Jessica Sofer is the New York Times best-selling author of This Is a Love Story, a read-Wed Jenna book club pick.

Jessica was raised in New York City by parents devoted to the creative arts. Her mother was a writer,

her father, an artist. She

naturally followed in their footsteps, falling in love with the written word and going on to teach

creative writing herself. Her second novel, This Is a Love Story, is an epic love story that

chronicles decades in the marriage of Jane and artist and Abe a writer. Now in their 70s, Jane and Abe reflect

on the past they've taken together, the secrets they've kept, and the life they've built.

It's a story about art, marriage, parenthood, family, New York City, and above all, love.

I sat down with Jessica to read-with-Jenna Book Club event to talk about the evolution of this movie novel,

how Central Park shaped her own life,

and what's next for her as a writer.

I'm Jenna Bush-Hager.

Welcome to my podcast, Open Book, with Jenna.

Yeah. Hi, everybody. As you all know, I love books, and I love to bring together people that also love to read.

Many of you all I've met before, I know,

and what I'm obsessed with that Jessica and I kept talking about,

is that many of you know each other.

And I think when the world feels heavy and hard,

what we need is community and love. But to come and to be with us on a Monday evening, when I'm sure you have many places to be, we do not take for granted. I love this book.

I remember, like I feel like a testament of a really great book is you remember where you were

when you finished it or when you were reading parts of it. And I remember, like, sitting,

and this is not a dramatic place, so don't get too excited, but, like, sitting in my bedroom,

...