From Fan Fiction to Debut Novel: Internet Star Brooke Averick Is the Ultimate Fangirl

Summary

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Podcast Summary: Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club

Episode: From Fan Fiction to Debut Novel: Internet Star Brooke Averick Is the Ultimate Fangirl
Host: Danielle Robay
Guest: Brooke Averick (aka @ladyefron)
Date: May 19, 2026

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Episode Overview

This lively episode spotlights Brooke Averick, a viral sensation best known for reading her cringeworthy childhood journals on the internet, whose debut novel, Phoebe Berman Is Gonna Lose It, hits shelves soon. Host Danielle Robay (and co-host) chat with Brooke about the journey from professional "fangirl" to acclaimed author, the power of female obsession, why reframing "late blooming" matters, and how turning adolescent embarrassment into content became her smartest move. The conversation mixes literary analysis, pop fandom, mental health, and real talk about modern love.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Art of Fangirling and Internet Fame

• Brooke’s Internet Origin Story: Brooke’s rise began with reading her old journals aloud online. This radical vulnerability became her signature, catching fire on TikTok under the name “ladyefron” (a nod to her Zac Efron fan days) (07:24).
• Owning Obsession: She frames her life around "professional fangirling"—an unapologetic, immersive fixation on pop culture and books. “Even with Sesame Street, I had to have every single doll. It’s always been that way with my interests—they're just so all-consuming for better or for worse.” (06:08)

From Preschool Teacher to Internet Star to Author

• Brooke's Career Path: Originally a preschool teacher, Brooke felt creatively unfulfilled and joined TikTok, where viral success led to podcasting and now authorship. “I was just super unhappy with my life and saw an opportunity where I could be creative… I just ran with it.” (37:31)
• Finding Her Voice: She reflects that her inability to keep her mouth shut about her passions is “the secret sauce” to her brand (05:37).

Influences and Literary Loves

• Early Fandom: Brooke shouts out The Clique books as her first “bookish obsession,” likening their effect on her to Gossip Girl for middle schoolers (04:34).
• Romance Genre Admiration: Twilight was a pivotal influence, introducing her to the “male yearning” trope (09:48). She also cites John Green’s “falling in love slowly, then all at once” line as relevant to both fandom and love (08:23).
• Metafictional Writing: In Phoebe Berman, the heroine openly muses about romance novel tropes (09:09), making the story self-aware and genre-savvy.

On Phoebe Berman Is Gonna Lose It: Plot & Themes

• Premise: Phoebe, approaching her 30th birthday, receives a letter from her teenage self: “Lose your virginity. That’s all I ask.” It sends her on a quest to resolve old fears and unfinished business (03:05).
• Relatable Heroine: Danielle calls Phoebe a “rarity”: a late bloomer who isn’t the butt of a joke but a successful, multidimensional person. Brooke wanted to show a character who has it together except for one thing—a detail relatable to many (18:05).

Deeper Social Commentary

• Cultural Pressure on Women at 30: Brooke and Danielle unpack how turning 30 comes with social expectations, especially for women (11:19).
  • Brooke: “There are expectations of things that we need to have done… and I think this book dismantles that a little bit, which is something I really needed to hear.” (11:19)
• Rethinking "Losing It": The hosts critique the phrase “lose your virginity” as rooted in misogyny, brainstorming alternatives like “gaining wings,” “opening night,” and “getting a standing ovation.” (20:50)

Process and Empathy in Writing

• Writing with Empathy: Brooke fell in love with Phoebe, “I just wanted to hug her and tell her that she was fine.” (19:38)
• Blurring Fact and Fiction: While their mental health struggles overlap, Brooke sees Phoebe as who she aspires to be, not a direct autobiography (20:01, 26:12).

Most Out-of-Pocket Fangirl Moments

• Brooke’s Cringe Confessions: She tells a hilarious, mortifying story about accidentally being caught by a crush while remotely reading his senior thesis on Facebook (22:38).
• Grease and Sexual Awakening: Grease comes up as a definitive childhood influence for both Brooke and Danielle: “To me, Grease was a little bit of a sexual awakening... I think I was in love with John Travolta.” (24:12)

Healing Through Creation

• Therapy in Writing: “I have been in therapy all my life and I think this [book] is the thing that has helped me the most… falling in love with [Phoebe] helped me love myself in a way.” (24:55)
• Channeling Main Character Energy: Sometimes she pushes herself in real life by asking “what would Phoebe do?” (25:39)

The Craft and Business of Publishing

• Audiobook Acting is Hard: Recording her own audiobook forced Brooke to act out different voices—an unexpectedly challenging process (27:07).
• "A Love Story, Not Just a Romance": Brooke distinguishes her book as centered on various types of love, especially friendship, not just romance (27:58).

Embracing Millennial Zeitgeist

• Single at 30: Both describe recalibrating life’s checklists for love and partnership, highlighting the reality for many millennial women (28:52).

What's Next for Brooke?

• Second Book Plans: The next story will feature a new protagonist but include cameos from other characters (33:27).
• Fan Fiction Roots: Brooke’s first published story was Criminal Minds fanfic about Spencer Reid—since removed, but emblematic of her fangirl beginnings (34:09).
• Celebrity Crushes: Her tiered system for literary crushes gets an airing, with fan favorites like Edward Cullen, Harry Potter, and Jonathan Groff putting in appearances (41:16).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On obsession:
  • “I wasn’t casual about Sesame Street…I had to be front row at Sesame on Ice. It was my life.” – Brooke (06:08)
• On internet fame:
  • “That might be the secret sauce—I can't keep my mouth shut.” – Brooke (05:37)
• On romance tropes:
  • “I wonder if this is going to be like a friends to lovers situation.” – Brooke, channeling Phoebe (09:09)
• On “losing it”:
  • “Why aren’t we gaining something? ... Like an angel gaining its wings!” – Danielle & Brooke (21:08-21:32)
• On fangirl moments:
  • “I was reading through his thesis…and then I heard a ping and he could see I was on the document…and he said, 'Hey.'” – Brooke (22:38)
• On writing as therapy:
  • “Falling in love with [Phoebe] truly helped me love myself in a way.” – Brooke (24:55)
• On the power of friendship:
  • “You can have a life that is so full of love outside of romance.” – Brooke (27:58)
• On crushes:
  • “Tier zero is—you can no longer consume content, it’s too much to even interact.” – Brooke (41:16)
  • “My all time tier zero is Jonathan Groff.” – Brooke (43:36)

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Important Segment Timestamps

• Introduction to Brooke/datebook context: 02:31–03:46
• Brooke’s fangirl identity: 04:19–06:08
• Early reading obsessions: 04:34–04:56
• On moving to LA, finding her voice: 06:44–07:59
• Transition from teacher to creator: 37:31–38:54
• Influences and writing Phoebe: 08:23–09:48
• Thirty-year-old pressures/millennial love: 11:19–12:05, 28:52
• Discussion of “lose your virginity” language: 20:50–21:55
• Embarrassing fangirl anecdote: 22:38–23:36
• Grease as formative influence: 24:10–24:31
• Therapy in writing: 24:55–25:57
• Audiobook narration reflections: 27:07–27:36
• Distinction between love story/romance: 27:58–28:21
• Listener Q&A (hardest parts, fancasting, future plans): 35:02–37:02
• Crush Tiering Game: 41:16–44:09

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Listener Segment Highlight: Ideal Reading Rituals

• Vanessa (Listener), on Reading Setup: “Anywhere outdoors…on the beach, in the park, on a blanket … but if I can’t do that I’ll put on fake rain noises …” (45:34)

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Tone & Takeaways

The episode is both joyously self-deprecating and intellectually sharp, driven by Brooke's trademark mix of cringe, humor, and heart. It makes a strong case for letting your inner fangirl (or fanboy) run wild, confronting societal expectations with empathy, and transforming shame and obsession into something creative and healing.

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Recommended For: Listeners curious about the intersection of internet culture, romance, and memoir, as well as anyone needing permission to fully embrace their obsessions or feeling alone facing big birthdays or societal expectations.

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Transcript

[Danielle Robay]

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[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

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[Danielle Robay]

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[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

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[Danielle Robay]

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[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

hi i'm danielle

[Danielle Robay]

robe and welcome to bookmarked by reese's

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

book club okay if i made a

[Danielle Robay]

list of my worst nightmares reading my childhood journals out loud to thousands of people on the internet is definitely up there today's guest made a name for herself by doing that very thing and she's made it into an art form and now brooke averick or lady efron as she's known on tiktok is taking her vulnerability even further by reading excerpts of her new book phoebe berman is gonna lose it and it's a book that's near to brooke's own heart it's

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

about a girl named phoebe who's about

[Danielle Robay]

to turn thirty years old much like brooke herself phoebe gets a letter from her high school self it reads quote lose your virginity that's all i ask and this sets phoebe on a quest to conquer the fears wishes and unfinished business of her teenage years now brooks says that writing this novel was better than therapy and she shares how being unapologetically obsessed with most things became a huge driver of her success she also talks about why turning a cringy teenage memory into content turned out to be the smartest career move she ever made so if you've ever wanted to reread your old diaries or you're more like me and absolutely never want to you're in the right place let's turn the

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

page with lady f i mean brooke averick

[Brooke Averick]

hi brooke hi danielle welcome to

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

the club we're so excited about your

[Danielle Robay]

new book the whole team loved your

[Brooke Averick]

book wow thank you so much that's

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

amazing well it's your first book phoebe berman is going to lose it it's about to hit shelves your personal journey is really wild you went from influencer to podcaster to author in just a handful of years really but i think no matter what you're doing my favorite

[Danielle Robay]

title of yours is professional fangirl thank

[Brooke Averick]

you i take that one very seriously

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

well you've kind of turned it into an art form and because this is a book club podcast i need to ask you what's the first book that you remember being completely obsessed with i

[Brooke Averick]

like my mind immediately just went to the click books i don't know those

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

what are the click books they were

[Brooke Averick]

like gossip girl for middle schoolers i

[Danielle Robay]

love that i didn't know that that

[Brooke Averick]

was the kind of book where like my teachers were like not thrilled that they were taking over the school the

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

series of unfortunate events was really big at my school and teachers didn't love

[Brooke Averick]

that one either oh that one seems a lot more acceptable than the clique books they were pretty off color for that age i feel like i yeah

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

i think you're probably right if they were like little gossip girl books shouldn't

[Brooke Averick]

have been reading them but i love

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

them nonetheless it's interesting that you're talking about middle school because you originally got a degree in early childhood education and then when you graduated you started teaching

[Danielle Robay]

preschool yes and now you have a book deal and two not one two

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

hit podcasts a million tiktok followers you're one of the most followed authors on goodreads i want to say brooke but maybe i should call you lady efron can you please tell us your secrets like whoa i don't know if i

[Brooke Averick]

have any secrets and i think that might be the secret sauce is that i can't keep my mouth shut have

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

you always been that way definitely i

[Brooke Averick]

started feeling very passionately about a lot of things at a very young age

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

i want to understand why because i actually just shared this on a recent podcast with veronica roth but i am the opposite of a professional fan girl like i really don't feel that sense of excitement around much it's really hard for me to feel that way do you think that's intrinsic for you or like have you sort of unpacked what

[Brooke Averick]

that is it's been since i can remember like even with like sesame street like i wasn't casual about that like i had to have every single doll i had to be front row at sesame on ice like it was like my life it wasn't just like i was a casual viewer it was it's always been that way with my interests they're just so all consuming for better or for worse you gained a lot

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

of popularity for being like very funny and sort of pathologically obsessed with things at a young age and then do you feel like that carried over to influencing when you moved to la when

[Brooke Averick]

i first moved to la i kind of tried to suppress it a little bit and then i very like casually started sprinkling in like oh i really like like this thing a little bit too much or i'm obsessed with this thing and people really responded to it and then i just started feeling more and more comfortable and then eventually like started a podcast where i could talk about all of the things that i'm obsessed with so i'm glad that i took the leap and started talking about

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

those things big brooke avrick fans will know that i sort of dropped a little brooke avrick egg because i called you lady ephron earlier will you explain to everybody what lady efron is when

[Brooke Averick]

i was i think ten i was very in love with zac efron and just the whole high school musical franchise and that was my email address was ladyefronol dot com and also my aim screen name was lady efron and so when i went to make a tiktok i just made that the username because i was like i'm not gonna use this and no one will find me and i'm not posting anything and then it turns out i like did post something and then it did go viral and then lady efron came with that

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

i think it's so funny because most people would be nervous that their moniker like wouldn't be recognized they would want to use their name and you just did not care you were so emphatic about being lady efron this is all for lady efron when you're becoming obsessed with something can you describe that feeling for me what does it feel is it like falling in love is it like having a drink what is it

[Brooke Averick]

like no it really is like falling in love because it happens very slowly and then all at once which is what i think john green said falling in love is like and the fault in our stars i remember when i was watching heated rivalry i was watching the first episode and i was like oh wow this is really good wow and it just like the wheels start turning slowly and then turn the episode off falling asleep at night and can't stop thinking about it wake up the first thing the next morning put it on and then it's like it's happening it's happening it's kind of like a metamorphosis i was just going to say

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

like there is a line for you between like and love you just know

[Brooke Averick]

it when you know you know so

[Danielle Robay]

were there any authors or books that

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

you pulled from when you started writing

[Brooke Averick]

your new novel i'm a big romance reader and so i really wanted to do the genre justice especially because phoebe the main character is so obsessed with romance so i kind of like played around with romance themes in almost kind of like a campy very obvious way like phoebe is even musing like i wonder if this is going to be like a friends to lovers situation and she very much is like aware of tropes herself so i really enjoyed just like playing around with the genre within

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

the book when you said you were really into romance is there anything in particular that you really remember being obsessed

[Brooke Averick]

with twilight is when i really started becoming obsessed with the idea of male yearning and i was just very like that scene of edward watching bella sleep it's weird because i don't think of a man in real life and i'm like i hope that he watches me sleep like that's not in the things i'm looking for but when i when you see it with a vampire something about that really clicked for me and i became just like really invested in very intense love what do you think

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

is so hot about male yearning i

[Brooke Averick]

think it's men showing emotion and being vulnerable and like typically yeah i think we or at least i think of like when you think of somebody who has a crush like i i typically think of a woman you know they're more expressive about their feelings in general and so when you see it coming from a man it's kind of just like whoa he must really really like her if he's willing to be expressive

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

about it agreed and it's really exciting to watch when they are yeah we recently had a romantasy author alex asteron and she talked about writing from the perspective of a reader which is interesting because i actually think a lot of authors i've interviewed before her have shared almost the opposite and she said she writes like she would want to read and i just was i was so fascinated by that because i didn't know if it was a generational thing or a book talk thing or just a her thing i'm curious if that resonates

[Danielle Robay]

with you at all i think at

[Brooke Averick]

least when i was writing i was trying to write something that i would want to read in the sense of like the message like what did i need to hear not necessarily like what plot points would i want to read or like what would i want this character to do but like what is the message that i really that like younger brooke would really want to take away from a book and like what yeah what would kind of almost like change my life in a way what did you land on you know phoebe's turning thirty in this book i'm turning thirty now and i think there's a really big pressure with that number for women especially i feel like there are expectations of things that we need to have done and i think that this book kind of dismantles that a little bit which is something that i really

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

needed to hear i feel like any birthday with a zero or a five at the end yeah has that sort of pressure i remember when i was turning thirty i felt that same thing and you know those people in your family that are not actually your blood uncles but are like you call uncle yes so my uncle marty called me and he was like here's the thing about turning thirty you're gonna freak out and then you're actually gonna turn thirty and you're gonna wake up the next day and feel the exact same way you did the day before and you realize oh it's just not a big

[Danielle Robay]

deal and i felt that exact thing i was so glad he told me

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

that has anybody told you anything about turning thirty that has eased your mind

[Brooke Averick]

a bit uncle marty okay like that that really was helpful to hear it

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

was helpful for me too because you just think something is going to shift and it's like oh no you're actually just the same person you were the

[Brooke Averick]

day before that's great and then i also heard one of my friends who recently turned thirty was like now i'm young again because being twenty nine i was like at the very end of my twenties i was like ancient funny and now i have a zero again and so i'm a baby of my thirties i love it so that feels that feels good

[Danielle Robay]

when you're planning a trip it helps to have a credit card that rewards you no matter where you like to book that's the autograph journey credit card from wells fargo what makes a difference is how flexible it is you can earn rewards where you like to book travel if you like going straight to the airline or hunting down a deal on a hotel site you this card is designed to keep rewarding you here's how the points stack up you get five times points with hotels four times with airlines three times on restaurants and other travel and one point on other purchases so picture booking that hotel in the neighborhood you've always wanted to stay in that's earning points grabbing flights for a last minute getaway that's earning sitting down for that first dinner when you land still earning even the everyday stuff between trips can help toward your next journey the autograph journey card from wells fargo helps turn the way you already travel eat and explore into rewards learn more at wells fargo dot com autographjourney terms apply apple books is the best place to read listen to or discover the books you love without a subscription right on your iphone and now there's a very exciting heads up for listeners apple books is the official audiobook and ebook home for reese's book club so it's easier than ever to explore each monthly book pick plus author curated collections and more all in one place open the apple books app to explore a world of books and audiobooks you can set goals and track your reading progress get great recommendations for your next read or listen and enjoy it all on the go wherever you are you can even share your books with up to five family members at no cost again no subscription required visit apple co reeseapplebooks to find out more that's apple co reeseapplebooks and read or listen to reese's current pick and browse past selections today on apple books today's episode is brought to you by cotton we spend a lot of time with stories hours curled up with dynamic plots and with characters who feel like friends what if the story isn't just in your hands but also in the world around you in the fabric that's holding you close cotton is that timeless companion soft sheets for lazy weekend mornings with a book breezy dresses for afternoons spent reading in the backyard it's the fabric that can be tossed in the wash without fuss it's about ease comfort and caring for yourself and the planet just like the books we cherish cotton weaves meaning into our everyday moments moments like following four adult daughters as they navigate love loss and the legacy in the most fun we ever had by claire lombardo all while curled up in soft cotton joggers or sinking into the island of missing trees by elif shafak a story that spans generations forbidden love and a fig tree that remembers everything wrapped in a hand stitched quilt each thread holding its own kind of memory next time you settle in for a chapter slip into something cotton not just to read the story but to feel it cotton the fabric of our lives learn more at thefabric of our lives calm right now i'm super excited for my upcoming trip to atlanta i'm taking my mom to celebrate her birthday she's never been and i'm going to take her to eat all the best food see

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

the best jazz music and i'm going

[Danielle Robay]

to have to sneak in a museum or two trips like that are truly unforgettable and what makes it even better is staying at a place on airbnb now if you're planning any upcoming trips you could be hosting your home on airbnb and with airbnb co host network you could hire a local co host to handle everything like creating your listing managing reservations guest communication on site support and even styling your space so while you're making your own memories your home can be helping another family make theirs and earning you extra cash find a co host at airbnb dot com host

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

so you talked a little bit about the plot of the book but i'm wondering if you can give us a little pitch like if you like blank you'll love phoebe berman's gonna lose it

[Brooke Averick]

okay if you like bridget jones i think you'll love phoebe berman's gonna lose

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

it ooh that's so good i was

[Brooke Averick]

really going for that like early two thousands rom com energy with this you

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

nailed that thank you yeah i mean the title makes me lol because i'm going to be honest when i read lose it i initially thought you meant her mind right but the like plot twist is you're really talking about her virginity and i think the character phoebe feels like a rarity what did it look like to write this character with such intention like someone who is a late bloomer but is not a joke

[Brooke Averick]

i think that that was something that was most important to me was phoebe has really crippling anxiety and ocd and i wanted to portray that but also i wanted her to be successful because i think in a lot of things we read with mental health representation which are great the character is usually like really struggling in all aspects and so i wanted a character that was kind of just struggling with this one thing and had everything else kind of figured out but was really hung up on this one thing because i think a lot of us can can feel that

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

way the idea that she hasn't lost her virginity yet makes it feel like this unchecked box that makes her feel like she's failing and it seems to overshadow these other parts of her personality and i found that to be so relatable i'm currently failing in the dating arena and it's making me feel like i'm such a big loser and i'm like wait but all these other things in my life are going amazing and

[Danielle Robay]

it's so hard to reconcile that i loved reading that part yeah and it's

[Brooke Averick]

also like everyone else is looking at you and i look at you like she's so successful and amazing and no one is thinking about that you know and i think that's also what i wanted to do with the book is like phoebe needed to learn to look at herself through someone else's eyes and kind of get out of her own head and once you do that then you kind of realize oh it's actually not as big of a deal as i was making it so from an

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

actual process writing perspective how did you add all of that empathy into the book cause there really is a lot

[Brooke Averick]

of empathy in the writing i think that i just truly fell in love with phoebe like i just wanted to hug her and tell her that she was fine and so i think that i just cared for her so deeply that's just how i found it which is like kind of a cheesy answer

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

no it's not you never had to struggle cause it was just it's how

[Brooke Averick]

you saw her it really was i kind of always saw her as this like great sweet phoebe was kind of who i wanted to be in a lot of ways i think people think that i like kind of wrote myself when i wrote phoebe but i definitely wrote like the person that i would want to be for people who haven't

[Danielle Robay]

read it yet can you name a

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

few of those characteristics of the person you wanted to be that you wrote

[Brooke Averick]

into phoebe she's just super empathetic and caring and those are two things that i i want to get better at yeah i think she's just a good friend and friendship plays a big part

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

in the book i get what you're saying in terms of the bridget jones comparison i like that good i'm i'm glad i want to talk to you about the phrase lose your virginity how do you feel about that phrase ooh

[Brooke Averick]

that's such a good question i i don't think i i've ever really liked it because i like the the losing it part is like what are you what are you losing something's like drastically changing in you after and i think that it makes it really scary i

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

completely agree i really despise the phrase because i feel like there's a lot of misogyny tied up in it i don't know that we're losing why aren't we gaining something right right that's a really good point i'm wondering because i always ask one unhinged question per episode i'm wondering if we can invent a new phrase for this what should we

[Danielle Robay]

call it instead my mind has been

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

racing we should get rid of the

[Brooke Averick]

lose for sure like an angel gaining its wings or something like that you just gained your wings yes like when

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

we get our periods we get so excited or it's like unboxing day right you know yeah the best one i could come up with was opening night opening night i love theater i love that do you feel like you do

[Brooke Averick]

like i just got a standing ovation or something like that oh yes i

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

feel like we might have just written

[Brooke Averick]

a song also yeah i'm a theater kid too so i'm really aligned with

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

that okay well phoebe does a ton of things that i think we'd all consider very relatable when we're in the thick of dating she's doing something that i do often which is angrily swiping left on the dating apps i don't stalk my crushes on social media she does i only do sometimes fine and then wow you have such willpower only as i i've gotten older in my twenties i definitely did and then one that i totally identified with was feeling lonely during wedding season what do you think the most out of pocket thing you've done while you've been down bad

[Brooke Averick]

something i did that was horrible was i was stalking my crushes facebook and this was a while ago this had

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

to be years ago if you were

[Brooke Averick]

on facebook this was years ago i was in yes i was in college and he had some sort of like senior thesis that he posted on facebook i don't know why but i obviously like opened it and was like it was a google doc and i was reading through his thesis and then i heard like a ping and he was also he could see that i was on the document and he said hey and did you reply i closed my computer so fast truly i still when i hear a ping now i'll get like such a sinking feeling in my gut and i like i'm scared of

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

google docs brooke i got a nauseous feeling for you hearing that story i had like secondhand embarrassment that is horrible and such a good answer to that

[Brooke Averick]

question really really bad another thing i

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

loved about the book was how many

[Danielle Robay]

times grease comes up oh my god

[Brooke Averick]

thank you i'm so glad that you

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

appreciate that not only do i appreciate it that was a movie that i would wake up before school like when i was young like first grade second grade i would wake up and put the vhs tape in and like secretly watch it before school and my mom would like go and wake me up and then she'd have to come down to the basement to be like why are you watch grease i love that

[Brooke Averick]

movie so much so good it's so

[Danielle Robay]

good why'd you bring it up so

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

much what does it mean to you

[Brooke Averick]

to me i think greece was a little bit of a sexual awakening like and i only realized this looking back like i think i was in love with with don travolta yes yes and i think that that's something that actually comes up in the book a few times so to me greece kind of represents a sexual awakening of sorts of

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

so i wanted to be olivia newton john like i wanted that black off the shoulder top i wanted my hair curly like that little did i know i like later in life would love glam so i guess we both we both had like foreshadowing coming down right hilarious okay did writing this story heal anything for you about your own story aside from turning thirty it really did

[Brooke Averick]

i have been in therapy all my life and i think this is the thing that has helped me the most whoa because i like i said i i see so much of myself in phoebe and so falling in love with her like truly helped me i mean this sounds so cheesy but like it really did help me love myself in a way but also there were times in the book that i wanted to shake her and so i found a few times like when i do things that if phoebe did i would have wanted to shake her i'm kind of harder on myself and make myself go through with them whereas before i would have just kind of run away may

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

i ask you for an example if you're comfortable sharing yeah of course like

[Brooke Averick]

i get really anxious talking to guys as well and i was talking to one in a bar recently and it was just getting to the point where i was like this feels like too much i was like going to leave and then i was like no because if phoebe left you'd be so pissed

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

wow so you're finding strength through hers

[Brooke Averick]

and so i'm finding kind of the confidence because i'm really not great at having conversations and so i've been kind of forcing myself to flex that muscle

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

more do you feel like there are large parts of you in phoebe i

[Brooke Averick]

think we share a lot of the same mental woes i will say our personalities are pretty different and that's how i kind of kept things that like boundary between us does any part of

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

you as you're publishing cause you're so known online feel nervous that people are gonna think that you were writing a bit as like an autobiography i was

[Brooke Averick]

really at the beginning and then as i started writing that fear kind of just melted away as phoebe became her own person and then especially i recently i recorded the audiobook for it and as i was reading it back i just like any fear that i had had about that went away because it just is so clear to me that it is fiction i want to talk

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

about the recording of the audiobook actually because you voiced it and then you posted a tiktok recently about trying to do the voices and i died it was so good why share that with

[Brooke Averick]

everybody i just like i was not expecting for that to be so hard like i was kind of like oh i've read books out loud before this will be easy but like having to get into character was like fun fully

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

acting we interviewed or i interviewed julia whelan who's a really popular audiobook narrator and she's a former actress like she breaks down every character it's a lot

[Brooke Averick]

of work it really is so much props to narrators it is really not easy and it is a lot of

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

acting yes why was it important for you to voice yourself i almost would

[Brooke Averick]

have been sad if someone else did it i think it just is such a personal story and personal experience i i wanted to to be the voice

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

of it now i've heard you say that this book is a love story rather than a romance i'm curious what the distinction is for you this book

[Brooke Averick]

touches on so many types of love especially friendship and to me like that is so much a part of the love in phoebe's life i think that this book like really like puts into perspective that like you can have a life that is so full of love outside of romance and like a romance is great but like you can there's so much else to it to life

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

too i feel like sex and the city was trying to tell us that all those years ago when they had that episode where i forgot which character said like maybe we're each other's soulmates but i think you're hitting on something that's very it's it's talked about widely for millennials right now because there are a lot of women who are not partnered the way that they thought they would be and they're sort of readjusting what love looks like in their life do you hear is that one of the reasons you wanted to talk about it does it feel zeitgeisty to you

[Brooke Averick]

yeah i think that i also thought that i would fully be married with kids at thirty and i think that's what phoebe's going through as well and what a lot of women are going through so again just like really hitting that point that like there you feel like there's that checklist as you're going into thirty of things you need to cross off but you like it's not real

[Danielle Robay]

when you're planning a trip it helps to have a credit card that rewards you no matter where you like to book that's the autograph journey credit card from wells fargo what makes a difference is how flexible it is you can earn rewards where you like to book travel if you like going straight to the airline or hunting down a deal on a hotel site you this card is designed to keep rewarding you here's how the points stack up you get five times points with hotels four times with airlines three times on restaurants and other travel and one point on other purchases so picture booking that hotel in the neighborhood you've always wanted to stay in that's earning points grabbing flights for a last minute getaway that's earning sitting down for that first dinner when you land still earning even the everyday stuff between trips can help toward your next journey the autograph journey card from wells fargo helps turn the way you already travel eat and explore into rewards learn more at wells fargo dot com autographjourney terms apply apple books is the best place to read listen to or discover the books you love without a subscription right on your iphone and now there's a very exciting heads up for listeners apple books is the official audiobook and ebook home for reese's book club so it's easier than ever to explore each monthly book pick plus author curated collections and more all in one place open the apple books app to explore a world of books and audiobooks you can set goals and track your reading progress get great recommendations for your next read or listen and enjoy it all on the go wherever you are you can even share your books with up to five family members at no cost again no subscription required visit apple co reeseapplebooks to find out more that's apple co reeseapplebooks and read or listen to reese's current pick and browse past selections today on apple books today's episode is brought to you by cotton we spend a lot of time with stories hours curled up with dynamic plots and with characters who feel like friends what if the story isn't just in your hands but also in the world around you in the fabric that's holding you close cotton is that timeless companion soft sheets for lazy weekend mornings with a book breezy dresses for afternoons spent reading in the backyard it's the fabric that can be tossed in the wash without fuss it's about ease comfort and caring for yourself and the planet just like the books we cherish cotton weaves meaning into our everyday moments moments like following four adult daughters as they navigate love loss and the legacy in the most fun we ever had by claire lombardo all while curled up in soft cotton joggers or sinking into the island of missing trees by elif shafak a story that spans generations forbidden love and a fig tree that remembers everything wrapped in a hand stitched quilt each thread holding its own kind of memory next time you settle in for a chapter slip into something cotton not just to read the story but to feel it cotton the fabric of our lives learn more at thefabricofourlives dot com right now i'm super excited for my upcoming trip to atlanta i'm taking my mom to celebrate her birthday she's never been and i'm going to take her to eat all the best food see the best jazz music and i'm going to have to sneak in a museum or two trips like that are truly unforgettable and what makes it even better is staying at a place on airbnb now if you're planning any upcoming trips you could be hosting your home on airbnb and with airbnb co host network you could hire a local co host to handle everything like creating your listing managing reservations guest communication on site support and even styling your space so while you're making your own memories your home can be helping another family make theirs and earning you extra cash find a co host at airbnb dot com host

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

now you signed a two book deal in twenty twenty four so what is book two looking like are we going back into phoebe's life or are we getting a whole new

[Brooke Averick]

character i think phoebe's story is done for now so we will be getting a new character but there also will be an appearance from another character in

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

phoebe i always ask everybody what's something that they're so obsessed with that they could write a book about it but probably won't i had an idea for you i was thinking maybe criminal minds fan fiction but i know you love a lot of other things so what are you so obsessed with right now

[Brooke Averick]

well you know i had i had written a criminal minds fanfiction before i know that no yeah that was my the first piece of fan fiction that i ever published and i have promptly removed it from the internet but i did that was on wattpad for a

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

while was baby girl a big part

[Brooke Averick]

of it it was spencer reed focused and he was the main girl's like therapist and then they fell in love and decided it would not be appropriate for them to work together so then they didn't see each other anymore and then they came back years later to work on a case together the fact

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

that you picked spencer reed as the the love interest or like the main character says so much it's everything i need to know that's amazing yes he's

[Brooke Averick]

a big crush of mine so brooke

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

i was looking at your instagram i've never seen someone with more engagement in my life i think seriously oh people that follow you are obsessed with you

[Brooke Averick]

that's so sweet of you to say

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

it's the truth it is i it's so cool that they ride so hard for you we actually asked listeners to ask you some questions so i'm gonna be the conduit and run through them

[Brooke Averick]

oh yay i love questions okay what

[Danielle Robay]

was the hardest part of the book to write the hardest part of the

[Brooke Averick]

book to write is when phoebe would do something self sabotaging because i was just like wanting to skip to the

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

good part the way you're describing it makes me feel like this is how parents feel like it's so hard to watch your kid do the wrong thing

[Brooke Averick]

yes like there's this one scene where phoebe's in a closet and that one i almost had to write it with my eyes closed i get that okay

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

the next listener is what part of the book felt the most personal to

[Brooke Averick]

you there's a scene with phoebe's dad where she kind of like breaks down to him and kind of expresses she kind of just like dumps her feelings onto him and that felt really emotional and and personal to me i won't

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

dig but i think that's beautiful can you fancast your book what celebs are

[Brooke Averick]

you picking oh absolutely so i'm thinking cause there's three love interests i've got three guys lined up i think for jonathan who is phoebe's roommate and he's kind of like described as being very traditionally handsome i would go with david corn sweat and then for finn who was her teacher crush who was kind of younger i think i would go for hudson williams and then for matthew who is her hinge slash words with friends crush i would go for joe keery because he's kind of like a

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

little bit alt how about for phoebe

[Brooke Averick]

i love her to be someone unknown

[Danielle Robay]

oh i like that brooke why i

[Brooke Averick]

don't know i think it's kind of hard for me sometimes to separate the actress from character and i think i would just want somebody like a completely

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

clean slate do you feel like there's a movie in the works that would be the goal or a tv show

[Brooke Averick]

i think it reads like a movie so i think that would be a dream to have it adapted yeah the

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

last listener question i thought was very well put it says how are you so diva and so slay oh my

[Brooke Averick]

god thank you so much i actually don't consider myself diva or slay but i love you're slay you think yeah

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

you're definitely slay thank you here's something i'm very curious about you went from consumer to creator and i think you're doing it at a pretty young age what was the matrix of that decision making like for you i think i

[Brooke Averick]

was just like super unhappy with my life and saw an opportunity where i could be creative and kind of just ran with it and i was like i will just follow this until the end and it hasn't ended yet so

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

that's amazing when you say unhappy what do you mean you felt unfulfilled as

[Brooke Averick]

a creator well i was teaching and i loved the kids but i was really struggling i think i have always wanted to do something creative and i didn't feel like that need was met when i was teaching i was so tired from teaching like i would be done at three and that was it like i would just have to kind of sit for the rest of the day like i couldn't really use any brain power so i think i was just really struggling there when i made a tiktok and it went viral i was like i'm i'm just following that and it was a risk but a

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

risk but it paid off pretty quickly

[Brooke Averick]

right yeah i got really lucky i thank my lucky stars i mean maybe

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

lucky but also i think you were putting something different out onto the internet like it felt very brooke very unique to you yeah thanks i i can tell you you have so much humility but do you see what people gravitate towards or are obsessed with so to

[Brooke Averick]

speak i think now i think this book has helped me see that tell

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

me about what it was like time wise to write this book because as a creator there's so much work that goes into being a creator but you do sort of make your own schedule versus writing a book is a huge

[Brooke Averick]

undertaking i have found that i'm someone who kind of just i need a empty schedule each day to write like if i know that i have an appointment at two pm that's what i'm thinking about i'm the same way and so i yeah so like if i have something that day i don't i don't i really really struggle to write so that's kind of why i had to put obsessed on hiatus is because i really needed to lock in and so i was really really lucky that i had a lot of empty days where i could just write because i don't know if i could have done

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

it otherwise would you ever head into a totally different genre like fantasy or

[Brooke Averick]

something i don't know that i could do fantasy i think that building a world like that i just don't see my brain working that way but i think i could do like more like literary fiction like weird girl lit i

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

sort of felt this inkling that you could potentially end up writing for tv or like a a reboot something like buffy you know something that has all that fandom built in it has that

[Brooke Averick]

ever crossed your mind no actually it hasn't but that's intriguing interesting i'm surprised

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

to hear that is there like a a tv show or a series that comes to mind that you would just like love to work on well now

[Brooke Averick]

my mind's spinning about a glee reboot

[Danielle Robay]

oh whoa i never would have thought

[Brooke Averick]

of that if someone asked me to work on that like i would i would drop everything i'm doing did you

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

you watched every episode growing up i

[Brooke Averick]

actually stopped after season three because i was so invested in the show and to date that is probably my biggest obsession ever was glee that when it started going in like a different direction i couldn't handle it i just i had to keep the original three seasons sacred and that is glee yeah the whole tone changed the whole tone changed and it wasn't my show anymore and

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

so i had to stop amazing okay well i'm gonna end on a fun game with you you're the genius behind the now famous crush tiering system and i'm gonna explain for people who don't know about it yet it divides crushes into three tiers in increasing i'm gonna call it severity okay so we're gonna use your system to rank some of our favorite literary love interests tier three enjoy the celeb while also consuming the content tier two is you need to consume more and more fan edits all the while late night interviews you're on reddit yep tier one is the thought that you will not spend your life with this person is almost landing you in a psych ward yes exactly and tier zero is can no longer consume content it's too much to even interact yep okay mister darcy pride and prejudice

[Brooke Averick]

would you believe me if i said i've never read or seen pride and

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

prejudice i would believe you i hadn't read it until this past year just

[Brooke Averick]

from what i've seen of mister darcy that is a male yearner but i guess i'll tier three for now just

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

because i haven't indulged romeo from romeo

[Brooke Averick]

and juliet oh romeo i'm thinking of the leonardo dicaprio romeo i'm gonna tier

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

two edward cullen from twilight one heathcliff from wuthering heights he is someone that

[Brooke Averick]

like my heart would would want to tier one but my head would be screaming walk away great call so i'm going to i'm going to walk away

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

because we've learned we're almost thirty we've

[Brooke Averick]

learned to walk away learned we've learned

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

shane hollander from heated rivalry so right

[Brooke Averick]

now i'm zeroing i couldn't even watch the peloton ad really because it's like it's too much for me right now so i'm taking a break and i hope that by the time season two comes around i will have kind of gotten back to a more stable place how about harry potter tier one oh that was quick i love him i don't understand how like more people weren't like romantically in love with harry potter like he is the chosen one and i think he's so adorable i actually

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

agree with you there should have been more sort of harry potter is hot

[Brooke Averick]

conversation yeah i had a really really big crush on him who is your

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

ultimate zero right now aside from any of the heated rivalry boys i am

[Brooke Averick]

just so in love with jonathan groff and i he's like always been my number one and just like is such a comforting presence to me and i feel like he's just been doing so much recently so i've been able to like perceive so much content which has been amazing so i would say him right now you know brooke there's something

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

i really appreciate about you aside from your great writing is you don't pick the guy that everybody else is picking like if we're talking criminal minds i'm going shemar moore obviously and you went a whole different direction oh yeah i

[Brooke Averick]

really like this thank you i wouldn't even think of like watching criminal minds and having a crush on anyone besides matthew ray gubler like it wouldn't cross my mind are you being funny or you're for real oh no i'm being

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

so serious there is a pot for

[Brooke Averick]

every lid and that's why there's a character matthew in the book that is named after him and jonathan in the book is named after jonathan groff i've definitely paid my respects to my celebrity

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

crushes i love it well you're tier one for me brooke or tier zero

[Brooke Averick]

i should say oh my god thank that means the world to me to be on someone's tier list that's why i'm doing what i'm doing okay friends

[Danielle Robay]

before we wrap today's episode i'm bringing back our monthly comfort segment from cotton called the book note

[Brooke Averick]

this is where

[Danielle Robay]

we explore the rituals that make reading feel just right and with spring fully in bloom and summer around the corner comfort starts to look a little different a little lighter a little airier and cotton is still at the heart of those everyday rituals whether it's breathable layers for reading outside soft sheets for slow mornings or that perfectly worn in tee you throw on before heading to the park with a book it's comfort that moves with you through the seasons and truly there's nothing better than that let's hear from another bookmarked listener sharing their

[Brooke Averick]

ideal reading setup hi danielle hi bookmarked

[Vanessa (listener)]

this is vanessa from central new jersey and my favorite reading setup is honestly anywhere outdoors it doesn't really matter what the setting is anywhere in nature it could be lying on the beach i love sitting in the park lying out on a blanket on the grass or you know if i'm somewhere nice on vacation preferably double points if i can sit outside and listen to the rain i love all of that because i have a hard time reading when i have a lot of background noise distracting me if there's a lot of chatter i just can't focus but when i'm immersed in nature and just the sounds of the environment around me i feel like it makes my reading experience so much better because it allows me to really focus on the content and lock in to the book yeah so that's my ideal scenario honestly if i can't have that sometimes even when i'm at home i will just put on fake rain noises or fake nature sounds to simulate the outdoor vibe and it's not quite as good but i feel like it it gets the job done anyways

[Brooke Averick]

thanks bye vanessa this is such a

[Danielle Robay]

perfect spring reading vision there's something about being outside that just opens up the whole reading experience and i love that you figured out what helps you focus that quieter natural soundscape really does let you sink deeper into a story and

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

your setup makes me think about how

[Danielle Robay]

important it is to feel comfortable in those moments especially this time of year lightweight breathable cotton layers are kind of essential for those outdoor reading days you want something airy that keeps you cool but still cozy enough if the weather shifts a little and having a cotton blanket or a throw to lie on or even wrap up in if there's a breeze it just makes the whole experience that much better and honestly even the basics the things we don't always think about like breathable cotton underwear play a role in that all day comfort especially as it gets warmer when everything you're wearing feels light and easy it's just so much simpler to settle in with a good book wherever you are so friends keep your ideal reading setups coming what are you wearing what's around you are you stretched out in the sun listening to the breeze or you curled up inside recreating your own little nature escape take me right into your perfect reading ritual leave me a voicemail at five zero one two nine one three three seven nine or email a voice memo to bookmarkedresebookclub dot com thanks to cotton for bringing this segment to life and reminding us that comfort and style they can go hand in hand especially as we move into these warmer months don't forget to check the tag for cotton and if you want to learn more head to thefabricofourlives dot com that's it for this episode of bookmarked by reese's book club our phone line

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

is now open so if you want

[Danielle Robay]

to go nineties on us give us a call at one five zero one two nine one three three six that's one five zero one two nine one three three seven nine share your literary hot takes your book recommendations questions about the monthly pick or let us know what you think about the episode you just heard and who knows you might just hear yourself in our next episode so don't overthink it give us a ring and if you want more come hang with us reese's book club is on instagram serving up books you good vibes and all the behind the scenes stuff you love and i'm danielle robay r o b a y so come say hi and please seriously dm me because i actually read them and i love hearing what you think about the episodes and don't forget to follow bookmarked by reese's book club on the iheartradio app apple podcasts or wherever you listen we'll see you in the next chapter bookmarked as a production of hello sunshine and iheart podcasts executive produced by reese witherspoon and me danielle robay production by acast creative studios our producers are maddie foley brittany martinez and sarah schlied our editor is carmen borca carillo our production assistant is avery loftus jenny kaplan and emily rutter are executive producers for acast creative studios maureen polo and reese witherspoon are executive producers for hello sunshine olga kaminwa kristin perla ashley rapaport and sarah kernerman are associate producers for reese's book club and ali perry is executive producer for iheart podcasts today's episode is brought to you by cotton we spend a lot of time with stories hours curled up with dynamic plots and characters who feel like friends what if the story isn't just in your hands but also in the world around you in the fabric that's holding you close cotton is that timeless companion soft sheets for a lazy weekend morning with a book breezy dresses for afternoons spent reading in the backyard it's the fabric that can be tossed in the wash without fuss it's about ease comfort and caring for yourself and the planet just like books we cherish cotton weaves meaning into everyday moments next time you settle in for a chapter slip into something cotton not just to read the story but to feel it cotton the fabric of our lives learn more at thefabricofourlives dot com the autograph journey credit card from wells fargo is built for travel you can earn rewards wherever you book your favorite hotel site your go to airline and more you get five times points with hotels four times with airlines three times on restaurants and other travel and one point on other purchases whether it's a big vacation or a quick getaway from booking your stay to that first meal when you arrive you're turning your trips into rewards with the autograph journey card from wells fargo learn more at wells fargo dot com autographjourney terms apply apple books

[Co-host (possibly Reese Witherspoon or another host)]

is the best way to read or

[Danielle Robay]

listen to the books you love without a subscription right on your iphone and a heads up for listeners apple books is the official audiobook and ebook home for reese's book club so you can discover every exciting pick plus author curated collections and more all in one place open the apple books app to explore a world of books and audiobooks you can set and track your reading goals and get great recommendations for your next read or listen again no subscription required visit apple co reese that's r e e s e applebooks to find out more i'm partnering with simple mills and i have now found a new go to reading snack simple mills almond flour crackers think of this as a quick book style review because these crackers deserve it the premise a snack that feels light not heavy made with almond flour sunflower seeds and flaxseeds nutrient dense ingredients your body can use not empty carbs and the taste crunchy classic flavors that leave you feeling energized for a good plot twist try popums cheesy airy poppable crackers packed with veggies final verdict these are a shelf staple find simple meals at your grocery store this is an iheart podcast guaranteed human