Hi hi hello! It’s June, somehow, which means Hazel is 5 months old (my sweet Princess Noodle!), Florida is very thunderstormy and moody, and, crucially, YES, CHEF comes out next month. Honestly, I have no idea how that happened; the first half of the year has been racing along at a pace I’m finding rather alarming. But! I hope you’re getting excited for summer, especially the Hot Chef Summer coming our way:
Every month has something fun and chef-y going on! It’s a dream for people like me, who ate really good sweet corn last night and is still thinking about it. (God, I love summer produce.) I’m going to pretend that the teams behind The Bear and Tony planned everything around July just for me ;)
*If you’re not familiar with Anthony Bourdain, he was a fantastic chef and really fucking cool person, and his book Kitchen Confidential inspired a lot of Jack’s story. If you’re into documentary television, check out No Reservations—one of best travel/food shows out there.
Now, that aside, I have a confession: I’m getting so tired of talking about my own book.
Not that I don’t love it! Not that I’m not super excited about it and can’t wait for you to read it! Not that I don’t think it’s the best thing I’ve written so far! All of that is true. Also true is that it’s exhausting to talk about the same thing over and over again, especially when I’m at the point in revising a different book where my brain is mush.
SO.
The rest of this newsletter is me rambling about some of the art I’ve been enjoying lately. Spoiler alert: I’m having a love affair with Apple TV. YES, CHEF stuff—including a fun link to it being read now (!!) on Netgalley today only, if you’re still hoping to read it early—below!
I’ve been reading less than I’d prefer right now, but that’s generally what happens when revising has me in a chokehold. However! I do have a few recommendations for you:
Chase Me if You Can by Heather Frances, out June 23rd
This gave me the romance I craved from Twisters! It’s such a fun, sexy, deep debut. I love learning something new when I read, which is probably why I love STEM romance despite being someone who dreaded math and science in school. Heather is an actual storm chaser (AKA a complete and total badass) and all her knowledge absolutely comes through in this book!
The Rebel Seeks a Wife by Sophia Travers, out now!
Sophia is one of the loves of my life (she has graciously put up with many, many writing breakdowns of mine) and her new book is out TODAY!!! It’s her take on friends to lovers, which means it’s deliciously fraught and full of drama. He needs a wife for Reasons and she’s his bodyguard and need I say more?! Yum. Do yourself a favor and start the month off right with this.
By the Bootstraps by Alexa Martin - out now!
Alexa Martin is one of my favorite authors, and her newest release—her take on cowboy romance—is, as always, absolute perfection. Her books are like warm, funny hugs, and I always end up reading them in basically one sitting. Treat yourself to this one, and then join us to chat about BtB and YC in Salt Lake next month! (More deets below.)
Apple TV has really been bringing the content lately. I’m watching season 2 of Your Friends & Neighbors, just finished Margo’s Got Money Troubles, and started Widow’s Bay last night.
Your Friends & Neighbors falls under the “rich people do bad things” category, which is one of my favorites (especially onscreen, when you can see the wealth—this show does a fantastic job of it). The first season was zany and a bit dark and also quite contained—I had no idea how they were going to pull off another season, but they’ve managed to create something that is really, really delicious. Honestly, it’s best to go into it without much info and just let it unfold. Jon Hamm, as always, is excellent.
Margo’s Got Money Troubles got me in the feels. Oh my god. I LOVED it. I haven’t read the book, but I will be remedying that in the near future. The cast is fantastic, the writing is so delicious, and the topics it delves into—everything from sex work to motherhood—are handled in such nuanced way. Also, as someone who likes all that weird alien shit, I appreciate Margo’s art. I cried a lot, which doesn’t mean much considering I cry at everything, but still! I got emotional! I wanted to punch the guy who got Margo pregnant (not a spoiler, it’s the premise of the show) in the mouth! I can’t wait for season 2! Do yourself a favor and watch this ASAP.
Widow’s Bay I just started, and so far, it’s the right blend of humor and horror to keep even a scaredy cat like me watching. (People who like horror, explain it to me? Why do I want to relax by watching something that might make me pee my pants and not want to look into mirrors for days?) Matthew Rhys is one of my favorite actors (if you haven’t watched The Americans yet, turn that on immediately), and the atmosphere is like, workplace comedy meets a Stephen King novel? In the most delicious way? Basically, he plays the mayor of a New England island town that is super creepy and possibly cursed—but he just wants to revive things with an influx of tourism. Cue a delicious mix of dread and humor.
If you’ve been wanting to read YES, CHEF early, now’s your chance! Avon has made it “read now” on Netgalley US for today only! Download it here:
If you’re looking to preorder, consider getting it signed from one of the following lovely indie bookstores! You’ll get art prints, too!
🍊 Book Lovers Bookshop (UK only)
And, in case you missed it, I’m hitting the road this July to talk all things hot chefs and romance! Come hang out with me and author friends next month at the following amazing indie bookstores:
Tickets are getting low at some stops, so if you’re interested in attending, snag yours today! Check out all the deets here:
Grateful as always for your support! xx Here’s the Hazel tax. Look how big she’s getting! ☀️
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