Fated Mates - Romance Books for Novel People

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S06.50: Daddy Issues (not the fun kind) with Christopher Rice Aug 20, 2024

Show notes

We're back with Christopher Rice celebrating one of the longest running themes in romance: Daddy Issues (not the good kind)! Christopher writes romance under the pen name C. Travis Rice, and today, we're talking about his recent banger, Sapphire Dawn. We talk about the longstanding history of characters with terrible fathers, about why romance seems to love a bad dad, about our favorite characters with terrible fathers, and about why terrible fathers make the best heroes? (we know! it's problematic!) All that, and we're talking about Nora Roberts and (gasp!) Janet Dailey!

We're coming up on the end of Season 6 (what?! how!?), and so incredibly grateful to you for listening. If you'd like more romance chatter, we encourage you to join our patreon, where you get another episode from us each month, and access to the incredible readers and listeners and brilliant people on the Fated Mates discord! Support us and learn more at fatedmates.net/patreon.

Also! We're back on the phonebanking train this election season! Join us on Saturdays between now and Election Day to phonebank with fellow romance lovers, Jen, Sarah, and special guests who will knock your socks off! Learn more and register at fatedmates.net/fatedstates.

The Books

Sapphire Sunset by C Travis Rice
Sapphire Spring by C Travis Rice
Sapphire Storm by C Travis Rice
Sapphire Dawn by C Travis Rice
The Dream Trilogy by Nora Roberts
In Death by JD Robb
The Kate Daniels Series by Ilona Andrews
The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen by KJ Charles
Love in the Time of Scandal by Caroline Linden
Kiss an Angel by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey
52 Reasons to Hate my Father by Jessica Brody
A Love Song for Ricki Wilde by Tia Williams
Her Naughty Holiday by Tiffany Reisz
This Calder Range by Janet Dailey
Duke of Desire by Elizabeth Hoyt

The Notes

Welcome author Christopher Rice who writes gay romance as C. Travis Rice. His current series is called Sapphire Cove, and his most recent release is Sapphire Dawn. Christopher and his best friend Eric Shawn Quinn host a podcast called The Dinner Party Show.
The great dish soap decision: Dawn vs. Ajax.
Check out some of our trailblazers referenced this episode: Vincent Virga, Radclyffe, and Nora Roberts.
If you want to learn more about Janet Dailey and the plagiarism scandal that tarnished her name, check out the Reformed Rakes episodes about her.
Maybe you want to read what the New Yorker has to say about pirates.

The Sponsors

Robyn Peterman, author of As The Underworld Turns, available in print, ebook, audiobook or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
Blue Box Press, publishers of Kristen Proby's The Substitute, available in print, ebook, and audiobook from Amazon.
Victoria Hamel, author of Is This Love Fur Real?, available in print, ebook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
Bri Castellini, author of Rehabbing the Billionaire, available in print, ebook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.

The Rest

For even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net/episodes/2024/8/20/s0650-daddy-issues-with-chris-rice
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 Instagram, Threads, Blue Sky, Tumblr, and probably some other places, too, if you look hard enough.
If you've never listened to our Stop Book Banning episode, there's no better time than now.

S06.49 Mafia Romance Reasons Aug 13, 2024

Show notes

This week, we're back to Mafia books, because it's been a few years since we've tackled this one and the landscape has changed drastically. We're talking about the appeal of the organized criminal, the way the genre is the direct descendant of the Medieval romance, and the fact that it underscores some of the deepest seeded patriarchy in the genre--for good and bad. Sarah shows off the Italian and the Italian American in her past, and tells a few stories about people and places she doesn't name because did she see anything? No she didn't.

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 1000 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 we do at patreon.com/fatedmates.

The Books

Deviant Hearts by Jagger Cole
Mafia Virgin by Mila Finelli
Bound in Honor by Cora Reilly
Scorned Vows by Victoria Paige
Because You’re Mine by Claire Contreras
Going Rogue by Amelia Shea
Never Seduce a Scot by Maya Banks
Her Dark Salvation by Katelyn Brehm
Vow of Revenge by P. Rayne
7th Circle by Tate James
Ruthless People by JJ MacAvoy
Nero and Hans by SJ Tilly

The Notes

Back in 2020, we recorded our first mafia romance interstitial with author Nisha Sharma, that season we also had a dark romance interstitial, and those two genres have only become more popular over time.
If you’re interested in the real life story of how Providence RI was a hotbed of organized crim activity, check out season one of the Crimetown Podcast. But every town has their famous mobsters: Al Capone in Chicago, John Gotti in New York, etc, etc. As Jen was preparing show notes for this episode, she discovered there is a Mob Museum, The National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement in Las Vegas, so add that to your bucket list.
Lorenzo Lamas was a favorite 80s Hottie, and the movie The Shawshank Redemption had a very important scene with a tunnel behind a movie poster.
Watch this scene with the horse headand tell Jen she didn’t NAIL it with her impersonation of the guy’s scream. Part of the reason he sounds so horrified…that head was real and he didn’t know it?!?!?
Apparently Joseph Campbell said, “Women don't need to make the journey. In the whole mythological journey, the woman is there. All she has to do is realize that she's the place that people are trying to get to.” And well, we hate it. You might be interested in reading The Heroine’s Journey by Gail Carriger if you would like to learn more about other ways stories can be organized, and also The Heroine with 1001 Faces by Maria Tatar.

The Sponsors

Sophie H. Morgan, author of De-Witched, available in print, ebook or audiobook from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Kobo, or wherever you get your books,
1001 Dark Nights, publishers of Jennifer L. Armentrout's Born of Blood and Ash, available in print, ebook, and audiobook from Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, or wherever you get your books,
TL Swan, author of The Bonus, available in print, ebook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.

The Rest

For even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net/episodes/2024/8/12/s0649-mafia-romance-reasons
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 Instagram, Threads, Blue Sky, Tumblr, and probably some other places, too, if you look hard enough.
If you've never listened to our Stop Book Banning episode, there's no better time than now.

S06.48: Wicked and the Wallflower: The Bareknuckle Bastards Begin Aug 07, 2024

Show notes

It's coming up on the end of Season 6, and that means we're talking about one of Sarah's books! We're finishing up (or beginning?) the Bareknuckle Bastards series today with a deep dive of Sarah's Wicked and the Wallflower, the first in her Bareknuckle Bastards series--part Rumplestiltskin retelling, part Peaky Blinders fic, all justifiable face punching and ode to the darkness. This is the series she loves the best, and Jen just might agree.

You can get Wicked and the Wallflower in print, ebook and audiobook at: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Kobo, or wherever you get your books. It's also currently free with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.

The Books

Wicked and the Wallflower by Sarah MacLean
Brazen and the Beast by Sarah MacLean
Daring and the Duke by Sarah MacLean
The Day of the Duchess by Sarah MacLean

The Notes

Wicked and the Wallflower was so early in the life of the podcast that we didn’t do a deep dive, so here you go! You can follow up by listening to deep dives of Brazen and the Beast and Daring and the Duke, both available wherever you get your books, and free with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.

Last week, Sarah and Jen were at Steamy Lit Con in Anaheim. There was a terrific panel on the 30th anniversary of the publication of Beverly Jenkins's Night Song. Artist Shannon Donahue made a very cool sketch of the panel, which along with Beverly Jenkins included Jeanne Lin, Adriana Herrera, Diana Quincy, and Alyssa Cole.

Some of the influences on Wicked and the Wallflower include the fairy tale of Rumpelstiltskin, Tommy Shelby from Peaky Blinders, the 99% Invisible podcast about Perfect Security, the Disney movie Frozen, and Gavin Weightman's The Frozen Water Trade.

The Sponsors

Kayla Grosse, author of Silver Foxed, available in print, ebook, and audiobook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
1001 Dark Nights, publishers of Lexi Blake's The Bodyguard and the Bombshell, available in print, ebook, and audiobook from Amazon
Leslie Hachtel, author of Come Back to Me, available in print, ebook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
Serena Akeroyd, author of Broken, available in print, ebook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.

The Rest

For even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net/episodes/2024/8/6/s0648-wicked-and-the-wallflower
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 Instagram, Threads, Blue Sky, Tumblr, and probably some other places, too, if you look hard enough.
If you've never listened to our Stop Book Banning episode, there's no better time than now.

S06.47: Romance Novels with Paris 2024 Olympics Vibes Jul 29, 2024

Show notes

We're back this week living Olympic vibes and recommending books with big Olympic vibes! Whether you're drawn to the sports of it all or the France of it all or you just really love Flavor Flav stanning women's water polo, or you were very drawn to the wild, exciting, perplexing opening ceremony and just want to read a romance with beheading, we've got you covered.

We're coming up on the end of Season 6 (what?! how!?), which means a deep dive of one of Sarah's books, even though she doesn't have a new one this year! We're talking Wicked & the Wallflower next week, the first of her Bareknuckle Bastards series. Get it at: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Kobo, or wherever you get your books.

Books Mentioned This Episode

A Caribbean Heiress in Paris by Adriana Herrera

Love Me in the Dark by Mia Asher

Kayla in Paris by Theodora Taylor

Broken French by Tasha Boyd

Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase

Sweet Filthy Boy by Christina Lauren

The Brightest Star in Paris by Diana Biller

We’ll Never Have Paris by Adriana Anders

Duchess by Night by Eloisa James

A Bride Unveiled by Jillian Hunter

Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean

Let the Games Begin by Rufaro Faith Mazarura

Nothing But Trouble by P. Dangelico

Stroked by Meghan Quinn

Just This Once by Rosalind James

Heart Breaker by Elle Kennedy

Heart and Hand by Rebel Carter

Take Me by Bella Andre

Shadow’s Claim by Kresley Cole

Too Hot to Handle by Elizabeth Lowell

Remember Summer by Elizabeth Lowell

Pardon My Frenchie by Farrah Rochon

Show Notes

It’s the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, and we’re having a ball. Beyonce introduced the USA Olympic Team, and Flavor Flav’s support of the women’s water polo team, and Snoop Dogg love for the games have made them America's elder statesmen of the Olympics. Watch this 2020 clip of Snoop and Kevin Hart watching Equestrian.

The Opening Ceremonies were wild, and you can also watch a documentary about the making of it called Le Grand Siene.

Olympics lawyers have always been hypervigilant about removing copyrighted videos, but this year after complaints about a scene that appeared to show drag queens arranged like The Last Supper, the entire opening ceremony was removed from YouTube, leading people to believe the IOC was hiding its censoring behind copyright protections.

Americans Lee Kiefer and Gerek Meinhardt are Fencing’s first couple.

The first “baby with headphones” of Paris is the son of swimmer Caleb Dressel.

They’re surfing Teahupo’o, a massive deadly wave in Tahiti with Saturday Night Live’s Colin Jost as the on site reporter. One of Jen’s favorite books about surfing is The Wave by Susan Casey.

Sponsors

Rose Prendeville, author of Maggie & the Pirate's Son, available in print, ebook, and audiobook from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, or wherever you buy books
Pippa Grant, author of The Secret Hook-up, available in print, ebook, and audiobook, and Kindle Unlimited from Amazon
Elliot Fletcher, author of Whisky Business, available in print, ebook, and audiobook from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, or wherever you buy books

S06.46: Romance and The New York Times Best 100 Books List Jul 23, 2024

Show notes

This week, we are doing something a little different, talking about the New York Times's Best 100 Books of the 21st Century, a list that Sarah was asked to contribute a ballot for. We talk about how Sarah made her list, what she put on it, and why...and why we think there are no romance novels on the final top 100 list.

Don't fret, though -- on the Discord, FM listeners have started collecting nominations for the 100 Best Modern Romance Novels (since the publication of The Flame and the Flower)! Join the group to submit your own nominations and vote on the final list throughout August.

We're coming up on the end of Season 6 (what?! how!?), which means a deep dive of one of Sarah's books, even though she doesn't have a new one this year! We're talking Wicked & the Wallflower, the first of her Bareknuckle Bastards series. Get it at: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Kobo, or wherever you get your books.

The Books

We talk about lots of books today, but most of them aren't romance novels. The nine romances on Sarah's list for the New York Times are:

Kate Clayborn's Georgie, All Along

Kresley Cole's Dark Needs at Night's Edge

Jennifer Crusie's Bet Me

Uzma Jalaluddin's Hana Khan Carries On

Beverly Jenkins's Forbidden

Lisa Kleypas's Again the Magic

Angelina M. Lopez's After Hours on Milagro Street

Sherry Thomas's Ravishing the Heiress

Milla Vane's A Heart of Blood and Ashes

Show Notes

In between the recording of this episode, about two hours after Biden dropped out of the race, and the time we released it on Wednesday: Kamala Harris has locked up the delegates for the nomination and raised 100 million dollars from small donors, a majority of whom are first time donors.

Click here to express your interest in joining us for Fated States phonebanking. If you’re an author who would like to donate books to phonebankers, please fill out this form.

We’re mad at Aaron Sorkin for writing a boneheaded oped in the New York Times, which was truly the dumbest thing, and then retracting it later.

The New York Times Best 100 Books of the 21st Century list is interesting, not only for the list itself but for how it was made. If you don’t want to go to the New York Times site, You can see the entire list on Goodreads or Instagram. You can see Sarah’s ballot and those of other authors and literary luminaries, as well, and they also compiled a reader’s list. You can also listen to the New York Times Books Podcast for discussion of the process and the final product!

Sarah Jessica Parker is a big reader who loves libraries.

We still don’t actually know who Elena Ferrante is, so it's not officially not Scott Turrow's sister.

Sponsors

Danica Nava, author of The Truth According to Ember, available in print, ebook, or audiobook from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you buy your books,
Lumi Labs, creators of Lumi Gummies. Go to Lumigummies.com and use code FATED50 for free gummies with a limited time $50 off coupon, or use code FATEDMATES for 30% Off, and
Stephanie Rose, author of Second Time’s the Charm, available in print or ebook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited

The Rest

For even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net/episodes/2024/7/23/s0646-the-perils-amp-promise-of-the-new-york-times-best-100-books-list
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 Instagram, Threads, Blue Sky, Tumblr, and probably some other places, too, if you look hard enough.
If you've never listened to our Stop Book Banning episode, there's no better time than now.

S06.45: Our Favorite Episodes, Tropes we Love, and Books that Take the Finger Jul 16, 2024

Show notes

Jen and Sarah are together at last (again), and we’re taking your questions! Listen as we revisit some of our favorite past episodes of the podcast, as we discuss our favorite books with our least favorite tropes, and recommend a bunch of books that take the finger. We’re also talking about historical romance, and why it remains an absolute bop.

We're coming up on the end of Season 6 (what?! how!?), which means a deep dive of one of Sarah's books, even though she doesn't have a new one this year! We're talking Wicked & the Wallflower, the first of her Bareknuckle Bastards series. Get it at: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Kobo, or wherever you get your books.

The Books

The Next Best Fling by Gabby Gamez
Chef’s Kiss by TJ alexander
Unmasked by the Marquess by Cat Sebastian
Something Spectacular by Alexis Hall
The Perks of Loving a Wallflower by Erica Ridley
Love and Other Disasters by Anita Kelly
An unsuitable Heir by KJ Charles
The Ghost Town East Series by Amelia Shea
Island Princess Starts a Scandal by Adriana Herrera
The Duchess Hunt by Lorriane Heath
Morning Glory Milking Farm by CM Nacosta
Just Playing House by Farah Heron
The Duke Gets Even by Joanna Shupe
Mystery Man by Kristen Ashley
Preacher Man by Jessa Kane

The Show Notes

Jen went to go see Illinoise when she was in New York, and the Fated Mates team ate at Claro in Brooklyn.
Some of our favorite episodes of the podcast: the Derek Craven episode with Kate, the first category romance interstitial, and trailblazers Vincent Virga, Elda Minger, and Nora Roberts.
Our walk up songs are Too Funky by George Michael for Sarah, and Every Day I Write the Book or Town Crier by Elvis Costello.
The Comstock Laws were bad and they are still on the books, which is gonna turn out to be a bad thing.
Alexa Riley also writes as AR Taboo, for the truly dirty stuff. Check your content warnings.

The Sponsors

Blue Box Press, publishers of Audrey Carlan's The Marriage Auction, Season 2, available in print or ebook from Amazon.
Lucy Score, author of The Body in the Backyard: A Riley Thorn Novel, available in print, ebook or audiobook, from Amazon.
Jess K. Hardy, author of Lips Like Sugar, available in print or ebook from Amazon.
Liana De la Rosa, author of Isabel and the Rogue, available in print, ebook or audiobook from Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, or wherever you get your books.

The Rest

For even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net/episodes/2024/7/16/s0645-ama-jen-and-sarah-are-taking-your-questions
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 Instagram, Threads, Blue Sky, Tumblr, and probably some other places, too, if you look hard enough.
If you've never listened to our Stop Book Banning episode, there's no better time than now.

S06:44 Summer Romance Bingo Recommendations 2024 Jul 08, 2024

Show notes

For the last few years, The Ripped Bodice bookstore has published a Summer Romance Bingo Card and this year, we're helping you win! With absolutely no prep, we're recommending books for every bit of the game, from Lost Treasure to Time Travel to the Olympics. Head to The Ripped Bodice's instagram feed to see the bingo card and get reading!

Books Mentioned

Only and Forever by Chloe Liese
A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston
One Last Shot by Betty Cayouette
Remember Summer by Elizabeth Lowell
Fire on the Ice by Tamsen Parker
Seduction on the Slopes by Tamsen Parker
From Lukov with Love by Mariana Zapata
The Amorous Education of Celia Seaton by Miranda Neville
Hottie Scotty and Mr. Porter by R. Cooper
Breath of Magic by Theresa Medieros
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Crazy Stupid Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams
Shaken and Stirred by Kathleeen O’Reilly
Double Down by Katie Porter
Copper by Lily Atlas
Santa’s Baby by Chloe Maine
Lighthouse on Moonglow Bay by Lori Wilde
Dragged to the Wedding by Andrew Grey
Looking for a Sign by Susie Dumond
Star Crossed Seduction by Jenny Browna
A Touch Magical by Sonia Hartl
Reaper’s Property by Joanna Wylde
Waylon by Theodora Taylor
Do Your Worst by Rosie Danan
This Scot of Mine by Sophie Jordan
Summertime Punchline by Betty Corrello
Wild Ride by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer
Something Wilder by Christina Lauren
Romancing Ms. Stone by M.C. Vaughan
Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura
The Red by Tiffany Reisz
Faking It by Jennifer Crusie
Dragon Bound by Thea Harrison
A Fire in the Sky by Sophie Jordan
Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean
Way Down Deep by Charlotte Stein & Cara McKenna
Written on His Skin by Simone Stark
Lovers in the Afternoon by Lisa Kleypas
The Neighbor Favor by Kristina Forest
The Gift by Julie Garwood
After Hours on Milagro Street by Angelia M. Lopez

Show Notes

This week, we’re making suggestions in case you’re trying to complete The Ripped Bodice’s 8th annual summer reading bingo game. Some of the squares we’ve had full episodes on, so check it out for ideas: Duels with special guest Chels, Runaway Brides, and Grumpy/Sunshine.
Control rods are what cools down a Nuclear reactor, or in the case of Chernobyl what causes one to melt down if they are all moved simultaneously.
“You wanted to tussle, we tussled,” is a line from Out of Sight. “The pressure of a name’” is a line from Pretty Woman.
A quick guide to book trim sizes: hardback, trade paperback, and mass market.
There was a great article in the New York Times this week about the explosion of romance-only bookstores.
Jen doesn’t do RPF and she doesn’t really know anything about Taylor Swift.
You might want to enjoy Andrew McCarthy’s navel gazing in the documentary Brats, even if it’s just to roll your eyes.

Sponsors

Blue Box Press, publishers of Aurora Rose Reynolds's BRODIE: An Until Her Novella, available in print or ebook, from Amazon.
Aethon Books, publishers of Hannah Levin's THE TREASURED ONE, available in print, ebook or audiobook, from Amazon.
Tara L. Roí, author of HOPE, available in print or ebook from Amazon, Apple Books, or Barnes & Noble.

The Rest

For even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net/episodes/2024/7/8/s0644-summer-romance-bingo-recommendations-2024
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 Instagram, Threads, Blue Sky, Tumblr, and probably some other places, too, if you look hard enough.
If you've never listened to our Stop Book Banning episode, there's no better time than now.

S06.43: Even Our Hiatus Is a 20 Minute Episode Jul 03, 2024

Show notes

We're taking a break this week, but we forgot to tell anyone about it.

We’ll be back next week. In the meantime, check out Romancing the Vote 2024!

S06.42: Witch Romances (are not just for Halloween) Jun 26, 2024

Show notes

Who says it has to be Halloween to celebrate witches? It’s 2024 and frankly, we could do with a few more powerful, spell-casting women around here. We’re talking about our favorite witch romances, many of which (see what we did there) have nothing at all to do with spooky season! There are rumors of a new Practical Magic in the air, which (ope!) makes us extremely happy, and we’re just trying to decide which (!!!) of these fabulous books to reread this week. We’re going deep into romance history to talk about why witches are so compelling, why they’re perfect for a light, frothy romance, and why magic in the hands of men doesn’t hit the same way.

We are the weirdos, Mister.

The Books

Jill Barnett's BETWITCHING
Teresa Medeiros's BREATH OF MAGIC
Teresa Medeiros's TOUCH OF ENCHANTMENT
Annette Blair's SEX AND THE PSYCHIC WITCH
Annette Blair's GONE WITH THE WITCH
Annette Blair's NEVER BEEN WITCHED
Nora Roberts's DARK WITCH
Nora Roberts's SHADOW SPELL
Nora Roberts's BLOOD MAGIC
Molly Harper's WITCHES GET STUFF DONE
Molly Harper's BIG WITCH ENERGY
Celestine Martin's WITCHFUL THINKING
Juliette Cross's RESTING WITCH FACE
AJ Sherwood's A FAE COIN TRANSPORTED ME INTO ANOTHER WORLD AND NOW I'M THE GAY HOLY MAIDEN
Kimberly Lemming's THAT TIME I GOT DRUNK AND YEETED A LOVE POTION AT A WEREWOLF
Meg Cabot's ENCHANTED TO MEET YOU
Alexis Daria's WHAT THE HEX
Erin Sterling's THE EX HEX

The Notes

If you liked the post-it note situation in The Fall Guy, or the low-tech pre-post it note version from Romancing the Stone, Aqua Notes may be for you.
Today banter portion was very into “Great Lakes, Great Times.” If you would like to talk to Sarah about the Wisconsin fish boil from Top Chef, please take that up with her and leave Jen out of it. Or travel across Lake Michigan on the SS Badger ferry. (But you cannot drive across Texas in one day).
The entry point for witches tends to the fun, silly ones: Bewitched and Hocus Pocus, but also because it’s the realm of women, we love movies like Practical Magic, The Witches of Eastwick, and The Craft. Willow’s arc on Buffy the Vampire Slayer goes from rom-com witch to strong witch to evil witch. Here’s a critique of Yennefer’s transformation in The Witcher.
Emily Alexander and Heidi Rehwaldt host a Nora Roberts podcast called Romancing the Shelf, so check it out if you love La Nora!
The Winchester Mystery House in California is pretty wild and worth going on a tour!
Listen to Iris Johansen’s Trailblazer episode.

The Sponsors

Blue Box Press, publishers of C. Travis Rice’s Sapphire Dawn, available in print, ebook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
Lumi Labs, creators of Lumi Gummies. Go to Lumigummies.com and use code FATED50 for free gummies with a limited time $50 off coupon. Or use code FATEDMATES for 30% Off.
Grand Central Publishing, publishers of Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen’s Flashback, available in print, ebook, or audiobook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or your local bookseller.

The Rest

For even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net/episodes/2024/6/24/s0642-witchy-romances-are-not-just-for-halloween
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 Instagram, Threads, Blue Sky, Tumblr, and probably some other places, too, if you look hard enough.
If you've never listened to our Stop Book Banning episode, there's no better time than now.

S06:41: The Devil of Downtown (Yeah, He Is) by Joanna Shupe Jun 19, 2024

Show notes

We are talking about a full on banger this week — Joanna Shupe’s The Devil of Downtown, which is Sarah’s favorite of the Uptown Girls series (Jen is a The Prince of Broadway fan, but honestly, all three are basically perfect). We love this one so much, you’re about to get an hour or so of squeeing and sighing — Jack Mulligan is everything you could possibly want in a romance hero, Justine Greene is the do goodingest do gooder who ever was, and the way they adore each other is enough to wreck you. If you haven’t read this one yet, do yourself a favor and go read the whole series right now…Joanna Shupe proves that historical romance is everything you want.

Show Notes

Joanna Shupe also writes mafia romance under the pen name Mila Finelli, and we love The Kings of Italy series.
The Greene sisters are loosely based on the Schuyler Sisters, made famous by the musical Hamilton.
On the TV show The Wire, a popular drug dealer named Stringer Bell only moved up to the big leagues of evil once he started buying up real estate and rubbing elbows with politicians and businessmen, who are portrayed as the biggest crooks of all.
The story of the Triangle shirtwaist factory fire is tragic, and ultimately led to labor reforms around the country.
The Sex in the City gals have some thoughts about butt stuff.

Sponsors

Dr. Melissa Dymond, author of Paging Dr. Hart, available in print or ebook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited
Mary James Ketch, oil painter. Find her new series of paintings and prints, Book Lovers, at her online studio.
Pocket Books Shop in Lancaster, PA. Check out their new $40 Swoony Subscription Box for a monthly delivery of brand new, hand-selected romance novels and access to a discussion Discord. July’s box includes TRIPLE SEC by TJ Alexander, FOR REAL by Alexis Hall, and A LIAISON WITH HER LEADING LADY by Lotte R. James.

The Rest

For even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net/episodes/2024/6/18/s0641-the-devil-of-downtown-by-joanna-shupe
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.
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