Podcast appearances and mentions of melissa brayden

Last episode, Tara put out the call for queer YA books and a reader did the damn thing and delivered. So this week, we start off with a handful of fantastic reader recommendations for the little people in your life. Audiobook listening speeds, sphagnum moss, The Odyssey, and other queer topics are also discussed. Official Recommendations  From Kris: Prime Target (Apple TV+) Kris's official recommendation this week is the TV series Prime Target. A gay mathematician who's disastrously bad at relationships stumbles onto a discovery that puts him in the sights of a shadowy conspiracy. From Tara: If It's Meant to Be by Lily Seabrooke Tara's official recommendation this week is If It's Meant to Be by Lily Seabrooke. It's a "falling for the best friend's sister" romance that's set in a cozy small town. It also has a very fun disastrous lead (sensing a theme, here) who has no idea that everyone around her can see how down bad she is for the love interest. Tara's recommended this author before, but this is her favourite so far. Works/People Discussed You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson Loudmouth Books in Indiana The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes 6 Times We Almost Kissed by Tess Sharpe Forget Me Not by Alyson Derrick Gay the Pray Away by Natalie Naudus The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow Love is Blind, season 8 (Netflix) Extracted (Fox) The White Lotus, season 3 (HBO) Yellowjackets, season 3 (Showtime) The Handmaid's Tale (Hulu) The Queen's Gambit (Netflix) RuPaul's Drag Race, season 17 (MTV) Hope in the Dark by Rebecca Solnit Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present by Ruth Ben-Ghiat The Odyssey by Homer Ulysses by James Joyce Ellie Engle Saves Herself by Leah Johnson Her Best Friend's Sister by Meghan O'Brien Waiting in the Wings by Melissa Brayden Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Bluesky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee

Cue the fanfare, friends, because Kris is back! She returns with stories of Pride celebrations, galas, plays in New York City, conventions, and gambling. This conversation has it ALL. Official Recommendations From Kris: Turbulence by E. J. Noyes This week, Kris recommends Turbulence by E. J. Noyes. A stockbroker just looking for sex after a breakup has an amazing one-night stand… with the newly hired pilot at her company. Kris found this one "laugh out loud funny" with great characters and exploration of their flaws. It's also pretty spicy with lots of sex on the page. From Tara: One and Done by Frederick Smith This week, Tara recommends One and Done by Frederick Smith, an opposites-attract m/m romance. One of the men is a university administrator who wants to be the youngest queer Black university president in the US and the other is running the accreditation process at the university. Of course, they only figure this out after clashing at a drag brunch. Tara says this one is sweet, fun, and grounded in reality in ways that make this book special.  Works/People Discussed The Great Gatsby (Musical by Kait Kerrigan) Alone (History Channel) House of the Dragon (HBO) Bridgerton (Netflix) RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars, season 9 (Paramount+) Strange Horticulture (Iceberg Interactive) When You Smile by Melissa Brayden Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Blusky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon

Morgan Lee Miller, Jamey Moody, Lynn Ames, Haley Cass & Monica McCallan, Roslyn Sinclair, Kris Bryant, Jae, E.J. Noyes, Melissa Brayden and Abby Craden join me to share their New Year's plans, favorite Christmas movies and more! To support this podcast, you can buy me a coffee at sapphiclaura is Bringing you fun chats with the best authors in sapphic fiction. (buymeacoffee.com)Support the show

Kris went to Women's Week and Tara got knocked over by a couple of vaccines, so no new episode this week.  We didn't want to leave you totally hanging, so we're rerunning one of our faves: last year's conversation with Melissa Brayden, popular author of sapphic romances. We may have recorded it for Valentine's Day, but this is a fun listen any time of year.  We're talking love this episode, people! Kris, Tara and Melissa compare their fave fictional couples, kisses, and romances that they love to reread. We also find out if Kris has a low bar for kissing in media (Melissa thinks so), Kris thinks out loud about Charlize Theron's mouth, and Tara recounts her Summer of Steel at the tender age of twelve. Works/People Discussed Chapters: Interactive Stories – App Imagine Me & You (2005) Atomic Blonde (2017) Steven Universe (Cartoon Network) The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid Tricky Wisdom by Camryn Eyde And Playing the Role of Herself by K.E. Lane Wynonna Earp (Syfy) The Red Files and Under Your Skin by Lee Winter Star by Danielle Steel Paradise by Judith McNaught Too Close to Touch by Georgia Beers Letters Never Sent by Sandra Moran Turn Back Time by Radclyffe Fated Love by Radclyffe Rage of Angels by Sidney Sheldon Winter Jacket by Eliza Lentzski Leave Yesterday Behind (1978) Doctor Quinn, Medicine Woman (CBS) Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte All that Matters by Susan X. Meagher Didn't Stay in Vegas by Chelsea M. Cameron Truth and Measure by Telanu If you want to check out more from Melissa, you can find her on: Twitter: @MelissaBrayden Instagram: @mbraydenbooks Facebook @melissabrayden  Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Tumblr: @queerlyrecommended TikTok: @queerlyrecommended Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon

Georgia Beers & Melissa Brayden join me to chat about Lucky in Lace, Melissa's latest release, available now and Dance With Me, Georgia's April release, their favorite of each other's books, how their friendship began, what makes the other a great friend and more. To learn more about Georgia and Melissa and find links to purchase their books, visit Melissa Brayden | Award-winning author of WLW romance and Georgia Beers : Award-winning author of lesbian romanceTo support this podcast, you can buy me a coffee @ sapphiclaura is Bringing you fun chats with the best authors in sapphic fiction. (buymeacoffee.com)Or join my Patreon @ Sapphic Book Review | creating Bonus fun with sapphic authors | PatreonSupport the show

Another special holiday podcast. This one features Kris Bryant, Quinn Ivins, E.J. Noyes, Lise Gold, JJ Arias, Lily Seabrooke, Cari Hunter, Melissa Brayden, Clare Lydon, Georgia Beers, J.E. Leak, KL Gallagher, Jamey Moody, Haley Cass, KJ, Lucy Bexley, Krystina Rivers and T.J. Dallas. Support the show

Georgia Beers joins me to chat about her newest release, Cherry on Top, her favorite characters, if she will ever narrate another one of her books, her love for Friends, Melissa Brayden, Katherine V. Forrest and more! You can learn more about Georgia and find links to purchase her books at Georgia Beers : Award-winning author of lesbian romanceJoin my Patreon to hear hilarious games of Would You Rather and listen to Georgia read from Cherry on Top: Sapphic Book Review is creating Bonus fun with sapphic authors | PatreonSupport the show

Hello and Welcome back to Let's Talk With Eric. Ali and I have another Book Club episode reading Unhoneymooners from Christina Lauren and Beautiful Dreamer from Melissa Brayden. We also talk Choices exhaustion and other things so let's jump in. Thanks again to Ali for joining the show this week. She can be found on Twitter @RaiOfSun14 and she now streams Choices content at twitch.tv/Raiosun and as always you can find us on twitter @letstalkweric. Until next time have a great week.

Melissa Brayden joins me to talk about her upcoming releases, The Last Lavender Sister and The Forever Factor, her favorite couples, the heart attack she suffered last year, her pretend road trip with Georgia Beers, Kris Bryant, Rachel Spangler and Carsen Taite and much more! Truly an honor to chat with someone whose writing has meant so much to me! To purchase Melissa's books visit her website for links: Melissa Brayden | Award-winning author of WLW romanceListen to Melissa and your other favorite authors play Would You Rather by joining my Patreon: Sapphic Book Review is creating Bonus fun with sapphic authors | PatreonShow your support by buying me a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sapphiclauraSupport the show

Clare Ashton joins me to chat about The Tell Tale, Poppy, The Goodmans, curvy bums, G Benson, Wendy Hudson, Cari Hunter, the latest books from Melissa Brayden and Georgia Beers and more. Purchase Clare's books on Amazon at: Amazon.com: Clare Ashton: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks, KindleJoin my Patreon to hear Clare and more of the best writers in sapphic fiction play would you rather starting at $5 a month: Sapphic Book Review is creating Bonus fun with lesfic authors | PatreonIf you enjoy this podcast, you can buy me a coffee: (6) Ko-fi.com - Your Ko-fiTo purchase books from Clare's road trip pals visit their amazon pages: G Benson: Amazon.com: G Benson: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks, KindleWendy Hudson: Amazon.com: Wendy Hudson: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks, KindleCari Hunter: Amazon.com: Cari Hunter: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks, KindleClare recommends the latest from Melissa Brayden, Exclusive, available here: Exclusive - Kindle edition by Brayden, Melissa. Romance Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.And Georgia Beers, With A Twist, available here: With a Twist (A Swizzle Stick Romance Book 3) - Kindle edition by Beers, Georgia. Romance Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.Thanks for listening. Your support is very much appreciated! Support the show

Welcome to the new Let's Talk with Eric. For the premiere episode Fishty joins me to talk about Movies that haven't aged well and we discuss our favorite Cult Classic movies. We also fit in talk on what's new in our lives so we hope you enjoy the talk and jump right in. Thanks to Fishty for joining me today. I always have fun talking with her. You can follow her on twitter @Masqueraderedux and on Twitch at twich.tv/fishtybuns where she streams pretty much every day. You can also now follow the Podcast @LetstalkwEric and myself @nericmitch. Be sure to check the show notes for our recommendations and See you next Time!! This week's recommendations: · Uncharted (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1464335/) · The Guilded Age (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4406178/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0) · Love is Blind (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11704040/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0) · Kiss The Girl by Melissa Brayden (https://www.amazon.ca/Kiss-Girl-Melissa-Brayden/dp/1626390711) · Friends With Consequences by AimEnigmaClick (https://www.literotica.com/stories/memberpage.php?uid=5357797&page=submissions)

Join me this week for the second podcast of our Valentine's Day celebration as I chat with the dynamic duo, Georgia Beers and Melissa Brayden.  Hear about their escapades, their books, and their valentines.

Valentine's Day is around the corner, and we have chosen you (yes, you!) to be our valentine. And the gift we've chosen? A very special hangout with f/f romance author extraordinaire Melissa Brayden, who's recently had her story Kiss the Girl turned into a game through the Chapters: Interactive Stories app. We're talking love this episode, people! In addition to reading your valentines, Kris, Tara and Melissa compare their fave fictional couples, kisses, and romances that they love to reread. We also find out if Kris has a low bar for kissing in media (Melissa thinks so), Kris thinks out loud about Charlize Theron's mouth, and Tara recounts her Summer of Steel at the tender age of twelve. If you enjoy this episode, please consider buying Kris & Tara a Ko-fi! Transcript coming soon! Works Discussed Chapters: Interactive Stories - App Imagine Me & You (2005) Atomic Blonde (2017) Steven Universe (Cartoon Network) The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid Tricky Wisdom by Camryn Eyde And Playing the Role of Herself by K.E. Lane Wynonna Earp (Syfy) The Red Files and Under Your Skin by Lee Winter Star by Danielle Steel Paradise by Judith McNaught Too Close to Touch by Georgia Beers Letters Never Sent by Sandra Moran Turn Back Time by Radclyffe Fated Love by Radclyffe Rage of Angels by Sidney Sheldon Winter Jacket by Eliza Lentzski Leave Yesterday Behind (1978) Doctor Quinn, Medicine Woman (CBS) Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte All that Matters by Susan X. Meagher Didn't Stay in Vegas by Chelsea M. Cameron Truth and Measure by Telanu If you want to check out more from Melissa, you can find her on: Twitter: @MelissaBrayden Instagram: @mbraydenbooks Facebook @melissabrayden Listen to the episode

Did we stutter? No! This week, Tara and Kris are joined by lesfic luminary Georgia Beers. Together, they talk about Georgia’s recommendations for queer media, what she wants to see more of and how sites like Does the Dog Die help viewers navigate the painful tropes associated with queer media. Somewhere in there, they cast a future Jane Bond and contemplate what a queer Taken would look like. Topping it off, Georgia gives us a peek behind the curtain at her books coming this year, The Secret Poet and The Swizzle Stick Romances. The wait is over. Enjoy! If you enjoy this episode, please consider buying Kris & Tara a Ko-fi! Also discussed: Boys Don’t Cry (movie) Happiest Season (movie) The Old Guard (Netflix) Imagine Me and You (movie) Single All The Way (Netflix) Summerland (movie) Vita & Virginia (movie) Melissa Brayden (author) Rachel Spangler (author) Kristan Higgins (author) Jill Shalvis (author) Ann Padgett (author) The World to Come (movie) Portrait of a Lady On Fire (movie) Gentleman Jack (tv series) Fleabag (tv series) Get this episode's transcript

The Left of Str8 Radio Network is a progressive talk radio channel, created by Scott Fullerton, for the LGBT Community and it's Allies, with shows of interest in Entertainment, Foodies, Current Events, Pop Culture, and Mental Health.  Current shows include the "Left of Str8 Show," " Voices for Change 2.0," and "Last 100 Days?"  8-6-2020:  Today's Guests:  Our Special Correspondent Jacob Telego is back with his Thursday Mental Health Minute, after having to take a week off.   6-9pm EST:  The "Left of Str8 Show," interviews Celebrities, Personalities, and Organizations in the areas of  Entertainment, Foodies, Books, Pop Culture, and Advocacy of interest to the LGBT Community and it's Allies.  Now in it's fifth year, this is the flagship show on Left of Str8 Radio.  You can subscribe to the Podcast over on Spotify at THIS LINK.  Follow on social media at Twitter/Instagram: @leftofstr8 and on Facebook at Left of Str8 Show If you would like to advertise on any or all of our shows on the Left of Str8 Radio Network, contact Scott for great deals and low cost ads that will reach 1,000's of targeted customers.  Email us at Scott@leftofstr8.com All Music played on ANY program on the Left of Str8 Radio Network has been provided and licensed directly with written permission from the artist or producer.  Documentation is on file at the Left of Str8 Radio Studio in  Youngstown, Ohio.

The Left of Str8 Radio Network is a progressive talk radio channel, created by Scott Fullerton, for the LGBT Community and it's Allies, with shows of interest in Entertainment, Foodies, Current Events, Pop Culture, and Mental Health. Current shows include the "Left of Str8 Show," " Voices for Change 2.0," and "Last 100 Days?" 8-6-2020: Today's Guests: Our Special Correspondent Jacob Telego is back with his Thursday Mental Health Minute, after having to take a week off. 6-9pm EST: The "Left of Str8 Show," interviews Celebrities, Personalities, and Organizations in the areas of Entertainment, Foodies, Books, Pop Culture, and Advocacy of interest to the LGBT Community and it's Allies. Now in it's fifth year, this is the flagship show on Left of Str8 Radio. You can subscribe to the Podcast over on Spotify at THIS LINK. Follow on social media at Twitter/Instagram: @leftofstr8 and on Facebook at Left of Str8 Show If you would like to advertise on any or all of our shows on the Left of Str8 Radio Network, contact Scott for great deals and low cost ads that will reach 1,000's of targeted customers. Email us at Scott@leftofstr8.com All Music played on ANY program on the Left of Str8 Radio Network has been provided and licensed directly with written permission from the artist or producer. Documentation is on file at the Left of Str8 Radio Studio in Youngstown, Ohio.

Romance! Elizabeth Andersen has a co-host, author Kris Bryant. We will be talking with authors Georgia Beers and Melissa Brayden. All three authors are with Bold Strokes Books and are at the top of their writing game. We will talk not only about the romance genre, but about their inspirations, writing process, and individual books.

Melissa also shares her heartbreaking experience with endometriosis which led her to her incredible journey into motherhood. The story is a true celebration of life, how not to give up and why talking is so important. She also shares how she overcomes nerves and has some great ‘Seize the Day' moments.I hope you enjoy the show!MELISSA'S LATEST BOOK: Back to SeptemberMelissa OnlineWebsiteTwitterFacebookInstagramNatalie OnlineWebsiteTwitterEmailInstagramFacebook 

KJ Talks Georgia Beers, Melissa Brayden, and Clare Ashton  Les Do Books with Tara and guest KJ What do Georgia Beers, Melissa Brayden, and Clare Ashton have in common? They’re KJ’s favourite authors! Listen to hear why she loves their books and which book by each author is her fav. Check out KJ’s recommendations: Starting from Scratch by Georgia Beers Eyes Like Those by Melissa Brayden The Goodmans by Clare Ashton Find KJ online Twitter More info If you’ve enjoyed this episode, please consider contributing to the Patreon for The Lesbian Talk Show channel. You can see all of our reviews, top 10 lists and author profiles on TheLesbianReview.com and don’t forget to send your emails, questions and more to Tara@TheLesbianReview.com.

Blast From the Past: Melissa Brayden Talks Lesbian Romance Les Do Books with Tara and guest Melissa Brayden In this episode from the archives, Tara talks to author Melissa Brayden. Authors are readers too, so Tara was excited to hear about the first lesfic book Melissa ever read, a historical that isn’t to be missed, a whole series, and her favourite lesfic ever.   Check out Melissa Brayden's recommendations: Behind the Pine Curtain by Gerri Hill - Get it on Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca Letters Never Sent by Sandra Moran - Get it on Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca Shaken series by KG MacGregor - Get it on Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca And Playing the Role of Herself by K.E. Lane - Get it on Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca Find Melissa Brayden online Website Facebook Twitter More info If you’ve enjoyed this episode, please consider contributing to the Patreon for The Lesbian Talk Show channel. Come talk to us about these books and any other lesfic you’ve been reading lately at our Facebook group, The Lesbian Review Book Club. You can see all of our reviews, top 10 lists and author profiles on TheLesbianReview.com and don’t forget to send your emails, questions and more to Tara@TheLesbianReview.com.

Women and Words Overview 4-9 November 2018 Andi and Jove are hoping Podbean doesn’t hate on them this week and will accept Jove’s overture to load the file. Also, don’t let societal expectations tell you what a relationship should look like and Andi, a major cynic, shares some hope after the midterms even though Fiona Zedde would beg to differ. Plus, young people are awesome.   4 Nov.: Women and Wordster Ann Etter posted some holiday-themed books she likes and encourages you all to read them. Women and Words link HERE   4 Nov.: Author Lise Weil stopped by to chat about life, love, and her memoir In Search of Pure Lust. Women and Words link HERE Lise Weil’s website   7 Nov.: Author and Women and Wordster Carsen Taite wanted us all to know about a cool event in Dallas this weekend (Nov. 10) called Books and Boots, sponsored by GCLS, The Resource Center of Dallas, and Women with Pride lesfic reading group. It’s free! And Carsen will be there, along with 16 other authors including Karin Kallmaker, Georgia Beers, Melissa Brayden, and KG MacGregor! Women and Words link HERE Carsen Taite’s website   8 Nov.: Author and Women and Wordster Fiona Zedde apparently isn’t traveling this week (OMG), but she had some thoughts about the midterm elections. Women and Words link HERE Fiona Zedde’s website   9 Nov.: Author and Women and Wordster Andi Marquette is all up in the NaNo this year, and she offers some reasons/tips for why you should consider doing it. Women and Words link HERE Find Andi: Tumblr, Twitter, Instagram, website   The holiday season is approaching and Jove would like people to know about freerice.com, which is a giving site in which you answer quiz questions and for each correct answer, the site donates rice through the World Food Program. And Andi reminds people of Heifer International, where your donations can provide domestic animals like a flock of chickens or ducks or a goat to people in developing nations.   Also! Don’t forget the Hootenanny is coming. There are still a few days left to go to the Women and Words site to get signed up if you’re an author! If you’re not, get ready to win books next month!

Oooooo, this is an extra long one for all you size queens. Doesn't it feel good to come.....back to your hometown? This time we read "Strawberry Summer" by Melissa Brayden and "And Then You Loved Me" by Inglath Cooper. This time, our homesick hosts do some time traveling, learn about a new religion, and Claire goes to the circus!

Georgia Beers Talks Lesbian Fiction Les Do Books In this episode, the amazing, prolific lesbian romance author Georgia Beers joins Tara to talk about a handful of the lesbian fiction books that she loves. Authors are readers too, so Tara was excited to hear about which books Georgia thinks everyone should check out. Check out her recommendations here: Curious Wine by Katherine V Forrest Provincetown Series by Radclyffe Affinity by Sarah Waters The Spanish Pearl by Catherine Friend Anything that Melissa Brayden’s written :) The Magician’s Assistant by Ann Patchett Learn more about Georgia Beers Website Facebook Twitter      More info Come talk to us about these books and any other lesfic you’ve been reading lately at our Facebook group, The Lesbian Review Book Club. You can see all of our reviews, top 10 lists and author profiles on TheLesbianReview.com and don’t forget to send your emails, questions and more to Tara@TheLesbianReview.com

Les Do Books: Carsen Taite Talks Lesbian Fiction  In this episode, prolific author Carsen Taite joins Tara to talk about a few lesbian fiction books that she loves. Authors are readers too, so Tara was excited to hear about which books Carsen thinks everyone should check out.  Check out the books discussed here:  Totally Worth It by Maggie Cummings   Welcome to the world of Bay West Social. Twenty-something Meg McTiernan is all about her career when her house hunt unexpectedly lands her at Bay West - a lesbian mecca tucked away in the suburbs of NYC - and her social life is given a turbo boost. There's a pool, a softball league, even a nightclub practically in her backyard. In this loaded environment, finding the right girl just got a lot more interesting.  Case in point: law student Lexi Russo grew up at Bay West and is about to start an internship at the law firm of another local, self-assured, sexy Jesse Ducane. Lexi's had a crush on Jesse forever, but Jesse's the one Bay West woman she can't possibly have. And not just because she's her boss.  Together, new friends Meg and Lexi navigate romances, fun flirtations, juicy gossip, tons of drama, and maybe just the right amount of true love.  Spark by Catherine Friend  Jamie Maddox is worried about her grip on reality. Has her consciousness really been transported back to 1560, landing in the body of Blanche Nottingham? Not good, since Blanche, a lady-in-waiting for Queen Elizabeth I, is plotting a murder. The other possibility that Jamie faces? She’s had a psychotic break that has trapped her in an Elizabethan fantasy while another personality—let’s call her Blanche—has taken control of Jamie’s life and is jeopardizing everything. Jamie is repeatedly zapped back and forth between the present and 1560 (or in and out of that twisted fantasy). Betrayal, murder, thunderstorms, and two doctors complicate everything as Jamie and Blanche battle to control Jamie’s body. Just as Jamie is running out of both hope and time, help—and love—come from a most unexpected place.  Letters Never Sent by Sandra Moran   Three women, united by love and kinship, struggle to conform to the social norms of the times in which they live.  In 1931 Katherine Henderson leaves behind her small town in Kansas and the marriage proposal of a local boy to live on her own and work at the Sears & Roebuck glove counter in Chicago. There she meets Annie - a bold, outspoken feminist who challenges Katherine's idea of who she thinks she is and what she thinks she wants in life.  In 1997 Katherine's daughter, Joan, travels to Lawrence, Kansas, to clean out her estranged mother's house. Hidden away in an old suitcase, she finds a wooden box containing trinkets and a packet of sealed letters to a person identified only by a first initial.  Joan reads the unsent letters and discovers a woman completely different from the aloof and unyielding mother of her youth - a woman who had loved deeply and lost that love to circumstances beyond her control. Now she just has to find the strength to use the healing power of empathy and forgiveness to live the life she's always wanted to live.  Eyes Like Those by Melissa Brayden   When it comes to love, no one is in charge. Isabel Chase is reeling. She’s just been offered her dream job as a staff writer on one of the hottest shows on television and quickly trades in the comfort of New England for sun, sand, and everything Hollywood. While stoked for what could be her big break, the show’s stunning executive producer has her head spinning and her feelings swirling.  Taylor Andrews is at the top of her career. Everything she touches turns to gold and the studios know it. Just when she’s on track for total television domination, Isabel Chase arrives in her office and slowly turns her world upside down. Isabel is intelligent, sarcastic, and dammit, downright beautiful. Unfortunately, she’s the one person that can take away all Taylor has worked for.  Will Isabel’s success lead to Taylor’s downfall? Or perhaps Isabel is all she needs…  Learn more about Carsen Taite Website Facebook Twitter     See our reviews of Carsen Taite’s books      More info Come talk to us about these books and any other lesfic you’ve been reading lately at our Facebook group, The Lesbian Review Book Club.     You can see all of our reviews, top 10 lists and author profiles on TheLesbianReview.com and don’t forget to send your emails, questions and more to Tara@TheLesbianReview.com    

Next book: Strawberry Summer by Melissa Brayden

The Lesbian Review Podcast  10 Best Girl Next Door Novels  by Sheena and Melissa Brayden  Sheena is joined today by Melissa Brayden, contemporary romance author, and they put together an epic list of the 10 Best Girl Next Door Novels    You can find Melissa Brayden online at her website  Twitter Facebook   1 First Position by Melissa Brayden  This book is a: Thawing The Ice Queen Romance  What it’s about  Anastasia is the rising star of the New York City Ballet. She’s sacrificed creature comforts, a social life, as well as her own physical well-being for perfection in dance. Even her reputation as The Ice Queen doesn’t faze her. Though Ana’s at the peak of her career, competition from a new and noteworthy dancer puts all she’s worked for in jeopardy.  While Natalie has shown herself to be a prodigy when it comes to ballet, she much prefers modern dance and living on her own terms. Life is too short for anything else. However, when the opportunity to dance with the New York City Ballet is thrust upon her, it’s not like she could say no. Dealing with the company’s uptight lead is another story, however. When the two are forced to work side-by-side, sparks begin to fly onstage and off.  Why it made this list  It is a charming story of two women who are really different and yet they are drawn to one another with a power that can’t be denied even when tragedy occurs.  Plus they live literally across the hall from one another.    Get it on Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca      Check out Tara’s full review here    2 Hidden Truths by Jae  Published by Ylva Publishing  This book is a: story about coming to terms with who you are because the girl who moved in next door is irresistible.  What it’s about  Hendrika has nothing left after her best friend Johanna dies, she loses her job, and is kicked out of the boarding house she’s been living in. Nothing left, that is, but the ticket from Boston to Oregon that Jo was sent by a man expecting his mail-order bride. With nothing but her meager belongings in a carpet bag and trepidation for taking a dead woman’s place at a stranger’s side, she hops on the train to begin her journey.  When she arrives at the ranch she discovers that her husband to be has left the ranch for a journey to deliver some horses. But she is welcomed in by the resident ranch owners, the Hamiltons and she meets Amy, their oldest daughter and a force of nature in her own right. Amy is hiding the fact that she is drawn to women in a way that she thinks in unnatural and when Hendrika arrives on the scene she is left reeling.   The more time these Hendrika and Amy spend together the stronger their attraction becomes.  Why it made this list  Hendrika and Amy essentially live next door to each other.     Get it on Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca      Check out Tara’s review here    3 The Roundabout by Gerri Hill  Published by Bella Books  This book is a: sweet enemies to lovers romance.  What it’s about  Megan Phenix - bar and grill owner in gay-friendly Eureka Springs - is labeled as "playing hard to get" and finds herself the object of much unwanted attention. If only she were seeing someone...maybe the women would leave her in peace.  Leah Rollins thinks 50 is too young to retire, so instead she opens a store in the touristy shopping district of Eureka Springs, next to the popular Phenix Grill. She soon learns that Megan Phenix is a bit on the grumpy side as they spar over parking spaces and anything else they can find to argue about. When Leah catches the attention of the multitude of single lesbians in town, she searches for a way out. Could the grumpy grill owner next door be the answer to her problems?  Megan and Leah strike an unlikely alliance and conspire to rid themselves of the unwanted attention by fake dating. Can they pull it off?  As they pretend to date and convince everyone in town that they really are a couple, the pretense becomes harder to hold on to. But there's just one problem...they don't really like each other.  Or do they?    Why it made this list  Megan moves in next door to Leah’s business.    Get it on Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca     4 All I Want For Christmas by Clare Lydon   Published by Custard Books  This book is an adorable friends to lovers romance. What it’s about  This Christmas, Tori Hammond is on a mission to find love.  Her ideal present under the tree would be a shiny new girlfriend, so Tori gives herself one month to find that special lady by December 25th. Christmas spells romance and she’s going to grab some.  Love Christmas? Love romantic comedies? Then you need to read All I Want For Christmas and prepare to be swept off your festive feet! From the author of international smash-hits London Calling and This London Love, Clare Lydon has crafted another page-turner, bursting with seasonal attitude & wit.  Why it made this list  These two are room mates, best friends and it takes a sweet and funny journey for Tori to realize that they can happily be more than just friends.    Get it on Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca     Check out my full review here     5 Poppy Jenkins by Clare Ashton  Published by Breezy Tree Press  This book is the story of the “ultimate girl next door” - poppy is the sweetheart of the village  What it’s about  Two old friends, one hot summer, a whole load of confusion.  Poppy Jenkins makes everyone smile. She’s the heart of Wells, a beautiful village in mid-Wales, leaving light and laughter in her wake. She has a doting family, an errant dog and a little sister with a nose for mischief. But she’s the only gay in the village and it’s a long time since she kissed a girl: the chance of romance in sleepy Wells is rarer than a barking sheep.  If she doesn’t think too hard, life is cosy, until a smart sports car barrels into town with the last woman Poppy wants to see behind the wheel. Beautiful Rosalyn Thorn was once Poppy’s high school BFF even though she was trouble. Then one day she abandoned Wells and Poppy without explanation. Now the highflier is back and bound to cause fresh havoc in the village and with Poppy’s heart; folk are not happy.  Wells needs to wake up to the 21st century and Rosalyn can help, but old prejudices die hard. If they can be friends it could be the chance to make everyone’s happy ever after. Couldn’t it?  Why I love it  It is brilliant.  Get it on Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca      Check out my full review here   Melissa Brayden’s Top picks  6 Without Warning KG MacGregor  Published by Bella Books  What it’s about  On a day that begins like any other, a violent earthquake strikes Los Angeles, plunging the region into chaos. Two strangers, trapped in a collapsed shopping mall, find each other amid the rubble and join forces to escape. Hampered by injury and darkness, they dig and claw their way through one crumbled store after another, emerging long after most have given up hope for survivors.  The ordeal leaves both women shaken, but their shared triumph sets them on a life-changing course together, igniting a connection like neither has ever known.  Anna Kaklis--whose perfectly planned life never included falling in love with another woman--is thrown for a loop, but she doesn't doubt her heart.  Lily Stewart--abandoned too many times by people she trusted--won't let herself believe that Anna's love will endure.   Without Warning is the story of their courageous journey through adversity, and their promise of steadfast love.   Get it on Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca    7 All That Matters by Susan X Meagher  Published by Brisk Press  What it’s about  Life is going damned well for Blair Spencer. She’s a very successful real estate agent, happily married to a man who encourages her to live the independent life she loves—and they’re actively working to have a baby.  The wrench in the works is that Blair favors adoption, while her husband David desperately wants to have a biological child. The fates are against them, and they finally seek the help of a group of reproductive specialists. One of the doctors, a surgeon named Kylie Mackenzie, eventually becomes a good friend to Blair. And she needs all of the friends she can get when things start to go horribly wrong at home. As her marriage teeters on the brink of collapse, she relies more and more on Kylie’s friendship.  Kylie’s happily gay; Blair’s happily straight. But the way they structure their relationship leads friends and family to privately question whether the pair is setting themselves up for heartache. They eventually come to a crossroads, which could either destroy their friendship or turn it into what each of them has been seeking. The question is whether each woman can change her view of herself and her needs. The answer is all that matters.    Get it on Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca      Read Our Review Here   8 Too Close To Touch by Georgia Beers  Published by Bold Strokes Books  What it’s about  Life gets complicated when love turns out to be nothing like you expected - and the woman you want is too close to touch. Gretchen Kaiser is a workaholic corporate honcho with issues – she’s got daddy issues, she’s got female-executive-in-a-man’s-world issues, and she’s got one night stand issues. What she doesn’t have are love issues. She isn’t looking for it, she doesn’t feel she needs it, and she doesn’t expect to find it…certainly not right under her nose. Kylie O’Brien is the kind of girl who believes in true love and is willing to wait until it shows up at her door. Her best friend Mick would sweep her off her feet given the chance, but Mick doesn’t make Kylie feel the way true love should. And now Kylie has to worry about her new boss – Gretchen Kaiser’s icy reserve makes life as her administrative assistant a challenge. It doesn’t matter one damn bit that Gretchen is extremely attractive with a voice as rich and smooth as melted chocolate. It absolutely doesn’t…    Get it on Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca      9 Wasted Heart Lynn Galli  Published by Penikila Press  What it’s about Austy Nunziata has spent two years pining for her married best friend and about the same amount of time berating herself for it. In fact, she’s so adept at trying to stamp out her feelings that she could probably write a How-To guide on the subject. One, move 3,000 miles away from your best friend. Two, get a time-consuming job so you don’t have time to think about your best friend. Three, hang out with new friends who aren’t anywhere as enchanting as your best friend. Four, get involved with a striking woman who is smart, sexy, caring and, most importantly, available, unlike your best friend. Five, hope the new love interest doesn’t find out about your pathetic best friend obsession before you have time to replace it with actual life-altering love.  Even following her own step-by-step process, Austy may not be able to redirect all of her misguided feelings. Becoming involved with Elise Bridie helps her realize how pointless her pining has been. But when Elise suspects that she harbors feelings for someone else, will their new found love survive the unrequited infatuation of Austy’s fantasies?    Get it on Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca    10 Just Jorie by Robin Alexander  Published by Intaglio Publications  What it’s about  Some believe that special someone is out there just waiting to be found. Jorie Andolini is one of those people and has spent a lot of time envisioning that moment. She bumps into a woman at a grocery store, the woman drops a can of peas, Jorie picks it up, their eyes meet, and two souls connect. But it’s actually a wasted trip to New York, a snowstorm, and a canceled flight home that puts her in the path of Lena Vaughn.  Lena has found fault in every man she’s ever dated. Her dream of finding a husband is dwindling with every year that passes. Despite what her friends say, Lena doesn’t believe she has a fear of commitment, she simply hasn’t found a man she wanted to commit to. It comes as a surprise that in fact it is a woman who stirs those desires. For Lena, it’s not really a matter of sexuality, it’s just Jorie.  Travel the road to happiness with Jorie and Lena. Two crazy old women, meddling friends, and cattitude are just some sights you’ll see along the way.    Get it on Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca   Check out my full review here    Amy's Bonus Book Totally Worth it by Maggie Cummings  Published by Bold Strokes Books  This book is a: girl next door, age gap melting the ice queen  What it’s about  Welcome to the world of Bay West Social.  Twenty-something Meg is all about her career when her house hunt unexpectedly lands her at Bay West—a lesbian mecca tucked away in the suburbs of NYC—and her social life is given a turbo boost. There’s a pool, a softball league, even a nightclub practically in her backyard. In this loaded environment, finding the right girl just got a lot more interesting.  Case in point: law student Lexi grew up at Bay West and is about to start an internship at the law firm of another local, self-assured, sexy Jesse. Lexi’s had a crush on Jesse forever, but Jesse’s the one Bay West woman she can’t possibly have. And not just because she’s her boss.  Together, new friends Meg and Lexi navigate romances, fun flirtations, juicy gossip, tons of drama, and maybe just the right amount of true love.    Get it on Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca   Tara's Bonus Books  Strawberry Summer by Melissa Brayden  Published by Bold Strokes Books  What it’s about  Just because you’re through with your past, doesn’t mean it’s through with you.  Margaret Beringer didn’t have an easy adolescence. She hated her name, was less than popular in school, and was always cast aside as a “farm kid.” However, with the arrival of Courtney Carrington, Margaret’s youth sparked into color. Courtney was smart, beautiful, and put together—everything Margaret wasn’t. Who would have imagined that they’d fit together so perfectly?  But first loves can scar.  Margaret hasn’t seen Courtney in years and that’s for the best. But when Courtney loses her father and returns to Tanner Peak to take control of the family store, Margaret comes face-to-face with her past and the woman she’s tried desperately to forget. The fact that Courtney has grown up more beautiful than ever certainly doesn’t help matters.    Get it on Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca   Always Alex by Robin Alexander  Published by Intaglio Publications  What it’s about   Robin Alexander cooks up another tale using her favorite recipe—love, family, and a healthy dose of humor.   Dana Castilaw grew up tossing coins in a well, hoping her wishes would come true, but the candy fountain, puppy, and love never seemed to manifest. At eighteen, she left her hometown of Barbier Point, Louisiana, longing to be free of her father’s chokehold on her life and with a heart full of dreams she hoped would come true. Years later, she is forced to return home with at least one granted wish—her daughter, Sydney.  Alex Soileau stood at Dana’s side for years tossing her coins into the well, making the same wish each time, a secret plea that she refused to reveal even to her best friend. Time and maturity insisted that she give up on her one fervent desire, but her heart never would.  Reunited as adults, both women realize that maybe there was magic in the well after all.    Get it on Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca   Melissa Brayden’s Bonus Books    Safe Harbor by Radclyffe  Published by Bold Strokes Books   What it’s about  A mysterious newcomer, a reclusive doctor, and a troubled gay teenager learn about love, friendship, and trust during one tumultuous summer in Provincetown. Reese Conlon, LtCol USMCR, is the new sheriff who has heads turning amidst speculation as to who will be the first woman to capture her attentions.  Doctor Victoria King has been betrayed by love once and refuses to risk heartbreak again. Brianna Parker, the teenaged daughter of Reese's chief, fears her father’s wrath when he learns that she loves another girl. As these three women struggle to live and love in freedom, they risk their hearts and souls to give one.   Get it on Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca      The Devil Inside by Ali Vali  Published by Bold Strokes Books  This book is a: Second Chance Romance  What it’s about  Brains, guts, and ruthless ambition should be enough to come out on top in any fight. Except when the battle is over love, all bets are off. Derby Cain Casey was groomed from birth to take the reins of the Casey family enterprises, which just happens to be one of the major crime organizations in New Orleans.  Surviving by never turning away from a fight and knowing how to win at all costs, Cain is as careful with her heart as she is with her business - until she meets Emma Verde. The farm girl from Wisconsin puts a hit out on Cain’s heart and leads her down a dangerous road filled with great joy and devastating sorrow. The Devil Inside is the story of unexpected passion, a shattering betrayal, and the challenge of love put to the test.  Get it on Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca   Check out my full review here      Too Late…I Love You by Kiki Archer  Published by K.A. Books  This book is a: Romance about finding love where you least expect it  What it’s about  Too Late…I Love You is the new novel from best-selling, award-winning author Kiki Archer.  Connie Parker isn’t convinced by this falling in love lark. Falling hurts, you end up with bruises and scars.  She has the perfect answer: she’ll write about love instead. But what happens when the novel-in-progress describes more about Connie’s own dull existence than she wants to admit? And when will she realise that her hero is beginning to resemble her new best friend Maria – a woman who seems to turn every simple outing with their 3-year-olds into a fun-filled adventure for them all?  In trying to make sense of the puzzle of her life, Connie learns there is no perfect person. Just that person who'll fit you perfectly.    Get it on Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca     Check out my full review here    The Long Way Home by Rachel Spangler Published by Bold Strokes Books  What it’s about  They say you can’t go home again, but Raine St. James doesn’t know why anyone would want to.   Rory St. James was disowned after she came out at seventeen. She rebounded by moving to Chicago, changing her name to Raine and putting down her hometown to audiences around the country. Now, ten years later, too old to be considered a gay youth, broke, evicted, and fresh off a much needed break-up, Raine St. James is forced to accept a job teaching at Bramble University in Darlington, the town she’s been publicly bashing for the last decade.  Beth Devoroux was born and raised in Darlington. Despite losing her parents at a young age, she is well loved by everyone who knows her. She leads a comfortable life with good job at Bramble University, a long-term but closeted relationship, friends that she can count on, and everything she thinks she wants, so why is she so drawn to a rabble-rouser like Raine St. James?  Can Raine and Beth face their pasts and come to terms with their differences in order to have any hope for a future together?    Get it on Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca    Check out my our review here   Lessons by Kim Pritekel  Published by P.D. Publishing Inc  What it’s about  Chase Marin is an 18 year-old girl filled with more confusion than common sense. A daughter of affluent parents, Chase is expected to go to college at the University of Arizona and prove herself as equally successful as her big sister. How can she do that when she doesn't even know herself?  Dagny Robertson is everything that the Marin's would want in a daughter - too bad Dagney's own parents don't even know their only child, borne from their intense love, exists. Now, Dagny works on her graduate degree while acting as a TA in Psych 101. Can this older woman, once the worshipped babysitter of a lost eight year-old girl, help Chase find herself?    Get it on Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca    

15 Best Girl Next Door Novels with Melissa Brayden The Lesbian Review Podcast Sheena is joined today by Melissa Brayden, contemporary romance author, and they put together an epic list of the 10 Best Girl Next Door Novels Books we talk about When you use the links in this podcast and buy within 24 hours of clicking then we get a small commission that helps us run the site and it costs you nothing extra Sheena's Choices First Position by Melissa Brayden Hidden Truths by Jae The Roundabout by Gerri Hill All I Want For Christmas by Clare Lydon Poppy Jenkins by Clare Ashton Melissa Brayden’s Top picks Without Warning KG MacGregor All That Matters by Susan X Meagher Too Close To Touch by Georgia Beers Wasted Heart Lynn Galli Just Jorie by Robin Alexander Safe Harbor by Radclyffe The Devil Inside by Ali Vali Too Late…I Love You by Kiki Archer The Long Way Home by Rachel Spangler Lessons by Kim Pritekel Amy's Bonus Book Totally Worth it by Maggie Cummings Tara's Bonus Books Strawberry Summer by Melissa Brayden Always Alex by Robin Alexander About The Lesbian Review The Lesbian Review is a website dedicated to helping people find excellent lesbian and queer women content. This podcast is created by the same people who create the website. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/tlr-podcast/message

Epigraph  The Drunk Booksellers get stoned on this 4/20 themed episode with Paul Constant of the Seattle Review of Books. Listen on iTunes, Stitcher, our website, or subscribe using your podcatcher of choice. This episode is sponsored by Books & Whatnot, the newsletter dedicated to books, bookselling, and bookish folk; check out their newsletter archive here. Follow Books & Whatnot on Twitter at @booksandwhatnot. If you want to get our show notes delivered directly to your inbox—with all the books mentioned on the podcast and links back to the bookstore we’re interviewing PLUS GIFs—sign up for our email newsletter. Introduction In which we make pot jokes and get excited about books We're switching up our intoxicant of choice this episode and getting stoned rather than drunk (mostly). Paul's rocking Mr. Moxey's Mints (of the peppermint/sativa variety). Emma's smoking CBD (not to be confused with William Steig's children's picture book, CDB!). Kim stops talking while stoned—which would make for a really awkward podcast episode—so she's drinking the hoppiest IPA she could find instead. Everyone's a little too high to explain the varieties of weed particularly well, so you should just read David Schmader's Weed: The User's Guide: A 21st Century Handbook for Enjoying Marijuana. Paul's Reading: Up South by Robert Lashley The Nameless City by Faith Erin Hicks A collection of books from Mount Analogue Press Manners by Ted Powers Final Rose by Halie Theoharides (a comic book tone poem about love and loss made up screenshots from The Bachelor) Reading Through It book club pick: What We Do Now: Standing Up for Your Values in Trump's America, edited by Dennis Johnson Emma's Reading: First Position by Melissa Brayden (thanks to a recommendation from our episode with The Ripped Bodice) Giant Days 4 by John Allison, Max Sarin, Lissa Treiman, Liz Fleming, and Whitney Cogar All the Lives I Want: Essays about My Best Friends Who Happen to Be Famous Strangers by Alana Massey (thanks to a recommendation from our episode with Amy Stephenson) Kim's Reading: We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Hope in the Dark by Rebecca Solnit On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century by Timothy Snyder The Aisles Have Eyes: How Retailers Track Your Shopping, Strip Your Privacy, and Define Your Power by Joseph Turow  Forthcoming Titles We're Excited For: You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me by Sherman Alexie (out June 13) Love and Trouble: a Midlife Reckoning by Claire Dederer (out May 9) also mentioned Poser: My Life in Twenty-Three Yoga Poses Theft by Finding: Diaries (1977-2002) by David Sedaris (out May 30) Hunger: a Memoir of (My) Body by Roxane Gay (out June 13) Priestdaddy by Patricia Lockwood (out May 2) Borne by Jeff VanderMeer (out April 25) Book of Joan by Lidia Yuknavitch (out April 18) Woman No. 17 by Edan Lepucki (out May 9) Isadora by Amelia Gray (out May 23) Dreaming the Beatles: the Love Story of One Band and the Whole World by Rob Sheffield (out April 25) Witches, Sluts, Feminists: Conjuring the Sex Positive by Kristen J Sollee (out June 13) Modern Tarot: Connecting with Your Higher Self Through the Wisdom of the Cards by Michelle Tea (out June 13) The Perfect Mix: Everything I Know about Leadership I Learned as a Bartender by Helen Rothberg (out June 20) Chapter I [18:50] In which we learn what The Seattle Review of Books is, talk about book reviews as a meta art form, and get advice on promoting diversity and being a safe, welcoming place for people who aren't white bros The Seattle Review of Books is a book news, review, and interviews site. This isn't consumer reports, with a thumbs up or down on each title; each review aims to have a conversation with the book. It's a site that aims to look like your bookshelf, without genre classification. Emma & Kim don't quite understand Paul's assertion that people don't organize their bookshelves, but we roll with it. SRB makes all their money through a single sponsor (which changes each week). If you're interested in their sponsorship program, you can learn more here. Paul wants to promote young, new writers and help them build up their clip file. So you should probably pitch him with your brilliant, bookish ideas. Email submissions@seattlereviewofbooks or fill in the contact form on their about page. Emma particularly loves the Help Desk by Cienna Madrid. Ask Cienna an awkward book-related question at advice@seattlereviewofbooks.com. Being a couple of white guys, Paul and his co-founder Martin McClellan are extremely concerned with diverse representation. You can learn more about how SRB encourages diversity in both the books they review and the reviewers they publish on their about page (or by listening to this episode...). But you should know right off the bat, they are not here to promote the new Franzen novel and they will not pander to bros.  Chapter II [33:10] In which we talk about life in the US post-election, say something negative about a book, and discuss Paul's past (and current) life as a bookseller Reading Through It is a post-election book club hosted by Seattle Review of Books, the Seattle Weekly, and Third Place Books Seward Park. They meet the first Wednesday of every month. On our post-election world, Paul Constant says: "This is what books were made for. Books are engines of empathy... the only way to do a deep-dive into an issue. It's our stored knowledge... This is the moment for books." The next Reading Through It book group pick is The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt. They'll be meeting Wednesday May 3rd at Third Place Books Seward Park. Read Paul's article on his time at Borders: Books Without Borders: My Life at the World's Dumbest Bookstore Chain Though he's not technically a bookseller anymore, Paul is still "on team books." Keep an eye out for our "I'm On Team Books" t-shirts, which may or may not be a thing we sell one day. Chapter III [43:20] In which Paul is better at explaining our questions than stoned Emma is at asking them, Emma and Kim give Paul major side-eye due to his bookseller confession, and Emma continues to push Uprooted by Naomi Novik Desert Island Pick (what would you read that you never had the time to read before): The Years of Lyndon Johnson by Robert Caro (beginning with The Path to Power) We couldn't find a video of the following clip of Caro on the Colbert Report, so we'll just leave you this series of gifs to explain why you, too, should consider bringing an epic five-volume biography of Lyndon Johnson as your desert beach read: You're welcome. Now, back to your regularly scheduled show notes.  Station Eleven Picks (the books to preserve for society) The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne (everything you need to know about living in a society) Great Expectations by Charles Dickens (everything you need to know about life and how it doesn’t always work out the way you want, but you should live it anyway) Read Paul's essay about The Scarlet Letter, originally written for Scarecrow Video. Wild Pick (traveling is about observing things... soaking everything in) We Tell Ourselves Stories In Order to Live by Joan Didion ("because she is the greatest observer on the planet and I would want to be like her when I was traveling") Bookseller Confession  Once again, we have a guest who hasn't read Harry Potter. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE? Paul also hasn't read Lord of the Rings and Kim proceeds to side-eye him from across the city. (In case you were wondering, the title of the direct link to this gif is "wtf-i-cant-even-you-are-stupid." Just sayin'.) Emma, naturally, tries to convert Paul to fantasy w/ an Uprooted recommendation because "nobody doesn't like it." Paul commits to reading it in order to prove her wrong. Go-To Handsell Fup by Jim Dodge Paul saved the book from going out of print and—arguably more importantly—he handsold a copy to Allison Hannigan. Impossible Handsell  Paradise by AL Kennedy (and everything by AL Kennedy) Book for Booksellers Saving Capitalism by Robert Reich Favorite Bookstores Elliott Bay Ada’s Technical Books Third Place Ravenna Favorite Literary Media Not to brag, but, we’re the only podcast Paul listens to. The Rumpus Lit Hub Book Forum Electric Literature Shelf Awareness Epilogue In which we tell you where to find us on the Internets You can find Paul on: Twitter Seattle Review of Books is also on Twitter Seattlereviewofbooks.com You can find us on: Twitter at @drunkbookseller Litsy at @drunkbooksellers Facebook Instagram Email Newsletter Website Emma tweets @thebibliot and writes bookish things for Book Riot. Kim tweets occasionally from @finaleofseem, but don’t expect too much 'cause she saves all of the interesting (ie. book-related) shizzle for Drunk Booksellers. Subscribe and rate us on iTunes!  

Les Do Books Melissa Brayden Talks Lesbian Romance    Listen as Tara talks to author Melissa Brayden. Authors are readers too, so Tara was excited to hear about the first lesfic book Melissa ever read, a historical that isn’t to be missed, a whole series, and her favourite lesfic ever.   Check out the books discussed here:    Behind the Pine Curtain by Gerri Hill - Get it on Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca    Letters Never Sent by Sandra Moran - Get it on Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca   Shaken series by KG MacGregor - Get it on Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca    And Playing the Role of Herself by K.E. Lane - Get it on Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca    Learn more about Melissa Brayden    Website  Facebook  Twitter  See our reviews and top 10 lists featuring Melissa Brayden’s books   More info Come talk to us about these books and any other lesfic you’ve been reading lately at our Facebook group, The Lesbian Review Book Club.    You can see all of our reviews, top 10 lists and author profiles on TheLesbianReview.com and don’t forget to send your emails, questions and more to Tara@TheLesbianReview.com  

Epigraph On this episode we discuss ALL THE ROMANCE BOOKS with Bea & Leah Koch, owners of The Ripped Bodice—America’s only Romance bookstore. The Ripped Bodice is celebrating their one year anniversary this month!     This episode is sponsored by Books & Whatnot, the newsletter dedicated to books, bookselling, and bookish folk; check out the newsletter archive here. Follow Books & Whatnot on Twitter at @booksandwhatnot. We now have an email newsletter! If you want to get our show notes delivered directly to your inbox—with all the books mentioned on the podcast and links back to the bookstore we’re interviewing PLUS GIFs—sign up HERE. Introduction In which we feel real fancy, learn more about geography, and can’t stop asking for recommendations. We’re drinking French 75s and feeling classy as fuck. We’re Reading Bea is reading Murder on Black Swan Lane by Andrea Penrose (out June 27). And she recently finished An Extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole, which she thinks will be a great gateway romance (out March 28) about a female spy posing as a slave. Fun fact, Alyssa Cole lives in Martinique, and Kim and Emma’s geography lessons continue. Leah is reading Kiss Me That Way by Laura Trentham and Flirting with Disaster by Victoria Dahl. Emma is reading Hot Dog Taste Test by Lisa Hanawalt—a graphic foodie memoir that is weird and delicious. She also just started Kim & Kim by Magdalene Visaggio, which is a comic about punk rock bounty hunters in space. Kim is reading Love Is Love a graphic anthology written in response to the Orlando shooting curated by Marc Andreyko; an important, but difficult read. All proceeds for the book go to the victims, survivors, and families affected by the Orlando Pulse shooting. Which is to say, everyone should buy this book. She’s also reading The Book of Joan by Lidia Yuknavitch (out April 18) a futuristic space Joan of Arc story, which hits weirdly close to home in its political content. We’re Excited About: Bea and Leah have so many frontlist romance novels to tell you about: An Extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole (more than worth a second mention and out March 28) Full Mountie (#3 in the Frisky Beavers series) by Ainsley Booth & Sadie Haller (out April 4) First in the Frisky Beavers series is Prime Minister “and is basically about if Justin Trudeau weren’t married and liked kinky sex.” Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy (author of Dumplin’; out May 9) The Thing About Love by Julie James (out April18)  Julie James will be making an appearance at Ripped Bodice on her author tour! The Devil in Spring by Lisa Kleypas (#3 in The Ravenels series, with the kids of characters from her Wallflowers series) Emma is excited for Tender by Sofia Samatar (writer of A Stranger in Olondria and out April 11 from Small Beer Press) and Next Year, for Sure by Zoey Leigh Peterson, which is the only book about polyamory she has read so she asked for more recs... SIDETRACK: Polyamory Recommendations Laid Bare by Lauren Dane (#1 in the Brown Family series) Maya Banks Glutton for Pleasure by Alisha Rai Back to frontlist... Kim is looking forward to The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas Whereas: Poems by Layli Long Soldier The Mother of All Questions by Rebecca Solnit Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Chapter I [19:00] In which we discuss Bea & Leah’s Romance Origin Story, Talk Vaginal-Looking Covers, and Get ALL THE ROMANCE RECOMMENDATIONS Bea loved historical fiction (and historical fashion) and introduced Leah to The Bridgertons series by Julia Quinn (which is great for people who want to test the waters of regency romance) First in the series is The Duke and I Leah ultimately came to love contemporary romances and became a hardcore romance fan with the help of Nora Roberts—The Bride Quartet series is one of her favorites First in the series is Vision in White Also mentioned: Julie James, whose newest book is The Thing About Love (mentioned earlier and out April 18) and Susan Elizabeth Phillips whose newest book is First Star I See Tonight Where to Start with Contemporary: First, what level of heat are you looking for? Super graphic and dirty? Or cloaked in metaphor? Not Quite As Dirty Nora Roberts It Had to Be You (Chicago Stars #1) by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. You know, the one with the boobs on the cover: Heroine Complex by Sarah Kuhn (for geek fandom readers) Really Dirty Recs Beautiful Bastard (Beautiful Series #1) by Christina Lauren Vampire Romance Recommendations (because we love Buffy) Dark Lover (Black Dagger Brotherhood #1) by J.R. Ward (super dirty) Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs (Jane Jameson #1) by Molly Harper (funnier romance) The Care and Feeding of Stray Vampires (Half Moon Hollow #1) by Molly Harper Famous people make appearances as vampires—people like Dick Cheney Witchbian Romances (because we love Willow) Better Off Red by Rebekah Weatherspoon (Vampire Sorority Sisters #1) (lesbian vampire sorority) Dance Upon the Air (Three Sisters Island Trilogy #1) by Nora Roberts Dark Witch (Cousins O’Dwyer Trilogy #1) by Nora Roberts Lunatic Fringe by Allison Moon (Kim rec: werewolf lesbian feminist) Two Sexy Nonfic Picks Girl Sex 101 by Allison Moon Come As You Are by Emily Nagoski Side note: Send us a pic of your favorite vaginal cover (via email or Twitter)! Like this: Non-Paranormal Queer/Diverse Recs Rebekah Weatherspoon (also has non-vampire lesbian romances) For Real by Alexis Hall (author of some gorgeous MM romances) Damon Suede writes super hot romances, which are frequently about firemen; his newest title is Lickety Split (out March 17) The Prince’s Psalm by Eric Shaw Quinn (a Biblical gay romance) First Position by Melissa Brayden (lesbian ballerinas) I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson (MM YA) Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit by Jaye Robin Brown (FF YA) The Soldier’s Scoundrel by Cat Sebastian (gay regency) K.J. Charles (also writes gay regency, but they’re not all dukes) Wanted, A Gentleman is one of her newer titles The Spare and the Heir (Lords of Time #5) by Jenn LeBlanc (gay victorian) LeBlanc is also a photographer and illustrates many of her romances with super hot photos. Glutton for Pleasure by Alisha Rai (mentioned earlier as poly rec) Trade Me by Courtney Milan (Cyclone #1) (contemporary romance with POC characters) The Countess Conspiracy (Brothers Sinister #3) by Courtney Milan Beverly Jenkins writes African American historicals Breathless (Old West #2) is her newest release Daughters of a Nation by Alyssa Cole, Piper Huguley, Lena Hart & more (an anthology of stories about black suffragettes) Silk, Swords, and Surrender by Jeannie Lin The Tang Dynasty series by Jeannie Lin (about the ancient Chinese Tang dynasty & recommended if you liked the Netflix show Marco Polo. This series is even better with intrigue and sword fighting) Butterfly Swords is the first in the series Originally posted by l231 Chapter II [36:50] In which we chat about The Ripped Bodice, the romance community, and what it means to be feminist. -Fifty Shades of Gray, why they don’t sell it (it’s not a good representation of BDSM), and how they help customers find their next read after Fifty Shades -Ripped Bodice looks like a very fancy lingerie dressing room (yes, they have a fainting couch). The store is separated into 5 Zones, which are decorated to reflect their genre: Historical, Contemporary, Paranormal, Erotica, and Everything Else -Sidelines: bookish things, but also things that will appeal to romance readers like stuff about feminism. Solid rec for Juniper & Ivy’s nerdy wood laser cut pieces.  “Part of being a romance bookstore is being unapologetically feminist and sex positive” Chapter III [48:35] In which Bea goes hardcore practical for her Station Eleven pick, people are kinda boring (in a good way), and we talk sexy nonfiction. Bea’s Station Eleven pick is Robert’s Rules of Order by Henry Robert. Leah is bringing “the most comprehensive survival guide [she] can find.” Originally posted by batesmotel On a desert island, Leah is bringing Happy Ever After Nora Roberts (#4 in the Bride Quartet) and Bea is bringing A Week to Be Wicked by Tessa Dare. On their Wild adventure, Bea would bring one of Alison Weir’s “crazy tudor histories” and Leah would bring The Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg Anne Boleyn, a King’s Obsession (one of Weir’s newest books out May 16) Bookseller Confession: “Your tawdry thing that you think is super scandalous is really boring...” The Dirtiest Romance You’ve Read Olivia Cunning’s Sinners on Tour series First in the series: Backstage Pass J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series First in the series: Dark Lover Impossible Handsell Self-published titles with god-awful covers and non-fiction i.e. Come As Your Are by Emily Nagoski and Playing Well with Others: Your Field Guide to Discovering, Exploring, and Navigating the Kink, Leather, and BDSM Communities by Lee Harrington and Mollena Williams The Romance Books Every Bookseller Should Recommend Daughters of a Nation by Alyssa Cole Beyond Heaving Bosoms by Sarah Wendell and Candy Tan Also, have more than two romances and don’t laugh (or sneer) at your customers who are buying romance novels. Come on. Originally posted by yourreactiongifs Favorite Bookstores LA Bookstore: Diesel Childhood Bookstore: Women & Children First Not-Yet-Open Bookstores: The Queens Bookshop and Books Are Magic European Bookstores: Persephone Books (London) and Shakespeare & Co. (Paris) Favorite Literary Media The romance/life blog Smart Bitches, Trashy Books and their podcast Smart Podcast, Trashy Books Book Riot Girls at Library Heroes and Heartbreakers Romance Twitter—follow all your favorite authors on Twitter Epilogue [1:02:20] The Ripped Bodice can be found so many places on the internet the store’s website Instagram Twitter Facebook You can also sign up for the Ripped Bodice newsletter on their website—they’ve got events, recommendations, and a thing called Fitzwilliam’s Corner (that’s Fitzwilliam Waffles; he’s their dog, he is awesome, and he has his own Instagram).   You can find us on Twitter at @drunkbookseller and everywhere else as DrunkBooksellers (plural). Emma tweets @thebibliot and writes bookish things for Book Riot. Kim tweets occasionally from @finaleofseem, but don’t expect too much. BONUS CONTENT We always have more content than we can fit into one hour and this time said content was extra interesting. So for all the people who read our show notes and/or subscribe to our newsletter, here are a few more recommendations from Bea & Leah Romances That Are Library/Bookstore-Adjacent Broken Resolutions (Lovestruck Librarians #1) by Olivia Dade Taking the Heat by Victoria Dahl (Girls Night Out #4) Rock Addiction by Nalini Singh (Rock Kiss #1) (librarian falls in love with a rockstar) Romances About Publishing/Writing  The Hating Game by Sally Thorne (publishing romance) Temptations of a Wallflower by Eva Leigh (#4 Wicked Quills of London) (historical where the woman writes erotica) How to Woo a Reluctant Lady by Sabrina Jeffries (#3 Hellions of Halstead Hall) (main character writes gothics)