Fated Mates - Romance Books for Novel People

Latest Episodes:

S07.35: On the Shelf with Spinsters and Wallflowers May 13, 2025

Show notes

One of the og romance tropes is on the table today -- we're talking about heroines who are on the shelf! It's not quite wallflowers, not quite ruined, not quite spinsters...it's a very particular flavor of unmarried woman, and one we basically only find in historicals (can you tell Sarah is writing?). We're talking about the subtle nuances of heroines on the shelf and honoring some of the classics...but Sarah's got a batch of books we've never talked about before!

Also! It's that time of year again! Sarah has a new book out in July and is going on tour, and there is a real deal Fated Mates LIVE planned for July 8th in St. Louis, MO! Get tickets to any of these events (Jen will be at a bunch of them, and other pod friends will be popping up along the way) at sarahmaclean.net/tour!

If you want more Fated Mates in your life, please join our Patreon, which comes with an extremely busy and fun Discord community! Join other magnificent firebirds to hang out, talk romance, and be cool together in a private group full of excellent people. Learn more at patreon.com.

Our next read along is Cate C Wells's Run Posy Run, available right now in print or ebook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited at Amazon, Apple Books, and Libro.fm.

Books

Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean
The Proposition by Judith Ivory
The Viscount Who Loved Me and Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn
A Night to Surrender by Tessa Dare
An Earl Like You by Caroline Linden
Along Came a Duke by Elizabeth Boyle
One for the Rogue by Manda Collins
His Wicked Reputation by Madeline Hunter
Love is a Rogue by Lenora Bell
Taming His Viking Woman by Michelle Styles

Notes

Check out the The Collections Department for fun groups of books, organized by real people.
On the shelf, wallflowers, and spinsters.
What does being a spinster look like now?
- Louisa Darling suggested the French Guy who made a TikTok about “dating a girl who is used to being alone.”
- A contemporary example (other than Bridget Jones) is Gracie from Heaven, Texas by Susan Elizabeth Phillips.
Author Madeline Hunter died in April and was an important member of the romance community. A professor and historian, for many years, Madeline was chair of the RWA Academic Grant Committee, ensuring that researchers and academics had access to funds to research and write about romance. She wrote this piece about spinsters for USA Today in 2015. Our thoughts are with her family, friends and readers.

The Rest

For even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net/episodes/2025/5/12/s0735-on-the-shelf-with-spinsters-amp-wallflowers
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.

S07.34: The Third Act Break-Up (Complimentary) May 06, 2025

Show notes

We're gonna get people excited with this one (it's us. we're the ones who are getting excited). Back by popular demand, we're talking craft this week--digging deep into the third-act breakup, what it really means, why it's misunderstood, and why it really is essential to romance. Sarah suggests that every romance has one whether people like to admit it or not, Jen is, as always, ready to fight. Strap in!

The Books

Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas
Something Wilder and Beautiful Stranger by Christina Lauren
Hidden Truths by Neva Altaj
Marrying Winterborne by Lisa Kleypas
Forbidden by Beverly Jenkins
The Duke Who Didn’t by Courtney Milan
Lead by Kylie Scott
Kiss an Angel by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
How to End a Love Story by Yulin Kang
Painted Scars by Neva Altaj
MacRieve by Kresley Cole

Notes

We love Sephora and Ulta, and Sarah has some faves from Dermatology Instagram, like dermangelo and drdrayzday.
Sarah’s on tour for These Summer Storms in July, and Fated Mates Live will be in St. Louis!!
Sarah recommends the audio of The Hero’s 2 Journeys by Michael Hauge
In our discussion, we identified several types of third act break-ups: Going Home Again, Self-Sacrifice, Who am I?, and You Fucked All the Way Up.
An SD card, for you youths.

Sponsors

Dani Francis, author of Silver Elite, available in print or ebook, from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
Cara Dion, author of Claim to Fame, available in print or ebook from Amazon.
Rachel Griffiths, author of The Trouble with Anna, available in print, ebook, audio, from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
Anna Todd, author of The Last Sunrise, available in print or ebook from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books 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/2025/5/5/0734-the-third-act-break-up-complimentary
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.

S07.33: Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid Apr 29, 2025

Show notes

Today we're headed back in the time machine to before the pandemic when everyone but us read this one m/m hockey book and lost their collective minds! Heated Rivalry is one of those books that romance lovers place high up on their keeper shelf, and we're talking about why, about how it really knocks sports romance out of the park (yes, we're aware that there is no knocking out of parks in hockey), and how it might be one of the books that launched a thousand hockey ships.

We're talking about erotica vs. erotic romance vs. romance, about sexy secrets, about first names and about why it's always sexy when people say "I love you" in a foreign language.

The Books

Notes

Visit the Fated Mates Collections Department for great romance recommendations organized by micro tropes, characteristics, subgenres, or things like Virgin Heroes. Check out Jen’s collection Hoop! (There It Is) and listen to the 1993 hit song, Whoomp! (There It Is) by Tag Team.
Barnes & Noble and Amazon holding sales during Independent Bookstore day felt super icky. If you missed it this year, maybe you can find a great indie to visit next year. It’s always the last Saturday in April.
Alan Ritchson is Jack Reacher, Alan Rickman is not.
On the road to the NHL, the World Juniors is pretty important.
Professional sports are notably homophobic, especially the NHL despite its history of hosting pride nights. Luke Prokop is the only openly gay professional hockey player, but he does not play in the NHL at this time. The professional sports league with the most openly queer players is the WNBA, which also has a past history of enforcing certain gender norms and gender presentation for its players.
Leagues create rivalries between players and teams in order to promote their brand and ratings. A WNBA case study is Angel Reese & Caitlin Clark.

Sponsors

Measured & Slow, purveyors of unique crafted products for people who love books and whimsy. Visit the shop at measuredandslow.studio.
Jillian David, author of Paging Dr. Breakup, available in print or ebook, from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
LaQuette, author of Royal Bride Demand, available in print or ebook from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books 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/2025/4/28/0733-heated-rivalry-by-rachel-reid
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.

S07.32: Ruination! Apr 22, 2025

Show notes

We're talking about the worst possible thing that can happen to a romance heroine today (it's always the heroines) -- ruination! Whether the hero did it, another man did it, or society simply decided that she's ruined, there's simply nothing to be done about it...except revenge, a triumphant return, or the crowning of a new reigning queen. We cover all three here, with almost entirely new to the pod books, and even get some contemporaries into the mix!

Our next read along is Rachel Reid's Heated Rivalry, which you can get in print, ebook, audiobook or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited. Find it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.

Books Mentioned In This Episode

Chasing Cassandra by Lisa Kleypas
The Duchess Hunt by Lorraine Heath
A Scot in the Dark by Sarah MacLean
Wicked & The Wallflower by Sarah MacLean
Marrying Winterborne by Lisa Kleypas
The Magic of You by Joanna Lindsay
A Little Bit Wild by Victoria Dahl
The Harlot Countess by Joanna Shupe
Again the Magic by Lisa Kleypas
Tempt Me at Twilight by Lisa Kleypas
Wild Rain by Beverly Jenkins
The Rake by Suzanne Enoch
Compromised by Kate Noble
Ride Steady by Kristen Ashley
After Hours on Milagro Street by Angelina M Lopez

Notes

The space domination of Katy Perry is depressing compared to the space demotion happening to real women scientists.
In terms of plotting and the hero, Anne Stuart’s Breathless (2010) might be a good precursor to what we call dark romance today.
Actually, you say ratafia like this.
Check out the 2025 Lift for Autism auction, sponsored by Kennedy Ryan.
Stay tuned at the end of the episode for a sneak peek of the audiobook of Piper Rayne's The One I Didn't See Coming.

Sponsors

1001 Dark Nights, publishers of Pride and Passion: A LGBTQIA+ Love Collection, available in print or ebook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
Jess K Hardy, author of Wish You Were Here, available in print or ebook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
Mara Moody, author of The Reunion Recipe, available in print or ebook from Amazon, Barnes & Noble or wherever you get your books.
Piper Rayne, author of The One I Didn't See Coming, available in print, audiobook 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/2025/4/21/0732-ruination
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.

S07.31: Romance on the Run Apr 15, 2025

Show notes

Yes, Sarah has a longtime fantasy of being on the lam, but let's be honest, she'd be caught reading a book in the nearest diner as soon as anyone got serious about looking for her. This week, we're talking about books in which characters are much more serious about being on the run! We break the category into people on the move and people in hiding, but also talk about secrets, about lies, and about how love really is about telling something all the truths you've got.

The Books

The Master by Kresley Cole
Run Posy Run by Cate Wells
Claiming the Courtesan by Anna Campbell
Burn Down the Night by M. O’Keefe
Dragon Bound by Thea Harrison
Tycoon by Joanna Shupe
Something Wilder by Christina Lauren
If I Told You, I’d Have to Kiss You by Mae Marvel
Hunter by Emmy Chandler
Stranded by Jennifer D. Bokal
The Harpy and the Dragon by Marie Liscomb
Wyoming Double Jeopardy by Juno Rushdan
Bourbon and Lies by Victoria Wilder
Hunted Through Italy by Delaney Diamond
Dalliances & Devotion by Felicia Grossman
Kiss the Girl by Zoraida Cordova
Under Her Skin by Adriana Anders
Whiteout by Adriana Anders
Kink Camp: Hunted by Adriana Anders

The Notes

Fill out the survey, check out our quests on Pagebound, and the Fated Mates Collections Department.
Thanks @kimonlyreadsromance from Threads for coming up with the name “discoverabilitybuddies” -- and for submitting a Collection for Books with Secret Tattoos!
We’ve done deep dives of The Master and Dragon Bound. Run Posy Run and Whiteout have both appeared on one of our year end “Best of” Lists.
Mr. and Mrs Smith is a great movie and a great tv show.
Just make some time to read The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell.

The Sponsors

Michelle McCraw, author of Conspiracies and Chemistry, available in print or ebook from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Kobo or wherever you get your books.
SE McPherson, author of A King's Trust, available in print or ebook from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Kobo or wherever you get your books.
Lumi Gummies, THC gummies available nationwide. Go to Lumigummies.com and use code FATEDMATES for 30% off your order.

The Rest

For even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net/episodes/2025/4/13/0731-romance-on-the-run
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.

S07.30: Getting Things Done (to them): Romance with Lists Apr 08, 2025

Show notes

We're crossing off a classic romance novel structure this week -- the list! Whether life changing to-do lists, bucket lists, or lists for kinky exploration, these romances take characters and readers on remarkable rides, reminding us all that sometimes it really does pay to be organized.

The Books

Nine Rules to Break when Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean
Get A Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert
The Last Days of Lilah Goodluck by Kylie Scott
Wicked Nights with a Lover by Sophie Jordan
What Heals Us by Maggie Gates
The Ending I Want by Samantha Towle
Camera Chemistry by Chelsea Curto
30 Days and 30 Nights by Christine d’Abo
The Seal’s Rebel Librarian by Anne Calhoun
How to Fail at Flirting by Denise Williams
Rockaway Bride by Pippa Grant
Mr. Swoony by Piper Rayne
Three Little Mistakes by Nikki Sloan
All Played Out by Cora Carmack

Show Notes

We’re excited about these author and listener created lists at the Fated Mates Collections Department. And in case you want to see the one from Competitive Yam about Skinny dipping, here it is.
Kelsey Plum’s cigar photos went viral and now she models for a cigar company. We love this for her.
The Bucket List (2007) stars two terminally ill men, Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson. They are out checking items off their list before the “kick the bucket.”
We’ve done deep dives of several of the books on this episode: Nine Rules, Chloe Brown, and Three Little Mistakes.

The Sponsors

1001 Dark Nights, publishers of Vows & Veils: A Celebration of Love, available in print or ebook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
Elizabeth Bright, author of Wild, Wild Cowboy, available in print, or ebook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
Rachel Griffiths, author of The Trouble with Anna, available in print, ebook, audio, from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
Andrea Jenelle, author of Spine of Steel, 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/2025/4/7/0730-romances-with-a-bucket-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.

S07.29: Spring 2025 New Releases: Teasing Your TBR Apr 02, 2025

Show notes

It's our quarterly discoverabilibuddy episode! Get your TBR piles structurally sound and exercise that preorder clicking finger, because here are nearly 50 books coming out in the next three months that we're excited to read! Eric said next time we have to split it into two if we're going to keep talking about what's coming for hours... In the meantime, we're ungovernable! Tell us about the books you're waiting for...and if you're a romance novelist and have a book coming this year, please head over and fill out our handy Google form to let us know!

The Books

MARCH

Witch of Wall Street by MJ Etkind
A Wager at Midnight by Vanessa Riley
Lush by Tinia Montford

APRIL

Royal Bride Demand by LaQuette
Wyoming Double Jeopardy by Juno Rushdan
Any Trope but You by Victoria Lavine
Whisk Me Away by Georgia Beers
Playing for Keeps by Lainey Davis
The Nanny is Off Limits by QB Tyler
Marriage Bargain with the Comte by Parker J. Cole
A Lady’s Guide to London by Faye Delecour
The Duke and the Widow by Christina Diane
Naked in Naknek by Lolu Sinclair
Fly by Night by Kelly Cain
The Matchmaker by Aisha Saeed
Anywhere You Go by Bridget Morrissey
Once Upon You & Me by Timothy Janovsky
Gold Coast Dilemma by Nana Malone
The Last Guy You Kiss by Carla de Guzman

MAY

Left of Forever by Tarah deWitt
Time Loops & Meet Cutes by Jackie Lau
The Singular Life of Aria Patel By Samira Ahmed
Bad Publicity by Bianca Gillam
A Showgirl’s Rules for Falling in Love by Alice Murphy
Love in Focus by Lyla Lee
A Simple Twist of Fate by April Asher
His Dark Vendetta by Katelyn Brehm
Digging Dr. Jones by Olivia Jackson
All Superheroes Need PR by Elizabeth Stephens
The Romance Rivalry by Susan Lee
Slipstream by Madge Maril
Katheryn by SM LaViolette
Along Came Amor by Alexis Daria
Hunted through Italy by Delaney Diamond
Marked by Moonlight by Sophie Jordan

JUNE

Worth Fighting For by Jesse Q. Sutanto
Empire of Seduction by Milla Finelli
Never been Shipped by Alicia Thompson
Writing Mr. Right by Alina Khawaja
Party of Three by C. Travis Rice
Plus Sized Player by Danielle Allen
When Javi Dumped Mari by Mia Sosa
Cruel Summer by Maisy Yates
A Rare Find by Joanna Lowell
Gloves Off by Stephanie Archer
Savannah Royals by Lindsey Barrett
He’s to Die For by Erin Dunn
Sounds like Love By Ashely Poston
Writing Mr. Wrong by Kelley Armstrong

Bits and Pieces

We’ve collected our 76 (and counting!) deep dives at fatedmates.net/bookclub, making it a fine place to discover your next great romance read.
And if you’re the type of person who’s always believed you deserve a medal for your reading prowess, you can visit our friends at Pagebound.co, where you can join our Fated Mates Book Club Challenge.
Don’t forget to tell us what you think of us in via our annual survey. We’re dying to know what you think.
The Arc browser is almost a religion for Eric, but you should feel comforted by the fact that a normie like Sarah likes, too.
We love these great indie bookstores: Montgomery & Taggert (in our new favorite small town, Chester CT) and Heartleaf Books in Providence, RI.
Nearly all of these titles are available at Bookshop.org. We created a collection to make it easy for you.
We shared the full list at Pagebound, as well.

Sponsors

Lotte James, author of A Governess to Redeem Him, available in print, ebook, audio, from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
Avon Books, publishers of Annie McQuaid's Crash Landing, available in print, ebook, audio, from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
Stephanie Rose, author of Just One Favor, available in print, ebook, audio, 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/2025/3/30/0729-spring-2025-new-releases
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.

S07.28: Everything We Know About Horses Comes From Romance Mar 25, 2025

Show notes

This week, for some reason, we're talking about romance novels with horses in them! Do we know anything about horses? Of course not! Do we let that stop us? It never has before! We're talking about the ones where the horse dies, the ones where they do it on a horse, the ones where she's a horse whisperer, and the ones where she just really likes horses. Giddyup!

Take the Fated Mates Season 7 listener survey at fatedmates.net/survey

The Books

A Kingdom of Dreams by Judith McNaught
A Very Private Love by Melinda Cross
This Fierce Splendor by Iris Johansen
The Secret by Julie Garwood
Black Lyon by Jude Deveraux
Montana Sky and Irish Thoroughbred by Nora Roberts
The Siren of Sussex by Mimi Matthews
The Trouble with Anna by Rachel Griffiths
Cold-Hearted Rake by Lisa Kleypas
Legends Lake by JoAnn Ross
All Night Long with a Cowboy by Caitlin Crews
The Wildest Ride by Marcella Bell
A Thorn in the Saddle by Rebekah Weatherspoon
Sanctuary Island by Lily Everett

The Notes

Who Did it Better… on a Horse? In an elevator? In the library? At Thanksgiving? And on a pool table?
“It’s a fun book, there’s no sex in it,” is something Sarah said about Pride and Prejudice, which is just funny. In honor of the 20th Anniversary of the MacFayden/Knightly version of Pride and Prejudice, they are releasing it again in theaters the weekend of April 20th.
Horses get stressed out on movie sets, and that’s why there are so many regulations about how to care for them. There was an HBO show that got cancelled because so many horses died! Why horses have to be put down when they break a leg.
Based on some research, it was clear that Jen’s friend Bridget said that Lou Diamond Phillips DID know how to ride a horse in Young Guns. But, here’s an interview of him talking about a horse accident on the set of Young Guns 2! LDP, still hot, by the way!
We did an episode on A Kingdom of Dreams if you want to listen.
In A Very Private Love, the horse is like Secretariat or some shit like that.
The Budweiser Clydesdales are real horses, and I’m just gonna say, you come across some weird information about the world when you write show notes. Here's an article about them being at the bar near Sarah's house.
Fetlock are this, not this.
The entire first season of Unbound Pod with Adriana Herrera and Nikki Payne is about Western romance.

The Sponsors

Avery Maxwell, author of Cross My Heart, available in print, ebook or audiobook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
1001 Dark Nights, publishers of Crowns and Courtships: A Royal Romance Collection, with novellas by Claire Contreras, Jennifer L. Armentrout, Lexi Blake and Skye Warren, available in print or ebook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
Piper Rayne, authors of Mr. Swoony, available in print, ebook, audio, from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books. Stay tuned after the podcast for a sneak peek of the audiobook!

The Rest

For even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net/episodes/2025/3/24/0728-horses
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.

S07.27: What I Did for a Duke: This Gentleman is Completely Composed of Revenge Molecules Mar 18, 2025

Show notes

It's deep dive day here at Fated Mates and we're reading an absolute banger of a historical -- Julie Anne Long's fifth Pennyroyal Green book, What I Did for a Duke. We talk about great romance kisses, about age gaps and how they operate in books, about house parties and art and sacrifice and how sexy it is when someone actually sees you for who you are. If you haven't read this one yet, do yourself a favor and do it right now. It's so great.

The Books

What I Did for a Duke by Julie Anne Long
The Pennyroyal Green Series

Show Notes

The main building you think of when you think of the New York Public Library with the lions is officially called the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building. From what I can tell, it didn’t actually have anything to do with Andrew Carnegie, but he did donate $5 million to ensure that the New York Public Library had branch libraries in communities around the city. He also donated a lot of money to other things, that’s a fun thing billionaires used to do. Read more about doing the forbidden kind of “romance stuff” in the library. Jen talked to the New York Public Library's Best New Romance List Committee Co-Chairs Kate Fais and Grace Loiacon back in February.
In 2022, we recorded our “Break in case of emergency” episode, and it was in fact two sisters, Cait and Kara who requested the episode. PS: We are in emergency. Feel free to break those out now.
Julie Anne Long’s The Beast Takes a Bride was on our Best of 2024 episode. What I Did for a Duke is the 5th book in her Pennyroyal Green series.
“It must have been a lie,” is what Jen’s grandma Betty used to say if you lost your train of thought and couldn’t remember what you were saying.
This is a good speech from Crash Davis, the pitcher played by Kevin Costner in the 1988 movie Bull Durham (also, Nuke says “what’s all that molecule stuff?” which is pretty funny considering the title of this episode).
The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston had a Titian exhibition back in 2022 called Women, Myth and Power, and it seems like a thing Genevive would have liked it a lot. Titian’s Venus of Urbino is currently on display at The Uffizi Galleries in Italy.
If you’re in New York on March 31st, head over to the Astoria Bookshop to see Historical Romance authors TJ Alexander and Joanna Lowell in conversation, moderated by Sarah, in honor of Transgender Day of Visibility.

Sponsors

Avery Flynn, author of Airhead: A Hartigans Totally '80s Hot RomCom, available in ebook or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
Lumi Gummies,. Go to lumigummies.com and use code FATEDMATES for 30% off your order.

The Rest

For even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net/episodes/2025/3/18/0727-what-i-did-for-a-duke-this-gentleman-is-completely-composed-of-revenge-molecules
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.

S07.26: Romance Novels With a Ticking Clock Mar 12, 2025

Show notes

This one's for those of you who've been asking us to talk more about craft on the podcast! We're talking romances with ticking clocks and clear time frames, about how this impacts conflict and makes books more breathless, and of course about the books that deploy this strategy perfectly. Inside, you'll find road trips and adventures, vacation romances and romantic suspense, house parties and that classic romance chestnut: "I have 30 days to get pregnant." It's going to be fun.

But first, we're talking to Amanda Litman, founder of Run For Something, an organization filling the back bench of the Democratic party, helping people run for local office and make sure that we're holding the line at all levels of government. Tell us if you are running for school board, and we'll proudly donate to your campaign!

Next week, we're reading Julie Anne Long's What I Did For a Duke, available in print, ebook, and audio at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.

The Books

It Had to Be You and Heaven, Texas by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Hot Touch by Deborah Smith
Whiteout by Adriana Anders
Waking up with the Duke by Lorraine Heath
Perfect by Judith McNaught
Fiasco by Constance Fay
One Good Earl Deserves a Lover by Sarah MacLean
Her Night with the Duke by Diana Quincy
Along Came Amor by Alexis Daria
Curvy Girl Summer by Danielle Allen
Sexy in Stilettos by Nana Malone
Fan Service by Rosie Danan
Again the Magic by Lisa Kleypas
One Last Night by Lauren Ford
Tycoon by Joanna Shupe
Into the Woods by Jenny Holiday
One Stormy Night by Jules Bennett
Sins of a Wicked Duke by Sophie Jordan
To Catch a Raven by Beverly Jenkins
Pleasure of a Dark Prince and Lothaire by Kresley Cole
Something Wilder by Christina Lauren
Luck of the Draw and The Other Side of Disappearing by Kate Clayborn
Dionysus in Wisconsin by E.H. Lupton

The Notes

Join TJ Alexander and Joanna Lowell in a conversation at Astoria Bookshop in Queens, NY on March 31st for a conversation about trans rep in romance, moderated by Sarah.
Learn more about Run for Something and What You Can Run For in 2026 (don't forget to tell us you're running!), and preorder Amanda Litman's book, When We're in Charge: The Next Generation’s Guide to Leadership wherever you get your books.
Four Minutes is a very shallow cut, actually.
This is the good stuff: Casey Kasem’s Top 40 and Friday Night Videos, boom boxes, and cable TV. Also, The Sound of Music on has an actual running time of 2 hours and 52 minutes and an “on-TV- with-commercials" running time of 200 hours and 52 minutes. The best scene is the curtains one, the dancing one, or the tearing down the flag one.
That leg lamp is a reference to the movie A Christmas Story.
Conflict defined. Or, next time Sarah gives it in October 2025, attend her conflict workshop. Speaking of tension, how about that moment in Toy Story 3 when they are headed to the incinerator.
We’ve talked about Ted Lasso season 1 and season 2. Sarah wasn’t the only one disappointed with season 3, Jen felt the ship going down and bailed right out of it.
In the book Techniques of a Selling Writer, Dwight Swain described his scene and sequel theory.

The Sponsors

1001 Dark Nights, publishers of Office Sparks: A Workplace Romance Collection, with novellas by C.D. Reiss, K. Bromberg, Laurelin Paige, and Heather Graham, available in ebook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
Lumi Labs, creators of Lumi Gummies. Go to lumigummies.com and use code FATEDMATES for 30% off your order.
Lucy Score, author of Story of My Life, available in print, ebook, audio, from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
TJ Alexander, author of A Gentleman's Gentleman, available in print, ebook or audiobook, at Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Amazon, 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/2025/3/10/0726-romance-novels-with-a-ticking-clock
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.

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