Kristina Forest Spills the Tea on Romance, Writing, and the End of an Era
Hey, Well Read Baddies! You already know we love a good romance novel over here, so we were beyond hyped to have Kristina Forest on the pod for a minisode. She's the brilliant mind behind The Neighbor Favor, The Partner Plot, and her latest release, The Love Lyric—aka the final book in her Greene sisters series (😭).
In this minisode, we got into everything—from her writing process to #booktok’s impact on the industry to whether The Love Lyric might just be her steamiest book in the series yet (spoiler: it is 👀). Plus, during coffee break, we took some time to process the potential tiktok ban and spiral over Beyoncé's latest mystery announcement (FYI, this was recorded on January 13th and we’re still waiting for news on both). Here were some of our key takeaways and fave moments from the convo-
Who is Kristina Forest?
If you're not already obsessed with Kristina's books, first of all… fix that immediately. She writes both adult and YA romance, and her stories have that early 2000s rom-com magic mixed with deep emotional storytelling. Her Greene sisters series follows three sisters on their journeys through love, life, and personal growth, and with The Love Lyric, she’s officially wrapping up their stories (screaming, crying, throwing up).
When she’s not writing, Kristina is that girl who knows the ins and outs of the publishing industry (because fun fact: she used to work in it) and somehow makes balancing multiple book releases look easy.
Key Moments from the Episode
Coffee Break: the TikTok ban, Beyoncé, and existential crises
Before we got into the book talk, we had to address the biggest pop culture headlines:
📱 R.I.P. TikTok??
This app has us all in a chokehold, so the idea of losing it hurts. We talked about how tiktok has become an emotional support app for so many people and how the ban could impact book marketing, small businesses, and indie creators. Kristina also shared that while she mainly uses tiktok for brain rot content (relatable), she’s noticed how non-bookish people have discovered her books through the app—aka proof that tiktok’s reach is unmatched.
👑 Beyoncé’s mystery announcement
We are once again losing our minds over a cryptic Bey drop. Is it a tour? A new act? A rock album?? We had theories but ultimately decided to just let her cook.
Get Into The Guest!
✨ Writing romance that feels real but still gives you butterflies
Kristina has mastered the art of making romance feel both escapist and relatable. Her approach? She starts with high-concept, dreamy scenarios (falling for an R&B singer, running into your ex in vegas, etc.) but makes sure the execution feels realistic. She’s all about asking, “Okay, this is unlikely to happen… but if it did, how would it actually play out?”
🌶️ Is The Love Lyric her spiciest book yet?
So let's talk about the heat level 👀🔥 This question came from Lana, who noticed that The Partner Plot was way spicier than The Neighbor Favor and needed to know what was up! Kristina broke it down for us—turns out, the spice level is all about the characters.
The Partner Plot had two characters with major history (aka lovers-to-exes-back to-lovers energy), which naturally led to a more intense dynamic. However, when it comes to The Love Lyric, Kristina was very intentional about making it even steamier because Iris, the main character, hasn’t been with anyone in years. She deserved top-tier, make-up-for-lost-time kind of passion, and let’s just say… Angel delivered. 😏
📖 #Booktok changed the game (and the industry is still catching up)
As a former publishing pro, Kristina gave us the inside scoop on how booktok has shifted the way books are marketed and sold. Her take? Romance, fantasy, and mystery/thriller books have benefitted the most, while literary fiction is still more traditional in its reach. She also made a great point about booktok being grassroots, meaning books go viral because real people love them—not because a publisher pushed them.
👯♀️ Sisterhood inspo for the Greene sisters series
This question actually came from a follower on threads! (yes, we still check Threads despite dragging it earlier in the episode LMAO). If you ever have a question for an upcoming guest, make sure to follow our instagram stories, threads, and the bookum book club—you never know when your question might be featured on the pod! 💕
Okay, now for the plot twist: Kristina doesn’t actually have sisters! Instead, she pulled from her lifelong friendships (she’s been besties with the same girls since she was five) and her experience growing up with three older brothers. She's seen firsthand how different sibling dynamics play out, especially in how relationships with parents can vary. All of that went into shaping the Greene sisters and their relationships.
Final Thoughts + What’s Next For Kristina
We wrapped things up with some reflections on how bittersweet it is to say goodbye to the Greene sisters series. Kristina got real about the emotions behind closing out a project that changed her career and what’s next for her (spoiler: a new romance series is in the works!!!).
So, if you love romance, deep storytelling, and books that make you feel something, you need to read The Love Lyric. Like, immediately.
📚 Where to find Kristina:
• Instagram: @kristinaforest_
• Website: kristinaforest.com
• The Love Lyric is out now! Grab a copy here.
🎧 Listen to the full episode: https://pod.link/1506524661
💬 Have a question for our next guest? Drop it in our IG stories, Threads, or the Bookum book club and you might hear it on the pod! 📖✨
XOXO,
Lana and Sam
