Books With Your Besties: "Ash and Em are BACK!" Episode Summary

Release Date: July 11, 2025

Emily and Ashley return with their latest episode, “Ash and Em are BACK!”, bringing listeners into an engaging conversation filled with travel anecdotes, cultural insights, parenting reflections, and candid discussions about life’s unexpected moments. This detailed summary captures the essence of their lively exchange, enriched with notable quotes and timestamps for reference.

1. European Adventures Recap [00:08 - 03:04]

The episode kicks off with Ashley recounting her recent two and a half-week trip to Europe.

• Destinations Covered:
  • London, UK: A bustling metropolis where Ashley highlighted the cultural similarities with America due to globalization. “London for kids too is just fun because I felt like they really got to experience the city because it's kind of an easier place to take kids” ([06:54]).
  • Algarve, Portugal: A picturesque southern coast known for its tourist-friendly beaches. Ashley contrasts it with more authentic regions like Porto. “I wish we had gone to Porto. People love Porto, Portugal. And we went to just the Algarve Coast. It feels a little bit like us going to California for beach warm beach time” ([07:48]).
  • Geneva and Cormier, Italy: Cormier is described as a charming mountain town in the Italian Alps. The scenic beauty left a lasting impression on them. “There's huge. It was the tallest Mont Blanc, where we were is the tallest mountain in Europe. So it's Thai. It's over 15,000ft” ([10:03]).

2. Cultural Observations and Language Insights [03:04 - 19:45]

Emily dives into the cultural nuances and the importance of multilingualism observed during their travels.

• Cultural Similarities in London:

  • “We all share so much common interest and knowledge now with social media. We're all seeing the same things, the same styles, the same concepts that the kids, Gen Z in London looked like Gen Z in America” ([05:10]).

• Language Proficiency:

  • Ashley expresses admiration for multilingual environments. “Everywhere they speak at least two languages. They all speak English and they all speak whatever their official language is” ([18:38]).
  • They lament the limited language exposure in America. “It's kind of gross of us that we don't and everybody else is expected to learn our language” ([19:25]).

3. Family and Parenting Insights [03:25 - 07:23]

Discussion shifts to how the trip impacted their children.

• Kids’ Experiences:
  • Ashley shares how her children adapted seamlessly to different cultures. “They are the quietest people on the planes. Didn’t even order drinks or anything” ([04:08]).
  • Emily reflects on the long-term benefits of exposing children to diverse cultures. “This is something that will impact them for years to come” ([04:26]).

4. Memorable Moments and Highlights [07:38 - 15:27]

The hosts reminisce about standout experiences from their trip.

• Algarve Boat Tour:

  • Encounter with dolphins, including a newborn calf. “There was a newborn baby dolphin... she’s like, that dolphin is two, maybe three weeks old” ([09:20]).

• Italy’s Scenic Beauty:

  • View of towering mountains and picturesque landscapes. “It looks like a postcard. Have hundreds. This is what I can put up for Kristen” ([10:32]).

• Alpine Hike and Refugios:

  • Hiking in the Alps with a steep ascent leading to a unique alpine lake. “It was really cool to have that sort of older historical feel to it” ([12:00]).
  • Enjoying authentic Italian cuisine at refugios. “The food was the best, maybe the best food on the whole trip... homemade lasagna” ([14:04]).

5. Travel Mishaps and Anecdotes [25:10 - 30:46]

Ashley shares a challenging experience during a flight, adding humor and relatability to the conversation.

• In-Flight Incident:
  • Encountering vomit from a previous passenger on her seat. “There was vomit in my seat from the last flight... the manager offered me 8,000 points” ([25:33]).
  • Dealing with limited Wi-Fi access and finding solace in watching TV shows like White Lotus. “I watched the first seven episodes of the eight-episode season of White Lotus season three” ([28:34]).

6. Reflections on Work-Life Balance and Intentional Living [19:45 - 23:04]

The conversation delves into the contrasting lifestyles between Europe and America.

• Intentional Living:

  • Admiration for the European approach to work-life balance, such as extended lunch breaks and siestas. “They opened back up at 3:30 and they take intentional time to go and have a long lunch or take a nap or take a rest” ([20:17]).

• American Hustle Culture:

  • Critique of the relentless pursuit of productivity in the U.S. “We're so into productivity and we're not even that productive” ([20:17]).

• Food Quality:

  • Emphasis on the superior quality of homemade and fresh foods encountered abroad. “Everywhere we ate, we're like, this is so much better because it's homemade breads on everything” ([22:05]).

7. Book Discussions and Recommendations [24:19 - 32:44]

Emily and Ashley share their current reading and listening choices, intertwining personal anecdotes.

• Book Recommendations:

  • Ashley mentions "Stolen" by Tess Stimson and "Zero Stars Do Not Recommend" by M.J. Wassmer, the latter being an apocalyptic tale.

• Engaging Conversations:

  • Discussion about the interpersonal dynamics of their teenage children’s technologically-mediated dating experiences. “They just FaceTime constantly, but don't even talk” ([31:28]).

8. Upcoming Events and Community Engagement [34:12 - End]

The episode concludes with updates on their upcoming events and interactions with the author community.

• Retreat 2026 Announcement:

  • Ashley enthusiastically promotes Retreat 2026, listing featured authors like BA Paris and Ashley Winstead. “We have authors BA Paris, Ashley Winstead, Lucinda Berry, Kara Ruda, Heather Gudenkopf, Sarah Pekkanen and Jason Rakulik coming” ([35:03]).

• Community Outreach:

  • Plans to expand their author lineup and possibly host multi-location events to accommodate growing interest. “These authors are all so awesome. I wish we could have invited all of the previous ones back” ([34:23]).

Notable Quotes:

• Ashley on Travel Flexibility:
  “We’re going to take carry-ons... what’s going to work” ([02:19]).

• Emily on Intentional Living:
  “Even when we try our best here and like, it’s still not what I experienced when traveling” ([23:04]).

• Ashley on Multilingualism:
  “We just don’t. It’s up to them to learn her language” ([19:25]).

• Ashley on In-Flight Experience:
  “Mine’s worse than everyone else’s” ([25:33]).

Conclusion

“Ash and Em are BACK!” offers a vibrant mix of personal travel stories, cultural critiques, parenting insights, and engaging discussions about books and life’s unpredictable moments. Emily and Ashley’s seamless chemistry and 23-year friendship shine through, making this episode a must-listen for fans seeking depth, humor, and relatable content.

For more exclusive content, bonus episodes, and behind-the-scenes footage, listeners are encouraged to support Emily and Ashley on Patreon through their Creepy Book Club community.

Happy reading and listening!