Great Big Beautiful Life | May Book Club

Summary

Podcast Title: I'll Read What She's Reading
Episode Title: Great Big Beautiful Life | May Book Club
Release Date: June 4, 2025

---

Introduction

In this episode of I'll Read What She's Reading, hosts Reggie, Mikayla, and Kennedy delve into their May book club selection, "The Great Big Beautiful Life" by Emily Henry. The trio sets the stage for an engaging discussion, emphasizing spoiler alerts and encouraging listeners to read the book beforehand to fully appreciate their insights and reviews.

---

Movie Rights and Reese Witherspoon Connection

[00:51] Kennedy shares an intriguing fact about the book's potential adaptation:

"Because all her fun facts. Oh, maybe it's not a fun fact. Yeah. Since it's a Reese. If you guys didn't know this, every book that is a Reese Reese Witherspoon book pick, she automatically has the rights to the movie. That's part of the deal."

[01:04] Reggie adds excitement about the possibility of Seeing Reese Witherspoon's involvement:

"Yeah, I can see this being a Reese Witherspoon movie."

The hosts express unanimous enthusiasm for the potential film adaptation, highlighting Reese Witherspoon's knack for bringing beloved books to the screen.

---

Partnership Announcement and Book Giveaway

[01:52] Mikayla announces a thrilling partnership with Fable, offering listeners a chance to win one of 100 copies of "The Other Side of Now" by Paige Harberson:

"We are so excited to announce that we are partnering with them to give away a hundred copies of the Other side of now by Paige Harberson. This book is a brand new release for F of both Rebecca Searle and Taylor Jenkins Reid."

[02:06] Kennedy provides a brief synopsis of the giveaway book:

"In this book we follow our FMC Meg Bryan, who is a leading actress of a hit TV show and is dating Hollywood's biggest heartthrob. After a small mental breakdown slash realizing her life isn't all she wants it to be, she books a trip to Ireland where her and her best friend Amy always jump to visiting. She finds herself in an alternate reality where she isn't a famous actress. Amy never got into her tragic accident and she's left with an impossible choice."

Listeners are encouraged to participate by clicking the link in the show notes and joining the Fable Kickoff room to enter the giveaway. Winners will be announced on June 10th.

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Book Club Discussion

Overall Ratings

The hosts share their initial ratings and feelings about "The Great Big Beautiful Life":

• Mikayla expresses mixed feelings, rating the book 3 to 3.5 stars, citing it as her least favorite Emily Henry novel due to a slow start and a desire for more cohesive storytelling.
  [03:08 - 04:39]

• Kennedy rates the book 3.75 stars, also considering it her least favorite Emily Henry book. She highlights a slow first half but acknowledges emotional moments that resonated with her.
  [04:39 - 07:07]

• Reggie aligns with her co-hosts, appreciating Emily Henry's writing but feeling the plot lacked the elements that made her other books captivating. She remains conflicted about her final rating.
  [07:07 - 09:35]

Likes and Dislikes

Likes:

• Family Dynamics: Both Reggie and Kennedy appreciate the mother-daughter relationships portrayed in the book, finding them relatable and emotionally impactful.
  [15:15 - 16:51]

• Specific Scenes: Memorable moments like the hurricane scene and heartfelt conversations stand out to the hosts.
  Kennedy:

  "One of my favorite moments was at the end when she finally has this conversation with her mom about, like, you love me, but you don't like me kind of a thing."
  [12:58 - 13:41]

• Quotes: Thought-provoking quotes and one-liners resonate deeply with the hosts.
  Kennedy:

  "Love isn't something you can cup in your hands. And I have to believe that means it's something that can't ever be lost."
  [13:20 - 13:41]

Dislikes:

• Pacing and Plot Development: The initial slow pace and abrupt romantic developments left the hosts feeling disconnected from the story's progression.
  Reggie:

  "There was just something about the romance aspect of it that felt like I got a little lost halfway through where I was."
  [25:21 - 25:50]

• Character Relationships: Mixed signals between characters caused confusion and diminished emotional investment.
  Mikayla:

  "It was kind of making me angry that he was like, like, almost leading her on."
  [24:08 - 24:25]

• Multiple Storylines: The intertwining of Margaret's and Alice and Hayden's stories felt unfocused, with both narratives not being fully developed.
  Kennedy:

  "I would have been okay with it being. Maybe being a little bit longer to be able to establish a little bit more of that romance as well as seeing a little bit more of Margaret and Cosmo."
  [31:24 - 31:41]

Favorite Moments and Quotes

• Mother-Daughter Conversations: Emotional dialogues that showcase the complexities of familial relationships.
  Reggie:

  "I feel like they were kind of like, they were just living in their own separate worlds and they needed to have that moment to come together."
  [14:35 - 15:15]

• Hurricane Scene: A vividly described moment where a character arrives in the rain, symbolizing emotional turmoil and connection.
  Kennedy:

  "It's just pouring rain. And, you know, as a reader, you knew this was coming. Her phone was dead. Yeah. Nobody could get a hold of her."
  [12:58 - 13:01]

• Impactful Quotes: Reflective and meaningful lines that encapsulate the book's themes.
  Kennedy:

  "Love isn't something you can cup in your hands. And I have to believe that means it's something that can't ever be lost."
  [13:20 - 13:41]

---

Fan Casts: Imagining the Characters on Screen

The hosts engage in a lively segment imagining which actors could portray the book's characters:

Hayden

• Kennedy envisions Adam Driver for Hayden, citing his tall stature and unique features.
  [34:09 - 34:16]

• Reggie mentions Dev Patel and Charles Melton, noting their suitability based on physical attributes and acting prowess.
  [35:03 - 37:21]

• Mikayla considers Christine Froster Frost for Alice, highlighting her innocence and up-and-coming talent.
  [38:14 - 40:07]

Alice

• Mikayla selects Christine Froster Frost from The Buccaneers for Alice, appreciating her unique beauty and acting style.
  [38:14 - 38:38]

• Kennedy opts for Ella Purnell from Yellowjackets, valuing her ability to portray bubbly and positive characters.
  [39:00 - 40:20]

Margaret

• Kennedy suggests Meryl Streep for Margaret, praising her versatility and emotional depth.
  [42:35 - 43:05]

• Reggie imagines Lily James as a younger Margaret, drawing parallels to her role in Mamma Mia.
  [43:05 - 43:22]

Cosmo

• Reggie considers Austin Butler, inspired by Hayden's Southern twine and Elvis-like charm.
  [43:05 - 44:09]

• Kennedy and Mikayla discuss potential actors but leave the final choice open for future episodes.
  [44:14 - 44:55]

---

Announcing the Next Book Club Selection

Transitioning from their review, the hosts reveal the upcoming book club pick with a playful twist:

[45:00 - 46:10]
Reggie announces that the next month's book will be "Silver Elite" by Danny Francis, a pen name that has sparked curiosity and speculation among fans. The trio teases that Danny Francis is actually the hosts themselves, adding an element of mystery and excitement.

[46:24 - 47:38]
The discussion touches on rumors that the book could be a work by Colleen Hoover, especially amidst her recent media controversies. However, the hosts decide to keep the true identity under wraps, planning to incorporate it into future episodes. They invite listeners to join and guess who the real author might be, fostering engagement and anticipation.

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Conclusion

In this comprehensive discussion, Reggie, Mikayla, and Kennedy provide a balanced critique of "The Great Big Beautiful Life", highlighting both its strengths and areas for improvement. Their passion for literature and deep engagement with the book's themes make for an insightful episode. Additionally, their creative fan casting and the tantalizing announcement of their next book club selection promise continued excitement for their audience.

---

Notable Quotes:

• Kennedy on Love:

  "Love isn't something you can cup in your hands. And I have to believe that means it's something that can't ever be lost."
  [13:20]

• Reggie on Relationship Progression:

  "There was just something about the romance aspect of it that felt like I got a little lost halfway through where I was."
  [25:21]

• Mikayla on Familial Bonds:

  "I feel like the stories to me weren't cohesive."
  [04:23]

---

Join the Conversation:

Engage with the hosts and fellow listeners by participating in their book club on Fable and following them on social media for updates, giveaways, and more fan casting fun!

Transcript

[Reggie]

Hello everybody. Welcome back to all readers. She's reading. I'm Reggie.

[Mikayla]

I'm Mikayla.

[Kennedy]

And I'm Kennedy.

[Reggie]

And it's time for our book club episode of the Great bbl. The Great Big Beautiful Life.

[Kennedy]

Oh my gosh, no.

[Mikayla]

See, I didn't even think of that.

[Kennedy]

Me either. The Great bbl.

[Reggie]

The Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry. So if you have not read this book, please leave and come back after you've read it because we're going to be spoiling everything talking about our overall reviews. What we loved and didn't love about the book and we loved doing a little fan cast at the end which has this been picked up? I don't know if it has it.

[Kennedy]

Because all her fun facts. Oh, maybe it's not a fun fact. Yeah. Since it's a Reese. If you guys didn't know this, every book that is a Reese Reese Witherspoon book pick, she automatically has the rights to the movie. That's part of the deal.

[Reggie]

Yeah, I can see this being a Reese Witherspoon movie.

[Kennedy]

Hundred percent. Yeah.

[Reggie]

Yeah, it's been. It was really fun reading this with everybody on our Fable. So if you guys are not on our fable and you participate in our book club episodes every month, you can go find us on Fable at all. Read what she's reading and if you haven't used Fable before, it's really cool because you can go in chapter by chapter and leave your thoughts, comments and no one's gonna spoil anything for you cause you get to just talk with everybody chapter by chapter. So it was. Yeah, it's, it's always fun. I always wish I could like stay towards the like read it very last so I can see more. Cause I found myself this morning looking through me too people's comments and stuff. But yeah, it's lots of fun.

[Mikayla]

Speaking of fable, we are so excited to announce that we are partnering with them to give away a hundred copies of the Other side of now by Paige Harberson. This book is a brand new release for F of both Rebecca Searle and Taylor Jenkins Reid.

[Kennedy]

In this book we follow our FMC Meg Bryan, who is a leading actress of a hit TV show and is dating Hollywood's biggest heartthrob. After a small mental breakdown slash realizing her life isn't all she wants it to be, she books a trip to Ireland where her and her best friend Amy always jump to visiting. She finds herself in an alternate reality where she isn't a famous actress. Amy never got into her tragic accident and she's left with an impossible choice.

[Reggie]

I'm such a big fan of magical realism in romance books, so I can't wait to dive into this one. If you're interested in winning your own copy, click the link in the show notes to enter the free giveaway book club and comment in the Fable Kickoff room to enter to be one of the lucky 100 people to win an ebook copy of the Other side of now by Paige Harbison. The winners will be announced on June 10th. Good luck and we can't wait to read this one with you all. But yeah, let's get into our reviews. I'm a little undecided on my review. I don't know if I have a star rating quite yet.

[Kennedy]

Do you have one? Michaela? She finished this at what time last night?

[Mikayla]

11:30 last night. I honestly feel like I need to maybe start reading our book club books maybe a few days before we record the episode because I feel like sometimes I have really strong feelings about things and I need, like, a few days to kind of, like, you know, collect my marinate. I don't know. Okay. I feel like I was really nervous about this episode again, because I'm like, am I gonna sound like such a Debbie Downer again for a book club episode there? I think my star rating is either 3 or 3.5. I think this is my least favorite Emily Henry book. And I will say the beginning 50% of the book. I had a really bad attitude about it. I was really bored, and I had a really hard time reading. I think the ending did make up for it a little bit, but there were parts of it that I loved and there were parts of it that I didn't love as much. And I almost wish, like, the stories to me weren't cohesive. I don't know. I almost wish they would have been like, two separate storylines.

[Kennedy]

Almost like two separate books.

[Mikayla]

Yes.

[Kennedy]

I don't know.

[Mikayla]

That was just kind of like, my thoughts about it. But maybe it will change and I will have, like, different feelings about it in a few days. I don't know. I don't know. I was so nervous because I'm like, yeah. Anyways, that's it.

[Reggie]

Okay.

[Mikayla]

Do you want me to go?

[Kennedy]

Sure. It's funny that you are saying the things that you're saying, Michaela, because I had a very, very similar experience. So I think I'm between three and a half and four stars for this. I think I'm gonna give it 3.75. And it is also my least favorite Emily Henry book, partly because of the same reasons, Honestly, due to the same reasons as Michaela. The first half of the book was really slow for me as well. I honestly didn't love Margaret's story until we met Cosmo.

[Mikayla]

Yeah.

[Kennedy]

Once we met Cosmo, I kind of was invested in her journey. And not to say I don't really understand why we had to go so far back in time, because we did have kind of that full circle moment when we found out people were related to her. I just didn't care as much. And then when it came to Alice and Hayden's story, I was a lot more invested in them in the first half, and then it flipped. So I loved Alice and Hayden the beginning, and then towards the middle of the story, I was more invested in Margaret's story. So it was weird how it kind of had a flip flop. I have the Target special edition, and at the beginning of the book, she actually writes a letter to the readers and she just kind of explains that this is totally outside of what she normally writes. And she wanted to try something new with this book, which I think she did try something new. And I knew that going into it, watching all of the TikToks that people had shared. And I tried really hard to separate the TikTok reviews from my opinion, but I do feel like they bled into it a little bit. Does that make sense?

[Reggie]

Yeah.

[Kennedy]

Everybody just kept saying, this doesn't feel like Emily Henry. This doesn't feel like Emily Henry. But it did feel like Emily Henry to me.

[Mikayla]

It did, but it's not. It wasn't cozy at all, in my opinion.

[Kennedy]

Yeah.

[Mikayla]

Like, it wasn't like a cozy, like, summer read. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like, I wouldn't take this to a. I wouldn't suggest this as, like a beach read.

[Reggie]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Mikayla]

Like, her other books are to my.

[Kennedy]

To me, I think the times that she wrote the romance, it was so strong because that's what she's so good at. And I did love the family drama, but I just felt very similar to Mikayla in the aspect that I wish. It almost felt like both storylines weren't fully fleshed out. Mm. You know?

[Reggie]

Yeah.

[Kennedy]

So I'm about, at 3.75, still love Emily Henry, though. She's so talented. And I did cry. I still cried in this book. I cry in every one of her books. So cool.

[Reggie]

I am sitting about the same as you guys. It's so funny because I knew when I started this book, I told myself, I had a little chat with myself because I've been seeing so many mixings and mostly. Mostly that people weren't really loving this book because it didn't feel like her other books. But I was totally fine with that. I was like, I would love to see Emily Henry do something new. Like, I wasn't setting myself up for anything, really. I just was like, we're just gonna start it. Knowing that this might be a little bit different. Immediately, I was like, okay, this is giving Seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo. If you know, you know. And I was a little nervous about that because I love that book. And so there were some things that were definitely similar, and I was trying really hard to not think about that. But I agree with a lot of what you guys said because there were so many things I did love in this book. But when I think about the things that I absolutely loved, none of them really had to do with the plot. It was just like, a quote that was shared with or, like, some emotion that she evoked like, that I was able to feel. But I can't think of anything within the story that I was like, the plot itself. And overall that I was like, I'm absolutely obsessed. They were just, like, little nuggets of things that I loved throughout the entire book. So for me, I'm like, there was at one point where I was really. There were a few chapters I was like, wait, this is really good. I'm really liking this. But then I had to sit back and I'm like, think of all the things I didn't like and that I was feeling iffy on. And I'm like, I don't think. It really makes me feel like I need to rate this super highly because Emily Henry is such a talented writer, and I absolutely love all of her books. And I wouldn't say I disliked this book, but I. I don't know. I just didn't. I didn't absolutely love it. So I can get more into my, like, likes and dislikes. But there was a lot of things that really shined in her writing in this book that I really, truly loved. But I just think the overall. Yeah. Plot. It could have been better. I was wanting a little more the relationship. I also. I was loving it in the beginning, and then out of the blue, it was like, wait, they love each other? I was a little lost.

[Kennedy]

Yeah.

[Mikayla]

Well, I feel like it's because with those two different stories, you couldn't really see a relationship build up because it was jumping so much.

[Reggie]

Yeah.

[Mikayla]

Like, we didn't get the time to spend with Hayden and Alice.

[Reggie]

Yeah.

[Mikayla]

Like we do in other books.

[Kennedy]

I Would love to see her write something strictly more women's fiction. Genuinely. I just. I mean, I said this already. I just didn't feel like I got enough of either story. Yeah. So.

[Mikayla]

Yeah. Well, I also feel like I love her writing. This was new for her, but I don't feel like it was like a new concept. Like, there's a lot of books that are similar to this. Yeah.

[Reggie]

Yeah.

[Mikayla]

With like, you know, their interview style.

[Reggie]

I honestly, looking if I. I almost would have rather just loved an entire book about back in time with Margaret, her whole story. And seeing that as like a love story and that as a romance book itself.

[Kennedy]

Well, she could have wrote straight up Margaret's story and had that romance subplot with Cosmo. I think I would have felt more of an emotional connection to the story if it would have just been Margaret's because there was so much there. There was the family drama, there was her sister. There was the romance with Cosmo. There was all of that. And I don't feel like we needed Hayden and Alice. I don't know.

[Reggie]

Yeah.

[Mikayla]

I don't know.

[Kennedy]

I think she could write a women's fiction book and it would be really very good. I think she's very talented. So.

[Reggie]

Yeah. And her romance is always very great. I do feel like the progression of the relationship in this book really bothered me, but a lot of the moments that they had together I really, really liked. So. Yeah. Shall we jump in? Do we want to do faves or Lee saves first?

[Kennedy]

Let's do faves.

[Mikayla]

Faves.

[Kennedy]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Mikayla]

Okay.

[Kennedy]

I can go first. I said this in Fable, but I think the reason, part of the reason why I love Emily Henry's books, and maybe it's more so just her last two because they're more fresh on my brain. She is curing everybody's childhood trauma one by one. I'm convinced, because, funny story, it was kind of like this daughter dad trauma. And then in this one, she had this mom daughter trauma kind of, that she was going through. And one of my favorite moments was at the end when she finally has this conversation with her mom about, like, you love me, but you don't like me kind of a thing. You know what I mean? And they just had this heart to heart. And I was obsessed with the idea of her sitting down with her mom and writing her mom's story, her mom and dad's story. I just thought that was so sweet. And it's something I would love my mom to do. So I would say that whole full circle moment, moment was one of my favorites. And then one of my other favorite scenes was the hurricane scene when he. I could just picture this vividly. It's just pouring rain. And, you know, as a reader, you knew this was coming. Her phone was dead. Yeah. Nobody could get a hold of her. Oh, you know, he's gonna come over and he's just standing in the doorway in the rain with the wind.

[Reggie]

And then he puts on her Capri.

[Kennedy]

Yes, yes, yes. I loved that whole scene. Those are probably my top two favorite scenes in the whole book. And then, of course, you know, there's those few little quotes that I really loved. There was one about. I wrote it in Fable. Oh, I got it. I got it.

[Mikayla]

Okay, okay.

[Kennedy]

One of my favorite quotes was in chapter 17, and it said, love is. Love isn't something you can cup in your hands. And I have to believe that means it's something that can't ever be lost. And it's when she was talking about her dad. I don't know. There were just so many good quotes and one liners that she had in there. Yeah, those are my favorites.

[Reggie]

I had a lot of moments where I was sitting like that. Just a little, like, deep sigh. Yeah, I liked the. The hurricane scene too. I feel like there were a lot of little tiny moments in the beginning that I really liked that were getting me just, like, really excited about, like, the fire alarm. And then he's like, let's go to the. The cafe. And like, I. Why did I love that? He just was this diner guy and he just loved to go to all these diners.

[Kennedy]

But he would eat salads.

[Reggie]

Yeah.

[Kennedy]

What?

[Mikayla]

I know, but I was like, but you eat healthy things.

[Reggie]

Yeah.

[Kennedy]

Hold on.

[Reggie]

How do you know which one's the best? Where they're all just probably serving, like, the same thing. But I did really love the mother daughter side of it. I have, like, a pretty great relationship with my mom, But I've definitely had, like, some strain in our relationship more at the early stages, like when I was a teenager and stuff. And I feel like it wasn't until I, like, got married and became an adult that, like, my mom became, like, my best friend. I feel like a lot of people are like, oh, my mom's always been my best friend. I didn't like, no. Hate to my mom. Love her. She's always been, like, the best mom ever. But there were a lot of things that I could relate to within that story where I was like, sometimes you just gotta sit down and, like, have a conversation. And it felt like they were kind of like, they were just living in their own separate worlds and they needed to have that moment to come together. And so that was like. I really like that part. I just always love in a romance book, you know, when there's like that family dynamic and everything comes together.

[Kennedy]

I forgot one that I was also going to share. I'm sorry to interrupt you. There's this monologue where Alison Hayden, she asks Hayden, she's like, do you want kids? And he goes off about like, what if there's a world war? What if my kids hate me? What if. Whatever, you know, he. It's literally like three paragraphs long and it's all these questions. And when I read that, I thought to myself, that is literally me. When I think about having kids, I immediately think, well, what if they hate me? What if I do this?

[Mikayla]

What if?

[Kennedy]

You know? Loved that, too.

[Mikayla]

I saw your Fable update. Or was it your Goodreads update? I can't remember.

[Kennedy]

I think it was in Fable.

[Reggie]

Fable, I think it was. That is me.

[Kennedy]

That is me. But honestly, the weird thing is, is I really liked Hayden. I loved that he was kind of this person. I could relate to him in a lot of ways because he kind of seems like he's this closed off person. But if you just get to know him, he's really funny and he's social and he has these quirks. I related to him a lot in.

[Mikayla]

In that way.

[Kennedy]

So that really is my last favorite thing. Okay. Passing the torch to you again. I'm so sorry.

[Reggie]

Oh, no, you're totally fine. Um, yeah, I really just feel like my favorite thing was kind of like the mother daughter aspect of it. Not even within, like, Alice and her mom, but there's also. What's her name? The director? Her mom.

[Kennedy]

The director.

[Reggie]

Is it Margaret's mom?

[Kennedy]

Oh, Bernie.

[Reggie]

When she was born.

[Kennedy]

Bernie. Bernie's her mom.

[Reggie]

Bernie.

[Kennedy]

I remembered because I called. I called my dog Bernie.

[Mikayla]

That's how I remember that.

[Reggie]

Okay. Yeah. When she's like, I don't know. There's just like. I don't know why this part hit me, like, harder than, like, any part in the entire book, but I think it's because I'm just in this phase right now of life where I'm, like, trying to navigate, like, work and being a mom and, like, where do I want to go from here with my career and within my, like, role as a mother. And she was just, like, talking about, like, she needed to get back to work. But then part of her was like, she's like, I can't fully be in my job, and I can't fully be a mom. I'll just read the quote for just a second because this is just, like, the part that hit me the hardest. I feel like I have to share it. Oh, it, like, literally cut off my quote that I put on Fable. I know exactly, but I think I know what it says at the end.

[Kennedy]

But.

[Reggie]

But she also missed her daughter. Every time she fell asleep, she wondered how she would survive having her soul split like that. She knew for certain she could never be contented again as long as she lived. Half of her would be elsewhere. I think that's what it says at the end. It cut off at what. But yeah, I just, like, felt that really hard because lately, especially this past week, I'm like, I don't know what I'm doing. I don't know where I should go from here. I don't know what's the best step for me. What's the best step for my family for all these different things. And so that, like, hit me the hardest. And so. I don't know. I just always. It's so funny to me because I. I love a good romance book, but it's always, like, the family elements in every romance book that I read that always.

[Kennedy]

It's never the romance.

[Reggie]

It's so hard. Just kidding. So, yeah, and I will say, like, the early stages of Alice and Hayden's relationship was so fun. I just felt like, I can get this in my dislikes. I just felt like out of nowhere, there was, like, this weird kind of like, insta love situation. I don't know. But I loved the beginning with her just being, like, this really quirky, kind of, like, outgoing. Also her with the panicking about, like, why is he not waking up? And she's all, like, pounding on his door. I'm like, that literally is totally something I would do. And, like, the Leaving him the croissants. Did you guys listen to the audiobook at all? I don't think you did the audiobook. Like, they said the word. And I loved how she. It was always croissant every single time. I loved it. They said a million times. But her leaving him for him and then she realizes he doesn't, like, really eat them.

[Kennedy]

It made me want a croissant anyways.

[Reggie]

I just love those little, like, things in the beginning with them a lot. And then, like, trying to, like, share the booth together.

[Mikayla]

Yeah, yeah. Representation of tall people. The tall people. Tall peeps.

[Kennedy]

Their knees kept hitting each other.

[Mikayla]

I feel that deep in my core My husband's not as tall as Hayden is.

[Kennedy]

I think he was. I put this in my notes. I think she said he was. Ooh, let me go to my note. I'm so sorry. I want to say she said he was 6 3. That's what's cold.

[Mikayla]

That's the same height as my husband. And I don't know how tall she is.

[Kennedy]

I don't know. I just know she's tall.

[Mikayla]

Yeah. So pretty much me and my husband, we're both tall, but tall people. There were a lot of things kind of like what you said. The. Like, the mom. Like, that was really interesting to me. I was excited to kind of read about their relationship, and kind of the same as you, Reggie, where my relationship with my parents and my mom specifically was pretty strained in, like, high school. Like, I've always had a pretty good relationship, but I'm definitely not as. I wasn't as close as I am now with my parents being married, being out of the house. I feel like I have a greater appreciation for them now that I'm, like, an adult.

[Reggie]

You lean on your parents more once you're an adult.

[Kennedy]

Yeah.

[Reggie]

When you're a teenager.

[Mikayla]

Yeah.

[Reggie]

At least that's how it was.

[Mikayla]

Yeah.

[Reggie]

But, yeah.

[Mikayla]

And I feel like, similar in the situation where, like, I am very quiet about my, like, thoughts, and I just kind of pretend I'm okay or just, like, throw on, because I don't like contention and I don't like. So I was. I could relate to that a lot with Alice's character. I really, honestly loved the end. The letter. I don't know why. Oh, why did I forget about that? That was, like, my ultimate favorite part, because he received that letter, and he was like, is it true? And she thought it was talking about him being Margaret's grandson, but he was like, is it true? Like, that's all he cared about, was like, you love me. And I just. I just ate it up. I was like, this is the cutest thing ever. I just. I loved it. I loved it. And I also really liked Cosmo and Margaret's story. It was really sad.

[Reggie]

Really, really sad.

[Mikayla]

And I. Yeah, I just, like, kind of put things into perspective of, like, losing your spouse would be so hard, and I couldn't imagine. So there were. There were little. Little bits and pieces that, like, I loved individually, but I feel like together as a whole, it wasn't, like, my favorite thing. I don't know. I. And that probably sounds so crazy that, like, there's so many little bits and pieces that I'm Like, I loved this. I love this. I loved this. But as a whole, I don't know why I just couldn't like it as much. I don't know.

[Kennedy]

I really stand by that. They should have been two separate books.

[Mikayla]

Yeah.

[Kennedy]

Just a little bit more fleshed out.

[Mikayla]

Yeah.

[Kennedy]

Because like I said, I really liked Hayden. Alice was great. Loved their relationship in the first half. But also, Margaret's story was so interesting, but I don't feel like I got enough of it.

[Mikayla]

I agree. But I also wonder if, like, it was two separate stories, it would have been the same as book Book lovers.

[Reggie]

Because everyone in her books is either, like, somehow involved in, like, as a writer, a publisher, or even Beach Read.

[Kennedy]

Beach read?

[Mikayla]

Or is it beach read?

[Kennedy]

I think beach read. They're both writers.

[Mikayla]

They're both WR writers. So, like, I don't know. It's just hard. I think she was just trying to add a twist, and it was. It was good. Her writing is great. She's a fantastic writer. I will still continue to read everything she puts out, but it just didn't work for me.

[Reggie]

I think the biggest thing for me was that, like, something about the romance just felt. I don't know if I was expecting it to be more of a slow burn. Like, it felt like it was going that way. And then all of a sudden, they kissed, and I was like, oh, okay. And then it was just like, the next thing. It was like, the NDA thing was kind of fun because it was like, this can't be a thing. NDA. I love that. But I don't know. It just. I don't know if it's just me. Did you guys feel like it felt the progression of their relationship just felt kind of choppy to me. I don't know. I. For some reason, like, halfway through, I was like, wait, what is even going on?

[Mikayla]

Like, well, I just feel like the one part that I feel like kind of pissed me off about Hayden was, like, him doing everything, like, all these things, like, kissing her and stuff like that, but then being like, no, we can't. We can't.

[Reggie]

Yeah.

[Mikayla]

Like, it was. It was kind of making me angry that he was like, like, almost leading her on. I don't get me wrong. I really like him.

[Kennedy]

Yeah.

[Mikayla]

As a character. But they'd start making out, and then he'd be like, no. I'm like, you did the first move.

[Kennedy]

You let the horn.

[Reggie]

Yeah. She was getting lots of mixed signals.

[Mikayla]

Yeah.

[Reggie]

And as a reader, I was getting mixed signals. So then. I don't know. I can't remember at what point. I was just kind of like, okay, so they're in love.

[Mikayla]

Bang.

[Kennedy]

Already.

[Mikayla]

Just do it. Like.

[Kennedy]

Also got to a certain point where I think this is where it last lost me. In the last half with their relationship, all of their chapters together was just sexual tension. It was just all there was. There were little moments where they would kind of have an emotional connection, but it felt a lot more sexually charged in the last half, and I think that's where it lost me. And then I liked Margaret's story better, but I've been seeing a lot of people say that they didn't feel like they had chemistry. I feel like they had chemistry.

[Reggie]

Yeah. It was kind of like that grumpy sunshine kind of energy where.

[Kennedy]

Yeah.

[Reggie]

Yeah.

[Kennedy]

Which I guess that. Is that one of your least favorite things? Let's have you start with your least favorites.

[Reggie]

Yeah, I. Yeah, I just. I. There was just something about the romance aspect of it that felt like I got a little lost halfway through where I was. I didn't really understand where things were going and where things kind of came from, because he was giving her so many mixed signals. And it was like, we can't do this, but we're gonna do this. But then we're. I don't know. There's just something about that that just didn't feel very clear to me. And I would have loved to have it feel really clear. Like, okay, like, they're from. I don't know, like, almost. They.

[Mikayla]

They had rules, but they didn't really speak of them. Like, if they would have just sat down, be like, here's the rules. I feel like that would have been. Yeah, maybe a little better.

[Reggie]

Because I was like, are they crossing the line or are they not crossing the line? Like, why can't they just. I don't know. Something about that just felt a little iffy. And then everything with Margaret, like, I was. Yeah. A little bored in her story until, like, halfway through and they got really interesting. But I'm curious if you guys picked up on the little plot twist.

[Kennedy]

Yes, I thought for sure when I first started reading. And then we learned about her sister. For a second, I thought Jody was her sister, but then I thought to myself, jody's too young to be her sister. So I knew that Jody was somehow related. And then as it kind of went on, when she kept bringing up the NDA with Hayden, I was kind of.

[Reggie]

Saying that she brought him on herself.

[Kennedy]

Yeah. I was thinking, he's got to have something to do with it, because I was trying to figure out how these stories were going to interconnect. So I was like, hayden's got to be related somehow. Was I still surprised? Yeah, sure. I thought it was really fun. It's not like I read the plot twist was like, I knew was it was still fun. It was a good plot twist. It was good.

[Reggie]

Yeah. Also with her and, like, the baby situation, I feel like that kind of came at the same. Because you learn that first. Yeah. I feel like I kind of pieced that together all at once. The second she said she brought Hayden on herself, like, I. That's when I was like. And also, I just have to say she's very validated in her feelings of feeling so betrayed by Margaret. I was really mad for her.

[Kennedy]

Oh. By telling her there was a book and then there was no book.

[Reggie]

I'm like, you just wasted this girl. So much of this girl's time.

[Mikayla]

My initial reaction was maybe it was flip flopped. I don't know. I. I just didn't really think about Hayden because I thought the reason for her getting him was, like, valid in the fact that he's well known. Yeah. And, like, he's already done a book. And so I thought maybe it was flip up and she was hesitant to have her come. And then she finally decided so. But that wasn't like a solid. That was just like, oh, I wonder if they're somehow related. But I was. I wasn't putting anything down. I was honestly really distracted while reading this book.

[Kennedy]

That's okay.

[Mikayla]

Except for last night, so. But I still got everything.

[Reggie]

Yeah.

[Mikayla]

But not. I didn't connect any dots.

[Kennedy]

Yeah.

[Mikayla]

The one book I don't connect dots on is Emily Henry.

[Kennedy]

Just kidding, Lisa.

[Mikayla]

Probably just the beginning portion of Margaret's story was kind of like a drag for me. It was just really hard to read. I'm like, I know it will kind of come into play, but it was just really hard for me to read.

[Reggie]

Do you guys felt like a lot of her backstory was super necessary?

[Kennedy]

No.

[Reggie]

No, I don't feel like it was. I was like, I got towards, like, I probably got like 75 of the way through. And I was like, I wish we would have gotten, like, less of that backstory and more of, like, shown more of the romance between Margaret and Cosmo a little bit.

[Kennedy]

I mean, I guess we did need to know the whole. The whole hotel thing.

[Mikayla]

Yeah.

[Kennedy]

Obviously was important. And I'm trying to remember.

[Mikayla]

I swear.

[Kennedy]

I mean, I guess it was important in the sense of when her sister is. Joins the cult. Did they outright Say that's what it was called in the book.

[Reggie]

No, but that's kind of.

[Mikayla]

Well, it pretty much was.

[Kennedy]

Yeah. I don't want to use that word, but I don't know what other word to use.

[Mikayla]

Kidnapping.

[Kennedy]

When she meets that psychologist and goes to her treatment, we'll use treatment. I guess they do blackmail her family because of the history. So I guess that maybe comes into play at some point. But I don't feel like we needed as in depth, I suppose.

[Mikayla]

Yeah.

[Reggie]

Yeah. I would have just liked a little more of the Margaret Cosmo.

[Kennedy]

Same story.

[Reggie]

Same, same. I didn't like that we were learning about it as late into the book as we were. He was like, wait, anymore? So I thought that was kind of fun.

[Mikayla]

It was fun.

[Reggie]

Yeah.

[Mikayla]

Maybe the relationship. I. I liked them. I like the beginning portion. I loved the end with him, you know, fighting for the last scene. Not the last scene. The scene where he, like, goes to her mom's house. I thought that was cute. I don't know. Like, I. I don't know if I have, like, one thing that just, like, one scene that stands out to me that, like, I hated this, but there was just.

[Kennedy]

I don't know.

[Mikayla]

I don't know. Do you have any.

[Kennedy]

I mean, honestly, it's just kind of the same things. I've already said the. I didn't love the first half of Margaret's story, so that dragged on for me, and then it just didn't feel fully fledged. Both. I would have loved more in both. Honestly, I don't know how you guys feel about this, but I would have been okay with it being. Maybe being a little bit longer to be able to establish a little bit more of that romance as well as seeing a little bit more of Margaret and Cosmo.

[Mikayla]

But, yeah.

[Kennedy]

Yeah, I. I don't have one single thing that I absolutely hated. It just the biggest thing I feel like with this book is it just fell flat a little bit for me. I mean, 3.75 is still great. Three and a half is still great. Yeah. Just compared to her other books, it just wasn't my favorite.

[Reggie]

Yeah. There was just something as a whole of this book that I just wasn't obsessed with, like, in her other books. So. But still, so many great quotes. Like, I still. I cried same. There was a lot I cried about, actually. But, yeah, there was just something as a whole that I felt like it was missing. Don't really know what that was. But I will say, like, I applaud her for, you know, trying something new because, I mean, Think of how many books she's written now. I just wish it would have been a concept that I hadn't felt like I'd read before.

[Kennedy]

I think it would be exhausting to be a romance writer, a fantasy writer, any type a writer that's typecast as a in a certain genre. It would be exhausting to continually have to write the same thing over and over. So like you, Reggie, I applaud her for trying something different and I think she could excel at any genre she set her mind to. Honestly, it just wasn't my favorite and that's okay.

[Reggie]

Yeah.

[Kennedy]

But I do know I have seen a few people that say it's their favorite Emily Henry book. And that's what's so cool about reading is you could take any of her. What does she have five books out? Six. I mean, I think we all have a different favorite Emily Henry book.

[Reggie]

Yeah.

[Kennedy]

Mine's funny story.

[Reggie]

I think mine's Happy place.

[Mikayla]

I don't know. People we meet on vacation.

[Reggie]

We meet on vacation.

[Kennedy]

Yeah. So it's just.

[Reggie]

It's hard. I need a like read all of them, like again, kind of close to each other to get a full opinion because I've been seeing so many tiktoks of people ranking Emily Henry's books since this and everyone's rankings are so different.

[Kennedy]

That's what's so cool. I think it's. I think it's really cool, so.

[Reggie]

And it's also really cool. Maybe this is a my way of segueing to our next little topic. But so cool that all of them are being picked up for movies or TV shows. I think happy place is going to be a TV show which I'm actually a little nervous about that one because it's like TV show. I think it's a TV show.

[Kennedy]

Interesting. I don't know, but rom com movies are so back, you guys.

[Reggie]

Yeah.

[Mikayla]

So bad.

[Kennedy]

They're so bad.

[Reggie]

Oh, I'm so excited. I've seen some people doing some fan casts on Tick tock already of this book.

[Mikayla]

Oh, I haven't seen but it's only.

[Reggie]

Been the same cast. I've only seen the same cast. I've seen like three different tick tocks with the same people.

[Kennedy]

Are we going in fan casts?

[Reggie]

Yeah. Sorry.

[Kennedy]

Was there anything else you guys wanted?

[Mikayla]

That's great. Let's do fan casts.

[Reggie]

Let's start with Hayden.

[Kennedy]

Okay. Can I go first?

[Reggie]

Yeah.

[Kennedy]

I. I haven't seen the Tick tocks of what people are casting.

[Reggie]

Okay.

[Kennedy]

But when obviously he's 6 3, he's tall. I don't know how tall this doctor is. I picture him being really tall. She also describes him as of having this nose. And. And I don't picture hating being super conventionally attractive. Okay. She kind of mentions him having this hawk nose and whatever. And I don't necessarily think this person's attractive. I know a lot of people think he's attractive, but this is just who I pictured. He. I actually don't know if this actor has brown eyes, but Hayden has brown eyes. I pictured Adam Driver.

[Reggie]

Oh, yeah. I feel like he's a little old, but I see I know exactly his. He came into my brain at one point, but then I was like, he seems a little too old, but he fits the. He fits the description.

[Kennedy]

I bet you like anything. Who people are casting as Callum Turner.

[Mikayla]

No.

[Kennedy]

Is that what people are saying on Tick Tock?

[Reggie]

The people I've been seeing are Dev Patel. I don't know how tall he is. Oh, but he's got, like, the. Because doesn't he have kind of like long, curly, kind of like longer hair? I feel like he has, like, dark, kind of curlyish.

[Kennedy]

I don't know.

[Mikayla]

Maybe I pay attention enough to Pretty sure.

[Reggie]

And he is a great actor. I don't know if I can see him playing that kind of role. I don't know because I don't. He's not really in any rom coms. I'd love to see him in one because I think he's great.

[Mikayla]

Her friends did say he was really hot in the book.

[Reggie]

I mean, I think Dev Patel's.

[Kennedy]

That's true.

[Reggie]

Attractive.

[Mikayla]

But I mean, a lot of people think Adam Driver's hot. I don't.

[Kennedy]

But, you know, he's not.

[Mikayla]

His body's gray.

[Kennedy]

Just immediately when he was tall, brown eyes, had this nose. I was like, okay, Adam Driver. That's just immediately.

[Mikayla]

Yeah.

[Kennedy]

My brain. But you. Wait, Michaela, did you cast Driver's Tall?

[Mikayla]

I cast Callum Turner.

[Kennedy]

Okay. I think he'd be great. I think he'd be good.

[Mikayla]

I don't know why. He was like the first person that came to my brain and I didn't. I didn't. I didn't really do a lot of research. Once he came into my brain and he's tall, I was like, ah, him.

[Kennedy]

How tall is he?

[Reggie]

Yes, he's two.

[Kennedy]

Did you cast Dua Lipa as Alice?

[Mikayla]

No, I didn't, but that would be really cute.

[Kennedy]

Who did you cast as Hayden?

[Reggie]

Okay. I don't know. Okay. This is so funny because he came into my brain and I don't know if it was, because I know he's tall and, like, the darker features, but it's so funny because after I solidified, I was like, okay, he's gonna be my pick. There was a girl that did a TikTok, and she was saying, I guess there's like, an Emily Henry Reddit page, and someone posted these little. It was like a fan cast and then like, an aesthetic of the. I saved it to show you guys.

[Mikayla]

Okay.

[Reggie]

And she was saying this. Whoever this person is on Reddit has the most perfect casting for each book. Oh. And she was, like, so obsessed. So she was going through all of them, and the last one was Great Big Beautiful Life. And I was shocked that the person I had in mind for him was on the list. But I think the. I'll have to show you guys this TikTok, because I saw the casting choices were really.

[Kennedy]

You should post it on her story too.

[Reggie]

I don't like who she picked for the girl, but for the guy I was pitching, Charles Melton.

[Mikayla]

Is he.

[Reggie]

He's on Riverdale?

[Mikayla]

Yes, yes.

[Reggie]

A lot of people were saying him for, like, he needs to be Zayden, though, I think. Yeah, he's cute. Well, he gives, like, the grumpy sunshine.

[Mikayla]

I haven't seen Riverdale.

[Reggie]

He's 6:1, but, like, you know. Yeah, I could see that. Like, the.

[Mikayla]

Yeah, I don't know.

[Kennedy]

Yeah.

[Reggie]

The girl that was on this TikTok that I saw was Rachel Zegler, but I'm like, I don't think she's very tall.

[Mikayla]

She's also 33 in the book.

[Reggie]

And I'm. Yeah, I was. I. Yeah, I was like, that seems like a weird pairing to me.

[Kennedy]

Huh? But Rachel Zegler.

[Reggie]

Yeah, I thought that that was strange.

[Mikayla]

Tiny girl.

[Reggie]

Yeah.

[Mikayla]

And she's also 21.

[Reggie]

Yeah, she's young. So that was like, the one that was like. I don't know if I agree with that, but, yeah, that was my. My pick for him.

[Kennedy]

Okay. Who'd you guys cast as Alice?

[Mikayla]

Do you want me to go?

[Reggie]

Yeah, yeah.

[Mikayla]

Christine Froster Froth Seth. She's in the Buccaneers. Have you guys seen the Buccaneers?

[Kennedy]

I've seen tiktoks of it.

[Mikayla]

This is her.

[Kennedy]

Oh, okay.

[Mikayla]

She's the cutie, I think. I think she's just, like, really beautiful, but not in, like, a. The most gorgeous, beautiful woman.

[Kennedy]

Like a conventional way.

[Mikayla]

Yes.

[Reggie]

Yeah.

[Mikayla]

Like, she. She's beautiful. And then in the show, I like her acting. Seems very, like, almost like, innocent and.

[Kennedy]

Yeah.

[Mikayla]

I mean, she plays a character in, you know, Mid Century, where they are very innocent. And I don't even know if mid century is the correct term. But, you know, they're.

[Kennedy]

They don't know things.

[Mikayla]

But that was just. I just looked up, like, up and coming actresses, because I maybe want someone who's not like, yeah, A or even B list celebrity. Maybe that's like, not as well known.

[Kennedy]

Yeah.

[Mikayla]

I don't know.

[Kennedy]

I'm. I was trying. When I was thinking of a fan cast for Alice. Do we ever. I couldn't remember what color of hair she has. I think at one point she says.

[Reggie]

She has short hair on the book cover.

[Mikayla]

I think it's like she kind of.

[Reggie]

Has like an auburn hair color.

[Kennedy]

Okay.

[Reggie]

Right.

[Kennedy]

I think she has short hair.

[Mikayla]

I actually don't know.

[Reggie]

It is short.

[Kennedy]

I. There's. There was one. I was hyper fixated on this one moment. She's. She's like pulling her hair up and she says, I pull my short hair up. Anyways, Alice was kind of hard for me. She didn't really pop into my brain. The person I cast as her, I don't know if she would. I feel like she could play someone who's really bubbly and positive really well and almost feel a little bit innocent. Kind of like what you had said. Mikayla. I chose Ella Purnell.

[Mikayla]

Oh, yeah.

[Reggie]

Who is that?

[Kennedy]

She's on Fallout.

[Mikayla]

Yeah.

[Kennedy]

Yellow Jackets. Yeah, She's Jinx. She's the voice of Jinx. So that's who I chose. And I don't really have a super definitive reason. It just kind of like.

[Mikayla]

What popped in your head?

[Reggie]

Yeah.

[Kennedy]

Okay. Kinda. Yeah.

[Mikayla]

Honestly, I feel like she. She would do good. I feel like it would be very interesting to see her in a rom com.

[Kennedy]

Kind of imagine her and Adam Driver.

[Mikayla]

Well, it's because she has literally only done, like, video game TV shows and, like.

[Kennedy]

And Yellow Jackets is pretty dark.

[Mikayla]

Yeah. It'll be interesting to see that kind of like. But I feel like she's definitely like an up and coming actress. Like, she's definitely gaining traction, stuff like that. Because her features are very unique.

[Kennedy]

Yes.

[Mikayla]

And they're stunning.

[Reggie]

But.

[Mikayla]

But they're very unique features. I like. I like it a lot, so I like it. Who did you have, Reggie or did you already say? You didn't say. Right.

[Reggie]

Oh, guess what? She's the girl. Alice or the girl you picked.

[Kennedy]

Ella Pernell.

[Reggie]

Ella Pernell is the one on the TikTok.

[Kennedy]

Oh, baller.

[Reggie]

So, like, hold on. It was showing her, and then it shows Dev Patel.

[Kennedy]

Okay.

[Reggie]

Yeah. I love when people make these Aesthetic. Yeah, Videos.

[Kennedy]

I love Margaret Qualley. I love her, love her.

[Reggie]

I'm feeling really bad because, well, I had someone picked out in my brain. Then I realized she's really short.

[Kennedy]

Well, Ella Pernell isn't very tall, so it doesn't work.

[Reggie]

No, she's literally like, five two.

[Kennedy]

Who is it?

[Mikayla]

Well, then you wouldn't have to cast a very tall male main character.

[Reggie]

Yeah.

[Mikayla]

For him.

[Reggie]

So I don't like my pick. Haley Lou Richardson. Haley's the girl on Five Feet Apart.

[Mikayla]

Oh, okay.

[Reggie]

Yeah, Yeah, I was thinking of. But she's literally 5:2.

[Kennedy]

But she's got, like, Lotus, too.

[Reggie]

She's got that, like, hair, you know?

[Mikayla]

Yeah.

[Reggie]

So. And I feel like, just from things that I've seen her in, I'm like, she. She could put up the fight with Margaret at the end, and she could be quirky, funny.

[Mikayla]

Yeah, I like it.

[Reggie]

But she's 5 2, so that's okay.

[Kennedy]

Give her some heels. It's fine.

[Reggie]

Literally, Charles Melton would be a whole foot taller than her.

[Kennedy]

So she's like, hey, do you guys have a fan cast for Margaret?

[Mikayla]

I didn't.

[Kennedy]

Mine is the most basic fan cast for an older woman in here. Meryl Streep.

[Mikayla]

That's who I thought you were gonna cast.

[Kennedy]

But she's literally great. She literally just popped in my brain. And the entire time it was just Meryl Stre audiobook.

[Reggie]

I was like, meryl Streep would talk. Exactly.

[Mikayla]

Well, and also, Meryl Streep could play kind of like a. Not a washed out celebrity, but like. Yeah, she would have some quirky things about her, but then from her past.

[Reggie]

You know, I couldn't help but picture Lily James as young Margaret because she plays young Meryl Streep in Mamma Mia. So that was. I couldn't help get out of my brain.

[Mikayla]

But I. I had a vision for someone, but I couldn't, like, pinpoint a person, if that makes sense.

[Reggie]

Yeah.

[Mikayla]

But I think Meryl Streep would do fantastic.

[Kennedy]

Love it.

[Reggie]

I was trying to think of a fan cast for Cosmo because he's kind of got. At least in the audiobook, he kind of had, like, a Southern twine.

[Kennedy]

He's from Nashville. Yeah, he lived in Nashville.

[Reggie]

And, you know, just this heartthrob singer guy. A part of me. A part of me for a split second. But then I was like, I want to get this out of my brain because I wanted to try to, like, picture someone. I couldn't help but picture Austin Butler.

[Kennedy]

Oh. Oh.

[Reggie]

Because they were referring, like, they were comparing him to Elvis.

[Kennedy]

Yeah.

[Reggie]

In the books. And so I was like, imagine Austin Butler. He's got the moves. He makes the girls faint. I don't know. So continue.

[Mikayla]

I'm gonna try to find.

[Reggie]

Oh, no, you're good.

[Mikayla]

That was this guy that like came to my mind.

[Kennedy]

For Cosmo.

[Mikayla]

For Cosmo. But I cannot think like of his name. I have a. I know what he looks like, but I'll have to find it later. Maybe post about it. But he. I think he's either in Yellowstone or 19.

[Kennedy]

One of the spin offs.

[Mikayla]

Yeah, 1917. No, 1917 is that war movie.

[Kennedy]

There's literally. I think there's two different spin offs of like years of Yellowstone.

[Mikayla]

I don't know. But he'll try to find it. Him.

[Kennedy]

If you know, you know, in my.

[Mikayla]

Brain, if you know.

[Reggie]

Just kidding. I'll put a picture up of him on the. On the YouTube video. I guess. Our videos are on Spotify now, just FYI.

[Mikayla]

Are we gonna announce our book club book now?

[Kennedy]

Yeah.

[Reggie]

Yeah. Are we done with Great Big Beautiful Eye? I feel. I feel satisfied. It feels good to chat about it.

[Mikayla]

And I don't know if you guys felt this way, but I kind of felt bad that I don't. We unintentionally picked books that had kind of similar vibes for me.

[Kennedy]

Drama.

[Mikayla]

Back to back months, kinda.

[Kennedy]

Yeah, like, same vibe, different.

[Mikayla]

Different fonts.

[Kennedy]

Yeah, same. Same book, different font.

[Reggie]

The good news is our next book club book, very different. It's not gonna be like that.

[Kennedy]

So different.

[Reggie]

And I bet you can't guess what it is. It's been all the, all the rage, all the chat right now on Book Talk. And that book is Silver Elite by Danny Francis. But is it really Danny Francis?

[Mikayla]

It's actually us.

[Kennedy]

Surprise, surprise.

[Mikayla]

That's why we're making our book club book.

[Reggie]

So I'm really excited to read this. See if I can figure out who this Danny Francis is. If you haven't seen that Danny Francis is. It is confirmed. It is a pen name. Correct.

[Kennedy]

And I heard it's a pen name from a contemporary romance authority.

[Mikayla]

It is.

[Kennedy]

I saw one TikTok. So my question is, let's.

[Mikayla]

Maybe I want to ask your thoughts and feelings about it. Because if they're already a well known author, why would you want to do under a pen name? You know what I mean? Because I understand maybe anonymity. Is that what it's called where like you put it out? But also would it perform as well because you don't have like something behind you? I Don't know. Or is that the lure to it? Like, you don't know who it is?

[Reggie]

I've heard a lot of rumors that it's Colleen Hoover.

[Kennedy]

Really?

[Reggie]

Because she's. There's. She's been. There's been so much drama with her in the media, and people are canceling her. You want to take her bag? And so she put out Silver. I've heard that theory.

[Kennedy]

We're gonna make it a segment in our next book club episode. Who we. We're gonna submit one guess. We get one guess of who we think the author is after we've read the book to see if we can kind of see similar writing vibes. Writing styles.

[Mikayla]

Yeah. I mean, I can't guess right now, obviously, because I have no idea, like, what the writing style is like.

[Reggie]

Yeah. I've seen theories about tons of different people. Elsie, Silver.

[Kennedy]

Here's the thing, you guys. I must imagine nervous to read it because I've just been seeing things and I feel like with the last few books we've chosen, I need to just separate myself from everybody else and just gather my own opinions and thoughts on it.

[Mikayla]

I haven't seen anything really.

[Kennedy]

Well, hopefully.

[Mikayla]

Well, I've seen it, but I just scroll. Yeah. So I have.

[Kennedy]

No good.

[Mikayla]

I know it's really popular. A lot of people are talking about it, but I'm going in with no expectations at all.

[Reggie]

Some people are just too quick in their tick tocks to share their first thought about the book within the first two seconds.

[Mikayla]

I. The only author that would make sense is actually Colleen Hoover, now that you say it, because she is kind of like, you know, not on everyone's good side right now, but everyone else. It wouldn't make sense.

[Kennedy]

I guess we'll see.

[Reggie]

Yeah.

[Kennedy]

I have seen some good arguments to Lila Sage.

[Mikayla]

Not gonna lie to wireless Sage.

[Reggie]

Like, what's the argument?

[Kennedy]

I don't know. I can't remember. I haven't read the book. Something about there's like some Canadian something in the book, and then one of the characters of the book, like the main character's name has a tie back to Lila Sage somehow. I don't know. We really should make it a segment in our segment.

[Mikayla]

All right, all right, all right. Yeah. I don't know. I mean, it is very. I'm just a nosy Nelly and I just really want to know who it is. Like.