October 9, 2026
Books to Fall For
Who knew I wasn’t the only author who released a yellow book this spring in which the protagonist is masturbating within the first 50 pages! What a club! I feel lucky to join it. I loved this gem of a novel, for its empowered heroine, the dreamiest love interest ever, and such a smart and funny exploration of family, friendship, intergenerational trauma, and the inner workings of the publishing industry. The Book Tour, by Emily Ohanjanians, is the story of Ana, a Type A podcaster whose Armenian mother has never gotten over her dropping out of medical school, never mind that her podcast has brought her enormous success. And now she’s channelled her ethos (empowering second-generation immigrant young people to believe in themselves, delivering the validation their own parents have never been able to) into a book that’s sure to be a smash success. All good, except when her superstar publicist resigns, she’s replaced by the stiff and stuffy Ryan, whose lack of support for the book has always been apparent to Ana—she can tell that he thinks it’s a frivolous project and that Ana herself is an unserious person. But of course there is more to Ryan than meets the eye, and Ana’s book tour ends up being a sweet and sexy journey toward self-discovery and maybe even love. Like Ana herself, the novel packs a punch, and it’s also a pure delight.
And this autumnal bestseller by Julia McKay (aka Marissa Stapley) is my favourite yet of Marissa’s romances. Something About September is so cozy and comforting, and with apple pie spice and bookish vibes. Go read it!
