What to Read Next Podcast l Book Recommendation Show

The Sex Lessons Trope — Done Right | A Little Buzzed by Alys Murray

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. Thank you for being here and for always supporting the show. 💛 -------------------------- What happens when a virgin sex toy engineer asks her coworker for sex lessons… and ends up getting way more than she bargained for? This week, I’m chatting with author Alys Murray about her steamy new romance A Little Buzzed, why sex scenes need emotional arcs, and how the sex toy industry has completely transformed over the last decade. We talk mutual pleasure, power dynamics, writing for Hallmark vs. high-heat romance, and why “horny jail” only lasts so long. If you love workplace romance, sex-positive stories, mafia rom-coms, and books that balance spice with heart — this episode is for you. 📚 BOOKS MENTIONED A Little Buzzed by Alys Murray [https://amzn.to/4aytjD5]— Contemporary Romance | Workplace | Sex Lessons Trope | High Heat The Seduction of Mr. Alfred Saintsbury by Lydia Lloyd [https://amzn.to/4amEgsJ]— Regency Historical Romance | Power Dynamics | High Spice Dom Com by Adriana Anders [https://amzn.to/4rSPLhe] — Workplace Romance | High Heat | Sex-Positive Romance The ReDo List by Denise Williams [https://amzn.to/3Mu3LPC] — Contemporary Romance | Second Chance at Life | Emotional Growth Love Most Fatal by Kath Richards [https://amzn.to/4aT2QkZ] — Mafia Rom-Com | Female Mob Boss | Cinnamon Roll Hero ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS [00:00] Welcome + why Alys and I have similar book taste [02:00] The premise of A Little Buzzed [03:30] Mutual “sex lessons” + flipping the virgin trope [04:30] How the sex toy industry has evolved [07:00] Virginity, pleasure, and agency in 2026 [08:00] Why sex scenes need emotional arcs (Heated Rivalry reference 👀) [10:00] Screenwriting for Hallmark vs. writing spicy romance [14:00] Lydia Lloyd’s filthy Regency recommendation [16:00] Workplace spice: Dom Com [17:00] The Redo List by Denise Williams [17:30] Mafia rom-com obsession: Love Most Fatal 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!

Can a Serial Killer Be “Cozy”? Dark Comedy Meets Cozy Mystery | Fergus Craig

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 Only Murderer in My Retirement Home. We talk about writing a likable serial killer, the art of “cracked cozy” mysteries, and how parody crime novels unexpectedly launched his fiction career. If you love cozy mysteries with a dark twist — and characters who blur the line between wrong and relatable — this one’s for you. We also dive into his favorite reads (including a book he calls the best he’s ever read), and why sometimes escape fiction is exactly what readers need right now. 📚 BOOKS MENTIONED I’m Not the Only Murderer in My Retirement Home by Fergus Craig — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4aIQ2g2] | Cozy Mystery | Dark Comedy | Serial Killer Protagonist The Bee Sting by Paul Murray — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4avt2Rm] | Literary Fiction | Family Drama East of Eden by John Steinbeck — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4c3LMKl] | Classic Literary Fiction ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS [00:00] Introduction to Fergus Craig [01:00] The premise behind I’m Not the Only Murderer in My Retirement Home [02:00] What is a “cracked cozy” mystery? [03:00] Writing a likable serial killer [05:00] Balancing flashbacks and present-day mystery [06:00] From comedian and actor to novelist [07:00] Parody crime novels and landing a book deal [08:00] Why readers want escape fiction right now [09:00] Fergus’s reading life and audiobook habits [10:00] The Bee Sting by Paul Murray recommendation [12:00] Literary fiction and reading widely 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]

Writing Romance from Venezuela with Maria José Morillo | Celebrity RomCom

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 author making her Big Five debut with The Ex-Perimento. We talk about growing up bilingual, discovering romance through Harry Potter and Twilight, and what it means to write English-language romance from Venezuela. We also dive into celebrity rom-com tropes, Latin American pop culture (yes, Miss Universe matters), and how Maria José went from fanfiction to landing a traditional publishing deal. If you love high-concept rom-coms, global romance, or behind-the-scenes publishing journeys, this episode is for you. 📚 BOOKS MENTIONED The Ex-Perimento [https://amzn.to/49WZLi4] by Maria José Morillo [https://amzn.to/49WZLi4]— Contemporary Romance | Celebrity Romance You Deserve Each Other [https://amzn.to/45DhHx5] by Sarah Hogle [https://amzn.to/45DhHx5] — Rom-Com | Enemies-to-Lovers People We Meet on Vacation [https://amzn.to/4taH6Ip] by Emily Henry [https://amzn.to/4taH6Ip] — Friends-to-Lovers | Travel Romance Happy Place [https://amzn.to/46c0B9I] by Emily Henry [https://amzn.to/46c0B9I]— Second-Chance Romance | Emotional Romance The Sun and the Void [https://amzn.to/46o9EV0] by Gabriela Romero-Lacruz [https://amzn.to/46o9EV0]— Fantasy | Venezuelan Folklore Bochica [https://amzn.to/4a6DyhU] by Carolina Florez [https://amzn.to/4a6DyhU]-Cerchiaro — Gothic Horror | Latin American Folklore ⏱️ EPISODE TIMESTAMPS [00:00] Welcome & why Venezuela pop culture feels familiar [02:00] Becoming a reader through Harry Potter [05:00] Switching from Spanish to English reading [07:00] E-reading vs physical books outside the U.S. [09:00] From fanfiction to writing original romance [12:00] Why writing in English opened publishing doors [15:00] The book that didn’t sell — and why that matters [17:00] The origin story of The Ex-Perimento [20:00] Miss Universe, telenovelas & Latin American fame [24:00] Romance recommendations & reading for joy 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!

Buffy Meets Dark Academia: Inside Half City with Kate Golden

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 as a studio executive in Hollywood to indie publishing A Dawn of Onyx, landing a traditional book deal with Berkley, and finally quitting her day job to write full-time. We also dive deep into Half City, her dark academia–meets–urban fantasy trilogy set in a reimagined New York City — complete with demon hunters, secret colleges, forbidden romance, and Buffy-level vibes. This conversation is for readers who love grounded fantasy, creative career pivots, and honest talk about monetizing passion projects without losing your mind. 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!

How to Make Adult Friends (Plus 6 Book Recs!) | Friday Night Readers

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, soul-shaping power of friendship. We share how sliding into DMs, podcast interviews, book communities, and even fitness classes can turn into real-life connection. If you’re craving community, feeling isolated, or just want book recommendations centered on female friendships (from literary fiction to cozy mysteries), this episode is for you. 📚 BOOKS RECOMMENDED My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4tBXVw3] | Literary Fiction |Audio ✅ Truth and Beauty by Ann Patchett — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4tCTSQ9] | Memoir | Audio ✅ Love & Saffron by Kim Fay — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4680T1o] | Historical Fiction | Audio ✅ Too Blessed to Stress by Alli Hoff Kosik — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4kAhil8] | Contemporary Fiction | Audio ✅ Rachel West and the Fallen Starlet by Emma Mills — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/3OqQBDu] | Contemporary Mystery | Audio ✅ Murder by Cheesecake by Rachel Ekstrom Courage — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4c2ruRr] | Cozy Mystery | Audio Audible Exclusive ⏰ TIMESTAMPS [00:00] Why Galentine’s Day matters [02:00] How Laura and Jules became friends as adults [06:00] Loneliness vs. being alone [08:30] My Brilliant Friend & complex literary friendships [15:30] Truth and Beauty & unconditional friendship [19:00] Millennial mystery nostalgia (2008 tabloid era!) [23:00] Love & Saffron & long-distance friendships [26:00] Golden Girls cozy mystery vibes [30:00] Real-life ideas to build adult friendships 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!