Read This Book Only If You’re Emotionally Prepared

Hi, happy Friday! Today’s letter is packed, so let’s get straight into it.

• ICYMI: I interviewed author and friend Becca Freeman about what it’s really like to be an author and about her new romance novel, Back Where We Started, which is out NOW!

• Need a rec? Our reader chat is the spot to ask! Recent threads include the best long bathrobe recs, our favorite books set in London, and reader Christina is in search of your best small cordless lamp recs.

Today’s letter is sponsored in part by AERIN Beauty.

Switching to a signature fragrance for fall

When the temps start to cool down, I pull out all of my warm, gourmand fragrances that just feel cozy and delicious. I was excited to try AERIN Beauty’s just-launched fragrance, Amber Musk Pistache, and it delivered what I was looking for: can’t-stop-sniffing-my-wrists delicious, complex, and not too cloying, which are all traits I look for in a gourmand scent. Amber Musk Pistache is inspired by the “smell of an artisanal pastry shop” with notes of pistachio cream, almond blossoms, vanilla, amber, and sandalwood. YUM. The bottle and packaging are so gorgeous, too. Treat yourself with this perfect little luxury.*

*Sponsored mention

This week, I read the much-buzzed-about Switzy by Emma Cline, and was completely blown away. It was a five-star read for me, though I’ll say up front that it’s absolutely not for everyone given the subject matter, so approach with caution!

David, a once-successful businessman, has been diagnosed with dementia and has decided to end his life at a clinic in Switzerland (hence, “Switzy”). Before he goes, he sets out with his assistant, Cody, to visit his estranged wife, his daughter, and a childhood friend. It’s a heavy premise, but what unsettled me most was how Cline tells it. We’re inside David’s stream of consciousness, and as his memory slips, he becomes an increasingly unreliable narrator, as if he's stuck in a dream. He loses track of conversations that just happened, of where he is and why, and bitterness eats at him alongside bursts of earnest longing for connection. I kept comparing him to a toddler, with the wild mood swings and the fierce insistence on independence. It’s both frustrating and terribly sad, because isn’t that what happens when we age? (Under Story comes to mind.)

This is one that will stay with me for a long time. I actually looked up Emma Cline’s age (37!) because I’m blown away by how convincingly she could step into this man’s mind. I listened to it on audio, which made it even more immersive. I highly recommend it if you can stomach the disorienting experience.

If you read this, what did you think? And if not, are you reading anything good this week?