Latest / Cait & Court's Cozy Corner: Romance Readers / Let's Talk About: Seven Days in June by Tia Williams
Transcript
- Caitlin Stryker: Executive producers and hosts, Caitlin Stryker and Courtney Richter, producers, Canasia Ngo and Hollie Lobosky Original music, Cassie De Silva. Courtney Richter: Okay. Caitlin Stryker: This is a podcast for lovers of romance and romantasy novels who want to go on a deep dive into their favorite genre. Honest discussions and salacious details giving romance books the respect they deserve. We are two friends, actors, moms and romance readers who like a bit of spice and everything nice in their books. You guys were talking about a book that I am so excited about today. I mean, we're late to the game on this one, but I think this one is still making the rounds and people are still discovering it and loving it. ⁓ The book we're talking about today is Seven Days in June by Tia Williams. ⁓ I'm not gonna lie. I found this book and picked it up, ⁓ no, two ways it came at me. Courtney Richter: Mm-hmm so good Caitlin Stryker: You know the drill. Be sure to like and subscribe wherever you listen to our podcast. You know the drill. Be sure to like and subscribe wherever you listen to our podcast. Courtney: Thanks for tuning in to Cait and Court's Cozy Corner Romance Readers. Courtney Richter: Hmm Caitlin Stryker: Our producer Hollie mentioned it. She was like, it's so good. ⁓ and then also in Hollie and Court read at like the same speed. ⁓ I thought I read fast. ⁓ Courtney Richter: Mm-hmm. you Caitlin Stryker: Hi, I'm Cait I discovered that I am a quick reader, but apparently not a fast reader. ⁓ Courtney Richter: you Courtney: And I'm Court. Welcome to Cait and Court's Cozy Corner Romance Readers. Courtney Richter: You are you are fast it's just there's a I don't know I think it's just insanity Caitlin Stryker: I did, some of you like, yeah, I mean, it's... Courtney Richter: A sign of a mental illness. Our book that we're talking about tomorrow, I had not started yesterday. When you're like, okay, I'm ready to go, I guess I'm reading this today. And you're like... Courtney: As we like to say, you don't need spice for a book to be good. Well, you don't need running shoes to run, but they sure do help. Caitlin Stryker: February I was really I was really searching for you know some black female authors to talk about I wrote about this one already in our newsletter our sub stack newsletter but it was like we got it we got to do this one on the pod because it's it's so good Courtney Richter: Mm-hmm. Yeah, definitely. I'm so glad we did too. Cause yes, I can see obviously why it was a Reese's pick, why it has been so well known and done because it is an amazing book. And it's got one of my favorite tropes and it's a twist on it, which I love. Cause it's got the ⁓ dual perspective time, like time jump one. And I love those just like every summer after just like it will be different this time. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Amazing. Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: There's like so many that we've gone into, fake skating, all those, the ones that go back and forth from teen to adult to help explain the story and how they got to where they are now, which is one of my favorite things. And then this book specifically does it. It does work well. It's a really great writing technique. It helps to bring you into the characters and feel for them at two different ages and help understand the adults they are now, which I really love. And then this one's done in a twist that I also love because it's not the like, Caitlin Stryker: Mmm. Yeah, it works really well. Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: pretty bow on top. It's a very real way of where they were at then and their pain and suffering and then bringing them to where they are in the light now and being able to celebrate both without either one weighing down too much but with but also without either one losing its importance, which is so fantastic and I love. Caitlin Stryker: No. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yes, it's amazing. said that. Yeah, you said that so, so well, because, know, one of the things that I love about reading, you know, romance books and then romance books with like for everybody, you know, like with Black authors or with Asian authors or with, you know, queer authors or whatever, or just with main characters who are different is that we get Courtney Richter: Mm-hmm. Caitlin Stryker: We get our guaranteed happy ending. Like we get our guaranteed happy story, even though sometimes we have like darker boxes that we go into in corners, but Courtney Richter: Yes. Caitlin Stryker: you get just that like everybody gets their their happy love story moment, which you know in it's talked about even in this book like I went a lot of like celebrated black literature is just like trauma story after trauma story after trauma story. I'm like my son was reading this book The New Kid and it's talked about even in that where think guys like yes, I'm like, you know this young black boy and he's the new kid at the fancy prep school and and the teachers are kind of being like Courtney Richter: Mm-hmm. Caitlin Stryker: here you should read this book and it's like you know the trauma of growing up in the hood and then to his friend they're like you should read this book it's like and it's like how to be a you know you're a wizard who like conquers the world it's kind of like the stories we feed you know like the lives that we live which ⁓ to the point of why Court and i love romance Courtney Richter: Yes! Caitlin Stryker: like well like you know courts loved it for so long and then got me into it and i was like i fucking love this i feel good reading these stories i don't need to feel bad anymore Courtney Richter: Yes. Yes, yes. Exactly. It's well like everyone hamnet is an amazing book and I'm sure it's an amazing movie. There is no part of me that wants to watch your mother grieve over her children. I don't need it. I don't need it. It lives here in my heart. It's already my biggest nightmare. I need to spend zero time watching someone else go through it. And I'm sure it's amazing, but not necessary. I can't do it. Caitlin Stryker: Hmm. is really good. mean, but yeah, I was, Brad and I were, we watched that one. loved it. I Chloe Schell. I loved her way she and Jessie Buckley. ⁓ But we were both distraught for like a full day after. Because it really, they do such a good job and they draw you like slowly, like right into it. And by the end, you're just like, Courtney Richter: Of course, yeah. Yeah, I can't do it. I can appreciate it, but I just know. No, I can't. And it lives in me for too long. And I don't there's certain things there's it's really important to not like put your head in the sand and not ignore things and be aware in life and like, take on painful things. But things like that for me, I'm like, I don't need to imagine it. I just don't it's already there. It's not I'm not unaware. It's not gonna add to my life. I already have like things infiltrate into my subconscious like okay, so reading this book, which I'll give you synapses, read this book, had the randomest dream cake that night of like, Caitlin Stryker: you No! Yeah. Courtney Richter: meeting up with this old guy I from years ago, but I knew I was like still married to my husband and this guy's there and nothing happens weird. And then when I went back to my husband to talk to him about meeting up with this person, my husband was suddenly this like beautiful black man on a lounge and I was like, ⁓ this is seven days in June, has infiltrated my subconscious. My fantasy has become Shane. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. you That is amazing. I mean, also like you're welcome. Like my fantasy was Shane for the entire like three to four days that I was reading this book. I was just like, ⁓ my god. So fucking hot. But also I was like, I mean, like they are perfect for one another. But on the flip side, I was also like, I don't think I can handle Shane like in real life. Courtney Richter: ⁓ my gosh, yes. Yes. No, no, no, no, in real life. No, no, no, they need each they are literally designed for each other. So I should give this enough what this book is about. And then we can dig into more without spoilers all that we've kind of said. But basically, this woman Eve, she's an author of a romantic series about a witch, Eva. She's an author of a romantic series about ⁓ a witch and a vampire. Caitlin Stryker: Let's do it. Yeah. Eva. Courtney Richter: And it starts off with her basically with a group of women like us. So I like fantasy book club women. Caitlin Stryker: Literally. I loved, I loved this part of it. I loved this like whole narrative and the way that it like wove through to the end. Courtney Richter: Yes, like the fans, the super fans I even have here with me, not that people listening will see it, but I have a purple witch hat just because I had one. And I was like, ⁓ I can be one of Eve's fans because they all wear purple witch hats. ⁓ But she's at that and it kind of dives us into her world of like, she's got these horrible migraines. She's trying to get through this book club thing, has some excuse to leave. And in a snapshot, we know she's got a daughter. Caitlin Stryker: Yay! Totally! Yes! Courtney Richter: And she's been alone as an author, like putting food on her table, surviving, doing the series that has tired her out. Like she's, she's past the point of wanting to write for these characters. She's on book 14, owes book 15, and is a little done with this Romanticie series and burnt out. Yes, fair. At that point, everyone needs a switch. Caitlin Stryker: yeah i mean fair this is when this is when like a ghostwriter takes over and carries on the series forever if the publishers want that to happen you know Courtney Richter: Yeah. Yes, exactly. And then we enter in Shane and Shane is this author, Shane Hall, who's also a teacher at iSchool and he, we discovered very quickly, has been through AA, is now sober and is going to New York to see her. That's kind of like what's alluded to us that he's going to New York. She's getting put on this new panel and you kind of have a feeling something's going on there. Long behold, he does show up and it turns out Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: that they are each other's great love from when they were teenagers. They spent the seven days in June together of literally like being high and hiding out in a house and like talking about life, really intense seven days of like trauma bonding to the extreme. But in this way that Dia wrote it, that it's still so real and visceral and you get it because of their backstories and what they went through. Caitlin Stryker: Like that really intense- Also because of like, and teenagers, right? Like everything is just so, ⁓ like teenagers are so, everything is so much more intense when you're a teenager. So like an experience can be crushed down into no time at all. You said like in seven days and I just had it pop into my brain that I think Romeo and Juliet is like a really short time span thing for each other too. Courtney Richter: And teenagers, yes. Yes. Yes, it is. It's very short as well. Yes. Caitlin Stryker: And it's very funny as an adult you're like, okay sure but as a teenager absolutely like, know, like you just You just don't have all that other stuff weighing you down and like ⁓ Your your and your and your hormones and your frontal lobe isn't developed and all that stuff. So you're just like I love you immediately intense connection everything Yes Courtney Richter: Well, and everything is end of the world. Everything's end of the world as a teen. Everything is heightened. It's like same way that like drama is heightened in a comedy. Life is heightened as a teen. Everything means so much and everything's overwhelming. And so basically her first day at school, she spots Shane, it flashes back to them being a teen. And cause she eludes the fact that they haven't talked in like 12 years, something like that. Yeah. Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah, well, 14 or 15 years actually, no, it's gotta be like 15 years because she started writing the books after him. And her daughter is like 12 or whatever. She didn't had 13. And so she had the time to very quickly meet her. ⁓ Courtney Richter: 13. Yeah, so it's gotta be more, because she was like 22 when she had her daughter and she was in high school, still ashamed. So it's regard, it's been like 15 years, say, give or take. And all we know is like he ghosted her. We don't know why or what happened. And he obviously like wants to explain, but they're not going to tell us in chapter like two or three. We have to wait that one out. And so they flashback and basically she's at a new school because her mom has always moved her around her whole life. Her mom is a woman that was Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: Gorgeous and beautiful went to the Miss Universe pageant and has used her looks to Get men to provide for them and then as her mom is aged the men have gotten seedier the houses have gotten seedier and they just keep moving around man-to-man and her mom is at goes out at night and Her daughter is awake during the day and that's how they kind of function very dysfunctional not great family life for her But she's now this new high school spot Shane reading a book on the bleachers and just basically sits and is like Hi, we're friends. And he's like, go away. I don't want a friend. She's like, well, you're stuck with me. And they just like immediately kind of recognize the trauma bond in each other. And she just attaches herself to him, even though he doesn't really acknowledge it. He's just like amused in there. And they go into class and there's bullies picking on her. And he stands up to the bullies and knocks them out. And they both end up in the hospital. ⁓ Caitlin Stryker: Yes! you Mm-hmm. Yeah. Courtney Richter: This is the first day they end up in the hospital and at the end of the day in the hospital, no one can get ahold of his family. She hasn't told mother mom and he's like, let's just take off together. And they do they leave the hospital hand in hand black eyed stench up and go to a house of this rich girl that he's the dealer for that lets him like stay there because their families just has houses everywhere and is never home. And that's what they do. They literally spend seven days in this mansion. And she suffers from an invisible disability, ⁓ extreme migraines and needs medication and doesn't have it with her. So he just gives her different concoctions of the recreational drugs he has as a dealer and that this girl had had in her house. And they're in that loop, but they use that time to like bond and talk about their experience growing up as a foster kid and her experience with her mom. And to the point that she almost kills herself and he saves her and promises her like, you can't leave me. I will always be here for you. will. You're not allowed to leave this earth. We have each other. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: was very intense, intense scene. Super intense, done so well. And then the next morning she wakes up alive with police there and her mom and he's gone. And the mom is like, who's Shane? I don't know who you're talking about. Men never stick around, don't expect them to. And that's kind of the launching, the real launching point. Caitlin Stryker: Very intense, yeah. Yeah. That's the real launching point, totally. then the other thing, so she's, we know she's the Romantic author, and then Shane is, he's written four books, and he wins all the literary awards, you know, and it's like years between each book, and whenever he shows up, people are just like, Courtney Richter: Yes, yeah. Yes. Is it recluse? Caitlin Stryker: ⁓ my god, like he's like, you know, the highest sort of tier of literary writer and she's a smart romantic writer and she really sees it as like this, you know, and I love how that's dealt with in the book. Courtney Richter: Yes, the books very meta because it is very much what romance the authors go through and also male versus female authors and the male authors that are allowed to be recluse and don't use social media and don't have to appear and people just eat it up and they just love these books with them doing literally minimal effort as a great Amy Poehler said like they just do zero effort. So I'm giving 70 % and these women are killing themselves and their books are looked at as silly but enter Shane into her on the panel and gives this Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Yes! Yes. Mmm. Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: whole speech about what her books mean and how amazing they are. And in a in a way that you can really see do to Williams brilliance through Shane's voice in the writing that she gives him to support his argument and her argument that you can tell she's had for her own writing experience as an author. Like it's so meta that it's like diving into I feel it feels like diving into Tia Williams mind for lot of parts that you're like, this is how she feels about this. And I love it so much. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Totally. Yeah, it does. Courtney Richter: getting it's like getting the behind the scenes to a degree this book of authors like it's a book on books or book on authors and a love story. And trauma bonding all together in one amazing book which is hard to pull off. Well, like it's hard to do that and not feel like you're being pretty sure spoken to or like things hit over the head. But it doesn't it never feels like that. It's really smooth and full of like nuggets of Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yes! Mm-hmm. Yeah. No! Courtney Richter: information and beautiful moments and you're just along for the ride of all of it taking it all in very digestible ways. Yeah, it's so amazing. And I love that we find out his author his books have also been about her they're called eight because she was tracing infinity symbols. Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. of all of it. Yeah. Yeah. It's really, really. Yes. Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: on his body and hands all the time. So his have been about her and about her as a heroine. And someone even calls that out, like you're using a female's voice. Like who are you to know like the female young black females experience? Me too. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Which I love that too because I think that men can write women and women can write men. And all across this I think everybody can write everybody. Now, does everybody do it well? No. Courtney Richter: Mm-hmm. ⁓ No. Caitlin Stryker: Just because you don't identify as X, Y, or Z doesn't mean you can't write about X, or Z. In fact, I think it's great when we do do those kinds of things and we do try to get into and empathize with people other than ourselves. You don't have to, but I think people can do it and they do it very, very well when they do it very well. ⁓ And I love that the argument was made for that on the panel and everything too. Courtney Richter: Yes. Yes, and it made sense. She supported it. it's also like often if you are on the outside and it's not how you identify, you can have a unique perspective that someone that's too deep in it wouldn't necessarily see either. so that is interesting. And also how boring would the world be if females only wrote female perspective and males only wrote male perspective? Like, come on, that story. Queer only wrote queer and like that would just get so boring. Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. Totally. Yeah. So boring and you only have one angle on anything. It's not interesting. And also, you know, I mean, just because of like these books that are like super literate and everything and they're amazing and you get into your and you're just like, wow, how did this work? Like those are amazing. But these romantic and romance books and everything too, when they're done, well, they're amazing and they have a lot to say. you know, I love how they both were writing about each other. Like they were apart for all of these years and they both, and she actually wound up giving him the mantra, you know, like, write, don't fight basically, like write it, don't fight it. Courtney Richter: Yes. Yes. Mm-hmm. Yes, that got him through. Yes. Caitlin Stryker: they got him through. And then it's interesting that she wound up doing the same thing. She was already kind of doing that. She was already sort of like writing, you know, her feelings before meeting Shane, but but then it was definitely how she processed, you know, ⁓ him and I and then I thought it was so interesting, like he's this vampire, you know, and she's a witch and like she's she's always saving him. Courtney Richter: Mm-hmm. Yeah. time they sleep together, it sends him to another part of the world. That's like the theory, the theme in this romance sees is every time these characters finally get together, they're separated again to have to find each other again, which is based on her and Shane. And then on top of that, she's got this amazing daughter, this brilliant 13 year old girl Audrey, who wants to be a therapist and is like using Snapchat to be a therapist to her friends. And like, and is so smart and so close with her mom. And I love when authors do this. It's Caitlin Stryker: I Ugh. Yes. you. Courtney Richter: it's so hard because I think there's like, I don't know for myself, there's always that fantasy you want to have that closeness with your daughters that these characters get to have. And I found that very satisfying that Eva and Audrey got to have that because even her mom didn't get to have that healthy relationship. So I really liked seeing that full circle of healing for her to actually get to have that with her daughter. And then her dot the way that they use Shane and her daughter's conversations to comment on so many things, anxiety and in such a beautiful way. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Right. Yeah. Ugh. Yeah. Courtney Richter: It was my favorite. I couldn't get enough of Shane and Audrey conversations. I wanted so much more. It was one of my favorite parts of the book. Yeah. Caitlin Stryker: They were so great. They were so great. love to you know, all these conversations where it was like, I don't do small talk. It's a great me neither. Let's just get into the nitty gritty. Which topic? Which real topic would you like to discuss? And I was like, Oh my god, I love it. Like, I feel like so many of us adults want to go into conversations that way. Bless you. Yeah. Courtney Richter: Yeah! She's like, religion, yes! Yes, like let's not talk about the weather Let's talk about something real that's happening in the world right now as it's on fire Yeah for sure Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. So it was, yeah, so that was like really, really fun. And I also thought it was really cool. We're gonna get into some spoilers and stuff now. ⁓ I thought it was really cool when they, you know, I'm jumping right to since we're on Audrey, the brunch at La Jourette, which boy ⁓ boy, do I ever wanna start scheduling an annual fancy brunch. Courtney Richter: Yes! Right? I know, I thought of you for that. I'm like, oh, this is something that Caitlin would definitely love to do and we should start doing for sure when you're here. Fancy brunch. Instead of late night dinners, which kills us, let's do an earlier fancy brunch with mimosas. Caitlin Stryker: Oh yeah. Yes, yes, we need to. Once a year. Yeah. Do you like a once a year like spring fancy brunch with mimosas and then can like roll into the day but everyone gets to bed on time. That's where we're at now. But I love how, yeah. Courtney Richter: Yep. For sure. Yep. That's our fantasy. Caitlin Stryker: You know when Shane doesn't show up ⁓ and we as the reader know what's going on. But of course Eva doesn't. And Eva covers for him to Audrey and then Audrey's like kind of buys it and then they're at the airport and she's like, Mom, listen. I know that he just didn't have an Ikea thing, like that he didn't show up and that's okay. And she's like, but give him another chance. Like he's totally like sage wise moment. It's it was so amazing. And it's funny because you know, Bex does that to me all the time. Like he's got these very like, he'll just kind of be able to like read me what's going on. He's like, mom. amazing advice. Courtney Richter: Yes! Caitlin Stryker: You're 10. Like, how are you processing this better than me right now? You're totally right, and I'm gonna take your advice. ⁓ Courtney Richter: right? Because he's not rolling in the ball of anxiety and shaving my gulf so he's like this is just fine like Sheesh like he's a good guy. He wouldn't just do this to you Which the reason him not come like I knew as soon as she started to write about time like I knew what was coming I knew and I understand why oh But I hated it. it so So much. I just some I saw part of me was just hoping like something would intervene something would I know they needed it, but I hate it Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. I know. We know. But it, I hated it. I hated it. I Courtney Richter: That part really killed me. Caitlin Stryker: That part was that part was really really tough. But again, I mean she did an amazing job because she went right up to that line just a little over and then pulled it back where you were like, okay, I'm not Yeah, yeah, and it's and not because we don't know that that's not a real thing but more so because it's like You know Courtney Richter: Yes, so you didn't have to put the book down. Yeah. Caitlin Stryker: well, especially for someone like you, CourtRail, like it cracks you up and so big, then you're not of any use to help with the issue, you know? And I think being aware of things that are going on and all that ⁓ is important. then, focus more on what you can do to be the solution, you know, than focusing on the problem. The more we focus on the problem, the more of the problem we got. We need to focus on the solution. like, but... Courtney Richter: Exactly, yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Caitlin Stryker: And that was one of the things where she kept bringing it up in this book with Shane and ⁓ Jean-Biève, Eva's, when she was younger, her name. Their stories and like the schools that they were going into, you know, and how there's these like underserved kids in these terrible schools who are being punished in ways that kids at schools that like our kids go to wouldn't ever be. They're set up to fail. Courtney Richter: Mm-hmm. Yeah, they're set up to make them fail. They're set up to turn them into criminals, basically, yes. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah, yeah, and like that's a very real problem in our society that we need to solve. We need to stop focusing on the fact that it's a problem. We need to focus on the solution, you know, to that problem. ⁓ Courtney Richter: Mm-hmm. Caitlin Stryker: And it's really interesting how, know, Shane is like, okay, I'm just going to be there for these kids. And then by the end, he's like, okay, I can be there to a point, but maybe I was putting myself too much into a role that I can't support, you know, and he's like, so I'm going to pull it back and be there on a level that I can be there instead of promising the world to like multiple children all over the country when you can't always answer every single distress phone Courtney Richter: Yeah, he was into the prop. Exactly. Yes! Caitlin Stryker: as one person. Yeah. Courtney Richter: But you could do it to one. If that was like your target, like I'm going to be a pseudo dad to this kid and keep one kid going for different ones in different parts. We know how hard it is to keep a kid like full and especially with these ones that have much like more dangerous lives and more and much larger problems. Like it's just not possible. He essentially goes through exactly what you're talking about and realizes I can't focus this minutely on the problem. I have to give it more of noise and like mentor kids on a whole and be an instructor, a teacher, and he becomes a basketball coach. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: Even though doesn't know how to play basketball, which is really funny. Caitlin Stryker: I love. But it's more about like being a coach is like being like like showing up and when you're teaching coaching kids you can learn along with them. Courtney Richter: Yes, and cheerleading. Caitlin Stryker: And like, and you know, figuring out like what this kid needs on the team and this kid, but like being there, you know, or just being a standup adult member of the community, you know, ⁓ that's our job as adults to be standup adult members of the community. Cause every child in the community is our responsibility as the adults in the community. Courtney Richter: Yes. Caitlin Stryker: That's just the social contract of life. We don't get to ignore that, you know? ⁓ But it was really cool how, and I love how he was being brought to these elite prep schools, and every time he would, that would pay his bills in between writing books and stuff. And then he would make a point of going on the side and tutoring at... you know, the worst school in the area kind of thing. Cause he's like, here's how I can give back. And then, you know, he sort of realized that that was maybe a little bit, a little more than he could handle. Cause then he'd be moving on. He was constantly moving on. He wasn't sticking in one spot. And so that makes that really tricky. ⁓ Courtney Richter: Yeah. Yeah. That's it. He had to move on. And this was a catalyst for him. And even once they had reconnected and everything was going well and this beautiful brunch that we talked about, Ty, one of his students, ended up in the ICU after being shot and he had to disappear to go help him. And because he's so new at being in a relationship and people being responsible, he just forgot about brunch, which like, he just left. just talked, which also even had to be, not even, he realized on the airplane, like, oh my God. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. just left. just didn't even send a text. Yeah. Courtney Richter: still don't understand why he didn't then send a text and be like, it like I know he told her in person, but he still went like all day. Like radio silence. Caitlin Stryker: Well, I actually, I got it though with him. Like I got it because of the way that she had painted him this whole time. Like he's, he can barely take care of himself, you know? And he really does flip. all over the world constantly and like always doing whatever he wants and he's probably thinking you know he's like okay i'm gonna go deal with this thing immediately he remembers on the plane he's like shit okay i'll deal with that after this like he totally compartmentalized it to like later instead of being like get off the plane send a quick text go off to the but that's what like those of us who have been juggling you know family life or relationships for like years know how to do but it's it's a skill that's Courtney Richter: Yeah. Right. Yeah. Caitlin Stryker: It's not something that you just innately are like, and then and he even is honest about that. ⁓ my God, which then leads to like the sort of end and they're like, yeah, I guess we're not ready to be together. I was like, don't, what? No. Courtney Richter: I know. That was the moment I was, I know I'm like, really, really? And I'm part of me knew I'm like, they're gonna have this is the fake together and they're gonna break up because that's just like how these go to a degree no matter what. But. Caitlin Stryker: Well, yeah, when they did get, when they got happily together, sort of the 75 % mark we'll say, I was like, oh no, oh shit, this is too soon, there's too much. Yeah, they really did, they really did, they really did. Yeah, mean, especially Shane. Courtney Richter: Yeah. And they both needed more personal growth first. They weren't healthy enough to be together. Yes. ⁓ but what we found out is the reason he disappeared when she was a teen is because her mother had him arrested and never told her he was in jail for two years for nothing like he didn't do anything wrong and she had him arrested for like drug dealing to her and two years in jail and then when he came out he was an alcoholic and never felt good enough to like look her up or find her didn't before he was already an alcoholic. Caitlin Stryker: ⁓ yeah! Yeah. Yeah. He was an alcoholic before he went in. Yeah, yeah. Courtney Richter: And so it took him being sober two years to finally have the guts to like go and find her which is you know, 15 years later, but he was that's why there was like finally instant forgiveness and they were gonna gather fast all of sudden it was like of course we're together because you never left me. But that didn't undo the trauma and the things that 15 years had caused. So then when this happened and he had forgotten them in the brunch, it brought that up and like we're just not ready to be with each other. We're not ready yet, which is heartbreaking as the reader. It's correct, but heartbreaking. Caitlin Stryker: Yes! Yes. Yeah. No. it's heartbreaking at the reader. As the reader, it's totally correct. And like as the reader as well, you know, like I said before, I'm like, ⁓ my God, Shane is so hot, but he's way too much to handle. And he's like, no, he needs a little more time. Courtney Richter: Yes! Yes. It's not simple. It's not going to be like a simple path. And she has her migraines and needs medication. And like, this is going to be a lifelong disability for her, but he understands it and he's perfect for her. He wants to take care of her and help her and help her daughter. Like it's the perfect situation. Caitlin Stryker: No. but I think that like he's perfect for that. He's perfect. Yeah. Yeah, like he can handle all of her stuff, you know, but it was really important too that she went off and was on her own with her book, with her dream book and doing that with him not there, you know, because it needed to be her thing, at least to start as her thing. And then ⁓ one of my favorite characters in this book, Cece. Courtney Richter: Mm-hmm. Yes. Mm-hmm. Caitlin Stryker: gosh, I feel like she is like who I wish I could be if I was like not not you know, Mary and not a mom. ⁓ I feel like she is not a mom and I love No, no, no, no, it is very much so pointed out in the book that she is not a mom and I love Courtney Richter: I agree. Is she not a mom? She might even have kids. She's not, okay. I still feel like you could be her even as a mom. just could you'd be the type you'd hold the fancy parties. You'd connect people. You'd do that. Like I totally see you as a CC type. But yes, had you never been a mom, yes, you'd already be there. Caitlin Stryker: I think... Yeah. Yeah. Totally. Like, I mean, I think it's like, I can- already be there. I can grow to there from now, now that Vex is 10. But I loved though, that it was clear that Cece wasn't because she's like, listen, Cece is like running the like, you know, glitterati world of New York, like, and all of these things. And it was like, because she doesn't have children to like, also be worried about, you know, she has all these like pseudo like adult children, like that she all authors that she mentors and all of this stuff. Courtney Richter: Everything. Yes. Caitlin Stryker: ⁓ But ⁓ but she was just such a dreamy character and I love how she kind of like perfectly knows when to insert herself into a situation just to like give a necessary nudge. Like you can't really see what you need here, so I'm just gonna... Courtney Richter: Yes. Yes. Well, and even to the point that Audrey knows to call her to help her set Shane and her mom back up at the end. They get put into a set up dinner that makes them face each other and it's so well done. And it's believable that CC would do that and be able to pull it off. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yes, yes. It's so yummy. It is because she already you already have her doing some things like throughout the book, you know, like when she throws the last minute party before the award show, ⁓ just to find out like if they are together because she knows that Eva's not going to tell her. Courtney Richter: Yes. My gosh, she throws a huge like literary party just to see the two them in the same room together Yeah, yes for tea the only reason for the party Which is amazing? ⁓ It's so good Caitlin Stryker: Just to get the tea. Just to get the tea. Amazing. ⁓ my god. I love it. And she's like, the kids room is downstairs and don't worry, they're taken care of with like Shake Shack and Dylan's candy bar. She's like, bring them so that you all come. But I do not want to see them. Courtney Richter: Mm-hmm. Yeah, exactly. You can bring them. There's a holding area for children. They just don't come to the party. We have a babysitter, which was Audrey, and then she bailed. So the kids started to go wild. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. No, it wasn't even Audrey. It was like some sitter who like, you know, was on their phone and like passed out. Courtney Richter: No, it was Audrey. And then she came upstairs and found Shane. She snuck away. No, because she's like, no, my daughter's down there. And then she's like, Audrey, finds her with Shane. No, she was the babysitter. Yeah. Caitlin Stryker: I thought there was like an irresponsible sitter Right. Okay, because then when the one kid like escapes up top. Courtney Richter: Yes, and she's like, What do mean? Audrey's there and then she realized she's out with Shane on the patio. Yeah. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah, having one of their fabulous having one of their fabulous discussions. They're like first like really, really great one. ⁓ Although I also love the way that he showed up at her place. ⁓ And she forgot that it was she forgot it was a PD day. It was so real. Courtney Richter: Mm-hmm. Yes. ⁓ my gosh, that was such a real moment. Yes, she's on the phone texting. It's like, fine, you can come over basically because they both know they want to have sex with each other. And they're like, we need to pick up where we left off last night. She's like, come over, runs out of her bedroom and there's Audrey on the floor working on our project. She's like. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. And she's like, what are you doing here? Courtney Richter: Audrey's like, live here. I've definitely been surprised by a PD day or two every time. Caitlin Stryker: There's no school today. More than one. Yeah. Yeah. More than one. They really do. They have so many of them. They're totally random. Courtney Richter: We stick up on Yes, there's no logical order to it. You're like, why, what? Caitlin Stryker: No! Sometimes they're in the middle of the fucking week and you're just like, great, now I have a, I can't even make an impromptu trip out of this. Like now we're just sort of really in a fucking spot here. What am I supposed to do with my kid today? Courtney Richter: I don't think I've had a weekday one. I think I've only had a Monday or a Friday one with them except for the eclipse. I feel like on the eclipse they made it a weekday one because they just didn't want to be responsible for kids looking at the sun or something. But. Caitlin Stryker: ⁓ you're lucky. Courtney Richter: Like there's too many, too many issues here. We're just gonna send them home. Caitlin Stryker: ⁓ my god ⁓ Anyways, then so she's like then she's just like, you know parenting like cuz Audrey's working on on this project Funnily enough about her mom who she's kind of like told her lies about who her mom is. She's made yeah Courtney Richter: You Yes. About Eva's mom about yeah, she's made up lies that Audrey has a prettier picture painted of her past. Yes, of grandma. Caitlin Stryker: Yes, of her grandma. ⁓ And she's all in that and then Shane shows up at the door and she's like, fuck. She's still in her pajamas. The house is a mess. And she's like, I wasn't planning on this guy meeting my daughter quite yet. ⁓ Courtney Richter: Yeah! Caitlin Stryker: And just but the whole way that devolves and then you know, that's the first time that Shane and Audrey Talk and you know, and it's adorable and then they're talking again at this party Which is adorable and then like right as Eva seals the deal with the great director the right director for her book Which and then you know the kid escapes and the whole thing and I I love this Courtney Richter: Yes. Oh yes, that whole thing. go into it in second. Caitlin Stryker: this whole storyline where they're trying to like whitewash her books as they turn them into a movie. Because they're like, listen, we want the biggest audience possible. ⁓ A black vampire story just isn't really going to sell. And then of course, you know, we watched the Oscars yesterday and we see how well Sinners has done over. ⁓ Courtney Richter: Yes. Yes. Right? What about the coincidence of us? Like the timing of us reading this at the time that Sinners is winning and they literally like she wrote this was last year and like when trying to get the movie they're like we can't have a black vampire and a black witch like it needs we need big names we need Tom Holland I can't remember the female and it's just like it literally like it'll be Jordan winning for being well he wasn't a vampire but a vampire movie is Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah Yeah. Yeah, that's too confusing. That's like too many. Yeah. Courtney Richter: Well, one of his characters is vampire. not to spoil it, not to spoil it, ⁓ but go see Cinder's also if you have it, it's amazing. But the timing of that with this and you're like, yeah, and I'm so glad they found the right person. Caitlin Stryker: Amazing. I know, and you're like, wait, he played two characters. Yeah. Yeah. Oh my god, I thought it, was like what? Yes, so then she's at, you know, she's at this party and then she's talking to this, because everyone is trying to watch her story and she's trying to be okay with it because at a certain point she's like, I just need to fucking bills, I just want this movie to get rated. Courtney Richter: Well, and her agent says to her like, just being a we got to do this, you have to do this and that pressure builds and as a reader, like for me, like, you don't want you want her to say no. And you also the person that's like, need to do this part of us like, what the fuck? who would say but like, no, this does still exist. It's very much is happening. People still do this. It's disgusting. And that's what I mean by Tia, like, she touches on it and presents it very real and stays factual to that unless you get uncomfortable. But it's again, always digestible and the proof. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: pushes to the storytelling. So it's just like, it's always a smooth version of it, which I think is so important for getting a lot of the message across because it just like invades your brain without even being aware of it. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Always. Yes. Yes, yes, which is so again, it's so important because that's when people are receptive and then they realize and then they're like, ⁓ and they get to come to the conclusion, final conclusion themselves instead of being like beaten over the head or like told like, you're so bad or wrong or whatever. And everybody just goes like, fine, and moves away, you know, ⁓ versus with this, you're like, no. Courtney Richter: Yeah, exactly. Yes. Caitlin Stryker: Like you can't whitewash this or like you can't change like the essence of it. Like what it is. ⁓ Courtney Richter: Yeah. You're on her side. They need to be the S and G. Like, what are you talking about? These characters don't exist without this. Yes. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. And the whole like, listen, they're fantastical creatures. Like that's, I can't remember what they said, but something like that's already, you know, different enough. Courtney Richter: It's like... Caitlin Stryker: What? And you know, we've heard those arguments like over time. I think I remember when the Little Mermaid came out and Little Mermaid was black and people were like, Little Mermaid can't be black. they were like, mermaids aren't real. Like she could be whatever. Courtney Richter: Right? You remember that, right? They can literally look like anything. They are made up. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: Yes. Caitlin Stryker: ⁓ but like it's just, it's really, really cool how. Courtney Richter: Well, it tied in for me thinking about us for our book, because we have literally like a black demon and a daughter's gonna be a black witch and like, and it's part of our story and a very important part of our story. And it just reinforced that again, when I was reading it, like, right, because people expect supernatural to be a certain way. And it's like, but no. And that's what Caitlin Stryker: Yes. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: the way that this book tied in like her background and the grill part to her women in her history and where her story was going the book her ultimate book that died it then I'm like, how could this which be anything but a black woman like that is the history. Yes. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. right? She is obviously a krill like, what's from like, and I think this other book is gonna have some of that in there too. This might be like very real. ⁓ yeah, I know. And then you want to read that book. And then I also want to read her. Her black. I also want to read her Black Vampire books. You know what I mean? I'm like, Courtney Richter: Mm-hmm. ⁓ my gosh, yes, I hope she's writing it. Yes, I want to read everything in this book. That's why it's so meta. It's like a book within a book within a book. You're like, now I want to all of these. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah, all of them. And it's just like, it's so it's so sexy. Like it's so smooth. And it's sexiness. It's so adult and it's sexiness. It's so like, yummy, you know, and just I mean, Court to the point where courts like dreaming of her super sexy black husband. Courtney Richter: Yes. Yeah. Yes, I've just swapped out my husband. ⁓ so good. So we should. Okay. Where does this land on our pumpkin spice meter for you? Caitlin Stryker: But like, even the scenarios that these two get into and just the way... Yeah, Court. I mean, it's like, it's like a two and a half to a three. Like it's a two and a half, I think it's not too much. And that's what's nice about it. Because I think this has really broad appeal. Like this isn't smut. This is a romance with some yummy sex. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: Yes, I agree. Yes. No, not at all. It's it's not even romance. It's fiction with a romance story to it. ⁓ but a great one one that drives it through like a fantastic fiction story that has a romance through line of the time that is just is so many things in one book, which is why I was a Reese's Clip pick as well and why we just devoured it. ⁓ Caitlin Stryker: Really great. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: But the spice that is there, like it is two and a half, because it's not extreme. But like you were saying, it's sexy. It's just hot. just you're cheering for these two and they just the way they explore their experience with each other. It's just yeah, there's something to it. And because you do know that they are desks, they are soulmates who that would agree they like they like breathe each other in. Yeah. Caitlin Stryker: It is Yeah. Yeah, they really have that like real soulmate connection and that's yeah, it's so it's it's super hot. So but like a two a super hot two and a half like it's not gonna like make people who are not comfortable you know with like majorly sexy. No, you can read Yeah, you can read this anywhere. and you should read it anywhere. Courtney Richter: Yeah. No, we'll make you blush like on the bus or anything. You'll be fine. Yes. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Caitlin Stryker: And anytime, you know, sometimes like, it's like seven days in June, you think, ⁓ maybe it's a good summer book. And it was like, we just read I'm like, no, this is like a great anytime. Yeah. Courtney Richter: It's true. It's anytime, because it's not just a light fluff. It does have some like density to it. But again, very digestible density that you could just pick it up and read it like anywhere you are and get sucked in and just like enjoy the ride of it and then put it down and go back to whatever you like. It's a great pick up and go book without being like a light pick up and go. Yes. Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Oh yeah. Yeah, exactly. It's got a little bit more for you, but you could read it easily. Poolside, you could also just easily read it like, you know, I don't know, any time of year. Fire the fire, cozy. Yeah. And just like enjoy yourself. It also has a fire playlist that was the one that was made with Reese's book club, like that they made together, like Hello Sunshine. And the author created a playlist for this book that do yourself a favor. Courtney Richter: by the fire, cozy in the winter. Yeah. Yes. Mm-hmm. Yes, go listen. Caitlin Stryker: go listen anytime, but especially when you're reading this book, put that playlist on like have a nice glass of tea or wine and like just relax and enjoy and you're welcome. Yum. It's just, yeah, a really delicious experience. And there's like, there are so many things we didn't even cover today that go on in this book that are like one. Courtney Richter: Yes. Mm-hmm. Caitlin Stryker: you have female friendships and you have like, you know, you've really interesting relationships, like interesting like dynamics with like schools and and principles and manipulations and it's really fun. ⁓ Even the literary panels where you got some of that like, you know, hoity-toity sort of discussion, but it's like fun. ⁓ Courtney Richter: Yes Yes. Yes. Yeah. And the fandom and like anyone that loves books too. Like if you're a big reader, then this book is also for you just in the way as I've kept saying like the meta way that is a book on books on books on authors. It is like a behind the scenes authors world with author a love story. It's so great. Yes. It's just a treat to read. Caitlin Stryker: Hmm. Yeah. It's such a treat to read. So we leave you with that. We hope that you take the time to read it. Also, if you listen all the way through, that you read it and enjoyed our discussion about this book because we loved it all the way through. Yep. All right. And that is it for today's episode of Cait and Court's Cozy Corner. We'll be back with you soon talking about more books. Bye. Courtney Richter: Yes. Yeah. Yeah, it's fantastic. Yes.