Ep. 208: Dawn Tripp Illuminates the Many Lives of Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis

This week, author Dawn Tripp joins me to discuss her new novel, Jackie. This vivid, exquisitely written novel is at once a captivating work of the imagination and a window into the world of a woman who led many lives: Jackie, Jacks, Jacqueline, Miss Bouvier, Mrs. Kennedy, Jackie O.

Dawn shares what drew her to Jackie’s story, how she went about the research and finding the narrative voice, carving out a rich creative life, and much more.

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“This meticulously researched and lyrically written portrait of Jackie will appeal not only to baby boomers who experienced the historic events of her life but also to anyone who appreciates intimate novels about women’s hearts, minds, and souls. A must-purchase.” – Library Journal, Starred Review

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About the Author:

Dawn Tripp is the author of the novel Georgia, which was a national bestseller, finalist for the New England Book Award, and winner of the Mary Lynn Kotz Award for Art in Literature. She is the author of three previous novels: Game of Secrets, Moon Tide, and The Season of Open Water, which won the Massachusetts Book Award for Fiction. Her poems and essays have appeared in the Virginia Quarterly Review, Harvard Review, AGNI, Conjunctions, and NPR, among others. She serves on the board of the Boston Book Festival and on the board of Gnome Surf: A non-profit Surf Therapy Organization focused on creating a culture shift towards kindness, love, and acceptance for athletes of all abilities. She graduated from Harvard and lives in Massachusetts with her sons. Learn more: dawntripp.com

 

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Happy Reading and Listening,

Laura Szaro Kopinski

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*A Bookish Home is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. At no extra cost to you, we receive a small commission if you purchase something through the Bookshop.org links provided.

Ep. 207: Namrata Patel Talks Spice Healing, Salem, and Self-Discovery in The Curious Secrets of Yesterday

This week, I’m thrilled to have Namrata Patel back on the podcast to discuss her latest novel, The Curious Secrets of Yesterday, about a family of spice healers in Salem, Massachusetts.

Namrata gives us the inside scoop on crafting this comfort read, which is chock full of secrets, surprises, and relationships you’ll root for. This is a book you’ll want to slow down and savor this summer. 

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The journey of these three generations of Ayurvedic spice healers in historical Salem will envelop you like the warmth from cinnamon and cloves and stay with you long after the last page. —Mansi Shah, bestselling author of The Direction of the Wind

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About the Author:

Namrata Patel is an Indian-American author who lives in Boston. Her writing examines diaspora, dual-cultural identity among Indian-Americans and explores this dynamic while also touching on both—the family’s we’re born with and those we choose. Namrata has lived in India, Spokane, London, and New York City. Namrata has been writing for most of her adult life and loves creating characters who are relatable and aspirational. Her heroines range from quiet to kick-ass and her heroes are swoon-worthy, if a little flawed. Her first novel The Candid Life of Meena Dave was long listed for Best First Novel Prize by The Center for Fiction. Namrata’s second novel The Scent of a Garden was published in 2023, and her third novel The Curious Secrets of Yesterday recently released. Learn more: nampatel.com

 

Browse Books Mentioned On This Episode:

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Happy Reading and Listening,

Laura Szaro Kopinski

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*A Bookish Home is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. At no extra cost to you, we receive a small commission if you purchase something through the Bookshop.org links provided.

Ep. 206: Kristy Woodson Harvey on the Recipe for A Happier Life

What a joy to have bestselling author Kristy Woodson Harvey back on the podcast to discuss a must have book for your beach bag this summer- A Happier Life-about a woman who discovers the family she has always longed for when she spends a life-changing summer fixing up her grandparents’ mysterious house in North Carolina.

This is a big-hearted, feel good novel with mystery and romance plus a small town summer setting you won’t want to leave. I highly recommend picking up a copy.

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Everything about this novel reminded me of drinking sweet tea on a warm summer’s night while relaxing on a wide Southern porch, a ceiling fan slowly turning the air overhead. I smiled as I read the first page and breathed a contented sigh as I read the last—because A HAPPIER LIFE made me happier, too. Don’t miss it!

—Brenda Novak, New York Times bestselling author of Tourist Season

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About the Author:

Kristy Woodson Harvey is the New York Times bestselling author of nine novels, including The Wedding VeilUnder the Southern Sky, and The Peachtree Bluff series, which is in development for television with NBC. A Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s school of journalism, her writing has appeared in numerous online and print publications, including Southern LivingTraditional HomeUSA TODAYDomino, and O. Henry. Kristy is the winner of the Lucy Bramlette Patterson Award for Excellence in Creative Writing and a finalist for the Southern Book Prize. Her books have received numerous accolades, including Southern Living’s Most Anticipated Beach Reads, Parade’s Big Fiction Reads, and Entertainment Weekly’s Spring Reading Picks. Kristy is the cocreator and cohost of the weekly web show and podcast Friends & Fiction. She blogs with her mom, Beth Woodson, on Design Chic, and loves connecting with fans on KristyWoodsonHarvey.com. She lives on the North Carolina coast with her husband and son where she is (always!) working on her next novel. Learn more: kristywoodsonharvey.com

 

Browse Books Mentioned On This Episode:

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Happy Reading and Listening,

Laura Szaro Kopinski

ABookishHome.com

*A Bookish Home is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. At no extra cost to you, we receive a small commission if you purchase something through the Bookshop.org links provided.

Ep. 204: Clare McHugh on Royals, Romanovs, and the New Novel Perfect for Fans of The Crown

This week, Clare McHugh is here to discuss The Romanov Brides, a novel of the last tsarina and her sisters. This is a fascinating story about two young princesses–granddaughters of Queen Victoria– who become intertwined with the Romanov family in the years preceding their downfall.

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“Two motherless German princesses struggle to choose husbands from the limited pool of European suitors, while we, as readers, know the devastating consequences their ultimate decisions will have. Clare McHugh illuminates the hearts and souls of these young women in a novel that is clever, gripping, and beautifully written. A masterpiece!” – Gill Paul, author of A Beautiful Rival

 

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About the Author:

Clare McHugh is the author of two historical novels, A Most English Princess and The Romanov Brides. After graduating from Harvard College with a degree in European history, she worked for many years as a newspaper reporter and later magazine editor. The mother of two grown children, she currently lives with her husband in London and in Amagansett, New York. Learn more: claremchugh.com

Browse Books Mentioned On This Episode:

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Happy Reading and Listening,

Laura Szaro Kopinski

ABookishHome.com

*A Bookish Home is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. At no extra cost to you, we receive a small commission if you purchase something through the Bookshop.org links provided.

Ep. 203: Annabel Monaghan on Her Latest Hopeful, Heart-tugging Summer Romance

This week, I’m delighted to have one of my favorite authors, Annabel Monaghan, back on the podcast to discuss Summer Romance, another heart-tugging, hilarious love story about a recent divorcee and professional organizer whose life is a mess, and the summer she gets unstuck with the help of someone unexpected from her past.

This book is just the comfort read I needed – it’s hopeful and funny and warm and you won’t want to leave this world or the characters.

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“The romance strikes the perfect balance of stomach-butterflies and the realities of dating with kids. Sweetly satisfying.” —Booklist (starred)

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.

About the Author:

Annabel Monaghan is the author of LibraryReads pick and national bestseller Same Time Next Summer and Indie Next and LibraryReads pick Nora Goes Off Script, as well as two young adult novels and Does This Volvo Make My Butt Look Big?, a selection of laugh-out-loud columns that appeared in the Huffington Post, the Week, and the Rye Record. She lives in Rye, New York, with her family. Learn more: annabelmonaghan.com

Browse Books Mentioned On This Episode:

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Happy Reading and Listening,

Laura Szaro Kopinski

ABookishHome.com

*A Bookish Home is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. At no extra cost to you, we receive a small commission if you purchase something through the Bookshop.org links provided.

Ep. 202: Sarah T. Dubb on the Journey to Joyful Romances

This week my guest is Sarah T. Dubb, author of the delightful new romcom, Birding with Benefits, in which a newly-divorced, almost-empty-nester embarks on a “year of yes” and becomes the fake girlfriend and bird-watching competition partner of a man who changes her life.

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“This book is unqualified joy! … Readers will absolutely relish watching the love between John and Celeste take flight!”

–Christina Lauren, New York Times bestselling author of The True Love Experiment

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.

About the Author:

Sarah T. Dubb is a writer, public librarian, parent, and activist living the dream with chickens and desert tortoises in her hometown of Tucson, Arizona. Birding with Benefits is her debut novel; she is currently working on her second romantic comedy. Visit her at SarahTDubb.com.

Browse Books Mentioned On This Episode:

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Happy Reading and Listening,

Laura Szaro Kopinski

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*A Bookish Home is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. At no extra cost to you, we receive a small commission if you purchase something through the Bookshop.org links provided.

Ep. 201: Ruth Ware Takes on Reality TV Tropes in an Addictive New Thriller

This week,  New York Times bestselling author Ruth Ware is here to discuss One Perfect Couple, a high-tension and ingenious thriller that follows five couples who start out filming a reality tv show and end up trapped on a storm-swept island as a killer stalks among them.

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“The ultimate trouble-in-paradise thriller, One Perfect Couple is timely, gripping and all too plausible. The Love Island / Lord of the Flies mash-up you didn’t know you needed.”—Erin Kelly, The Sunday Times bestselling author of The Skeleton Key

 

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.

About the Author:

Ruth Ware worked as a waitress, a bookseller, a teacher of English as a foreign language, and a press officer before settling down as a full-time writer. She now lives with her family in Sussex, on the south coast of England. She is the #1 New York Times and Globe and Mail (Toronto) bestselling author of In a Dark, Dark WoodThe Woman in Cabin 10The Lying GameThe Death of Mrs. WestawayThe Turn of the KeyOne by OneThe It Girl; and Zero Days. Learn more: https://ruthware.com/

Browse Books Mentioned On This Episode:

Looking for a book mentioned on the podcast? Want to browse books by past guests? Visit A Bookish Home Podcast’s Bookshop.org page.

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Happy Reading and Listening,

Laura Szaro Kopinski

ABookishHome.com

*A Bookish Home is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. At no extra cost to you, we receive a small commission if you purchase something through the Bookshop.org links provided.

Ep. 200: Eve. J. Chung on the Sweeping Saga Inspired by Her Family History

This week my guest is Eve J. Chung, author of the powerful new novel, Daughters of Shandong, which tells the story of a mother and daughters caught up in China’s communist revolution, based on the author’s family story.

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“One of those rare works of fiction that entertains, educates, and inspires. Harrowing, heartbreaking, and brilliantly paced, Daughters of Shandong is impossible to put down. I’ll definitely be recommending this one to my book club.”
Jamie FordNew York Times bestselling author of The Many Daughters of Afong Moy

 

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.

About the Author:

Eve J. Chung is a Taiwanese American lawyer and women’s human rights specialist. She has worked on a range of issues, including torture, sexual violence, contemporary forms of slavery, and discriminatory legislation. Her writing is inspired by social justice movements, and the continued struggle for equality and fundamental freedoms worldwide. She currently lives in New York with her husband, two children, and two dogs. Learn more: https://evejchung.com/

Browse Books Mentioned On This Episode:

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Happy Reading and Listening,

Laura Szaro Kopinski

ABookishHome.com

*A Bookish Home is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. At no extra cost to you, we receive a small commission if you purchase something through the Bookshop.org links provided.

Ep. 199: Jilly Gagnon on the Delightful, Hilarious New Rom Com You Need In Your Beach Bag this Summer

This week I’m excited to share a conversation with Jilly Gagnon, author of the delightful new romcom Love You Mean It, featuring dueling delis, fake dating, and just the right amount of amnesia.

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“Beautifully written, brilliant, and perfectly salty, Love You, Mean It is a total dream of a rom-com—an instant favorite to savor on every reread. Ellie and Theo’s sizzling chemistry leaps off the page, and Jilly Gagnon’s hilarious subversion of the amnesia trope only adds to the deep tenderness of their slow-burn romance. I adored every moment.”Lana Harper, New York Times bestselling author of Payback’s a Witch

 

 

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.

About the Author:

Jilly Gagnon is the author of Scenes of the CrimeAll Dressed Up and the young adult novel #famous. Her humor writing, personal essays, and op-eds have appeared in NewsweekElleVanity FairBoston magazine, and McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, among others. She lives in Salem, Massachusetts, with her family and two black cats. Learn more: https://jillygagnon.com/

Browse Books Mentioned On This Episode:

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Happy Reading and Listening,

Laura Szaro Kopinski

ABookishHome.com

*A Bookish Home is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. At no extra cost to you, we receive a small commission if you purchase something through the Bookshop.org links provided.

Ep. 198: Yukiko Tominaga Wrestles with Grief, Love, and Joy after Loss

Yukiko Tominaga is here this week to discuss her debut novel, See Loss, See Also Love, which follows a Japanese widow raising her son between worlds with the help of her Jewish mother-in-law as she wrestles with grief, loss, and—strangest of all—joy.

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“Yukiko Tominaga has written a book aglitter with hard-won truths. It is courageous about human fragility and devoted to human vigor, as funny as it is shattering.” —Megha Majumdar, author of A Burning

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.

 

About the Author:

Yukiko Tominaga was born and raised in Japan. She was a finalist for the 2020 Flannery O’Connor Award for Short Fiction, selected by Roxane Gay. Her work has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and has appeared in The Chicago Quarterly ReviewThe Bellingham Review, among other publications. She also works at Counterpoint Press where she helps to introduce never-before-translated books from Japan to English language readers. See: Loss. See Also: Love is her first book. Learn more: https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Yukiko-Tominaga/204725631

Browse Books Mentioned On This Episode:

Looking for a book mentioned on the podcast? Want to browse books by past guests? Visit A Bookish Home Podcast’s Bookshop.org page.

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Happy Reading and Listening,

Laura Szaro Kopinski

ABookishHome.com

*A Bookish Home is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. At no extra cost to you, we receive a small commission if you purchase something through the Bookshop.org links provided.