Coming to your earbuds - Fall 2026
In a stressful world, we strive to be a weekly escape for readers who enjoy historical fiction and travel. Listen on Apple, Spotify, or thebookandthevibe.com.
Episodes are published weekly, last around 30 minutes, and usually include 3 recurring segments:
- In THE MAIN REVIEW, we dive into a spoiler-free book review. Listeners get the vibe, setting, and atmosphere of a historical fiction book I consider a good to great book. We will talk about the book's ability to hold our attention and immerse the reader in a strong sense of place and time, and do so in a way that helps the listener decide if they should add it to their TBR list.
- In UNEARTHED, we uncover historical insights, back stories, and entertaining trivia designed to enhance - but never spoil - the reading experience pick from The Main Review.
- In THE TAVERN, we rotate topics each week. This segment will often include: a bonus book review....or we may talk about a travel destination...or have a book adjacent discussion... or talk about our guest's project for episodes that feature a guest...
Episodes will follow this format whether we invite a guest or not, with our guest bringing the book review during episodes featuring a guest.
STACKED EPISODES: ONE EPISODE EACH MONTH WILL BE "STACKED" WITH REVIEWS OF 3 BOOKS TIED TO A THEME. THINK: "AUTUMN STACK" OR "ANCIENT ROME" OR "SPIES OF ELIZABETHEAN ENGLAND" AND MUCH, MUCH MORE...
Rip, the Rhodesian Ridgeback, and the podcast's first fan
About the host:
Helen Gabay is the creator and host of The Book & The Vibe, a podcast inspired by her lifelong love of reading, history and travel. Before launching the podcast, she spent almost two decades in the IT and human resources industries, serving in senior sales and leadership roles and working with some of the world’s largest organizations. She earned her degree from George Washington University, where she studied political science, history and English. She is a former Division I tennis player and coach—an experience that left her with a lifelong competitive streak. Finally, she is also the daughter of a lifelong publisher and printer who passed along his love for the written word.
Helen splits her time between Richmond and Smith Mountain Lake, both in Virginia, while travelling to new and favorite destinations frequently. Her travels have taken her throughout Europe, Central America, the Caribbean, Canada and across the United States. She rarely visits a new place without visiting the bookstores, booking a food tour, history walk, ghost tour or outdoor adventure—and is usually carrying a book connected to the destination, even if she ends up reading something entirely different.
She lives with her husband, their teenage son and dog, who frequently join Helen on her travels and are always willing accomplices in robbing the discretionary budget for plane tickets.
Why did you start this podcast?
After several years in corporate America and the recent passing of both my parents, I knew what I wanted my next chapter to be: an entertaining respite for fellow book lovers that brings together three of life’s greatest pleasures: books, learning, and travel.
This podcast is ultimately a love letter to books...the reading of them, the collecting and curating of them, and the wanderlust they inspire.
Helen Gabay, Creator and Host
Helen Gabay, Publisher and Host