For every difficult, confusing, lonely experience in life... there's a memoir for that!

This week on the podcast, we have our last bonus episode of the year! And our last movie deep dive bonus episode... forever? I enjoy doing them so much, but I'm changing up the Bonus Episode format next year so yes... maybe forever.

We're diving into The Holiday! The 2006 cozy rom com starring Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, Jude Law and Jack Black. And I truly loooooove me a good romcom, but I do tend to be a bit picky. I hate romances that overutilize the miscommunication trope. The writing needs to be witty and the story have some unpredictable or at least, fun, moments to break out the monotony of the formula we all know.

Here are my star reviews (on a scale of 1-5) for the romances I read this year!

A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna - 5 stars
- is this one technically a romance, as much as it's also a coming of age story? I don't care, I LOVED it and wanted to share it lol

Cover Story by Mhairi McFarlane - 5 stars
- Mhairi can do no wrong. Her characters are smart, the writing is sharp. Love love love

It's a Love Story - Annabel Monaghan - 5 stars
- simply adored, plus I'm a sucker for anything set in the entertainment industry

The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren - 5 stars
- LOVED! A fun, sexy read

An Ancient Witch's Guide to Modern Dating - 4.5 stars
- this was soooo close to a 5 star read and actually surprised me with how much I adored it, but a few cheesy lines kept it from being perfect

Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan - 4 stars
- cute story, super likeable FMC, but wasn't quite a five star read

If It Makes You Happy by Julie Olivia - 4 stars
- a little too "Hallmarky", but still really enjoyable and I loved the cozy fall vibe

Say You'll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez - 4 stars
- I love Abby Jiminez, I do, but I read romances to escape a little bit, and I think she went too far with the sad on this one

When in Rome by Sarah Adams - 4 stars
- This story was lovely and I liked both MCs

Beg, Borrow, or Steal by Sarah Adams - 4 stars
- This Sarah Adams was a bit better, but some of her lines make me roll my eyes. Do people really think/talk/behave like that?

The Rule Book by Sarah Adams - 3 stars
- Parts were cute, parts were not my jam

The Off Limits Rule by Sarah Adams - 3 stars
- the FMC was... okay, a little immature

Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Adams - 3 stars
- the FMC's self doubt got super old real quick

The Strawberry Patch Pancake House by Laurie Gilmore - 3 stars
- this book series is super cheesy, but still enjoyable. The MMC wasn't my favorite

The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris by Evie Woods - 3 stars
- this book was simultaneously lovely and disappointing. The writing was mostly meh but, little lines of genius shone through

Dating You/Hating You by Christina Lauren - 3 stars
- I liked the chemistry of the main characters, but the story dragged for me and I found myself skimming pages to get through it

What was your favorite romance read this year? I'm always looking for a new author with a loooong backlist ;)

Does love need words? 

I sit down with anthropologist and author, Danilyn Rutherford, to explore Beautiful Mystery, her memoir about raising Millie, a luminous daughter who communicates beyond speech, and the radical shift that happens when language stops being the measure of a life.

We trace her craft journey and discuss how Danilyn brings an anthropologist’s eye to family life, reckoning with the field’s history around eugenics and capacity while arguing for a social definition of personhood: we are human because we hold one another up. We are human, simply, because we are. That lens reframes speech therapy from “fixing” to curiosity. The result is a powerful invitation to meet people where they are and to see communication as more than words.
 
The conversation also moves through sudden loss-- Danilyn’s husband Craig died when their children were six and three-- and the quiet, practical ways grief reshapes a home. From there we widen the lens to advocacy: why caregiver wages, Medicaid access, and immigrant labor are the backbone of a functioning care system; how austerity and border crackdowns make families more fragile; and why investing in communication access is a justice issue. 
 
Press play for an intimate conversation about parenting, grief, ethics, and the politics of care. If the episode resonates, share it with a friend, subscribe for more women’s memoirs, and leave a review with the moment that shifted your view of communication.

Listen on Apple Podcasts here!
Listen on Spotify here!

Xx, Alex