Bring Your Own: A Bookish Podcast for Romance Readers

The 2025 BYO Book Awards | S5E39

23 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As we begin to round out 2025 we are handing out bookish superlatives to the best and the worst of 2025. Join us as we award books the title of Most E...

2025 BookTok Drama Round-Up with Gracie (@grapiedeltaco) | S5E38

18 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week we’re joined by our friend Gracie (@grapiedeltaco on TikTok) to discuss her infamous BookTok Bingo Board and other notable drama that swep...

Bookish Naughty & Nice Lists | S5E37

11 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week we're leaning into the holiday vibes and putting together our Bookish Naughty & Nice Lists. Anything and everything from the book community ...

Winter Book Releases to Have On Your Radar in 2025/2026 | SE36

04 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Winter is near and so are new book releases. We share the romance and fantasy books everyone will be picking up from December 2025 to February 2026! ...

Thanksgiving Dinner with Book Heroes and Villains | Mini Ep

27 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Happy Thanksgiving! We’re celebrating by presenting you with various Thanksgiving tables filled with our favorite and least favorite book characters...

Tier Ranking Popular 2025 Romance and Fantasy Books | S5E35

20 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We’re back with another Tier Ranking! We’ve gathered 21 of the most popular romance and fantasy books released this year and rank them on how good...

Books We’ll Never Read | S5E34

13 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we reveal the books we refuse to read and why! These books include BookTok and Bookstagram favorites, and a few iconic classics. Think you ...

Mate by Ali Hazelwood Deep Dive | S5E33

06 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week we discuss all things to do with Ali Hazelwood’s latest release Mate! We dive into our favorite (and least favorite) quotes, scenes, and s...

Spooky Romances with Lyla Sage! | S5E32

30 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

NYT Best-selling author Lyla Sage returns to the pod to discuss her latest romance novel, Soul Searching. She also shares her top horror recommendatio...

Monster Romance Roundtable #3 | S5E31

23 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we’re back with our third annual Monster Romance Roundtable. We each read an outrageous monster romance novella and take turns describing...

Read This, Watch That: TV show recommendations for Romance Readers | S5E30

16 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we share which TV shows you should watch based on the romance and fantasy books you already love. Shows include The Pitt, Severance, Love I...

The Most Overrated and Underrated Romance Books of 2025 | S5E29

09 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we list our picks for Overrated, Underrated, and Appropriately Rated Romance books that we’ve read this year!  Join our book club on Pa...

Kayla’s 13 Going on 30th Birthday Bash | S5E28

02 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we’re celebrating Kayla turning the big 3-0! We take a look back at 2008 in a “13 Going on 30” inspired segment, talk about what Litt...

Books Everyone Should Be Reading in Fall of 2025! | S5E27

25 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Fall is here, and so are our reading recommendations for the season. This week we each share books that are peak fall in terms of vibe, aesthetic, set...

Things That Work in Romance Books but Not in Real Life | S5E26

18 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We asked listeners to share things that make them swoon and fangirl in romance novels but would totally ick them out in real life! Join us on Patreon...

The Best Weddings in Romance Books to celebrate Brandi’s Wedding! | S5E25

11 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week, our lovely host Brandi is getting married! To celebrate, we share our favorite weddings from books, movies, and pop culture! Brandi also sh...

Fall 2025 Book Releases to Have On Your Radar | S5E24

04 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week we’re sharing upcoming Romance and Fantasy books releasing in Fall 2025! We’ll tell you which ones we’re dying to read and the ones we...

Brandi’s 30th Bookish Birthday Bash! | S5E23

28 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Celebrate Brandi’s 30th birthday with us! We talk all the feelings around turning 30, books that remind us of Brandi, and dole out recs with charact...

Grand Gestures, Authors, and Romance Book Draft #3 | S5E22

21 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We're back with another book draft! In honor of Fantasy Football season fast approaching, this week we take turns drafting romance books, authors, and...

Tier Ranking: Smutty Words and Other Sexy Things That Appear in Romance Books | S5E21

14 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It’s Tier Ranking time! This week, we’ll be placing words and phrases often used during smut scenes in romance novels into four different categori...

Upcoming Book-to-Screen Adaptations We’re Excited For! | S5E20

07 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we discuss the numerous book-to-screen adaptations that have recently been announced, including The Love Hypothesis, People We Meet On Vaca...

Summer 2025 Reading Recap + Yap Session | S5E19

31 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we share how our summer reading went and the other fun things we were up to during our break, including a fun bookish girls’ trip to Fork...

Fantasy Books for Non-Fantasy Readers ft. kendra.readz | Mini Ep

24 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Riding solo this week, self proclaimed “not a fantasy girl” Kendra shares the few fantasy novels that she’s enjoyed and recommended over the yea...

Book Club Excerpt: One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune | Mini Ep

17 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we're giving non-Patreon subscribers a sneak peek at what goes on during book club episodes! Our first pick was One Golden Summer by Carley...

Books & Bravo; Watch This, Read This ft. brandos.books | Mini Ep

10 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this solo episode Brandi is pairing her favorite Bravo TV shows with the perfect bookish match. Whether you're deep in the drama of Vanderpump Rule...

Non-Romance Books for Romance Readers ft. kaylas.bookshelf | Mini Ep

03 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this mini episode, Kayla is flying solo to share her favorite non-romance reads that still hit all the right notes for romance lovers. Tune in to f...

Our Mid-Year Check In; The Best Books of 2025 So Far | S5E18

26 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It’s that time of year! We’re checking in to discuss our favorite reads of the year so far, our individual reading stats, and which books we think...

Listeners’ Bookish Hot Takes | Mini Ep

19 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we’re reacting to bookish hot takes as shared by our listeners!  Join us on Patreon! Follow us on instagram @BringYourOwnPod Follow...

Bookish FMK | Mini Ep

12 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we play a fun game of FMK with book characters submitted by our Patreon subscribers!  Join us on Patreon! Follow us on instagram @BringYou...

Bad Reviews of 2025 Book Releases | Mini Ep

05 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we read through one-star reviews of the top Romance book releases of 2025 and take turns guessing the book based on the review!  Join us o...

Summer 2025 Book Releases to Have On Your Radar | S5E17

29 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week we’re sharing upcoming Romance and Fantasy books releasing in summer 2025! We’ll tell you which ones we’re dying to read and the ones ...

Is Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry a Romance Novel? | S5E16

22 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we deep dive into Emily Henry’s latest release, “Great Big Beautiful Life” and whether or not the novel is a romance. We also share o...

Defending Book Couples We Hate ft. @ Kimmybookss | S5E15

15 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we’re joined by our good friend Kimmy from @Kimmybookss and take turns defending book couples we hate with a burning passion. Books inclu...

Kendra’s Birthday Bash: Books every 27-Year-Old Should Read | S5E14

08 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we’re celebrating Kendra’s 27th birthday! She’ll share the books that defined her past year and what all 27 year olds should read. SU...

Say You’ll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez Deep Dive | S5E13

01 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we share our thoughts on Abby Jimenez’s “Say You’ll Remember Me,” which has been the topic of conversation on booktok and bookstagr...

Lyla Sage’s Last Ride at Rebel Blue Ranch | S5E12

24 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#1 NYT best-selling author Lyla Sage is here this week to talk about the latest release in her Rebel Blue Ranch series, Wild & Wrangled! She walks us ...

Blind Dates with Book Boyfriends & Girlfriends | S5E11

17 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week we're playing matchmaker for our favorite romance novel heroes and heroines. We have three rounds of potential suitors that we'll hype up an...

The Best and Worst Books of 2025 So Far | S5E10

10 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week we look back on our reading stats for the first quarter of 2025! We reveal the best romance books we’ve read, the worst, and what we hope ...

Unpacking Promise Me Sunshine with Cara Bastone | S5E9

03 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week we’re dissecting Cara Bastone’s latest romance novel ‘Promise Me Sunshine’ with Cara herself! She shares the inspiration behind the ...

Bookish Game Night With @Morgannbook | S5E8

27 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week bookish influencer Morgann Book joins us for game night! We play three bookish games while discussing Morgan’s book club, book-to-screen a...

Tier Ranking our All-Time Favorite Books | S5E7

20 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week we take Tier Ranking to the next level by ranking our favorite books of all time! However, there can only be four books per category so thin...

Adalyn Grace knows a thing or two about love triangles | S5E6

13 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#1 New York Times best-selling author, Adalyn Grace stops by the pod to chat all about the Belladonna series including the forthcoming novella "Holly...

Deep Diving into Deep End by Ali Hazelwood | S5E5

06 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today, we discuss all things Deep End by Ali Hazelwood! We share our favorite scenes, quotes, and spicy scenes and explain why this book quickly becam...

Spring 2025 Book releases to have on your radar | S5E4

27 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today we’re sharing upcoming Romance and Fantasy books releasing spring 2025! We’ll tell you which ones we’re dying to read and the ones we thin...

Layne Fargo spills the tea on her hit novel ‘The Favorites’ | S5E3

20 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Author Layne Fargo stops by to chat about her hit novel The Favorites which took BookTok and Bookstagram by storm upon its release. We talk about the ...

A Very Bookish Valentine’s Day | S5E2

13 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This Valentine’s Day we’re sharing which one of our many book boyfriends we’d choose as our Valentine. We also discuss the female main character...

2025 Reading, Winter Break Updates + Reintro | S5E1

06 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to Season 5 of Bring Your Own! This week, we'll be reintroducing ourselves, sharing how our reading held up over break, and discussing what 20...

Carissa Broadbent: Not Your Average Romantasy ft kaylas.bookshelf | Mini Ep

30 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Join co-host Kayla (@kaylas.bookshelf) as she guides you through popular fantasy author Carissa Broadbent's backlist. She talks about Carissa's two se...

Hot People Read Katie Cotugno ft. kendra.readz | Mini Ep

23 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Join co-host Kendra (kendra.readz) as she guides you through the backlist of NYT best-selling author, Katie Cotugno! She'll walk you through both Cotu...

Lisa Kleypas: Historical Romance for Newbies ft. brandos.books | Mini Ep

16 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Join co-host Brandi (@brandos.books) as she gives non-HistRom readers her tried and true introduction to historical romance through the work of Lisa K...

The Worst Books of 2024 According to our Listeners | Mini Ep

09 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week we asked our listeners to submit their worst reads of 2024! We go through the titles they submitted and share if we agree or disagree with t...

Rating Listeners' Top Ten Reads of 2024 (part 2) | Mini Ep

02 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We are back rating our listeners top ten books of 2024 for us to judge! We go through each list and award a letter grade. Will we rate yours?Follow us...

Rating Listeners' Top Ten Reads of 2024 (part 1) | Mini Ep

26 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week we asked our listeners to submit their top ten books of 2024 for us to judge! We go through each list and award a letter grade. Will we rate...

Best Books of 2024 | S4E16

19 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's that time! This week we reveal our individual top 10 books of the year lists for 2024! We share our honorable mentions before jumping into our to...

Holiday Romance Novella Roundtable #2 | S4Ep15

12 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Our Holiday Romance Novella roundtable is back! We each read a holiday novella to share with one another and take turns recapping our books in extreme...

Favorite Fictional Families | S4Ep16

05 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week we share our favorite fictional families from recent books we've read and who'd we want to spend the holidays with! Follow us on instagram @...

Bookish Rewind: A look back at previous Top 10 lists | S4E13

21 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

his week we reminisce on our previous Top 10 Books of the Year lists from 2021 and 2022 and discuss if they still hold up!Follow us on instagram @Brin...

Audiobook Catch-Up 2024 | S4E12

14 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week we discuss our current audiobook listening habits, our favorite (and least favorite) narrators, and share some new recommendations!Follow us...

Cara Bastone: Ready or Not, NYC, & finding the humor in romance! | S4Ep11

31 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Spoilers for Ready or Not start at ~33:30Author Cara Bastone joins us today! She walks us through her writing journey, what goes into producing Audibl...

Book Covers: The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly | S4Ep10

24 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's time to judge books by their covers! We run through a list of well known book-covers from the romance, ya and fantasy genres and deem if they're ...

Monster Romance Roundtable with Maya! | S4E9

17 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Monster Romance Roundtable is back! This week we’re joined by our friend / monster romance connoisseur Maya. We take turns explaining in excruciatin...

The State of the Bookish Community with @Haleys.house | S4Ep8

10 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week we chat with Haley from the Gilmore to Say podcast about the highs and lows of the bookish community. We discuss everything from booktok dra...

Tier Ranking: Enemies to Lovers Books | S4Ep7

03 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We're back with another tier ranking! We work together to rank popular enemies to lovers books that were submitted by our listeners!   Follow us on I...

2v1: Books One of Us Loved and the Other Didn't | S4Ep6

26 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week we go head to head in a fun 2v1 style bookish debate. We go through books that two of us loved and the other didn't (and vice versa) and dis...

Fanfiction Girlies | S4Ep5

19 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week we talk all about FanFiction! We discuss our favorite fandoms, ships and share which books we would write fanfic for! Follow us on Instagram...

Tarah DeWitt: Savor It, Narrative Therapy, and What's Next! | S4Ep4

12 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

USA-Today Best-selling Author Tarah DeWitt joins us to talk about her recent release Savor It, and the re-releases of Funny Feelings and the Co-Op! Sh...

Bookish Game Night #2 | S4Ep3

05 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Game Night is back! Join us as we play three bookish mini games: Quote Challenge, Guess Who, and Name a Book Based off the Trope! Play Along and see h...

Sports Romance Ramblings + Book Draft | S4Ep2

29 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week we yap all about Sports Romances! We share what we love about the genre, the things we could do without, and share our favorite recommendati...

Summer 2024 Reading + Life Update | S4Ep1

22 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to season 4 of Bring Your Own! We're kicking things off by sharing the best books we read over break and recapping all our summer activities i...

Game Night with Lauren Asher! | S3Ep16

20 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

NYT Best Selling Author Lauren Asher is back to talk all things Love Unwritten! She walks us through what readers can expect from book 2 in the Lakefr...

2024 Summer Reading Plans, Goals and Recommendations! | S3Ep15

13 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week we share our summer reading plans and goals as well as the books we think ecerything should be reading this season! Follow us on instagram @...

Tier Ranking: Friends to Lovers Books | S3Ep14

06 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week we tackle tier-ranking popular Friends to Lovers books that our listeners submitted!Follow us on Instagram @BringYourOwnPod  Follow Brandi ...

Guess The Bad Review | S3Ep13

23 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week we take turns reading 1 star reviews of our favorite books!Follow us on instagram @BringYourOwnPod Follow Brandi @Brandos.BooksFollow Kendra...

Magnolia Parks: Into the Dark Recap ft. @Kimmybookss | S3Ep12

16 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This episode features MAJOR Spoilers for Magnolia Parks: Into The Dark by Jessa Hastings! Proceed with caution!   Our beloved friend Kimmy from @kimm...

Listener's Unpopular Bookish Opinions Pt. 2 | S3Ep11

09 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Part two of airing out our listener's unpopular bookish opinions! We discuss if we agree or disagree with your hot takes on narrators, book couples, t...

Book Rankings: First and Favorite & Under, Over, and Perfectly Rated | S3Ep10

02 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Join us as we take turns revealing our first and favorite books of authors our listeners submitted! We then share books that we think are underrated, ...

Abby Jimenez Deep Dive | S3Ep9

25 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Next in our Author Spotlight Series: #1 New York Times Bestselling author Abby Jimenez! We rank her characters and couples, have a spoiler-filled chat...

Game Night with Giana Darling | S3Ep8

18 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Author Giana Darling (@gianadarlingauthor) is here for a fun bookish game night! We play three mini bookish games while Giana dishes about her latest ...

Tier Ranking: Fake Dating Books | S3Ep7

11 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week we're forced to work together and tier-rank popular fake-dating romance books. Spoiler Alert: We fight!Follow us on instagram @BringYourOwnP...

Sweetgrass + Q1 Reading Recap | S3Ep6

04 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week we recap our time at the Sweetgrass, a romance book signing  that took place in Charleston, South Carolina in March of 2024.  We also shar...

Build Your Own Book to Screen Adaptation | S3Ep5

28 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week we take turns imagining some of our favorite books as movies! Brandi pitches Elissa Sussman's "Funny You Should Ask", Kayla  does "Check & ...

Romance Book Draft #1 | S3Ep4

21 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It’s Draft Day! This week we each take turns drafting different romance books, book boyfriends, and book girlfriends to our respective teams.  Foll...

Game Night with Hannah Bonam-Young | S3Ep3

14 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Author Hannah Bonam-Young(@authorhannahby)  is back for an epic bookish game night! We play three mini games while Hannah walks us through what life ...

Listener's Unpopular Bookish Opinions | S3Ep2

07 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week we air out our listener's unpopular bookish opinions! We discuss if we agree or disagree with your hot takes on 3rd act break ups, book rati...

2024 Bookish Ins and Outs, Reading Goals, and Recommendations | S3Ep1

29 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to a brand new season of Bring Your Own! To kick off season 3 we're sharing  our 2024 reading in's and out's alongside our bookish goals for ...

Best Books of 2023 | S2Ep17

21 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week we reveal our individual Top 10 Books of The Year Lists! We take turns counting down from 10 sharing why these books stood out to us in 2023...

Holiday Romance Novella Roundtable | S2Ep16

14 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In honor of the holiday season, we each read a Holiday Romance Novella to share with each another!Full of vampires, tentacles, and elves, we each take...

Defend a Book #2: Lovelight Farms Series by B.K. Borison | S2Ep15

07 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Court is back in session as the Lovelight Farms series by B.K. Borison takes the stand. Major spoilers for all three books in the series (Lovelight Fa...

Magnolia Parks Universe Deep Dive w/ @kimmybookss | S2Ep14

30 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

SPOILERS FOR THE ENTIRE MAGNOLIA PARKS UNIVERSE SERIES BY JESSA HASTINGS! IF YOU HAVE NOT READ MAGNOLIA PARKS, DAISY HAITES, MP: THE LONG WAY HOME, & ...

Lauren Asher: Love Redesigned, Starting a New Series, and Crafting Relatable Characters | S2Ep13

16 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

SPOILERS FOR LOVE REDESIGNED START AT: ~31:12This week Lauren Asher is here to discuss her latest release Love Redesigned (Lakefront Billionaires #1)....

Bookish Game Night | S2Ep12

09 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Its Game Night! This Week we compete against one another while playing three bookish-themed mini games. Games include a Quote Challenge, Guess Who, an...

Fallen Men Series Recap w/ @bookish.sel | S2Ep11

02 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week we're joined by our bookish bestie Selina (@bookish.sel) to recap the Fallen Men Series by Giana Darling. We take turns sharing our favorite...

Monster Romance Roundtable | S2Ep10

26 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In honor of Halloween, we each read a Monster Romance to share with one another!Not a single moment is spared as we take turns recapping each book in ...

Build Your Own Romance Book | S2Ep9

19 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week we each take turns building our own romance books! We list out which tropes we'd include, how steamy they'd be, and share our dream fan cast...

Elsie Silver: Hopeless, Canadian Cowboys, and what's next after Chestnut Springs | S2Ep8

12 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week Elsie Silver drops by the pod to talk all things Chestnut Springs, how she crafts near perfect smut scenes, and what readers can expect from...

Fantasy Gorls: Our Fav Fantasy & Romantasy Books | S2Ep7

05 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Happy Fall! This week we're chatting all about Fantasy and Romantasy books! We share our fantasy starter packs, favorite fantasy couples, and hand out...

Liz Tomforde: The Right Move, Female Friendships, and Praise Kinks | S2Ep6

28 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Spoilers for the Right Move start at ~27:13This week Liz Tomforde (@liztomforde.author) is here! We chat all about the Windy City series, her life as ...

Couples Challenge: Bookish Edition | S2Ep5

21 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week the men of BYO stop by the pod for a fun couples quiz! Hosted by Kendra, Brandi's boyfriend Daniel and Kayla's husband Jared take turns answ...

Hannah Bonam-Young: Out on A Limb, Disabled Joy, and Unsexy Smutty Words | S2Ep4

14 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week Hannah Bonam-Young (@authorhannahby) drops by! We chat all about her hit summer novel, Out on A Limb, how she got started in the world of in...

Defend A Book #1: How To Fake It in Hollywood by Ava Wilder | S2Ep3

07 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Court is now in session; beware of MAJOR spoilers for How To Fake It in Hollywood starting at ~14:30 This week How To Fake it in Hollywood by Ava Wild...