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Some books don’t just retell a classic — they hold your hand through a hard season. In this episode, I’m joined by Virginia Kantra to talk about Anne of a Different Island, a modern homage to Anne of Green Gables set in the shadow of COVID, nostalgia, and finding your way forward when life doesn’t follow the script.

We talk about why Anne Shirley still resonates more than a century later, how stories help us process collective trauma, and why comfort reads matter — especially for readers who came of age during the pandemic. This conversation is about resilience, imagination, chosen paths, and the quiet power of books to make us feel seen.

Anne of a Different Island by Virginia Kantra — Contemporary women’s fiction | Romance elements

How to Read a Book by Monica Wood — Literary fiction | Found family

Far and Away by Amy Poeppel — Contemporary women’s fiction

The Last Letter from Rachel Allworth by Barbara O’Neal — Emotional women’s fiction

How Simi Got Her Groove Back by Sonali Dev — Contemporary romance

[00:00] Welcome + Virginia Kantra’s writing journey

[04:00] Why Anne of Green Gables still matters

[08:30] Why Anne of a Different Island is set on Mackinac Island

[16:45] Writing COVID into fiction — without retraumatizing readers

[24:00] Healthy relationships vs. romanticized toxicity

[33:00] Comfort reads, nostalgia, and emotional safety in books

[41:00] Book recommendations for hard seasons

[49:00] Classroom libraries, book bans, and why representation matters

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