While you may not be able to celebrate BIG this year, you can still dessert in style. And what better way to bide your time at home than to perfect your cake baking and decorating skills? Whether you're a chocolatelover, a fruit fan, or all about ombre, check out these sky-scraping confections. And for more lessons in cake mastery, take our Cake Decorating class!
Salted Nutella S'Mores Cake
Even The Great British Bake Off's Mary Berry would love this cake's distinct layers, made especially striking by bright marshmallows and dark chocolate. (via Brit + Co)
Sprinkle Ombre Cake
As if patriotic sprinkles weren't exciting enough, BAM, rainbow layers appear when cut. (via Brit + Co)
Romantic Drip Layer Cake
See that dripping icing? You'll drool just as intensely when you smell the passionfruit filling. (via Brit + Co)
Piña Colada Layer Cake
This layer cake does taste like a tropical drink (rum and all), but even more delightful is its texture. The moist cake contains a creamy frosting, flakey coconut coating, and juicy pineapple on top. (via Brit + Co)
Sugar Cookie Funfetti Birthday Cake
Both rainbow sprinkles and sugar cookie crumbs are folded into the vanilla icing on this cake — it's reason enough to celebrate. (via Brit + Co)
Chocolate Layer Cake with Three Frostings
Any chocoholic would donate their most prized possession for this triple chocolate cake, complete with dark, milk, and white chocolate frostings.
Naked Cake
If you're not a frosting wizard but want to make a show-stopping dessert, there's layer cake recipes that'll fit the bill. We love that this version makes a handsome wedding option for those who want to see what they're eating. Fresh fruit and flowers are the cherry on top of the beautiful dessert.
Gold Confetti Champagne Cake
Classic vanilla cake gets an Oscar-worthy upgrade with a healthy heap of gold sprinkles. (via Brit + Co)
Floral Layer Cake
Store-bought cake and frosting look mighty fine when covered with edible flowers. (via Brit + Co)
Next-Level Candy Cake
This may not be true of everything, but when it comes to candy on cake, more is definitely more. (via Brit + Co)
Pastel Confetti Cake
Don't be intimidated by this cake's pristine layers; it's all scrumptious, store-bought simplicity. (via Brit + Co)
Piecaken (Pie-Cake Hybrid)
You've heard this phrase a lot to describe food, but this time it's valid: this cake is not for the faint of heart. There is an entire pie inside of each cake layer, which must be the most insane thing to happen to dessert since cotton candy burritos. (via Brit + Co)
Conversation Heart Cake
Forget the grocery store bakery; with your own gel frosting, you can write exactly what's on your mind in a jiffy. (via Brit + Co)
Lemon Lavender Champagne Cake
Champagne lends lightness to this tart lemon cake, while lavender extract gives just the flavor you want when biting into purple frosting. (via Brit + Co)
Italian Rainbow Cookie Cake
Italian Rainbow Cookie Cake: This dense cake batter, made with almond paste and lots of butter, is lightened in flavor by intermittent layers of raspberry jam. The whole thing is assembled and frosted to look like an Italian rainbow cookie. (via Brit + Co)
Cactus Garden Cake
OMG, how AMAZING is this cake excerpted (with permission) from Sugar Rebels by Nick Makrides? It's almost too pretty to eat! (via Brit + Co)
Upgraded Boxed Cake
Transform store-bought cake mix with butter, coffee, homemade frosting, or all of the above. When you get compliments that it tastes like someone's grandmother's, just nod and smile. (via Brit + Co)
Show us your creations by tagging Brit + Co on Instagram!
This article was originally published in April 2018 and has been updated.
Show us your creations by tagging us on Instagram!
This post was updated.
Header image via Brit + Co
Before they were publicly seen together, we were dying to know if singer Sabrina Carpenter was actually dating actor Barry Keoghan. Rumors about their relationship cropped up in late 2023, and it doesn't quite seem like they're rumors anymore!
The pair most recently made their *official* debut on the 2024 Vanity Fair Oscars party red carpet and looked so cute together. Since the two have been romantically linked since last year, we’re taking a deeper look at their history and their chemistry.
Here’s everything you need to know about Sabrina Carpenter and her boyfriend, Barry Keoghan.
Who is Sabrina Carpenter?
Frazer Harrison / Getty Images
Sabrina Carpenter is a 24-year-old actress and singer. Her most popular acting roles began on Disney Channel from 2014 to 2017 with Girl Meets World and 2016’s Adventures in Babysitting.
Sabrina has been releasing original music since 2014, and her 2022 album titled Emails I Can’t Send landed her her first-ever top-40 chart entry. Her songs “Nonsense” and “Feather” are two of her top-listened tracks on Spotify.
Sabrina also opened for Taylor Swift on several dates at the Eras Tour in 2023.
Additionally, she has worked as a brand ambassador for Converse, Aeropostale, and Samsung, and launched a fragrance line in collaboration with Scent Beauty.
Sabrina was suspected to be dating singer Shawn Mendes last year, but he dispelled rumors about it very publicly in March 2023.
Who is Barry Keoghan?
Frazer Harrison / Getty Images
Barry Keoghan is an award-winning 31-year-old Irish actor. He’s well-known for his roles in Dunkirk, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, Eternals, and most recently, Saltburn. He has also been in several TV series, from HBO’s Chernobyl to Apple TV+’s Masters of the Air.
Barry was previously dating girlfriend Alyson Kieran since September 2021, but the pairbroke up in July 2023 after Barry started seeing success for his performance in the film The Banshees of Inisherin. An inside source close to the couple said “they’ve grown apart over recent months and things have finally come to a head. As far as [Alyson is] concerned, it’s over.”
Barry and Alyson still share a young son named Brando, born in August 2022.
Is Barry Keoghan Sabrina Carpenter's Boyfriend? A Relationship Timeline
Catherine Powell / Getty Images for MTV
September 2023
In late September 2023, Sabrina attended an NYC advanced screening of Saltburn, a dark comedy film in which Barry stars. The pair was not seen together, but they were definitely in the same place at the same time.
The pair reportedly met for the first time during Paris Fashion Week at the Givenchy spring/summer 2024 show, just a week after the advanced screening.
Amy Sussman / Getty Images
December 2023
Sabrina and Barry were spotted on a casual dinner date in Los Angeles in December 2023. They weren’t quite visibly affectionate or close together in photos, but shared the same car.
Frazer Harrison / Getty Images
January 2024
Sabrina and Barry were suspected to attend the 2024 Golden Globes together to debut their relationship, but the pair ended up attending separately.
The two were later spotted out and about at LA’s Luna Luna interactive art installation later in January.Eyewitness accounts said "it definitely seemed like a date.”
February 2024
In early February 2024, the duo was seen gettin’ cozy with each other at a Grammys after party. Someone had snapped a pic of them sitting next to each other, but it appeared they were pretty shy about showing their faces. Cute!
The couple confirmed their romance just around Valentine's Day with a fun-filled weekend in Los Angeles (with plenty of PDA, of course). They started out with dinner at Nobu before checking into Hotel Bel-Air. They next day, they spent time together at Sabrina's house in Hollywood and then went out on the town in style!
As much as we can tell, Sabrina and Barry are just having fun with it!
Amy Sussman and Jon Kopaloff / Getty Images for Vanity Fair
March 2024
The 2024 Oscars marked Sabrina and Barry's first red carpet appearance as a couple! The pair pulled up in semi-coordinating outfits – her wearing a black sequined Tory Burch gown, him wearing a sleek black suit by Amiri.
Barry also accessorized his Oscars look with a beaded friendship bracelet (a la Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce) that spelled out Sabrina's name!
Photographed side-by-side several times, the couple also took the chance to reference their silly Grammys photo by hiding their faces for the camera. Love!
Stay updated on the latest celebrity relationships with Brit + Co!
Lead photos by Amy Sussman / Getty Images.
This post has been updated.
From fashion to home decor to DIY and family content, our friend Steffy does it all – from the comfort of her home. She has built a loyal following doing what she loves and inspires us through her creativity on so many levels. But overnight success isn’t a thing and she has worked hard over the last decade to get where she is today – running a successful creative business full-time. Thanks to getting help on the tax front with TurboTax and expanding her niche, Steffy shares how she built her online business in this fun reel for creatives looking to do the same!
Turning your hobby into a career can take a little trial and error, a lot of resilience, and some good business sense. TurboTax can help you make your moves count so you can focus on what you do best! Whether TurboTax experts prepare your tax return or you do it yourself, they guarantee their calculations are always 100 percent accurate, or they’ll pay any penalties.
If you’re a creative person looking to take your hobby to the next level, here are tips for getting started and growing your business.
Choose your focus: Before Steffy started focusing on the DIY aspect of her business, her niche was in fashion, mostly vintage fashion, which helped her build a following who loved her aesthetic. “My first big win was I booked a blog a month with a major fashion brand. It was the first time I realized that big companies are paying attention to people on the Internet,” says Steffy. “Over time, working with brands just legitimized what I was doing and made me feel like, yes, this is fun, and yes, this is something that is still a hobby, but also there's a future in it as my business.”
Set clear goals: Define your career goals – actually write them down – and create a roadmap for achieving them. Set short-term and long-term goals that are SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Set reasonable dates for achieving those goals and stick to them!
Create a personal brand: Establishing a strong personal brand that feels unique to you and your target audience can help you stand out in a crowded space. Make sure it’s clear what you do from your branding and what services you offer.
Develop a business mindset: Brush up on budgeting, marketing, sales, and customer service to understand how best to monetize your passion. “My first challenge was tax wise,” says Steffy. After getting hit with a big tax bill at the end of year, Steffy realized that she had to pay quarterly taxes as a freelancer to avoid hefty fees. “When you work for yourself, you're thinking you're making all this income, but really a lot of it goes back to the state and the government, and you have to really be on top of that.” TurboTax experts can help you determine all of your deductions as a freelancer and entrepreneur while helping you get your max refund.
Scale wisely: Do you invest in hiring help or do you stay small? That’s a question solopreneurs often struggle with. “I hit a certain point where I realized that I did need help. I'm still working through what that help looks like. I have a part-time employee, but I always grapple with whether I need more hours and more hands on deck,” says Steffy. Balance your creative life by contracting out the responsibilities that take up a lot of your time and that you don’t necessarily enjoy doing. Wearing too many hats can take away from your talents and lead to burnout so get help when you need it, like tax time, but choose wisely where you invest your time and money.
Adapt as you grow: Once you start to gain traction, adjust and adapt your business plan to suit your growing needs. “I was already doing DIY projects behind the scenes, but I just thought, it's not my niche. People won't be interested in this,” says Steffy about transitioning her fashion-focused brand to her other hobbies. “Then I filmed one video of DIY, peel-and-stick wallpaper, and it went viral. That's what made me realize that maybe people do come to me for my fashion, but that my fashion sense trickles down into all aspects of my life, including how I decorate.” That led Steffy to eventually writing a home decor book A Home for Every Season. “It just shifted my business completely,” she says.
Connect with other creatives: Being a solopreneur can be lonely. You have friends and family but they may not understand your business struggles. That’s where a creative community comes in. “A community definitely helps even just to have comradery and bounce ideas off of each other,” says Steffy, who often shares content with other influencers. “We're all on the Internet and then getting together and creating content and sharing it, it definitely helps lift everyone up.”
Consistently show up. Consistency is key to building a following and accomplishing your goals. “The biggest tip I would have is to just get up and do it every day,” says Steffy. “You have to have a strong foundation yourself to grow and just keep coming up with new ideas and trying new things and just showing up, not necessarily every day, but a few times a week, for your audience and trying to inspire them and be creative.”
Photos: Courtesy of Steffy.
Running a business or thinking about starting one? Make your moves count with TurboTax!*
*Experts only available with TurboTax Live. See details at turbotax.com/guarantees.
There are two things I know for sure: Ken loves Barbie, and Ryan Gosling loves Eva Mendes. The couple met on the movie set for The Place Beyond the Pines in 2011, and have created such a beautiful life together! Eva's just as excited for the Christmas remix of "I'm Just Ken" as we are, and Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes' constant support of one another is making us think back on all their cutest moments.
A Full Timeline Of Ryan Gosling And Eva Mendes' Relationship
Images via Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images
August 2011 — Ryan Gosling And Eva Mendes Meet During The Place Beyond The Pines
Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes took a chance at romance after they played a couple in 2011's The Place Beyond The Pines. Once they were linked, they were seen walking around Disneyland "like a dating couple, [walking] very closely, holding hands and their arms touching side-by-side," according to a PEOPLE eyewitness.
Image via Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for SXSW
November + December 2011 — Ryan Gosling And Eva Mendes Spend The Holidays Together
During Thanksgiving in 2011, Eva Mendes was filming Holly Motors in Paris, so Ryan Gosling took a trip to the City of Lights so they could spend the holiday together. They also ended up going on Funny or Die's Drunk History Christmas the next month to reenact a 21+ version of The Night Before Christmas *and* spent New Year's together!
Image via Sonia Recchia/Getty Images
September 7, 2012 — Ryan Gosling And Eva Mendes Attend The Toronto International Film Festival Together
To promote The Place Beyond the Pines, Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes spent a lot of time together on the TIFF red carpet. Years later in 2019, when Kelly Clarkson pulled up the picture, Eva couldn't help but gush over Ryan — especially since they hadn't announced they were dating at the time. “Oh my God, that’s so old," she says of the photo. "That’s literally me going, ‘I’m not in love with him. What? I’m not in love.’ ‘Cause we were trying to be very professional."
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures
May 2014 — Ryan Gosling And Eva Mendes Work Together On Lost River
Ryan and Eva reunited on a film set again for Lost River, which was both Ryan's directorial debut and served as a semi-autobiographical story for him. "For me, it was crucial to work in this intimate, low-budget, small way, with people I had worked with before, because I feel like in my experience that’s where everyone was at their best," Ryan tells Sunday Style (via Mangalorean). "They know what is at stake for you personally, and all the work that’s gone into getting there."
Eva also told her Instagram followers in a since-deleted postthat Lost River is the project she's most proud of. "There was one film I'm extra proud to be a part of," she said. "A dark fairy tale. A magical fantasy. To all the struggling single mothers, to all of us in cities that feel like they're burning down or flooding around us, to everyone fighting for the ones they love, this was a good one."
Image via Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
September 12, 2014 — Eva Mendes Gives Birth To Their First Child
Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes welcomed Esmerelda Amada Gosling into the world in September of 2014. Eva later said that she didn't even want kids until she got together with Ryan. "I was lucky enough to work my bum off for 20 years," she tells Nova 96.9's Fitzy & Wippa (via PEOPLE). "I never wanted babies before until I fell in love with Ryan, and it kind of worked out to where I was 40 and having my first baby. I think I was 42 for the second one, so it worked out in that way that I had a career and then I change my focus to my family."
Ryan also went on to tell GQ in 2023 that he was in a similar place before meeting Eva. "I wasn’t thinking about kids before I met her, but after I met Eva, I realized that I just didn’t want to have kids without her," he says. "And there were moments on The Place Beyond the Pines where we were pretending to be a family, and I didn’t really want it to be pretend anymore." I could cry!!
Image via Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images
December 7, 2015 — Ryan Gosling Gives A Rare Interview About His Relationship
While Ryan and Eva have kept their relationship very private, he told Hello! that "I know that I'm with the person I'm supposed to be with" and that literally the only quality he looks for in a woman is "That she's Eva Mendes. There's nothing else I'm looking for." Swoon!
Image via Brad Barket/Getty Images
April 29, 2016 — Ryan Gosling And Eva Mendes Have Their Second Child
Eva Mendes gave birth to her and Ryan's second baby, a daughter named Amada Lee Gosling, in April 2016 — after keeping the pregnancy a secret until it was almost time to deliver! Amada is named after Eva's grandma.
Image via Paul Drinkwater/NBCUniversal via Getty Images
January 8, 2017 — Ryan Gosling Dedicates His La La Land Golden Globe To Eva Mendes' Brother
While accepting his Golden Globe for Best Performance in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Ryan Gosling made sure to let the world know just how much of a role Eva had played in the process. “I would like to try and thank one person properly, and say that while I was singing and dancing and playing piano,” he says in his speech, “my lady was raising our daughter, pregnant with our second and trying to help her brother with his battle with cancer.”
Eva's brother, Juan Carlos Mendes, had passed away the previous April and Ryan took the opportunity to dedicate the award to him.
Image via Dominique Charriau/Getty Images
February 12, 2020 — Eva Mendes Reveals Ryan Gosling Is A Great Cook
When an Instagram account asked what Eva and Ryan liked to cook, Eva revealed just how amazing Ryan is with food. "Ryan is an amazing chef AND baker," she says in her reply. "For reals. Incredible. No joke. I'm not sure that what I do is cooking. It's more like steaming veggies and juicing and making rice. He really cooks. I survive." Can I get Ryan Gosling to make me a meal sometime?
Image via Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
January 1, 2022 — Ryan Gosling Shares About Their Quarantine Life
“Time, in general, is something I think about a lot now. My kids are growing up so fast I need to keep an eye on the clock in a way I never used to,” Ryan Gosling tells GQ. “I feel like I need more time to process [how much the pandemic played into that]. But [Eva and I] have two kids, so we spend a lot of our time trying to keep them entertained.”
While they enjoyed their time together, Ryan's also candid about the effect of lockdown on their children: “Our kids were at a difficult age not to be able to see other kids and interact with people, even though Eva and I did our best.”
Image via Jaap Buitendijk/Warner Bros. Pictures.
June 2022 — Eva Mendes Embraces The Kenergy
When the world went crazy for every bit of Barbie news, so did Eva Mendes. "So. F. Funny," she says in an Instagram caption sharing the first look at Ryan Gosling's Ken. "So. F. Good. So F excited for you to see this…#Thatsmyken."
"It's a funny photo and he's trying to be funny, so it worked on all levels," she goes on to say on The Talk. "But when I saw it, when he sent it to me from work, I was like, 'Can I please have that underwear? Please, I never ask for anything'...So, anyway, I do have it. I'm wearing it right now."
November 2022 — Eva Mendes Begins Dropping Hints She Married Ryan Gosling
When Eva showed off a new tattoo on her wrist in November of 2022 on Instagram, fans immediately began dissecting its meaning. The tattoo, which reads "de Gosling" (which is similar to Mrs. Gosling) could mean that Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes are actually married! She went on to tell Today in Australia (via DailyMail) that "Everyone is so welcoming here and my husband Ryan is here, and we are having the best time." 👀
Image via Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for SiriusXM
August 9, 2023 — Ryan Gosling And Eva Mendes Love Family Time
In the midst of crazy release schedules and commitments (not to mention the actors' strike), Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes always prioritize their family life. "When they are not working, they are all about their girls," a source tells People. "Ryan is such a fun dad. He is goofy and his girls love it." The source continues by saying the family loves to go to the beach or the desert (same TBH).
Image via Warner Bros Pictures.
December 18, 2023 — Eva Mendes Can't Wait For The "I'm Just Ken" Christmas Remix
If the original version of "I'm Just Ken" wasn't good enough, Ryan Gosling is blessing us with a Christmas remix — and Eva Mendes is just as excited as we are. "Ken not wait for this," she says in an Instagram caption.
Image via Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Warner Bros.
January 13, 2024 — Ryan Gosling Mentions His Family During His Acceptance Speech
At the 2024 Santa Barbra International Film Festival, Ryan Gosling won the Kirk Douglas Award for Excellence in Film — and he totally deserves it! With a career that includes iconic films like La La Land and Barbie, as well as The Notebook, Blade Runner 2049, and Crazy Stupid Love, all kinds of film lovers have gotten to see Ryan's work onscreen. During his acceptance speech, Ryan got choked up talking about how acting allowed him to meet "the girl of [his] dreams."
"I dreamed of one day making movies and now movies have made my life a dream," he says in his speech. "So the way I see it, there's no way I have contributed half as much to cinema as cinema's contributed to me."
Image via Jaap Buitendijk/Warner Bros. Entertainment
January 24, 2024 — Eva Mendes Celebrates Ryan Gosling's Oscar Nomination
After the Oscar nominations were announced January 23, Eva Mendes took to Instagram to celebrate Ryan Gosling's nomination for Best Supporting Actor. "So proud of my man. So much hate when he took on this role," she says alongside screenshots of the first (very negative) reviews of his casting. "So many people trying to shame him for doing it. Despite all the #Notmyken ridicule and articles written about him, he created this completely original, hilarious, heartbreaking, now iconic character and took it all the way to Oscars. So beyond proud to be this Ken’s Barbie."
Image via Caroline McCredie/Getty Image
February 22 - Eva Mendes Announces Upcoming Children's Book
Yesterday Eva Mendes shared with People that she's penned a children's book named Desi, Mami, and the Never-Ending Worries that'll debut September 17. It's all about a little girl who's always worried that her scary brain is the real monster she's afraid of at night. Through gentle reminders, Desi's mom helps her understand that being afraid is normal and teaches her how not to let scary thoughts control her.
Eva Mendes told People the books is like "a love letter to my kids and yours" because "...Learning how to train our brain to work for us and not against us is easier said than done!" Since we know racing thoughts doesn't just affect adults, we love that Eva is finding a way to share some of her parenting tips with other parents.
Image via Eva Mendes/Instagram
March 10, 2024 — Eva Mendes Celebrates Ryan Gosling's Oscars Performance
Eva Mendes celebrated the Oscars on March 10 with a post highlighting Ryan Gosling's performance, and his entire run as Ken! "You took Ken all the way to the Oscar’s, RG," she says on Instagram. "Now come home, we need to put the kids to bed."
We love the way this couple can have fun with each other — and highlight how much teamwork parenthood requires!
Check back here for the latest news on Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes, and don't forget to read up on Taylor Swift And Travis Kelce's Relationship and Kylie Jenner And Timothée Chalamet. :)
Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.
Lead image via Sonia Recchia/Getty Images.
This post has been updated.
We're always on the hunt for titles and storylines that grab our attention the way Usher's Super Bowl performance did this year, and we think we've finally cracked the code! So get ready, BookTok-ers, because this roundup is filled to the brim with upcoming, brand new book releases for you. Featuring rom-com books and thrillers that make us clutch our imaginary pearls — I’m looking at you, Womb City — we've got a feeling you'll be stalking your local bookstores as soon as these titles drop. Here are the most-anticipated, best new books to read in 2024!
The Best New Fiction Books We Can't Wait To Read In 2024
Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzalez
The bestselling author of Olga Dies Dreaming is back with another captivating novel that unravels the mystery behind the death of Anita de Monte, a talented artist whose legacy fades into obscurity after her tragic demise in 1985. Fast forward to 1998, and Raquel, a third-year art history student navigating the challenges of being a minority on College Hill, stumbles upon Anita's forgotten story. As Raquel rises in social standing through a complex romantic relationship, parallels emerge between her life and Anita's, raising questions about power, love, and art. With a propulsive narrative that moves between perspectives and time, Gonzalez explores who gets to be remembered and who is left behind in the elite realm of the art world.
It's so good that it landed on Reese Witherspoon's book clublist!
The Limits by Nell Freudenberger (April 9, 2024)
This novel follows Pia, a rebellious teen who bounces back and forth between her parents' disparate lives — from her French biologist mother who lives on the tropical shores of Tahiti fighting for eco-justice, to her surgeon father who's consumed by work at a New York City hospital just as COVID hits. Enter a new, younger stepmom named Kate into the dynamic, and you can imagine the drama set to unfold as all of their lives collide and transform over the course of a single year.
We Were The Universe By Kimberly King Parsons (May 14, 2024)
In We Were the Universe, Kit's weekend escape to the Montana mountains with her heartbroken best friend turns into a poignant journey of self-discovery. Haunted by the loss of her sister, Julie, and grappling with the mundanity of suburban life, Kit tries to find solace in routine. As she navigates motherhood, marriage, and distant memories of her wilder days, Kit's mind blurs the lines between reality and fantasy. The novel is a fearless exploration of sisterhood, motherhood, friendship, marriage, psychedelics, and the intricate, transcendent forms love can assume.
I Hope This Finds You Well: A Novel by Natalie Sue (May 21, 2024)
In this sharp office culture read, Jolene, the novel's protagonist, is accidentally granted access to her annoying coworkers' personal emails and DMs. This crackling comedy follows what happens when she delves deeper into the secrets and private worlds of her colleagues.
Blue Sisters: A Novel by Coco Mellors (September 3, 2024)
The hotly-anticipated follow-up novel to Coco Mellors' national bestseller and Goodreads Choice Awards finalist Cleopatra and Frankenstein is finally hitting bookshelves this year. Three estranged siblings (Avery, Bonnie, and Lucky) return to their family home in New York after their beloved sister's death to wade through the complexities of grief, hope and what it takes to fall in love with life after loss.
Intermezzoby Sally Rooney, September 24, 2024
Cover art forthcoming. Irish novelist Sally Rooney just announced her latest endeavor, Intermezzo. This will be her fourth novel after Beautiful World, Where Are You, Normal People, and Conversations With Friends. What we know so far is that this book will center two brothers, Peter and Ivan Koubek who have little in common. Peter is a Dublin lawyer in his thirties, and Ivan is a twenty-two-year-old competitive chess player. Their stories interweave on the heels of their father's death, and the relationships that unfold in the early weeks of their bereavement.
New 2024 Memoirs and Non-Fiction Books We're Excited To Read
Ambition Monster: A Memoir by Jennifer Romolini (June 4, 2024)
This deeply personal memoir explores the addictive nature of the work grind. From the POV of an overachiever, Jennifer Romolini shares her story of relentlessly climbing the professional ladder to her dream c-suite job amidst a backdrop of lingering childhood trauma. She invites readers to ask themselves, at what cost do we chase success?
Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout by Cal Newport
In Slow Productivity, bestselling author Cal Newport invites us to create a more balanced life by rejecting busyness, working at a natural pace, and committing to do fewer things. To explore this philosophy, Newport delves into the habits of some of the world's most impactful and prolific creators like Jane Austen, Georgia O'Keeffe, and Maya Angelou to uncover how they mastered their craft and produced high-value work without burnout. If you're feeling the burn from a never-ending to-do list and the grind of hustle culture, this new book is an urgent must-read.
The Best New Rom-Com Books
Hannah Tate, Beyond Repair by Laura Piper Lee
Kicking off our best new books roundup is Hannah Tate, Beyond Repair by the personable Laura Piper Lee. Inspired by her own upbringing and experiences in Blue Ridge, GA, this romantic and spicy novel follows main character Hannah as she tries to make sense of her life. She starts off being unsure of herself as a mother, lover, and adult, but eventually realizes she's on the right track the longer she spends near her childhood home.
A Love Song For Ricki Wilde by Tia Williams
It's not always growing up in an elite family where it seems like everyone else is the picture of perfection, but Ricki finds herself in the middle of one anyway. Looking for any reason to break free from expectations and the reminder that she's different, Ricki decides to make Harlem her home. Not only does she start finding her footing there, she also begins falling in love with someone who's as creative and passionate as she is.
Sex, Lies, And Sensibility by Nikki Payne
It's always interesting how many secrets come out once a person passes, but I don't think there's any way to brace yourself to learn about your dad's sex life. Nevertheless, Nora and her sister are forced to renovate an old inn because some people have a hard time dealing with scandals. As the sisters find a way to restore the inn, they find themselves making peace with the way life has turned out.
In the midst of that is Ennis "Bear" Freeman and his seemingly surly nature. He has his own doubts and secrets that have caused him to build a wall around his heart. But, his attraction to Nora is the one thing that may encourage him to lead a truthful life that's not built on fear.
This Could Be Us by Kennedy Ryan
This Could Be Us is a tale about taking a chance on life and love to see where both can take a person. For Soledad Barnes, being impulsive isn't included in the plans she meticulously crafts because it simply wouldn't make sense. But, life doesn't always care about our plans and she's left to start over when her romantic life is derailed.
She quickly recovers and it's business as usual until she meets someone who is the opposite of who she is. He's the one person that doesn't fit inside any boxes she's created and she may or may not enjoy it.
The Other Side of Disappearing by Kate Clayborn (March 26, 2024)
Jess Greene lives life by a set of rules that she feels keeps her and her half-sister Tegan safe from the possible scrutiny she thinks will come from people in town. After their mother left twice, Jess became Tegan's caregiver and devoted herself to protecting Tegan in a way she feels their mother failed to do. It's the one thing she's able to control until she realizes her younger sister has been carefully planning to talk to popular true crime podcast host Salem Durant about the con man their mother left them for.
Suddenly, Jess is forced to reconcile with keeping secrets from Tegan, her own heartbreak, and the instant attraction to she feels to Salem's producer, Adam Hawkins. As the four of them embark on an uneasy journey to figure out where Jess and Tegan's mother is, Jess slowly begins opening up to Adam in a way she hasn't done in a long time. Although she would've been fine with the carefully constructed world she's built, his presence helps change everything for her and Tegan.
If you love spicy romance and true crime podcasts, you'll love getting lost in Jess Greene's story.
How to End a Love Storyby Yulin Kuang (April 9, 2024)
Even though Helen Zhang and Grant Shepard lives were changed long ago, things have seemingly moved forward for them. Helen's books have reached the point where they're sought after and she's been given access to rooms she used to dream about. But, she can't help but feel like she's cosplaying a successful author and when her latest gig lands her in L.A. — all bets are off when she realizes she'll be working with Grant. Thus begins their messy, awkward and steamy interactions that let them know there's more to their work relationship than they'd like to admit.
Yet underneath the circumstances, Helen and Grant come to realize some love stories aren't meant to have happy endings.
Funny Storyby Emily Henry (April 23, 2024)
Funny Story is actually a really...funny story. It starts off with the recount of the cutest meet-cute turned sweet love story, but it promptly ends when Daphne's fiancé Peter decides his childhood best friend (Petra) is actually the one he'd rather spend the rest of his life with. It's fine because it's not like Daphne uprooted her life for him and is struggling to make ends meet. in the aftermath of their breakup.
No, really — it's fine because she meets Petra's ex (Miles) and they form an unlikely friendship that results from being roommates. It's not like they're going to fall in love and break unspoken relationship rules 👀.
A Gamble at Sunset by Vanessa Riley (May 21, 2024)
Of course a Bridgerton-inspired novel is on our list of best new books to read this year. I mean, we honestly can't help it at this point. However, A Gamble at Sunset is full of twists and turns that aren't necessarily found in our beloved TV series. Sick of living in squander and reclusiveness, Georgina Wilcox decides to shock her sister by having an intimate encounter with composer Lord Mark Sebastian.
Thrust into the public eye, they go on a journey that involves pretending they're in a loving relationship that follows society's rules. They're met with resistance at every turn, but somehow manage to navigate the "tests" that any couple could face. But, will the guise of their fake relationship remain just that or turn into something more?
A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping (September 10, 2024)
Sera Swan is stripped of her magic and exiled when she decided to resurrect her great-aunt and spends her days helping her take care of an inn with eccentric guests. It proves to be a repetitive process that makes Sera yearn for the days where her magic was intact.
But, she eventually learns about how she could restore it and enlists the help of the sexy, grump Luke Larsen. It takes them on a perilous journey that's filled with love and changing expectations that makes the search for magic worth it.
The Best New Thriller & Horror Books
First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston
Evie Porter doesn't exist even if the woman using her name says she does. Tasked with taking on an identity to get close to her employer's target, 'Evie' finds herself having a hard time lying to Ryan Summer. Their love seems so real and she wonders how much longer she can keep up the charades the closer they get.
Things seem to be going well until she realizes her employer, Mr. Smith, has been setting her up to fail or worse with this mission. Will she figure out how to keep the bond she's built with Ryan while dismantling Mr. Smith's operation once and for all?
The Frame-Up by Gwenda Bond
Dani Poissant used to be her mother's right-hand girl on some of the biggest heists that were successful due to the magic they were privy to. However, Dani decides to work the FBI to bring her mother's operation down. As time goes by, Dani realizes the latest heist she's been approached for would only work if her mother weren't imprisoned. Faced with having to repair old wounds with those she loved, she decides to move forward to complete things — except the stakes are much higher and Dani's life will be on the line.
Keep Your Friends Close by Leah Konen (February 20, 2024)
Sometimes your biggest enemies are the people close to you — at least that's what's spelled out in Keep Your Friends Close by Leah Konen. Faced with a nasty divorce and custody battle, Mary is willing to accept any semblance of worth from a friend. When she meets the charismatic Willa, they immediately form a bond and all seems to be going well for Mary.
However, Willa eventually ghosts her only to show back up with a new name and family as if that's perfectly normal. If that's not bad enough, Mary is accused of murdering her ex-husband George. Suddenly, she begins piecing together breadcrumbs that let her know something is off about the friend she thinks she knows.
The Princess of Las Vegas by Chris Bohjalian (March 19, 2024)
From the outside looking in, Crissy Dowling is living a life of luxury thanks to the cabaret number she performs that's become popular. But, she's been involved with a married Senator and spends her days operating with the help of Adderall and Valium. Nothing changes her path until her sister Betsey enters her curated world. Suddenly, the owner of the casino Crissy performs is found murdered and there seems to be secrets lurking behind every door.
The Truth About the Devlins by Lisa Scottoline (March 26, 2024)
Nothing hurts worse than when your family is disappointed in you and that's something TJ Devlin is familiar with. He's the only one whose path included prison time and a drinking problem, but he still finds himself working at the firm his family is know for. Thinking that he's still the worst sibling, his mind changes after he learns about a murder his brother committed. Determined to help his big brother, he begins feverishly piecing together an investigation that can save him.
But, all of this does is bring forth more hidden secrets about the perfect family he's always known.
While We Were Burning by Sara Koffi (April 16, 2024)
Feeling untethered after a death hits too close to home, Elizabeth Smith decides to outsource help in the form of Brianna. They quickly form a bond that results in the latter trying to help her uncover what really happened to her best friend. What Elizabeth comes to realize is that Brianna also wants to figure out why her son died at the hands of the police. What both of them will find has the potential to change how they see each other.
The Lady Waiting by Magdalena Zyzak (May 7, 2024)
This over-the-top novel is being billed as The White Lotus meets The Talented Mr. Ripley as it follows Viva, a Polish transplant in LA who gets seduced by a charismatic couple into being an accomplice in an international art heist.
Look In the Mirror (July 30, 2024)
Nina inherits her father's property in the Virgin Islands and it almost feels like too much for a man who wasn't flashy. In the midst of trying to figure out why her father kept this a secret from her, she realizes the man she thought she knew may have been someone else. The same is true for young Maria, a nanny whose curiosity gets the best of her.
The Best New Science Fiction Books
Womb City by Tlotlo Tsamaase
Nelah seems like she's living an idyllic life, but her husband has the ability to track everything she does thanks to a microchip impant. Instead of facing her reality, she makes the fatal mistake of claiming an innocent life who begins to haunt her. The only way to make things right is understand what said victim was working on uncovering about the government that controls their society.
The Stardust Grailby Yume Kitasei (June 11, 2024)
Did you know art thieves can exist in space? If you didn't, The Stardust Grail wants to introduce you to the skilled and cunning Maya Hoshimoto. She made a living by help alien societies recover things that were taken from them, but one event ended terribly for her. She decides to lay low and focus on building a quiet life, but her visions are becoming too disturbing for her to ignore.
When she takes on a job that involves something that everyone seems to want in their possession, she goes on a harrowing journey that reveals her enemy may be closer than she realizes.
Which of these best new books from 2024 will you add to your reading list? Let us know and check our Amazon storefront for more book recommendations!
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This post has been updated.