In this episode, we discuss The Love Haters by Katherine Center, a witty, heart-filled rom-com where a jaded producer meets her match in a real-life hero. We discuss the importance of self-love, sibling rivalries, and why George Bailey is a great name for a dog.

Links

• Official author website (https://katherinecenter.com/)
• The Love Haters on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/217387810-the-love-haters)
• Katherine Center on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/409113.Katherine_Center)

Chapters

• (00:46) - Intro
• (02:11) - Special announcement
• (02:57) - Book summary
• (04:06) - SPOILER ALERT!
• (04:40) - Kristy's review
• (06:03) - Jon's review
• (07:13) - Katie's inner dialogue
• (11:55) - Culture of appreciation
• (14:56) - Take me to Key West
• (17:37) - Lover hater yes or no?
• (19:12) - Humor levels
• (20:15) - Sibling rivalries
• (23:11) - Fake dating?
• (25:22) - A collective hallucination
• (27:53) - A realistic survival?
• (30:46) - George Bailey
• (31:54) - Discussing the author's note
• (34:41) - Recommendation

In this episode, we dive into Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry—a genre-bending story of rival writers, buried secrets, and one enigmatic woman at the center of it all. We unpack parental expectations, weird endings, and why being 5'7" is apparently a plot point.

Links

• Official author website (https://www.emilyhenrybooks.com/)
• Great Big Beautiful Life (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/218559595-great-big-beautiful-life)
• Emily Henry on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13905555.Emily_Henry)

Chapters

• (02:07) - Book summary
• (03:48) - SPOILER ALERT!
• (04:29) - Jon's review
• (05:41) - Kristy's review
• (08:46) - Genre mixing
• (11:05) - Crossing lines of love and work
• (14:09) - Parental expectations
• (17:09) - Margaret's story
• (19:58) - Media's impact on the soul
• (22:15) - The twist
• (24:27) - What would Jon have done?
• (27:32) - Margaret's decision
• (30:00) - Wanna be famous?!
• (31:34) - Three versions of a story
• (33:34) - Who Jon would tell-all on
• (36:19) - Final thoughts

In this week’s episode, we’re talking The Trade Off by Samantha Greene Woodruff—a sharp, fast-paced historical fiction set in 1920s New York. Join us as we dig into ambition, gender roles, market chaos, and what it means to be the smartest (and most ignored) person in the room.

Links

• Official author website (https://www.samanthawoodruff.com/)
• The Trade Off (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/207644520-the-trade-off)
• Samantha Greene Woodruff on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21418696.Samantha_Greene_Woodruff)

Chapters

• (00:46) - Skip intro
• (01:24) - A special guest?!
• (04:11) - Book summary
• (05:17) - SPOILER ALERT!
• (05:47) - Kristy's review
• (07:02) - Jon's review
• (09:29) - Impressions of Bea
• (11:50) - Shifting social status
• (14:30) - Bea & Sophie
• (16:44) - Henny & Millie
• (18:52) - Jake
• (22:59) - The Great Crash
• (25:13) - What if Jon was Bea?
• (27:27) - Trust & perseverance
• (29:49) - Oh, Nate
• (35:31) - Pauline
• (38:27) - Introducing our special guest!
• (48:05) - Interview debrief
• (48:33) - Recommendations