Best Book Forward

This was such a fun episode with Alexandra Potter, it was one of the times I felt like I was just sat down having a cuppa and catching up with a friend. So, I Met This Guy, Alexandra’s book that we discuss in this episode is out today and it is such a brilliant read. If you’ve been experiencing any January Blues this is the one you need to be grabbing.
And of course, no episode of Best Book Forward would be complete without book recommendations! Here’s everything we mentioned, with links to buy:
📚 By Alexandra Potter
So, I Met This Guy
Confessions of a Forty-Something F##k Up
Me and Mr Darcy
✨ Books Mentioned
The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding
I Feel Bad About My Neck by Nora Ephron

I’ll be back next week with another author conversation, and I’d love for you to join me for that too.
In the meantime, if you’ve enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review Best Book Forward, and don’t forget to tell your friends... it really helps new listeners discover the show.
See you tomorrow, and happy listening.
Listen & Subscribe Now:
https://best-book-forward.captivate.fm/listen
To stay in touch with Best Book Forward news please follow me on Instagram @bestbookforward or visit my website: https://bestbookforward.org/

A quick content note: this episode includes conversations about fertility, miscarriage, baby loss, and the death of a parent. I know these topics can be difficult, so please listen in whatever way feels right for you.
I absolutely loved recording this episode with Nicola Gill — she is such a joy to chat to. We talked about her latest novel, Identity Crisis (which I adored), her writing life, and of course the books that have shaped her own reading journey.
And of course, no episode of Best Book Forward would be complete without book recommendations! Here’s everything we mentioned, with links to buy:
📚 By Nicola Gill
Identity Crisis
Swimming for Beginners

✨ Books Mentioned
Mister Meddle by Enid Blyton (currently unavailable on bookshop.org)
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Elligible by Curtis Sittenfeld
Saint Maybe by Anne Tyler
The Accidental Tourist by Anne Tyler
Breathing Lessons by Anne Tyler
Three Days in June by Anne Tyler
The Scandalous Ladies Football Club by Frances Quinn
Standard Deviation by Katherine Heiny
One Day by David Nicholls
You Are Here by David Nicholls

I’ll be back next week with another author conversation, and I’d love for you to join me for that too.
In the meantime, if you’ve enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review Best Book Forward, and don’t forget to tell your friends... it really helps new listeners discover the show.
See you tomorrow, and happy listening.
Listen & Subscribe Now:
https://best-book-forward.captivate.fm/listen
To stay in touch with Best Book Forward news please follow me on Instagram @bestbookforward or visit my website: https://bestbookforward.org/

⚠️ Bonus Episode Warning: Contains Spoilers ⚠️
When a book delivers an ending as brilliant and surprising as Room 706 by Ellie Levenson, it deserves its very own bonus episode, one where we can unpack everything without worrying about ruining the experience for anyone else.
If you haven’t read the book yet, please stop here and come back once you have!
Books discussed:
Room 706 by Ellie Levenson
The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
The Testaments by Margaret Atwood
Although we dive deep into the ending of Room 706, we’ve chosen to keep some of Ellie’s own reflections under wraps, those are for you to discover as a reader.
If you’d like to get in touch with Ellie, you can find her on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/ellie_levenson/
I’ll be back next week with another author conversation, and I’d love for you to join me for that too.
In the meantime, if you’ve enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review Best Book Forward, and don’t forget to tell your friends... it really helps new listeners discover the show.
See you tomorrow, and happy listening.
Listen & Subscribe Now:
https://best-book-forward.captivate.fm/listen
To stay in touch with Best Book Forward news please follow me on Instagram @bestbookforward or visit my website: https://bestbookforward.org/

Today’s episode is a publication day special with Ellie Levenson, author of Room 706. I first read this book back in October and I haven’t stopped talking about it since. Room 706.
In this episode, Ellie and I dive into the world of Room 706: her inspiration, her writing process, and how she crafted such a tightly paced and explosive story. And because that ending deserves its own space, we’ve recorded a separate bonus episode dedicated entirely to unpacking it.
Of course, no episode of Best Book Forward would be complete without book recommendations, so here they are, with links to buy:
📚 By Ellie Levenson
Room 706

✨ Books Mentioned
The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrow by John Koenig
Fear of Flying by Erica Jong
The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Bylton
Thursday's Child by Noel Streatfield
Under Milk Wood by Dylan Thomas
The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
The Trick to Time by Kit de Waal

If you’ve finished Room 706 and are ready to dive deeper into that unforgettable ending, make sure you check out the bonus episode. A word of warning: it’s packed with spoilers, so if you haven’t read the book yet, you might want to wait until you have.
I’ll be back next week with another author conversation, and I’d love for you to join me for that too.
In the meantime, if you enjoyed today’s episode, please consider subscribing, rating, and reviewing Best Book Forward, and don’t forget to spread the word. Your support really helps new listeners discover the show.
See you next week, and happy listening.
Listen & Subscribe Now:
https://best-book-forward.captivate.fm/listen
To stay in touch with Best Book Forward news please follow me on Instagram @bestbookforward or visit my website: https://bestbookforward.org/

What a way to kick off Season 4 of Best Book Forward with the international bestselling author Jane Fallon. Jane joins me on the show today to talk about her new novel, Welcome to the Neighbourhood. We chat about the inspiration behind the novel, Jane’s approach to writing and of course the five books that have shaped her life.
As you would expect no episode of Best Book Forward would be complete without book recommendations! Here’s what we talked about.
📚 Books by Jane Fallon
Welcome to the Neighbourhood
Getting Rid of Matthew
Got You Back

✨ Books Mentioned
Tim and Charlotte by Edward Ardizzone (currently unavailable on bookshop.org).
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
Love for Lydia by H.E. Bates
Puffball by Fay Weldon (currently unavailable on bookshop.org).
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

This episode marks the start of a brand new seven-episode season, with fresh conversations landing every Thursday. I’d absolutely love for you to join me each week.
In the meantime, if you’ve enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review Best Book Forward, and don’t forget to tell your friends... it really helps new listeners discover the show.
See you tomorrow, and happy listening.
Listen & Subscribe Now:
https://best-book-forward.captivate.fm/listen
To stay in touch with Best Book Forward news please follow me on Instagram @bestbookforward or visit my website: https://bestbookforward.org/