In this episode of Complicated Conversations we welcome Marissa Stapley, the author of New York Times bestseller and Reese’s Book Club pick Lucky, to discuss her new novel, The Lightning Bottles, a story about grunge-era musician Jane Pyre’s journey to find out what really happened to her husband and partner in music, who abruptly disappeared years earlier. We chat with Marissa about the personal and musical inspirations behind this novel (which she calls the “book of her heart”); her exploration of themes around fame, female representation in music, and the complexities of public perception; the significance of art and mystery in storytelling; the impact of mid-career success;  the role of astrology in character development and our shared interest in tarot; and the enduring influence of Khalil Gibran's The Prophet (which she hopes everyone will read again or for the first time!). We felt deeply connected to Marissa in this conversation - listen now to hear! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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On today’s Complicated Conversation, we are thrilled to welcome back New York Times bestselling author, Karin Slaughter. Karin is one of the world's most popular and acclaimed storytellers, as well as one of the funniest and most entertaining interviewees! She talks with us about her new novel, This Is Why We Lied, Book 12 in the acclaimed Will Trent series, which is a locked room mystery set at a secluded lodge resort during Will and Sarah’s honeymoon. We chat with Karin about the series, the TV adaptation on ABC, and how Will Trent always lives in her brain (even when writing her other stand alone novels); the exploration of intergenerational trauma in the novel and the importance of humanizing victims and challenging societal judgments; why she wanted to explore the themes of truth and lies; the enduring appeal of a locked room mystery; her role in the adaptations of her novels and the ways she continues to challenge herself professionally (which blew us away!). This Is Why We Lied is out now! Buy it, read it, share it, and listen to our spoiler-free chat wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode, we have a lot to catch up on! With the release of Taylor Swift’s version of 1989 we’re wondering why no one ships Taylor Swift and Harry Styles? We covered Fingernails recently, a movie now streaming on AppleTV, and we still can’t stop thinking about what it means to say love is a choice. Carinn is celebrating and sharing the small, but amazing, moments of her publishing journey with us (blurbs from her fellow authors and idols, oh my!). We are also reading of course! Mentioned in this episode: Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra A Novel Obsession by Caitlin Barasch I'm Not Done With You Yet by Jesse Q Sutanto Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle Love, Me by Jessica Saunders Please do us a favor and rate us five stars on Spotify and Apple Podcasts! (if we're not five stars to you, skip it) Follow @popfictionwomen on Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fingernails: A (mostly spoiler-free) discussion about love & relationships. We clearly note the spoilers before we say them in the audio. Listen and chime in!! Please do us a favor and rate us five stars on Spotify and Apple Podcasts! (if we're not five stars to you, skip it) Follow @popfictionwomen on Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Complicated Conversations we welcome Ali Rosen. Ali is the Emmy- and James Beard Award–nominated host of Potluck with Ali Rosen on NYC Life as well as the author of cookbooks, but we chat with her about her fiction debut, Recipe for Second Chances, a story about the ones that got away reuniting at a big Italian wedding.  Ali talks to us about creating her protagonist Stella and the personal journey of growth she wanted to take her on; why she wanted to explore whether you can get a second chance at first love; how she herself contains multitudes (cookbook author, tv host, writer and now romcom author!); her love of Italy and cooking and how she folded those passions into her novel; and how her hair perfectly fits her astrological sign! Recipe for Second Chances it out now and it’s a delicious blend of romance and friendship with the gorgeous backdrop of the Italian countryside. Buy it, read it, share it, and listen to our spoiler free episode with @ali_rosen wherever you get your podcasts! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Please do us a favor and rate us five stars on Spotify and Apple Podcasts! (if we're not five stars to you, skip it) Follow @popfictionwomen on Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Complicated Conversations we welcome Emma Noyes to discuss her adult debut, Guy's Girl, a fevered-dream of a read about true love, self-love, and growing up. Born from her own struggles with disordered eating and reeling from a breakup, Emma shares how she wrote the book she wished she could read during her own pain and recovery. We discuss her development of her protagonist Ginny and where the lines of fact and fiction blur; what it means to be a “guy's girl” and our relationship to femininity; why she wanted to explore an emotionally unavailable male character; manipulation disguised as love; writing her own happily ever after into existence; and how control and vulnerability don’t necessarily mix.  Guy's Girl is out now! Buy it, read it, share it, and listen to our spoiler-free chat wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s Complicated Conversation we welcome Karma Brown to discuss her new novel, What Wild Women Do, a dual timeline story about an aspiring contemporary screenwriter, a 1970s socialite-turned-feminist, and the camp in the woods that ties their stories together forever. Part mystery, part ode to female solidarity and strength, What Wild Women Do explores ambition, betrayal, and the wildness that exists in all of us. We chat with Karma about what she learned about herself from creating the women of this novel; how she has come to hold things gently and trust herself; the various interactions of this novel; Karms’a own “wild” and adventurous childhood; her practice of writing letters to her future self (we’re sooo going to do this!); and our shared fascination with crows and inspiration from Rick Rubin! What Wild Women Do is out now! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to Book Talk, where we discuss the road to publication -- the good, the bad and the fun! Today we decode the clues found in The Astrology House cover reveal reel.  Preorder The Astrology House: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Astrology-House/Carinn-Jade/9781668045961     See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Please do us a favor and rate us five stars on Spotify and Apple Podcasts! (if we're not five stars to you, skip it) Follow @popfictionwomen on Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Please do us a favor and rate us five stars on Spotify and Apple Podcasts! (if we're not five stars to you, skip it) Follow @popfictionwomen on Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SPOILERS. Do not listen unless you have watched Fair Play on Netflix. On this one we've summoned the courage to wade into the REALLY hard conversations.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Complicated Conversations, we welcome back Rachel Koller Croft to discuss her new novel, We Love the Nightlife, a book that follows two best friends who open a nightclub in London, and also happen to be vampires. We chat with Rachel about how vampires never go out of style; how the disco dancing queen era of the 70s is the epitome of glamor and why she wanted to incorporate this party girl era into her novel; the challenges of writing dual timelines and alternating points of view; the complexities of female friendship; and her personal inspirations (Michael Jordan and Judy Blume, yep you read that right!). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode of Complicated Conversations, we welcome Audrey Bellezza and Emily Harding to discuss Emma of 83rd Street, their modern retelling of the Jane Austen classic, Emma. We chat with Audrey and Emily about the fresh perspective they brought to this perennial favorite; Emma as the OG “unlikeable female protagonist” and the nuance they infused into her character; how George Knightly acts as Emma’s mirror; sisterhood and female friendship; and their path to publication. Emma of 83rd Street is out now! Buy it, read it, share it, and listen to our spoiler-free chat wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listen to Bad Influencers here: https://link.chtbl.com/LdLb8v6u Please do us a favor and rate us five stars on Spotify and Apple Podcasts! (if we're not five stars to you, skip it) Follow @popfictionwomen on Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Complicated Conversations we welcome Ashley Winstead, the critically acclaimed author of In My Dreams I Hold A Knife and The Last Housewife, to discuss her new novel, Midnight Is The Darkest Hour. Her latest is a gothic Southern thriller about a killer haunting a small Louisiana town, where two outcasts—the preacher's daughter and the boy from the wrong side of the tracks—hold the key to uncovering the truth. We had an incredible conversation with Ashley about how her thrillers are an excavation into her past, this time an exploration of intoxicating teenage first love. We chat about the Twilight series and how Bella and Edwaed inspired the relationship between Ruth and Everett; how she gave herself the permission and freedom to tell the story how she wanted to tell it; the power of teenage girls; transformation and transcendence; hunger and ambition; and how the duality inherent in her astrological sign comes out in everything she does.  Midnight Is The Darkest Hour is out now! Buy it, read it, share it! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The fourth and final part of our series about how to pivot from lawyering to writing is out now and we’re once again joined by New York Times bestselling author, Christie Tate! In this episode we dive deep into the existential crisis of identity. We discuss the progression of how you self-identify and how much of it is tied up in societal expectations. When do you call yourself a “writer”? And how do you transition from a career in the law with a clear track and objective metrics to a career in writing, which is rife with uncertainty? So many questions!   Listen now to our new installment! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The statistical probability that you'll love Netflix's new rom-com, Love at First Sight, is off the charts! Based on Jennifer E. Smith's 2011 novel, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, directed by Vanessa Caswill and adapted for the screen by Katie Lovejoy, Love at First Sight tells the story of Hadley and Oliver, a couple who fall in love on their flight to London, but lose each other at customs. Surrounded by chaos, the odds of them finding each other again are slim to none...that is, until fate intervenes. Love At First Sight is a return to romcoms at their finest…amazing chemistry between Haley Lu Richardson and Ben Hardy + instantly iconic scenes + an incredible screenplay + a killer soundtrack = romcom gold! Stream this immediately then listen to our recap wherever you get your podcasts! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode three of our four-part series about how to pivot from lawyering to writing is out now and we’re thrilled to be joined by New York Times bestselling author, Christie Tate! This episode is the practical, logistical, “how to” episode about transitioning from lawyer to writer.  How do you go from the dream to the reality when time is finite? Should you take a writing class or attend a writing retreat? What craft books should you read? We’ve got all the tips for you. And are here to remind you that all the tools are already in you! Listen now to our new installment now! Workshops/Writing Retreats mention in the episode: Grub Street Curtis Brown Corporeal Writing The Story Studio  Lighthouse Writers Workshop  Hugo House  The Shipman Agency Sackett Street Writers Northern California Writers Retreat Yale Writers Workshop Books: The Creative Habit, Twyla Sharpe The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron Art and Fear, David Bayles and Ted Orland From Where You Dream, Robert Butler The Creative Act: A Way of Bring, Rick Rubin Consider This, Chuck Palahniuk The Last Draft, Sandra Scofield  Still Writing, Dani Shapiro Lisa Chron books On Writing Well, William Zinsser The Anatomy of Story, John Truby The War of Art, Steven Pressfield See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Complicated Conversations we are thrilled to welcome back one of our favorites, Jessica Knoll! Jessica is the New York Times best-selling author of The Favorite Sister and Luckiest Girl Alive, which she adapted and executive produced for the screen. Jessica’s highly-anticipated new novel, Bright Young Woman, is a fictional reimagining of the final murderous spree of our country’s most famous serial killer.  We chat with Jessica about how this book is the result of a “rage epiphany” and proposes a new narrative – that the so-called brilliant and charismatic man behind these acts was actually incredibly average – and that it was the women whose lives were cut short who were the exceptional ones. Jessica discusses the bright young women of her novel – which one helped her work through issues within herself; how these women leaned on each other and saved one another; the ways in which victims are always blamed; and how important it was for her to make clear that women were never fooled by this man. We also talk about grief and finding purpose from loss. We couldn’t let Jessica go without also covering some Bravo content too! Bright Young Women is out now and it’s amazing! Buy it, read it, share it, and listen to our spoiler-free chat with Jessica wherever you get your podcasts.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode two of our new four-part series about how to pivot from lawyering to writing is out now! Feel like you don’t have time to write? Make time to read. Start there. Listen as we discuss how reading is a gateway into writing, our own reading origin stories, how our reading journeys have evolved over time, and how getting to know yourself as a reader can help you get to know yourself as a writer.   Please do us a favor and rate us five stars on Spotify and Apple Podcasts! (if we're not five stars to you, skip it) Follow @popfictionwomen on Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Please do us a favor and rate us five stars on Spotify and Apple Podcasts! (if we're not five stars to you, skip it) Follow @popfictionwomen on Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we launch episode one of our new four-part series about how to pivot from lawyering to writing (or from whatever you’re doing!). We have interviewed so many lawyers who have become authors in our Complicated Conversations and it is clear that there is no one way, no one path to transitioning. On this episode, listen to hear our own origin stories with the law and our legal careers. How did we get here? Did we always want to be lawyers? And how did we find the drama, the cast of characters and the stories we loved from novels in our respective legal practices.  Please do us a favor and rate us five stars on Spotify and Apple Podcasts! (if we're not five stars to you, skip it) Follow @popfictionwomen on Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s time for another Sidebar conversation – a cheeky reference to the fact that we’re both lawyers and love to have conversations incidental to our main topics and episodes – where we let you in on our lives and what we’re obsessing over in pop culture. In today’s episode - the last one of Leo season for Kate and the last one from LA for Carinn - we discuss live events (music and authors!), what makes us liars, summer bucket lists, movies and TV, former President Obama’s summer reading and playlist, and finally, the current state of reality TV shows. Listen to hear Carinn lament the offerings this summer and please watch Kate’s (always) clueless, yet intrigued, facial expressions in response!  The PFW Sidebar is now in session! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Please do us a favor and rate us five stars on Spotify and Apple Podcasts! (if we're not five stars to you, skip it) Follow @popfictionwomen on Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Complicated Conversations we welcome six-time New York Times best selling author Denene Millner to discuss her new novel, One Blood, a sprawling multigenerational story of three women connected by adoption, secrets, love and hope.  Inspired by her own adoption story, One Blood beautifully explores the complexity of a mother’s love – whether it be the woman who carries a child, the one who gives the child away, or the one who raises and holds the child through-out life.  The novel asks what does blood mean? Do you have to carry someone’s blood in your body to be family or can family be chosen and created? We chat with Denene about these themes; about the divine power of women to give life, to heal, to see and intuit; and the ways we can not just break cycles of trauma, but build something more beautiful in its place.  There are a lot of tears in this interview – the healing kind. Denene reminds us to find moments of love and recognize those moments when they present themselves and just thinking about this book and our chat may make us cry all over again! One Blood is out now. Buy it, read it, share it, and listen to our spoiler-free chat with Denene wherever you get your podcasts!  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Complicated Conversations, we welcome Nina Simon to discuss her debut novel, Mother-Daughter Murder Night, a family drama involving three generations of women and a murder mystery. Think: Gilmore Girls, but with murder. Our conversation with Nina was like a therapy session for us (massive compliment). We discussed so many deep questions: what does it mean to be a strong woman? Are there different ways to be strong? Can interdependence and care be seen as strength? Can an imperfect family be a source of love and hope? What does it look like when you have a group of women who are alphas and how can they negotiate how to work together (helloo team sports)? How do you build a new professional identity and shed an old one? This book has such a personal inspiration behind it, providing a comforting escape for Nina and her mother who was diagnosed with cancer, and it will be a joy to all of you! Nina had “the audacity to create something out of nothing” and we all get to reap the rewards. Mother-Daughter Murder Night is out now! Buy it, read it, share it, and listen to our spoiler-free chat with Nina wherever you get your podcasts! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s Complicated Conversation, we welcome internationally bestselling author  Lucy Clarke to discuss The Hike, her propulsive new thriller about four women who go on a hiking trip into the Norwegian wilderness — but not all of them will return. We chat with Lucy about her development of the complex women at the heart of this story, their individual struggles and their very real and sometimes messy friendship. We also loved hearing about how Lucy has managed to bring together her two passions — writing and travel — in her bestselling destination thrillers and what her explorations have taught her about herself. Lucy has been dubbed an adaptation sensation so of course we discussed what it’s like for her to see her stories have a second life on the screen. The Hike is out now in the US! But it, read it, share it, and listen to our spoiler-free chat with Lucy wherever you get your podcasts! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Complicated Conversations, we welcome Alice Feeney –  a New York Times million-copy bestselling author – to discuss her new novel, Good Bad Girl. Known as the “queen of twists,” Feeney’s novel is another thrilling mystery filled with drama, her trademark surprises, and complex female characters.  A book dedicated to “daughters of mothers of daughters” and set on Mother’s Day, Good Bad Girl allowed us to dig deep with Alice about daughterhood and the range of emotions that evokes for her characters (and us!). We also chat about nuance in character development – how “sometimes bad things happen to good people, so good people have to do bad things”; the symbolism of ladybugs in the novel; her writing process; and the serendipitous way in which Alice helped Carinn continue with her own writing! Good Bad Girl is out now. Buy it, read it, share it, and listen to our spoiler-free interview with the incredible Alice Feeney wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're publishing our favorite interview with Caitlin of the Don't Talk To Me podcast from Summer 2022. Caitlin gets us to open up about our lives beyond the podcast, our creative endeavors (the first time Carinn spoke publicly about The Astrology House, long before she had an agent or publishing contract!), and our shared love of Taylor Swift and Sally Rooney.Music by Lesfm via Pixabay. Learn more and find out how you can be on the show at donttalktomepod.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Please do us a favor and rate us five stars on Spotify and Apple Podcasts! (if we're not five stars to you, skip it) Follow @popfictionwomen on Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Please do us a favor and rate us five stars on Spotify and Apple Podcasts! (if we're not five stars to you, skip it) Follow @popfictionwomen on Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Complicated Conversations we welcome Pernille Hughes to discuss Ten Years, her haters to lovers romance novel about how two people are brought together to complete the bucket list of their recently deceased loved one. We chat with Pernille about her main characters and the ways grief affects them and their personal growth; whether you can have more than one True Love; the freedom to write characters who push each other's buttons; fate vs free will and conspiring with the Universe. We also talk about creating the birthday you want, astrology and how her beliefs on it are impacted by having two very different identical twin children - so fun! Ten Years is out now in paperback in the US. Buy it, read it, and share it! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Complicated Conversations we welcome Emily Habeck to discuss her stunning debut, Shark Heart, a love story that begins with newlyweds Wren and her husband, Lewis—a man who, over the course of nine months, transforms into a great white shark. This is a truly original and lyrical novel unlike anything we’ve ever read that explores grief, metamorphosis, intergenerational trauma, motherhood, loneliness and how we create a meaningful life. Our conversation with Emily is just as beautiful, unique and interesting thanks to her thoughtfulness and generosity.  Shark Heart is out now and it’s been selected as #1 on the Indie Next list for August and is a Book Of The Month pick too - believe the hype! Buy it, read it, share it, and listen to our spoiler-free chat with Emily wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Complicated Conversations we welcome back Laurie Elizabeth Flynn to discuss ‘Till Death Do Us Part, her new thriller set in the vineyards of Napa Valley that asks: what happens when the husband you thought died years ago shows up alive? We chat with Laurie about her inspiration for the characters, the challenges of writing her second adult novel, how the use of dual timelines in her books allows her to explore the ways in which the past informs the present, the themes of motherhood and marriage in this novel and the recurring themes that emerge in her work, such as secrets, lies, grief, and second chances. ‘Till Death Do Us Part is out now and it’s an absolute page-turner! Buy it, read it, share it, and listen to our spoiler-free chat with Laurie wherever you get your podcasts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Please do us a favor and rate us five stars on Spotify and Apple Podcasts! (if we're not five stars to you, skip it) Follow @popfictionwomen on Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Complicated Conversations we welcome Shari Lapena, the #1 internationally bestselling author of seven suspense novels, to discuss her newest (and we think her best!), Everyone Here Is Lying.  We chat with Shari about the the initial inspiration for this story; the complicated mothers at the heart of this novel, as well that the larger cast of layered female characters; the ways secrets don’t stay secret for long when an investigation for a missing little girl in a small town gets underway; her writing process and the way her “fluid” relationship with her subconscious helps her creative process.   Everyone Is Lying Is Out now and it's a true page-turner! Buy it, read it, share it, and listen to our spoiler-free discussion with Shari wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Friday preview on a Tuesday? It must be summer when we have no idea what day it is. Roll with it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s Complicated Conversation we are joined by Emma Rosenblum to discuss here frothy beach read murder mystery, Bad Summer People. The novel is set on Fire Island, opens with a dead body, and follows rich people all behaving badly. We chat with Emma about the importance of her island setting; the dark and funny inspiration she took from shows like Succession and White Lotus; the non-judgemental way she approached her characters; how she nailed the competitive nature of recreational womens’ tennis; the ways being driven has served us; writing from multiple points of view; and Emma’s path to publication and how Covid allowed her the time to make this book a reality. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Complicated Conversations, we welcome back New York Times bestselling author Chandler Baker to discuss her new novel Cutting Teeth, a witty, thrilling story of parental love that asks: is there anything a mother won’t do for her children? We chat with Chandler about where the idea for baby vampires came from; the very relatable personal quests her female protagonists go on to reclaim aspects of their identities subsumed by motherhood; how her books make the modern woman feel so seen; and why writing is the one thing she is willing to fail at.  Cutting Teeth is out now! Buy it, read it, share it, and listen to our interview with Chandler wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Complicated Conversations we welcome back Annabel Monaghan to discuss her new novel, Same Time Next Summer, a perfect and nostalgic summer read about first love and rediscovering your authentic self. Listen now to hear why we are yet again comparing Annabel’s lead to Erica Barry in Something’s Gotta Give; the ways heartbreak shapes identity; the connection between first love, music and memories; fate vs free will and the ways we all lie to ourselves. Same Time Next Summer is out now and should be in all your summer beach bags! Buy it, read it, share it, and listen to our interview with Annabel wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Complicated Conversations, we welcome Elizabeth L. Silver to discuss her new novel, The Majority, a story of love and friendship, motherhood and ambition, and one woman’s fight to be a Supreme Court justice.  This conversation was right up our alley - three lawyers discussing how women make up the majority of the population by the minority in power, why she wanted to tell the “intimate” and untold story of a very public and powerful female figure; her very personal family Holocaust history that inspired part of this story; intersectional feminism and female friendship; the fraught nature of mothers and daughters; and how Elizabeth toggled between her identities as a lawyer and a writer. The Majority is out now. Buy it, read it, share it and listen to our spoiler-free interview wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’ve been so excited for the Netlfix adaptation of Tia Williams' novel, The Perfect Find, and it did not disappoint! Listen now to our recap of this spicy, steamy, messy, perfectly cast romcom starring Gabrielle Union. Directed by Numa Perrier and written by Leigh Davenport, The Perfect Find feels like a throwback to some of our favorite romcoms of all time (helloooo Boomerang, we’re looking at you) while also feeling modern and original. Please do us a favor and rate us five stars on Spotify and Apple Podcasts! (if we're not five stars to you, skip it) Follow @popfictionwomen on Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode of Complicated Conversations, we welcome Sarah Mandel, a psychologist, wife, and mother who chronicles her extraordinary journey with cancer while pregnant with her second baby in her debut memoir, Little Earthquakes.  Sarah is a true light in this world. Please listen to this conversation and read her memoir if you want to be moved, if you want to understand what healing can look like, and if you need a reminder of how to seek out hope in the most difficult of times. We were so inspired by Sarah and we know you will be too! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's been a minute and we're having a love/hate transition into summer. We're reaching back into the well for your favorite Riley Sager and/or Ruth Ware novels, we're in the mood for romance with Same Time Next Summer and The Perfect Find adaptation, and Kate's looking forward to the new Kelly Clarkson album while Carinn was surprised to hear that there's anything to listen to besides Taylor Swift. Happy Friday! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s time for another Sidebar conversation – a cheeky reference to the fact that we’re both lawyers and love to have conversations incidental to our main topics and episodes – where we let you in on our lives and what we’re obsessing over in pop culture. In today’s episode, Kate’s high school reunion weekend leads to a discussion of being seen vs bearing witness and extroverts vs introverts; what interviews with Karin Slaughter and Laura Dave taught us about late-career breakthroughs; Maren Morris’ newly released EP following her divorce and, yes, that OTHER divorce news (could this really be our last Sidebar discussing Bennifer 2.0 and what went wrong!?). All Rise! The PFW Sidebar is now in session! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Complicated Conversations, we welcome Amelia Possanza. Amelia is a full-time book publicist and part-time writer, currently living in Brooklyn with her cat. Her work has appeared in The Washington Post, BuzzFeed, Electric Literature, The Millions, and NPR’s Invisibilia. Her first book, Lesbian Love Story, is out now -- borrow it, buy it, read it and discuss -- but first listen to our spoiler-free conversation about this memoir in archives.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Complicated Conversations we are joined by bestselling author Lucy Vine to discuss her delightful new romcom, Seven Exes, about a woman who decides to revisit each of her seven exes, convinced that “the one who got away” is somewhere in the reject pile.  Kate chats with Lucy about the lifelong fascination that inspired this novel; her complicated but highly relatable protagonist, Esther; the way the movie Jerry Maguire sold women a total line about what we really need to be “complete”; how nostalgia can be a tricky fool; the importance of female friendship; whether there is such a thing as “the One”; and the ways Lucy’s recent marriage resembles a real life romcom.  Seven Exes is out now! Buy it, borrow it, read it, and discuss it today! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Complicated Conversations, we chat with Jenny Xie, a National Book Foundation “5 Under 35” honoree about her debut novel, Holding Pattern, a hopeful novel about immigration and belonging, mother-daughter relationships, and the many ways we learn to hold each other. We talk to Jenny about her protagonist, Kathleen, who is down on her luck and living back him with her mother; the ways the novel subverts traditional mother-daughter roles; how art imitated life and what Jenny’s experience as a professional cuddler taught her about intimacy and physical touch; how to get out of your head and into your body; the ways we can disappoint our parents by overachieving; and our shared interested in astrology as a prompt for discussion and exploration. Holding Pattern is out now! Buy it, read it, share it, and listen to our spoiler-free chat wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices