Insider #13: Bold Girl Spring, Aries Season Energy = Reset Everything
This week includes: Four bold romance reads, a fiery reading routine refresh, and a peek at what I watched, read, and recorded this week.
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Insider #13: Bold Girl Spring, Aries Season Energy = Reset Everything
Pollen: 1. Me: 0.
I really tried to romanticize spring this week, I swear. The weather has been chef’s kiss—hot but breezy, perfect for reading outside and pretending I'm in a Regency garden party. But no amount of cute outfits or iced coffee could protect me from the onslaught of tree sperm.
I fought it. I rebelled. I ventured out like a bold heroine in a second-chance romance. And then I promptly got wrecked by pollen.
That said, before I was knocked out by nature, I had a really fun week content-wise—including recording an upcoming interview with Eloisa James (!!!). We chatted about her upcoming release, Hardly a Gentleman, and went on a deep dive about the evolution of romance through the ages. I’ll be sharing that convo later this month, but starting next week here on Substack I’m launching a new Friday feature series—deep diving the romance genre through the decades!
But now, let’s talk about Bold Girl Spring.
Bold Girl Spring: 3 Romance Recs to Reset Your TBR
If you’ve been feeling stuck in a reading rut, this is your sign to shake things up. Bold Girl Spring is all about impulse picks, unexpected tropes, and chasing the kinds of stories that set your brain (and heart) on fire.
Here are three books that gave me exactly that spark:
The Bone King and the Starling by Elizabeth Stephens
Grab this book on Amazon (Available on Kindle Unlimited)
⚠️ Content warning: dark themes including non-con, violence, and abuse.
Why I picked it up: I kept seeing this one everywhere last week and had to know what the buzz was about. It’s Viking. It’s dark. It’s primal. It’s unlike anything I’ve read—and it absolutely delivered.
He’s a beast of a warlord. She’s a low-status thrall. When he demands a warm body for his furs, guess who gets chosen?
Sunastara & The Venusian by Jess K. Hardy
Grab this book on Amazon (Available on Kindle Unlimited)
⚠️ Content warning: loss of a child (in the past)
Why I picked it up: I’m putting together a list of romance books set on a cruise or boat (coming soon 👀), and when I saw this described as a little bit Star Trek, a little bit Love Boat, and a touch of The Fifth Element? Instant read.
She’s the hospitality specialist on an interstellar pleasure cruise. He’s her once-in-a-lifetime hookup turned new crewmember. Now they’re coworkers—with very unresolved tension.
It’s chaotic and gives off big found-family-in-space vibes with plenty of steam.
A Duke Never Tells by Suzanne Enoch
Why I picked it up: I’ve liked Suzanne Enoch in the past, but this premise was just too fun to resist. Everyone’s pretending to be someone else—and falling for the “wrong” person.
She’s an heiress undercover as a maid. He’s a duke undercover as a butler. Shenanigans? Absolutely. Two romances? Yes, please.
This one is a historical romcom packed with mistaken identities, romantic entanglements, and pure Regency chaos. Basically, just a lot of fun!
Community Rec: Bold Girl Spring Pick from Amanda
Sometimes your book besties just know. This week, Amanda messaged me about a new fave that immediately shot to the top of her 2025 list:
For Pleasure or Worse by Karissa Kinword
Grab this book on Amazon (Available on Kindle Unlimited)
This one's the second book in Karissa Kinword’s Dirty Delta series—a spicy romcom about a cam couple juggling wedding plans and chaotic families while keeping their double life secret. It’s wild, warm, and full of heart (and heat).
Secret identities, NSFW side hustles, meddling relatives, and wedding chaos? This sounds like a Bold Girl Spring read if I’ve ever seen one.
Thanks Amanda for the rec—you nailed the vibe 🔥
Do you have a book rec that is perfect for Bold Girl Spring?
Resetting My Routine (Aries Style)
This week, I’ve also been taking tiny steps to reset my habits and routines—nothing huge, just a few little tweaks that feel like me again:
Replacing doomscrolling with something that actually replenishes me. Lately, that’s been planning time—usually with a good playlist and something fruity to drink.
Embracing the “simple is better” mindset in how I organize everything—from my daily schedule to how I track my reading goals.
This is the same approach I’m taking with the new Notion system I’m building. It’s going to feel like a digital bullet journal: intuitive, minimal, and zero stress. Until then, if you haven’t grabbed my Notion Reading Tracker yet, it’s the perfect way to start fresh without the overwhelm. And I loooove using it!
Want to organize your reading life? Snag the Notion Reading Tracker here →
What’s New This Week
Here’s what went live this week across Substack, the blog, YouTube, and the podcast:
On Substack
The Lounge #4: The Ultimate Aries Reading Reset
Get book recs for every Bolg Girl Spring trope you should read this season + a downloadable reset guide and journaling prompts (for paid members)April Book Club Pick
Join us this month for a fun road-tripy read full of pining and shenanigans.
On the Blog
How to Set Up a Reading Routine
Build a routine that feels sustainable—not stressful, by letting your Zodiac help you.Aries Season Reading Reset
Tap into the fiery energy of Aries season to reignite your reading life.
On YouTube & the Podcast
What Astrology Reveals About Your Failed Reading Goals
Don’t blame your planner—blame the stars (okay, maybe both).9 Must-Read April 2025 Book Releases
Your April TBR just got a little bolder.
On Novel Hour Live Show
Bookish Tea & Gossip Session (April 1)
We spilled the tea on Meta’s sketchy book database, authors writing under pen names, and other behind-the-scenes drama.Celebrating Autism Rep in Romance (April 4)
In honor of Autism Awareness Month, we shared 9 romances featuring amazing characters on the spectrum—thoughtful, joyful, and 100% worth reading.
Join us every Thursday at 12PM EST for our regular Novel Hour show on Youtube. Every other Monday at 12PM EST for the Bookish Tea edition on Youtube. And after every show, come over to Substack live for the after show. The after show live is free for all Substack members.
Did you miss last week’s Insider? Check it out here:
New Releases This Week: Mar 31 - Apr 6
A fresh stack of books just dropped! Whether you're craving romance, mysteries or paranormal, here's what hit the shelves this week.
🖤 = Recommended Read
Featured New Releases (Mar 31 - Apr 6):
Swept Away by Beth O'Leary
Strangers-to-lovers + stranded at sea + forced proximity = vibes.
Buy on Amazon
Say You’ll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez 🖤
Long distance love, emotional family stakes, and the perfect date that changes everything.
Buy on Amazon
A Duke Never Tells by Suzanne Enoch 🖤
Everyone’s pretending to be someone else in this mistaken-identity Regency romcom.
Buy on Amazon
The Stolen Bride by Gena Showalter (Kings of Fury #2) 🖤
Feral fantasy king. Berserker chaos. Twin plot twist. And one wild mission.
Buy on Amazon
Bound in Blood by Sadie Kincaid (Broken Bloodlines #3)
The epic finale in this dark paranormal fantasy series. Fated mates, magic, and war.
Buy on Amazon
💡 Looking for More? Our book database is packed full of April releases. The Book Vault is a paid member feature.
What I Watched This Week: Weak Hero Class 1 on Netflix
This week, I binged Season 1 & 2 of Weak Hero Class 1, and let me tell you—if you’re into intense school dramas with strong emotional arcs, this one hits hard. Did I cry? Yep. Not for the faint of heart, check content warnings.
Weak Hero Class 1
Originally released in 2022, this South Korean drama is based on the popular webtoon Weak Hero and just dropped globally on Netflix on March 25, 2025.
It follows Yeon Si Eun (played by Park Ji Hoon), a quiet top student who tries to use his brains, not brawn, to fight back against brutal school bullies. That is until brawn is the only option left. With the help of two unlikely allies—Ahn Su Ho (Choi Hyun Wook) and Oh Beom Seok (Hong Kyung)—he forms a trio that takes on high school violence one battle at a time.
Content warnings: Graphic violence, bullying, abuse, emotional trauma
It’s emotional, gritty, and surprisingly heartfelt—and the fight scenes are incredibly well choreographed. Highly recommend if you're looking for a darker, high-stakes series that still delivers major feels.
💬 Your Turn!
Got a Bold Girl Spring book you’re obsessed with right now?
Hit reply or drop it in the comments—I would love to feature your picks!
Sharing our love for books as Under the Covers Book Blog since 2011, running the Romanceopoly yearly reading challenge since 2019 and hosting the Reading Under the Covers podcast since 2020. Launched Mysterylandia in 2025.