What to Read Next — Book Recommendations for Romance, Thrillers & Escape Reads cover art

What to Read Next — Book Recommendations for Romance, Thrillers & Escape Reads

What to Read Next — Book Recommendations for Romance, Thrillers & Escape Reads

By: Laura R Yamin
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You know you want to read. You just don't know what. What to Read Next is the podcast for readers who love romance, thrillers, and women's fiction — and spend more time staring at their TBR than actually reading it. I'm Laura, and twice a week I bring you book recommendations built around one thing: how you actually feel right now. Not what's new. Not what's trending. The right book for this exact mood, this exact moment, this exact week of your life. Some weeks that means asking an author what they read for joy — not what they wrote, but what they reach for when they need to escape. Their answer is always your next discovery. Some weeks it means me telling you exactly what I read, what stayed with me, what I DNF'd at 40% and why, and which one I'd press into your hands right now if we were having coffee. Romance across every subgenre. Psychological thrillers. Beach reads with actual substance. Women's fiction that makes you feel seen. The books that give you the escape you came for — and a few that'll quietly change how you see things too. New episodes every Monday and Wednesday. The Reading Receipt — my weekly reading log — drops every Thursday on Substack. Start anywhere. The right episode will find you.Copyright Laura R Yamin Art Literary History & Criticism Social Sciences
Episodes
  • YA Historical Fiction That Adults Need to Read Right Now with Karyn Parsons

    YA Historical Fiction That Adults Need to Read Right Now with Karyn Parsons
    Jun 8 2026
    This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.What happens when a beloved actress becomes a storyteller of forgotten Black history? Karyn Parsons — yes, the Hilary Banks from Fresh Prince of Bel-Air — joins us to talk about her powerful historical fiction for young readers, her nonprofit Sweet Blackberry, and why books like hers matter more in 2026 than ever.In this episode, we dig into Blue Beach, a YA murder mystery set on a segregated Black beach in 1929 that is equal parts page-turning thriller and gut-punch history lesson. We also talk about Clouds Over California, Karyn's middle grade novel set in the 1970s that reframes the story of the Black Panthers. Whether you're a longtime reader of YA or someone who thinks "that's not for me" — this conversation will change your mind. Adults: these books are absolutely for you.Plus: Karyn shares what she's been reading lately, including a deeply unsettling thriller about smell, murder, and obsession, a darkly funny book that involves... cannibalism (?!), and why Kindred by Octavia Butler is a required read for every human.📚 Books MentionedBlue Beach by Karyn Parsons — Buy on Amazon | YA Historical Fiction / Mystery | Set in 1929 on a segregated Black beach; a murder mystery with powerful themes of race, community, and colorismClouds Over California by Karyn Parsons — Buy on Amazon | Middle Grade Historical Fiction | 1970s California; reframes the Black Panthers through the eyes of a young Black girlPerfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Süskind — Buy on Amazon | Literary Thriller | A man with a preternatural sense of smell pursues an obsession with devastating consequences — dark, rich, and unforgettableKindred by Octavia Butler — Buy on Amazon | Speculative/Historical Fiction | A modern Black woman is pulled back in time to the antebellum South — a masterclass in writing and a required readA Certain Hunger by Chelsea G. Summers — Buy on Amazon | Dark Satire / Literary Fiction | A witty, darkly funny novel about a food critic with a very particular appetite — not for the faint of heart (cannibalism warning, delivered with humor)A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas — Buy on Amazon | Fantasy / Romantasy | Book 1 of the ACOTAR seriesA Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas — Buy on Amazon | Fantasy / Romantasy | Book 2 — where the series truly takes offPet Sematary by Stephen King — Buy on Amazon | Horror | A meditation on mortality and grief as much as a horror novel — deeply unsettlingFemme Feral by Sam Beckbessinger — Buy on Amazon | Horror / Dark Fiction | Female rage, perimenopause, and werewolves — Laura's current read⏱️ Timestamps[00:00] Welcome & intro — Karyn Parsons, aka Hilary Banks from Fresh Prince of Bel-Air[01:00] How Karyn became a historical fiction author and the origin of Sweet Blackberry nonprofit[04:00] Why she writes truthfully — empathy, history, and what literature can do[05:00] Blue Beach — the real story of Bruce's Beach that inspired the novel[07:00] Growing up in Santa Monica on a beach that had been segregated — and not knowing it[10:00] Elevator pitch for Blue Beach: the setup, the murder, the stakes[12:00] Colorism, community, and the paper bag test in the story[13:00] Clouds Over California — reframing the Black Panthers for middle grade readers[16:00] The parallels between the 1970s, Black Lives Matter, and today[18:00] Karyn's reading life: what she reaches for and why[19:00] Perfume: The Story of a Murderer — obsession, scent, and murder[22:00] Pet Sematary and revisiting Stephen King; Misery memory[24:00] Kindred by Octavia Butler — why it's a masterclass and a required read[27:00] A rec for A Court of Thorns and Roses and the ACOTAR series[28:00] Femme Feral — female rage, perimenopause, and horror as a new genre for Laura[29:00] A Certain Hunger — a darkly funny, very specific rec (you'll know when you hear it)[31:00] Where to find Karyn online and info about Sweet BlackberryJoin the ConversationSubscribe to our Substack for exclusive recommendations. (wtrnblog.substack.com)Follow & Subscribe: What to Read Next Blog | YouTube: What to Read NextSubscribe & leave a review!
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    32 mins
  • Game Set Match: The Tennis Romance You Need to Read with Jennifer Iacopelli

    Game Set Match: The Tennis Romance You Need to Read with Jennifer Iacopelli
    Jun 3 2026
    This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.If you've been sleeping on sports romance, this episode is your wake-up call. Tennis romance is officially having its moment in publishing — and the author who was writing it a decade before anyone else is finally getting her flowers.In this episode, Laura chats with Jennifer Iacopelli, author of Game Set Match and its sequel Wild Card — new adult tennis romances newly re-released through Little Brown's Requited imprint after Jennifer's YA novel Finding Her Edge was adapted into a Netflix series. They dig into Jennifer's 15-year publishing journey, the ensemble cast storytelling structure of the Game Set Match series, the road from canceled Olympics to Netflix, and why tennis provides the perfect natural force-proximity setup for romance. Plus, Jennifer shares her top sports romance recs (including a few you can grab right now) and a YA F1 romance that's coming in 2027 that you'll want to add to your TBR immediately.Perfect for fans of Challengers, sports romance, and anyone who loves a resilience arc — in fiction and in real life.📚 Books MentionedGame Set Match by Jennifer Iacopelli — Buy on Amazon | New Adult Romance / Sports Romance / Tennis | KU ✅ (backlist) | Audio ✅ (check availability)Wild Card by Jennifer Iacopelli — Buy on Amazon | New Adult Romance / Sports Romance / Tennis | (sequel to Game Set Match; releasing June 2026)Finding Her Edge by Jennifer Iacopelli — Buy on Amazon | YA Romance / Sports Fiction / Olympic Figure Skating | Now a Netflix series ✅Break the Fall by Jennifer Iacopelli — Buy on Amazon | YA Romance / Sports Fiction / Olympic Gymnastics | Audio ✅ (check availability)Thirty Love by Tom Vellner — Buy on Amazon | Adult Romance / Sports Romance / Tennis | MM Romance | (recently released)The Open Era by Edward Schmit — Buy on Amazon | Adult Romance / Sports Romance / Tennis | (recently released)The Fast Track by Angelica Chang — Buy on Amazon | YA Romance / Sports Fiction / F1 Racing | (releases summer 2026 — add to your TBR now!)The Someday Garden by Ashley Poston — Buy on Amazon | Adult Romance | Secret Garden vibes | (upcoming — release date June 2026)⏱️ Timestamps[00:00] Welcome & intro — Jennifer Iacopelli joins the show[00:45] Jennifer's background: YA and new adult sports romance author[01:30] Game Set Match debut in 2013 — the pre-BookTok era of publishing[02:30] How the 2008 financial crisis led Jennifer to write her debut novel[04:30] Publishing journey: aging the book down, small digital publishers, and a closed imprint[06:00] Break the Fall — writing in response to the USA Gymnastics scandal[07:30] The COVID Olympics cancellation and its impact on her publishing career[08:30] Finding Her Edge and the road to Netflix[10:00] Little Brown's Requited imprint and bringing Game Set Match back as new adult[11:30] Tennis romance having its moment — the publishing landscape then vs. now[13:00] The ensemble, serialized storytelling structure of the Game Set Match series[14:30] The tennis calendar as a natural force-proximity story engine[15:30] What's next: could a US Open book be coming?[16:00] Jennifer's involvement in the Finding Her Edge Netflix adaptation[19:00] Writer's room, ensemble TV storytelling, and the evolution of teen drama[21:30] The non-linear reality of publishing careers[23:00] The book format conversation: mass market paperbacks, special editions & reading culture[25:00] Book Recs: Thirty Love by Vellner— tennis rivalry MM romance[26:00] Book Recs: The Open Era by Edward Schmit — tennis romance[26:30] Book Recs: The Fast Track by Angelica Chang — YA F1 romance (2027)[27:30] Book Recs: The Someday Garden by Ashley Poston — Secret Garden vibes[29:00] The rise of women's sports and niche sports fandoms[31:00] Where to find Jennifer online[31:30] Wrap-upJoin the ConversationSubscribe to our Substack for exclusive recommendations. (wtrnblog.substack.com)Follow & Subscribe: What to Read Next Blog | YouTube: What to Read NextSubscribe & leave a review!
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    32 mins
  • A Debut Romance Set at the US Open You Need to Read | The Open Era by Edward Schmit

    A Debut Romance Set at the US Open You Need to Read | The Open Era by Edward Schmit
    Jun 1 2026

    This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

    What happens when the first openly gay man competes in a Grand Slam — and falls for his opponent across the net? Debut author Eddie Schmit joins the show to talk about The Open Era, his queer tennis romance that's equal parts heart-racing competition and sweet slow-burn love story.

    Eddie shares how a mental health journey led him to tennis, how tennis led him to a book deal with Penguin Random House, and why the US Open — right in his Queens backyard — became the perfect backdrop for a story about identity, anxiety, and falling in love at exactly the wrong time. We also dig into his reading list: the Andre Agassi memoir that gripped him from page one, a practical mental health survival guide, a quirky queer literary novel about a mountain lion in the LA hills, and a cozy paranormal romance that reads like a warm hug.

    📚 Books Mentioned

    The Open Era by Edward Schmit — Buy on Amazon | Queer Romance / Sports Romance | Audio ✅

    Open by Andre Agassi — Buy on Amazon | Memoir / Sports Nonfiction | Audio ✅

    Where to Start by Mental Health America, illus. Gemma Carrell — Buy on Amazon | Nonfiction / Mental Health | Young Adult crossover; also available in Spanish

    The Inner Game of Tennis by W. Timothy Gallwey — Buy on Amazon | Nonfiction / Sports Psychology | 50th Anniversary Edition | Audio ✅

    Dearly Departed by Chip Pons — Buy on Amazon | Queer Paranormal Romance / Mythology Romance

    Open Throat by Henry Hoke — Buy on Amazon | Queer Literary Fiction | Short / great for gifting | Audio ✅

    ⏱️ Timestamps

    [00:00] Welcome & introducing Eddie Schmit

    [00:30] Eddie's background: acting, PR, and New York City life

    [02:00] Finding tennis as a mental health tool

    [04:30] How tennis became a full personality — and a book

    [06:00] The Open Era: plot, characters & what makes it special

    [08:00] Anxiety, masking, and representing mental health realistically in fiction

    [10:00] The messy, non-linear journey of managing anxiety

    [12:00] How Eddie ended up writing romance

    [14:30] Why romance is the perfect genre for character arcs and high stakes

    [16:00] Nonfiction rec: Open by Andre Agassi

    [18:30] Nonfiction rec: Where to Start by Mental Health America

    [20:30] Nonfiction rec: The Inner Game of Tennis by W. Timothy Gallwey

    [23:30] Fiction rec: Dearly Departed by Chip Pons

    [24:30] Fiction rec: Open Throat by Henry Hoke

    [25:30] Where to find Eddie + The Open Era release date

    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!
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    26 mins
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