobook sales. Currently, Audible is offering a special promotion for new members and returning listeners. Audible [https://whattoreadnext.captivate.fm/audible]

A Holiday Romance for People Who Hate Christmas | Holiday Unscripted by Natasha Madison

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. 📚 BOOKS MENTIONED  Holiday Unscripted by Natasha Madison — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/3KQTNaa] | Holiday romance | KU ✅ / Audio ✅ Golden Trail by Kristen Ashley — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/44oGVie] | Contemporary romance (second chance vibes) | KU ✅ / Audio ✅  This Man by Jodi Ellen Malpas — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/3XRlmmL] | Contemporary romance (alpha hero) | KU ✅ / Audio ✅ ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS  [00:00] Welcome + “wait… people read my books?!” [00:05] Romance covers then vs. now (Fabio era!) [00:06] True crime rules: it MUST be solved [00:06] Reality TV chat: TLC, Sister Wives, Love Island [00:13] Holiday Unscripted setup: stranded heroine + forced proximity [00:16] Writing Christmas in May (and hating every second) [00:17] Holiday expectations, big family logistics, and gift burnout [00:22] Natasha’s comfort read: Golden Trail by Kristen Ashley [00:24] Alpha heroes vs. golden retrievers vs. dark romance extremes [00:29] Trope-ification + writing ahead of trends [00:34] Where to find Natasha online 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! Mentioned in this episode: 🎧 Try Audible Today I love Audible for their original novellas, binge-worthy Plus Catalog (like Deanna Raybourn’s Veronica Speedwell series), and their amazing audiobook sales. Currently, Audible is offering a special promotion for new members and returning listeners. Audible [https://whattoreadnext.captivate.fm/audible]

Single Dads, Small Towns & Christmas Romance with Amy Knupp

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. 📚 BOOKS MENTIONED Singled Out by Amy Knupp — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/3KI1D5T] | Contemporary Romance, Small-Town Romance | Audio ✅ Single All the Way by Amy Knupp — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/3KI2P9c]| Contemporary Romance, Holiday Romance, Friends-to-Lovers |  Audio ✅ Single Wish by Amy Knupp — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/48NdCY2] | Contemporary Romance, Small-Town Romance, Holiday Romance, Enemies-to-Lovers | Audio ✅ Bootleg Springs (series) by Lucy Score & Claire Kingsley — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4rHtjIH] | Small-Town Romance, Romantic Comedy, Light Mystery Threads | KU ✅ / Audio ✅ 🕒 TIMESTAMPS [00:00] – Meet Amy Knupp [02:00] – From Llamas to Harlequin [02:30] – What Category Romance Really Is [05:00] – Learning to Revise Like a Pro [07:00] – Going Indie & Finding Creative Freedom [08:30] – The Indie Boom She Missed [10:00] – Treating Publishing Like a Business [11:30] – Why Amy Publishes Wide [12:00] – Direct Sales 101 [15:00] – Audiobooks Beyond Audible [16:00] – Why Buying Direct Helps Everyone [18:30] – How to Find Authors Who Sell Direct [19:30] – Signed Books & Pretty Packaging [20:30] – Welcome to Dragonfly Lake [22:00] – Inside Single Wish [23:30] – Enemies to Lovers + Secret Pasts [24:30] – Reading Order & More Holiday Books [25:30] – Book Recs from Amy [27:00] – Where to Find Amy Online 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! Mentioned in this episode: 🎧 Try Audible Today I love Audible for their original novellas, binge-worthy Plus Catalog (like Deanna Raybourn’s Veronica Speedwell series), and their amazing audiobook sales. Currently, Audible is offering a special promotion for new members and returning listeners. Audible [https://whattoreadnext.captivate.fm/audible]

Hallmark Vibes: Christmas Camp & Royal Romance with Karen Schaler

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/reads, and get a sneak peek at what she’s working on next. 📚 BOOKS MENTIONED A Ruff Royal Christmas by Karen Schaler — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4rPZLZF]| Royal RomCom, Christmas Romance | KU ✅ / Audio ✅ Christmas Camp by Karen Schaler — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4iIsY4x] | Contemporary Christmas Romance, Hallmark Movie Tie-In | KU ✅ / Audio ✅ Every Day Is Christmas by Karen Schaler — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4rJff1e] | Christmas Romance, A Christmas Carol–inspired | KU ✅ / Audio ✅ Once Upon a Christmas Carol by Karen Schaler — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/3YeyNgu] | Christmas Romance, Full-Cast Audio Original | Audible Exclusive ✅ ⏰TIMESTAMPS [00:00] Meet Karen Schaler & why she literally breathes Christmas [02:00] From war zones to Christmas romcoms: Karen’s journalism background [06:00] Inside A Ruff Royal Christmas: royal hijinks, rescue dogs & a big twist [11:00] Writing Christmas all year long (from the Arizona desert!) [16:00] Portfolio creative life: movies, books, audio & Christmas Camp IRL [21:00] Behind the scenes of the Christmas Camp Hallmark movie [27:00] New non-Christmas series, TV ideas & future Christmas specials [33:00] Where to find Karen online & holiday well-wishes 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! Mentioned in this episode: 🎧 Try Audible Today I love Audible for their original novellas, binge-worthy Plus Catalog (like Deanna Raybourn’s Veronica Speedwell series), and their amazing audiobook sales. Currently, Audible is offering a special promotion for new members and returning listeners. Audible [https://whattoreadnext.captivate.fm/audible]