Reading Recommendations: On The Radio
A new month means another batch of reading recommendations! This month’s theme is On The Radio! I’m featuring all books themed around music, radio shows, and stories that take place on air.
Call Me at Midnight
By day, Kaila King rules Cleveland’s airwaves with practical relationship advice. By night, she hosts “Late Night Love Lines,” where lonely hearts call in seeking wisdom for their romantic woes. She has all the answers for everyone else’s love life— but her own heart is off the air.
When a mysterious caller known only as “Night Owl” begins phoning her show, his deep voice and midnight confessions have Kaila’s heart fluttering. And sparks an undeniable connection that captivates both Kaila and her listeners. As their connection deepens on-air, she can’t help but wonder: who is the man behind the voice?
Meanwhile, Kaila’s new neighbor, Nathaniel Okoro, a successful architect who seems to have a few secrets of his own, enters her life. The chemistry between them grows as they navigate their newfound friendship, leaving Kaila questioning her own heart, torn between the man on the other end of the line and the man right outside her door.
With the help of her best friend and producer, Sonny Cho, Kaila embarks on a journey to uncover the truth behind Night Owl’s identity. As the lines between reality and fantasy blur, Kaila must confront her own fears and insecurities to find the courage to trust in love once again.
The romance and concept of a late night radio host who ends up finding love reminded me of classic 90s/2000s romances that I grew up watching at the movies. I appreciated how Kaila’s and Nathaniel’s romance takes its time as they heal from previous broken relationships and discover a new chapter in their lives. Howard’s writing is smooth and detailed allowing the reader to become one with Love Lines, the radio show, and all of the sights within in Cleveland. It felt like I was not only taking a tour of the city, but also getting a glimpse of what it’s like to be local celebrity (in a sense). I appreciated that this novel is a balance of romance and a message about new beginnings which readers can relate to.
Radio Girls
The Great War is over, and change is in the air, in this novel that brings to life the exciting days of early British radio…and one woman who finds her voice while working alongside the brilliant women and men of the BBC.
London, 1926. American-raised Maisie Musgrave is thrilled to land a job as a secretary at the upstart British Broadcasting Corporation, whose use of radio—still new, strange, and electrifying—is captivating the nation. But the hectic pace, smart young staff, and intimidating bosses only add to Maisie’s insecurity.
Soon, she is seduced by the work—gaining confidence as she arranges broadcasts by the most famous writers, scientists, and politicians in Britain. She is also caught up in a growing conflict between her two bosses, John Reith, the formidable Director-General of the BBC, and Hilda Matheson, the extraordinary director of the hugely popular Talks programming, who each have very different visions of what radio should be. Under Hilda’s tutelage, Maisie discovers her talent, passion, and ambition. But when she unearths a shocking conspiracy, she and Hilda join forces to make their voices heard both on and off the air…and then face the dangerous consequences of telling the truth for a living.
Radio Girls gives readers an inside look at the BBC in the 1920s. It was fascinating to see behind the scenes of how radio operated in the past as well as the hustle and bustle that goes on within each department. It turns out there is a lot of work that goes into creating a show and obtaining guest speakers for radio than I ever knew before. I enjoyed reading about the BBC and appreciated that the main character is developed as well as the other lead/supporting characters featured. The departments and people of the BBC personalities blend to create a colorful cast of characters and environment making it feel realistic. The story is overall moderately paced and there is an air of suspense in the novel as Maisie dabbles in some investigative journalism.
Ten Rules For Faking It
As birthdays go, this year’s for radio producer Everly Dean hit rock-bottom.
Worse than the “tonsillectomy birthday.” Worse than the birthday her parents decided to split (the first time). But catching your boyfriend cheating on you with his assistant?
Even clichés sting.
But this is Everly’s year! She won’t let her anxiety hold her back. She’ll pitch her podcast idea to her boss.
There’s just one problem.
Her boss, Chris, is very cute. (Of course). Also, he’s extremely distant (which means he hates her, right? Or is that the anxiety talking)?
And, Stacey the DJ didn’t mute the mic during Everly’s rant about Simon the Snake (syn: Cheating Ex).
That’s three problems.
Suddenly, people are lining up to date her, Bachelorette-style, fans are voting (Reminder: never leave house again), and her interest in Chris might be a two-way street. It’s a lot for a woman who could gold medal in people-avoidance. She’s going to have to fake it ‘till she makes it to get through all of this.
Perhaps she’ll make a list: The Ten Rules for Faking It.
Because sometimes making the rules can find you happiness when you least expect it.
In Ten Rules For Faking It, the main character Everly is having a disastrous birthday. She discovers her boyfriend is cheating on her, her personal business has been broadcast on air at her workplace, and she might possibly lose her job. To remedy things and lift her spirits, she decides to create of list of things to get her out of her comfort zone. t only is this a journey about self-confidence but she also manages to find a bit of love on the way too. I thought her dates were the most comical part of the book and it was so entertaining. It was almost like speed dating mixed with The Bachelor. I was curious to see what happens next. This was a cute book and a bit predictable at times, but it filled you with the warm and fuzzies.
When the Music Hits
Growing up, Billie Grand sought solace in music, finding herself in the pulsing beats, striking lyrics, and mesmerizing voices that saved her when money issues and familial strife proved deafening. When she finally lands a coveted A&R assistant role at Lit Music Productions, one of the largest music labels in the country, it initially seems like everything she’s dreamed of—sleek offices, exclusive industry parties, flashy dealmaking—and she can’t wait until it’s her turn to find the next breakout headliner.
But as she continues to work at Lit, she discovers a dark side to all the glamor. The hours are long, the demands are insane, and Billie can’t shake the sense Lit’s higher ups are hiding something about their dealings As Billie tries to sign her first artist, a shake-up threatens to change everything and endangers Billie’s already precarious place in the pecking order. Her love life, family, and friendships have all taken a hit, but Billie has her sights set on the stars. As a reckoning brews at the office and the costs of her dreams get ever higher, she will have to decide—is finding success worth losing herself?
I love how this novel speaks to the heart of music and artistry that goes into creating the notable songs we know and love. Reading this novel I was excited to find nods to some of my favorite tracks and artists that I listen to on a daily basis. Oliver definitely speaks to the power of music and how it shapes and influences the soundtrack of our lives. The novel also heavily discusses the grittiness of the industry underneath the glamour as Billie experiences firsthand shorthand music deals, industry plants, and much more. She highlights the disproportionate ways the music industry often pulls one over on Black and Brown artists as well which I appreciated. This juxtaposition of both sides of the industry make for a interesting read that continues the discussion surrounding the evolution of music.
Love Radio
Prince Jones is the guy with all the answers—or so it seems. After all, at seventeen, he has his own segment on Detroit’s popular hip-hop show, Love Radio, where he dishes out advice to the brokenhearted.
Prince has always dreamed of becoming a DJ and falling in love. But being the main caretaker for his mother, who has multiple sclerosis, and his little brother means his dreams will stay just that and the only romances in his life are the ones he hears about from his listeners.
Until he meets Dani Ford.
Dani isn’t checking for anybody. She’s focused on her plan: ace senior year, score a scholarship, and move to New York City to become a famous author. But her college essay keeps tripping her up and acknowledging what’s blocking her means dealing with what happened at that party a few months ago.
And that’s one thing Dani can’t do.
When the romantic DJ meets the ambitious writer, sparks fly. Prince is smitten, but Dani’s not looking to get derailed. She gives Prince just three dates to convince her that he’s worth falling for.
Three dates for the love expert to take his own advice, and just maybe change two lives forever.
All in all, Love Radio was a really refreshing YA Contemporary Romance fiction novel. It’s a good mixture of romance growing up self-discovery, moving on, and healing with your past. I loved watching the relationship progress between Danielle and Prince and thoroughly enjoyed the cast of characters featured in the story. Most of all I loved how it showcased all the things that are special about my hometown (Detroit) and being an avid music and book lover I think anyone who is a fan of either will truly enjoy this book as it delves deep into music and literature history/knowledge. I appreciated that this novel most importantly shows how life is a constant journey of learning, reflecting, and growing individually and in any type of relationship (platonic/romantic/familial). I highly recommend this novel!
That concludes my reading recommendations for radio themed reads! What books do you recommend or what are your favorites? Comment below!
Hmmm, the only specifically radio-themed book I can think of is Late Nights on Air by Elizabeth Hay, who has won a lot of awards for her fiction in Canada but likely isn’t well-known in the U.S., let alone for this novel which is about working at the CBC radio station in Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories (not a lot of fiction in Canada is set in the northern-most parts). It’s one that would appeal to those who like quiet novels about everyday life, a poetic style of writing, a slow build, with lots of lovely descriptions. But I like the idea of making it also about music and what you might hear on the radio too… I’ll have to see if I can think of more of those !
Glad you enjoyed the list. I wanted to include some other stories as well, but I didn’t want to overload the list with too many romance picks. It seems that Hay is mainly known over in Canada after looking up her books. Sometimes though a slower paced novel is what you need every now and then.