For today's episode, Hannah was joined by author Ashley Hickson-Lovence to discuss his latest novel About To Fall Apart, which is out now and you can buy here. 
In this episode they discuss the story that inspired this novel and what it was like navigating those difficult conversations with family when writing their history. They also chat about influences like Max Porter, Caleb Femi, Irish folk music and Gemma Dunleavy, creating a story within a story, Emiliano Sala plus much more. 
If you enjoy this episode please do rate, review & subscribe, for more content you can find us over on Patreon. You can follow us via Instagram, X & Tik Tok. 
You can follow Ashley via Instagram & ashleyhicksonlovence.com

Books & other mentions in this episode: 
Jhalak Prize
Why I Am Not A Bus Driver by Ashley Hickson-Lovence
into the wreck by Susannah Dickey
Big Man by Dean Atta
Six Weeks by Matt Goodfellow
Shy by Max Porter
Ashley reading 'About To Fall Apart'
Inua Ellams
Poor by Caleb Femi
The 392 by Ashley Hickson-Lovence
Your Show by Ashley Hickson-Lovence
Gemma Dunleavy 'Up De Flats'
Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan
Small Things Like These (2024)
Christy (2025)
Dead Ends by Ashley Hickson-Lovence
Getdown Services- Dog Dribble
Marty Supreme (2025)
I, Jack Wright (2025)

Let us know your thoughts by emailing us [email protected] or you can DM us @apairofbookendspod on Instagram. Until next time, happy reading!

For this year's Summer reading episode, 20 different authors have very kindly sent in recordings offering up the books they think you should be reading this summer and beyond, think of this episode as voicenotes from your bookish pals! 
If you enjoy this episode please do rate, review & subscribe, for more content you can find us over on Patreon. You can follow us via Instagram, X & Tik Tok. 

Authors featured in order of appearance:
Rebecca Perry, author of May We Feed The King
Shahed Ezaydi, author of The Othered Woman: How White Feminism Harms Muslim Women
Hannah Beer, author of I Make My Own Fun
Bobby Palmer, author of Main Characters
Lucy Rose, author of The Lamb
Marcia Hutchinson, author of The Mercy Step
Kiran Millwood Hargrave, author of Almost Life
Seth Insua, author of Human, Animal
Emma Hinds, author of Witchlore
Emily Slapper, author of It Might Never Happen
Nussaibah Younis, author of Fundamentally
Madeleine Gray, author of Chosen Family
Ashley Thorpe, author of Spirit Warriors
Stephanie Yeboah, author of Doing It For The Plot
Celia Silvani, author of Just Between Mothers
Keiran Goddard, author of I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning
Stacey Yu, author of Kitten
Alice Slater, author of Let The Bad Times Roll
Jodie Chapman, author of California Gold
Eliza Clark, author of She's Always Hungry

Books recommended:
Florenzer by Phil Melanson
The Project by Annie Lord
The Wedding People by Alison Espach
Less by Andrew Sean Greer
Life Cycle of a Moth by Rowe Irvin
Act Normal by Pete Kalu
Villa Coco by Andrew Sean Greer
The Summer Book by Tove Jansson
Tender by Lauren Du Plessis
Bonjour Tristesse by Françoise Sagan
Mother Mary Comes To Me by Arundhati Roy
Brother of the More Famous Jack by Barbara Trapido
Smallie by Eden McKenzie-Goddard
I Want You To Be Happy by Jem Calder
The Shampoo Effect by Jenny Jackson
Question 7 by Richard Flanagan
Claudine in Paris by Colette
Hello, Limerence by Momo Yamaguchi
Slanting Towards the Sea by Lidija Hilje
Permanence by Sophie Mackintosh


Let us know your thoughts by emailing us [email protected] or you can DM us @apairofbookendspod on Instagram. Until next time, happy reading!

For the latest instalment in our Debut Spotlight series, Rebecca Bainbridge joined us to discuss her debut novel The Pool Party which you can buy here. 
In this episode Hannah & Rebecca discuss how Rebecca's Mum got her into reading, the influences behind Rebecca's novel from Liane Moriarty's Big Little Lies to Christos Tsiolkas's The Slap, they also get into school gates politics, how Dads are frequently praised for basic parenting and how trauma affects her characters. Rebecca also gives great advice for pitching and events for debut authors plus much more. 
If you enjoy this episode please do rate, review & subscribe, for more content you can find us over on Patreon. You can follow us via Instagram, X & Tik Tok. 
You can follow Rebecca via Instagram & Facebook

Books & other mentions in this episode:
Villa Coco by Andrew Sean Greer
Less by Andrew Sean Greer
Books + Bits - Substack
Patricia Cornwell
Maeve Binchy
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas 
Motherland (BBC)
None of This is True by Lisa Jewell
Lucy Foley
Female, Nude by Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett
A Sociopath's Guide to a Successful Marriage by M.K. Oliver

Let us know your thoughts by emailing us [email protected] or you can DM us @apairofbookendspod on Instagram. Until next time, happy reading!

For today's episode Hannah was joined by returning guest of the podcast Louise Beech- who also writes as Louise Swanson- to discuss her latest novel Wonderful, a reimagining of a world in which Marilyn Monroe didn't die at 36 and instead went on to live a long and fulfilling life. 
In this episode Hannah and Louise discuss where Louise's love for Marilyn began, some of her favourite books and documentaries that reflect the person she truly was, how fame and celebrity culture can disproportionately harm women, why Northern and Class representation matter to her and much more. 
If you enjoy this episode please do rate, review & subscribe, for more content you can find us over on Patreon. You can follow us via Instagram, X & Tik Tok. 
You can follow Louise via louisebeech.co.uk & Instagram
You can buy Wonderful here.

Books & other mentions in this episode:
How To Be Brave by Louise Beech
Eighteen Seconds by Louise Beech
The Lion Tamer Who Lost by Louise Beech
End of Story by Louise Swanson
Lights Out by Louise Swanson
Marilyn And Her Books by Gail Crowther
https://harrogateinternationalfestivals.com/festival/theakston-old-peculier-crime-writing-festival/
Notes on an Obsession by C.L Taylor
In My Good Books- Podcast
My Sister Marilyn by Bernice Baker Miracle
Love, Marilyn (2012)

Let us know your thoughts by emailing us [email protected] or you can DM us @apairofbookendspod on Instagram. Until next time, happy reading!

For today's episode Hannah was joined by returning guest of the pod Chloë Ashby to discuss her latest novel Family Friends which you can buy here.
In this episode they discuss writing about messy families and relationships, lust and desire & money and class- all the good stuff! Chloë also spoke about her feelings on the Tracey Emin exhibition, how much she loved Hamnet and told us what the cultural family tree for her book would be.
If you enjoy this episode please do rate, review & subscribe, for more content you can find us over on Patreon. You can follow us via Instagram, X & Tik Tok. 
You can follow Chloë via Instagram & via chloeashby.com
Her previous novels include: Wet Paint and Second Self

Books & other mentions in this episode:
The Hero of This Book by Elizabeth McCracken
A Long Game: How To Write Fiction
Fleabag
Atonement by Ian McEwan
The Accidental by Ali Smith
A Bigger Splash (2015)
https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/tracey-emin
Venus, Vanishing by Rebecca Birrell
Land by Maggie O'Farrell
Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell
Hamnet (2025)
Poor Things (2023)

Let us know your thoughts by emailing us [email protected] or you can DM us @apairofbookendspod on Instagram. Until next time, happy reading!

For our July Book Club, we invited you to join us in reading People in Love, the much-anticipated second novel from Claire Daverley. In this episode, Hannah & Claire discuss the books that have been 'guiding lights' for Claire whilst working on this project, how useful running & wild swimming are for her as a writer, long-term relationships, weddings, tragedy, The Bear, dinner party scenes, AI & a very exciting food game...
If you enjoy this episode please do rate, review & subscribe, for more content you can find us over on Patreon. You can follow us via Instagram, X & Tik Tok. 
You can buy People in Love here.
You can follow Claire via Instagram & Substack

Books & other mentions in this episode:
Talking at Night by Claire Daverley
Life Out of Order by Audrey Niffenegger
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors
Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason
Cold New Climate by Isobel Wohl
Brother of the More Famous Jack by Barbara Trapido
Intermezzo by Sally Rooney
Normal People by Sally Rooney
Saltwater by Jessica Andrews
Expectation by Anna Hope
Gilmore Guys Podcast
The Bear
The Bear- "Fishes" Script
Fleabag Season 2 Episode 1

Let us know your thoughts by emailing us [email protected] or you can DM us @apairofbookendspod on Instagram. Until next time, happy reading!

For today's instalment in our Debut Spotlight series, Hannah was joined by Amman Brar to discuss his debut novel 'Mr Sidhu's Post Office' which you can buy here. 
In this episode they discuss the Horizon Scandal, how Amman's father influenced the character of Mr Sidhu, life in Punjab, writing for theatre vs writing novels plus much more!
If you enjoy this episode please do rate, review & subscribe, for more content you can find us over on Patreon. You can follow us via Instagram, X & Tik Tok. 
You can follow Amman via Instagram.

Books & other mentions in this episode: 
This is Where the Serpent Lives by Daniyal Mueenuddin
Mr Bates vs The Post Office
The Great Post Office Scandal by Nick Wallis
Jamaica Road by Lisa Smith

Let us know your thoughts by emailing us [email protected] or you can DM us @apairofbookendspod on Instagram. Until next time, happy reading!

Kicking off Season 8 in our Debut Spotlight series is Jessica Elisabeth, author of Bloodline of the Coven. In this episode Jessica talks about wanting to be 'that girl in the bathroom hyping everyone up', balancing writing with work and motherhood and learning the importance of community. There may also be mentions of Fourth Wing, ACOTAR, Off Campus and witches, you've been warned...
If you enjoy this episode please do rate, review & subscribe, for more content you can find us over on Patreon. You can follow us via Instagram, X & Tik Tok. 
You can follow Jessia via Instagram & you can order a copy of Bloodline of the Coven here. 

Books & other mentions in this episode: 
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
Off Campus
The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins

Let us know your thoughts by emailing us [email protected] or you can DM us @apairofbookendspod on Instagram. Until next time, happy reading!

For today's episode Hannah was joined by Angela Flournoy to discuss her latest novel The Wilderness which you can buy here (UK) & here (US). UK listeners you can pre-order The Turner House here. 
In this episode Hannah & Angela discuss the intimacies of female friendship, the differences between New York & L.A, the US' Class system, what Angela's DJ requests are + much more!
If you enjoy this episode please do rate, review & subscribe, for more content you can find us over on Patreon. You can follow us via Instagram, X & Tik Tok. 
You can follow Angela & her work via angelaflournoy.com & Instagram

Books & other mentions in this episode:
Freedom: Essays by Zinzi Clemmons
What We Lose by Zinzi Clemmons
Upcoming UK events:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/in-conversation-angela-flournoy-with-sarah-gwonyoma-tickets-1986424874272
https://ma.to/event/angela-flournoy-round-table-books-18-aug-2026
https://www.edbookfest.co.uk/events/angela-flournoy-agnes-lidbeck-love-and-politics
Pool House by Mary H.K. Choi

Let us know your thoughts by emailing us [email protected] or you can DM us @apairofbookendspod on Instagram. Until next time, happy reading!

For today's episode Hannah was joined by bestselling author Rosie Walsh to discuss her latest novel The One Day You Were My Husband which you can buy here (UK) & here (US).
In this episode Rosie discusses the places she's travelled to for writing including Thailand & Stockholm for this novel, they talk about complex families, a couple of brilliant books about grief & loss, writing big twists, research into the medical world and much more!
If you enjoy this episode please do rate, review & subscribe, for more content you can find us over on Patreon. You can follow us via Instagram, X & Tik Tok. 
You can follow Rosie via Instagram

Books & other mentions in this episode:
An Ocean and A Day by Hannah Richell
This Wasn't Meant To Happen by Ali Harris
Grey's Anatomy
The Pitt
Finding Grace by Loretta Rothschild
The Things You'll Never Know by Ashley Audrain
The Push by Ashley Audrain
The Man Who Didn't Call by Rosie Walsh
The Love of My Life by Rosie Walsh

Let us know your thoughts by emailing us [email protected] or you can DM us @apairofbookendspod on Instagram. Until next time, happy reading!