Books Around the Block

It's time for another Books Around the Block Book Club! This week we're diving deep into Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune, breaking down everything from the friends-to-lovers trope and whether this newest release lives up to the hype. We also share our individual star ratings, discuss what worked (and what didn't), and reveal our dream cast if Our Perfect Storm is ever adapted into a movie.

As always, we kick things off with Read, Watch, Obsessed. That entire opening segment is completely spoiler-free, so even if you haven't read Our Perfect Storm yet, you can listen to the first 15 minutes of the episode without worry. Before we begin our full book discussion, we give a clear spoiler warning, so you'll know exactly when it's time to pause if you're still reading.

If you're looking for an Our Perfect Storm podcast discussion, Carley Fortune book review, Our Perfect Storm ending explained, or a fun, in-depth book club podcast covering the biggest new romance releases, this episode is for you. 

We're halfway through the year, which means it's time for our biggest reading recap yet!

In this special mid-year episode of Books Around the Block, we're looking back at everything we've read since January and sharing our top 3 favorite books so far, our biggest reading disappointments, and the publishing trends we've noticed throughout the first half of 2026.

If you're looking for your next great read or wondering which new releases are actually worth the hype, this episode is filled with honest book reviews, must-read recommendations, and plenty of books to add to your TBR.

It’s a Love Story by Annabel Monaghan

Just for the Season by Rachel Griffiths

Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke

The Night We Met by Abby Jimenez

The Elements by John Boyne

Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood

Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan 

This story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany Crum 

Dear Debbie by Frieda McFadden

Women Down by Colleen Hoover

Told You So by Mayci Neeley

Phoebe Berman’s Gonna Lose It by Brooke Averick

Caller unknown by Gillian McAllister

Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune

Looking for your next easy read? In this episode of Books Around the Block, we're sharing our favorite mindless reads—the easy-to-read, fast-paced page-turners that don't require a ton of brainpower but are nearly impossible to put down. Whether you're in a reading slump, heading on vacation, just finished reading something heavy, or simply want an entertaining book that keeps the pages turning, we've got recommendations across romance, thrillers, mysteries, women's fiction, and more. 

If you're searching for the best easy books to read, binge-worthy novels, or books that will get you reading again, this episode is packed with recommendations you'll want to add to your TBR.

We Are All Guilty Here by Karin Slaughter

It's A Love Story by Annabel Monaghan

The Whisper Man by Alex North

Hot Girl Murder Club by Ashley Winstead

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikery by Gabrielle Zevin

Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak

The Rumor by Elin Hildebrand

Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune

Looking for your next great book? In this month's reading wrap-up, we're sharing our honest reviews of everything we read in June. From our favorite five-star books to the biggest disappointments, we hold nothing back. Then we're diving into our July TBR and the new releases, backlist hopefuls, and summer required reading we're hoping to read next. 

If you love book recommendations, monthly reading wrap-ups, and discovering the best books to add to your TBR, this episode is for you. Grab your favorite drink and snack, and join us as we chat all things books, reading, and summer reading!

Someone Else’s Husband by Amelia McCreight

The Ex-Vows by Jessica Joyce

All The Ugly and Wonderful Things by Brynn Greenwood

Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth

Love, theoretically by Ali Hazelwood

The Burning Side by Sarah Damoff

Ask Not by Maureen Callahan

Phoebe Berman’s Gonna Lose It by Brooke Averick 

Woman Down by Colleen Hoover

All The Little Ways by Laura Lekkos

Dolly All Time by Annabel Monahan

It Could Have Been Her by Lisa Jewell

Theo of Golden by Allen Levi

What Kind of Paradise by Janelle Brown

Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker

The Someday Garden by Ashley Poston

Like, Follow, Subscribe by Fortesa Latifi

The One Day You were My Husband by Rosie Walsh

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

The Divine Counselor by Alex Seeley

Five by Ilona Bannister

It’s a Love Story by Annabel Monaghan

Hot Girl Murder Club by Ashley Winstead

Run for the Hills by Kevin Wilson

The Woman In White by Sarah Pekkanen

Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune

Is Theo of Golden by Allen Levi worth the hype? In this month's Books Around the Block Book Club, we're diving deep into one of the year's most talked-about novels with our discussion, which includes spoilers.

Before we jump into the book, the first 23 minutes are our signature Read, Watch, Obsessed segment, where we share what we've been reading, watching, and loving lately. That entire portion is completely spoiler-free, so everyone can listen!

After that, it's full steam ahead into Theo of Golden with spoilers. We break down the plot, characters, emotional moments, writing style, themes, and ending, share our final ratings, debate what worked (and what didn't), and unpack all the biggest moments. Whether you've already finished the book a while ago or you're looking for an in-depth book club discussion after turning the last page, this episode is for you.

If you love book podcasts, book club discussions, spoiler reviews, and discovering what to read next, be sure to subscribe to Books Around the Block for our monthly book club episodes.

Like, Follow, Subscribe by Fortesa Latifi

Theo of Golden by Allen Levi

You With A View by Jessica Joyce

It Could Have been Her by Lisa Jewell

Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune

In this week's episode of Books Around the Block, Audrey, Adrienne, and Lindsay each share their three most anticipated book releases of Q3 2026, featuring upcoming books hitting shelves in July, August, and September.

From buzzy new fiction and emotional literary novels to page-turning thrillers and can't-miss romances, we're sharing the books we're most excited to add to our TBRs and why we think these upcoming releases could become some of the biggest books of the year.

Dolly All The Time by Annabel Monaghan 

Phoebe Berman's Gonna Lose It by Brooke Averick

What Kind of Paradise by Janelle Brown

Take what you can by Naima Coster

The Good Parts by Evan Normanand

The Romance Revival by Christina Lauren

Exit Party by Emily St. John Mandel

The Wild Beneath by Kelly Anderson

The Unknown by Riley Sager

Hollow Bones by Jodi Picoult

The Truth about Ruby Cooper by Liz Nugent

Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel by Lucy Foley and Agatha Christy

Theo of Golden by Allen Levi

Summer is here, and we're combining two of our favorite things: movies and books! In this episode of Books Around the Block, Audrey, Adrienne, and Lindsay each bring one of their favorite summer movies and pair it with a book that captures the same atmosphere, themes, characters, and emotional vibes.

Whether you're looking for the perfect beach read, planning your summer reading list, or searching for books like your favorite summer movies, we've got recommendations for romance readers, contemporary fiction lovers, and anyone chasing that nostalgic summer feeling.

If you're searching for summer book recommendations, beach reads, books to read on vacation, or books that feel like your favorite movies, this episode is for you.

Ask Not by Maureen Callahan

Dolly all the time by Annabel Monaghan

Japanese gothic by Kylie Lee Baker

My Friends by Fredrik Backman

The Wedding People by Alison Espach

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Theo of Golden by Allen Levi

In this episode of Books Around the Block, the three of us each share two unforgettable reads: one book we wish we could permanently wipe from our memory because we hated it, and one book we wish we could erase just so we could experience reading it for the very first time again.

From disappointing books that didn't live up to the hype to all-time favorite novels that gave us book hangovers, we're sharing our most memorable reading regrets and our most beloved book recommendations. Expect plenty of strong opinions, passionate defenses, and a few controversial picks along the way.

Whether you're looking for book recommendations, wondering which popular books might not be worth the hype, or searching for your next five-star read, this episode is packed with discussion about the best books we've ever read and the books we'd rather forget.

June Baby by Shannon Garvey

What Kind of Paradise by Janelle Brown

The Someday Garden by Ashley Poston

Expecting Adam by Martha Beck

The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin

The House on the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune

The Sound of Gravel by Ruth Wariner

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah Maas

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

Theo of Golden by Allen Levi

In this monthly reading wrap-up episode of Books Around the Block, we’re sharing our best and worst books of the month of May… the ones we loved, the ones we didn’t, and the ones we cannot stop thinking about.

We break down everything we read in May with honest, unfiltered reviews, from standout 5-star favorites to the biggest disappointments. If you’re looking for real opinions before adding books to your TBR, this episode is packed with must-read recommendations and a few you might want to skip.

We also share two books we’re planning to read in June, giving you a preview of our upcoming TBR. We also reveal Lindsay's birthday read, and she's not happy. 

Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth

Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood

The Burning Side by Sarah Damoff

The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali

Fever Dream by Ali Hazelwood

Dolly All The Time by Annabel Monaghan

The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James

The Shippers by Katherine Center

Labor by Mary Fariba Afsari

The Social Climber by Amanda Pellegrino

This is Me by Hayden Panettierre

Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke

The Situationship by Abby Jiminez

The Good Lie by A.R. Torre

The One Day You Were My Husband by Rosie Walsh

Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy

Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker

Someone Else's Husband by Kimberly McCreight

Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt by Ben Reeves

All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood

In this special book club episode of Books Around the Block, we’re discussing Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke and trust us, we had THOUGHTS. From differing opinions to deep dives into the characters, themes, and that twist ending, we unpack every part of this buzzy bestseller and process together in real time.

There are NO spoilers for the first 15 minutes of this episode, and we give a full spoiler warning before diving deeper into our discussion.

If you’re looking for a detailed Yesteryear book review and book club podcast or readers reacting to Caro Claire Burke’s novel, this episode is for you. Whether you loved the book, hated the book, or are still trying to figure out how you feel about it, come process Yesteryear with us!

American Fantasy by Emma Straub

Fever Dream by Elsie Silver

A Good Lie by A.R. Torre

Theo of Golden by Allen Levi