'Save a horse, write a cowboy.' That may not be saying, but when it comes to Lyla Sage and her Rebel Blue Ranch series, it applies. When Lyla first penned and published her debut novel, she never imagined the tornado it would bring to her life. Not even a year has passed since Done & Dusted was originally released on Kindle Unlimited, and now Sage finds herself and her beloved story traditionally published by The Dial Press with a freshly-inked sequel now on bookshelves and two additional installments waiting in the wings. To quote the author herself, if Done & Dusted proved she could write a novel, Swift & Saddled showed her she could do it better. In the second installment of the Rebel Blue Ranch series, Sage doubles down on the heart, sunshine and spice that her readers loved about the first. Through the avenue of Wes and Ada, she opens her fictional town in Wyoming to a wider audience by inviting an outsider into her pages.

For Ava Wilder, there has always been prestige and magic in the entertainment industry—a sentiment the author shares with many people. Whether you wish to be part of it in some capacity, are a casual outlier or simply feel drawn to the tragedy and romance often found in the cinematic bend, there is something for everyone. Hollywood itself is layered. Fame comes with a level of fiction. If the real-world narratives do not hold your attention (or your timeline has hit a dry spell), there is an entire sub-section of stories for you to peruse. There are cautionary tales and inspiring transformations, but the most popular category in this genre is romance. From self-insert fan fiction to Oscar-nominated films and everything in between, it seems we cannot get enough. This is a good thing for Ava, as she has found her niche in the in-between.

As an avid reader and entertainment journalist, there is one book I constantly get asked if I have read: Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman. My answer is always, "Yes. It was my TBR before it was even written. The minute it was available for preorder, the charge hit my credit card." It doesn't matter that the Booktok sensation has been on shelves for over a year. People constantly make sure I didn't miss it. Recently, Elissa released her follow-up novel, Once More With Feeling. While I don't expect my friends, co-workers and acquaintances to associate this particular story with me, it almost feels full circle that the author and I have sat down to discuss it.