What to Read Next Podcast l Book Recommendation Show

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From sorority sisters to bookish besties—this episode is all about finding your reading groove and building a community that keeps you turning pages.
In this episode, I sit down with Nathalie Cañadas to talk about her reading glow-up—from occasional reader to devouring 200+ books a year. We chat about audiobooks, immersive reading, Kindle Unlimited, and how joining a book club completely changed her reading life. Plus, we dive into her favorite romance reads, dark twists, and underrated gems you need on your TBR.
If you’ve ever struggled to find time to read—or didn’t know where to start—this episode is for you.
📚 Books Mentioned
Broken Romeo by Leisa Rayven — Buy on Amazon | Contemporary Romance | Audio ✅
Done and Dusted by Lyla Sage — Buy on Amazon | Cowboy Romance | Audio ✅
Pen Pal by J.T. Geissinger — Buy on Amazon | Romantic Suspense | Audio ✅
Carnal Urges by J.T. Geissinger — Buy on Amazon | Mafia Romance | Audio ✅
Bourbon Boys Series by Victoria Wilder — Buy on Amazon | Romantic Suspense
Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez — Buy on Amazon | Contemporary Romance | Audio ✅
⏱️ Timestamps
[00:00] – Welcome + how Nathalie and I met
[02:00] – What Latin sororities actually look like
[05:30] – Nathalie’s reading journey (pre-2024 vs now)
[07:30] – Discovering audiobooks + Libby + Hoopla
[08:30] – What is immersive reading (and why it works)
[09:30] – Finding your reading groove
[10:30] – Romance genre deep dive + BookTok impact
[13:00] – Library hacks + how to get multiple cards
[15:30] – Supporting libraries + budget reading
[16:00] – Book recommendations begin
[16:30] – Broken Romeo discussion
[17:30] – Cowboy romance (Lyla Sage)
[18:30] – Dark twist reads (Pen Pal)
[20:00] – Mafia romance recs
[22:00] – Dark romcoms + Lights Out
[23:00] – Bourbon Boys series
[24:00] – Abby Jimenez spotlight
[25:30] – Inside the Baddies Book Club
[27:30] – Book club retreat + community building
[28:30] – Nathalie’s Instagram + where to follow
Follow Nathalie on Instagram: Nats Next Book
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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 | Contemporary Romance / Women’s Fiction
The Caste and the Star by Leylah Attar — Buy on Amazon | Contemporary Romance / Second Chance
Partners in Crime by Alisha Rai — Buy on Amazon | Romantic Comedy / Second Chance / Heist Romance
⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 – Welcome back Sonali Dev
01:00 – Behind the scenes of her latest book release
03:00 – Writing process & juggling multiple books
04:30 – What How Simi Got Her Groom Back is about
06:30 – Immigration, legality vs. morality, and storytelling
08:00 – Why joy is an act of rebellion
10:00 – How books build empathy
11:00 – Romance novels and self-worth
13:30 – Raising your standards in love & life
15:00 – Choosing joy in everyday decisions
17:00 – Visibility, bravery, and showing up authentically
19:30 – What Sonali loves to read
21:30 – Reading across genres vs. sticking to romance
24:00 – Book rec: The Caste and the Star
27:00 – Book rec: Partners in Crime
30:00 – Where to find Sonali Dev

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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 by Hannah Brohm — Contemporary Romance | STEM Romance
All in Your Head by Sabina Norquist — Contemporary Romance | Fake Dating | Disability Rep
And Then There Was the One by Martha Waters — Cozy Mystery Rom-Com | Historical
The Friendship Fling by Georgia Stone — Romantic Comedy | Friends to Lovers | London
The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon — Workplace Romance | Media
The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas — Fake Dating Romance
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins — YA Romance
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne — 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

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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 by Sam Tschida — Mystery Romance | Amateur Sleuth | Series
Errands and Espionage by Sam Tschida — Mystery Romance | Travel Mystery | Amateur Sleuth
Undead and Unwed by Sam Tschida — Paranormal Romance | Vampire Comedy | Audio ✅
Matchmaking for Psychopaths by Tasha Coryell — Dark Comedy Thriller | Mystery | Audio ✅
Love Letters to a Serial Killer by Tasha Coryell — Thriller | Dark Romance | Audio ✅
The ReDo List by Denise Williams — Contemporary Romance | Cinnamon Roll Hero | Audio ✅
Pride and Protest by Nikki Payne — Romantic Comedy | Classic Retelling | Audio ✅
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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 by Shailee Thompson — Slasher Rom-Com | Horror Comedy
Butcher and Blackbird by Brynne Weaver — Dark Romantic Comedy | Serial Killer Romance | KU ✅ | Audio ✅
The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix — Horror | Slasher Film Tribute | Thriller | Audio ✅
Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan — Fantasy | Villain Story | Meta Fantasy | Audio ✅
Your Favorite Scary Movie by Ashley Cullins — Nonfiction | Horror Film Analysis | Pop Culture
Persuasion by Jane Austen — 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

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