Reading Between Deadlines Podcast

• We Read BROKEN COUNTRY by Clare Leslie Hall

  Did Broken Country live up to the hype?This episode's pick: Broken Country by Claire Leslie Hall — a Reese’s Book Club favourite that’s been compared to The Paper Palace and Where the Crawdads Sing. It’s got love, loyalty, guilt, and a courtroom drama at its heart… but did it win us over?In this episode, we cover:Why this book caught our attention (and everyone else’s)How hype and word-of-mouth shaped our expectationsLove triangles: satisfying tension or too much drama?The role of setting, class, and family in driving the storyOur very different reactions to the main characterHow tragedy and loyalty are woven through the narrativeThe structure: past vs present, and how it builds suspense💋 And, of course, we rate it: Kiss, Kill, or Marry?⏰ Timestamps00:00 – Intro: travel tales, hotel room hijinks, and book club catch-ups03:00 – Book reveal: Broken Country by Claire Leslie Hall05:00 – Why this pick + hype factor (Reese’s Book Club, bestseller lists)08:00 – Author bio + past works10:30 – Goodreads stats + ratings snapshot12:00 – Our Kiss, Kill, Marry ratings reveal14:00 – First impressions and what hooked us20:00 – Themes of loyalty, love, and loss28:00 – Thoughts on setting and style34:00 – Side characters that stood out37:00 – What other readers think: quickfire reviews40:00 – Would we read Claire’s next book? Get full access to Reading Between Deadlines at readingbetweendeadlines.substack.com/subscribe

  --------  

  43:23

  --------

  43:23
• Pamela Cook Makes Us Read STATE OF WONDER by Ann Patchett

  Jungle fever or just fever dream?This episode's pick: State of Wonder by Ann Patchett—a literary thriller set in the Amazon, complete with pharmaceutical intrigue, moral dilemmas, and one very unfortunate snake encounter. It’s lush, layered, and filled with anacondas, tarantulas, and questionable fertility science. But did it live up to the hype?This week’s guest: Pamela Cook —author, podcaster, and teacher. Pam writes contemporary women’s fiction that digs into relationships and psychology. She’s published six novels (traditionally and indie), hosts the Writes4Women podcast, and teaches through her business Wild Words. She also rides horses, wrangles dogs, and somehow finds time to keep her TBR stack alive.In this episode, we cover:Why State of Wonder felt both “plotty” and literary—and why that’s rare for Patchett.The infamous anaconda boat scene (aka: the nightmare fuel we’ll never forget).Fertility science, pharmaceutical greed, and the ethics of 73-year-olds having babies.The big twist: Anders is alive (!), but was it too convenient?The controversial ending—trauma sex, bark chewing, and possible surprise pregnancies.The unanswered question: who’s the father of Dr. Svensson’s baby?Desert Island picks, DNFs, hype regrets, and why Pam cries at Emily Henry.📚 Books Mentioned on the PodAnn Patchett:State of WonderTom LakeThe Dutch HouseCommonwealthBel CantoOther fiction faves:The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley HellerWhere the Crawdads Sing by Delia OwensThe Lost Flowers of Alice Hart by Holly RinglandBook Lovers by Emily HenrySeven Skins of Esther Wilding by Holly RinglandAtmosphere by Taylor Jenkins ReidThe Nightingale by Kristin HannahRebecca by Daphne du MaurierPam’s Auto-buy Authors:Emily HenryHannah RichellAnn PatchettTaylor Jenkins Reid💋 And, of course, we rate it: Kiss, Kill, or Marry?Which way did the votes fall? You’ll have to listen in…⏰ Timestamps00:00 – Intro: meet Pamela Cook, our guest author04:00 – How State of Wonder came to be (and the Big Magic story)08:50 – Kiss, Kill, or Marry verdict13:00 – Fertility, pharma, and Patchett’s plot power18:00 – Anacondas, tarantulas, and nightmare fuel22:00 – The Anders twist—too neat or just right?25:00 – The controversial ending (trauma bonding or life affirmation?)28:00 – Who’s the father? Milton, Easter… frozen sperm??32:00 – Writing craft: seamless backstory, moral dilemmas, and jungle research37:00 – Pam’s DNF rules, hype regrets, and wish-I’d-written titles42:00 – Guilty pleasures, crying at Emily Henry, and auto-buy authors45:00 – What we’re reading next—and why no one’s going to the Amazon anytime soon Get full access to Reading Between Deadlines at readingbetweendeadlines.substack.com/subscribe

  --------  

  49:50

  --------

  49:50
• We Read ATMOSPHERE by Taylor Jenkins Reid

  Is this space book really about space?This episode's pick: Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid—a book that is rumoured to have made her an $8 million dollar advance but may have come at the price of her personal privacy. Part space epic, part love story, part unbelievable side characters and strange snacks. We blast off into TJR’s most interesting book yet. In this episode, we cover:Why Atmosphere is a love story that took us by surpriseHow the high stakes created good tensionWhy we felt we were ‘told’ how the secondary characters felt about each otherWas Joan just too goody-two-shoes for us?How difficult being gay would have been for two female astronautsWas it media or reader pressure that forced TJR to come out as bisexual around the time of the novel’s release?💋 And, of course, we rate it: Kiss, Kill, or Marry?⏰ Timestamps00:00 – Intro: hair disasters, Kununurra trip, The Lucky Sisters tease03:02 – Book reveal: Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid (spoilers)05:51 – Why this pick + TJR reading history08:58 – TJR bio theory + Goodreads stats10:27 – Quickfire worst reviews12:09 – Kiss, Kill, Marry ratings reveal14:53 – Our ratings explained18:18 – Ending breakdown + epilogue debate24:18 – 1980s setting, taboo love, NASA culture28:01 – Gender politics in space31:00 – Romance vs love story discussion📖 Coming up next: 🎽 Do you read between deadlines too? Grab the merch☕ If you’re loving the show, we’d be so grateful if you’d buy us a coffee (or a prosecco). It helps keep the pod fun, frequent, and free.👉Next Ep we’re chatting to Pamela Cook about State of Wonder by Ann Patchett. Get full access to Reading Between Deadlines at readingbetweendeadlines.substack.com/subscribe

  --------  

  49:52

  --------

  49:52
• Kim Lock Makes Us Read YEAR OF WONDERS by Geraldine Brooks

  Maeve Binchy’s Evening Class—comfort fiction or structural masterclass?This week, bestselling author Tess Woods joins us to discuss her all-time favourite Maeve Binchy novel: Evening Class. It’s a quiet, sprawling book with no clear protagonist, barely a plot, and somehow...it works.In this episode, we explore:- Why “quiet” doesn’t mean boring- The weirdly satisfying moment when a character locks her mum in the bathroom- How Maeve’s “everyday” prose masks big emotional arcs- What makes a book comforting enough to reread- The surprising real-life person Tess became friends with because of this novelPlus:💋 We rate it: Kiss, Kill, or Marry?📚 Book recs from Tess, including The Bridges of Madison County, Looking for Alibrandi, and The Paper PalaceNext up: The Names by Florence Knapp Get full access to Reading Between Deadlines at readingbetweendeadlines.substack.com/subscribe

  --------  

  49:00

  --------

  49:00
• We Read THE NAMES by Florence Knapp

  Can a Name Change Your Fate?This episode's pick: The Names by Florence Knapp—a 2025 debut that’s been dubbed the best in years. It’s a literary “Sliding Doors” novel, but with three parallel lives instead of two. The question at its heart? What happens when a single choice—a baby’s name—changes everything?In this episode, we cover:Why The Names is more craft experiment than comfort readThe DV scenes that had us stunned (and one that had food on faces)Who’s really the main character here—Cora or her son?Why “Hugh” might have changed everythingHow names shape identity—and your high school romanceThe emotional distance that kept it from being a “Marry”💋 And, of course, we rate it: Kiss, Kill, or Marry?⏰ Timestamps00:00 – Intro, T-shirts, and caffeinated chaos05:00 – The Names recap: three timelines, one decision12:00 – Bear, Julian or Gordon? Which name gave the best life?18:00 – DV, death, and dinner plates: the novel’s heaviest scenes24:00 – Why we rated how we did28:00 – Naming your kids: Sue, Anthea, and the sliding doors of Starbucks34:00 – Gordon’s (the father) final POV and a haunting ending38:00 – Would “Hugh” have changed the course of fate?40:00 – Next up on the pod and where to grab our merch📖 Coming up next: Get full access to Reading Between Deadlines at readingbetweendeadlines.substack.com/subscribe

  --------  

  44:30

  --------

  44:30

More Arts podcasts

Trending Arts podcasts

About Reading Between Deadlines Podcast