Hey nerds, we are discussing part one of Seven Days in June by Tia Williams. This book is an instant favorite of ours, and we know you will love it too! Gather 'round as we pull back the curtain on an author's intimate struggle with self-doubt and chronic. Our narrative weaves through the vibrant streets of Brooklyn, pausing to reflect on the life of Eva, a single mother and writer navigating the complexities of raising a spirited daughter and revisiting a shared past with the enigmatic Shane Hall. The tapestry of their story is one of trauma, redemption, and the undeniable connection that literature fosters among us.
Summary:
Brooklynite Eva Mercy is a single mom and bestselling erotica writer, who is feeling pressed from all sides. Shane Hall is a reclusive, enigmatic, award-winning literary author who, to everyone's surprise, shows up in New York.
When Shane and Eva meet unexpectedly at a literary event, sparks fly, raising not only their past buried traumas, but the eyebrows of New York's Black literati. What no one knows is that twenty years earlier, teenage Eva and Shane spent one crazy, torrid week madly in love. They may be pretending that everything is fine now, but they can't deny their chemistry - or the fact that they've been secretly writing to each other in their books ever since.
Over the next seven days in the middle of a steamy Brooklyn summer, Eva and Shane reconnect, but Eva's not sure how she can trust the man who broke her heart, and she needs to get him out of New York so that her life can return to normal. But before Shane disappears again, there are a few questions she needs answered...
With its keen observations of Black life and the condition of modern motherhood, as well as the consequences of motherless-ness, Seven Days in June is by turns humorous, warm and deeply sensual.
*Summary from Goodreads*
***Produced by Jen Hardin***
Hey nerds, we are discussing part one of Seven Days in June by Tia Williams. This book is an instant favorite of ours, and we know you will love it too! Gather 'round as we pull back the curtain on an author's intimate struggle with self-doubt and chronic. Our narrative weaves through the vibrant streets of Brooklyn, pausing to reflect on the life of Eva, a single mother and writer navigating the complexities of raising a spirited daughter and revisiting a shared past with the enigmatic Shane Hall. The tapestry of their story is one of trauma, redemption, and the undeniable connection that literature fosters among us.
Summary:
Brooklynite Eva Mercy is a single mom and bestselling erotica writer, who is feeling pressed from all sides. Shane Hall is a reclusive, enigmatic, award-winning literary author who, to everyone's surprise, shows up in New York.
When Shane and Eva meet unexpectedly at a literary event, sparks fly, raising not only their past buried traumas, but the eyebrows of New York's Black literati. What no one knows is that twenty years earlier, teenage Eva and Shane spent one crazy, torrid week madly in love. They may be pretending that everything is fine now, but they can't deny their chemistry - or the fact that they've been secretly writing to each other in their books ever since.
Over the next seven days in the middle of a steamy Brooklyn summer, Eva and Shane reconnect, but Eva's not sure how she can trust the man who broke her heart, and she needs to get him out of New York so that her life can return to normal. But before Shane disappears again, there are a few questions she needs answered...
With its keen observations of Black life and the condition of modern motherhood, as well as the consequences of motherless-ness, Seven Days in June is by turns humorous, warm and deeply sensual.
*Summary from Goodreads*
***Produced by Jen Hardin***
hi, I'm chanel hi, I'm stacy hey nerds, this is ashley and this is fiction fanatics, that's what it that's what I have missed, you guys, so much we're back off on your jet setting european adventures, as I sit here and just cook this baby alone.
Speaker 2:We missed you so much I missed you guys so much missed you so much.
Speaker 1:We were thinking about you and talking about you the whole time.
Speaker 2:Nah, just a little bit. I love you guys. I got my purse from Scotland that Ashley made me and I just stare at it and it's so gorgeous and I pretend that I'm going to wear it to class in the dungeons at Oxford and Harry Potter will be there. Stacey, we have to take you to oxford, you would love it, yeah, yeah, oh, my gosh, we saw the draco tree.
Speaker 1:I was gonna say ashley's face when we walked out, like the tour guide was like, yeah, you might, you might recognize this place because he's like, yeah, they filmed a scene from harry potter here. What did he say? Yeah, that that, uh, blonde bully guy. That blonde bully guy like, yeah, he like, he's like he, he's like that tree scene with the blonde bully guy. And and then I, I and then he, the tour guide looked at me and I just was like smiling really big and I was like, yeah, and then I look at ashley and ashley's like ashley's like this, like she like a total idiot. We both were recognizing that it was clearly the ferret scene and I just was I was trying to keep my cool just by like smiling really big, like, oh, and ashley just was losing her cool. She was like guess.
Speaker 2:Hey, shocker, I didn't keep my cool this whole trip. Okay, I was letting out funny.
Speaker 1:It was so funny, oh my god. I was like actually oh my god, how funny.
Speaker 2:If I should have been like to the tour guide. I know every blonde bully scene in all eight movies. Well then, she said to me under her breath.
Speaker 1:She's like um you mean drago malfoy I don't even know his name.
Speaker 2:Yes, he did. That guy was trying to act cool. Just because you go to Oxford doesn't mean you don't know who these characters are. You know who Draco Malfoy is. You know it's Tom Felton. Everybody needs to calm down. You live here, bro. You know Exactly he was cool.
Speaker 1:He got into Oxford. He's super smart and cool, so let him be cool not as cool as us chanel he couldn't get into oxford well, you're not wrong it was just hilarious. I look over at her.
Speaker 2:She's like shocked um, it's seriously been so long. It feels like it's been years, but it's really just like one recording right that we technically missed. I think, yeah, but I think we're so used to like talking every week, either in person or through zoom, and so I think we went two weeks without talking, whatever. You know what I mean, yeah yeah, yeah and and talking about books and yeah
Speaker 2:so yeah well, I've been like binging stuff since you guys have been gone, so I've um, I'm almost I'm gonna just update you on my life while you guys were just sitting around europe real fast before you get into it, you might want to turn down your mic just a little bit does it sound loud to you. Chanel is it.
Speaker 1:Oh, I have it all.
Speaker 2:I have it all the way up.
Speaker 1:That's why Hold on. I think you guys all sound loud, oh God.
Speaker 2:We sound loud because that's how we were raised to be loud. I'm taking mine down a few notches. Okay, now tell us about everything. So, while you guys were gone, I started Kingdom of Ash. So I'm halfway through ash, so I'm almost done with throne of glass. I honestly would be done. I don't want it to be over. So I purposely like, don't read it for like four or five days, and that's excellent. Um, and I started watching the netflix show baby reindeer. Have you guys heard of the show? No, I watched the trailer.
Speaker 1:I want to watch it. I just read an article about it and now I really want to watch it because it's like based on that guy's real life, like he changed you know names and stuff like that, but like crazy I had no idea.
Speaker 2:So I just randomly saw a tiktok where it shows like the first five minutes of the show and I was like, is this for real? So I'm like I have like two episodes left. It's quick because you start watching it. First of all. It's insane that that really happened to him. He's so the way he. The show is so smart. It makes you feel so uncomfortable, so cringe, all these feelings. But then you just it's fucking hilarious. You're like how is this a comedian? Yeah, but it's not funny because he's the comedian, because he's not a comedian. Yeah, but it's not funny because he's the comedian, because he's not even a good comedian. It's just funny because, like, he's not even a good comedian. It's just so good because you just watch it, you relate to some of the stuff he does and he just makes his life worse. But then you're like, but what? I? I don't know, I don't want to give too much away. The acting in it is amazing.
Speaker 1:It's all great, it's like a good way to cope, I'm sure, with like a terrible, like situation right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, because legitimately, like, I'm getting to parts where some other stuff's happening. That's really traumatic and not as funny. But basically it's about him getting stalked. But like, what leads up to him getting stalked? You like, bro, you're so stupid, what were you doing? But then you're like I don't know. It's like are you too nice to people? Should you just be mean right away and set the boundaries. He was feeding into it in the trailer. It seems like because he likes the attention well, yeah, but also it's just like you.
Speaker 1:Also, it also brings up the idea of like, if it was a guy with a girl, like, because I, like I said I was just reading an article about it and yeah, they were just like. Like he was saying the police like didn't really take it seriously because it was like a woman and so exactly.
Speaker 1:Well, if it was a guy, well, I don't know if they really take stalking seriously. I mean, they have like murders and like robberies to solve. But if it was a guy, would they take it more seriously? And but because it's a woman, you know well, and then it's emailing and texting and and stalking him and stuff. It's like, uh, you know, it's just she has a crush, or you know what I mean. So it it makes you question that kind of thing, or he's like no, no, I still feel uncomfortable, I still feel harassed.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and it's like do we find it more funny and humorous versus scary at first?
Speaker 1:because she's a female or romantic.
Speaker 2:But it gets scary, it builds and you're like dude she is, so you guys need to watch that. And then, obviously, I've listened to the new Taylor Swift album 46,000 times.
Speaker 1:I haven't been in the taylor mood so I haven't listened to it yet, I. But I will, I will, it's just I haven't. I feel terrible I haven't.
Speaker 2:He's fucking unhinged in it.
Speaker 1:It's amazing I've been reading the theories and hearing everyone's opinions on it. But I it's hard when I'm not in like the mood.
Speaker 2:It's yeah, it's wrong, are you okay? No, I just haven't I?
Speaker 1:I've been listening to really good audiobooks like I'm an audiobook mood. You know what I mean.
Speaker 2:Like I'm not.
Speaker 1:I have moods like that yeah, yeah, so, um, but I'm definitely gonna listen to it, yeah yeah, um, well, real fast.
Speaker 2:Since we're talking about this, I've been binge watching one day finally, that's on netflix because, like, I watched the first episode and then I refused to watch it because I didn't want to cry, but now I've just decided that I'm going to do it. It's amazing and I'm like four episodes before I'm done, so I just already know it's coming and I'm ready to be devastated how many? Episodes, is it there's like 14?
Speaker 1:oh wow but they're only.
Speaker 2:I didn't know they're only like 20 to 30 minutes long. They're really quick. So really, I think it would be like if they actually did like hour long hours.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Wow, I didn't know. Wow, okay, I didn't know it was that long day it's coming. I, um, I, obviously. So I didn't listen to ashley a couple years ago.
Speaker 2:I've been watching dairy girls I know you're on the plane watching it on the way there and back um from our fucking hilarious. It's like the best show ever. I'm obsessed. The humor in it is so good. Of course, no, I was just trying to watch her show and I like have something going, but I'm just watching her tv. I'm like shaking her arm as things are happening. That, I think, is important. It is is the nun not like the best character ever?
Speaker 2:I can't pick because the grandpa's amazing, dad's amazing, like obviously all the girls, james, all the girls james, what about when the grandpa, like that cat, kills the rabbit and they're like trying to hide the body? Like did you get to the episode where the grandpa's like on a date with the woman and she comes to the house like you, the girls are like, the moms are like you winked.
Speaker 1:You're winking at your age. What are you doing? And then they're like look at him, they're like. I just can't even believe that.
Speaker 2:Look, look at what they're doing and they're like over there praying, praying over her mother's dead photo together crying, laughing.
Speaker 1:It was so freaking funny anyway.
Speaker 2:Well, it's good that you're watching it to get in the mood for bridgerton season three, because it's going to be the best season I can I've? Never watched bridget never, even watched it. I don't know what's wrong with her we can't be friends with her anymore. I'm about to hang up on this call and not I know it's because it was like you know what? What was it? I don't do like I don't's because it was like what was it?
Speaker 1:Tell me, I don't do trends. Everyone was like Bridgerton's so amazing. And I was like man, I can't do this.
Speaker 2:But you said the same thing about Derry Girls, and now you love Derry Girls.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I know Okay.
Speaker 2:Bridgerton is a trend, but the Regency romances. There's only a few things. I don't like about the show, but I have to come on my own time. That's what she said. That is, I gotta come on my own time. Okay, my own timetables. I will not be told when to come.
Speaker 1:I just came out so bad. Okay, um, the other thing is I watched. Have you seen I feel like, stacey, you would really like this what Jennifer did on Netflix? Did you watch this?
Speaker 2:not yet, but it's on my list. I've been also re-watching stranger things. I have like two episodes left of the final season and so as soon as I'm, as soon as I can build it up to watch that again, then I'm watching what jennifer did what's that?
Speaker 1:what's that? Only an hour and a half. It's a documentary about this asian girl and her family and you're like, oh, it's this tragic murder of this couple.
Speaker 2:This robbery gone wrong, kind of thing they say.
Speaker 1:Yes, from Vietnam, and you're like, okay, you know, they like immigrated to Canada. It's so terrible, like you said, this robbery gone wrong and the only surviving witness is their daughter, jennifer, and so it like starts with her telling her story, their daughter Jennifer. And so it starts with her telling her story, and then you find out that the dad who was in a coma actually is alive and he comes out of the coma and he tells what actually happened.
Speaker 2:It's so fucked. I mean, I already know what happens.
Speaker 1:But yeah, did.
Speaker 2:Jennifer, do it.
Speaker 1:Well obviously.
Speaker 2:what did she?
Speaker 1:What did Jennifer do? And yeah, it's crazy, but obviously there's like multiple layers of like what like the backstory of jennifer and her parents, um, and it just deals like culturally of like how harsh um like the asian community and like asian parenting is on like children, like basically they just really wanted her to like get straight a's, and like asian parenting is on like children, like basically they just really wanted her to like get straight a's and like um have like a good career and stuff and um she was like pressure yeah, she wasn't living up to their expectations, um and so she snapped she fucking snapped ash that's what happened it sounds like her parents were being ridiculous to me, I mean yes, but at the same time, I don't know if, like you, should kill them, but um, but it's really good.
Speaker 2:It's like an hour and a half documentary and, um, I loved it I mean, if we're riding the taylor swift wave this week, murder is the answer, according to her. So I say murder is the answer. She, dude, literally actually backed me up.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, no I don't know if that's what she was getting across in her lyrics just straight murder, straight murder it's like I, she's like. I definitely didn't say that in my songs.
Speaker 2:You read too deep into those songs it's so really, though, the album is great. It's um, it's kind of like. There's not a lot of like upbeat songs on it, but it's good and even the like want. The main upbeat song is unhinged like. The lyrics are unhinged in it, like are not upbeat, but the song is upbeat. If the song with florence and the machine, though they talk about murder and I'm for it love it, love it, love it.
Speaker 1:All right, and we're gonna get into, we're gonna get into this our, our book.
Speaker 2:I'm listening to the audio book right now. I'm 87 done with it. I think the audio book is amazing. The woman who reads the audiobook is spectacular yes, that's what I um listened to.
Speaker 1:When I read, I'm like you're right, it was so good it like it got me through my my long drives at work.
Speaker 2:Well, I've been reading it, but I'm hoping I've been on a whole. I've been on hold for libby to get the audio book for like since before we started talking about we were going to do it, so fingers crossed I'll get it for the second half so I can listen to it, because Ashley said she liked the audio book and I've been really digging listening to books lately that have really good narration. I feel like I pay attention more.
Speaker 1:Yes, this is just another quick side note about audio books. So I'm watching Kill of flower moon. I'm saying this to you, ashley, because I know you watched it. It was so good, stacy, have you seen it?
Speaker 2:no, but I want to. It's on um, it's on my, it's on apple tv, but theo wants to watch it and it's it's really hard for us to watch any movies together. I feel like especially I want three hour one.
Speaker 1:Oh it's, I started it, I'm probably, I'll probably watch it either tonight or tomorrow, like try to finish it, and it's really good. But, um, that, the author of that book, david grant, I'm reading on on the audiobook of his other book, the wager, and it's actually surprisingly good, probably because it's an audio book, because it's like a nonfiction book and it would be dry if it wasn't an audio book. Yeah, but Killers of the Flower Moon is really good, and Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese, who did Killers of the Flower Moon, just bought the rights to the Wager that book. Killers of fire moon just bought the rights to the wager that that book. And so they're like in the process of, um, I'm sure, making it into a movie right now probably get like having someone write the screenplay for it if barnes or sazy doesn't isn't doing it already himself. So I'm really excited, since I I like the book so much and so it'll be interesting the killers of the flower moon story because I listened to a podcast about it after.
Speaker 2:I is wild that it's a true story. It's wild.
Speaker 1:Yes, well, you'll, you'll really like. Actually, I should send you the podcast if, cause that's how I first found out about the wager this, the book I'm reading right now, it's a wild story too. It's about a, a boat expedition around like the tip of Cape Horn, it's like South America, this English ship, and they took like whatever a thousand semen around the tip of South America, but they never made it because it's super hard to go around the tip of South America, but they never made it because it's super hard to go around the tip of it. And so they like crashed on the shore and obviously, like these guys couldn't survive, and so they ended up like committing like treason and mutiny and they like killed each other. I swear guys oh god yep cannibal.
Speaker 1:I mean I'm gonna read it there was no. There was no food, like they were stranded there then you just starve to death.
Speaker 2:You don't eat people. I mean, actually, you can never be closer to another person until you eat their body, supposedly according to nbc's hannibal.
Speaker 1:I was gonna say that's stacey's motto.
Speaker 2:I'm not eating anybody, okay.
Speaker 1:But a few of them kept journals and stuff some of the ones that survived and the captain's like I'm staying with this mission and we're going to go around the horn and we're going to defeat the Spanish, and the other ones were like hell, no, we're going back. And so they got a boat and they got away and they thought like, oh, we're leaving this captain with a few guys and they're going to die. Well, they get back to England and they're like we had to do what we had to do. We had to do what we had to do. Well then the captain and the other guys, they found a boat. They make it back to England. And so now there's like conflicting stories and they put in trial and yeah, that's wild.
Speaker 1:They want to know who ate who they want to know who ate, who tasted the best you guys are disgusting.
Speaker 2:All jokes aside, I do not promote cannibalism, I just love the show hannibal so much.
Speaker 1:Wednesdays they do not promote cannibalism.
Speaker 2:You just love the show hannibal so much.
Speaker 1:It's wednesday, so do not promote cannibalism you literally have a sticker that says I love human flesh like the first episode of bob's burgers, they put the sign up.
Speaker 2:It's like meat contains human flesh what I've never seen bob's burgers okay I was watching that on the plane too I know, I saw that, I saw that, oh my first episode of bobs burgers is one of the best episodes on tv. Okay, I need, that's so funny gene is like gene is like my favorite or in that episode, so funny. They're like that guy looks like a child molester. Don't have louise bringing food. Gene bring his food and he was like well, I can be molested whole conversation, why he would not be.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's, it's so funny, it's so, it's unhinged, like us I know, right, I know people are like we should stop listening.
Speaker 2:Five minutes ago okay, like, is this a? Is this a? Is this a? Podcast about a book or why yeah they talk about a lot of weird shit.
Speaker 1:I know right um, okay, so our book for april is seven days in june. I no one can see that. Okay, it's seven days in june by tia williams no one can see that I just.
Speaker 2:I disappeared too, so I don't even know why I tried to do it okay.
Speaker 1:Um, it is a romance book speaking of by, about authors speaking of books. Um, yeah, that it's my choice today, this month. I mean, um, so, yeah, yeah, let's get into it. Um, you guys got the notes I sent you right yes, they look very beautiful.
Speaker 2:We can't wait to post them for people to see when they listen.
Speaker 1:Okay, so we start off and we meet our main female character, which is Eva Mercy, and she's a badass.
Speaker 2:She is you look like her from page one.
Speaker 1:I swear yeah, I know she's written very well she is and like her from page one. I yeah, I know she's written very well she is, she is um, and she is. I described her as a successful paranormal erotic author. She writes. Like I said, she's an author, she writes these books and they are like vampire books that are super steamy and sexy and would read all righty.
Speaker 1:Just telling you from like I'm like I would read her book yes, very, very steamy, sexy and um, but she's also a single mom. She has a daughter named audrey, and you also find out in this like first chapter, that she is chronically ill. She has these terrible like debilitating migraines, so kind of like wraps her up real quick with a nice little bow. But we meet her and she's at this like it's not like a conference, what it's like a like a book club signing right, it's yeah it's.
Speaker 2:It's really cute, well, cute, I you know, I thought it was cute. It's like a bdsm themed restaurant, like meet up with her, like fan club, like yes, president, president, and just like a yeah. It's like a book club, I feel like, but yeah, it feels like people who are higher up, maybe, and have money Like really dedicated fans almost kind of. Also, I want to be tied up to a chair while they feed me cookies at a restaurant. Just saying I would do it 100%. I do not.
Speaker 1:But she's almost like even though, like you said, we thought it was like cute and funny's almost like um, a little bit like annoyed, because yeah, she's been doing this, because she's like in it seems, if it doesn't already say in the book like she's in her mid-40s um, that's what I took or or late 30s, maybe, let's say um, and so she's been writing these books, like she's's almost on her like 15th book or something, and so she's been doing this since she was like 19 is when she got published, and so she's like it's so exhausting and she's like I feel like I'm not like a real writer, because these are kind of like fluff books.
Speaker 1:She's like she mentions kind of books you pick up at the airport right before you know you board, kind of, and not and I don't, I don't win awards and um, and these are um books kind of read by um suburban moms and and so yeah, she's just kind of like over it.
Speaker 2:Well, she like mentions like people that she's friends with are like winning awards and pulitzer prize things, and you can tell she's just judging herself on, like not living up to that standard or whatever yes, and at this like kind of book club.
Speaker 1:Uh, again, you know um she's, she's hit with this terrible migraine so she has to um, basically kind of like self-medicate. She has um, I think it's toradol, um is what she ends up taking. That's like um, the only thing that kind of alleviates her pain and um.
Speaker 2:So it's just really hard because she's you need some benadryl and some compazine bag of fluids. With all the lights off is what she needs yeah, she just constantly gets them though, yeah, always a migraine yeah, I can't imagine I only get headaches like every five years. I feel like and I it, yeah, I haven't, can't even five years they're just mean. I don't get headache. I don't get like headaches or anything very often, so I can't imagine people who have chronic migraines. It sounds debilitating, yeah it's so terrible.
Speaker 1:Who's just this flamboyant character to go to this panel called the State of the Black Author Panel? And she again, because she's kind of feeling insecure about herself as a credited author, she's like I don't really want to do this and her editor kind of has to like push her, you know to, to want to go to this thing. Um, you also kind of see, when she's back at home and she lives in brooklyn in her um, like townhouse condo, whatever you want to call it um, you meet her daughter, audrey, who is middle school, high school middle school?
Speaker 2:I think middle school. Yes, she's 12, 12 or 13. Yes, yeah, it's not high school yet. Yeah, I love her daughter, her daughter is so funny.
Speaker 1:Um, she's like super smart for being like 12 years old, like so mature for her age, but also like like kind of a bratty teen as well, Like um, and so it's like just this funny dynamic between the two of them. And so you meet her and then you also kind of get uh like Eva's thoughts about how and why her marriage with Audrey's father, Troy, didn't work out. You find out that they met again when Eva was really young and he was like an animator for Disney and he just he couldn't cope with like negative things and he was just this like super optimistic, happy-go-lucky guy. And again, you know she has this chronic illness right where she might be bedridden for a day or two. You know, and you know that wears on people, right.
Speaker 1:You're like, yeah, it's hard, it's hard, he couldn't handle it. Yeah, he just couldn't hit. Like like why aren't you getting better? Or like sometimes you just need, with those you know types of I don't know if disease is the right word, but sometimes you need someone, one to be understanding, someone to help take care of you, or even just especially when you have a baby like, okay, I need you to take care of the baby while I'm taking care of myself, and he just couldn't handle that. And so I want to say it was after a year or so they ended up, uh, divorcing and she's like he's, he's a really good guy, he's a really good dad, but, um, it just didn't work out between us so, yeah, they're not together, all right.
Speaker 1:So the next chapter is a flashback.
Speaker 1:We have a flashback of jean vieve, who I'm just gonna spoil it, but you find out it's, it's eva I love her name though her name beautiful, yes, um, so this is actually her full name and you find out, like now, that she's, like I said, kind of a little bit older. She goes by eva now, but back when she was a teenager, which is when this takes place um, she went by jean-bieve, um, so she is living with her mom, lizette. Um, like I said, she's kind of a teenager in this flashback her mom drives me bananas, but anyways, I know, I know I would have to agree it's really sad.
Speaker 1:Um so it kind of paints this picture um where they're living this like transient lifestyle. Essentially um lizette is is she, I don't even know.
Speaker 2:Her job is like to entertainment, in whatever capacity it's like that job sounds fucking terrible right like she, she does any and everything for these men, whether she like meets them and they like promise her to like buy her like things an apartment or find her a job, and she just like follows these weird random men around and right. It makes it seem like it gets seedier and seedier the older she gets.
Speaker 1:Yes, because she's not as young, as pretty, as able to do whatever they want and, like you said, the money is less, the apartments are not as nice, the men are worse. The men are worse and older and have less money, and it's seedier and seedier and meaner yeah, what a bunch of pervs.
Speaker 2:But by the men they were pervs from the beginning.
Speaker 1:But, um, and so jean-phil has like she's along for the ride, she's like this has been her, her, her life the entire time, and so, um, so yeah, like I said, it kind of paints this picture.
Speaker 1:But she loves her mom and she especially likes her mom's, like a really good storyteller, and she, um, that's like her way of kind of bonding with her mom, right, um, the other thing is, towards the end of this chapter, um, one of her mom's boyfriends like kind of starts hitting on her right and tries to like make a move and then tries to assault her.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I was gonna say, and then jean-b is like no, she says no, and then he ends up attacking her because she clearly doesn't want anything to do with him in any capacity at all and um, and so that kind of ends the scene is thankfully nothing happens, except like nothing happens sexually, but she does end up getting hurt, um, because, like I said, he does end up attacking her, which just makes her migraine completely worse and it just shows that her mom doesn't protect her like I think her mom thinks that she's protecting her, but she's not like she's not protecting her or taking care of her like she thinks that she is yeah, she's putting her these really bucked up situations you know, these people in her life like putting people in her life that could be so harmful yeah, that's so true.
Speaker 1:That's so true. Um. So then we go back to present day and we meet shane shane hall, who is our main male character. Um describe him as a former alcoholic. He's a reclusive writer, author as well who's extremely attractive.
Speaker 2:Sorry, go on, yeah, yeah and.
Speaker 1:But now he is a teacher and like a mentor as well. And then I have.
Speaker 2:It just gives hot vibes. Like you think of a former alcoholic reclusive writer. Hold up, he's hot in his house.
Speaker 1:Writing these amazing stories seems very hot to me that's true too, um, and so when we meet him he's like he does these um, he's not very, he's not stationary.
Speaker 1:Obviously you know we said he's recluse he like does these kind of mentorship, um english teaching jobs, where he like stations at schools for whatever a year, six months, and then he moves on, which is um, I guess, kind of apropos for how his life is right.
Speaker 1:He's also kind of like a transient where he like doesn't like to stick around or get attached to people and you like we'll find out why, um from his background later. But um, so he is leaving his current job right now, but um, he does get attached to his students or he, he um, he cares for certain students, especially ones that are kind of more troubled, like he used to be, and so you see him kind of mentoring and talking to this one kid, ty, and he's talking to him about how he needs to not give in to fighting and kind of the bullying and stuff like that, and so he's giving him advice about you need like a mantra when you feel like yourself kind of giving into these urges of um, violence, um, and he's like talking about how he had a mantra when he wanted to like wanted to do that kind of stuff and um, well, I'm just gonna read a little quote.
Speaker 1:Let me see If I can find it All right. He said this is what he said he loved that kid too much. He didn't know how to mentor without loving. Maybe doing this wasn't healthy. He said Shane. He said Ty probably might not make it Shane couldn't control that but he would stay in touch. The new Shane didn't love and then vanished. That's what he'd done to her, which was the real reason he was going to New York and you don't know who her is at this time. But I just thought it was kind of interesting. He's trying to change his ways, since he talked about being an alcoholic. Um, I just thought it was kind of interesting, like he's like trying to change his ways. You know, since he talked about being like an alcoholic, it's like okay I did.
Speaker 2:I did think it was interesting that he also like no like and what you just read. Like he's saying he doesn't know if it's a good idea, how attached he gets to these students, but like I don't know, it's just like you are, you kind of already see his character so early on.
Speaker 1:It's like he has to try.
Speaker 2:I don't know. I love shane from the beginning, so yeah, yeah yeah, instantly, instantly.
Speaker 1:I think I liked him more from the beginning than I even liked eva. Yeah, because you could tell that he really cared, like, for his students and stuff. I was like, oh my god, such a good guy. Okay, so then we go to um this state of the black author panel, which I thought was just I was laughing out loud listening to this.
Speaker 2:The the side characters sorry, I'm screaming the side characters that she just sprinkles in here that like just have a little bit of dialogue. They were killing me. I thought they were so funny, so funny amazing, hilarious.
Speaker 1:Which hilarious if you guys have quotes from them. I can't read them all, but they, like you said, were just. They were funny and they had great points and this whole chapter was just amazing but the whole chapter was gold um.
Speaker 1:So the main things that happen is so eva obviously goes to the panel. She gets like bullied by her. It's her best friend, cc, who's also her editor, because they've been together for you know, 15, 20 years, um, but at this panel is like she was saying just so many great and um and published and award-worthy authors. And so she starts feeling better about herself because she starts making these points and she starts getting like validation from the other authors but also from the audience, because she's like oh, like people are like they actually like what I'm saying and I'm just going to read a few points that she says which I thought were good points as well. So they start talking just about being a Black author in general. Some of the other authors and this is another author that's talking that I'm going to read first.
Speaker 1:Okay, so she was. She's saying my first, my first novel was about an architect and a chef who witnessed a murder on a side street during the 03 blackout. And she's she's like I kept hearing cute story, but we need to hear more about their struggles as blacks and most mostly white professions. Like damn, is there no room for fun black shit? Why can't I make millions off Girl on a Train or Fifty Shades and the editor Cece goes. Fifty Shades was okay. I do wish Anna would have shaved her legs. But yes, white authors have the freedom to tell a good story for the sake of a good story. Now Eva is chiming in saying growing up, I was obsessed with horror and fantasy, but Black characters were invisible in those stories. Why couldn't I go to Narnia or Hogwarts? When I wrote about a Black witch and vampire, the industry was shocked. Like can paranormal characters even be non-white? I just thought these were really good doesn't?
Speaker 2:doesn't she make a reference about carrie in there too, because I remember I reminded me of the weight of blood. I thought she said something about horror and about yes, she talks about blade dracula, the vampire diary she talks about bonnie and vampire diaries in my soul, because you know I love vampire diaries and after I learned how they treated bonnie's character and stuff, it's just so sad she said only one person.
Speaker 1:Wait, oh, just talking about sorry. She was just saying, like she just mentioned that, despite those being a rich black vampire tradition, and she was like blade blackula, like she was just saying that there's, there are some, um, like black vampires, and she was like she named, like you said bonnie, and stuff, um, so she starts getting validation, because people were like, yeah, these are some good points, blah, blah. Um. Then, all of a sudden, shane shows up.
Speaker 2:And he's a big deal in the literary community like a huge deal.
Speaker 1:Yes, Cause he's won awards and, even though he's a recluse and super mysterious, his books which he's he's published for they're like, considered classics and and so when he walks in, everyone's like just in shock take him back, yeah yeah and um and super excited, excuse me, super excited.
Speaker 1:And then, um, everyone on the panel besides eva is like come on up here, we want to hear you talk. And like, because he hasn't, because he's been in AA, he's been recovering and also just, he's a recluse in general. Everyone's like we want to hear you talk, we want you to come up on this panel. And he's like, oh God, I don't want to do this. So I have some more quotes. Okay, so this is for you, stacy, I'm here, please.
Speaker 1:So shane hall was intimidatingly handsome and yet, on the rare occasion he smiled. It was so radiant, so warm, like peering into a goddamn sunbeam. The effect was disorienting. You wanted to either pinch his cheeks or beg him for a hard fuck on a soft surface. You just needed whatever. He had even knew this better than anyone. At least she used to know she hadn't seen him since 12th grade. And so that's like the bomb being dropped. Because you're like, oh, they know each other, they have a past. Because I was thinking when I was reading this I'm like, oh, they're going to hate each other. Like I thought it was enemies to lovers. Yeah, you know, we love a good enemies to lovers. And I'm like, oh, this is like I know him. I know him from a past life kind of thing.
Speaker 2:So yes, I, that is every. That is the description of a man, my dream man, right there that's. I'm telling this. This writer has a way of like really making you feel these characters, personalities, and like like she put it, that Like maybe two sentences and it's like perfectly wrapped up and without even like overly describing his appearance.
Speaker 1:You know what I mean, right, right, it also leaves a little bit to the imagination, you know what I mean? Yeah, so then he's now up on the panel and I think Eva's kind of freaking out a little bit. That's because she's bit Just a little. So of course everyone's asking Shane all these questions and actually he's getting grilled a little bit because his main book that is super popular is called eight. It's about a girl, a teenage girl, who is like depressed and she's it's kind of glorified her like depression, I think, like um, suicidal thoughts and um and uh, like kind of this trauma tragedy story. And one of the audience members is kind of like, how are you writing about like a woman, from a woman's perspective? And, um, you know, basically like asking him, how could he do that and and all this stuff, whatever. And he, he's like, he's like you're right, I'm not a woman, and um, and. But he also says to like eva, he's like you're not a vampire or a man.
Speaker 2:This is like one of my favorite parts and he's like and this first half book.
Speaker 1:I'm just saying, I just want to say go ahead, he's like, he's like, and yet he's, he goes. So to also look at backstory, um, eva's characters are about it's like a vampire and like her lover, um, which is a lover. Um, which is a witch, which is a witch. Yes, um and gia is the girl and sebastian is the guy, and like they have this like um cursed love that they like keep coming back to each other basically so he's.
Speaker 1:So he's talking now to eva because eva also called him out about like his books and so he's saying to her yet, sebastian, you know her character, he's one of the most vivid, true portrayals of masculinity I've ever seen. He's like, especially in the third and fifth books, and you're like, okay, he reads this much, like, yeah, that's all he's reading.
Speaker 2:Is this book right?
Speaker 1:um, and then I'm skipping here. He's like. He's like you're not a man, but you write the fuck out of ambivalent masculine. You're not a man and it doesn't matter, because you write with sharpened senses and notice the unnotice and your creative intuition so powerful you can rock any narrative to sleep. You see and you write. He goes with eight, which is his character. I do the same thing. I'm just not as good as you and so you're just like okay I mean, he said a lot more than that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah he.
Speaker 1:But yeah, and so you're like okay one, he reads her books, he like knows the characters inside and out and he's like read them multiple times right and and you're kind of shocked, and then clearly eva's shocked because she's like, okay, like what's going on, so, um, so yeah, that that's kind of like the end of that panel chapter is. You find out that, um, that he reads her books and you're like, how is this amazing author like know all of her characters, her erotic?
Speaker 2:I just, I just. I love the little after he goes in about, like how he says he's just not as good as her. I love it when blinda leans over to the other guy and says you want to reopen the fluff conversation, are you good that? I love it. I love it funny.
Speaker 1:I know I didn't read that, but it was. It's hilarious, it's great, it's great. Um, okay, so then we're gonna go to their flashback wait is that what?
Speaker 1:we're doing yeah, yeah, okay. So we're flashing back to them. And this is when john vieve is a teenager again. So this is her first day of school, she's in dc and this is right after she's been attacked, um, and she is in high school. I want to say she's like 16, 17, maybe, and you see her like outside on the schoolyard and she sees a boy reading a book and so she like walks up to him and she's essentially trying to like make friends with him because she's, like, you know, new kid and outcast and he's being like mean. They're kind of closed off, essentially like doesn't want to talk to her. He's got a cast on his arm, so she's like trying to talk to him about that and it's, it's shane he's being.
Speaker 2:He's being mean but flirty because at one point like he looks her for down. He's like, nah, you're trouble, like like you're too attractive, get out of here. So that it was so funny when I was reading it. It's, it's true, it's true, I At one point, like he looks her up and down, he's like nah, you're trouble.
Speaker 1:Like you're too attractive, Get out of here. It was so funny when I was reading it. It's true. It's true, I didn't have any quotes, but you're right, it's like they go back and forth because she's like offering him her peach, Like do you want to eat some of this?
Speaker 1:It was so sexual though it was. And she's like you know, don't think you can like identify me, like call me trouble or call me a freak. And he's like you're not a freak, like it's like they're pushing back and forth, but also like flirting in a way, and you also. They kind of give a little bit about themselves. So she's like why do you have a cast? And he's like you know, I like to hurt myself and he doesn't tell exactly why, but you find out that it's not like an accident right that kind of again gives background to his story a little bit.
Speaker 1:And then he sees that there's bandages on her forearm and again that's kind of a little peek. We'll learn a little bit more about kind of what's going on with her bandages on her arm. But they exchange names and it's like the first, their first meeting, their first, I guess truce, I don't know, like maybe their friend, and so then they have their like first class together and there's this like bully girl.
Speaker 2:This was wild this all happened within 10 minutes. I I like had to re-listen to it because it was so quick. I felt like, yeah, and just crazy.
Speaker 1:This girl, who eva wasn't, so I guess john behaved back then. She wasn't even doing anything. She just walks in the class and she's like hi, it's my first day. And this girl's like I don't think that's your real hair.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's wild.
Speaker 1:Wild. Clearly it's like just jealousy, right? Yeah, she has really pretty curly long hair, and so this other girl's boyfriend, dude. They start bullying her and then they take scissors because she's sitting behind Genevieve and they like cut it off.
Speaker 2:It's insane. That's a crime yeah.
Speaker 1:It's a crime. So then, because clearly it was crazy, like jean-pierre's, like upset, and then this girl and her boyfriend are like trying to like attack her but wait so I know just real fast, because right before it starts what?
Speaker 2:because there's just hints of humor in here and this craziness that happens like one girl stands up, she's like shane's getting involved. I'm out, this is crazy. She like leaves the classroom she's like what's nothing to do if shane's getting involved in it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, sorry, he's the kid that breaks his arm on purpose.
Speaker 2:Yeah and the teacher doesn't give a shit.
Speaker 1:It's just like I'm gonna go get the principal and just like leaves but instead of like so in order, okay, they want to fight john vieve and shane's like don't fight her, fight me, like you know. Because he knows like okay, this girl's gonna get like her ass kicked. So he steps in basically and starts fighting the boyfriend and breaks his arm, re-breaks his arm after he breaks it on his face like takes his cast casted arm and like hits him in the face with it.
Speaker 1:Yes, yeah, so then they. So then, yeah, the boyfriend and and shane are fighting and shane gets knocked out, and then the girl punches um jean-phil, so she's, she still gets brought in the fight even though, even though shane was trying to keep her out of it. So next thing, you know, they end up um. Next thing, you know, they end up um. They end up in a in the hospital and um knocked out, and so they wake up together and like that, like officially, like seals, their like friendship, because they like bonded over trauma bonded together trauma bond for real yes and um, and then they, um, they end up escaping.
Speaker 1:They end up escaping from the hospital because they can't get a hold of her mom and he doesn't have like he's like in a foster home.
Speaker 2:So yeah, nobody's showing up for him, it's sad, actually they both have to have parents, since they're under 18 and nobody's showing up for him no one's showing up.
Speaker 1:It's super sad.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, that's the end of that chapter that was like such an intense chapter too, like so much happened I know it was such an.
Speaker 1:I was like what is happening anyway? Okay, so now we're back in the future or in the present, sorry, back to the future we're going.
Speaker 2:We don't need roads.
Speaker 1:Marty. Okay, so we're back in the present and so Shane and Eva gosh they meet and basically like after the conference, like they just agree to meet up up because they're like we got to talk face to face, like we can't talk at this conference or this panel because people will know, like we know each other. You know what I?
Speaker 2:mean, oh, they already know. After that panel.
Speaker 1:I'm sure there's sexual tension, but with a knife? Yes, yeah, attention. But with a knife, yes, yeah, but, um, but like they agree to meet up at like a diner, um to like talk about their past or whatever. So they go to a diner. And I just thought this was interesting. I don't know why this was giving me like raylo vibes of like she's mad and he is like apologetic and like trying to apologize. I don't know why. He was just like he's, because he's like trying to make amends. Um, it needs like tells her. You know, I'm like an alcoholic or a former alcoholic, like you know, and he was like you know, basically I didn't want to contact you until I was like sober and clean and I was ready. And she's like, oh, when you're ready?
Speaker 2:she's just not having it, so yeah she's like, you know what about me?
Speaker 1:like didn't I deserve to? And you still don't know like what, what happened? All you know is that they were friends and now they're not talking, they're on bad terms, right. So you're like, okay, she clearly is up in her feelings, but, um, but you're like, okay, she's, she's mad. And then she also points out the fact that she's like, listen, I, you know you've, you wrote these books and especially this character, eight, who is essentially me, she's like you. You talked about her depression and her trauma, because you can, clearly, you know, we know, um, eva didn't have a great life, right, we know with her mom and you know with her chronic illness.
Speaker 1:You can see that there are at least some parallels so far with this character that he's written about, who is you know, who has a tragic life as well. You're like you wrote about her and you profited off her. You got these awards off of her and you're like, what did I? She's like, what did I do? I wrote smut. She's like, and I'm she's like, she's like cause. You also find out that, like Sebastian, the character is based off of Shane and Gia is based off of Jean-Bieve, which is her, and she's like I wrote that to try to like deal with us, with you. And she's like and I wrote it one like one book. And she's like I wrote it what like one book. And she's like now I'm stuck with these characters because it it was a bestseller. My first book was a bestseller and then I had to write a sequel. And now I'm 15 books later and I'm stuck.
Speaker 1:It's her whole life now yeah, yeah, I'm stuck with these vampires, edward and bella. She's like this shitty book. It always comes back to twilight but, like imagine, you know what I mean. Yeah.
Speaker 2:You can't escape them.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I just thought it was interesting. So she's mad about him at the fact that, like he capitalized off of her trauma, whereas, like she wrote, like you know, yeah, like fluff characters right, I guess I had. I don't know how to like say that, but you know what I mean and comfort characters yes, right, yeah, and um, on top of then she goes, then you're not speaking to me, you left me. You know again, we don't know, why or what happened.
Speaker 1:And I wanted to point out this quote, which I thought I almost melted in the car when he said it.
Speaker 2:But it's gonna be the same quote as the one I highlighted. I know it go ahead okay.
Speaker 1:So he said she goes. I know okay, eight's lovable because you were. This is what he said. You can't imagine what you were like. Then she goes. I know what I was like. He goes. No, you don't you burst into my solitude demanding to be seen. You were overwhelming, just wild and weird and brilliant. I never had a choice. I liked everything about you, even the scary parts. I wanted to drown in your fucking bath water. And then this is my favorite quote. He said I idealize you in fiction because I idealize you in real life.
Speaker 2:Also. I love that bathwater is so popular right now. Yeah bathwater is a vibe. I do love that scene with Chanel, but it actually wasn't my quote. My quote was just a few paragraphs after that. Oh yeah, Mine was. I'm not just writing about you, said Shane, I'm writing to you. Oh my heart, that's my favorite.
Speaker 1:That got me like, yeah, I don't know, I just really love, love that one, yes well, I know, and I was like when, when, when he said that, and then when I realized that like they were writing to each other and in their books, because you also find out that, of course, she read all of his books, of course. And you were like, oh my god, they're writing to each. Isn't that so romantic?
Speaker 1:like oh, it's so romantic I was like that was that's amazing, like literally, like each of their books, like that's that was amazing. So, yeah, um, but so we were close yeah, we were close.
Speaker 2:We're on the same page. I mean, yours is beautiful too. Yes, um.
Speaker 1:So their meeting doesn't like it doesn't end well, like she's still mad and he's obviously still apologetic. He wants to. You know, um at out, that audrey gets in trouble at school. Shock. So a little more background about audrey, who is so freaking hilarious. So she really wants to be a psychologist. That is, she's 12 years old and like that's what she wants to be. Throughout this book so far she's been psychoanalyzing everyone Her friends, her mom, anyone that she comes in contact with. I believe the first time we saw her she was having a therapy session with her friends.
Speaker 2:Yeah, like 20 kids in her room. Her mom was pissed.
Speaker 1:Including boys, like 16 year old boys yeah, I'd be mad too. And so she gets in trouble at school because she was like psychoanalyzing one of the girls, one of her friends at school and I'm trying to go to this page so she I can't remember exactly what she said to this girl, but essentially what happens and of course it came out on social media was a girl at school. Her mom is the dean of the school and, like I said, it came out that this dean was cheating on her husband with the english teacher. Audrey was somehow I don't know, I can't. I it's been a minute since I've read this she came about this information and what it was.
Speaker 2:She recorded the session on snapchat, and that's what it was, even though she took it down. Somebody screenshotted the child crying and that only because I've been like binge watching or listening to this. So it's like this girl sobbing about her mom, like banging this guy, and somebody made a meme out of it, it became a meme. So really, Audrey didn't do anything. I don't think somebody else made the meme, but it was because she had recorded the session on Snapchat.
Speaker 1:OK, and now that is trouble.
Speaker 2:Now the meme is the feeling when your mom's getting her back blown out by your english teacher this book is wild, doesn't the principal offer to explain what back blown out means and she's like I don't need you to explain, or something like that no, she.
Speaker 1:She offers to um to explain what tfw means, that feeling when yeah yeah, and she's like I know, and so you're right, I mean, but like you said, she maybe shouldn't have had a session, whatever. But so the principal is like, okay, she's going to get expelled. And the mom's like, but you know, the mom eva is like, okay, what can I do to like help this? And she's like, well, we need a new english teacher because obviously the english teacher got fired, got her back blown out, and now she's old.
Speaker 2:The english teacher was blowing.
Speaker 1:It's a bad sorry, sorry he wasn't getting his backbone.
Speaker 2:I mean, maybe we don't know, but we don't know what's happening.
Speaker 1:We don't know what they were into, um, but uh, but so eva's like okay, I will get you a new english teacher. Okay, that's at that. If you like, let audrey stay at the, which it's like a really prestigious private school that she's worked really hard to get her into, right, like because she wants to be a better mom than she had. So, yes, ok, ok, now we're going to the next one, which is which is they? That, which is shane and john behave.
Speaker 1:They've just escaped this hospital, left this hospital, and so now they're going to, um, this like mansion that shane knows how to get into because it's one of his friends houses and he knows that it's normally not occupied because his friend's parents are like super rich, they're like the dad is like the Korean ambassador, and so he knows that like they're never home and stuff. So he's like I know we can crash here and there's like lots of drugs at this place. So, yeah, yeah, we can stay there and blah, blah. So him and jean-pierre go to this house and they're also like beat up, and so they're like black matching black eyes and stuff.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so they like sleep for like a day or two and just like pass out and like recuperate after getting the snot beat out of them. But also jean-pierre is like you know, her migraines are coming back. So she's like, do you have anything to like take this pain away? And he's like, yeah, you know, this is a place like there's alcohol drugs here. Like you know they they're super rich here. So he like gives her I don't know percocet or something I can't remember. And while she's like getting high, he gets into like the liquor cabinet and he starts drinking. And so you kind of see the beginnings of him. His like alcohol abuse, right, like that's his way of numbing right, where she obviously takes drugs. Then like they start talking, they play like 20 questions and the other thing is she's like I need to go to the bathroom and you see a little bit more of again her background where she is like cutting.
Speaker 1:That's like her other way of like numbing um the pain, right, she has, like we were talking about, like her bandages on her arm and she's like this is just like my way of coping with, you know, my life, but also just the pain, you know, if I don't have um drugs I cut it's really sad and he like sits on the other side of the door with her the whole time that she's in the bathroom and it's sad and talks to her and they kind of, you know, like I said, play 20 questions and they learn about each other and um, talk about their like, their lives and um, and really just become friends, get to know each other and stuff.
Speaker 2:So it's sad but sweet it really does make you feel so many things for it's not a very long book and she does a really good job of you feel so many different emotions with each chapter. I feel like, no, I know, I just love with him setting. They're like together but the door separates them.
Speaker 1:I love that kind of visual yeah, yeah, he like gives her privacy because she's obviously like ashamed about it, but he like still wants to support her. You know what I mean?
Speaker 2:yeah, yeah, wants to be there for yeah, yeah that's all anyone wants. That's why I love you guys I just want you to be.
Speaker 1:Um, okay. So now we're back to the present, and so now eva has to find an english teacher and, like you said, whoever could it be, who does she think of? But mr shane hall? So she goes to where he's staying because he's been texting her like non-stop, not in a stalker way, but he's just like, hey, like I want to be friends, you know, this is where I'm staying. And, um, she's like, okay, I'm gonna meet you. And she goes to his place and she's like, can you be the english teacher at audrey school? Like, do me a favor? And he's like, yes, yes absolutely.
Speaker 2:Whatever it is, I don't care yeah um, and then they also agree.
Speaker 1:Like you know, they start talking and they start walking around the city and they go what's my favorite place, which is the high line.
Speaker 2:It's it's so cool that yeah, I loved this.
Speaker 1:This is where they went I know, and they get gelato and they like walk along. It's this park in new york and they just like start talking and, um, it's just this really cute date where they just like have fun and like laugh.
Speaker 2:And.
Speaker 1:I don't know it was just the cutest.
Speaker 2:I loved it. It's cute. Yeah, it's just precious.
Speaker 1:It's just this precious date. And she also talks about, like, the book that she actually wants to write, right, like she's been writing these books where, like just to make money Because they're the vampire witch books to books to keep her daughter in school and to pay for pay bills. But she's learned from her mom about her ancestry, her mom's mom, her grandma and then her great grandma from this old Louisiana town. They're creole and um. These stories have just been passed down about, um, like I won't get into detail because I mean, I don't, I don't think they like add much to the story she just, she just says that her family's curse the women in the family's curse it's kind of the underlying thing.
Speaker 1:Is that? That's what?
Speaker 2:she's wanting to research is like. What does that mean?
Speaker 1:And so, yeah, the whole thing is that she just her book would just be to go back to this town. She's never gone to this town and she wants to research her family Like that would be her dream book, and he's super supportive about it, Like he listens to her and that's literally the date. They eat gelato, they talk about her family and they also get photographed by a fan, and that's it.
Speaker 2:And that's it, and that's part one.
Speaker 1:That's part one. We're going to end there, because then it gets really steamy and really spicy.
Speaker 2:I can't wait, it's a slow burn, it is, but the tension is very good.
Speaker 1:yeah, I mean it's always like, I feel, like all of the books that we read which are probably they're all good books like the first half has to like build it up and then the second half has all the stuff.
Speaker 2:You know what I mean I just don't want to brag. We just pick really good books and we pick the best authors. We have great taste, obviously that's it we. We never pick wrongs we don't name one time we've picked wrong never can't be documented because it hasn't happened.
Speaker 1:Hilarious and I agree, just pick one wrong.
Speaker 2:Pick one book we picked that sucked. You can't, you just can't. I've liked them all. I was gonna say I bet the listeners don't let us know we don't want your comments yeah, we don't want to hear if we're wrong, only if we're right. Please, ridiculous chanel, I will say I am pumped that you picked this book. I'm glad that we're doing um an author of color. I love the story. It has everything, so part two is going to be amazing yay, thank you.
Speaker 1:I'm glad you guys like it, because I thought it was. I thought it was a good book, so, yeah, yeah, um, who's like? We're not announcing it right now, but I was just wondering who who's whose book is next, or who's picking next is it me?
Speaker 2:I think it's at wait. Did you, would we do before this one? Yeah, because we did right.
Speaker 1:Yes, okay yeah, it's ashley. Okay, okay, cool.
Speaker 2:I'm torn between a couple, so we'll see what I'm feeling. Oh, okay.
Speaker 1:Okay, alright, cool, we're doing kudos.
Speaker 2:I'll go first. Did I beat you, stacey? Well, I'm sure ours will be very similar, but go ahead. Well, my kudos is for you, stacey, because I missed you so much when we were gone. It was an amazing trip, but it was hard to. It was weird for us not to record for so long, because it felt like it was forever, even though it wasn't. But it was just hard, because I love you so much and we missed you and we're going to take you back because there's just so many things that you would have loved and I can't wait until we can. I can't wait, then, um, to second that also to our listeners, because I know that, um, this will be like the first new episode in a while. So thanks for sticking with us and we're excited to be back.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, that's true, that's true. Um, I was gonna say my kudos is for Stacy too. It's literally just the same. I was going to say I just missed you. I didn't I knew I was going to miss you, but like I really missed you.
Speaker 2:She's like I'm getting sick of Ashley. We're Stacy, I think it's just hard because, for me at least, how I felt is which we were friends before this podcast, as we've told people. But talking to you guys really is like almost a form of that's Toby he says hello, he missed you too.
Speaker 2:It's almost a form of therapy, honestly, to like talk all the time so it was hard being separated by you, for you guys even for like what was it like 16 days? It was just like a change in our schedule and it was I'm so glad you guys had so much fun. I love three raises photos, but yeah yeah, yeah it was.
Speaker 1:It was tough not talking to you, so I missed you. It's good to see you.
Speaker 2:I was gonna say that my kudos is actually for you guys and you know the other girls who were on the trip because I felt like I was almost there with the photos. Our friend jen like photocropped me into a bunch of photos. It was so she's amazing at it. We'll post them so you guys can see it, because it's truly incredible her work, um. But then ashley got me this bag I really wanted, um, I don't, I just I felt like, even though I wasn't there and I was thousands of miles away, I felt truly, truly like a part of the trip still, and that's just really special and it's hard to do without it feeling I just felt like you, it felt like I was there the whole time, if that makes sense like yeah, yeah yeah, your spirit was yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah small auto beans well yeah, where's my favorite so of course we had a coup with ourselves because we've been on a break.
Speaker 2:We just love to love each other. We just love, love, guys yeah, yeah, seriously.
Speaker 1:Well, thank you everyone for listening for to part one and stay tuned for part two and it's gonna be great.
Speaker 2:You want to lead us out stace? Yeah, um, we can't wait for part two. It's gonna be steamy and make sure you read what you like.