Podcasts about bet me

On this episode, Becky is joined by Jenni and Leah, and they discuss Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie. 

Becca Syme is a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach and holds a Master's degree in Transformational Leadership. She is the host of the Quitcast for Writers and the teacher of the popular Write Better-Faster class. Becca has coached 5000+ authors using success alignment and predictive reasoning to help authors write and market better-faster. She lives in the mountains of Montana where it is always winter and never Christmas. Becca joined me to today to talk about Jennifer Crusie's hilarious rom-com “Bet Me,” and given that we both have a tendency to think hard about the bigger picture, we got serious very fast. We discussed why representation matters so much, what happens to our lives when our inner perception is wrong, how curvy girl romances have gotten so much more nuanced over the years, and, of course, the best way to make chicken marsala.   Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website   Do you have a book you want to tell me about? Go HERE to apply to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast.   Host: Julie Strauss Website/Instagram     Guest: Becca Syme Website/Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/Patreon/YouTube   Discussed in this episode: Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie   Writer books by Becca Syme: Dear Writer, Are You in Burnout? Dear Writer, You're Doing It Wrong Dear Writer, You're Doing It Right Dear Writer, You Need to Quit Dear Writer, Are You Intuitive?   Lucy Foley Clifton Strengths Finder Enneagram Jennifer Weiner Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty Penance on the Prairies by R.L. Syme   (Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you're shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)

It's the week of Thanksgiving here in the US and in this week's episode of Pages n' Pages we talk about all the books we're thankful exist. From childhood favorite to recently reads, we focus on books that have had an impact in our lives over the years. Let us know what books you're thankful for! Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Books we mention: Tiger King: The Official Tell-All Memoir by Joe Exotic Lore Olympus by Rachel Smythe, The Dutch House by Ann Patchett, Gilded by Marissa Meyer, Seven Days in June by Tia Williams, Heartstopper by Alice Oseman, House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune, Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune, A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie, Twilight by Stephenie Meyer, Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh, Where the Sidewalk Ends, Falling Up and A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein, The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster, The Frog Princess by ED Baker, Fangirl and Carry On by Rainbow Rowell, Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan, Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich, The Hating Game by Sally Thorne, Untamed by Glennan Doyle, Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston, Dumplin' by Julie Murphy, In Death series by JD Robb, The Princess Bride by William Goldman, Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, Harry Potter series by she who must not be named. Check out Pages n' Pages on Instagram. These opinions are entirely our own. Image by Kapona via Vector Stock.

*This episode is brought to you by Kensington's newest title from Minerva Spencer, Outrageous. The Novel:Shot Through the Heart (North Star #2)The Author:Nicole HelmThe Not-so-Noobie:Becky, Co-host of Buzzing About RomanceIG: @buzzingaboutromance The Synopsis:She's spent her life concealing her identity. Now she must trust an undercover agent to survive.Willa Zimmerman grew up as the daughter of spies, so she's always known her life could be in danger. That's why, when North Star undercover operative Holden Parker follows her to her home, seeking a lead on a hit man, she captures him. But soon they learn they're actually on the same side—and they're being pursued by the same relentless foe. Together, can they stop a deadly hunter before they end up as the next victims? Show Notes:*Sponsored ad for Outrageous by Minerva Spencer (00:00:05 - 00:01:36)- Introducing Becky, co-host of Buzzing About Romance and lifelong reader of romance- Growing up on historical romance from Jude Deveraux to Julie Garwood, Judith McNaught to Fern Michaels- Some connections between romance and teachers/professors (including Jennifer Crusie)- Shoutout to Olivia Dade and Jennifer Crusie, for their "real" bodied, sassy heroines - Books Mentioned: Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade, Faking It, Welcome to Temptation, and Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie, and Wallbanger by Alice Clayton- Reliving our childhood library experiences with the Buzzing About Romance Summer Reading Challenge (00:11:12)- A few (less talked about) hockey romance recs: Gina Azzi's Boston Hawks series, Kate Meader's Chicago Rebels series, and Lorelei James' Need You series - Happy 1st Anniversary to Buzzing About Romance AND 3rd Anniversary to Boobies & Noobies- Reading outside of our comfort zones with Shot Through the Heart (00:25:46)- Procedural suspense with a hint of romance (plus, some dangerous cosmetics)- Creating intimacy without explicit sex (see our Accidentally Engaged episode)- A network of badass women- Holden, Hunter, Hudson: an atypical suspense hero (00:53:22)- Cinnadoms and Stern brunch Daddies- A few words on book rating systems - check out Kelly on Buzzing About Romance for more (01:03:20)- Heart, Humor, & Heat Ratings - Wrapping up with Becky - don't forget to listen to Kelly on Buzzing About RomanceFollow Boobies & Noobies on Twitter, Instagram, & Facebook @boobiespodcast and check out our blog, merch, and more on our brand new Boobies & Noobies website.*Boobies & Noobies is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. You can find more outstanding podcasts to subscribe to at Frolic.media/podcasts*

In this episode we talk about Amy's first ever romance novel, Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie. Listen in to hear Jessica and Amy deep dive through this body positive, fun, and flirty romance.

Dr. Jessica Lyn Van Slooten talks with Ryan and Chuck about the 2005 book, Bet Me, by Jennifer Cruise. Jessica is an Associate Professor of English at the Unvierstiy of Wisconsin-Green Bay, did a TEDx talk on how “Romance Novels are Feminist” in 2019, and writes the regular CAHSS and Effect piece, Happy Hearts. Canonball is a podcast out of Phoenix Studios at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay that covers the great works from a variety of disciplines. From movies to film to literature to video games, hosts Chuck Rybak and Ryan Martin discusses all things canonical.

It’s a Jen week this week! We’re reading Bet Me this week, the book many people put right on the top of Best Contemporary Romance lists — one of Jen’s favorite books and a book Sarah liked to tell people she loved but has now discovered she’d never actually read. Minerva and Cal are absolutely terrific, as is this book, and we’re having a rollicking conversation about fat rep, about friendships in romance, about food (Sarah’s love language), about shoes, and about why grown people at little league games are a weird thing.Show NotesWe're big fans of Carly Lane-Perry from SyFy Fangirls. We especially like her newsletter, Kissing Books--Jen wrote about grandmothers in romance.Is it criticism if it's all positive?Baby Foot is sold out, but there are lots of other terrifying alternatives you can try.Janet Dailey is famous for plagiarizing Nora Roberts. Before that happened, she wrote the Americana series, with one book set in every state. The one set in Ohio was called The Widow and the Wastrel, and Jen's twitter thread about the book unearthed several early covers for the book.Sarah asked if Jenny Crusie is from Ohio? She is.This was Sarah's first time reading Bet Me, just like it was Jen's first time reading Gentle Rogue.Minerva and Diana probably wish they weren't named after Roman goddesses.So: you want to be an actuary. You want to learn about chaos theory. You're wondering about the gender essentialsim of a book with a title like Men are from Mars; Women are from Venus. You want to learn more about the band Cake.Love Me Tender is a beautiful song.Penn and Teller explain the Cup and Ball trick. Oh, and did you hear Sarah mention it's going to appear in Daring and the Duke? Pre-order from WORD in Brooklyn, and you'll recieve a free limited edition yellow Fated Mates sticker.With these many characters, it might as well be a Robert Atlman movie.Learn about dyslexia, our understanind of which has dramatically changed over time. Erin McCarthy's Hard and Fast (2009) also has a dyslexic hero.Another utterly fantastic family dinner gone wrong scene is in Her Naughty Holiday by Tiffany Reisz.Jeanne Lin knows how to write some really sexy kissing.The fairy godmother is a hallmark of Cinderella, and Sarah's own magical modiste is Madame Hebert.There are so many homages to great rom-coms of the 90s. Diana loves the music from Julia Roberts movies. Elvis Costello's She appeared in Notting Hill, the lead up to the big wedding was like Four Weddings and a Funeral, and of course Diana turns into a Runaway Bride. Min's visit to the magical modiste is like one of the greatest makeover sequences in movies, Pretty Woman. The "I love your shoes" was like The American President. All the wolf references, of course reminded us of Moonstruck. Cynthie's sexy clothes at the little league game were reminiscent of this great scene in Bull Durham.Order buttons from Kelly in Jen's shop, and t-shirts from Jordan Dene.Next up, we'll be reading Three Little Mistakes from Nikki Sloan.Books We Mentioned This Week:Welcome to Temptation by Jennifer CrusieBet Me by Jennifer CrusieThe Widow and the Wastrel by Janet DaileyGentle Rogue by Johanna LindseyDaring and the Duke by Sarah MacLeanHard and Fast by Erin McCarthy

Sophie Jordan is back again! She’s got a new book out, The Virgin and the Rogue, and she’s back with us to freewheel about old school romances, aphrodisiac plotlines and just what do we mean when we say “taking the finger?” It’s a delightful hour. You won’t regret it.We love having you with us! — subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform and like/review the podcast, please!Next week, we’re reading a book that blooded Jen, Jenny Crusie’s Bet Me! Which you can get bundled with Welcome to Temptation (get this one — it’s $2. cheaper than getting Bet Me alone!) from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, or Kobo … and don’t forget your favorite indie, which is probably shipping books right now and definitely needs your patronage!Also, if you love the music in this or any of our episodes, check out our Spotify playlist, which includes it all!Show NotesWelcome Sophie Jordan, who was last on the pod talking about The Master. Come on five times and you get a Pink Ladies jacket.How are the Introverts faring during the pandemic?Chewy.com will deliver your cat litter and also massive bags of cat food.Annika Martin's Dark Mafia Prince inspired Sophie and Sarah to coin the phrase "taking the finger," which Jen has co-opted with glee. Not sure what counts as worthy of "taking the finger"? The Simone Scale TM is here for you.Jen's "control rods" metaphor is because she's a big old nuclear nerd.Aphrodesiac books we know of: The Virgin and the Rogue; Robin's Lovett's Planet of Desire series takes place on a planet where the atmosphere is an aphrodesiac; in A Taste of Her Own Medicine by Tasha Harrison, the grandmother whips up a "come to me" potion; Johanna Lindsey's Secret Fire sounds bonkers; Wild Card is one by Lora Leigh that Joanna Shupe recommends. Does the shortbread in How the Dukes Stole Christmas count? What else have you got?Michael Phillips of the Chicago Tribune taught Jen everything she needed to know about the backbone of good criticism, everything else she's making up as she goes along.We talked about bodily autonomy in season one.Sarah talked about watching the trailer for this very terrifying 60s movie The Lady in a Cage.Order Sophie's signed books from Katy Budget Books and Sarah's from WORD in Brooklyn -- including pre-orders for Daring and the Duke.Oh, you want to read Sophie's story about a stablemaster and a maid? No horses were harmed, so it's fine.

Sometimes there’s a writer who’s so transformative to your experience as a reader that you forget she even was a part of it until you remember, and then you remember every book she’s written. It’s Sandra Brown week here at Fated Mates, and we have loved so many of her romances that we just didn’t know what to read, so strap in, because both Jen and Sarah read Texas! Chase, and then two roads diverged, only to discover some real deep-rooted kinky stuff. Strap in. This one left Eric shellshocked!We love having you with us! — subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform and like/review the podcast, please!In two weeks, we’re reading a book that blooded Jen, Jenny Crusie’s Bet Me! Which you can get bundled with Welcome to Temptation (get this one — it’s $2. cheaper than getting Bet Me alone!) from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, or Kobo … and don’t forget your favorite indie, which is probably shipping books right now and definitely needs your patronage!Also, if you love the music in this or any of our episodes, check out our Spotify playlist, which includes it all!Show NotesJen's been thinking about how we're going to archive the Quarantine Times and so are historians. Steve Ammidown was kind enough to make some videos about archiving for Jen's TikTok.Turns out that tweet about the Spanish epidimologist was not true! Blessed be the fact checkers.Lori Lightfoot is Jen's mayor and her Coronavirus memes are the best.Everyone knows who Tom Brady is, but not many people seem to like him.Sandra Brown was in the first class of authors acquired by Vivian Stephens. Her Loveswept #1 was Heaven's Price, and her Harlequin American Romance #1 was Tomorrow's Promise. Steve Ammidown was also kind enough to dig into the archives and pull out some early interviews with Sandra Brown and about the founding of Loveswept.Benjamin Dreyer definitely wants you to know the difference between the em dash, en dash, and the hypen.The Rana Look cover has the author and McLean Stevenson from MASH as the cover models. Whoa.You can still join the Doubleday Book Club. Who knew!Jeff Wright has a very funny TikTok (which he crossposts to Twitter and Instagram) and a very distinctive way of saying Oh Wow.Sheikhs & Native Americans in romance are full of racist, harmful stereotypes.Jennifer Porter took the hit on Texas! Lucky for us.Oil Futures aren't looking good for the Tyler family; it's not looking great for the rodeo, either.The primordal 80s Don. Not him. That was the 70s.Sunny Chandler's job as a Mardi Gras costume designer seems pretty sweet. Here's a cool interview with Patricia Halsell-Richardson, a woman who designs Mardi Gras costumes in Mobile.A quick primer to the waves of feminism and what people thought about working women in the 80s.Sandra Brown's house was blown up for an episode of Walker, Texas Ranger. A show that is making a comeback, as it turns out.Ann Richards was pretty great, and so is her daughter Cecile.GQ has some instructions on how to be a DILF, but our current favorite is by Katee Roberts.Slow Heat in Heaven has a plot about dogfighting, but Sarah mentioned a romance where the dogs fall in love back when we talked about non-Sandra Brown category romances.The 80s Primetime Soap Operas were a force to be reckoned with.Next time, we'll be talking about Bet Me by Jenny Crusie. For some reason, it's cheaper to buy it bundled with Welcome To Temptation. /rolls eyes at eBook pricing on a 20 year old book.

Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in your favorite podcasting platform — and while you’re there, please leave us a like or a review!Next week, we’re releasing a little stocking stuffer for our Christmas Day episode, but we’re back in business on January 1, with the seasonally appropriate (at least in title) Born in Ice, by none other than the queen herself, Nora Roberts. Read Born in Ice at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Kobo or your local indie.Question 1: Beth from Milwaukee asked, "I'm going to Iceland in December for my 10th wedding anniversary! I obviously need a book that has snow/cold and using body heat and -ahem- other activities for warmth. Bonus points if a volcano or other geological feature is a part of the story! Sub genre is not important, and yes I'm aware of the Ice Planet Barbarians."Our recommendations: From the deep recesses of Jen's brain, the only romance she can think of with a volcano, Eden Burning by Elizabeth Lowell. And that's from the 80s, so fair warning that it's likely to have problematic elements. When it comes to snuggly, warm, only one bed romances, you just need to use the internet! But Jen did write a piece about Only One Bed for Kirkus, which you should read. In the meantime, go watch Joe versus the Volcano, and then talking about Hawaii reminded Sarah of some bananas sounding book by Anne Stuart called Tangled Lies. But a few snowy romances: Beary Christmas Baby by Sasha Devlin or How the Dukes Stole Christmas.Question 2: Emily from Washington D.C. want our opinion aobut "the BEST star crossed lovers trope (it always gets me so good)."Our Recommendations: The reason Sarah thinks that star-crossed lovers have to end up unhappy is Romeo and Juliet, of course. But Jen thinks you should try Luck of the Draw by Kate Clayborn and Sarah recommends Long Shot by Kennedy Ryan, but comes with a whole suitcase of content warnings for domestic violence. In the interim, Jen read and recommends Forbidden Promises by Synithia Williams, the heroine falls in love with her sister's ex-husband! And of course, coming in the summer of 2020 comes Daring and the Duke by Sarah, which will also work. But you have to wait!Question 3: Megumi from San Antonio, TX is looking for "a contemporary of someone not Scottish going to Scotland and finding love. (Maybe England but mostly Scotland)"Our Recommendations: Jen lost her mind and said Unfixable by Tessa Bailey, but Willa is a heroine who goes to Ireland. She thinks it still counts. Sarah recommends a novella by Sophie Jordan called "In a Stranger's Bed" which was a Goldilocks retelling published in the Glamour anthology but which is currently unavailable so come on Sophie, get it together and put your stories up because they are ON FIRE. A few others you can try: A Duke by Default by Alyssa Cole, the Under the Kilt series by Melissa Blue, Getting Hot with the Scot by Melonie Johnson, and Ten Days With the Highlander by Hayson Manning. Also, we didn't know what Adriana Herrera had up her sleeve when we recorded, but Mangos & Misteltoe is ADORABLE, and features to delicious Dominican heroines falling in love on a Scottish Baking Show. It's also a perfect holiday romance!Question 4: Becca wants "a funny contemporary, a true romcom, minimal trauma."Our recommendations: Jen thinks it doesn't exist. Sarah recommends going old school to Jennifer Crusie or Susan Elizabeth Phillips. If it helps, you should know that later this season, we'll be talking about Bet Me and Nobody's Baby But Mine. After we recorded, Sarah realized she should have recommended Christina Lauren, who she adores, and who she believes is one of the few authors writing real RomCom. If you haven't read Josh & Hazel's Guide to Not Dating, it's a very funny, very romantic friends-to-lovers romance! "What happened to romantic comedy" is an existential question for our time.Question 5: Laurel from NC wants a book that "Has marriage of convenience, preferably historical."Our recommendations: Sarah says Sherry Thomas better than everyone and recommends Ravishing the Heiress. Jen thinks The Duke Buys a Bride by Sophie Jordan might work. Sarah points out that in order to qualify, the marriage has to happen pretty early in the story. The marriage has to be part of the plot the whole time. Once again, there are so many of these we had trouble thinking of them on the spot, but in hindsight, Sarah would like you not to miss Amalie Howard's The Beast of Beswick or Scarlet Peckham's The Duke I Tempted. Bonus story from Jen about a Sherry Thomas YA book about Mulan called The Magnolia Sword.Question 6: Cara from Finland wants a book that "Has chosen families strongly included in the plot. Extra points if it's enemies-to-lovers with the heroine's family ready to kick the pining-but-unfortunately-dumbass hero's butt."Our recommendations: Whoa! That's a lot of asks all at once. Just reread IAD, Cara! This is the plot of Sarah's book A Scot in the Dark, so that's a good place to start. Lots of rock star romances have chosen family, try Kristen Callihan's series, and Managed will be a book that blooded Jen later this season. It's not linked via heroines, but Elle Kennedy's Hotter than Ever is bonkers sexy, a MMF menage, and has lots of found Navy SEAL family. In historicals, there are lots of sisterhood/brotherhood books. Try the Wallflowers series by Lisa Kleypas, or Lorraine Heath's Scoundrels of St. James!Question 7: Krystal from New Jersey is looking for "Childhood friends to lovers - historical! Where the Male is titled and the woman is not!"Our recommendations: There are so many that will work here. Sarah recommends Tessa Dare's first series, the Wanton Dairymaids (!!!) should work, try Godess of the Hunt. After recording, of course, a bunch of books came to mind! Try Kelly Bowen's You're the Earl That I Want, Vanessa Riley's The Butterfly Bride, and Loretta Chase's Last Night's Scandal.Question 8: Rosalie from the Chicago suburbs wants books she "can recommend to my 15 year old son. Have thought about Sarina Bowen’s Ivy Years. Although LJ Shen “Sinner of Saints” series is high school, seems too dark/gritty and I think he would not be able to suspend reality for some of the story lines given he is the same age."Our Recommendations: Sarah thinks the Sarina Bowen series you mentioned should work just fine. Adult romances that are adventure stories might work are the Hidden Legacy seriesby Ilona Andrews and Polaris Rising by Jessie Mihalik. Some actual YA Romance that Jen likes are The Way You Make me Feel and I Believe in a Thing Called Love, which are both by Maurene Goo. One of Jen's favorite YA books of all time is called The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks. She also recommneds Not if I Save You First by Ally Carter. Some sports romances we recommend are the WAGS series by Naima Simone, especially Scoring Off the Field. Finally, The Deal by Elle Kennedy might be a good choice.Question 9: Jemma from Texas is looking for "Found family. Also with lots of good food descriptions. Not necessarily a chef romance though (they stress me out because chefs stay up so late at night; ugh, who does that?)"Our recommendations: This is such a perfect question for Sarah. She recommends the Recipe for Love series by Louisa Edwards. Another series by the same author is called the Rising Star Chefs. The Opposite of You by Rachel Higginson will work. Finally, American Dreamer by Adriana Herrera, and a series by Sabrina Sol. In hindsight, Sarah basically only recommended books with chefs in them. She's sorry. She has a problem.Question 10: Sara from Albuquerque wants a "Bodyguard trope where the person being guarded does NOT spend the whole book trying to escape the bodyguard because he/she doesn't think there is any danger even though it's incredibly obvious to everyone else. Bonus if the bodyguard character is female."Our recommendations: Jen recommends Sexy/Dangerous (female bodyguard) by Beverly Jenkins, which is fabulous. Nana Malone has a few, one in her royals seris, and another is Bodyguard to the Billionaire (female bodyguard) -- also, listen to Nana talk about Royal Romance on an interstitial last season!. And! Try HelenKay Dimon's Leave Me Breathless(female bodyguard), Katee Robert's Thalanian Dynasty series (male bodyguard/MMF menage) and Anna Zabo's Reverb (trans male bodyguard).Question 11: Molly from Washington has an AMA question about how to organize her Kindle books. She is also looking for a book that "Features a Grumpy/terse older brother’s friend (or older brother of friend) with smart mouth heroine, bonus points for SUPER HOT, some sort of road trip, or problem they have to solve much to their reluctance (trapped on a desert island?) basically Bowen and Mari

Happy New Year, Fated Matesers (This isn’t a great name for us. We need a better name—someone name us)! We’re back, it’s 2019, new year, new us, and we’re starting as we mean to go on with Curvy Heroines, because, in the words of Julie Murphy, Every Body is a Swimsuit Body. Jen and I love a curvy heroine, and the men who love them, and so curvy romances are OUR FAVES.Next week, we’re getting into Demons! We’ve met Cade, the prince of Rothkalina (the Rage Demonarchy) and his brother Rydstrom, its deposed King, before — they were in the Talisman’s Hie, and in Néomi & Conrad’s book. Next week, we tackle Cade & Holly’s story, Dark Desires After Dusk, with Rydstrom & Sabine’s book Kiss of a Demon King two weeks later. We highly recommend reading these two close together!Show Notes- In the summer of 2018, Jen and a bunch of people on Twitter discussed Nine Rules to Break While Romancing a Rake using the hashtag #9RulesRake.- Sarah also has a curvy heroine romance that is coming in July! Brazen & the Beast has a gorgeous curvy heroine on the cover.- Just a reminder that Jenny Crusie is completely awesome, and Bet Me is an amazing book.- Courtney Milan has lots to say about romance. All of her books are amazing, but we talked about The Heiress Effect.- Never Sweeter by Charlotte Stein was awareded the platinum medal in Jen's "Who Did It Better in the Library" post.- Romancelandia often recommends books with curvy and fat heroines, and there are quite a few thoughtful pieces about how we think aobut these characters our ourselves.- Naima Simone writes very excellent books and Jen & Sarah want this one right now.- Olivia Dade is an advocate for fat women in romance, and Jen and Sarah both loved this thread and want to read books about all these heroines.- Check out the full transcript for this episode.

This week we discuss children’s programming, #IWeigh, and our favorite fat books of 2018.   This episode of She’s All Fat is sponsored by TomboyX. She’s All Fat listeners get an extra 15% off by entering code “SAF2018” at checkout on tomboyx.com.   We are an independent production. If you’d like to support the work we do,  you can join our Patreon by visiting patreon.com/shesallfatpod.  When you pledge to be a supporter, you’ll get all sorts of goodies like our Patreon-only Facebook Group and extra content.   If you are interested in the perks available to our Patrons but you are not able to afford the monthly contribution, apply for our Patreon Scholarship! If you are a member of the Fatmily interested in becoming a sponsor, contact us here.   Need advice? Email/send voice memo to fyi@shesallfatpod.com.   Follow us! Twitter / Instagram / Get updates!   You can find us on: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Stitcher / Google Play / Pocket Cast / PlayerFM / CastBox   Need something else? Check out our site: shesallfatpod.com   Download an SAF Wallpaper here!   Mentioned in this episode:   I’m Obsessed: H.E.R. New Single. Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures. Monster High. Good and Mad by Rebecca Traister. Akata Witch.   The Meat of It: My Life as a Goddess by Guy Branum. You Have the Right to Remain Fat by Virgie Tovar. Samantha Irby. Landwhale by Jes Baker. Body Positivity Power by Megan Jayne Crabbe. The Body is Not An Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love by Sonya Renee Taylor. Reclaiming Beauty Journal & Wisdom Deck by Heidi Anderson with Illustrations by Leah Joy. Julie Murphy. Julie Murphy on Instagram. Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli. Dietland by Sarai Walker. Summer of Jordi Perez by Amy Spalding. The Belly Book by Fran Manushkin. Diverse Books. Book Riot. Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie. Talia Hibbert. Dana Series. Suzanne LaFleshe.

This week Jess Pryde joins Jenn for a special romance episode of Get Booked. This episode is sponsored by Engineering for Cats by Mac Delaney and our $500 YA Giveaway.   Questions   1. Hi Amanda and Jenn, Love the show! I've read so many great books based on your recommendations. I love to read romance novels, usually the steamier the better. But the thing I enjoy most about them is the sexual tension and building intimacy. I like to see that a couple actually cares for each other and it’s not just a one night stand. To give you an idea, some books that I've really enjoyed are Hold Me by Courtney Milan; Hate to Want You by Alisha Rai; Sarah J. Maas' Court of Thorns and Roses series; A Bollywood Affair by Sonali Dev; and The Hating Game by Sally Thorne. I know there's a ton more out there but would love to get your suggestions on some great ones. I'm open to pretty much anything. Thanks! --Becca   2. Hi ladies! I'm looking for a novel that contains a great love story. A lot of romances written today (both contemporary and historical) turn me off because it seems like the couple has an immediate attraction that results in inevitable sex scenes while complications still exist, and then the rest of the book is the main characters finding out how to have an actual relationship in addition to the sex, despite whatever plot devices are in their way. I think Jane Austen spoiled me. Call me old fashioned, but I want a couple that fall in love without having sex first! I especially like stories where the guy has been in love with the girl for a long time but doesn't think he has a chance for some reason. Think Molesley and Baxter from Downton Abbey (which I am STILL salty about not being resolved) or Professor Bhaer and Jo from Little Women. It doesn't have to be an old book and it doesn't have to be strictly romance; I'm perfectly willing to read any book as long as it makes me ACHE over several hundred pages for the prospective lovers to finally communicate their feelings! Thank you so much! P.S. I forgot to mention that I read A Distant Heart recently, and that's more in the realm of what I'm looking for since the sex came very late after the two had already had years of build up, but I'd still prefer a book where the profession of love comes before the sex! --Brannan   3. Dear Jenn and Amanda, I'm a huge fan of your show and Book Riot in general. I'm really looking forward to Book Riot Live! Thanks for being so amazing! I'm proudly a plus-sized/curvy (for lack of a better term) woman in her late twenties, and I was wondering if you had recommendations for books with female main characters who are also described this way. Growing up I really identified with Meg Murray because she felt out of place with her appearance like I did. Recently, I have loved reading Dumplin', Size 12 is Not Fat, Duff, and Bet Me because they featured characters I could relate to physically who were described positively and had a happy ending that didn't involve them losing a lot of weight. (I most recently read It Had To Be You, and didn't love it.) I loved the body positive message of each book, and I'm a sucker for a makeover sequence, but I have always hated reading books where the fat/chubby girl found happiness after losing a few pounds. I plan on reading Shrill and 13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl, but I was wondering if you had any recommendations for fiction or romance books with more characters I could relate to that have enjoyable story lines. I have read too many non-fiction books and graphic novels, so I would prefer not to get books in those categories. I also have learned that I don't do well with reading books with unlikeable characters, for example, I struggled with Girl On the Train and Gone Girl. I'm sorry for this incredibly long email, but I would really appreciate any help that you could give me! Thank you so much! Sincerely, --M   4. Hi Amanda and Jenn! My TBR is getting ridiculous because of this podcast, but I still love it! I'm currently in grad school reading some very dry material about metadata, and I need something exciting to get me through this dull semester. Lately, I've been in the mood for some romance. Something non traditional like The Fever series by Karen Marie Moning. I love the slow and sexy build of the couple's relationship and how for the majority of the series they didn't trust each other, and fought all the time. However, they always had each other's back. I love how you never knew if they were going to kill or kiss each other. I haven't been able to find anything like this. I read all genres, so I'll take any recommendations you've got! Thanks! --Ana   5. Until listening to different book riot podcasts and reading this site I was prejudiced against romance novels. When I was in middle school and starting to explore adult literature, I was also curious about sex and found some romance books to read. My thirteen year old self however just picked whatever free ebook I could find so my parents wouldn't know what I was reading. Consequently I read some pretty bad novels, and have since considered romance "lesser literature" (yes yes I'm a bad person- but I'm trying to rectify the situation!). Also as I've gotten older I've found I find it harder and harder for a writer to convince me a romance is real, and I also enjoy a healthy dose of plot unrelated to romance. I fall on the snooty side of reading classics and literary fiction, but I want to expand my horizons. I love historical fiction so if you know of any good romance set it in the past that is a plus. But really I just want to know what you think are some good romance reads for beginners that will get me interested in the genre. Thanks! P.S. My favorite kinds of romance are the forbidden kind, and the love/hate thing (i.e. Han and Leia, or Starbuck and Apollo from Battlestar Galactica). Yes I'm a cliche. --Connie   6. Hello---I thought I was done with Romance (novels, not in real life, of course), but then I listened to your Podcast all about romance, decided to try a few you recommended and guess what? I am in love with Romance novels again! But--there are so many to choose from and I've been away from the genre for so long, I am hoping you can recommend some new ones for me. I am open to pretty much anything, but if you know of something kind of "Southern" and a bit more "intense" than some, that would be great. I'm also not adverse to same sex love stories --I read "Think of England" from your rec and loved it. Also Loved "Every Good Earl Deserves a Lover" and Julia Quinn's Bridgerton Series. Loved them, just looking for a little bit more intense (sex and story). Can you help me? Thanks so much. --Debbie in Nevada   7. After years of reading exclusively literary fiction or non-fiction, I stumbled upon the Romance genre and am finding it very interesting and, often, a lot of fun. I'd love to share this experience...perhaps even with my (adventurous) book club. Any recommendations for a book within the romance genre that would make a good book club pick? (Bonus if there is a reading guide available!) --BD   Books Discussed The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory After the Wedding by Courtney Milan A Girl Like Her by Talia Hibbert (tw: intimate partner violence) Under Her Skin by Adriana Anders (tw: flashbacks to domestic abuse) Dear Aaron by Mariana Zapata A Summer for Scandal by Lydia San Andres If the Dress Fits by Carla de Guzman The Heiress Effect by Courtney Milan Soulless by Gail Carriger Dating You / Hating You by Christina Lauren The Soldier’s Scoundrel by Cat Sebastian An Extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole Chasing Moonlight by Raven St. Pierre Looking For Trouble by Victoria Dahl The Bollywood Bride by Sonali Dev How the Duke Was Won by Lenora Bell

Welcome to the fifth episode of Just F Already. Holly and Yoli are still on pallet cleansing books after reading so many BAD romance/erotica novels. This time it's Yoli's turn to pick something nice and we talk about one of her favorite contemporary romance books, Bet Me by Jennifer Cruise! It features lots of food, great characters and a nice satisfying steamy sex scene. Enjoy!Our next episode we get back to our roots of bad romance and we'll be reading Devil in His Eyes by J.M. Darhower. Feel free to follow along. Thanks to Mizzy Bizzy in our itunes reviews for the suggestion!

Welcome to the fifth episode of Just F Already. Holly and Yoli are still on pallet cleansing books after reading so many BAD romance/erotica novels. This time it's Yoli's turn to pick something nice and we talk about one of her favorite contemporary romance books, Bet Me by Jennifer Cruise! It features lots of food, great characters and a nice satisfying steamy sex scene. Enjoy!Our next episode we get back to our roots of bad romance and we'll be reading Devil in His Eyes by J.M. Darhower. Feel free to follow along. Thanks to Mizzy Bizzy in our itunes reviews for the suggestion!

In this episode, you get the real "old days of radio" experience listening to Jen pick up her glass and drink from it and set it back down repeatedly. Ice clinking! It's like we are on Mad Men! Metal Desk + Podcast = Clink Amplification We start out playing a new game we dub "Scenarios" - Essentially we each make up a series of geeky/pop cultural scenarios for the other to navigate. It involves Harry Potter and Star Trek! For the main event, we have Smut Shaming or de-stigmatizing guilty pleasures. We have discussed before that we are adamantly against the concept of “guilty pleasures” - just like what you like and you should not be ashamed of it or made to feel shame because of it. In this segment, we express our love of fanfic and romance novels, defend them from shamers, and explain why they appeal. And, as promised, here are all the books we recommended during the show as well as some extras! Fanfic book: Textual Poachers by Henry Jenkins Jen's Romance Recs: YA sports themed romance: Miranda Kenneally & Simone Elkeles Urban Fantasy, no explicit sex (fade to black) - Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs Urban Fantasy with sex - Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews, Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris (LOTS OF SEX - Laurel K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake series) Urban Fantasy with some sex and lots of jokes - Undead and Unwed by Mary Janice Davidson Steampunk Werewolf romance - Soulless by Gail Carriger Contemporary amusing romance with a relatable heroine - Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie Contemporary romance with my kind of guy - Vision in White by Nora Roberts Historical romance, light - Desperate Duchesses by Eloisa James, Nine rules to break when romancing a rake by Sarah Maclean Historical romance, epic - Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, Epic Fantasy Romance - Kushiel’s Dart by Jacqueline Carey M/M romance - Him by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy YA romance, fairy tales - Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer YA romance, angels and demons - The Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor YA romance, contemporary - Stephanie Perkins trilogy - Anna and the French Kiss, Lola and the boy next door, Isla and the Happily Ever After Romance, contemporary, but with interesting structure - anything by Rainbow Rowell YA comic book, historical elements - The Dreamer As always, our amazing Intro/Outro music is "We Are Highscore" by Krackatoa