logo
episode-header-image
Aug 21
40m 30s

Sara Cox: I need to be left alone! How t...

Fearne Cotton
About this episode

Are you obsessed with finding the best books – yes, multiple – to read on holiday? Broadcaster Sara Cox is!


Welcome to The Happy Place Guide To Holidays! In this chat – brought to you by British Airways Holidays – Fearne and Sara share their thoughts on how to take your holiday reading more seriously. They natter about the joy of reading a novel set in the country you’re holidaying in, and whether the vivid descriptions of a location have inspired them to travel there themselves.


They also swap their own experiences of writing books, and reveal the beautiful locations that have informed elements of their own novels. Plus, Sara explains why she’s trying to stop writing about characters who are useless and dysfunctional in her books, and why she’s re-living her party-girl days...


You can find a list of all of Fearne and Sara’s recommended reads below!


British Airways Holidays are ATOL protected, offer a 24hr holiday helpline, and allow you to book with a low deposit. All holidays include a generous baggage allowance per person. Go to Ba.com/holidays to find out more.


Fearne and Sara’s reading list:


Remarkably Bright Creatures – Shelby Van Pelt

Girls – Kirsty Capes

Memoirs of a Geisha – Arthur Golden

Butter – Asako Yuzuki

The Convenience Store Woman – Sayaka Murata

The Island – Victoria Hislop

Daisy Jones And The Six – Taylor Jenkins Reid

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo – Taylor Jenkins Reid

Carrie Soto Is Back – Taylor Jenkins Reid

Girl On A Train – Paula Hawkins

The Compound – Aisling Rawle

Ma’am Darling – Craig Brown

Lady In Waiting – Anne Glenconner

Chocolat – Joanne Harris

The Thousand Lights Hotel - Emylia Hall


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Yesterday
Jack Whitehall: “Just act like you’re confident!” How to cope with embarrassing moments
<p>Nervous and embarrassed? Don’t let it show! Comedian Jack Whitehall has died on stage plenty of times, but never gives people the satisfaction of knowing it’s got to him.</p><br><p>In this chat with Fearne, Jack explains how to power through the awkward moments and give off an ... Show More
1h 4m
Nov 17
Spencer Matthews: "I lack empathy!" Managing addiction and victim mentality
<p>What limiting beliefs do you hold about yourself? Spencer Matthews has embraced his sense of adventure in order to explore his full potential.</p><br><p>In this chat with Fearne, Spencer gets into the shame he felt while he was drinking, why he’s now channelling his addictive ... Show More
52m 37s
Nov 13
Book Club Meets: “I’m a love and sex addict!” Elizabeth Gilbert copes with co-dependency and grief
You might know Elizabeth Gilbert as the author of Eat Pray Love; now, she’s written All The Way To The River, charting her electric, heart-breaking relationship with her partner Rayya, who died in 2018.In this Book Club chat, Fearne explains that she chose this to be part of the ... Show More
55m 14s
Recommended Episodes
Oct 20
Season 8, Episode 12: Reading Mishaps + Travels and Book Buying
On this episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Kaytee are discussing: Bookish Moments: accidental reads and jumbled audiobooks Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately Deep Dive: the way we buy books while traveling The Founta ... Show More
1h 3m
Jun 2023
Season 5, Episode 46: Reading in Perfect Time + Bookish Travel Agents
<p class="" data-pm-slice="0 0 []">On this week's episode of Currently Reading, Kaytee and Mary are discussing:</p> <ul data-rte-list="default"> <li> <p class=""><strong>Bookish Moments</strong>: reading on certain dates and galley homework</p> </li> <li> <p class=""><strong>Curr ... Show More
48m 12s
Nov 2024
Happyish Holidays: The Worst Thanksgiving Ever?
Subscribe to TTFA Anthologies here. Two days after Nora’s husband Aaron died, she celebrated Thanksgiving with her family. Well... maybe not “celebrated.”  Every year, millions of people do the same thing during the holidays. In this episode, we talk with some of those folks, in ... Show More
56m 45s
Nov 2024
AITA: Happyish Holidays Edition
Subscribe to TTFA Anthologies here. If the holidays make you want to tear your hair out or cry on the bathroom floor, YOU ARE NOT ALONE. It's a hard time for a lot of people, and still we have to force a smile and say through gritted teeth, "Happy Holidays!" But the holidays are ... Show More
59 m
Jan 2025
BIG Summer Book Club : Uplifting reads for Mental Wellbeing + a deep dive with Julie Goodwin
Summer is here, and if you're looking for your next read, Jess has you covered! In this episode of the Big Summer Book Club, Jess shares the books that have been a source of strength, inspiration, and hope during challenging times, offering her invaluable support for her mental w ... Show More
50m 10s
May 2025
Season 7, Episode 39: Brain Farts + Reading Canadian
<p class="" data-pm-slice="1 1 []">On this episode of Currently Reading, Kaytee and Roxanna are discussing:</p> <ul data-rte-list="default"> <li> <p class=""><strong>Bookish Moments:</strong> shifts in our reading and brain farts</p> </li> <li> <p class=""><strong>Current Reads</ ... Show More
1h 12m
Jul 2022
Travel chaos: how to get your money and luggage back
There’ve been thousands of flight cancellations and scenes of chaos at UK airports, so this Money Clinic episode is packed with advice about your consumer rights if your travel plans go wrong. Host Claer Barrett, the FT’s consumer editor, hears from listeners battling to get thei ... Show More
24m 19s
Dec 2024
The Best Books Of All Time
The summer holidays are upon us and that means we’re all in desperate need of some new reading material. So whether you’re planning to laze by a pool, hide from your family, or you need something to get lost in while you still have to work over the holidays, we have you covered. ... Show More
36m 15s
Dec 2024
Episode 509 || Best Books of the Year with Hunter Mclendon
<p>This week on From the Front Porch, Annie and Hunter (<a href='https://www.instagram.com/shelfbyshelf/'>@shelfbyshelf</a>) discuss their top 10 favorite books of 2024.</p> <p>To purchase the books mentioned in this episode, stop by The Bookshelf in Thomasville, <a href='https:/ ... Show More
57m 36s