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Perfectly timed banter and slow-burn tension are both hallmarks of a Lynn Painter love story. The New York Times  bestselling author is a BookTok favorite for her rom-com-worthy plots and heartfelt romances, from Better Than the Movies to The Do-Over to Mr. Wrong Number. Her popular 2025 hockey romance, Fake Skating, is even coming to the big screen in 2027. Now, Painter is back with Trust Fall,  and she has a pretty irresistible elevator pitch for it: “ Trust Fall is like a rags-to-riches rom-com,” she tells us. Think: “ Gilmore Girls meets Gossip Girl , with a lot of New York and fall on the side.” In other words: romance, big-city energy, autumn vibes and plenty of Painter’s signature wit. For this episode of The Reader’s Digest Escalator Interview , we caught up with Painter to talk about Trust Fall , her life as a romance writer and, naturally, all the bookish questions we really wanted answers to. She shared the first romance nov...

We all have our go-to Halloween candy. I tend to buy what I also like to eat (Reese’s, Butterfinger), but I can also see how saddling the neighborhood kids with Mounds might be tempting. It’s a little mean, but buying unpopular candy would be a great way to keep me from stuffing every bar in my mouth before the doorbell even rings once. My mom gave out full-size Hershey bars when I was a kid, a practice she got from her mom that I continue today, though after that symbolic first box, I switch to my peanut-buttery faves. You know, just in case the ghost-and-goblin traffic is light and I end up with extras. (So sad!) How do you pick your Halloween candy? Do you go with what’s popular, what’s cheap or whatever’s available when you race to the store to restock when the hordes are fast approaching and you just ran out of candy? Well, DoorDash decided to quantify this choice for people all across the country, and we’re bringing them to you now. Coming up,...

There are many things to love about fall : football weekends, apple cider doughnuts, that first genuinely crisp morning when you can finally break out a sweater, and, of course, the foliage. One day, the landscape is overwhelmingly green. Then, seemingly overnight, the leaves start showing off—yellow, orange, red and even deep purple. It’s a transformation we marvel at every year, but how often do we stop to ask what’s actually happening? It turns out that behind all that seasonal color is a carefully timed process that helps trees prepare for winter. In other words, there’s more to that fall foliage than meets the eye. To find out what’s really happening when leaves put on their annual fall show, I spoke with Jason Grabosky, PhD, a professor in the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources at Rutgers University, and Jessica A. Savage, PhD, an associate professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Minnesota Duluth. Read on for t...

Every Halloween , witches come out of the woodwork—or, rather, fly in on their broomsticks. They’re on our screens, perched on our porches and roaming the streets in pointy hats, usually with a plastic cauldron full of candy in hand. But witches aren’t just the stuff of Halloween costumes and scary stories. They have a long, complicated history in the real world and an absolutely spellbinding place in pop culture. Think you know everything there is to know about them? Witch, please—there’s a lot to unpack. We’re stirring up some of the most fascinating facts about witches, witchcraft and more. How many Americans actually believe in witches ? More than you might think! Which Swedish holiday features its own witches? Trust us—you won’t guess. And how did centuries of witchcraft, folklore and superstition give us the witches we know today? From real-life history to Hollywood magic, we’re spilling all the witchy tea ahead. Get  Read...

Fall is here, and farmers all over the country are throwing open their barn doors, welcoming the public and inviting them to drop a small fortune on pumpkins. It’s a crafty strategy. After the pumpkin patch , you might as well pick a few apples, and why not have a wagon ride while you’re at it? Before you know it, you’ve spent major bills, and the pumpkins are going to be compost in a month. While those adorable pictures of your kids in gingham and denim might make it all worth it, sometimes you just need a few pumpkins with no strings attached. We’ve got you covered. Coming up, we have the best place to buy affordable pumpkins this fall, including heirloom pumpkins and jumbo carving pumpkins, with no extra pressure to take a hay ride . So where is this magical place? Hint: You’re probably already headed there this weekend. Read on for all the details. Get  Reader’s Digest ’s  Read Up newsletter for more news, shopping, travel, tech a...

If your idea of the perfect fall day involves pumpkin pancakes and a little Disney Channel nostalgia , Ashley Tisdale is right there with you. For a generation of fans, the actress and singer was everywhere—serving up laughs as Maddie Fitzpatrick on The Suite Life of Zack & Cody , stealing scenes as the fabulously over-the-top Sharpay Evans in High School Musical and giving voice to the perpetually exasperated Candace Flynn on Phineas and Ferb . These days, though, one of her favorite roles is happening off-screen: being a mom to daughters Jupiter, 5, and Emerson, 2. In an exclusive interview with Reader’s Digest , Tisdale let us in on this very different—and decidedly cozier—chapter of her life. She shared her thoughts on motherhood, her beloved pets Sushi and Ziggy, and the fall traditions she looks forward to every year ( pumpkin fans , you’re in good company). And because we couldn’t have Tisdale with us without channeling our inner Disney ki...