Reading Women Discusses Leah Johnson and Talia Hibbert

In this week’s episode, Kendra and Sachi discuss their two discussion books: You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson and Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert. Plus, special guests Evelyn Bradley and Mérinda Dutton share books around the theme Black Joy.

From the episode: 

Kendra: So my discussion pick is Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert. And I really love the series of the Brown sisters because of what Talia Hibbert tackles in each book and the wide range of perspectives that she brings together in each of the novels. This is the second one in the series. But as with most romance novels series, you can start anywhere, really. And so this one I wanted to pick because it looks at a bisexual Black woman who’s in academia, like doing the thing. And she just decides to quit on love and just have sex, basically. And so she is looking for a . . . a buddy. Still can’t say certain words on this podcast.

Sachi: Friends with benefits!

Kendra: Yes.

Sachi: We can go with that.

Kendra: So she decides that. But then she has her friend named Zaf, and he is a security guard at her building. She finds him reading romance novels. He’s very much a kind soul, and he experiences a lot of anxiety. He had a family death several years before the book starts; I don’t want to give any spoilers, but he’s dealing with that. He has a nonprofit to work with young boys with rugby and like all sorts of things, and he’s trying to get that off the ground to be his main job so he doesn’t have to be a security guard anymore. So through a series of events, he asks Dani to fake date him to help promote his nonprofit. And she says, yes, it’s for a good cause.

Sachi: Yeah, for the children.

Kendra: Yes! And so that kind of starts their love journey. And the first book deals with the first sister, Chloe Brown, dealing with disabling chronic illness. And this book deals with a love interest that has anxiety. And then the third book deals with two characters who are neurodivergent and fall in love. So she looks at a wide range of disability. And I really appreciate that because that’s not something that I see in romances. And maybe unintentionally, it can send the message that people who struggle with different kinds of disability might not be worthy of love. She pushes back against that with these books. And you have a man . . . a hypermasculine, rugby-playing man with anxiety who reads romance novels. What’s not to love?

***

This episode is brought to you by Chanel. A visionary woman who’s influence on the arts continues even today, Gabrielle Chanel created her life and her legend on her own terms. Discover her story at InsideChanel.com.

To listen to the rest of the episode, as well as the whole archive of Reading Women, subscribe and listen on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever else you find your favorite podcasts.