Amy Chozick discusses her debut, With Friends Like You—a twisty thriller set in New York that explores friendship, motherhood, and reinvention. Editor’s Note: Today’s episode is marked as explicit. We’re kicking off a truly special Book Gang episode with Amy Chozick, who brings both warmth and wit to the conversation around her fiction debut thriller, With Friends Like You. This intimate story is set in New York City’s hidden corners—a story of friendship, motherhood, and the reinvention that comes after everything changes. Today we explore Amy’s transition from political reporting to penning a propulsive, confessional thriller about the high-wire act of modern motherhood and the secrets that shape our closest friendships. In With Friends Like You, Emily is still reeling from a harrowing birth experience and struggling to find solid ground as a new mother in Manhattan. Missing the woman she was before, she is drawn into a search for her enigmatic former roommate, Daisy. When Daisy reappears with plans for an exclusive wellness center, old wounds are reopened, and the cracks in their friendship threaten to unravel Emily’s fragile world. Together, they create a space for New York moms—complete with IV vitamin infusions, nap rooms, and communal childcare—as they navigate secrets, betrayals, and the longing for connection. With raw honesty and a fiercely contemporary lens, Amy unpacks her real-life inspiration, the transition from journalism to fiction, and the emotional terrain of motherhood, friendship, and ambition. In this juicy conversation, we discuss: 📚 The Writing Journey: Amy shares how the Hollywood Writers Strike became an unusual catalyst for finding the time and headspace to write fiction. We discuss the questions that drove her from political reporting to fiction, the early premise, her path from outline to final draft, and what it’s like to land her first fiction book deal. 📚 Reporting as Inspiration: Amy discloses how many of her journalistic pieces ended up becoming important elements in her story, from the high-rise setting to reporting on Stormy Daniels, which gave her a firsthand look at secrets, power, and reinvention that now pulse through the novel. 📚 New Motherhood and Pelvic Floor Therapy: We delve into the realities of new motherhood and the absence of villages and third space for mothers, why pelvic floor therapy is a crucially under-discussed part of postpartum recovery, and how Amy’s fiction sheds light on the emotional and physical challenges faced by new mothers—topics that deserve more open conversation in both literature and life. BONUS BOOK LIST: My Top Books of the Year (So Far) – I’m sharing the fifteen books that have wowed me after reading sixty-eight titles through June! Patrons receive a printable list and a sneak peek at two book club picks for our 2027 book club year. Meet Amy Chozick Amy Chozick is a bestselling author, screenwriter, and award-winning journalist who has covered the biggest stories in politics, business, and media for The New York Times. She is the author of the New York Times bestseller Chasing Hillary, which was adapted into the HBO Max series The Girls on the Bus. Her writing has appeared in Vogue, Vanity Fair, and more. Amy is currently adapting With Friends Like You into a major motion picture with Fifth Season and Academy Award-winning producer Brad Weston. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and son. Mentioned in this episode: NEW BOOK LIST: My Top Books of 2026 (So Far) Book List (FREE TO BROWSE ON PATREON THIS WEEK) SUPPORT OUR FAMILY: Download the 2026 Summer Reading Guide (57-Pages of Bookish Fun With 70 Tried-and-True Recommendations): http://buymeacoffee.com/bookgangpodcast/e/535779 SUPPORT OUR FAMILY: Join the Book Gang- patreon.com/momadvice 2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections) Daughters of Shandong by Eve J. Chung Inside the Creation of Daughters of Shandong with Eve J. Chung (Book Gang Podcast) With Friends Like You by Amy Chozick This Year You Write Your Novel by Walter Mosley David Carr Chasing Hillary by Amy Chozick The Girls on the Bus Shark Heart by Emily Habeck Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe Margo’s Got Money Troubles Towers of Secrecy Rosemary’s Baby Somewhere The Big, Controversial Business of The Wing, Explained Panera Sips Club The Bee Sting by Paul Murray Pagebound How the Pagebound App Reinvents Social Reading (Podcast) Bookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores. Connect With Us: Join the Book Gang Patreon Connect with Amy Chozick on Instagram or Her Website Connect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdvice Get My Happy List Newsletter Get the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter
