LOVE AND OTHER CONSPIRACIES

Hallie Barrett doesn’t believe in cryptids or conspiracy theories, but her new web series co-host might get her to believe in love.

After her toxic ex boots her from the show they were working on together, Hallie has to come up with a new series to produce if she wants to keep her job at Skroll, a multimedia conglomerate. While watching a late-night docuseries about conspiracies, she’s compelled by the handsome guest star, Hayden Hargrove, host of the podcast The Out There. Hallie is a skeptic, and if he can make even her interested in his cryptid hunting, she knows he could be a web series star. Through trial and error, though, they realize Hayden is much better on camera when he has Hallie alongside him to banter and argue with, so she becomes not just producer but co-host. As the series’ viewings soar, Hallie’s feelings for kindhearted Hayden grow stronger, but with her ex still constantly tearing her down, her anxious thoughts stand in the way. Told solely through Hallie’s point of view, this quirky and appealing debut is for anyone who believes in love, but will especially appeal to those fascinated by the tales of cryptids and aliens. The conspiracies add a lot of entertainment to the story, but it’s grounded and made heartfelt by the real emotions the characters are dealing with—not just their developing romantic feelings for each other but also Hallie’s self-doubt and Hayden’s loneliness and grief.

The existence of Bigfoot may be debatable, but this book’s charm is a sure bet.