Allyson Michaels Blogs

  Pop culture · Period drama · 7 min read I binged four seasons in a weekend (and I don’t know why it took me so long to enjoy the Bridgerton world).  Now, I am obsessed! Then  I immediately started rewatching the 1995 Pride and Prejudice – one of my favourite period dramas. Here’s what happened. Let me be honest with you. I resisted Bridgerton for a long time. The pastel gowns, the Phoebe Bridgers string arrangements of Taylor Swift songs, the sheer audacity of it all — I told myself it wasn’t for me. Then, a long weekend, with not much to do, and a rather empty queue later, I pressed play. I did not stop. OH MY! By episode three of season one, I was emotionally invested in a Duke I’d known for forty-five minutes. By episode six, I was pausing to look up the historical accuracy of diamond tiaras. By the time the credits rolled on the finale, I had already opened another tab to order the Regency romance novel it’s based on. This is not a measured response to a tel...

                 Book four from the L.A. Story Series is nearly here! I'm so happy to share the love story of Dallas and Grayson with you. Now available!                 Get your copy today!  https://books2read.com/u/bQ5qvv About the book: The Back-Up Grayson Finch doesn’t do love. A backup NFL quarterback with a reputation for short-term flings and zero commitment. Women don’t see the man behind the helmet—they see the money, the fame, and the fantasy of dating a football player. So I keep my focus on the game, and my heart is off-limits. Dallas Andrews knows better than to fall for an athlete. A wedding planner in the Bay Area who builds perfect happily-ever-afters for a living, even though my own love life is anything but perfect. I believe in structure, control, and one golden rule—spontaneity leads to disaster. Then an NFL quarterback breaks every rule we have. What begins as a ...

The Ever- After of Finding You in Hollywood I cannot wait for you to read Jaron and Caitlin’s ever after. In the days that followed their heartfelt exchange of “I love yous,” Jaron and Caitlin found themselves swept up in a whirlwind of excitement and anticipation. The buzz of the upcoming Oscars adds an extra layer of glamour and frenzy to their already extraordinary lives. As the sun sets, casting a warm, golden glow across Los Angeles, Jaron surprises Caitlin by taking her to a hidden rooftop garden. There, surrounded by the city’s twinkling lights, they share stolen moments of laughter and kisses, basking in the promise of their newfound love. Even amidst the chaos of dress fittings, red carpet preparations, and interviews, Jaron makes sure to steal quiet moments with Caitlin. They shared their hopes, dreams and fears, promising to face whatever challenges lay ahead hand in hand. On the night of the Oscars, Jaron and Caitlin stepped onto the red carpet together, a force to be recko...

Why Romance Matters at the Oscars (Even When It’s Not Obvious) When Hamnet earned multiple Oscar nominations this year, the conversation quickly turned to its historical significance, its literary pedigree, and Jessie Buckley’s devastating performance. What few people discussed was the beating heart of the film: a marriage shaped by love, loss, and the silences that define intimacy. It’s a perfect example of how the 2026 Oscars celebrate romance — just not in the way most people expect. Every awards season, the same question circles film Twitter, book clubs, and group chats: Where are the love stories? This year’s nominations, stacked with ambitious epics and technically dazzling achievements, seem light on traditional romance. Yet if you look closely, love is everywhere — driving characters’ choices, shaping their grief, defining their entire lives. Romance as Narrative Engine, Not Genre Decoration When people imagine “romantic films,” they picture candlelit dinners, dramatic...

  Yay, book four from the L.A. Story Series is on its way! I cannot wait to share Dallas and Grayson's story with you. About the book: The Back-Up Grayson Finch doesn’t do love. A backup NFL quarterback with a reputation for short-term flings and zero commitment. Women don’t see the man behind the helmet—they see the money, the fame, and the fantasy of dating a football player. So I keep my focus on the game, and my heart is off-limits. Dallas Andrews knows better than to fall for an athlete. A wedding planner in the Bay Area who builds perfect happily-ever-afters for a living, even though my own love life is anything but perfect. I believe in structure, control, and one golden rule—spontaneity leads to disaster. Then an NFL quarterback breaks every rule we have. What begins as a no-strings-attached fling turns into something neither of us expected. Lines blur. Feelings deepen. And suddenly, the biggest risk isn’t falling in love—it’s walking away. What starts as a no-strings fling...

I’ve always loved the tale that Hamnet, Shakespeare’s son, was the inspiration for one of his most famous plays, Hamlet, where his son, Hamnet, is synonymous with the play. In my  Midsummer  Night’s, I take a more internal view that leads to Shakespeare’s famous play. Mostly inspired by The Sandman, by Neil Gaiman, and Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell. Hamnet : From Page to Screen — A Shakespeare Story Retold Release Date: Premiered theatrically in the U.S. late 2025; Hamnet expands into UK cinemas in early January 2026 (so it’s still hot in theatres around January 26). There’s a particular kind of buzz crackling through cinemas and bookshops this winter. Oscar-winning director Chloé Zhao ( Nomadland , Eternals ) has brought to life Maggie O’Farrell’s acclaimed 2020 novel Hamnet — and it’s one of the most talked-about literary adaptations in years. While it premiered in the U.S. in November 2025 and in the UK in early January 2026, it’s still rolling out in theatres around...

         Wimbledon is coming this summer, bringing two weeks of tennis drama to the lustrous court. I would love for you to meet Jake Evesham and Nyx Morgan.  Jake was mentioned in The Pitcher , Rissa’s favourite tennis player in the world. I’m finalising the final chapters, but I was so excited that I wanted to share the first chapter with you below. Please let me know your thoughts in the comments  😊 . Match Point  is available to pre-order now -  https://books2read.com/u/mYMKWw .  About Match Point: In the world of Tennis, I’m at the top of my game. I don’t have time for anything else. I’m an island, except for my team, who are with me constantly. Loving this sport wasn’t without sacrifices, as I’ve been doing that since I could hold a racket. It’s all or nothing for she can be a cruel mistress and sometimes unforgiving. I’ve worked hard for too long to stay at this level, and I’m not about to let Nyx Morgan rattle me, even though sh...