September was another month where reading was the last thing on my mind. I listened to four audiobooks as I drove back and forth to the hospital and to hospice to be with family, and somehow made time to read another six on top of that.
In the midst of all that I had going on, I read my favorite romance of the year, Joss Richard’s It’s Different This Time. That’s going to be one of my top 2025 recommendations for casual readers. I also read To the Moon and Back, a space adjacent book that I loved, that straddles the fence between contemporary and literary fiction. Even though it was a celebrity book club pick, I haven’t heard many readers talking about it.
Fiction
Romance
It’s Different This Time by Joss Richard
I adored It’s Different This Time, a debut novel by Joss Richard about ex-roommates and best friends, June and Adam, who are forced to live together again after six years apart when their former landlord leaves them their old apartment in his will.
Look, legally the plot is insane. There’s no mention of the tax liability they would probably incur in a situation like this, etc. But the chemistry between June and Adam from the first moment we see them together is so wonderful that it’s hard to care about the plot being unrealistic.
The vibes are so transportive. This book will have you feeling like you’re falling in love in NYC in the fall while strolling through Central Park. I have a real distaste for romances where the conflict feels made up or easily avoidable just to move the plot along. But the reason June and Adam spent so many years apart made sense to me—it felt plausible.
Great pacing, too, and a spice level that will satisfy true romance readers without turning off more casual fans or readers who prefer closed-door romance. Also, June is a Broadway actress and Adam is a chef—so if you like reading about either of those professions, you’ll enjoy this.
This will be my most recommended romance of the fall, and I’m looking forward to reading more from Richard in the future.
Note: Thank you to NetGalley and Dell for providing me with an Advanced Reading Copy.
Literary Fiction
To the Moon and Back by Eliana Ramage
To the Moon and Back is about Steph, a young Cherokee woman who dreams of becoming the first Native American female astronaut to go into space.
The book begins when she’s a child, fleeing with her mother and sister from an abusive father to Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma. It follows her journey over the next 20+ years. There are also sections told from the perspectives of her sister Kayla and her college girlfriend, Della.
I picked this book up because I love space. But despite being about Steph’s goal to become an astronaut, this isn’t really a space book. It’s about family, ancestry, and ambition. The representation is fantastic—and it feels natural, which makes sense since the author is herself Cherokee.
Many of the characters are deeply unlikable, but Ramage tells their stories in a way that still makes you root for them. That’s the mark of a gifted writer.
This book wasn’t at all what I expected, but it’s one of my favorites of the year so far. I’d recommend it to all kinds of readers. Five stars! What a debut from Elliana Ramage.
Note: Thank you to NetGalley and Avid Reader Press for providing me with an Advanced Reading Copy.
Contemporary Fiction
The Kamogawa Food Detectives and Menu of Happiness by Hisashi Kashiwai
Find yourself in need of a Xanax in book form? Then pick up any book in Japanese author Hisashi Kashiwai’s The Kamogawa Food Detectives series.
The overarching plot is that a father (retired policeman turned chef) and daughter run a mysterious business in Kyoto that is part restaurant, part detective agency. But they don’t solve ordinary mysteries—only culinary ones. Clients come to them asking for help recreating meals that hold personal meaning. Each chapter features one of these food mysteries.
There really aren’t many through lines between chapters, so it reads more like a collection of short stories that all follow the same formula. And that’s the issue for me—the formula got stale quickly. The mysteries change, but the process stays the same.
Also, even as someone who grew up in Japan, I found some of the lingo and similar names confusing. Readers unfamiliar with Japanese culture might find it even more so.
That said, it’s rare to find books where nothing bad happens—books that are just calm, happy, and require no concentration. These stories offer that, and it’s a real gift for a certain time in a reader’s life.
All of that still applies to this third book in the series. Readers who enjoyed the calm, contemplative tone and gentle pacing of the previous books will enjoy this latest entry, The Menu of Happiness.
Note: Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for providing me with an Advanced Reading Copy of ‘Menu of Happiness’.
Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid
When I first read Carrie Soto Is Back three years ago, I had no understanding of or appreciation for tennis. At the time, I thought it was fine—but just fine.
Three years later, I re-read it after listening to Andre Agassi’s memoir earlier this summer. That gave me a much deeper appreciation for the sport, and I enjoyed the book so much more on this second read.
It’s a great read for tennis fans, fans of unapologetically ambitious women, and lovers of Taylor Jenkins Reid. It’s not one of her very best, but even a middling TJR book is better than many, many others.
fantasy
The Phoenix Pencil Company by Allison King
The Phoenix Pencil Company tells the story of Monica, a college-aged woman living in Boston, and her grandmother, who grew up in China during WWII. It’s also about the power of storytelling and the magical gifts passed down through generations of women in their family.
I really admire the creativity that Allison King brought to this story. The plot is unique—fantasy, historical fiction, and a little romance all mixed together, plus reflections on the risks and rewards of tech and social media.
My only complaint is that the plot felt more developed than the characters. And one element (the less painful method of “reforging”) felt like it came out of nowhere.
Still, readers who enjoy fantasy and historical fiction—especially those interested in China during WWII or the post-war tensions between communists and nationalists—will really enjoy this book.
Note: Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with an Advanced Reading Copy.
Non-Fiction
Memoir
Cancer Is Complicated by Clea Shearer
Cancer Is Complicated is a memoir from TV personality and professional organizer Clea Shearer about her journey with breast cancer.
Every patient’s experience is different, but I think this book would be comforting to someone newly diagnosed who doesn’t know anyone else who’s been through it. In my experience, the isolation can be one of the hardest parts, so hearing someone else’s story told like this can be incredibly helpful.
One part that really resonated with me—based on my own experiences as a caregiver—is the clarity that a cancer diagnosis can bring. It can help you focus on what really matters and create space for deeply meaningful family time.
She also shares some helpful practical tips for early detection and self-advocacy.
Breast cancer patients looking for community, or fans of Clea, will likely find value in this book.
POLITICAL
Any Given Tuesday by Lis Smith
Campaign staffer memoirs are one of my favorite genres, so of course I devoured Any Given Tuesday, Lis Smith’s book about her decades in politics, from working on John Edwards’ 2004 primary campaign to more recent roles with Pete Buttigieg and Andrew Cuomo.
Some of the book reads like a hard sell for Buttigieg’s political future, and I could have done with less of that. On the other hand, she’s delightfully candid about her personal life, including details of her relationship with Eliot Spitzer.
Partly I appreciated this because I know Smith a bit IRL, but truly, any political junkie will enjoy this book.
The World as It Is by Ben Rhodes
If you’re drawn to foreign policy, The World as It Is, a memoir by longtime Obama advisor Ben Rhodes, is essential reading. As one of Obama’s longest-serving staffers, Rhodes worked on the 2008 campaign and spent eight years in the White House, eventually serving as Deputy National Security Advisor.
He offers a thoughtful, introspective account of the personal sacrifices demanded by that kind of work, along with sharp behind-the-scenes insight into nearly every major foreign policy moment of the administration. I especially enjoyed the sections on the 2015 Cuba negotiations, which Rhodes led for the U.S.
A must read for anyone curious about diplomacy or the inner foreign policy workings of the White House.
MISCELLANEOUS Non-Fiction
Believe by Jeremy Egner
Believe is a book about the making of Ted Lasso seasons one through three, written by NYT TV journalist Jeremy Egner. It’s a fine way to get a little more Ted in your life while waiting for season four, but ‘fine’ is about all it is.
I didn’t learn anything new from reading this. It mostly just made me want to go back and rewatch the show. That said, if you’re a big Ted Lasso fan, you probably won’t regret picking it up.
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