Emily Habeck discusses her widely imaginative debut novel, Shark Heart, and how this writing project transformed her life and the lives of her readers.
It’s no secret that Shark Heartwas my favorite debut of the year, and today’s meaningful author conversation only solidified this moving reading experience.
We discuss the unusual overlap to our love stories and the other surprising emotional connections readers have made to this imagined world.
Emily’s success in literary fiction was a surprise, but the reason for her jump from screenplay writing to a novel may surprise you with how she ended up here.
Drawing from her theatrical background, Habeck shares more about her unique story structure and how magical realism can still offer the reader a grounded experience.
Emily joins our patron space to discuss the Shark Heart ending with surprising candidness on some of this story’s more unusual paths she chose, but even more so, the ways she DIDN’T decide to go to get to this book’s ending.
You will receive this episode AND today’s book list as a thank you for supporting my show.
Meet Emily Habeck
Emily Habeck has a BFA in Theater from Southern Methodist University’s Meadows School of the Arts as well as master’s degrees from Vanderbilt Divinity School and Vanderbilt’s Peabody College.
Her debut novel Shark Heart was a Book of the Month selection, a New York Times book review editor’s choice, and the #1 Indie Next pick for August 2023.
She is from Ardmore, Oklahoma and currently lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Discover Shark Heart by Emily Habeck
A shocking discovery unfolds in Lewis and Wren’s first year of marriage, a time that should be rooted in great happiness. Lewis is diagnosed with a rare condition that gradually turns him into a shark in this story’s wildly imaginative plot.
As he struggles with his diagnosis and evolving transformation, Wren rises to meet these daily challenges in moving ways. She is no stranger to genetic mutations and how quickly her world can evolve and readers uncover a stunning backstory to Wren’s journey.
But as Lewis’s new shark existence takes over, readers are taken on an equally meaningful adventure with an unlikely accomplice that the reader will never expect.
How Shark Heart Transformed Emily Habeck and Her Readers
Listen to the Book Gang Podcast:
Listen below or listen on your favorite podcast listening platform!
Browse my curated selection of the best magical realism books. Today’s book list includes new releases, our top book club picks, and classics to check out now.
If you missed the Book Gang podcast with author Emily Habeck, we discuss her moving literary fiction book, Shark Heart.
Emily Habeck shares the surprising journey from writing Hollywood screenplays to novel writing and her unbelievable success and connection to readers worldwide. It’s an hour with the author that I don’t want you to miss.
Listen to the full episode below and subscribe to the Book Gang podcast for more episodes like this one.Please note that the show notes are located here.
What is a Magical Realism Book?
Today’s show discusses magical realism and how a writer can make that experience grounded for a reader.
If you are new to magical realism, these books mix fantasy into everyday life, making fantastical things part of the real world.
The difference between magical realism vs fantasy books can sometimes feel confusing as a reader.
Fantasy books create brand new worlds or settings where magical elements are expected and central to the plot.
That’s not to say there isn’t overlap between these worlds.
If you have been a reader here a long time, you know these magical books are my favorite.
Today’s book list might have been the easiest I’ve ever done, except for my difficulty narrowing them down for you.
If you love this book list, you can support my work through a one-time donation on Buy Me a Coffee or join our Patreon community for book fun all year long.
Patrons will receive a free printable copy checklist for today’s magical assignment. The financial support helps us keep the lights on in our online space.
The Best Magical Realism Books to Read Now
These are my favorite magical realism titles, including my favorite picks for book clubs, the best books I've read over my many years of reading, and a fun new selection of new-release books that I can't wait to dig into.
Today's book list is dedicated to my favorite novel of 2023, and I hope you'll tune in for our moving conversation with the author on Book Gang.
In Habeck's thoughtful literary fiction debut, animal mutations can occur in humans.
Habeck writes a stunning portrait of a woman navigating her husband's shark mutation diagnosis as he navigates daily life as his body rapidly evolves.
As we discover more about her past, we learn how this moment has rippled throughout her life.
I know each reader will take something different from this reading experience. I saw this book as a love letter to the incredible caretakers who help us troubleshoot diagnoses and daily life.
As a personal testimony, I have never seen MY love story on a page, but it made me see my incredible husband's caretaking role in a new light.
If you are a show patron, don't miss our Spoiler-Filled episode with Emily, where we discuss the Shark Heart ending and some surprising reasons for her writing choices that I'm so thankful she shared with us.
This week, I'm loving this new Meg Shaffer book that gathers inspiration from C.S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia.
The story eerily opens with Jeremy, a missing-person investigator, being confronted by a woman named Emilie, whose sister vanished in a mysterious forest.
Jeremy doesn't just investigate, though; he had a personal experience where he and his best friend vanished fifteen years ago in that same forest.
These two lost boys were gone for six months, and reuniting them now may hold Emilie's key to finding her sister.
Shaffer uses a similar storytelling mechanism from her first book, interspersing a section called the Storyteller's Corner that weaves in fairytale chapters that inform the reader of story details that will make you feel like a kid again.
I became drawn to Emily Henry's writing through this young adult novel that offers a modern-day Romeo and Juliet retelling.
When June runs into Saul Angert (quite literally), she is immediately attracted to him, despite her family's only rule that she never spends any time with an Angert.
Each family has its reasons for their anger, but June and Saul find that they can't stay away from each other, no matter how hard they try.
As Saul becomes increasingly connected with June's world, they discover a magical way to see and reflect on the past in each of their families.
Rebecca Serle is known for her magical stories, and this backlist book was my favorite from the author.
Sabrina's thirtieth birthday celebration takes an unexpected turn when she finds herself dining with the bucket list of people she would pick to share a meal with (living or dead).
Prepare for an iconic Audrey Hepburn dinner moment.
As the evening unfolds, Sabrina acknowledges her past relationships through these conversations with her guests, revealing a grounded emotional plot in this whimsical dinner.
This novel defies categorization, so don't be surprised when you find it featured repeatedly on our book lists.
In 2019, Kate escaped her abusive partner in London and found solace in Weyward Cottage, bequeathed by a distant relative.
Surrounded by nature's embrace, Kate unravels the cottage's secrets from the witch-hunting days of the 16th century to discover her great aunt's hidden legacy.
Ward's unique eye for evocative gothic settings blends beautifully with the natural world.
This grown-up Charlotte's Web features an orphan raised by a pack of wolves, one of many reasons Weylyn can't seem to fit in with others.
When he finds that he can single-handedly stop a tornado with his powers, he realizes how different he is.
Luckily, he discovers a forever friend in a little girl named Mary, who sustains his unusual life path.
As he struggles to navigate adulthood, Mary stands beside his side, and readers discover more about his special gift through the eyes of many characters in this town.
I know that this magical realism novel is polarizing as I have two friends who have haunted me since I recommended it, but I loved this book so much despite the unusual ending to the story.
If science fiction bends aren't for you, skip this one.
But there is also a reason it lands on every book list about magical realism: Bender does it so well.
On Rose's ninth birthday, her mother makes her favorite lemon cake. As Rose eagerly dives into the cake, hot from the oven, and takes a bite, this bite changes her life forever.
Within that bite, she can feel an aching sadness and sorrow that goes back to the baker...her mother.
As she struggles with her gift, she discovers other surprising magical secrets about her family.
I've heard from many readers that they struggled with connection to this story, and I always ask- did you read the audiobook?
The audiobook narration by Marin Ireland & Michael Urie will change your experience with this book entirely.
The story explores the unlikely friendship between a giant Pacific octopus, Marcellus, and a 70-year-old woman, Tova.
Near the end of his expected lifespan, Marcellus is in captivity at the aquarium, where Tova works as a cleaner.
As she struggles with losing her husband and her son's disappearance, Tova forms a special bond with the octopus, who may hold the key to solving the mystery of her son's disappearance.
Urie's audiobook narration and distinct diction from the octopus viewpoint are impeccable.
Jack Masterson is a famous middle-grade writer whose life is in a downward spiral. He has not written a story in years, or that is what the world has thought.
In truth, he's been scheming a brand new contest for his most beloved fans to compete for a brand new book he has written.
When a financially struggling teacher receives an invitation to compete for a book that could garner a life-changing sum, she heads to Clock Island to compete.
Listen to my Meg Shaffer interview on the Book Gang podcast- it was one of my favorite moments on our show.
This grounded story is set in the early 1960s when a female chemist struggles to garner respect among her colleagues.
Sparks fly when she partners on a research project, but this love story doesn't work out as the reader expects.
One of the unique viewpoints to this book's most significant twist in their love story is the magical narration from her dog, Six-Thirty, which surprised readers and watchers alike.
Allen is known best for her ability to weave compelling family dramas with magical elements.
This first novel in the Waverly Family series is a reader favorite, but once you discover her writing, you have many more books to enjoy.
Sydney and her daughter Bay seek refuge with her estranged sister Claire after escaping an abusive relationship.
The magical bend to this story is that their family garden holds mystical secrets and a legacy that weaves its threads into every fiber of this charming story.
Readers equate the experience with this magical family as enchanting as Steel Magnolias meets Practical Magic.
Let's be honest: This list could be made up of Alice Hoffman books and be a complete assignment.
I'm choosing this selection that blends historical fiction with magic for this reading prompt.
Set against the backdrop of World War II, this novel follows the journey of a golem created to protect a 12-year-old girl throughout this harrowing time.
Hoffman entrances readers with an introduction to Jewish folklore that has made it among her most beloved historical fiction novels.
If you are craving a joyful Jewish book for your book club- this historical fiction book is it.
In this dual timeline story, Sara, a gifted matchmaker in 1910s New York, hides her abilities in her male-dominated profession.
In a 1990s timeline, her granddaughter Abby, a modern divorce attorney, begins to uncover Sara's journals.
As she learns more, she realizes she may have a gift of her own that complicates her work as an attorney.
After you finish, listen to our Lynda Cohen Logiman interview to discover the rich history of Jewish matchmaking that she confidently weaves into her story.
If you need a great audiobook, try this Read With Jenna book, which our book club adored in our 2020 Book Club.
When Lillian receives a surprising letter from her former roommate, Madison, asking for help with her twins, she's thrown into an unexpected situation: the girls spontaneously combust when agitated.
Despite the unusual circumstances, Lillian finds purpose and warmth in caring for them, leading to a heartwarming relationship among the characters.
Don't miss our deep dive on celebrity book clubs, one of our top Book Gang podcast episodes.
This 2024 Book Club Book soared to the top of my favorite magical realism books last year, and I am so excited that Annie Hartnett is joining us in conversation to talk about all of its magical turns.
Mark Bramhall's charming audiobook narration breathes warmth into the whimsical tale of Emma navigating her father's hallucinations that have magical roots, unleashing chaos in small-town New Hampshire.
The small town comes alive through an unusual magical realism narration tool that offers the reader a unique lens to view this hilarious adventure.
Trust me, it will be one of the best books you read this year.
MAGICAL REALISM CLASSICS
The classic books to read include books readers have loved over the years, including modern classic selections.
Translated by Magda Bogin, readers have described this as difficult not to compare to Gabriel García Márquez.
Allende's tale follows four generations of two extraordinary families in this sprawling family saga.
Set in Chile, the story weaves beautiful elements of magical realism that have become so beloved this book is part of school curricula.
To immerse yourself further, watch the House of the Spirits movie (filmed in 1993), which boasts an incredible all-star cast including Jeremy Irons, Meryl Streep, Glenn Close, Winona Ryder, Antonio Banderas, and Vanessa Redgrave.
This magical journey won the Man Booker Prize in 1991 and introduces readers to Azaro, a 'spirit child' torn between the realms of life and death.
The story's symbolism reflects the cyclical struggles of postcolonial Africa.
But if this book's premise doesn't pull you in, one of my favorite reviews left on the book shared, "This novel is Kafka meeting Marquez on a canvas prepared by Dali, with a bit of Stephen King added for seasoning."
This is a Pulitzer Prize winning novel from Toni Morrison.
Sethe, formerly enslaved, grapples with her haunting past as she tries to forge a new life for herself and her daughter.
When a mysterious young woman named Beloved appears, claiming to be her deceased child returned from the dead, the boundaries between reality and the supernatural blur.
Murakami's novel intertwines reality with elements of fantasy like talking cats, mysterious disappearances, and dreamlike sequences.
Our first Murakami novel was brought to our Reading Hacks for Chronic Pain episode, where my guest shared that Hard-Boiled Wonderland and The End of the World was her favorite of the author's works.
After such high praise, I plan to tackle that book first, but I also have this one on my radar.
What do YOU think are the best magical realism books? Let us know in the comments below what this list is missing!
Discover the best debut novels of 2023. From coming-of-age to multigenerational stories to a great love story- we have you covered in this book list!
We are celebrating the best debut novels of 2023 as we celebrate the publishing journey of author Thao Thai, whose multigenerational debut novel,Banyan Moon transports her readers to Vietnam and Florida.
Thao Thai shares moving details from the family history she wanted to weave into her stunning debut on the Book Gang podcast.
As we explore her favorite memories of her grandparents and the stunning Vietnamese folk tales that peppered her childhood, she shares what elements of her family legacy were most important to capture on a page.
Listen to the full episode (the show notes are located here) below and subscribe to the Book Gang podcast for more episodes like this one.
In honor of today’s discussion, I’m sharing my favorite books from 2023.
While you can find many book lists online, the one thing that makes my list special is that these are tried-and-true book recommendations. I value your reading time!
Make sure you don’t skip the final part of this list that showcases the best books according to our book club members. I’m really excited to get my hands on those recommendations.
If you love this list, you can support my work through a one-time donation on Buy Me a Coffee or join our Patreon community for book fun all year long. The financial support helps us keep the lights on in our online space. I’m so grateful for you.
A NOTE ON INCLUSION IN TODAY’S LIST:
Many of today’s authors have published in other genres.
A book listed as a debut can mean a debut in a different genre.
For example, if a Young Adult writer writes their first Adult novel, it would qualify as a debut. If a thriller writer writes her first Women’s Fiction, that is a debut. This information is added in their book descriptions.
The Best Debut Novels of 2023 to Not Miss
Don't miss out on the best debut novels of 2023. From fantasy to historical fiction to coming-of-age stories, these are my top recommendations for your reading life.
We would also like to congratulate Thao Thai on being selected for the Read With Jenna Book Club July 2023 pick!
Banyan Moon is a character-driven novel with evocative gothic themes that will transport any reader to its stunning landscape.
This emotional debut novel follows three generations of Vietnamese American women grappling with the death of their matriarch, Minh.
As Minh's granddaughter, Ann faces a crossroads in her seemingly perfect life, she returns home to Florida to help her estranged mother clean out the estate.
When they begin cleaning out the rundown manor, they unravel some long-buried secrets in the Banyan House.
Through Minh's perspective, readers are given a cinematic snapshot into the everyday life of people surrounded by the harrowing hardships of the Vietnam War that builds a deeper connection to her character, even though she is gone.
Most importantly, the story reminds us that there is still beauty and normalcy in the strange ways we can adapt to adversities. Learn more in today’s Book Gang interview as we discuss what was most important to capture when telling the story of the Vietnam War and the generations that followed.
If you love a captivating audiobook experience, this novel offers a multi-cast narration that enhanced my reading experience. It's the kind of book you can finish in one afternoon.
On the show, Thao described this as "an engrossing story about a determined matrilineal line that blends beauty and darkness for the reader."
In 2019, Kate escaped her abusive partner in London and found solace in Weyward Cottage, bequeathed by a distant relative.
Surrounded by nature's embrace, Kate unravels the cottage's secrets from the witch-hunting days of the 16th century to the rich discovery of her great aunt's hidden legacy.
This well-researched historical fiction debut follows Henry Gaunt and Sidney Ellwood, classmates at an all-boys boarding school.
When the boys are sent off to war, they navigate a consuming and confusing infatuation for each other.
With harrowing depictions in the trenches, we are given an insider snapshot of the lasting impact of war on these boys long after they leave and how they navigate homosexuality in 1914 during World War I.
The story is told beautifully through switching viewpoints, newspaper articles, and moving letters from the trenches.
It would make it an impactful pick for book clubs and LGBTQ History Month for discussion.
If East of Eden was your favorite classic, take advantage of this 2023 debut!
Seventeen-year-old Victoria is the sole female in a household of men on her family's thriving peach farm in the 1940s.
When Victoria finds herself in a chance encounter with Wilson Moon, a Native American drifter, she feels an immediate attraction to him.
Despite their bond, they soon face the harsh realities of racism in their close-knit community, an insurmountable challenge when her abusive brother becomes involved.
As their circumstances unfold, she is compelled to make a life-altering decision, impacting the life of another family who unexpectedly becomes a part of her story. To say more would rob you of the experience on uncovering those secrets.
Read offers well-developed landscape details that showcase her background in environmental studies.
O'Donoghue's Adult Fiction debut is just as strong as her YA books.
Inseparable friends Rachel and James are navigating life amidst the recession of 2008.
The two are so deeply intertwined that when Rachel falls for her married professor, Dr. Byrne, she and James hatch a plan to seduce him through their roles at a local bookshop.
Rachel can't wait to act on her feelings for the professor.
But, when she wanders into the back of the bookshop, she discovers her best friend entangled with her crush, beginning many years of heartbreaking secrets.
Rachel’s adult viewpoint works incredibly well as a storytelling device, where she can see her immaturity, vulnerability, and manipulation.
Is the world fixated on her, or is it just because she only thinks about herself all the time?
More importantly, I appreciated how sexual identity can look so different through the decades, as explored through these two men's stories.
Thao described this story as being told through "a beautiful communal voice that taps into the majesty of the community of Hawaii and how tight-knit it is."
In Hilo, Hawaii, young Hi’i comes of age among the mysteries of her family. She doesn’t look like many in her community with her white skin and European features.
Yet, she feels deeply tied to the kingdom of Hawaii, primarily through the dance of hula, a sacred practice that tells the stories of the past.
In her quest to win the Miss Aloha Hula competition, she struggles to find her voice as she navigates her ambitions and her family's secrets. The book's prose is transporting, capturing all the nuance of the voices, the beauty of the landscape, and the layered tensions between all generations.
Rachel Koller Croft's addictive debut has already been optioned for a TV adaptation. It's a 5-star thriller that you can finish in one delicious gulp.
Bea's mother is a skilled con artist, and she's trained her well. Not only does Bea know how to catch the eye of any man, she can take his wallet in the process.
Now, Bea is ready to unlock her master con, leave behind her peppered past, and marry into old-money domesticity.
But when she sets her sights on the wealthy blue-blooded Collin Case, she finds herself locked in a dangerous game with his childhood best friend, Gale, who doesn't find Bea as enchanting.
The razor-sharp witty banter offers intricate twists and exploration of societal layers.
Croft notably knows how to write ensemble scenes, a tricky terrain for any writer, where every character shines.
Meg Shaffer's cozy fantasy earns a well-deserved spot on our list of best debuts with its heartwarming blend of magical realism and Willy Wonka-style adventure.
Lucy Hart is a teacher's aide navigating financial struggles and trying to save money through an Etsy shop.
This business has not been lucrative enough for her to recover from her financial woes, and she needs a windfall.
When her favorite childhood author offers a once-in-a-lifetime contest that could help her finally adopt a child, she heads to Clock Island to win a never-released copy of his book.
Drawing inspiration from Episode 470 of This American Life, "Just South of the Unicorns," where Andy's real-life adventure echoes through the pages, the author dedicates this book to children who, in their darkest moments, discover a glimmer of hope within the world of books.
Jenny Jackson's standout debut immerses readers in the luxurious world of the ultra-rich.
Inspired by a New York Times article called "The Rich Kids Who Want to Tear Down Capitalism," Jackson weaves a captivating story about the Stockton siblings and their spouses as they navigate their privileged lives in their opulent family home on Pineapple Street.
This journey effectively documents the lives of three women from the Stockton family: Darley, who gave up her career and inheritance for motherhood; Sasha, who feels like an outsider in her new family; and Georgiana, who falls in love with someone she can't have.
As they each begin to recognize how wealth entraps or furthers their initiatives, they question how money and morals come into play. I love the contrast of new and old money in this story.
With its engaging narrative, satirical humor, and memorable characters, Pineapple Street will have you craving more WASP-y fictional shenanigans with these characters.
With her background in the publishing industry, Jackson's assured sparkling prose shines,
My co-host, Larry, brought this 5-star debut novel to our exclusive Patreon podcast, FULLY BOOKED show, where we review the buzziest and best books each month.
Maddie, a devoted daughter, is shouldering the responsibility of caring for her father with Parkinson's while juggling financial burdens and her mother's constant demands.
Despite her decision to embrace new experiences and break free from these familial constraints, Maddie finds herself trapped in unhappiness and struggles at her job.
But she soon learns the significance of belonging as she explores dating, new career aspirations, and ways to navigate her unconventional family.
This debut novel was also selected as a Read With Jenna book club pick this year.
Adele Griffin's debut in women's fiction is a remarkable exploration of surrogacy, interweaving the lives of two women from vastly different worlds.
Nora is known for her fashionable eye and loves curating vintage fashion finds for her clients. Despite her rewarding job, she is battling a hidden struggle with financial debt and infertility.
When a Manhattan socialite, Evelyn Elliot, enters the shop, she's given an insider view of the mysterious world of Manhattan's elite as she assists with special events for Evelyn.
Evelyn is equally charismatic and chaotic, but nothing could be more unpredictable than her sudden offer to be Nora's surrogate.
While this topic could feel too heavy for the reader, Griffin takes a light and caring touch to a complex portrayal of modern motherhood.
Listen to my Adele Griffin author interview on the Book Gang podcast, where we discuss her surrogacy story that inspired some threads of this gentle novel. I know you will be moved by this conversation.
Cesca Major's debut time travel novel is the first time loop story that I've loved in a long time.
]Emma is trapped in an endless Groundhog Day loop, reliving the same Monday as she tries to save her husband from certain death and preserve her family and work life.
It’s hard to describe why this novel impacted me so profoundly, but I believe it is tied to the stunning love story sequence Major crafts for the reader.
We follow the long and tired years of midlife marriage, from the newness of that first date to the often sagging middle years of parental demands. It's a real and relatable love story that you hope to see happily resolved.
But why it landed on this is list is that she also culminates a surprising plot twist that leaves readers gasping at the end.
This charming family drama novel takes readers into the lives of a Vietnamese Canadian family in Toronto with unique POVS from each character in a family nail salon.
When a family’s beloved no-frills nail salon is threatened by the arrival of a high-end chain salon, the Trans will stop at nothing to protect their family legacy.
As their business faces gentrification and microaggressions daily, readers are forced to examine some of their own interactions.
I know you will be rooting for the Trans and their success. This novel will make you think about your personal experiences at nail salons in a whole new light.
This sweeping multigenerational saga deserves a spellbinding miniseries.
The news of eighty-one-year-old Kitty Karr Tate's passing dominates the world's headlines. She had an illustrious career as an Academy Award-winning actress, writer, television star, and philanthropist.
Yet, amidst the accolades, many speculate on the intriguing details of her past and the unsual inheritance her death offers.
Kitty leaves her entire fortune—approximately six million dollars—to the Black daughters of her former sitcom co-star.
As these young women find themselves in the limelight, they grapple with the mystery of their unexpected inheritance and why they were chosen when they were already born into immense wealth.
The memoirist of Wild Game weaves a mesmerizing family saga of a fractured family on the brink of a milestone birthday celebration.
In this fiction debut, Adam is a brilliant oceanographer who feels threatened as he nears his seventieth birthday. Adam is struggling to face both his own mortality and relevance in his career.
More than anything, he wants to make a final scientific breakthrough to help him not seem obsolete.
When he decides to stop his medication, he believes he has unlocked his genius. But we can see how this devastating personal decision ripples throughout his family as they navigate Adam's emotions.
What unfolds on the page is a family drama filled with big secrets and a large cast of characters that don't overwhelm the reader. Brodeur's Cape Cod settings and story feel reminiscent of her memoir in all the best ways.
I would not have believed you if you had told me I would have been stepping into a world of fierce dragon riders at a War College.
Violet Sorrengail is a twenty-year-old dragon rider who faces unique challenges due to her size and a debilitating condition that afflicts her bones and ligaments,
These same hurdles offer her intuitiveness that other riders wouldn't have as she navigates workarounds where her body fails her.
As the war outside escalates and the kingdom's defenses crumble, Violet discovers she is developing deep feelings for Xaden Riorson, the formidable wing leader of the Riders Quadrant.
With graduation or death the only certain outcomes, it's a high-stakes romantasy book that offers a wonderful escape.
While many readers will continue the series, I felt completely satisfied with the story after reading the first book.
The second book in The Empyrean series, Iron Flame, is on store shelves now.
Wren and Lewis face a challenging situation when Lewis is diagnosed with a genetic mutation that will turn him into a shark.
Habeck explores the complexities of marriage through a fantastical genetic mutation where humans can become animals. '
As Wren and Lewis navigate the devastating diagnosis, Lewis will evolve into a great white shark; we realize the journey is just beginning for these two.
Through heartbreaking, hopeful, and sometimes humorous moments, Habeck grounds her story with the struggles of couples facing life-altering health challenges that deeply resonated with me.
The story takes the reader on a richly imagined adventure as Lewis finds his place in the shark world with an unlikely sidekick kick, and Wren goes deeper into her past to find herself through her grief.
Learn how to paint plastic eggs for a fun spin on Easter egg decorating for kids. These dyeable plastic eggs can be used year after year unlike real eggs!
Did you know that you can paint and dye plastic eggs to look just like the real deal? Well, now you do! Today, we’re diving into the world of decorating plastic eggs and, most importantly, how to avoid colorful hands afterward.
These dyeable plastic eggs offer a delightful twist to traditional Easter egg decorating for kids. You can find them in the seasonal section of stores, offering a reusable option for Easter décor year after year. Plus, unlike real eggs, they won’t spoil or need refrigeration!
Where to Buy Dyeable Plastic Eggs
These new dyeable plastic eggs can be found over in the seasonal section of stores and are made from 100% recyclable plastic. Just remember to pick up a paint kit or acrylic paint set if your egg set does not include paint.
Why Choose Dyeable Plastic Eggs
Unlike the shiny, brightly colored eggs typically used for egg hunts, these plastic eggs have a unique brushed exterior that almost feels like wood.
Made from lightweight, 100% recyclable plastic, they’re durable and won’t crack as easily as their traditional counterparts.
What Do We Love About the Plastic Decorating Eggs?
I love decorating eggs with my kids, but when we do it, I wish that I could keep them longer without them spoiling or needing refrigeration. We also ran into instances of little hands being excited to dump their eggs in the dye, often resulting in cracked eggs.
Unlike the shiny brightly colored eggs we use for our egg hunts, these almost feel like a wooden egg with a brushed exterior, yet are lightweight since they are made from a lightweight plastic.
There is a small seam that can be seen in my close-up pictures, but it does not break open like the neon plastic eggs.
Experimenting with different decorating techniques is part of the fun! While dunking the eggs in dye might not work well due to their lightweight nature, painting them yields vibrantly beautiful results.
Consider using egg painting kits for a hassle-free decorating experience.
Let your creativity run wild! Whether it’s speckled eggs, sponge painting, or golden glaze, there are endless possibilities to explore.
Encourage the kids to unleash their imagination and create their own unique masterpieces.
In our house, we tried a couple of different techniques with these dyeable plastic eggs.
When attempting our Kool-Aid dying we found that the eggs did not absorb the dye well.
Painting our eggs with an egg painting kit, however, yielded vibrantly beautiful eggs. We combined the sponge technique with the golden glaze, and let the kids create their own masterpieces.
Here are the eggs we created with our kits. Some of the most beautiful eggs actually resulted from dyed fingerprints that added color and texture to them.
My daughter loved doing the speckled eggs, while my son painted his fully with a brush.
We let them dry in the carton and they now have a spot in our front room in a bowl to be admired all season long.
I would recommend these dyeable eggs for little hands that have a hard time handling delicate eggs, children with egg allergies, and moms that might like to keep their decorated eggs from year to year.
That was a messy job so I am sharing our tried-and-true recipe for removing egg dye & paint off of your hands.
We can attest to this formula as we may or may not have used everything in our house from rubbing alcohol to oil to try to figure out how to get the pesky dye of our hands.
Smarter people might wear gloves while decorating. We risk it all for our art. That’s how we roll.
How to Remove Dye From Skin
1 squirt whitening toothpaste
1 squirt face or body exfoliant
1 squirt baby oil
Scrub well. Add a little water and continue scrubbing. Rinse. Repeat as necessary.
Explore the past, future, and alternate dimensions with our top picks for the best time travel TV shows and movies. Stream these new tv series and films today!
From our marriage & parenting contributor, Mary Carver.
What is it about time travel stories that gets me every time?
Maybe it’s the idea of starting over or changing the past (and therefore the future).
Or perhaps it’s the thought of seeing a completely different time with my own eyes (rather than trying to imagine while reading a history book or even watching a documentary).
I don’t really know why I love time travel stories so much, but I do.
I know several of you do too! And since we’ve been talking about some of the best time travel books so I thought I’d give you a list of time travel movies and TV series to check out!
Of course, we’ve all watched Back to the Future.
Some of us have probably watched so many times we have most of it memorized. (Oh, just me?)
And I suspect you’re probably familiar with About Time, Looper, 13 Going on 30, and possibly even Hot Tub Time Machine.
So instead of revisiting those time travel classics like someone stuck in a time loop (which I consider to be time travel adjacent, though it isn’t quite the same as traveling forward or backward through time), here are 22 tv series and movies that might not be as familiar.
The Best Time Travel TV Shows and Movies
Obviously, this isn’t an exhaustive list of time travel series and movies. (I’d need a time machine to have enough hours to make that list!). Be sure to let us know what YOU would add to today's list!
P.S.- Be sure to scroll down for an additional list from Amy today under our Editor's Picks!
BEST NEW TIME TRAVEL MOVIES TO STREAM
These are Mary's picks for the best weekend escape with time travel.
In this Australian movie, a man wakes up the day after his wedding to realize that he’s somehow skipping dramatically forward in time every few minutes.
This show markets itself as a rom-com, but it provokes thought more than it induces laughter.
I know what I said about time loop stories not being totally time travel.
But just like time travel stories break established rules all the time, I’m going to break my own as well.
This rated-R romantic comedy is about two wedding guests (played by Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti) caught in a time loop, and I just couldn’t leave it off the list!
As they navigate the repetition of events and form an unexpected bond.
Just like part of the appeal of Paper Girls is the age of the characters (just a few years older than me in present day), so did the time frame draw me to this VH1 series.
The main character travels from present day back to her first wedding day in 1995, and we learn over the one and only season how very messed up her best friendship, family relationships, and romances have gotten over the years. Plus, the 90s nostalgia is *chef’s kiss* for anyone of a certain age! This one isn’t streaming free, but I promise it’s worth a watch anyway.
This is my favorite time travel show and one of my favorite shows overall!
In this series, a history professor, a soldier, and a scientist join forces to journey through time, pursuing a rogue time traveler determined to alter history for the worse.
It’s fun, funny, educational, and romantic. It's a solid network series that concluded on its own terms, thanks to a wrap-up "movie" that aired a few months after the show's cancellation.
In our 2024 Book Club, we will read Octavia Butler's science-fiction classic, Kindred.
For readers seeking an immersion experience, you can stream this 2022 time travel TV series on Hulu now.
If you are unfamiliar with the story, Dana is a Black woman married to a white man in the late seventies.
She begins experiencing strange dizzy spells that transport her back in time.
Dana finds herself repeatedly pulled to the South in 1815, where she saves a little boy named Rufus from drowning.
However, the twist is that she's forced to work as an enslaved person in this era, and her world intertwines with her white husband as they attempt to navigate this horrific time travel situation.
If you love a riveting crime and sci-fi series, this new time travel series might be perfect for your weekend.
When authoritarian leader Commander Elias Mannix embarks on a daring mission, chaos ensues.
Living in 2053, this authoritarian leader decides to carry out his plot to attack London by time-traveling back to 1889 to steal an identity.
Four detectives spanning different eras – 1890, 1941, 2023, and 2053 – uncover the shocking discovery of the same body across time, creating a perplexing mystery.
We watched this campy Halloween movie three times because I enjoyed it so much.
If Back to the Future and Happy Death Day had a baby, it would be this fun flick that you can watch with your teen.
In the story, Jamie's mother was involved in a case with the notorious Sweet 16 Killer in 1987.
When she accidentally time travels to 1987, she meets her mother and realizes she could apprehend the killer if she befriends her and tries to stop the event from occurring in the first place.
What makes it so comical is that her mother is a mean girl and so are her friend. Saving them is not only refreshingly exhausting but hilarious.
Despite its R-rating, it plays out with a more PG-13 plot, except for the campy gore!
For readers who love a fun time-travel drama, this revenge story is a new K-Drama that might be the perfect fit.
Adapted from the webtoon, the show follows Kang Ji-won (portrayed by Park Min-young), a terminally ill woman who catches her husband and best friend in an intimate moment.
After a fatal confrontation, she awakens in 2013 with the chance to rewrite her past.
Determined to settle the score, she plots revenge against her former boyfriend and once-trusted friend, altering the world as they know it.
Many Marvel fans have shared that this tv series is among their favorites from the franchise.
Loki explores time travel as the mischievous god faces the fallout of his actions across timelines. Viewers loved watching his quest to fix the chaos he caused by stealing the Tesseract in this fun adventure story.
This beloved series has received a nomination for 6 Primetime Emmy and currently boasts an 8.2 rating on IMDB!
The Quantum Leap reboot offers a fresh take on Dr. Sam Beckett's beloved time-traveling adventures, tailor-made for a new generation of viewers.
In this reimagined sci-fi series, a brilliant young scientist named Dr. Eliza Scott accidentally discovers a way to "quantum leap" into the lives of people from different time periods.
With the assistance of her reliable AI companion, she works to correct historical injustices while also searching for a path back.
Don’t forget, you can also watch the original Quantum Leap series which aired for five seasons starring Scott Bakula if you need a cozy tv sitcom throwback moment.
WHERE TO WATCH QUANTUM LEAP 2022: Peacock or Prime Video
Celebrate Galentine’s Day with these friendship stories for adults! These books about friendship include fiction and nonfiction- perfect for any book club!
Looking for a friendship story for your next book club selection?
What could be a more perfect excuse than a fictional Galentine’s Day holiday that will give you an excuse to brunch AND discuss a great book about friendship.
What is Galentine’s Day?
I think of Galentine’s Day as an official holiday, but its origin story might surprise you. This catchy holiday wasn’t created by Hallmark.
Instead, Galentine’s Day was created by the fictional Leslie Knope in an episode of Parks and Recreation.
Aptly titled the same name as the holiday (Season 2, Episode 16), Leslie gathers a group of her closest gal pals for brunch full of waffles and love.
In this memorable scene, Amy Poehler delivers these lines, “Every February 13th, my lady friends and I leave our husbands and our boyfriends at home, and we just come and kick it, breakfast style,” she explains in the episode. “Ladies celebrating ladies.”
When is Galentine’s Day?
On February 13th, the day before Valentine’s Day, you can devote a day to celebrating your friendship with your best gal pals.
We encourage our readers to embrace a book club selection together and have gathered 9 friendship stories you’ll love to celebrate.
That’s not all though, if you are looking for great movie or tv recommendations, we have you covered with today’s podcast with Mary Carver.
Mary is a regular contributor on MomAdvice and the host of The Couch With Mary Carver. Her podcast celebrates TV, movies, music, and books all year-long.
An unlikely friendship blossoms between a seventeen-year-old girl named Lenni and an eighty-three-year-old woman named Margot.
Their age difference may seem unusual, but Lenni has found it challenging to make friends her age in the Glasgow Princess Royal Hospital.
The two decide to take advantage of the arts and crafts room and begin a unique project when they discover their combined age is one hundred years.
They will create one hundred paintings that tell the story of their lives and find joy and comfort in sharing the stories they have never spoken aloud.
Be sure to keep some tissues handy because Margot's story, in particular, is so beautiful as she reveals these deeply hidden truths that will have you weeping.
However, Lenni's storyline shines as she comically questions faith and strikes another unlikely friendship with the hospital's patient chaplain.
Last Summer on State Street is a haunting coming-of-age story recommended for Jacqueline Woodson and Brit Bennett fans and one of the most moving stories of friendship that I have read.
This powerful and emotional journey is told poetically through the eyes of Felicia "Fe Fe" Stevens, a young girl living in Chicago's Robert Taylor Homes during the summer of 1998.
Alongside her friends Precious and Stacia, Fe Fe experiences the joys and struggles of growing up in a community on the brink of destruction.
But everything changes when a mysterious new friend, Tonya, enters their lives.
Set in the housing projects of Chicago, this tells the story of four girls living there as each family faces unique challenges, as they jump rope through the constantly changing shifts of their neighborhood.
Toya Wolfe writes like a seasoned writer, not a debut novelist, and uses her life story to shape these pages.
If you need an audiobook, Shayna Small's magnificent narration enhanced the experience so much that I held my breath as she delivered these poetic lines.
This short and compelling novel celebrates the beauty of female friendship.
Follow the heartwarming story of Edith and Ashley, best friends for over 42 years, as they navigate the challenges of life and love.
When Edi is diagnosed with ovarian cancer and begins living in a hospice, Ash is there by her side, struggling to be the best friend, wife, and parent she can be.
With a rotating cast of hospice characters and "Fiddler on the Roof" as their soundtrack, the two friends spend their last days together reminiscing with hilarity over all their years of friendship.
Through their reminiscing and playful antics, they find ways to keep Edi’s pain at bay and make the most of their last moments together.
The heartwarming scenes are described in vivid detail, bringing the reader into the heart of their friendship in this hospice setting.
At 16, April escapes her lonely life in a dilapidated motorhome, fueled by her love for music.
Traveling the East Coast over three years, she forms many connections but struggles to trust the people in her life.
The beauty in this story is her beautiful discovery of her profound impact on people around her and the importance of embracing those who love her so well.
This beautiful friendship story offers a beautiful intergenerational friendship showcasing how a chosen family can be as meaningful as our blood.
On Book Gang, you can listen to my Allison Larkin interview where we discuss the inspiration for this story and the surprising ways April's story and her story intertwine.
Summer and Leo are best friends who make a living as con artists.
When Leo decides to con a billionaire on her own and goes missing, Summer has to find out what happened by infiltrating the billionaire's exclusive island.
The story, told from alternating perspectives, also builds smart backstories and motives for both Summer and Leo as the two try to find one another again. Through flashback sequences readers can develop a connection to these women's stories.
If you love friendship stories where they will go to the end of the earth for one another, you will find that in this thriller.
This book selection is less a CELEBRATION of friendship but acknowledges the REAL challenges of female friendships in a laugh-out-loud format.
In this ALL TOO RELATABLE plotline, this story follows a group of eight 20-and-30-something friends as they navigate through one year of holidays, summer house rentals, dates, brunches, breakups, and the planning of a VERY disastrous wedding.
The novel is told entirely through emails, texts, DMs, and every other form of communication known to man, making it an instant classic for anyone who loves to read about the ups and downs of friendships.
The email sign-offs and correspondences were so funny that I started sending screenshots to my husband.
This satirical punch of a book will have you cringing and laughing as you recognize your friends and even yourself in these scenarios.
If you are a Kindle reader, it is best served up through the Kindle app on your iPad because of the fun illustrations included within this book.
This novel follows Annie Hebden, a 35-year-old woman stuck in a rut and struggling to move on from a tragic loss.
That is until she meets Polly Leonard, an eccentric and bubbly woman determined to help Annie find joy and happiness.
Polly, who has been diagnosed with a brain tumor, will not take no for an answer to her repeated aims at friendship, and this diagnosis makes Polly more determined to make the most of every day.
Polly has been told she has one hundred days left and decides she wants to pursue one hundred new ways to be happy... and she wants Annie to help her with this mission.
However, Polly doesn’t know that Annie needs this happiness to push as much as she does.
HISTORICAL FICTION FRIENDSHIP STORIES
These friendship stories are the perfect book club books for historical fiction readers.
This frothy historical fiction novel follows three friends in nursing school during the Vietnam War as their careers unexpectedly intersect with a Hollywood set.
In the modern timeline, readers are invited to the funeral of one of these nurses as tensions arise between her daughters as they settle the estate.
The story takes a surprising turn when Kitty Deveraux, a renowned Hollywood actress, unexpectedly shows up at the funeral to tell them all about their mother's secret Hollywood life.
Lisa See is masterful at complex and moving stories of friendship and sisterhood, so I would be remiss if I didn’t include one of the best books from her backlist.
In Hunan (a remote county in China) in the 19th century, a young girl named Lily forms a powerful and lifelong bond with her "old same," Snow Flower.
As is customary in their tradition, Snow Flower & Lily are paired together to be lifelong friends and to see each other through their marriages, children, and the ending of their lives.
They write back and forth in a unique secret language called nu shu on a fan to communicate with each other.
This keeps their stories away from the prying eyes of men, releasing their true feelings about their new roles.
It is a friendship that endures through a war, through many pregnancies and miscarriages, through difficult marriages, but can it survive until the end of their lives?
If you need an uplifting story about female friendships, The Kitchen Front is a beautiful historical fiction pick that will check all the boxes.
In this story, four determined women compete for the opportunity to host a popular wartime cooking program (on the BBC) called The Kitchen Front.
The prize is not just a job as the program's first-ever female co-host but also a chance to better their lives.
This contest is meant to educate the public on how to cook their rations, but it means so much more to the contestants.
With the stakes high, these four women are giving the competition their all and are determined to come out on top, while the contest aims to bring the community together and uplift the nation's spirit during trying times.
Of course, they find love and friendship with one another along the way, and it grows into some heartwarming ways.
Let’s celebrate female friendships and empowerment in the most unlikely places- the bare-knuckle boxing ring of 18th century England.
This page-turning novel combines the gritty atmosphere of Fight Club with a smart feminist angle that is a surefire winner for any Sarah Waters fan.
Born in a brothel, Ruth discovers her true calling as a bare-knuckle boxer.
While Ruth wasn't born with the looks necessary to get those paid patrons, she does discover a hidden talent for getting these patrons to pay her to fight the other girls in the house.
Scarred by smallpox and trapped in a life of power games, Charlotte seeks an escape. While her path could be different, her scarred face means she doesn't meet society's beauty standards.
When the two women meet, their perspectives are forever changed, and they team up to fight for their places in society.
This sweeping historical fiction novel tackles how women creatively navigate societal hurdles and can lift each other to gain momentum in a male-dominated world.
Instead of exploring the story of the royal family and all of its mystery, Robson decides to explore it from another viewpoint: the women who made the wedding dress.
The dual timeline story begins in London in 1947 in post-World War II Britain, a time of hardship and uncertainty.
Ann Hughes & Miriam Dassin are talented embroiderers tasked with the intricate stitching that will adorn the royal bride's priceless wedding gown.
After the royal ceremony, Ann moves and never tells her family about her life in London and her work on this famous gown.
In the modern timeline of 2016, Ann's granddaughter stumbles upon a box of her late grandmother's belongings, she finds a set of hand-stitched flowers with no background information.
What she discovers, though, is that these motifs are the same that decorated Queen Elizabeth's gown, and she begins to wonder if there was more to her grandmother's story than she realizes.
Heather travels to London to unravel the past Ann never shared with her family and her secret friendship with Miriam, a celebrated artist and Holocaust survivor.
An excerpt of the interview with Betty Foster, a woman who aided in the actual embroidery of the dress, appears at the end of the book and showcases how much her voice shaped Robson's writing and the gorgeous characters she has crafted.
NONFICTION FRIENDSHIP STORIES
These nonfiction books about friendship are wonderful options for readers who want to dive deep into culivating friendships in their life.
Are you looking for a guide to building and strengthening your friendships? Look no further than this thoughtful tool from debut novelist Laura Tremaine.
This powerful book, part memoir and part guidebook, provides readers with the tools they need to foster authentic and meaningful connections with the women in their lives.
She shares her journey toward building authentic connections by drawing on childhood experience, shifting faith, and her marriage to a Hollywood movie director.
Each chapter reads like a short story, including reflective journal questions and prompts to help readers uncover their lives' unique details and stories and cultivate deeper connections with others.
If you have been with your gal pals as long as I have, I wanted to offer some great backlist friendship stories that you might want to host a “reunion” book club.
These are four modern-day classics you might have read in your earlier years of friendship that could be revived for your next gathering.
Discover romance books where shared sleeping arrangements lead to unexpected twists and heartfelt connections. Let’s celebrate the best one bed trope books!
If you missed the Book Gang podcast with author Sarah Adler, you must join me to discuss her debut romance, Mrs. Nash’s Ashes.
Sarah Adler shares why writing in a Taco Bell parking lot during the pandemic became the perfect incubator for storytelling. More importantly, Sarah made surprising discoveries about herself in the writing process that I think you’ll find quite beautiful.
Listen to the full episode below (the show notes are located here) and subscribe to the Book Gang podcast for more episodes like this one.
One Bed Trope Meaning
In today’s show we discuss the popular “one bed trope.”
For beginning romance readers, this trope in romance stories usually means that the characters find themselves in a situation where they have to share a single bed.
Remember that this can happen for various reasons, like a mix-up in accommodations, limited space, or unexpected circumstances.
This romance trope often leads to intimacy, tension, or humor as the characters navigate the close quarters and the potential for romantic developments.
I have read roughly sixty romances over the last three years and can’t wait to dig into a few of my favorites for this podcast assignment!
If you love this book list, you can support my work through a one-time donation on Buy Me a Coffee or join our Patreon community for book fun all year long.
Patrons will receive a free printable copy checklist for today’s romance assignment. The financial support helps us keep the lights on in our online space.
The Best One Bed Trope Books For Romance Lovers
Sarah Adler and I share our favorite “only one bed” dilemmas that we have loved in today's book recommendations. As Sarah and I are new romance readers, these books stood out and are often the most beloved among our seasoned romance readers.
We hope you will check out these and Sarah Adler's novel, Mrs. Nash's Ashes!
There is a reason we invited Sarah Adler to the show- this romance book is AMAZING!
Millie is on a heartfelt mission to fulfill her elderly best friend's wish of reuniting with a long-lost love from eighty years ago; she never anticipated that the pilgrimage from D.C. to Key West would be with her ashes in her backpack instead.
She is determined to give Mrs. Nash the happily ever after she never had.
But in a sad twist of fate, her flight stays grounded due to a computer glitch, and Millie finds herself on an unexpected road trip with another reluctant traveler named Hollis.
What neither could expect is that this is just the first of many hilarious hurdles that will lead them to be grounded once again in a small town of quirky characters reminiscent of Schitt's Creek.
Who couldn't get behind a fictional bed and breakfast with paint-by-number Jesus art on the walls?
And when there is only one bed at the inn, what's a girl to do but claim she is married in this quirky environment?
Enhancing the storyline is a dual timeline story set in 1944 Key West, where we learn the beautiful love story that started the adventures of Rose and Elsie.
The two have immediate chemistry, and a secret love affair unfolds despite the era's restrictions.
Listen to our Sarah Adler interview on Book Gang in today's embedded player as she discusses her writing process and a unique fan fiction moment that had me searching for vintage sitcoms after this interview.
This Regency romance follows a determined woman who is passionate about geology and needs to recruit a charming local rake to accompany her on a road trip to Edinburgh.
Using the guise of elopement, they adopt various identities along the way. But, the one-bed trope REALLY comes into play when they pose as siblings, leading to unexpectedly funny situations.
Adler praised this backlist series book published in 2012 as a fantastic Regency romance escape set in the 1800s.
As this is the second in the Spindle Cove series, she encourages readers to start at the beginning with A Night to Surrender.
In this age-gap romance, a childhood actress named Grey Brooks faces a stalled career after her long-running TV show has ended.
Given her situation, she would do anything to get back into the spotlight, including accepting a scheme concocted by her publicist.
Encouraged to engage in a little fake dating with an aging Hollywood star who has also been down on his luck could, ultimately, benefit them both.
The problem is when they no longer mind playing pretend beyond the scope of their contract, including navigating that one-bed situation.
If you love this, check out The View Is Exhausting one of my FAVORITE Hollywood romances written by a wife duo that shared their writing journey on the Book Gang podcast!
It is no secret that Julia Whelan is an incredible audiobook narrator.
Still, readers were in for a delightful surprise when she took us behind the scenes with an audiobook romance that developed between two audiobook narrators assigned to a legendary romance project.
Sewanee once dreamed of being a famous actress, but a tragic accident forced her to switch gears and become an audiobook narrator.
When she's asked to narrate a romance novel alongside the enigmatic Brock McKnight, readers are given behind-the-scenes access as they talk through the scenes and coach each other on narration.
This steamy romance REALLY delivers on the audiobook experience as Whelan manages to narrate all the voices of her characters.
Whelan is fearless in embracing a trope. One line in the book reads, "It feels like we fell out of a Romance tree and hit every trope on the way down."
Between you and me, Julia Whelan's making some power moves in the audiobook industry by owning her content, and this is her first release under the catalog.
You can listen to my Julia Whelan interview on the Book Gang podcast as she discusses her job's beautiful surprises and successes.
In this story, Dr. Briana Ortiz's life is in turmoil with a pending divorce, a challenging new colleague, and her brother's urgent need for a kidney transplant.
After some abrupt encounters with her new colleague, Jacob Maddox, she is surprised to receive a handwritten apology letter that admits his struggles with social anxiety.
The two begin corresponding through a format that feels comfortable for Jacob. Still, as they get to know each other more deeply, their correspondence evolves into heartfelt lunch dates and a gift she could have never expected. Jimenez artfully weaves in romance tropes like Briana and Jacob getting locked in a room overnight, which added a gorgeous moment in this charming story.
This romance novel is the second book in the Part of Your World series but it can be read as a satisfying standalone.
For the record, this is my favorite Rachel Lynn Solomon book.
This is the love story of two colleagues at a struggling local Seattle Public Radio station who create a talk show focused on breaking up despite never having been in a relationship.
They fabricate a romantic relationship to perfect the concept, delving into each other's lives to create the quirks and problems that make for entertaining listening.
As they genuinely get to know each other, the lines between fiction and reality blur, and they discover that a real relationship is on the horizon.
The included radio scripts for the show make this such an enjoyable and laugh-out-loud read that I couldn't put it down and create an immersive experience for the reader.
This steamy second-chance romance is the first in the Skyland series and a perfect fit for readers craving emotional themes laced into their romance books.
Yasmen and Josiah are navigating the complexities of co-parenting and the aftermath of a profound loss in their family.
As they navigate their dissolving marriage, they realize they're still navigating lingering feelings, which complicate their new love lives with other people.
This novel is an open-door romance, and due to the loss they are navigating, please check content warnings to see if this is a good fit.
Once you finish, prepare for the second book in the Skyland series, This Could Be Us, that will BLOW YOU AWAY and hits store shelves this March!
We are excited to host the author on the Book Gang podcast to discuss her moving friends-to-lovers romance.
Lee is a dedicated communications director at a women-run electric car company, whose professional success contrasts her carefree life.
The plot takes an unexpected twist five years later when Lee must reunite with her old boyfriend to collaborate on a crucial clean energy bill, challenging her in all the best ways.
Winstead documents Lee's history of heartbreak that often led to her impulse for relationship sabotage.
But as we learn more about her backstory, we understand Lee's choices.
This story thoughtfully pulls in a political backdrop that doesn’t lean into the negativity, has lots of chemistry between old flames, and loads of witty banter.
Lee is certainly not a traditionally lovable romance protagonist. That's why this novel is one of my recommendations for people as a great entry point to the genre.
The Boyfriend Candidatemight be better fit for seasoned romance readers who prefer a more cozy protagonist. For the record, I loved them both!
It's so interesting that this is one of the more polarizing Emily Henry books because I loved this friends to lovers romance filled with witty banter!
In this non-linear storyline, Poppy and Alex, initially acquaintances from college, unexpectedly discover they share a hometown connection that leads to them returning home together on a college break.
As they share a decade-long tradition of an annual vacation, their friendship took an unexpected turn two years ago.
To mend their bond, Poppy persuades Alex to embark on one last vacation, navigating a week filled with mishaps and revisiting the memories that shaped their relationship.
I enjoyed seeing the evolution of this relationship and how Henry utilizes flashback trips to help build deeper connections with these characters.
If you crave a book like When Harry Met Sally, this is the romance novel for you.
The author announced 3 Emily Henry movie adaptations in the works. Stay tuned for details on the People We Meet On Vacation movie news.
Identical twin sisters Ami & Olive couldn't be more different. Ami always has the best luck, and Olive is always her poor, unlucky sister.
When the entire wedding party gets food poisoning at Ami's wedding, Ami decides to forfeit her honeymoon to Olive and Ethan (the brother-of-the-groom) to both go in their place.
Unfortunately, Olive & Ethan have never gotten along but decide to form a temporary truce to take advantage of the free vacation.
Being together in such close quarters muddies the waters, and they begin to uncover hidden layers of each other and surprising backstories about their siblings.
For many years, this was my favorite Christina Lauren book, but Love & Other Words entered my reading life this past year, and this moved to slot #2!
BOOKTOK ROMANCE BOOKS WITH ONLY ONE BED
Love a Booktok book recommendation? These selections are some of the most popular picks with this romance trope.
This Emily Henry novel nails the one-bed trope, but it also offers a stunning found family trope among this group of friends.
Henry employs a split timeline narrative to gradually unravel the reasons for the breakup of a seemingly perfect relationship many months ago.
Now, Harriet and Wyn, our beloved couple in peril, are invited to an annual weeklong vacation at a Maine cottage, where they find themselves sharing a bedroom and hiding their secret from their closest friends.
Henry still manages to crank out blockbuster books that never disappoint as we eagerly await her new book, Funny Story.
In the second book of The Trouble With Hating You series, two exes share not just the same apartment but also the same room and bed, as Preeti Patel navigates the challenges of her residency and family expectations.
With lingering feelings and a chance at a second love, Preeti and Daniel must find a way to stand up and fight for each other before their second chance slips away.
I can admit that I'm more of a Lynn Painter young adult reader, but for romance readers craving more Lynn Painter moments, this adult romance is a favorite among our readers.
The book opens with a steamy first night between Hallie and Jack, who end up having a sexy adventure in a hotel bedroom at a wedding reception dinner where Hallie is bartending.
While Hallie claims to be a little fuzzy on the details due to too many drinks, she remembers enough about this one-night stand to find Jack's profile on a dating app when she finally decides to get serious about her dating life.
Creating a friendly, low-stakes wager on who will find love first enhances their friendship as they act as each other's wingperson through the online dating process.
Rehashing their dating wins and losses, they know they can rely on each other regardless of the outcome.
Of course, as you might expect, these moments become their favorite part of the night, but what seals their fate is their decision to fake a date for an upcoming wedding.
Enter the one-bed trope!
Many readers have fallen in love with the audiobook performance by Kristen DiMercurio and Zachary Webber, offering shifting POVs that enhance the chemistry between these two characters.
While this novel can be read as a standalone, knowing some overlapping characters from Mr. Wrong Number enhances the reading experience.
I accidentally read this out of order and felt it would have helped to read the first one.
Olive, a third-year Ph.D. candidate, rejects the idea that lasting romantic relationships exist.
But, using her scientific mind, she wants to convince her best friend just how accurate her hypothesis is, so she decides to kiss the first man she sees to prove she won't feel anything.
It turns out that the man she randomly selected for her experiment is her grumpy professor- a situation that becomes problematic when the two catch feelings for one another.
Hazelwood marked my first introduction to the fourth wall playfully being broken in the "only one-bed" trope.
In a scene where Adam invites Olive to share a room at an academic conference with two beds, she responds, "There will only be one bed, for sure… It's always one bed."
I read this book on assignment for our wedding episode with Byron Lane to celebrate Big Gay Wedding in our The Best Wedding Themed Rom Com Books episode.
This popular sapphic romance stars Delilah Green, who reluctantly serves as the photographer for her stepsister's wedding.
She discovers an unexpected connection and spark with one of her sister's friends, Claire.
Against the backdrop of wedding preparations, Delilah and Claire navigate their complicated pasts and one-bed complications in this spicy romance.
For readers that crave a Hallmark movie in a book, this first book in the Lovelight series has been a big holiday hit with readers.
Lovelight Farms is a small business that has found itself missing its Christmas magic as it faces difficulties with bills and keeping up with the daily maintenance on this tree farm.
The story turns unexpectedly when Stella fabricates having a boyfriend for a cash prize contest, setting the stage for a delightful fake dating escapade with her best friend, Luka Peters.
But if she can win the $100,000 cash prize, she can save the business.
Readers love the chemistry between these characters and describe this as a cozy book destination for winter.
Ghostwriter Chandler Cohen's career takes a surprising turn when her latest author doesn't recognize her, leading to an underwhelming one-night stand with a stranger.
To her shock, the potential new client for her next project is Finnegan Walsh, the beloved star of a teen werewolf series, and her recent fling, blurring their lines between business and pleasure.
Solomon always thoughtfully weaves in mental health awareness storylines in her romances. In this novel, she tackles OCD and anxiety.
The author is also known for crafting beautiful stories with Jewish representation, but readers should note that this novel is spicier than her previous book.
The author shared that while the book is a standalone, but it completes her "women in journalism doing questionably ethical things" trifecta she had been working towards.
This Booktok book gained a viral following and scooped up the Nominee for Best Romance (2021) and Winner for Best Debut Novel (2021) on GoodReads the year it came out.
Catalina Martín faces a daunting challenge as she scrambles to find a date for her sister'swedding after her fabricated tale of an American boyfriend spins out of control.
With only four weeks to spare and a transatlantic deception to maintain, she reluctantly accepts the offer of her infuriating colleague, Aaron Blackford.
As Catalina gets to know Aaron Blackford, the two develop a surprising connection in Spain.
This novel is for our slow-burn romance readers who are okay with longer romance novels, as this novel is almost five hundred pages!
Sarah Adler discusses writing her quirky debut novel Mrs. Nash’s Ashes and her favorite memorable “only one bed” moments in romance.
Sarah Adler didn’t know she was writing a romance book when she started her novel. She wasn’t even a romance reader. All of that changed, though, when she wrote Mrs. Nash’s Ashes, her debut romance novel.
Today, Sarah Adler provides a behind-the-scenes look into her publishing journey, recounting the rollercoaster ride of rejections, what it is like to have a novel go to auction, and what this book taught her about identity that she was surprised to uncover through her characters.
Sarah’s “only one bed” scene I now count among my favorite romance moments, and we discuss her favorite books that uniquely capture this dilemma and why this has become such a beloved romance trope for readers.
Patrons of our show will receive a printable version of today’s book list as a thank you for your support!
Meet Sarah Adler
Sarah Adler writes romantic comedies about lovable weirdos finding their happily ever afters. She lives in Maryland with her husband and daughter and spends an inordinate amount of her time yelling at her mischievous cat to stop opening the kitchen cabinets.
The Most Unique Only One Bed Moments in Romance (Podcast)
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These are 12 of our best romantic series tv show recommendations perfect for streaming now. These shows are perfect for the rom-com lover who crave a meet cute.
The Best Romantic Series TV Shows to Watch Now
From our marriage & parenting contributor, Mary Carver.
Do you love reading romance novels but have trouble concentrating on books right now?
Do you lament the lack of true rom coms these days (you know, the big-budget ones with Julia Roberts or Meg Ryan)?
Did you finish watching Sweet Magnolias or Virgin River or Bridgerton—and now you’re looking for another romantic comedy to fill the void?
I’m here to help!
I have a show for every kind of romantic comedy fan.
If you love romantic comedies and want a new TV series to watch to scratch that rom-com itch, I have a dozen shows for you. (However, if you haven’t watched Sweet Magnolias or Virgin River yet, pause. Do not pass go. Watch those shows first. They’re both streaming on Netflix, and you will thank me.)
On to the rom-com shows!
12 TV Shows to Watch if You Like Romantic Comedies
If you love time travel with a romantic series bend…
Timeless is an action-adventure about a team that travels through time to stop the bad guys from changing history.
But also?
It’s about a soldier and a professor on that team who seem like they might not get along, BUT THEN THEY DO.
Of course, you’ll see that coming from the first episode, but the story (like the history and the science in this show) isn’t relatively so straightforward.
It is, however, lovely—and is wrapped up with the prettiest bow at the end of its two seasons.
Watch on Hulu.
If you love a family drama romantic series…
Jane the Virgin is a show about a young woman who’s accidentally artificially inseminated.
That plot might hint at the show’s (and character’s) love of telenovelas and all their messy drama.
And this show is twisty and silly and way over the top with the drama!
But also?
What none of that tells you is how incredibly sweet and moving it is.
The characters in JTV grow and change and make you fall in love every single week.
Watch on Netflix.
Chesapeake Shores is a Hallmark Channel family drama full of old flames and new loves, and plenty of family issues.
It’s like Parenthood, or This is Us, but less stressful.
Watch on Hallmark Movies Now.
The Baker & the Beauty is an adorable show perfect for anyone looking for a quick binge or anyone who loves the famous person who falls in love with an average person trope.
An international superstar meets a baker from Miami, and sparks fly.
Her friends and his family disapprove, but they’re forced to deal with everything that comes with a star-and-civilian romance anyway.
The supporting characters are just as lovely and loveable as the main two characters, and you can’t help rooting for every single one of them (even when they’re at odds with each other).
I still can’t believe this only aired for one season, but it’s still totally worth a watch.
Watch on Netflix.
If you love young love…
Never Have I Ever is about a teenage girl who wants to be popular and lose her virginity.
At least, that’s how it starts.
But this show from Mindy Kaling is so much more.
It’s about tricky family dynamics, and it’s about a first-generation Indian American girl trying to navigate her family’s culture with American culture and her interests and values.
And it’s about teenagers and falling in love and friendship.
It’s fun, funny, and moving. (And season 2 comes out this summer!)
Watch on Netflix.
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series has too much punctuation. I know.
But despite the ridiculous name and silly-seeming premise (students at the school where the HSM movies were filmed put on the HSM musical), the show is darling!
Sure, it has plenty of meta, wink-wink-nod-nod references to the High School Musical franchise.
But it also has original characters and just…TRY not to fall in love with these kids!
I watched this with my kids, and we’re excited about the second season, too.
Watch on Disney+.
If you love romantic series shows about friend groups…
Four Weddings and a Funeral is a series (also created by Mindy Kaling; I have a type) inspired by the Hugh Grant movie.
It is not a remake or a reboot, so don’t go in expecting that!
It’s about a group of college friends, some of whom have had or will have romantic relationships with each other.
It’s romantic and funny and, at times, heartbreaking.
I loved it, and I think you might too.
Watch on Hulu.
New Girl is one of my all-time favorites, which you might have picked up on (since I’ve written about this show before).
But it fits here too!
If you love seeing friendships develop and grow and fracture and heal, this is for you.
If you love outrageous hijinks and hilarious inside jokes, this is for you.
If you love shipping characters you know are meant for each other or watching two unlikely lovers connect, this is for you.
Watch on Netflix.
If you love small towns…
Hart of Dixie is a funny, emotional show about a New York surgical resident forced to work in a one-doctor practice in small-town Alabama.
It’s about a love triangle—no, wait!
It’s about several love triangles!
It’s about falling in love with characters you thought you hated.
It’s Doc Hollywood as a TV series or the Gilmore Girls in the South. (It’s also about a Black man being mayor of a small town in the South, yet nobody ever mentions race. So head’s up on that.)
Watch on Prime.
If you love magic…
The Good Witch is another show from the Hallmark Channel, and it’s about a widow who moves to a small town to raise her daughter.
Is she a witch?
Or…not?
The town doesn’t know for sure, but the (handsome) local doctor doesn’t believe it.
And yet, he’s drawn to her anyway.
Of course!
Watch on Netflix.
If you love musicals…
Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist is one of my very favorite shows, and for so many reasons!
It’s about a young woman who undergoes a medical test and suddenly can hear people’s emotions as if they are singing them.
It’s incredible.
The singing!
The dance numbers!
And don’t forget the friendships and family dynamics that are real and hard and lovely.
But for our purposes here today, I assure you: Zoey finds herself in a love triangle, and you will be hard-pressed to decide which guy to root for!
Rent season one on Prime; watch season two on Hulu.
The soundtrack is exciting.
It doesn’t feature singing performances like Zoey’s does.
Instead, it has the characters lip-sync and dance to songs that kinda-sorta move the story forward.
That story is about how the lives of seemingly unconnected people in Los Angeles intersect over the years.
I loved the story, and some of those connections are undoubtedly romantic!
Head to art school with debut novelist Antonia Angress today. We discuss the inspiration for her debut novel, Sirens & Muses, which was a best debut of 2023.
If you have ever dreamed of attending art school, you will want to tune in to today’s discussion and fictional art book stack.
Today, we are joined by debut novelist Antonia Angress as she shares her inspiration for Sirens & Muses and how pursuing an MFA program allowed her the time and resources to finally pivot from a career in teaching to her dream of writing.
Angress shares the surprising discovery that her novel, set during the financial crisis of the 2010s, has been deeply meaningful for Gen Z readers as they also face their own uncertainty and disillusionment.
We also discuss how success in the art world is often influenced by class, making it inaccessible to marginalized groups, and what we can learn from adding characters from different wealth spectrums to her dialogue to showcase the scarcity of artistic resources for many students.
Patrons receive a printable version of today’s checklist as a thank you!
Meet Antonia Angress
Antonia Angress is the author of the novel Sirens & Muses, which was a finalist for the Minnesota Book Award and was named a Best Book of 2022 by Glamour, PopSugar, and Debutiful. She is a graduate of Brown University and received her MFA from the University of Minnesota, where she was a Winifred Fiction Fellow and a College of Liberal Arts Fellow.
Born in Los Angeles and raised in Costa Rica, she currently lives in Minneapolis with her family.
Let’s Head to Art School With These Amazing Books
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Mentioned in this episode:
Joining the Patreon community is an affordable way to support the show and gain access to a wealth of resources, including our monthly FULLY BOOKED buzzy new release show, exclusive author interviews, music playlists, and more!
