5 Best Apps of the Week: An App to Make You a Genius + More!

Lisa Raphael
Aug 08, 2015

If you’re following along from last week, I have great news in personal app land. My Scratch search for the right pair of sandals (to replace my old trusty set) resulted in three solid options, one of which I’m going to buy. How cool is that? Don’t say apps never did anything for you; you just may not have found the right one yet (you, me and Kaitlyn Bristowe both). I’m moving onto replacing my old green suede booties next, but in the meantime, here are five new and updated apps from the week that are making headlines, making downloads and making your weekend!

1. Gif Wallet: If only we could all really use GIFs as currency, many of us would be RICH thanks to all of those Real Housewives and cartoons and facial expressions worth watching on a loop. This app lets you stash away the keepers and easily pull them out whenever and wherever they deserve to go — emails, messages, presentations, you’re covered.

DL It: Free on iOS

2. Darkroom 2: Don’t call it a comeback, since all iPhone photogs already know and love this photo app, but the update to this insta-favorite (and Instagram favorite) puts it in a whole new league. 14 new features including new tools Color and Tone, the ability to inset your photo when adding white borders for Instagram + a better ways to create, manage and share custom filters will make it your go to if it isn’t already.

DL It: Free on iOS, in-app purchases $1.99 – $5.99

3. MoodNotes: Journaling on your smartphone or even smarter wearable just got a makeover that actually makes sense. This quirky thought catcher and mood tracker asks you how you’re doing. You can add a smiley/frowny face and more context if you want, which will be helpful when looking at the landscape of your emotions over time. The app was created by clinical psychologists and wants to help you avoid “common thinking traps” and find new perspectives when it comes to your happiness and well-being.

DL It: $4 on iOS

4. Genius: Brand-new on Android and updated on iOS, you might remember (and possibly love) this app from its beginnings as Rap Genius. Like Urban Dictionary in grad school, Genius has grown to be more than just a database for context and background to rap lyrics. The site and app now span all music genres and are growing to annotate and add context to the written world. The new app features a new video player, the ability to Shazam (or, in this case, Gracenote) a song you’re listening to and will take you directly to the Bible verses and poems being rapped about.

DL It: Free on Android and iOS

5. Shifu: Speaking of geniuses, this newly designed app joins the army of downloads looking to make your smartphone smarter — psychic even. A Product Hunt feature this week, Shifu is an intelligent personal assistant that gets to know you, your to do list and your behavior in order to anticipate what you need to do next, on or off the phone. Beyond what you need to do, Shifu wants to help you figure out what you CAN do, empowering you to use your free time and your location in the wisest way.

DL It: Free on Android

What is the last app you downloaded? Share your favorites with us below!

Create Stunning Visuals On The Go With Photoshop's Free New App

Whether your passion is in fashion, music, home decor, or something entirely different, we all love sharing our unique POV on social and with friends. Now, with the new free Photoshop mobile app for iPhone (with Android on the way), editing photos, crafting mood and vision boards for a goal-setting 2025, or simply exploring your creative side with photography and design is so easy and so fun. You can literally use it anywhere!

Check out the new Photoshop mobile app editing and design features!

Adobe Photoshop

We've tinkered with Photoshop’s image editing and design tools, such as layering, masking and the popular Firefly-powered Generative Fill, for work and play and they are just as pro-grade as the desktop version but so simple to use on the go. You can work on the same projects across devices, and access Adobe Stock library of hundreds of thousands of free assets. Not a quote "designer"? The app makes it easy for anyone to explore and create.

Adobe Photoshop

Here are just some of the amazing features:

  • Create unique images and designs by combining, compositing and blending images with tools like selections, layers and masks
  • Remove, recolor, or replace parts of an image with the intuitive Tap Select tool
  • Remove flaws like the Spot Healing Brush to brush away distractions in seconds
  • Use Gen AI tools like Generative Fill and Generative Expand to easily add new elements to designs and quickly edit photos
  • Integrate with creative apps including Adobe Express, Adobe Fresco and Adobe Lightroom
  • Add, replace and create with a vast library of hundreds of thousands of free Adobe Stock assets

Adobe Photoshop

The Generative Fill tool is a total game changer. Remove photo bombers or unwanted distractions from your background to achieve the perfect shot every time. You can also drop Photoshop files into Adobe Express for free to add animations, music, schedule social posts across all major platforms and so much more.

Adobe Photoshop

It's truly our favorite new app of 2025. Download it now and tap into the endless designs that elevate your photos and fuel your passions this year. Happy designing!

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10 Home Decor Ideas I'm Stealing From This "Cozy" Sun Valley Renovation

Mountain homes naturally have a cozy charm thanks to the landscape and serene surroundings, but with the right design approach, you can elevate the look beyond "log cabin chic" toward a dreamy, sophisticated sanctuary. Designer Sierra Fox of Studio Mountain is known for blending rustic warmth with modern elegance and her latest project is all of the above and more. Nestled in the breathtaking landscape of Sun Valley, Idaho, this five-bedroom, five-and-a-half-bathroom retreat is surrounded by sweeping mountain views and stunning natural beauty, both of which influenced Sierra’s design. Now on the market and listed by her sister, Delaney, this home is full of inspiring details. "Delaney and I work together to design each home to have a unique and custom feeling, from the decision about the property location all the way down to fabrics on the furniture," says Sierra. "It can be really fun to get to work with family and it helps us spend more time together than we would otherwise."

Here are 10 home decor ideas I can't get enough of in this cozy renovation.

Aimee Mazzenga

1. Warm, Organic Elements

Inspired by the snowy mountain landscape, Sierra filled the home with warm, organic elements that strike the perfect balance between sophistication and comfort. Linen slipcovered chairs from Jenni Kayne, reclaimed oak dining table from RH, paper lantern lighting, and rich oak flooring create a sense of cozy elegance, while a flood of natural light makes the home feel so inviting.

Aimee Mazzenga

2. Marble For Dramatic Impact

Sierra prioritized timeless materials, clean lines, and a fluid indoor-outdoor connection. The kitchen features Italian Calacatta Viola marble (a popular kitchen trend), adding a bit of drama to the quiet luxury aesthetic.

Aimee Mazzenga

3. Custom Cabinetry

Custom white oak millwork and floors frame the snowy outdoors, making the inside feel warm and beautiful.

Aimee Mazzenga

4. This Dining Nook

I'm obsessed with this breakfast nook with custom banquette, CB2 oak dining table, and a bunch of throw pillows from places like Jenni Kayne and custom from Sierra's Studio Mtn Shop. It's a showstopper and a place to get cozy and gather, day or night.

Aimee Mazzenga

5. Investment Appliances

A 55” Lacanche range and Fisher & Paykel appliances balance high-quality functionality with elevated aesthetics.

Aimee Mazzenga

6. Open Shelving

Open shelving, to me, is the perfect way to add personality to your kitchen. I adore beautiful glassware and pottery, and it's the ideal space to showcase your favorite collections.

Aimee Mazzenga

7. Organization & Symmetry

One of the greatest challenges of the project was maintaining a sense of warmth and intimacy within the home’s expansive, modern layout. Sierra achieved this by layering lighting, incorporating rich material contrasts like oak and marble and being thoughtful about spatial planning.

Sierra's tip for making a space feel cohesive?

"Don't be afraid to start from scratch on a blank canvas, focusing on just a few key feelings you want to evoke from your space (serenity, energy, coziness, etc)," she says. "If you can pare down to the core feelings you want from the space, it helps to make all decisions after that from inspiration images all the way down to your silverware easier to make. When you have a cohesive idea of what you want to feel, it helps define and focus the end result."

Aimee Mazzenga

By using the same cabinetry throughout the home, Sierra creates a sense of cohesion and balance. This design choice enhances the home's flow, making each space feel thoughtfully connected. And this bedroom moment — framing the breathtaking mountain landscape — is simply lovely.

Aimee Mazzenga

Who's ready for the most luxurious bath? The symmetry here with the matching Jenni Kayne sheepskin rugs is making me swoon. I also love the use of actual drapes in the bathroom, perfect for this large window. "Incorporating shapes and texture into a design is the best way to make sure that neutrals stay interesting and elevated," says Sierra.

Aimee Mazzenga

8. Mixed Materials

When you're designing a neutral home, experimenting with unique textures is key to making it not boring. Pairing tactile elements like woven accents, natural stone, and soft textiles can bring warmth and interest to otherwise simple spaces.

"For the bedrooms, we wanted the bedrooms to feel serene and neutral while still cozy and warm," says Sierra. "We drew from our California vernacular in terms of color pallete, but blended with more mountain forward textures like shearling and antique rugs for a refined but rustic feel."

Aimee Mazzenga

A simple marble end table paired with a upholstered reading chair is the perfect balance of hard and soft.

Aimee Mazzenga

9. Tadelakt Finishes

Tadelakt, a traditional Moroccan lime plaster, adds an artistic and organic element to the space. Paired with this stone sink, it's the ultimate in earthy decor.

Aimee Mazzenga

10. Elegant Storage

Everything in the home has a purpose, and the thoughtful storage solutions, like the Annora Bookcase from AllModern, keep the space clean and minimal, allowing the luxe furnishings and breathtaking views to take center stage.

Aimee Mazzenga

Custom cabinetry, built-in consoles, and sleek bookshelves contribute to an organized aesthetic, making the entire home feel curated and intentionally designed. The result is a home that feels luxurious, deeply connected to its natural surroundings, and designed for both comfort and timeless beauty.

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5 Easy Tips for Making Your Instagram Feed Stand Out

PicMonkey
None

It’s no secret that us millennials love social media. We’re always sharing photos of everything we eat, double-tapping into the late hours of the night, and spending more time interacting online than with our own besties. So why aren’t we racking up thousands of followers yet?

We’ve teamed up with PicMonkey, our favorite photo and design editor program, to show you how you can easily use their online and mobile features to build an Instagram presence that is as cool as you are IRL. And guess what? You can get a sneak peek of the updated program while it’s still being finalized.

Ready? Scroll on for five simple ways to uplevel your social media presence.

TIP 1: PHOTOGRAPHY 101 IS KEY

If you didn’t snap a pic, did it even happen?! Creating a strong social media presence begins with taking interesting photos — this is when you want to stand out! Here are a few tried and true rules we’ve learned along the way:

Seek out colorful subjects. If you’ve stalked our Instagram, you’ve probably noticed we’re obsessed with capturing beautiful flowers, pattern walls, and intricate desserts. Basically, anything over the top that will grab our followers’ attention!

When styling or snapping photos, we love to focus on an odd number of items. It allows the photo to feel well balanced without being too symmetrical. For example, three stemmed roses are usually better than two.

Most importantly, turn your flash off, and embrace chasing that natural light. Look for bright spaces that will allow your photo to pop.

Psst: This online photography class will be your new best friend!

TIP#2: EXPERIMENT WITH CREATIVE TOOLS TO DIFFERENTIATE YOUR CONTENT
Whether it’s a collage, travel guide, or fun graphic, we’re all about getting outside of the box. Still, not everyone has the ability to set aside hours for one social media post. New PicMonkey is the perfect design solution for busy people to create, edit, and publish social content in a jiff!

When creating a new image, you can choose to directly upload an image, use a super cute pre-made template, or start from a blank canvas. We’re alllll about that custom life, so we started from scratch with a canvas in this case. New PicMonkey makes it easy to size your images perfectly by providing a canvas for every purpose you can think of! We’re talking Etsy icons, Facebook business covers, YouTube thumbnails, and more. Since we’re focusing on how to up our Instagram game, we used the “Instagram Stories” canvas to make our magic.

First things first: add photos! Get started by choosing your desired shape. For example, try a triangle! Once you’ve selected and sized a shape to your liking, it’s time to add texture. We chose to upload a custom image into our triangle by selecting “Add your own.” Turn the “Fade” tool all the way down to zero. Ta-da! Your image is cropped perfectly inside a shape. You can even move the image around within the crop.

New PicMonkey also introduces all kinds of pre-made textures. We’re partial to clouds, because #dreamy. Follow the same steps by creating a shape, adding texture, and adjusting your “Fade.”

For the final step, we used one of our favorite new features: the ability to erase parts of text. It gave our creation a little extra depth and quirk. See? New PicMonkey is the ultimate solution for making fun content in a pinch. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that everyone will think you’re a total design pro.

When you’re all finished, your image will automatically save to your Hub. With the mobile app, you can then directly upload the images into Instagram stories.

Bonus: Get access to New PicMonkey using this link. Then, if you hop over to your desktop to subscribe by 11:59pm PST on 6/21, PicMonkey will give you an additional 3 months free!

TIP #3: GET COZY WITH YOUR FOLLOWERS AND ONLINE FRIENDS

Treat your online pals the same way you would your friends! Respond to comments and messages, and always answer questions. Don’t be shy to share where you bought that new top or where you found that cute little cafe! Most importantly, take the time to invest back in the people who engage in your content. Not only will it help you get your content more exposure, but you’ll also build an online community and support system.

TIP #4: HOOK ‘EM WITH YOUR PROFILE PICTURE

Seriously! There’s nothing worse than having to squint to make out who is in a tiny, pixelated profile photo. Save your friends (and yourself) the trouble by choosing a clear and colorful photo that will stand out against the noise. We love that just seconds after taking a photo, we can use PicMonkey’s mobile app to edit it to perfection on-the-go.

Besides the ability to choose from tons of effects and filters, there are a few other features within the touch up category that will help enhance your profile photo. For example, we used the “Area” tool to soften the background of our photo. Did we mention that there’s even an option to add lip tint and mascara?

Pro tip: Use the “Instagram profile” canvas to size your image and crop to your liking!

TIP #5: GET STRATEGIC WITH HOW MUCH AND WHEN YOU POST
We’ve all heard the saying that timing is everything -— it’s true! Posting an hour earlier could be the difference between your beautiful photo receiving the attention it deserves and going unsung. You’ve put in the hard creative work. Now it’s time to act strategically!

Instagram loves to reward engagement and interaction by allowing your photo to have more visibility. Post consistently and pay attention to when your audience is most likely connect with your content. For example, people love to check their phones first thing in the morning. Try posting your photo around 7:00am before your followers dive into their work day.

See? We’re all in this together! Social media is constantly evolving — so leave room for trial and error! Even more important, find tools that allow you to stay creative, flexible, and wise with your time. You’ll thank yourself in long run and enjoy building your online brand more. After all, it’s about working smarter, not harder. You’ve totally got this!

Do you have any tips for nailing social media? We’d love to hear them! Share with us on Twitter by tagging @BritandCo and @PicMonkey.

Production & Styling: Kayla Haykin

Photography: Brittany Griffin

Modeling: Rebecca Fong & Kayla Haykin

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21 Most-Anticipated Summer Books We Can't Wait To Read In 2025

Summer is just around the corner, and that means laying by the beach or the pool and getting lost in a good book. To kick off beach read season, we’ve rounded up some of the most-anticipated books coming to shelves this summer. From enchanted star-crossed lovers, romantic summer flings, and thrilling forbidden loves, these books should definitely be packed in your suitcase for any and all of your summer vacation plans!

Here are all the new books we can't wait to read this summer!

Amazon

Along Came Amor by Alexis Daria (May 27, 2025)

Ava Rodriguez is a divorced school teacher who meets the handsome Roman Vásquez, for a steamy one night stand – or at least what was intended to be a one night stand. But when Roman shows up as Ava’s cousin’s best man, things get complicated. Ava tries to hide her dirty little secret from her family, but Roman wants to be all-in. What started out as no strings attached has become much more complex.

Amazon

Tell Them You Lied by Laura Leffler (May 27, 2025)

Anna is beginning art school in New York and befriends Willow, a mysterious and moody art student who isn’t afraid to push boundaries. Five years later, Anna’s former muse Willow has turned into a shell of herself. When Anna tries to intervene in Willow’s life by staging a planned mugging, Willow goes missing on September 11th. Did Anna go too far, or did Willow play into Anna’s game all along? This thriller challenges the morality of revealing the truth when it may be better left unsaid.

Amazon

The Love Haters by Katherine Center (May 20, 2025)

Katie Vaughn’s career is sinking fast—so she takes a daring gig profiling Coast Guard rescue swimmer Tom "Hutch" Hutcheson. The problem? She can’t swim but pretends she can. Worse, Hutch is her coworker Cole’s estranged brother. In Key West, Katie gets caught in a whirlwind of secrets, swim lessons, and sizzling chemistry. With hurricanes, stolen kisses, and a chance to be truly brave, she must decide if facing her fears—including love—is worth the plunge.

Amazon

Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry (April 22, 2025)

Optimistic Alice Scott and Pulitzer-winning Hayden Anderson both land on Little Crescent Island to write the biography of reclusive heiress Margaret Ives. When Margaret offers a one-month trial, Alice is determined to win. She’s great with people, eager to impress her family, and, strangely, rattling Hayden. But Margaret shares only fragments of her story, and an NDA keeps Alice and Hayden from comparing notes. As tension rises and sparks fly, their own story—like Margaret’s—could be a mystery, tragedy, or love ballad, depending on who tells it.

Amazon

Audre & Bash Are Just Friends by Tia Williams (May 6, 2025)

Audre, the junior class president and debate team captain, is spending the summer before her senior year writing her self help book, AKA her one-way ticket to Stanford. Bash, a mysterious new senior who everybody is crushing on, is spending his summer helping Audre complete her five wild dares to write about in her book. The scorching hot-summer leads to crazy chemistry the two friends can’t deny. Will Audre be able to maintain the friendship, or will she begin to fall for Bash?

Amazon

Love On Tour by Lee Adams (June 17, 2025)

Music executive Christine Matthews lives a quiet life until a broken heel sends her tumbling in front of country star Austin Garrett’s tour bus. When Austin realizes she pitched him his latest hit, he invites her to be his date at the CMT Awards, catapulting her into the spotlight. Suddenly, she’s facing cyberbullying, unwanted attention, and growing feelings for Austin’s tour manager, Matt. As past trauma resurfaces and threats turn dangerous, Christine must decide if chasing success and love is worth the risk—or if walking away is the only way to protect her heart.

Amazon

It’s A Love Story by Annabel Monaghan (May 27, 2025)

Jane Jackson, a former child sitcom star, is determined to make it as a Hollywood executive. Her mantra: fake it till you make it. But when she takes it too far and claims she can get popstar Jack Quinlan—her first kiss—to write a song for her movie, she’s in trouble. Now, she must turn to her old crush and frustrating cinematographer Dan Finnegan for help. Can Jane juggle her past and career, or will her lie unravel? This novel is perfect for those looking to escape the summer heat with an enemies-to-lovers romcom.

Amazon

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid (June 3, 2025)

Joan Goodwin has been fascinated by space since childhood. When she gets the chance to join NASA’s first group of women scientists in the space shuttle program, she leaps at it. Training alongside a Top Gun pilot, a brilliant scientist, and a bold group of astronauts, Joan forms unexpected friendships and discovers a love she never imagined. As they prepare for their first mission, she begins to question her place in the universe—until one fateful moment changes everything.

Amazon

King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby (June 10, 2025)

Roman Carruthers returns home to find his father in a coma, his brother drowning in debt to criminals, and his sister struggling to hold their crematorium business together. When he tries to buy Dante’s way out, he learns the hard way that real gangsters don’t play fair. With no other options, Roman offers himself as collateral. As he’s pulled deeper into a dangerous game, Neveah searches for answers about their mother’s mysterious disappearance. But Roman isn’t as weak as they think—and he’ll do whatever it takes to protect his family.

Amazon

You Belong Here by Megan Miranda (July 29, 2025)

Beckett Bowery thought she had her future planned out: stay in Wyatt Valley, Virginia and study at Wyatt College, the college her parents taught at. But when a tragedy leaves two men dead and her roommate goes on the run, she vows to stay as far away as possible from Wyatt Valley. Later when her daughter Delilah receives a full ride scholarship to Wyatt College, she is forced to confront her lingering fears and the fact that her past isn’t the only dangerous thing in Wyatt Valley.

Amazon

The Enemy’s Daughter by Melissa Poett (May 6, 2025)

Thirty-seven years after the Republic fell, war rages between the five clans and the Kingsland. Isadora, an eighteen-year-old healer, saves lives—until she’s struck by a poisoned arrow from Kingsland assassin Tristan. Instead of letting her die, Tristan uses rare magic to save her, unknowingly binding them together. Their connection gives him access to her memories, the key to destroying her people. But Isadora can see into him too. To protect her clan, she must outmaneuver Tristan, and resist the dangerous pull between them, before he claims victory and her heart.

Amazon

Sounds Like Love by Ashley Poston (June 17, 2025)

Joni Lark has a secret. She’s one of LA’s most coveted songwriters, but she can’t write anymore. Hoping to find inspiration, she returns home to Vienna Shores, North Carolina. But nothing is as she left it. Her best friend is distant, her mother’s memory is fading, and her family’s music venue is closing. Then Joni starts hearing a haunting melody and a stranger’s voice in her head. When the man behind the voice shows up in town, guarded and frustrating, they realize they must finish the song together or risk exposing their hearts and deepest secrets.

Amazon

No Man’s Ghost by Jason Powell (May 6, 2025)

Charles Davids is a rookie firefighter starting his first week with the FDNY, struggling to prove himself to his new team. The job is grueling, the training intense, and the pranks relentless—but the dangers are real. Across town, Alan Johnson, bitter and unhinged after being kicked out by his wife, begins reporting fake fires at her apartment every night. At first, it’s just a cruel joke. But soon, Alan wants more than revenge. As the calls escalate, Charles faces a trial by fire that could make or break him—and put lives on the line.

Amazon

Ride with Me by Simone Soltani (May 20, 2025)

After being left at the altar, Stella Baldwin dreads attending her cousin’s bachelorette party in Las Vegas. Meanwhile, Formula 1 driver Thomas Maxwell-Brown is desperate for a break from his crumbling career and bad press. When a wild night ends with a ring on Stella’s finger and Thomas as her husband, they realize staying married might actually benefit them both. It’s impulsive, reckless, and maybe exactly what they need. Because sometimes, what happens in Vegas doesn’t need to stay there.

Amazon

Such Good People by Amy Blumenfeld (July 8, 2025)

During her freshman year of college, April’s life changed overnight. After meeting up with her friend Rudy one evening, he was arrested, she was expelled, and her future fell apart. Months later, she met Peter, a young attorney who helped her rebuild everything. Fifteen years later, April has a happy life, three kids, and Peter is running for local office. But when Rudy is up for parole and April’s past makes headlines, it threatens everything she’s built. Now, she must decide whether to protect her family—or the man who once saved her.

Amazon

One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune (May 6, 2025)

Alice never expected to see Charlie Florek again. Years ago, she spent a magical summer at her grandmother Nan’s lake cottage, capturing a photo of three teens in a yellow boat that changed her life. Now a photographer who prefers life behind the lens, Alice returns to Barry’s Bay to care for Nan and find something she’s been missing. But when Charlie, now a charming and grown-up flirt, reappears, old feelings resurface. Long days on the water and stolen glances make Alice wonder if she’s finally ready to step into the frame or risk her heart again.

Amazon

Heir of Storms by Lauryn Hamilton Murray (June 3, 2025)

Blaze’s birth unleashed a deadly storm that killed thousands, branding her an outcast and stealing her magic. Hidden ever since, she’s shocked when she and her twin brother are invited to compete for the empire’s throne. Suddenly thrust into the Golden Palace’s dangerous court, Blaze faces deadly rivals, forbidden love, and the possibility of reclaiming her lost power. Torn between a captivating Crown Prince and a darkly alluring stranger, Blaze must decide if she’s ready to step out of the shadows and claim a destiny no one ever believed she could have.

Amazon

A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna (July 15, 2025)

Sera Swan lost her magic, her status, and her place in the magical Guild after a spell gone wrong. Now she runs an enchanted inn with her resurrected great-aunt, a mischievous talking fox, and a houseful of quirky guests. When she discovers a spell that could restore her powers, she enlists the help of Luke Larsen, a reserved magical historian with no interest in her chaos—or her charm. But as they work together, unexpected sparks fly. Sera soon realizes that the magic she craves may not be as powerful as the family she’s built.

Amazon

Charity Trickett Is Not So Glamorous by Christine Stringer (June 10, 2025)

Charity Trickett arrives in Hollywood in 1997 determined to break into the movie industry. As an assistant to a blockbuster film director, she expects glitz and glamour but instead faces cutthroat coworkers, a failing love life, and a mistake that could cost the studio millions. Her bank account is running dry, and an FBI investigation threatens to derail her future entirely. With grit and heart, Charity must fight to keep her dream alive and avoid losing everything. Fans of Bridget Jones’s Diary will love this witty, behind-the-scenes Hollywood adventure.

Amazon

Can't Get Enough by Kennedy Ryan (May 13, 2025)

Hendrix Barry has built a life most people dream of. With a successful business, amazing friends, and a loving family, she has everything except time for love. Caring for an aging parent and staying focused on her goals leave little room for romance, and she’s never met a man who could keep up. Until Maverick Bell. The charming tech mogul sees her in a way no one has before, but he’s off-limits if she plans to stay on course. When Maverick refuses to walk away, Hendrix must decide if love is worth changing her plans.

Amazon

What’s Yours is Mine by Jennifer Jabaley (August 5, 2025)

Valerie Yarnell is a devoted single mother who has always supported her daughter Kate’s dream of dancing. But it stings when Kate idolizes her best friend Colette’s mother, Elise, a former prima ballerina married to the man Valerie secretly loves. When Kate outshines Colette at a major competition, tensions soar. Elise’s pressure on Colette intensifies, and the rivalry between mothers and daughters reaches a breaking point. Then a shocking attack shatters everything, exposing dark ambitions and unraveling secrets. Soon, both families will learn just how fierce and dangerous competition can be.

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4 Cringe-Worthy Lessons I Learned From Julia Roberts Rom-Coms

Julia Roberts has given us some of the most iconic rom-coms in pop culture history, from Valentine's Day and Pretty Woman to Runaway Bride.

If you're a Millennial or even a Gen Zer, you probably watched the movies as a tween or teen and gleaned (what you thought were helpful) insights about love, life, and relationships. After all, it's natural to look up to the woman on the big screen and want to follow in her footsteps.

Well, allow us to present a different take on the matter. In our humble opinion, movies can be just as wisdom-packed when they show you behavior you shouldn't strive to emulate. So, here's what I learned not to do by watching Julia Roberts rom-coms.

Scroll to see the lessons I took away from all my favorite Julia Roberts rom-coms!

1. Don't say "yes" if you're not truly ready.

In Runaway Bride, Julia Roberts plays Maggie Carpenter, a woman who leaves her fiancés at the altar multiple times, and her track record leads her to be called "the runaway bride" by a journalist.

Perhaps there are two lessons here. Of course, while fleeing your own wedding day is bound to leave your partner with a whole lot of (valid) upset feelings, it's okay to say "no" and get out of a situation that isn't serving you, even if it feels like it's not what you're supposed to do.

But at the same token, remember that you shouldn't feel pressured into saying "yes" in the first place when you aren't genuinely ready to tie the knot with someone.

Being ambushed by a romantic proposal or facing expectations of marriage following a long-term relationship can be frightening. Still, don't allow yourself to be backed into a corner. Learn from Maggie's mistakes and say "yes" on your terms.

2. Manipulation isn't the way to get what you want.

My Best Friend's Wedding follows childhood best friends Julianne, played by Julia Roberts, and Michael, portrayed by Dermot Mulroney. They made a pact to marry each other if they were still single at 28 years old, yet four days before Julianne's birthday, she learns Michael is marrying another woman.

So, she attempts to break up her best friend's wedding, but let's just say it doesn't end well. I'm sure that all viewers could sympathize with Julianne's feelings of jealousy and heartbreak. Even so, this movie shows that trying to force someone into a relationship they don't want is manipulative (and won't work).

The lesson here? Respect other people's choices and realize that not every single romantic feeling has to be reciprocated.

3. Fame won't solve your problems. 

In Notting Hill, Julia Roberts plays Anna Scott, a famous actress who falls for the charming bookshop owner, William. Despite being a beloved film, it also serves as a master class in how fame can breed a whole host of relationship issues.

First off, Anna cheats on her boyfriend with William and cites the pressures of fame as an excuse. Instead of owning up to her actions, she seems to think that being a celebrity gives her a free pass to make poor decisions.

Then, Anna later takes it a step further by badmouthing William to strangers, again justifying her behavior as a consequence of her famous status. If that wasn't enough, when paparazzi harass her and follow her to William's house, she tries to pin the blame on him.

The takeaway here is that getting famous will not be a glamorous solution to all your problems. Rather, it often makes things worse. The spotlight can turn a person into a chaotic, out-of-touch mess who can't take responsibility for their actions.

Don't rely on grand gestures to fix your relationship. 

Finally, Valentine's Day is filled with romantic, grand gestures. From declarations of love to over-the-top surprises, the film portrays these moments as a way to fix whatever's wrong in a relationship. In reality, these gestures are surface-level and don't actually address deeper issues at play.

The real lesson is that true connection and lasting relationships are built on open communication, trust, and support. These things go much deeper than a bouquet of roses or an elaborate dinner.

Yes, grand gestures may be exciting, but they won't magically solve being on different pages with your partner.

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