Podcast appearances and mentions of charlotte stein

This week's episode is thanks to Julie Block, the Fated Mates listener who won an episode of the podcast in the Romance for Reproductive Justice auction sponsored by The Meet Cute Romance Bookshop and Fizzery in La Mesa, CA. Julie made a generous donation to the Collective Power Fund at the National Network of Abortion Funds, and in doing so, got to pick the episode topic — Books that Bang! Headphones in, y'all. We have sixty-nine (that's right, 69, by pure unplanned luck!) recommendations for you this week — everything from bonkers to bloody to blazing hot…naughty bits that we believe deliver the whole banana (and sometimes no banana at all, if you know what we mean). Pencils ready…your time starts…now.Show NotesThanks to Julie Block for suggesting this episode and donating to abortion funds for the Romancing for Reproductive Justice Auction, sponsored by The Meet Cute Romance Bookshop & Fizzery, opening fall of 2022 in La Mesa, CA. It is not too late to donate to the Collective Power Fund at the National Network of Abortion Funds.While we name checked some Fated Mates classic recommendations like Tessa Bailey, Jessa Kane, and London Hale, somehow we recorded this episode without once mentioning the name of Charlotte Stein. So raise a glass to her and all the other authors writing super hot books that we forgot to mention.Probably you want to see Jen Porter's illustrations of the drilldo. (PS. Protip: you might put "drilldo" in the search field of twitter thinking that Jen's tweets will come up, and that would be a mistake unless you want to see it real and in action. Ask me how I know.)SponsorsMelissa McTernan, author of Married to the Fae Queen, the second book in the Fairy Realm series, available in print and through Kindle Unlimited.Lumi Labs, creators of Microdose Gummies. Visit microdose.com and use the code FATEDMATES for 30% off and free shipping on your orderThe RestFor even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net/episodes/2022/6/7/s0438-these-books-bang If you wish you had six more days in a week of people talking about romance, may we suggest joining our Patreon? Aside from an additional episode every month you get access to our Discord, where other romance readers are talking about books they love (and many other things!) all the time. It's so fun! Learn more about the Patreon and go join those cool people who love romance as much as you do at patreon.com/fatedmates. Beyond your favorite podcast app, you can find us on

Author Charlotte Stein took time out of her day to chat with Leah about her newest release My Big Fat Fake Wedding. 

It's been the longest month of our lives and as self-care, we're not thinking about billionaires this week (or at least for the duration of this episode). Instead, we're talking about those men who are rich in other ways, in throwing a punch, chasing a tornado, camping, playing an instrument, you get it. We've got a bunch of books we love and not a ten-figure bank account to be seen!If you want more Fated Mates in your life, please join our Patreon, which comes with an extremely busy and fun Discord community! Join other magnificent firebirds to hang out, talk romance, and be cool together in a private group full of excellent people. Learn more at patreon.com.Enter the Macmillan Audio sweepstakes to win one of five free copies of the audiobook of Charlotte Stein's My Big Fat Fake Marriage.Our next read along is Julie Anne Long's What I Did For a Duke, available in print, ebook, and audio at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.The BooksForbidden by Beverly JenkinsThirsty by Mia Hopkins Stealing the Rogue's Heart by Erica MonroeA Substitute Wife for the Prizefighter by Alice ColdbreathIn the Morning Sun by Lena HartAn Unseen Attraction by KJ CharlesWhirlwind by Kayla GrossGone Too Deep by Katie RuggleTake Me Home Tonight by Erika KellyInto the Woods by Jenny HolidayDrilled by Brill HarperSinner (was Sinful Temptation) by London Hale Pardon my Frenchie by Farrah RochonSleeping With the Frenemy by Natalie CañaCommon Ground by Melanie GreeneDemon from the Dark by Kresley ColeMorning Glory Milking Farm by CM Nascosta

This week, Amber, Robin, Georgina, Brooke, Shan, Shannon, and Stacy are sharing some of their most anticipated October releases, a ton of which seem to come out on October 1. Titles mentioned include: Louise Penny, The Grey Wolf (Armand Gamache #19) Sabaa Tahir, Heir (Heir Duology #1) Kate Stayman-London, Fang Fiction Seana Kelly, The Bloody Ruin Asylum and Taproom (Sam Quinn #7) Charlotte Stein, To Help a Hungry Werewolf (Sanctuary for Supernatural Creatures #1) Jessica Strawser, Catch You Later Karen Marie Moning, The House At Watch Hill (Watch Hill #1) Louise Erdrich, The Mighty Red Alan Hollinghurst, Our Evenings Amanda Eliot, Love You a Latke Rachael Lippincott & Alyson Derrick, Make My Wish Come True Pippa Grant, The Fake Wedding Project Freya Marske, Swordcrossed Alistair Reeves, A Spell for Heartsickness (The Rune Tithe #1) Ann Liang, A Song to Drown Rivers Lev A.C. Rosen, Rough Pages (Evander Mills #3) Patricia Cornwell, Identity Unknown (Kay Scarpetta #28) Kathleen Glasgow, The Glass Girl M.A. Wardell & A.J. Truman, Marshmallow Mountain (Big Boys Small Spaces #1) Rachel Greenlaw, The Woodsmoke Women's Book of Spells Jayne Allen, The Most Wonderful Time You can always contact the Book Bistro team by searching @BookBistroPodcast on facebook, or visiting: https://www.facebook.com/BookBistroPodcast/ You can also send an email to: TheBookBistroPodcast@gmail.com For more information on the podcast and the team behind it, please visit: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/book-bistro

If you've been paying attention, you've seen copies of When Grumpy Met Sunshine online, in bookstores, and even grocery stores. But Charlotte Stein is not an overnight success: she's been writing and publishing for 15 years. Visit Charlotte's website.

I am in a reading slump yet again, but here are the 24 books I've read so far this year! Don't worry, there are no spoilers in this review! B O O K L I S T Galatea by Madeline Miller One of Our Own by Lucinda Berry Grimstone by Sophie Lark Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman Way Down Deep by Charlotte Stein and Cara McKenna Satan's Affair by HD Carlton Double Dare You by Ruby Dixon Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden The Tiger Came to the Mountains by Silva Moreno-Garcia Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson Big Swiss by Jen Beagin My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell The Risk by ST Abby Bird Box by Josh Malerman The Dark One by Nikki St. Crowe The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Circe by Madeline Miller The Girl from the Well by Rin Chupeco Morning Glory Milking Farm by CM Nascosta If you'd like to join our book club and read with us, please do! ⁠Join Weirdo Book Club⁠ If you want more Weirdo Book Club or you want to show your support, here are a few places to start: ⁠YouTube⁠ | ⁠TikTok⁠ | ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠Support us on Patreon⁠ ⁠Send Natalie a Book⁠ ⁠Send Hannah a Book⁠ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/weirdobookclub/message

I am in a reading slump yet again, but here are the 10 books I've read so far this year! B O O K L I S T • One of Our Own by Lucinda Berry • Galatea by Madeline Miller • Grimstone bySophie Lark • Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman • Way Down Deep by Charlotte Stein, Cara McKenna • Double Dare You by Ruby Dixon • Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter • Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas • Whoever Fights Monsters by Robert K. Ressler • Satan's Affair by H.D. Carlton If you'd like to join our book club and read with us, please do! ⁠Join Weirdo Book Club⁠ If you want more Weirdo Book Club or you want to show your support, here are a few places to start: ⁠YouTube⁠ | ⁠TikTok⁠ | ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠Support us on Patreon⁠ ⁠Send Natalie a Book⁠ ⁠Send Hannah a Book⁠ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/weirdobookclub/message

The Valentine's episode!Charlotte Stein is the RT and DABWAHA nominated author of over fifty short stories, novellas and novels, including the Library Journal starred When Grumpy Met Sunshine. When not writing deeply emotional and intensely sexy books, she can be found eating jelly turtles, getting way too excited over a million movies and TV shows, and occasionally lusting after moustaches. She lives in Leeds with her family.When Grumpy Met Sunshine is a Ted Lasso inspired novel, and Charlotte shares how she brings in the humour to her writing.If you would like to show your love for the podcast, please consider buying me a coffee through BuyMeACoffee.com. This gives you an opportunity to make a small, one-off donation - you are not committed to regular payments. Making the podcast earns me no money, and in fact costs me a fair bit, but I do it for the love, and because I have such fun talking with wonderful authors. Even if you can't afford to buy me a coffee, simply letting me know that you love the podcast means a lot to me. Please take a moment to leave a star rating, write a review, or share the episode with others you know who will benefit from listening in, or you can tag me in social media when you share an episode that you love with your followers.My website is http://www.zoerichards.co.uk and you can access the FREE Mini Reboot through this link.You can find me on TwiX and Instagram as @zoerichardsukAnd finally my debut novel, Garden of Her Heart, is published 20th June 2024. You can pre-order here or if you are on NetGalley you can request an ARC (advance reader copy) here.Happy writing, and may the words flow for you.

Believe it or not, I actually read some great books this year! Let's dig in. B O O K L I S T • Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen • Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews • The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman • The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins • Ghost Eaters by Clay McCleod Chapman • The Mercy of Thin Air by Ronlyn Domingue • Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie • The Iron Man by Ted Hughes • We Deserve Monuments by Jas Hammond • Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia • Deviant by Harold Schechter • Way Down Deep by Charlotte Stein and Cara McKenna • You by Caroline Kepnes • Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati • The Luis Ortega Survival Club by Sonora Reyes • Brother by Ania Ahlborn • Dead of Winter by Darcy Coates • Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia • There are no Saints by Sophie Lark • Galatea by Madeline Miller • Sweet Inferno by Elliott Rose • Disseverment by Z.C. Krol • Unhinged by Vera Valentine • The Lover by Silvia Moreno-Garcia • Bitter Orange by Claire Fuller • Surrender by Sonya Hartnett • Helpmeet by Naben Ruthnum • The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins • What Kind of Mother by Clay McCleod Chapman • Bury Me into Diamonds by Kaitlyn Luckow If you'd like to join our book club and read with us, please do! ⁠Join Weirdo Book Club⁠ If you want more Weirdo Book Club or you want to show your support, here are a few places to start: ⁠YouTube⁠ | ⁠TikTok⁠ | ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠Support us on Patreon⁠ ⁠Send Natalie a Book⁠ ⁠Send Hannah a Book⁠ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/weirdobookclub/message

Today's topic is one that sets our hearts racing and pages turning: the Enemies to Lovers trope. We dissect some of the most iconic enemies to lovers stories in literature and on screen and dive deep into the intoxicating dance of characters who start off at odds, only to find their hearts entwined as the story unfolds and explore why this trope captures our imaginations and keeps us hooked, from the fiery initial clashes to the eventual tender admissions of love.    Grab Leslye's current favorite The Hating Game, the book https://amzn.to/3N9sUwa or the film https://amzn.to/3RaLzce.   Interested in the Save the Cat plotting method? Here's the book: https://amzn.to/3uzsKaT  And here's a blog post that discusses the Thesis, Antithesis and Synthesis: https://savethecat.com/tips-and-tactics/revisiting-save-the-cat-strikes-back-the-three-worlds Snyder goes more into this theory in Save the Cat Strikes Back: https://amzn.to/3MVUi0v    Check out the only bully romance that Ines and Leslye could handle Never Sweeter by Charlotte Stein: https://amzn.to/3Rde1v9    Check out the Kresley Cole's unlikeable heroine in Kiss of the Demon King: https://amzn.to/3uxNzn6   Check out Angelina Lopez's super strong heroine in After Hours on Milagro Street: https://amzn.to/3GpF5Ru   Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy is chef's kiss: https://amzn.to/3Ge4JIY    Check out Ines' nonfiction recommendation Body Work by Melissa Febos: https://amzn.to/47ucer4   Check out Leslye's recommendation Dragon Chained by Kenley Davidson (The Dragon of 23rd Street series): https://amzn.to/3Gm0XNA    Want to learn worldbuilding from Leslye? Sign up here: https://learn.myimaginaryfriends.net/ Want to learn story structure from Ines? Sign up here: https://ineswrites.com/PTP Get ready for Caressed by Ice, coming in next week! Grab your copy to read along: https://amzn.to/47Pnv5b    Subscribe to the podcast at: https://inkandmagic.net/    Find us online at: L. Penelope: https://lpenelope.com/  Ines Johnson: https://ineswrites.com/  Credits: "Moonlight Hall" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License.

School's out for summer! I was a nerd and school and libraries were my happy places. Intellectualism, books and words were my religion. So it's no surprise that I'm a sucker for romances set in academia. The age gap and power difference tropes can be difficult to handle well but some romances manage to walk that fine line while bringing all of the absurd humor and steamy romance. https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.comMOVIESPassionflix ("we find the most passionate content to satisfy our viewers") is like the Hallmark Channel for those who like their romance spicy and steamy. They adapt best-selling romance novels into original content and since the company is run by a woman and the films are mostly written and directed by women, movies that emphasize the female gaze are their specialty. This trailer for Gabriel's Inferno is like a mini-telenovela, in all the best ways. Have an icy drink nearby. There's more than a touch of Jane Austen's Emma, that novel of "young hubris and romantic misunderstandings" in the plot of Maggie's Plan. I love its brutally real modern exploration of the intersection--or not--of mothering, romance, commitment and career, all from a female perspective.The name of Ethan Hawke's TED talk is "Give Yourself Permission to Be Creative." I absolutely love that he's sitting in a bar with string lights all around giving this "talk" which is more like a conversation. He's just too down to earth to wear that headset on a stage. This is the best nine minutes you'll ever spend.BOOKSI've only read the first Gabriel's Inferno book and while it isn't the best written romance I've ever read, it's definitely one of the most sexy and unforgettable, full of the juiciest, slightly naughty romantic tropes. Gabriel is an irresistible Stern Brunch Daddy.When a student accidentally leaves a story in an essay assignment, detailing her most private and erotic fantasies, it could have meant total humiliation. Instead, The Professor is impressed with her talent and presents her with a choice that includes private tuition at his home. Whewwwww. Charlotte Stein writes steamy romances in a witty, elegant literary style that's pure catnip to me.If you can't get enough of romance set in academia, Goodreads has assembled a good list. Some of the books feature large age gap tropes, so definitely check the descriptions if that isn't your thing. The Kiss Quotient and Only When It's Us aren't hot for teacher stories, but they feature a university setting and they're fabulous.Charlotte Brontë even wrote her own version of academic love.Support the show

This week's episode is thanks to Julie Block, the Fated Mates listener who won an episode of the podcast in the Romance for Reproductive Justice auction sponsored by The Meet Cute Romance Bookshop and Fizzery in La Mesa, CA. Julie made a generous donation to the Collective Power Fund at the National Network of Abortion Funds, and in doing so, got to pick the episode topic — Books that Bang! Headphones in, y'all. We have sixty-nine (that's right, 69, by pure unplanned luck!) recommendations for you this week — everything from bonkers to bloody to blazing hot…naughty bits that we believe deliver the whole banana (and sometimes no banana at all, if you know what we mean). Pencils ready…your time starts…now.Thanks to Melissa McTernan, author of Married to the Fae Queen, the second book in the Fairy Realm series, for sponsoring the episode. Thanks, also, to Lumi Labs, creators of Microdose Gummies. Visit microdose.com and use code FATEDMATES to get free shipping & 30% off your first order.Our next read along is Virginia Henley's The Dragon and the Jewel, a deep cut from Sarah's childhood. Check your content warnings and remember this one is from 1991, so we don't even know, honestly. We're flying without a net here. Get it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple, Kobo or your local indie.Show NotesThanks to Julie Block for suggesting this episode and donating to abortion funds for the Romancing for Reproductive Justice Auction, sponsored by The Meet Cute Romance Bookshop & Fizzery, opening fall of 2022 in La Mesa, CA. It is not too late to donate to the Collective Power Fund at the National Network of Abortion Funds.While we name checked some Fated Mates classic recommendations like Tessa Bailey, Jessa Kane, and London Hale, somehow we recorded this episode without once mentioning the name of Charlotte Stein. So raise a glass to her and all the other authors writing super hot books that we forgot to mention.Probably you want to see Jen Porter's illustrations of the drilldo. (PS. Protip: you might put "drilldo" in the search field of twitter thinking that Jen's tweets will come up, and that would be a mistake unless you want to see it real and in action. Ask me how I know.)

Mentioned: - FaRoFeb (Fantasy Romance February) - https://farofeb.com/ - Sheltered by Charlotte Stein - https://amzn.to/30hla4E - Darkness Dawns by Dianne DuVall - https://amzn.to/3v5tHmS - DisCon 3 - https://discon3.org/   The My Imaginary Friends podcast is a weekly, behind the scenes look at the journey of a working author navigating traditional and self-publishing. Join fantasy and paranormal romance author L. Penelope as she shares insights on the writing life, creativity, inspiration, and this week's best thing. Subscribe and view show notes at: https://lpenelope.com/podcast | Get the Footnotes newsletter - http://lpen.co/footnotes Support the show - http://frolic.media/podcasts! Stay in touch with me! Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook Music credit: Say Good Night by Joakim Karud https://soundcloud.com/joakimkarud Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/SZkVShypKgM Affiliate Disclosure: I may receive compensation for links to products on this site either directly or indirectly via affiliate links. Heartspell Media, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Hey HBs! Brendan Fraser has gotten some well-deserved love on romance twitter of late, thanks to Charlotte Stein, so we're adding our own fawning to the pile! In this rerelease, Katee Robert joins Mel to recap The Mummy, chat all about what a hot Gryffindor Brendan Fraser is, what competence porn Rachel Weisz's character Evie is, and omg how sexy is that mummy, though, right?  Katee has TONS of amazing books you can read, like The Beast, Seducing My Guardian, Broderick, and Neon Gods!  Bonus Content:  The Beast and other Wicked Villains deliciousness, Katee's new series set in Olympus with retellings of Greek myths, Troy the movie and the impacts it had on Mel and Katee's romantic lives in the early aughts, how much we will forgive if you do something for love, #themummysowhite, Rick O'Connel drop the weapon and get in our pants, Evie how are you so competent and sexcellent?, holy wow the mummy is so hot, hey white people stop waking plagues and abusing locals, the Sleepy Colonizing Misogynist, and so much more!  Lady Loves:  Katee: EMDR walks to help with stress Melody: Vitamin C serum for your face Hire Natalie to virtually assist you, AKA relieve your stress and fix your life! www.justasknat.co | nathelpsyou@gmail.com | Twitter | IG Indie Podcast Shout Out: Teen Girl Talk

Nearly two years since our first Curvy Heroines interstitial, which was short and sweet, we’re back with another that is longer and more meandering, but absolutely chock full of recs! We love a curvy heroine, and so do you all, apparently, as our original Curvy Interstitial is our most popular episode of all time! Next week, we’ve got a special crossover episode with Erin and Clayton from Learning the Tropes, and the week after, we’re back to the deep dives with Naima Simone’s Blackout Billionaires series (With a little Derek Craven Day excitement in there, too!) In order, the books are: The Billionaire's Bargain, Black Tie Billionaire, and Blame It on the Billionaire. Find them at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, or Apple Books.Show NotesThis piece in Book Riot by Carole Bell argues that fat representation is different than fat acceptance, which is something we grapple with as we’re talking. She also wrote this list of romances with fat representation.If you haven’t read books by Charlotte Stein, you should. Which ones? ALL OF THEM. Fat Monica, if you don’t know, is a reference to the TV show Friends. Watch Olivia Dade talk about where we are now with fat representation in romance. Cult of Glory, a 2020 book about the true history of the Texas Rangers paints a grim picture of the storied law enforcement agents. In case you’re interested, last week Jen was googling “anal hook” and this week she landed on a bunch of Christian websites when she googled the Magi, so she got freaked out and just used a wikipedia link. It's fine. ¯_(ツ)_/¯Thea de Salle is one of author Hillary Monahan's pseudonyms. Back in the day, Jen wrote about Catholicism in romance based on a later book in the series, The Lady of Royale Street.Luciana Barroso is married to Matt Damon, and she’s a regular person.In Get a Life, Chloe Brown, the heroine suffers from fibromyalgia., and so does the author, Talia Hibbert.We did a whole episode on Alisha Rai’s Serving Pleasure in season two. Jen recently read The Ravenels series by Lisa Kleypas. She’s obsessed with Rhys Winterborne, and West Ravenel is pretty great, too. Don’t worry, Derek Craven is still her favorite, and if you haven’t ordered yourmerch for our upcoming Derek Craven holiday, what are you waiting for?On the show Bridgerton, Penelope Featherington is a curvy girl; however, in the books, she loses weight in the 10 years between when she comes out and when she finally gets her HEA with Colin. Iman is one of the most famously beautiful supermodels in the world, and she married David Bowie in 1992. “That’s what he said” is a long running joke from the sitcom The Office. The Queen’s Gambit is a Netflix show about chess, and Crash Landing on You is a K-Drama about a woman who accidentally paraglides into the DMZ in a tornado.

Welcome to Read Smut, the podcast that reads and reviews Romance and Erotica. We’re your hosts, Faith, Katie, and Meg. We are joined by our illustrious sound engineer and editor, Kelsey. This episode, we review Charlotte Stein’s Addicted. Some topics of interest include flip flops, sex barns, and the fact that Lori is the worst. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

We are feeling really proud of ourselves this week because Nobody’s Baby But Mine was the perfect isolation read for us both. The reread confirmed to both of us that this is, beat-for-beat, one of the best romcoms of all time. We’re talking problematic plots, the 90s, what we expect from jerk heroes and how Susan Elizabeth Phillips is better at flawed characters than anyone else in the game.We love having you with us! — subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform and like/review the podcast, please!In two weeks, we’re reading Victoria Dahl’s Taking the Heat. We know it’s tough to get it in print, but find it in e at your local library or at: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Kobo, or in print, mailed from your local indie (which is probably still shipping!)Show NotesAmericans are stress buying chickens. Yes, eggs are more expensive, but this is not a good idea.Speaking of chicks, now that Jen knows what happens to the chicks in the hatchery at the Museum of Science and Industry, she's back on Team Train Room.One day, we'll be able to visit the Butterfuly exhibit at the Museum of Natural History again.Nick Heath and Conor McGahey have figured out a way to keep those announcing skills sharp.Jen's interviewing YA authors on TikTok.When it comes to the SEP-Multiverse, we like the whackadoodle one at the circus (Kiss an Angel), the one with Bobby Tom (Heaven Texas), the one with the lazy golfer (Lady Be Good), and the one with Sugar Beth (Ain't She Sweet).What happened to the Lamont House romance collection?Charlotte Stein has a suggestion for authors of contemporary romance.Last year, Sarah wrote about technology in romance for the Washington Post.We talked about Prisoner of My Desire with Joanna Shupe, which is another book about a heroine who has done something very wrong.Maybe you're looking for actual secret baby books.The one with bad sex is Call Me Irresistible.After 9/11, Saturday Night Live and The Onion had to figure out how to be funny again.Our next book is Taking the Heat (aka Cunnilingus Gabe) by Victoria Dahl.

This week we read Never Sweeter by Charlotte Stein and wow... just wow.     Read:   Never Sweeter by Charlotte Stein     Listen:   Yuck - Glow & Behold (Spotify)     Watch:   Shrill - Season 2 (Hulu)     This episode is brought to you by Kensington’s newest title from Cheris Hodges, OWNER OF A BROKEN HEART.  Sportswriter Nina Richardson had the perfect life away from her family’s famous shadow. But a social media blowup and rejection by her boyfriend brought her back to their peaceful Charleston, South Carolina B&B to figure out what went wrong. So there’s no way she’s going to trust the crazy-hot sparks flying between her and handsome new employee Clinton Jefferson. It’s just reckless, rip-his-clothes-off, one-night-and-forget-it lust—right? You can find OWNER OF A BROKEN HEART by Cheris Hodges wherever books are sold. Find out more at Kensingtonbooks.com.     Find us- Instagram @learningthetropes Twitter @learningtropes Facebook Learning The Tropes Podcast Join The Learning The Tropes Troop! email: learningthetropespodcast@gmail.com Learning The Tropes is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. You can find more outstanding podcasts to subscribe to at Frolic.media/podcasts!

It's February and we're reading two books and watching a movie!    Never Sweeter by Charlotte Stein     To All The Boys: P.S. I Still Love You (Netflix)     Act Like It by Lucy Parker     Find us- Instagram @learningthetropes Twitter @learningtropes Facebook Learning The Tropes Podcast Join The Learning The Tropes Troop! email: learningthetropespodcast@gmail.com Learning The Tropes is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. You can find more outstanding podcasts to subscribe to at Frolic.media/podcasts!

Stay tuned for the second half of the episode in December! Next week, just in time for your tryptophan induced coma, we’re talking Loretta Chase’s Lord of Scoundrels, which was on both Jen & Sarah’s list, and is on the lions’ share of Best Romance Novels Ever lists. We’ll get into why. Read Lord of Scoundrels at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Kobo or your local indie.Show NotesQuestion 1: Ennis from New York asked, "is like Lothaire by Kresley Cole or Cold Cole Heartby K Webster, where the hero is someone who would be a villain in any other book. A megalomaniac, horribly damaged, murderous, whatever- and a heroine who takes NONE of his shit and brings him to his knees."Our Recommendations: The name of this trope is "morality chain" which might help you on your search for books like this. Sarah's Summer 2020 release Daring and the Duke is perfect for this question, but since it's not out yet, try The Masterpiece Duet by Skye Warren. The first is The King.Question 2: Lesley from Washington DC asked for books "with Jewish heroes and heroines, does not have to be holiday themed."Our recommendations: : Jen suggests Knit One, Girl Two and Cinnamon Blade by Shira Glassman. In fact, Jen was a special guest on the Heaving Bosoms podcast taking about Cinnamon Blade. Sarah recommends Craving Flight by Tamsen Parker and Dalliances and Devotion by Felicia Grossman. Stacey Agdern also writes about Jewish representation in romance and has written some novellas in the Rogue Anthologies. We also mentioned a great point that inspired a great thread by Felicia Grossman about Jewish characters in literature.Question 3: Daniela from Winnipeg had this AMA question: If there was a battle royale between all the IAD heroes, who would win? Does the answer change if they can't use weapons?Our Answer: The Wroth brothers would band togehter, Declan Chase has a real shot, and Lothaire wouldn't care. No matter who wins, Thronos goes down first. Jen mentioned someone who wrote about what would happen if all the US Presidents were in a knife fight. Enjoy.FWIW, Daniela also asked a question we skipped because we couldn't think of anything: A historical that has a silver fox duke and a spitfire heroine who exhausts the hell out of him. IDEAS? Let us know on twitter.Question 4: Kristen from DC! asked, "LGBTQ romance easily available in PRINT for my book club???? We do it through a local indie bookshop, and are having a hard time finding things other than Cat Sebastian/Olivia Waite from Avon."Our Recommendations: Adriana Herrera's American Dreamer series! Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston. We think Vanessa North and KJ Charles might be print on demand, which many indie bookstores won't carry. Dreamspinner is a mess right now, but many great authors are there, including LaQuette's latest, Under His Protection, which Jen bought a copy of at Love's Sweet Arrow. Carina titles might be more easily available, so try Syncopation and the rest of the Twisted Wishes series by Anna Zabo. Jen mentioned Being Hospitable by Meka James, but it's just in E. But you should still read it for fun.Question 5: Courtney from the Bodice Tipplers Podcast wants to know what books made us fall in love with the genre.Our answer: Well, just listen to all of season 2 of Fated Mates! But Sarah mentioned Nobody's Baby but Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Jen mentioned a new book that has made her feel that way is The Bride Test by Helen Hoang. Julie Garwood and Jude Deveraux were old-school authors we both loved back in the day.Question 6: Ali in NYC had an AMA and a question: How is Eric Mortensen so good at podcast editing?Our answer: Well, he just is and you should contact him if you need podcast editing help.Ali also wanted recommendations about historicals with witches/magic. Our recommendations: So many of these are old school, because this is not a very popular trope right now, so please proceed with caution. Sarah recommended Bewitching by Jill Barnett and Jen recommended a pair of books by Teresa Medeiros, Breath of Magic and Touch of Enchantment. In fact, Jen reviewed Touch of Enchantment for The Book Queen. Post-recording, we thought of Sex and the Psychic Witch by Annette Blair, which is the first of a series where three sisters use their "magic powers for good and their good looks for seduction."Question 7: Hannah from Texas asked for a romance that "has a Lucy Liu in "Set It Up" type heroine getting her actual HEA. I need ball-busting energy falling in love with a guy/gal/whoever that deserves her."Our Recommendations: Sarah recommended The Takeover Effect by Nisha Sharma which has a corporate espionage plot. Jen was maybe thinking of Set it Off and recommeded Elle Kennedy's Out of Uniform series. Jen mentioned Getting Hotter by Elle Kennedy, but upon further reflection, also thinks The Heat is On (in an anthology called Hot & Heavy) might work. But since Hannah was actually talking about Set it Up, which is about assistants and bosses, maybe try The Assistant by Ramona Gray or check out this extensive goodreads list of boss/employee romance novels.Question 8: Jenica from New York asked for a book that has "Childhood friends to enemies to lovers, preferably contemporary."Our recommendations: : We don't say it here, but one strategy Sarah and Jen use all the time with more popular tropes is searching for a Goodreads list. If you can find a book with a title or two you like on it, you might like others! Jen recommended His Until Midnight by Reese Ryan, and also noted that Sarah's book A Rogue by Any Other Name has this trope. Sarah recommended Punk 57 by Penelope Douglas. And a trailing suggestion was trying Christina Lauren, who has written many great enemies to lovers books and maybe one also has childhood friends. We didn't mention it on the podcast, but if you like YA, Jen loved Not if I Save You First by Allie Carter. That one would definitely work!Question 9: Holly from Chapel Hill asked for a book that "Has all the mutual pining. Friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, doesn't matter. Give me every last drop of pining."Our recommendations: Sarah suggests Waking Up with the Duke by Lorraine Heath. Jen recommends On Broken Wings by Chanel Cleeton. After we realized that there is lots of pining in Lisa Kleypas, but we think Again the Magic might be best.Holly had a follow up AMA, "What would your ideal book-centered vacation be?" Sarah said a beach, Jen has always wanted to stay at The Library Hotel, and that led to a discussion of Nora Robert's Boonsboro Inn, in Boonsboro, Maryland. But Jen also loves to read locally, which means reading books set in the places you are traveling.Question 10: Kara asked for a recommendation that "Has some sort of adventure or quest but is also slow burn."Our recommendations: Slow burns aren't our speciality. Jen joked she likes a "fast, incendiary burn." Please check out the Hidden Legacy series by Ilona Andrews, and the second one where they finally do it is called White Hot. The first one is called Burn For Me, it's right in the title! If you like fantasy, try Bound to the Battle God by Ruby Dixon. Sarah mentioned A Promise of Fire by Amanda Bouchet. And Aurora Blazing by Jessie Mihalik could count for this category and for pining!Question 11: Chase from Germany wants "Has m/m with a happy ending and the trope enemies to lovers?"Our recommendations: Sarah recommends Goalie Interference, which has enemy hockey players. Annika Martin has a good series, the first is called Enemies Like You, and Jen also likes a series by Layla Rayne called Agents Irish and Whiskey. Cask Strength also appeared in Jen's list of Who Did It Better on a Pool Table. You're welcome.Question 12: Caitlin from Wisconsin wants a book that "Has a plus size heroine, emphasis on fashion...vampires would also be nice."Our recommendations: We had to handle these two separately. For a curvy heroine with fasion, we recommended Take Me by Bella Andre and The King of Bourbon Street by Thea De Salle. For vampires, try Tall Dark and Hungry by Lynsay Sands. It's about a vampire who writes vampire novels. The Sherrilyn Kenyon book Sarah was thinking about is called Night Play, but it's actually about a werewolf. Oh well.Question 13: Jess asked, "Has an alpha submissive (I’ve tasked Sarah with this before and want more!)"Our recommendations: Jen doesn't think this exists, but Sarah recommends The Duke I Tempted, Giving It Up, The Devil's Submission and Sierra Simone's New Camelot series. If you can roll with Kristen Ashley's prose style, try Deacon. There is no pony play involved.Jess had a follow up AMA: "I would love to hear more about audiobook production. How much say authors have. Do they get to check in during production to make sure jokes are being delivered properly, etc?" Sarah replied that the answer is ... authors don't have much say at all, except maybe a choice of narrators. Sarah loves her narrator, Justine Eyre.Question 14: Lesley from San Francisco asked for a book that "Has a heroine over 50 who is single (not divorced or widowed)."Our recommendations: This was a hard one, and we are hoping that listeners will chime in with answers. We don't think any of these heroines are single--all widowed or divorced. But try Apples Are Red, Driving in Neutral, Bound with Love, or Mrs. Martin's Incomparable Adventure. But, you can check out this facebook group for seasoned romance, and Donnaposts a weekly Frolic column of seasoned romances. Finally, Sarah recommended London Hale's Talk Dirty To Me.Question 15: Carly from Atlanta is looking for “there’s only one bed,” historical edition (bonus points if they don’t have sex that time, but do later).Our recommendations: There are so many of these that we had a hard time answering. Yikes! But A Christmas Gone Perfectly Wrong is amazing. Later in Season 2 of Fated Mates, we'll read Devil's Bride by Stephanie Laurens, but the ohter one Sarah was thinking of was The Capture of the Earl of Glencrae Afterwards, we thought of The Duke Buys a Bride and Tycoon.Question 16: Shannon in Atlanta said, "Ghosts. I need all the ghosts. I’m regrading Lynn Kurland’s Stardust of Yesterday to see if I am still madly in love with Kendrick like 14 yr old me was. But I need more ghosts. For spooky season and for always."Our recommendations: So obvioulsy the best IAD book is Dark Needs at Night's Edge. But Halloween Boo and Hot Ghost might also be of interest. After recording, Jen thought of The Headmaster by Tiffany Reisz and Sarah thought of For the Earl's Pleasure by Anne Mallory.Question 17: Natali from Tampa asked for romances with "a sexy but serious body guard- saves heroine from her evil husband OR serious sexy body guard that is hired by father to care for wild heroine. And/Or sexy but consensual teacher-student relationship."Our recommendations: Sarah and Jen both liked The Professor by Charlotte Stein. Sarah also recommended The Unrequited by Saffron Kent. Bodyguards for some reason we didn't have specifics, but check out Sexy/Dangerous by Beverly Jenkins, which has a female bodyguard. Fallen by Rebecca Zanetti will work. But also, Jen is convinced that something in Lexi Blake's Masters and Mercenaries series will work.Question 18: Nisha wants books that are "bananas sexy."Our recommendations: Ice Planet Barbarians forever. But Brill Harper anything will work, and Jen especially recommends Altogether. Everyone on twitter thinks White Whiskey Bargain is super hot, and The Red is amazingly sexy. Grace Goodwin's Interstellar Brides series is also pretty hot.

This week’s best thing: Southside on Comedy Central Whispers of Shadow & Flame comes out October 1! Sign up for my newsletter – https://lpenelope.com/newsletter Mentions: The First Girl Child by Amy Harmon – https://amzn.to/30fkr46 Jeffe Kennedy podcast – https://blog.jeffekennedy.com/ The Orchid Throne by Jeffe Kennedy – https://jeffekennedy.com/the-orchid-throne Psychic Distance in writing: https://emmadarwin.typepad.com/thisitchofwriting/psychic-distance-what-it-is-and-how-to-use-it.html Sheltered by Charlotte Stein – https://amzn.to/30hla4E Article: 10 Things to Know about Being Published – https://emmadarwin.typepad.com/thisitchofwriting/2019/08/ten-things-to-know-about-being-published.html   Subscribe and view show notes at: https://lpenelope.com/podcast Website: https://www.lpenelope.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/leslyepenelopeTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/leslyepenelopeFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorlpenelope  Music credit: Say Good Night by Joakim Karud https://soundcloud.com/joakimkarudCreative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/SZkVShypKgM Affiliate Disclosure: I may receive compensation for links to products on this site either directly or indirectly via affiliate links. Heartspell Media, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

November 2-9, 2001 This week Ken welcomes producer, director and all around coolest person Charlotte Stein to the show. Ken and Charlotte discuss Harry Potter, Charlotte's TV Guide shoplifting, X-Files, cryptic spines, helping teach in Summers, Jeri Ryan, Star Trek, Philosophers vs. Sorcerers, King of the Hill, Sightings, Luke Wilson, Roshomon, Halloween, Butterfinger, The Simpsons, elaborate Trick or Treating rituals, costume changes, John Steed, The Avengers, inappropriate Catwoman costumes, The Faculty, USA vs. TBS, Friday the 13th Part 5, Savage Streets, New York Sleaze, cartoon C.O.P.S vs Cops, feeling mature, Jennifer Love Hewitt's "Let's Go Bang", Denise Richards, Wild Things, Kevin Bacon's bacon, Josh Hartnet's bedhead, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, Kiefer Sutherland in Dark City, The Blair Witch Project, Hammer vs. Tigon vs. Amicus, why Templars are for dorks, Eddie Furlong as Tracy Gold's husband, the Dog Soldiers formula, "Greeking", Blast from the Past vs. Pleasantville, Dave Foley, Millenium, Allie McBeal, Boston Public, David E. Kelly, when Ken ruined Crossing Jordan, Mad TV, Queer Eye, disliking Frank Sinatra, Eagleheart, everyone's favorite Nightmare on Elm St movie, candy based super powers, Greg Nicotero, not being into Mr. Boogedy, The Monroevill Mall, visiting your favorite filming locations, Hidden Camera comedy, Argento cuts, and the tv turmoil immediately after 9/11.

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.

Show Notes- Update: Jen got THREE books for Christmas this year! These two from her brother, and her best friend gives perfect, #onbrand books. Sarah got Thomas Madden's Venice and the Great British Bake Off coloring book. Does that count as a book? - Sarah loves The Great British Baking Show, so you should watch. Or maybe you would just like to admire silver-fox, Paul Hollywood. -Here's a 1979 New York Times article about this new craze sweeping the nation: hand-raised pies. Everthing old is new again in Sarah's house!- Jen no longer has the decorative wooden book item, but she does like to window shop for glass jars full of...things.- "You can put your weed in there" is an old SNL joke.- Gatsby's books are a symbol, but maybe more than you wanted to know about how books are put together and how pages are cut.- Read some more AMAs if you're in the mood, and you know Jen can't wait to read that first one. - Strawberry Rhubarb pie is Sarah's favorite, and although Jen didn't mention it, a favorite pie she makes every summer is Strawberry Margarita pie.- Our favorite pie shops in Houston, Northern Michigan, Chicago, and Brooklyn.- Charlotte Stein and Sophie Jordan are auto-buys, and A Kingdom of Dreams and Dreaming of Youare comfort reads. Sarah's most re-read IAD book is Sweet Ruin, and Jen's is Demon from the Dark.- Kresley announced in her newsletter a few months ago that the next IAD book is Munro (he's Uilleam's twin brother).- It's not only romance where we talk about unlikable heroines, but it's also that we only ask women authors if their female characters are likable.- A quick overview of Gender essentalism.- A very long twitter thread where all of Romancelandia picked their IAD dream cast.- Olivia Dade made a list of cinnamon roll heroes.- The ultimate romance rule is HEA or GTFO (Happily Ever After or Get the Fuck Out). There's also HFN, or Happy For Now. Here's the rest of Jen's Romance Rules.- More about the the problematic fave- Your Kink is Not my Kink, a very useful way to be respectful when something just isn't your jam. Also, Sarah would like to remind you that decent people don't yuck other people's yum.- Jen could write odes to the arms of Linda Hamilton and Angela Basset forever.- Aidan Quinn, then and now.- We'll be ringing in 2019 with Neomi and Conrad.

At some point we’ve all felt bullied. But did you ever think, as you stared out through the slits of a locker, your new home, that perhaps your tormenter just needed to work through some misplaced sexual desire? That in fact, your personal Roger Klotz was just biding their time to tell you how they really felt? What’s the statute of limitations on attempted murder? Can a novel be both problematic and titillating? Morgan and Isabeau grapple with Letty and Tate’s relationship, barn weddings, and what to do when your mind’s telling you no, but your body, your body, has been reshaped by toxic masculinity.

Who: Romance author Damon Suede Authors/ Books Discussed:  Gordon Merrick, Deanne Gist, Tamsen Parker, Jane Austen, Mariana Zapata's From Lukov With Love, Wall of Winnipeg, Sonali Dev's A Distant Heart, KJ Charles, Joanna Shupe's A Daring Arrangement and the rest of the series, Amanda Bouchet's Kingmaker series, Eloisa James, Molly O'Keefe's Everything We Left Unsaid, Rachel Caine's Stillwater Lake, Great Libraries series, Nalini Singh, Kressley Cole, Alyssa Cole, ICE PLANET BARBARIANS (AGAIN!!), Beverly Jenkins' Indigo, Charlotte Stein   Find their books on my Goodreads Women With Books Bookshelf Check  out Damon's New Book: Verbalize Links:   The Damon Suede debut romance named one of the top 100 romances of all time: Hot Head Subscribe to the Women With Books newsletter (With extra Q&A from the guests!) Friend me on Goodreads!   Check out the new HBIC Nation Podcast! Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2FunNkQ Google Play: http://bit.ly/2DP6jDs Online: https://hbicnation.com/hbic-nation-podcast/   THANK YOU FOR LEAVING A REVIEW SO THAT READERS CAN FIND THIS SHOW. XOXOX **> Here’s our Phone number to leave a message or (enthusiastic) review/ comment on a book: (435) 565-1523   "I was raised in a lab to write romance" "romance is the literature of hope" "Books are like lighthouses" 'I'm a genre slut." "I stand on the shoulders of female giants"      

We’re back with a new episode of SSR! This week, I (Em), have a cold and we talked about Charlotte Stein’s Sheltered. Check out our episode if you like 1) terrible singing, 2) fruit analogies, 3) showtunes. Join us if you also like existential questions about what you call a man’s juicy butt and dreaming … Continue reading Episode 17 – Sheltered (or how a gritty Grease would play out if Sandy decided not to change) →