Emily Ohanjanians' debut novel is A DELIGHT. I cannot wait for the world to meet Ana and Ryan. At times, I HOWLED with laughter. Slow burn steam, the misunderstanding that started it all, and a grand gesture to rival all grand gestures. Oh ya, and Emily writes publishing insider baseball like only a true publishing insider can. As a friend and former colleague of hers, climbing inside her brain like this was the coolest. I will not stop talking about this book.

Don't miss this one. You'll thank me.

When I read the synopsis of The Book Tour, I immediately knew I had to read it. It’s captivating and takes the familiar ‘road trip romance’ trope and gives it a thoughtful, emotional twist.

Ana is a rising self-help author with a fast-growing empire which consists of podcast and a potential television series (she’s definitely giving Alex Cooper energy). She’s gearing up to promote her debut novel, but when her publicist unexpectedly drops out, Ryan steps in. What starts as a stormy partnership with underlying miscommunication slowly clears as they journey across American cities accompanied by Maral and Shanti. Sparks fly, walls come down, steamy connections are made, and raw vulnerabilities are exposed. But sometimes the people delivering self-help and motivational talks are the ones quietly unraveling on the inside.

What I didn’t expect was the profound depth woven through the pages. Emily explores intergenerational divides, the weight of grief, and the cultural silence and emotional repression so many first-gen immigrant kids experience with their parents. It’s a deeply complicated relationship, and she really sinks her teeth into the nuanced, often painful dynamic especially when it comes to matriarchal toxicity, which will resonate across many cultural backgrounds.

Honestly, there were moments I felt a content warning might have helped (always thinking of my fellow girlies while reading), but truthfully? This is a lived reality for so many, and I applaud Emily for giving it the space to breathe as a core arc. It’s bold, it’s healing, and it’s so necessary.

Also, I had to pause at the beauty of this line:
“Sensing my stare, he raises his gaze to meet mine, his expression softening like a peony in bloom.”
 My heart. Sometimes it’s one simple line in a book that stays with you. Plus the opening sentence of this book is a stunner.

I cannot wait for readers to devour this book in 2026 eeeek, the countdown has begun! Thank you so much, Emily, for the digital ARC! As always, thank you so much Random House Canada! What a journey.