Episode 6

The Re-Read: Jodi McAlister

Welcome to The Re-Read: bonus episodes where we chat with previous Better Words guests and catch up on what's happened since they joined us on the pod.


Dr Jodi McAlister is a romance author and romance scholar. Her latest novel is Not Here To Make Friends.

Listen to our previous chat with Jodi here.

You can follow @jodimcalister on Instagram

In this interview, we chat about:

  • The complex reality TV world Jodi created across her rom-com trilogy, including exploring the series 'villains' in the final book
  • Writing the third book in dual perspective and why this took Jodi by surprise (and why it was 'harder than all six of my previous books combined')
  • Could Love Island inspire another series in the future?
  • How Jodi planned the series, including plotting a season of a fictional dating show
  • Jodi's next romance series and upcoming academic projects

Not Here to Make Friends is available now in Australia, along with Jodi's other books.

Connect with us on Instagram: @betterwordspod

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About your hosts

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Caitlin Toohey

Hi, I'm Caitlin! I've been on bookstagram since 2016, a podcaster since 2017, and worked in publishing since 2019. So books and reading are my entire life. When I'm not reading, I like listening to Taylor Swift, watching sitcoms, and generally being a theatre kid.
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Michelle Gately

Hi, I'm Michelle! I'm an Aussie living in the UK, working as a bookseller. I'm obsessed with storytelling in all its forms – I spend as much time watching TV or listening to podcasts as I do reading. Other hobbies include bouldering, hiking and generally obsessing about my pug Percy.