Rebecca Armitage joins Carol Fitzgerald to discuss her debut novel, THE HEIR APPARENT, which was a Reese's Book Club pick and a Bookreporter Bets On selection.

Rebecca describes the book as a modern-day fairy tale. Lexi, who is living in Tasmania and training to be a doctor, is summoned home after a skiing accident kills her father and critically injures her brother. Her grandmother is the Queen of England; she is the heir apparent and must return to London. Carol loved the cinematic opening scene with the helicopter landing to whisk Lexi away from her life in Australia. Rebecca drew upon her experience as a journalist covering the royal family to create an authentic portrayal of their lives.

The story centers on Lexi's decision between duty to the crown and personal freedom, complicated by a secret that could prevent her from taking the throne. The relationships in the book highlight the sacrifices required by royal life and explore whether or not genuine connections can survive within the constraints of the monarchy.

Rebecca discusses the Australian setting, particularly Tasmania, and its significance in the book. She shares that she moved to Tasmania during the pandemic and realized that it was the perfect place for Lexi's escape. There is a contrast between controlled palace life and Tasmania's wild, natural environment.

Our Latest "Bookreporter Talks To" Interviews:

Vicky Nguyen: https://youtu.be/ssPMpaokVp8

Brisa Carleton: https://youtu.be/aE2cCH4oMsk

Alex DeMille: https://youtu.be/EstkI7Caul8

Lily King: https://youtu.be/ir_IaUnaru4

Virginia Evans: https://youtu.be/6FtYT5KRW2Q

Hank Phillippi Ryan: https://youtu.be/7O3gIC1IJN4

Sharon Kurtzman: https://youtu.be/CMCnGJitKMY

Francesca Serritella: https://youtu.be/XmmvtzilXg0

Bruce Holsinger: https://youtu.be/KukE7DscmsY

Our Latest "Bookaccino Live" Book Group Events:

Clare Leslie Hall: https://youtu.be/j0j3_ScryJg

Paula Hawkins: https://youtu.be/nxakmJRaKaY

Amy Neff: https://youtu.be/lfHGY8VEyoA

J. Courtney Sullivan: https://youtu.be/fE8XHj-vV40

Fiona Davis: https://youtu.be/hv68HE3tjLU

Beatriz Williams: https://youtu.be/q1lwGj7ZUlg

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Art Credit: Tom Fitzgerald

Edited by Jordan Redd Productions

Carol Fitzgerald shares commentary about her 42 Bookreporter Bets On selections from 2025. These are books that she is betting Bookreporter readers will love! (* means a video/podcast interview with that author is available.)

Fiction

Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall * The Correspondent by Virginia Evans * The River Is Waiting by Wally Lamb Heart the Lover by Lily King * Buckeye by Patrick Ryan

Speak to Me of Home by Jeanine Cummins *

Culpability by Bruce Holsinger *

The Heir Apparent by Rebecca Armitage (* to come)

Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson *

More or Less Maddy by Lisa Genova *

What Happened to the McCrays? by Tracey Lange *

When the Cranes Fly South written by Lisa Ridzén, translated by Alice Menzies What Kind of Paradise by Janelle Brown Pictures of You by Clare Leslie Hall * Days You Were Mine by Clare Leslie Hall *

Historical Fiction

The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis *

Atmosphere: A Love Story, by Taylor Jenkins Reid

One Good Thing by Georgia Hunter * Harlem Rhapsody by Victoria Christopher Murray * The Lost Baker of Vienna by Sharon Kurtzman * Last Call at the Savoy by Brisa Carleton * Whatever Happened to Lori Lovely? by Sarah McCoy

Thrillers & Mysteries

The Doorman by Chris Pavone * Presumed Guilty by Scott Turow * Apostle's Cove by William Kent Krueger The Summer Guests by Tess Gerritsen

The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark * All This Could Be Yours by Hank Phillippi Ryan *

The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa Scottoline

She Didn't See It Coming by Shari Lapena Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney Saltwater by Katy Hays * Please Don't Lie by Christina Baker Kline and Anne Burt The Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict * The Oligarch's Daughter by Joseph Finder * The Break-In by Katherine Faulkner The Note by Alafair Burke The Maid's Secret: A Maid Novel, by Nita Prose *

Memoirs & Other Nonfiction

Dear Sister: A Memoir of Secrets, Survival, and Unbreakable Bonds, by Michelle Horton * Seeking Shelter: A Working Mother, Her Children, and a Story of Homelessness in America, by Jeff Hobbs * This Happened to Me: A Reckoning, by Kate Price Boat Baby: A Memoir, by Vicky Nguyen *

Our Latest "Bookreporter Talks To" Interviews:

Vicky Nguyen: https://youtu.be/ssPMpaokVp8

Brisa Carleton: https://youtu.be/aE2cCH4oMsk

Alex DeMille: https://youtu.be/EstkI7Caul8

Lily King: https://youtu.be/ir_IaUnaru4

Virginia Evans: https://youtu.be/6FtYT5KRW2Q

Hank Phillippi Ryan: https://youtu.be/7O3gIC1IJN4

Sharon Kurtzman: https://youtu.be/CMCnGJitKMY

Francesca Serritella: https://youtu.be/XmmvtzilXg0

Bruce Holsinger: https://youtu.be/KukE7DscmsY

Our Latest "Bookaccino Live" Book Group Events:

Clare Leslie Hall: https://youtu.be/j0j3_ScryJg

Paula Hawkins: https://youtu.be/nxakmJRaKaY

Amy Neff: https://youtu.be/lfHGY8VEyoA

J. Courtney Sullivan: https://youtu.be/fE8XHj-vV40

Fiona Davis: https://youtu.be/hv68HE3tjLU

Beatriz Williams: https://youtu.be/q1lwGj7ZUlg

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Art Credit: Tom Fitzgerald

Edited by Jordan Redd Productions

Carol Fitzgerald and Tom Donadio talked to eight Bookreporter reviewers about two of their favorite books of 2025.

Our guests were Sarah Rachel Egelman, Megan Elliott, Harvey Freedenberg, Pamela Kramer, Bronwyn Miller, Rebecca Munro, Norah Piehl and Stuart Shiffman. Kate Ayers and Ray Palen, who have appeared on previous programs, were not able to join us live. But we showed Ray's presentation on video, and we shared Kate's picks, along with brief excerpts from her reviews of those books.

Their selections cover a wide variety of genres, and there may be a few books you haven't heard of that you will want to check out.

You can see a list of the featured titles, along with their covers, here: https://www.bookreporter.com/sites/default/files/Bookaccino_Live_Special_Event_Bookreporter_Reviewers_Share_Their_Favorite_Books_of_2025.pdf

Our Latest "Bookreporter Talks To" Interviews:

Vicky Nguyen: https://youtu.be/ssPMpaokVp8

Brisa Carleton: https://youtu.be/aE2cCH4oMsk

Alex DeMille: https://youtu.be/EstkI7Caul8

Lily King: https://youtu.be/ir_IaUnaru4

Virginia Evans: https://youtu.be/6FtYT5KRW2Q

Hank Phillippi Ryan: https://youtu.be/7O3gIC1IJN4

Sharon Kurtzman: https://youtu.be/CMCnGJitKMY

Francesca Serritella: https://youtu.be/XmmvtzilXg0

Bruce Holsinger: https://youtu.be/KukE7DscmsY

Our Latest "Bookaccino Live" Book Group Events:

Clare Leslie Hall: https://youtu.be/j0j3_ScryJg

Paula Hawkins: https://youtu.be/nxakmJRaKaY

Amy Neff: https://youtu.be/lfHGY8VEyoA

J. Courtney Sullivan: https://youtu.be/fE8XHj-vV40

Fiona Davis: https://youtu.be/hv68HE3tjLU

Beatriz Williams: https://youtu.be/q1lwGj7ZUlg

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Website: https://www.bookreporter.com

Art Credit: Tom Fitzgerald

Edited by Jordan Redd Productions

Vicky Nguyen joins Carol Fitzgerald to discuss her memoir, BOAT BABY, which is about her experience as a Vietnamese refugee who came to America as an eight-month-old "boat baby" in 1979. She talks about the challenges of growing up as a child of immigrants, navigating cultural differences, and her path to becoming an NBC News correspondent. The interview includes honest conversation about multi-generational living, parenting approaches across cultures, and the importance of maintaining immigrant values while assimilating. Vicky emphasizes how her parents' work ethic, optimism and risk-taking shaped her career and personal life.

Here is a link to the "Today" show piece where Vicky and her family met up with the couple from Eugene, Oregon, who sponsored them when they came to America: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uqc3jREhovE

Our Latest "Bookreporter Talks To" Interviews:

Brisa Carleton: https://youtu.be/aE2cCH4oMsk

Alex DeMille: https://youtu.be/EstkI7Caul8

Lily King: https://youtu.be/ir_IaUnaru4

Virginia Evans: https://youtu.be/6FtYT5KRW2Q

Hank Phillippi Ryan: https://youtu.be/7O3gIC1IJN4

Sharon Kurtzman: https://youtu.be/CMCnGJitKMY

Francesca Serritella: https://youtu.be/XmmvtzilXg0

Bruce Holsinger: https://youtu.be/KukE7DscmsY

Megan Abbott: https://youtu.be/IXRkJuh3_eU

Our Latest "Bookaccino Live" Book Group Events:

Clare Leslie Hall: https://youtu.be/j0j3_ScryJg

Paula Hawkins: https://youtu.be/nxakmJRaKaY

Amy Neff: https://youtu.be/lfHGY8VEyoA

J. Courtney Sullivan: https://youtu.be/fE8XHj-vV40

Fiona Davis: https://youtu.be/hv68HE3tjLU

Beatriz Williams: https://youtu.be/q1lwGj7ZUlg

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Website: https://www.bookreporter.com

Art Credit: Tom Fitzgerald

Edited by Jordan Redd Productions

Clare Leslie Hall joined us for November's "Bookaccino Live" Book Group to discuss her New York Times bestseller, BROKEN COUNTRY, a Bookreporter Bets On selection that has received numerous "Best Of 2025" accolades. Clare talks about her inspiration for the novel, as well as the different paths that she took to writing it. She shares details on the development of her characters and explains how the trial was woven throughout the pages. She also touches on her earlier books, PICTURES OF HIM and DAYS YOU WERE MINE, which released this summer in the US as trade paperbacks.

PLEASE NOTE: Spoilers are included in this program!

Our Latest "Bookreporter Talks To" Interviews:

Brisa Carleton: https://youtu.be/aE2cCH4oMsk

Alex DeMille: https://youtu.be/EstkI7Caul8

Lily King: https://youtu.be/ir_IaUnaru4

Virginia Evans: https://youtu.be/6FtYT5KRW2Q

Hank Phillippi Ryan: https://youtu.be/7O3gIC1IJN4

Sharon Kurtzman: https://youtu.be/CMCnGJitKMY

Francesca Serritella: https://youtu.be/XmmvtzilXg0

Bruce Holsinger: https://youtu.be/KukE7DscmsY

Megan Abbott: https://youtu.be/IXRkJuh3_eU

Our Latest "Bookaccino Live" Book Group Events:

Paula Hawkins: https://youtu.be/nxakmJRaKaY

Amy Neff: https://youtu.be/lfHGY8VEyoA

J. Courtney Sullivan: https://youtu.be/fE8XHj-vV40

Fiona Davis: https://youtu.be/hv68HE3tjLU

Beatriz Williams: https://youtu.be/q1lwGj7ZUlg

Marjan Kamali: https://youtu.be/ePn3taNUHRI

Sign up for newsletters from Bookreporter and Reading Group Guides here: https://tbrnetwork.com/newsletters/

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Website: https://www.bookreporter.com

Art Credit: Tom Fitzgerald

Edited by Jordan Redd Productions

Brisa Carleton joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about her debut novel, LAST CALL AT THE SAVOY, which is a Bookreporter Bets On selection. The inspiration for the book came when Brisa was visiting The Savoy Hotel in London more than a decade ago. She saw a footnote about Ada Coleman in a cocktail menu and was surprised that so little information existed about her. Ada was a prominent mixologist at the hotel from 1903 to 1925, and she invented many cocktails, including the "Hanky Panky."

Brisa discusses writing a dual timeline for the book: the historical story about Ada and the modern one featuring Cinnamon Scott, an aspiring New York writer who travels to London to help her pregnant sister, Rosemary, at The Savoy. An award-winning Broadway producer with three Tony wins to her credit, Brisa also talks about her role as a producer and how it differs from being a writer.

Our Latest "Bookreporter Talks To" Interviews:

Alex DeMille: https://youtu.be/EstkI7Caul8

Lily King: https://youtu.be/ir_IaUnaru4

Virginia Evans: https://youtu.be/6FtYT5KRW2Q

Hank Phillippi Ryan: https://youtu.be/7O3gIC1IJN4

Sharon Kurtzman: https://youtu.be/CMCnGJitKMY

Francesca Serritella: https://youtu.be/XmmvtzilXg0

Bruce Holsinger: https://youtu.be/KukE7DscmsY

Megan Abbott: https://youtu.be/IXRkJuh3_eU

Kaira Rouda: https://youtu.be/0P_bOFWTFQ8

Our Latest "Bookaccino Live" Book Group Events:

Paula Hawkins: https://youtu.be/nxakmJRaKaY

Amy Neff: https://youtu.be/lfHGY8VEyoA

J. Courtney Sullivan: https://youtu.be/fE8XHj-vV40

Fiona Davis: https://youtu.be/hv68HE3tjLU

Beatriz Williams: https://youtu.be/q1lwGj7ZUlg

Marjan Kamali: https://youtu.be/ePn3taNUHRI

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Website: https://www.bookreporter.com

Art Credit: Tom Fitzgerald

Edited by Jordan Redd Productions

Alex DeMille joins Carol Fitzgerald to discuss THE TIN MEN, the third installment in the Scott Brodie & Maggie Taylor series, which he wrote with his father, Nelson DeMille. Set at a fictional military base in the Mojave Desert, the book explores autonomous weapons and AI in warfare. Alex explains what drew him to set a thriller in the American Southwest and fills us in on the research trip that he took there. He talks about the themes of humanity versus technology in warfare, which he and Nelson wanted to address. Alex also shares his personal reflections on completing the book while grieving his father's death.

Our Latest "Bookreporter Talks To" Interviews:

Lily King: https://youtu.be/ir_IaUnaru4

Virginia Evans: https://youtu.be/6FtYT5KRW2Q

Hank Phillippi Ryan: https://youtu.be/7O3gIC1IJN4

Sharon Kurtzman: https://youtu.be/CMCnGJitKMY

Francesca Serritella: https://youtu.be/XmmvtzilXg0

Bruce Holsinger: https://youtu.be/KukE7DscmsY

Megan Abbott: https://youtu.be/IXRkJuh3_eU

Kaira Rouda: https://youtu.be/0P_bOFWTFQ8

Jeanine Cummins: https://youtu.be/sZL0N-UuChk

Our Latest "Bookaccino Live" Book Group Events:

Paula Hawkins: https://youtu.be/nxakmJRaKaY

Amy Neff: https://youtu.be/lfHGY8VEyoA

J. Courtney Sullivan: https://youtu.be/fE8XHj-vV40

Fiona Davis: https://youtu.be/hv68HE3tjLU

Beatriz Williams: https://youtu.be/q1lwGj7ZUlg

Marjan Kamali: https://youtu.be/ePn3taNUHRI

Sign up for newsletters from Bookreporter and Reading Group Guides here: https://tbrnetwork.com/newsletters/

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Website: https://www.bookreporter.com

Art Credit: Tom Fitzgerald

Edited by Jordan Redd Productions

Paula Hawkins joined us for October's "Bookaccino Live" Book Group to discuss her most recent thriller, THE BLUE HOUR, a Bookreporter Bets On selection that is now available in paperback. Readers asked questions before and during the program, and we covered a lot of details, including the meaning of the book's title. Paula shares her love of art and how much she enjoys visiting museums as she travels. THE BLUE HOUR got its start when she was on a vacation; she saw a remote island and thought about what could happen in a place like that. Paula explains how she creates her characters and their backstories. And yes, she talks about what those blue lights at the end of the novel might mean.

Our Latest "Bookreporter Talks To" Interviews:

Lily King: https://youtu.be/ir_IaUnaru4

Virginia Evans: https://youtu.be/6FtYT5KRW2Q

Hank Phillippi Ryan: https://youtu.be/7O3gIC1IJN4

Sharon Kurtzman: https://youtu.be/CMCnGJitKMY

Francesca Serritella: https://youtu.be/XmmvtzilXg0

Bruce Holsinger: https://youtu.be/KukE7DscmsY

Megan Abbott: https://youtu.be/IXRkJuh3_eU

Kaira Rouda: https://youtu.be/0P_bOFWTFQ8

Jeanine Cummins: https://youtu.be/sZL0N-UuChk

Our Latest "Bookaccino Live" Book Group Events:

Amy Neff: https://youtu.be/lfHGY8VEyoA

J. Courtney Sullivan: https://youtu.be/fE8XHj-vV40

Fiona Davis: https://youtu.be/hv68HE3tjLU

Beatriz Williams: https://youtu.be/q1lwGj7ZUlg

Marjan Kamali: https://youtu.be/ePn3taNUHRI

Anna Quindlen: https://youtu.be/OgMczT4JlTs

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Website: https://www.bookreporter.com

Art Credit: Tom Fitzgerald

Edited by Jordan Redd Productions

Lily King joins Carol Fitzgerald to discuss her latest novel, the instant New York Times bestseller HEART THE LOVER, which is a Bookreporter Bets On selection. Lily shares that she was working on a political murder mystery that came to a grinding halt when she got a manuscript from Ann Patchett, which led her to write college scenes that were the start of HEART THE LOVER. She talks about a significant plot point that was changed in the manuscript about 12 days before the book was submitted, as well as the long path to getting the right cover. She also touches on how this book is a companion to her previous work, WRITERS & LOVERS.

Our Latest "Bookreporter Talks To" Interviews:

Virginia Evans: https://youtu.be/6FtYT5KRW2Q

Hank Phillippi Ryan: https://youtu.be/7O3gIC1IJN4

Sharon Kurtzman: https://youtu.be/CMCnGJitKMY

Francesca Serritella: https://youtu.be/XmmvtzilXg0

Bruce Holsinger: https://youtu.be/KukE7DscmsY

Megan Abbott: https://youtu.be/IXRkJuh3_eU

Kaira Rouda: https://youtu.be/0P_bOFWTFQ8

Jeanine Cummins: https://youtu.be/sZL0N-UuChk

Julie Clark: https://youtu.be/L3MTzzyFcG4

Our Latest "Bookaccino Live" Book Group Events:

Amy Neff: https://youtu.be/lfHGY8VEyoA

J. Courtney Sullivan: https://youtu.be/fE8XHj-vV40

Fiona Davis: https://youtu.be/hv68HE3tjLU

Beatriz Williams: https://youtu.be/q1lwGj7ZUlg

Marjan Kamali: https://youtu.be/ePn3taNUHRI

Anna Quindlen: https://youtu.be/OgMczT4JlTs

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Website: https://www.bookreporter.com

Art Credit: Tom Fitzgerald

Edited by Jordan Redd Productions

Amy Neff joined us for September's "Bookaccino Live" Book Group to discuss her debut novel, THE DAYS I LOVED YOU MOST, a Bookreporter Bets On selection that is now available in paperback. Amy worked on this book for more than a decade, starting with writing in a notebook in Central Park when she was in her 20s. She talks about her own extended family and how their beach vacations (where picnics were held in the garage) influenced her writing about a long marriage, though she is only in her late 30s. Amy also shares that she developed the chapters with the three children later in the writing process. There is a lot of conversation about the ending; readers want to know if that had changed over the course of her writing.

Our Latest "Bookreporter Talks To" Interviews:

Virginia Evans: https://youtu.be/6FtYT5KRW2Q

Hank Phillippi Ryan: https://youtu.be/7O3gIC1IJN4

Sharon Kurtzman: https://youtu.be/CMCnGJitKMY

Francesca Serritella: https://youtu.be/XmmvtzilXg0

Bruce Holsinger: https://youtu.be/KukE7DscmsY

Megan Abbott: https://youtu.be/IXRkJuh3_eU

Kaira Rouda: https://youtu.be/0P_bOFWTFQ8

Jeanine Cummins: https://youtu.be/sZL0N-UuChk

Julie Clark: https://youtu.be/L3MTzzyFcG4

Our Latest "Bookaccino Live" Book Group Events:

J. Courtney Sullivan: https://youtu.be/fE8XHj-vV40

Fiona Davis: https://youtu.be/hv68HE3tjLU

Beatriz Williams: https://youtu.be/q1lwGj7ZUlg

Marjan Kamali: https://youtu.be/ePn3taNUHRI

Anna Quindlen: https://youtu.be/OgMczT4JlTs

Lisa Wingate: https://youtu.be/X4RKP3mT4Rc

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Art Credit: Tom Fitzgerald

Edited by Jordan Redd Productions