ayesha rascoe, host:
There is still plenty of time to love summer and read about it too. If you’re in the mood but don’t know what to pick first, the Books We Love on NPR have these suggestions for new romance novels that are well worth your time.
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summer thomad, author: hi. I’m summer thomas and I’m a producer at code switch. The book I recommend is “An Arrow to the Moon” by Emily X.R. skillet. It is about two teenagers who live in a small town. their paths don’t quite cross because their parents historically hate each other. and when they finally meet, of course, they feel an instant attraction that they can’t explain. Well, if that sounds familiar, that’s because this book is a modern retelling of “Romeo and Juliet” that also incorporates Chinese mythology. But this story really comes to life through Emily X.R. the prose of bread each sentence feels imbued with an ethereal magic. the two protagonists team up as they uncover their family’s secrets, navigate their future, and seek to understand the mysterious forces that surround them.
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ari shapiro, signature: I’m ari shapiro. I am one of the hosts of all things considerate. and “young mungo” is the second novel by author douglas stuart.
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shapiro: Your first novel, “shuggie bain,” won a ton of awards, including the 2020 booker award, and I actually liked “young mungo” even more. the two books are similar. Both are set in Glasgow in the late 20th century. they have similar characters: there is an alcoholic mother and a homosexual son. but “young mungo” centers on a forbidden romance between two young men, one a catholic. one is Protestant. he is full of pain and beauty. Douglas Stuart weaves together all this beautiful Scottish slang that you just have to learn the meaning from the context. And ultimately, while the book has a lot of violence and sadness, it’s infused with beauty and a specificity that just leaves you wanting to spend more time with these characters.
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candice lim, signature: hi. my name is candice lim. I’m a pop culture happy hour producer. And the book I recommend is “Ramon and Julieta” by Alana Quintana Albertson.
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lim: julieta is this well known and talented chef from san diego. And Ramon runs this kind of taco bell empire under the watchful eye of her wealth-obsessed father. On the day of the dead, julieta and ramon are masked strangers who share a kiss, assuming they will never see each other again until julieta discovers that ramon is not just her new landlord. she also plans to close her restaurant for good.
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lim: This novel does a great job of putting you right in the middle of this beautiful, close-knit community that loves each other deeply and wants to protect its people. there are many tacos. It’s kind of the perfect summer read to put you right on the shores of San Diego. And if you love a passionate arc from enemies to lovers, this is the book for you.
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rascoe: listened to npr staff recommendations for “an arrow to the moon,” young mungo” and “ramon and juliet” for more ideas on what to read: cookbooks, nonfiction, historical fiction, whatever interests you – jump over to our list of books we love at npr.org/bestbooks.
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