What to Read Next Podcast l Book Recommendation Show

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
What happens when a true-crime podcaster is forced to host a romance podcast… and a real murder hits close to home?
In this episode, I’m joined by author Letizia Lorini to talk about her rom-com-meets-mystery debut A Killer Kind of Romance — a smart, funny love story with serial-killer vibes and a guaranteed happily ever after.
We talk about Letizia’s journey from criminology to romance writing, how her background in white-collar and environmental crime shaped this story, and why mixing romance, comedy, and murder works better than you’d think. If you love rom-coms with a dark edge, true-crime energy, and an external mystery driving the romance, this one’s for you.
📚 Books Mentioned

A Killer Kind of Romance by Letizia Lorini — Romantic Mystery | Rom-Com with Murder | Small-Town Romance | True-Crime Vibes
Brave and Reckless by Dilan Dyer — Contemporary Romance | Cowboy Romance | Theme Park Setting
Hoax and Kisses by Elodie Colliard — Small-Town Romance | Fake Dating | Contemporary Rom-Com | Florist Hero
Poisoned Ivy by Ava Rani — Romantic Mystery | Dark Academia Romance | External Mystery Plot
Whiskey Business by Elliot Fletcher — Contemporary Romance | Scottish Romance | Small-Town Vibes
Scotch on the Rocks by Elliot Fletcher — Contemporary Romance | Scottish Romance | Series Romance

⏱️ Episode Timestamps

[00:00] Meet Letizia Lorini & her criminology background
[01:00] White-collar crime, environmental crime, and “victimless” myths
[02:00] Falling back in love with romance (and starting to write)
[03:00] Indie → traditional publishing & why hybrid works
[03:30] A Killer Kind of Romance — rom-com + murder pitch
[05:00] Balancing romance and mystery without overpowering either
[06:00] Why dark themes pair perfectly with rom-com energy
[07:00] Pantsing vs plotting & writing twists
[08:00] Book recommendations & favorite rom-com reads
[11:00] Where to find Letizia online

Join the Conversation
Subscribe to our Substack for exclusive recommendations. (wtrnblog.substack.com)
Follow & Subscribe: What to Read Next Blog | YouTube: What to...

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Coming out doesn’t always look the way we expect — especially when bisexuality, straight-presenting relationships, and queer community intersect in complicated ways. In this episode, I’m joined by novelist and journalist Jordyn Taylor to talk about her adult debut See You at the Summit and why bisexual representation in romance still matters.
We dig into bi-erasure, “double discrimination,” and what it means to claim your identity even when the world reads you incorrectly. Jordyn also shares how her background as a sex and relationships editor shaped her fiction, why she chose Canada as the setting for her adult debut, and how fitness (yes, Hyrox!) fuels her creative life. Plus, we swap book recommendations that explore queer relationships, polyamory, and emotionally devastating love stories you’ll never forget.
📚 Books Mentioned

See You at the Summit by Jordyn Taylor — Queer Romance | Contemporary Rom-Com | Coming Out Story
Triple Sec by TJ Alexander— Polyamorous Romance | LGBTQ+ | Contemporary
Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid — Historical Fiction | Queer Love Story | Audiobook Favorite

⏱️ Episode Timestamps

[00:00] Jordyn Taylor’s writing journey and adult debut
[02:30] Why bisexual representation needs nuance
[05:30] Bi-erasure and “double discrimination”
[08:00] Setting queer romance in Canada
[10:30] Hyrox, fitness culture, and creative discipline
[15:00] Polyamory in romance fiction (Triple Sec)
[17:00] Emotional audiobooks and Atmosphere
[18:45] Where to find Jordyn and what’s next

Join the Conversation
Subscribe to our Substack for exclusive recommendations. (wtrnblog.substack.com)
Follow & Subscribe: What to Read Next Blog | YouTube: What to Read Next
Subscribe & leave a review!

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Haunted lighthouses, bake shops, ghost hunters, and cozy mysteries with heart.
In this episode, I’m joined by cozy mystery author Darci Hannah to talk about how she went from historical fiction to building three beloved cozy mystery series — including haunted lighthouses in Michigan, small-town bake shops, and a ghost-hunting food show gone very wrong.
We dive into her Beacon Bakeshop Mysteries, the origin of her haunted lighthouse setting, how real Midwest ghost stories inspired Captain Willie Riggs, and why cozy mysteries are evolving into something funnier, smarter, and more emotionally rich. Plus, Darci shares her favorite cozy mystery reads and classic comfort authors.
📚 Books Mentioned
Murder at the Beacon Bakeshop by Darci Hannah — Cozy Mystery | Paranormal Lite
Murder at the Lemonberry Tea by Darci Hannah — Cozy Mystery | Food-Forward
Murder at the Pumpkin Pageant by Darci Hannah — Cozy Mystery | Halloween
A Fatal Feast at Bransford Manor by Darci Hannah — Cozy Mystery | Food & Ghosts
A Spirited Supper at Dundoon Castle by Darci Hannah — Cozy Mystery | Scottish Folklore
The Quiche of Death (Agatha Raisin) by M. C. Beaton — Cozy Mystery |
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie — Classic Cozy Mystery |

⏱️ Episode Timestamps

[00:00] Meeting Darci Hannah & her writing origin story
[03:00] From historical fiction to cozy mysteries
[05:00] Michigan lighthouses & real ghost lore
[08:00] Beacon Bakeshop Mysteries setup
[11:00] Murder at the Lemon Berry Tea
[14:00] Halloween, ghost hunts & pumpkin pageants
[18:00] Food & Spirits Mysteries concept
[22:00] Writing cozy mysteries with humor
[26:00] Darci’s favorite cozy mystery reads
[30:00] Where to find Darci Hannah online

Join the Conversation
Subscribe to our Substack for exclusive recommendations. (

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Some books don’t just retell a classic — they hold your hand through a hard season. In this episode, I’m joined by Virginia Kantra to talk about Anne of a Different Island, a modern homage to Anne of Green Gables set in the shadow of COVID, nostalgia, and finding your way forward when life doesn’t follow the script.
We talk about why Anne Shirley still resonates more than a century later, how stories help us process collective trauma, and why comfort reads matter — especially for readers who came of age during the pandemic. This conversation is about resilience, imagination, chosen paths, and the quiet power of books to make us feel seen.
📚 Books Mentioned

Anne of a Different Island by Virginia Kantra — Contemporary women’s fiction | Romance elements
How to Read a Book by Monica Wood — Literary fiction | Found family
Far and Away by Amy Poeppel — Contemporary women’s fiction
The Last Letter from Rachel Allworth by Barbara O’Neal — Emotional women’s fiction
How Simi Got Her Groove Back by Sonali Dev — Contemporary romance

⏱️ Episode Timestamps

[00:00] Welcome + Virginia Kantra’s writing journey
[04:00] Why Anne of Green Gables still matters
[08:30] Why Anne of a Different Island is set on Mackinac Island
[16:45] Writing COVID into fiction — without retraumatizing readers
[24:00] Healthy relationships vs. romanticized toxicity
[33:00] Comfort reads, nostalgia, and emotional safety in books
[41:00] Book recommendations for hard seasons
[49:00] Classroom libraries, book bans, and why representation matters

Join the Conversation
Subscribe to our Substack for exclusive recommendations. (wtrnblog.substack.com)
Follow & Subscribe: What to Read Next Blog | YouTube: What to Read Next
Subscribe & leave a review!

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Bridgerton Season 4 Is Going Full Cinderella — Here’s What to Read While You Wait
Bridgerton Season 4 is officially heading into Cinderella territory, and I’m breaking down what that means — from class divide drama to why Benedict might finally be the Bridgerton brother we root for. Joined by returning guest Julia Diaz-Young, we talk book canon vs. show changes, why Sophie Beckett is such a compelling heroine, and which historical romances perfectly capture that upstairs-downstairs energy.
If you love Bridgerton but don’t want to wait around for Netflix release schedules, we’ve got you covered with cozy, library-friendly historical romance recs you can borrow right now — no ballgown required.
📚 Books Mentioned
An Offer From a Gentleman by Julia Quinn — Historical Romance | Cinderella trope
The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare — Historical Romance | Marriage of convenience
Bookshop Cinderella by Laura Lee Guhrke — Historical Romance | Class divide
A Kiss at Midnight by Eloisa James — Historical Romance | Fairy tale retelling
Marry Me at Midnight by Felicia Grossman — Historical Romance | Gender-swap Cinderella

⏱️ Episode Timestamps

[00:00] Bridgerton as a romance gateway & genre hopping
[00:02] Cozy mysteries, historical mysteries & reading moods
[00:05] Why Season 4 feels like “classic” Bridgerton
[00:07] Cinderella, class divide & Sophie’s story
[00:09] Netflix binge fatigue vs weekly releases
[00:11] Bridgerton music, pop covers & iconic scenes
[00:13] Benedict as a hero & Sophie’s strength
[00:14] Cinderella-inspired historical romance recs
[00:17] Where to find Julia & what she’s working on

Join the Conversation
Subscribe to our Substack for exclusive recommendations. (wtrnblog.substack.com)
Follow & Subscribe: What to Read Next Blog | YouTube: What to Read Next
Subscribe & leave a review!