What to Read Next Podcast l Book Recommendation Show

Sonali Dev- edited

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. What happens when romance meets real life—immigration, identity, and the courage to choose joy anyway? In this episode, I sit down with Sonali Dev to talk about her latest novel How Simi Got Her Groom Back—a deeply emotional story about sisterhood, love, and what it really means to belong. We dive into the themes behind the book (including immigration and chosen family), plus a powerful conversation about romance as a tool for healing, self-worth, and rewriting the rules we’ve been given. If you love romance with depth, second chances, and stories that make you feel something real—this episode is for you. 📚 BOOKS MENTIONED How Simi Got Her Groom Back by Sonali Dev — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4lK0hWl] | Contemporary Romance / Women’s Fiction The Caste and the Star by Leylah Attar — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4sUsWu6] | Contemporary Romance / Second Chance Partners in Crime by Alisha Rai — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4uKGpXc]| Romantic Comedy / Second Chance / Heist Romance ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 1. 00:00 – Welcome back Sonali Dev 2. 01:00 – Behind the scenes of her latest book release 3. 03:00 – Writing process & juggling multiple books 4. 04:30 – What How Simi Got Her Groom Back is about 5. 06:30 – Immigration, legality vs. morality, and storytelling 6. 08:00 – Why joy is an act of rebellion 7. 10:00 – How books build empathy 8. 11:00 – Romance novels and self-worth 9. 13:30 – Raising your standards in love & life 10. 15:00 – Choosing joy in everyday decisions 11. 17:00 – Visibility, bravery, and showing up authentically 12. 19:30 – What Sonali loves to read 13. 21:30 – Reading across genres vs. sticking to romance 14. 24:00 – Book rec: The Caste and the Star 15. 27:00 – Book rec: Partners in Crime 16. 30:00 – Where to find Sonali Dev 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!

STEM Romance and the Chaos of Academia | Love and Other Brain Experiments byHannah Brohm

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. What happens when a neuroscientist writes a romance set in academia? In this episode, I’m chatting with debut author Hannah Brohm about Love and Other Brain Experiments—a workplace romance inspired by the chaotic world of research labs, anonymous peer reviews, and the surprising ways love can show up when you least expect it. We talk about Hannah’s journey from cognitive neuroscience to romance writing, how academia shaped the story, and why romance became a comforting escape during grad school and the pandemic. Plus, we dive into her reading life—from workplace romcoms to cozy mysteries—and she shares a few book recommendations that belong on your TBR. If you love smart romcoms, STEM heroines, and enemies-to-lovers tension, this conversation is for you. 📚 BOOKS MENTIONED Love and Other Brain Experiments [https://amzn.to/4beOqeb] by Hannah Brohm [https://amzn.to/4beOqeb] — Contemporary Romance | STEM Romance All in Your Head [https://amzn.to/4d8m0Vt] by Sabina Norquist [https://amzn.to/4d8m0Vt] — Contemporary Romance | Fake Dating | Disability Rep And Then There Was the One [https://amzn.to/3OVZzZW] by Martha Waters [https://amzn.to/3OVZzZW]— Cozy Mystery Rom-Com | Historical The Friendship Fling [https://amzn.to/40nKH90] by Georgia Stone [https://amzn.to/40nKH90] — Romantic Comedy | Friends to Lovers | London The Ex Talk [https://amzn.to/4baUwMr] by Rachel Lynn Solomon [https://amzn.to/4baUwMr] — Workplace Romance | Media The Spanish Love Deception [https://amzn.to/4ri1UeQ] by Elena Armas [https://amzn.to/4ri1UeQ]— Fake Dating Romance Anna and the French Kiss [https://amzn.to/40Tlkfm] by Stephanie Perkins [https://amzn.to/40Tlkfm] — YA Romance The Hating Game [https://amzn.to/4uhYfk6] by Sally Thorne [https://amzn.to/4uhYfk6]— Enemies to Lovers | Workplace Romance ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS [00:00] Introduction to Hannah Brohm and her debut romance [01:00] What cognitive neuroscience is and how it inspired the book [03:00] The realities of working in academia and postdoc life [05:00] The premise of Love and Other Brain Experiments [06:00] Hannah’s romance reading journey and early influences [07:00] Discovering adult romance during grad school and COVID [09:00] How peer review inspired the book’s enemies-to-lovers setup [10:00] Balancing academia, writing, and reading [12:00] Why writing romance can be cathartic [14:00] Hannah’s reading tastes and current reads [15:00] Fake dating romance recommendation: All in Your Head [16:00] Cozy mystery rom-com recommendation [17:00] Romcom set in London recommendation [20:00] Writing New York as a setting and personal connections to the city [21:00] Where to find Hannah 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!

Spy Romance Meets Cozy Mystery: The Gabby Green Series by Sam Tschida

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. If you love mystery-romance heroines who are juggling work, family, and the occasional international investigation, you’re going to love today’s episode. I’m joined by author Sam Tschida to talk about the latest installment in the Gabby Green series and the chaos that comes with writing spy-adjacent romantic mysteries. In this conversation, Sam shares how she built the second Gabby Green adventure—from tropical settings and Hollywood wellness culture to espionage twists and unexpected romance. We also talk about writing messy but lovable heroines, the reality of balancing motherhood with high-stakes careers, and why cozy mystery fans love returning to the same sleuth again and again. We also chat about writing inspiration, the real-life research behind spy stories, and the books we’ve been loving lately. ⏱️ EPISODE TIMESTAMPS [00:00] Welcome & catching up with Sam Tschida [00:01] Writing the second Gabby Green mystery [00:03] The tropical investigation setting and spy elements [00:05] Researching espionage and consulting real sources [00:06] Why the book’s setting changed from Hawaii to the Azores [00:07] Plot twists, mystery pacing, and balancing romance [00:08] Delegation, chaos, and Gabby learning she can’t do everything [00:09] Possible movie adaptation news for Errands and Espionage [00:10] Why readers love returning to the same sleuth in mystery series [00:11] Cozy mysteries, baking mysteries, and comfort reads [00:12] Laura’s dream Puerto Rican cozy mystery series [00:16] Book recommendations from Sam [00:18] Where to find Sam online 📚 BOOKS MENTIONED Gabby Green Who Knows Whodunit [https://amzn.to/4rYIOvL] by Sam Tschida [https://amzn.to/4rYIOvL] — Mystery Romance | Amateur Sleuth | Series Errands and Espionage [https://amzn.to/4d6EEx1] by Sam Tschida [https://amzn.to/4d6EEx1] — Mystery Romance | Travel Mystery | Amateur Sleuth Undead and Unwed [https://amzn.to/4bc4uNt] by Sam Tschida [https://amzn.to/4bc4uNt] — Paranormal Romance | Vampire Comedy | Audio ✅ Matchmaking for Psychopaths [https://amzn.to/4uh2yw7] by Tasha Coryell [https://amzn.to/4uh2yw7] — Dark Comedy Thriller | Mystery | Audio ✅ Love Letters to a Serial Killer [https://amzn.to/4s0d7lN] by Tasha Coryell [https://amzn.to/4s0d7lN] — Thriller | Dark Romance | Audio ✅ The ReDo List [https://amzn.to/3OWS70z] by Denise Williams [https://amzn.to/3OWS70z] — Contemporary Romance | Cinnamon Roll Hero | Audio ✅ Pride and Protest [https://amzn.to/4b0CUnS] by Nikki Payne [https://amzn.to/4b0CUnS] — Romantic Comedy | Classic Retelling | Audio ✅ 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 Slasher Rom-Com? Inside How to Kill a Guy in 10 Dates by Shailee Thompson

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. What happens when a rom-com meets a slasher movie? In this episode, I’m joined by debut author Shaylee Thompson to talk about her wildly fun genre-bending novel How to Kill a Guy in 10 Dates — a slasher rom-com set during a speed-dating event gone horribly wrong. We chat about how Shaylee blended two formula-driven genres, her journey from English teacher to full-time writer, and why sometimes the book that becomes your debut isn’t the first book you wrote. If you love horror movies, rom-coms, and stories that break the rules, this conversation is packed with behind-the-scenes insights. Plus, Shaylee shares a few book recommendations for readers who love horror comedy, meta storytelling, and genre-bending fiction. 📚 BOOKS MENTIONED How to Kill a Guy in 10 Dates [https://amzn.to/4aXqywz] by Shailee Thompson [https://amzn.to/4aXqywz]— Slasher Rom-Com | Horror Comedy Butcher and Blackbird [https://amzn.to/3OW0KZm] by Brynne Weaver [https://amzn.to/3OW0KZm] — Dark Romantic Comedy | Serial Killer Romance | KU ✅ | Audio ✅ The Final Girl Support Group [https://amzn.to/3PnPcOq] by Grady Hendrix [https://amzn.to/3PnPcOq] — Horror | Slasher Film Tribute | Thriller | Audio ✅ Long Live Evil [https://amzn.to/4d8nrDl] by Sarah Rees Brennan [https://amzn.to/4d8nrDl]— Fantasy | Villain Story | Meta Fantasy | Audio ✅ Your Favorite Scary Movie [https://amzn.to/4b8vAoQ]by Ashley Cullins [https://amzn.to/4b8vAoQ] — Nonfiction | Horror Film Analysis | Pop Culture Persuasion [https://amzn.to/3MQq5mP] by Jane Austen [https://amzn.to/3MQq5mP] — Classic Romance | Literary Fiction | Audio ✅ ⏱️ TIME STAMPS [00:00] Introduction to Shaylee Thompson and her debut novel [01:00] The premise of How to Kill a Guy in 10 Dates [02:00] Combining rom-com and slasher genres [04:00] Why the book released around Valentine’s Day [05:00] Shaylee’s writing journey and early books [07:00] Signing with an agent and finding the right debut [08:00] Writing discipline and finishing a draft in four months [09:00] Becoming a full-time writer [11:00] Shaylee’s reading tastes and favorite genres [12:00] Book recommendations for horror and rom-com fans [14:00] Where to find Shaylee 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!

The Slow Burn Celebrity Romance You Need | Star Shipped Cat Sebastian

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. If you’ve ever masked your anxiety while looking wildly “high-functioning,” this episode is going to hit. Today I’m chatting with returning guest Cat Sebastian about her new contemporary romance Star Shipped — a slow-burn, forced-proximity love story between two actors on a long-running sci-fi show who “hate” each other in the most domestic way possible. We talk about why Cat took a risk moving from historical to contemporary romance, how fandom and sci-fi shaped this book, and why she wanted to write a character with anxiety, OCD, and migraines who doesn’t magically “heal” by the final chapter. This is a conversation about radical acceptance, surviving in a noisy world, and finding love without fixing yourself first. If you loved the emotional intensity of hockey romances but want celebrity PR chaos instead, this one’s for you. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS [00:00] Welcoming Cat back + what she’s been up to [00:01] Inside Star Shipped — enemies-to-lovers on a sci-fi set [00:02] The Gene Roddenberry letter that inspired the book [00:04] Taking the risk from historical to contemporary [00:06] Researching fandom vs. TV industry details [00:08] Writing invisible disability & high-functioning anxiety [00:12] No “pink cloud” healing — why incremental growth matters [00:16] Radical acceptance in romance [00:18] Romance recommendations with buttoned-up/chaos pairings [00:23] Where to find Cat + newsletter over social media 📚 BOOKS MENTIONED Star Shipped [https://amzn.to/3OI5txB] by Cat Sebastian [https://amzn.to/3OI5txB] — Contemporary Romance | Celebrity | Enemies-to-Lovers | Anxiety Rep | Audio ✅ Something Wild & Wonderful [https://amzn.to/4l5Qfi7] by Anita Kelly [https://amzn.to/4l5Qfi7] — LGBTQ+ Romance | Outdoors Setting | Neurodivergent Rep | Audio ✅ With Love, from Cold World [https://amzn.to/4aZC8pN] by Alicia Thompson [https://amzn.to/4aZC8pN] — Workplace Romance | Opposites Attract | Slow Burn | Audio ✅ Chef’s Kiss [https://amzn.to/4bgc4rM] by TJ Alexander [https://amzn.to/4bgc4rM] — Workplace Romance | Queer Romance | Polyamory Rep | Audio ✅ A Gentleman’s Gentleman [https://amzn.to/3OSWHwC] by TJ Alexander [https://amzn.to/3OSWHwC] — Historical Romance | Queer Romance | Tender Slow Burn | Audio ✅