Independent booksellers across the country have chosen B. K. Borison's And Now, Back to You (Berkley) as their top pick for the March 2026 Indie Next List.
“B. K. Borison totally nails it again! Jackson and Delilah are so different on the outside, but deep down, they both want to be needed and hope to care for someone else. Enjoyable and super entertaining,” said Michelle Whittaker of Fonts Books in McLean, Virginia.
Here, Borison discusses her work with Bookselling This Week.
Bookselling This Week: Let's start by talking a little about your inspiration.
The books in this series are all sort of ‘90s rom-coms. They're all new takes on or tributes to Nora Ephron’s work. So far, you’ve done Sleepless in Seattle, When Harry Met Sally, and I heard a rumor that the next one is You’ve Got Mail.
B. K. Borison: It is, yes. When I tell people that, especially on tour, there's this gasp that goes through the room. That's why we've been saving it for last.
People have such an emotional connection to all the Nora Ephron films. I like to say less “inspired by” and more “seasoned by” because my hope is that when people read these books, they get the same feeling they have when watching those ‘90s rom-com classics.
And Now, Back to You takes the same archetypes of When Harry Met Sally. There are two people who, despite their best intentions, keep having these disastrous run-ins with each other.
They're polar opposites. Jackson is more of the Sally character and Delilah's more of the Harry character. I call her Harry with a glow-up, like if Harry was optimistic and positive instead of the grumpy little troll he is in When Harry Met Sally.
My hope is that when people read the books, they have the same cozy, good feeling as the movies — more of a heavy plot deviation, but same feeling.
BTW: No, I think that's an excellent way to describe it. It taps into that nostalgia that we have.
BKB: It's purely self-indulgent because I was shaped by Nora Ephron, Nancy Meyers, Rob Reiner — the ‘90s classics.
I feel like that's something we don't have outside of the romance subgenre with books. There are so many authors that are doing an incredible job of holding on to that feeling, but we've lost it with film.
It's often dismissed as silly. But I feel like the last couple of years, we've had a slight resurgence, and every time a rom-com has a theatrical release, it crushes. It kills. Then it feels like Hollywood just treats it like a one-off.
We're in this desert — not having the romance we want to consume — so my hope is that people pay more attention. The romance genre is thriving and I want that to translate to other mediums.
BTW: I'd like to ask about the last three years of your life. In the last three or four years, you've released eight titles back-to-back and had this surge in popularity.
How are you? What is that experience like for you?
BKB: It's weird. It's kind of bananas. I haven't fully comprehended it and I don’t think I want to.
I never thought I would be writing full time. I wrote my first book just for me, as something to give my brain a break and exercise creativity. Then it did well and I wrote more.
First-Time Caller felt like the moment when suddenly a lot more people were picking out my books, and it's bananas.
My husband works at a hospital and he has all my books in his office. People would walk into his office and be like, “Oh, you really like this B. K. Borison person.” But now, some people walk in and know my books.
It’s bizarre that people are reading my books, and that they’re excited for my books. My brain can’t even comprehend that we're on my seventh book.
It's been unexpected. It’s been a little intimidating. It's been wonderful.
BTW: If you were the main character in a romance novel, what trope is your story going to follow?
BKB: My husband and I actually had a very rom-com start.
We met in Italy. We met in Rome. We were both studying abroad. We were next door neighbors. Our balconies were right up against each other. To get my attention, he used to throw wine corks at my window.
We started dating the last month we were there, and when we came back to the US, our schools were really close together. We’ve been together ever since.
So our relationship is probably friends-to-lovers, forced proximity, and fish-out-of-water.
We used up all that romance and now we're just very boring people, but that's our little rom-com.
BTW: That is amazing.
BKB: So if you haven't met your partner, move to a foreign city and stand on your apartment balcony every morning between 7:00 and 10:00. Maybe you'll find your future husband or wife.
BTW: Would you like to talk about the role of books and indie bookstores in your life? Do you have any favorite indie bookstore memories?
I love my indie bookstores. My favorites here in Baltimore are Charm City Books and Greedy Reads!
I think indies are the most important players in the book world right now.
Especially with all the book banning, corporate bookstores might feel the need to play it safe in terms of what they stock. Indie bookstores are doing the critical work of maintaining our communities, uplifting marginalized voices, and doing the tough work — the important work. They’re never just a bookstore. They’re a community center of education and resources.
Greedy Reads and Charm City Books are both really active with the anti-ICE protests and giving safe spaces for the communities in need here in Baltimore.
I also work a lot with East City Bookshop for my pre-order campaigns. They're down in DC and they're phenomenal. The work they do is incredible.
As for me and for my career, I always get such a surge of joy when I see my books stocked at indies because it feels so intentional. It feels personal. If I introduce myself to the bookseller, they'll point out exactly which staff member recommended that book.
It’s a real community. It feels like you read a book, you liked it, and you want to share it with your neighbor. I love being a part of it.
That's why the Indie Next List has been so exciting for me. That was my one wish when I started this author journey. I wanted to be on that list. When my team told me I made it, I did a little shimmy out of my office. It feels like the ultimate endorsement from the cool people.