Person
Every book Jennifer Harlan recommended on podcasts
Jennifer Harlan appears on The Book Review as an avid reader and literary enthusiast with a deep appreciation for bookstores, romance, fantasy, and character-driven storytelling. In discussing the romance of bookstores, she recommends Emily Henry's romance novel 'Book Lovers' as an all-time favorite set in a bookstore environment. Continuing her exploration of bookstore culture, Harlan recommends the memoir 'Time Was Soft There' by Jeremy Mercer, which chronicles his time spent at Shakespeare and Company in Paris, one of her favorite bookstores in the world. Shifting into fantasy, she recommends Freya Marske's 'A Marvellous Light'. In addition to these recommendations, Harlan shares a personal literary anecdote about discovering Lauren Groff's short story collection 'Delicate Edible Birds', which a bookseller recommended to her and which subsequently became one of her favorite all-time books. Through these recommendations and personal reflections, Harlan demonstrates a broad literary taste that spans contemporary romance, evocative memoirs, imaginative fantasy, and critically acclaimed short fiction.
Books recommended by Jennifer Harlan
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A Marvellous Light
A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske is an enchanting historical fantasy novel that combines a richly detailed Edwardian setting with secret magical societies and a captivating romantic plot.
Recommended“And so, the last one I'm going to talk about is A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske.”
Where to get it
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Book Lovers
Book Lovers by Emily Henry is a delightful contemporary romance novel that cleverly subverts genre tropes while celebrating the unique magic of independent bookstores and small-town dynamics.
Recommended“So we've talked about the romance of bookstores, so I'm going to start with a romance novel, which is one of my all-time favorites, and that is Book Lovers by Emily Henry.”
Where to get it
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Time was soft there
Time Was Soft There by Jeremy Mercer is an engaging biographical memoir that chronicles the author's transformative experiences living and working at one of the world's most famous literary institutions.
Recommended“this book is called Time Was Soft There by Jeremy Mercer, and it is about the time that he spent at one of my favorite bookstores in the entire world, which is Shakespeare and Company in Paris.”
Where to get it
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Delicate Edible Birds
Delicate Edible Birds by Lauren Groff is a powerful and evocative short story collection that showcases the author's trademark lyrical prose and deep emotional insight.
Discussed“For me, I got a recommendation of what became one of my favorite all-time books, and that is Delicate Edible Birds by Lauren Groff, from a bookseller.”
Where to get it
Appearances
| Episode | Podcast | Date | Books |
|---|---|---|---|
| Why We Can’t Resist a Great Bookstore | The Book Review | 2026-08-21 | 4 |
Other mentions (2: passing, ad reads, own books)
“Kathleen as a bookseller really knew every person who came into the store, the kind of person who would sell you Anne of Green Gables or Little Women and sell it to you with a box of Kleenex”
“Kathleen as a bookseller really knew every person who came into the store, the kind of person who would sell you Anne of Green Gables or Little Women and sell it to you with a box of Kleenex”