Let's Talk About Books With Natalie
a librarian, reader, and writer living in NYC who is her book club's resident romance expert
Hello readers!
Welcome to another edition of my series that features my favorite kind of online writers ~ those who write about BOOKS! Just like my series What Writers Read, this series introduces you to writers and their favorite books. I do hope you enjoy it!
My longtime readers here know that I love mixing romance reads in with my usual eclectic assortment, and today’s writer is one of my favorites when it comes to this genre. I can depend on
and her newsletter for thoughtful and knowledgeable commentary on the genre, and I know that she’ll always introduce me to something I didn’t already have on my radar. Her newsletters will make you think a bit harder about the swoonworthy reads you fill your TBR with and may also make you a bit jealous of her NYC life!I hope you enjoy meeting Natalie ~ let’s jump right in!
A Bit About Natalie
I'm a librarian, reader, and writer living in NYC. I have a soft spot for marriages of convenience, fiction set in Hollywood, prickly and strong-willed heroines, and soft, sunshine-y heroes. When I'm not absorbed in a book or the latest draft of my novel, you can find me wandering the galleries of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, at the movies, or on the hunt for some perfect baked goods.
What inspired you to start writing about books online?
Honestly, the encouragement of my bookish friends! I've always loved talking about books and been that friend who's a endless spring of book recommendations. I ended up becoming the resident romance advocate in one of my book clubs and enough people told me that I should talk or write about books publicly that I finally took the plunge.
Tell us about your bookish newsletter or blog!
I publish weekly at
and write about reading romance and the romance of the reading life, from singing the praises of the potato-chip book to over-analyzing my feelings about reading literary prize lists. I write monthly reading recaps, round-ups of my anticipated romance releases, themed book recommendation lists, and short essays about the romance genre. I love analyzing romance: how the genre's developed, which trends I see in the space, and what the love stories we gravitate towards say about us.Which of your newsletters / blog posts / book lists are you most proud of?
The piece I wrote about the state of the contemporary romance hero and the tension I see between more traditional ideas of masculinity and a softer male archetype in today's romance. I'm really interested in how romance reflects our ideas about gender roles back at us and how our collective romantic fantasies have evolved. This is the kind of meaty, slightly rambly piece that's my favorite to write and a topic I could talk about for ages.
Natalie recommends ……
Hotel of Secrets by Diana Biller. A glittering, gorgeous historical romance set in 1870's Vienna that features political intrigue, linen cupboard assignations, and some seriously dreamy ball scenes.
A Countess Below Stairs by Eva Ibbotson. A witty and warm spin on Cinderella that features a luminous heroine, gentle yet pointed social satire, and a deeply charming upstairs-downstairs ensemble cast.
My Fake Rake by Eva Leigh. A delightfully tropey friends-to-lovers romance about two nerds who somehow haven't yet realized that they're perfect for each other.
I hope you loved meeting
! If her work seems like it fits your reading style, definitely subscribe to so you can get more of her recommendations.
Thanks for reading,
I love to hear from readers, so please do reach out to me with questions or feedback at mindfullibrarian@substack.com . If we aren’t already connected on Goodreads, I would love to see you there as well!
I love to see fav Bookstackers coming together :)