Shelf Love: Romance Novel Discourse

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**Shelf Love: Romance Novel Discourse**

Shelf Love is about romance novels and how they reflect, explore, challenge, and shape desire. Host Andrea Martucci invites experts from a variety of perspectives to critically engaging with romance novels. Listen for discussions of individual books, genre discourse, and scholarly topics.

Latest Episodes:

016: Sanctuary by Rebekah Weatherspoon with Norma Perez-Hernandez Jan 07, 2020

Show notes

Show Notes

Guest Norma Perez-Hernandez:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/normajeanesays
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/normajeanesees/

Book:

Sanctuary (Beards and Bondage Series #2) by Rebekah Weatherspoon
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074BDB67R?notRedirectToSDP=1&ref_=dbs_mng_calw_1&storeType=ebooks

Links/Misc:

Publisher’s Weekly Industry Salary Survey, 2019: https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/81718-the-pw-publishing-industry-salary-survey-2019.html
The book I could not remember from a lit class was: Tess of the d'Urbervilles: A Pure Woman Faithfully Presented by Thomas Hardy. (Thank you, @ReadingRomance3 for guessing based on a very vague description.)
People of Color in Publishing
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/PocPub
- Website: https://www.pocinpublishing.com/
Latinx in Publishing
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/LatinxinPub
- Website: https://latinxinpublishing.com/
I Don’t Feel Your Pain: A failure of empathy perpetuates racial disparities: https://slate.com/technology/2013/06/racial-empathy-gap-people-dont-perceive-pain-in-other-races.html
Vampire lesbian sorority book by Rebekah Weatherspoon: Soul to Keep, Blacker Than Blue, Better Off Red
- http://www.rebekahweatherspoon.com/series/vampire-sorority-sisters-2/
Haven is book 1 of the Beards and Bondage series: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078ML3Y6P/?ie=UTF8&%2AVersion%2A=1&%2Aentries%2A=0

Shelf Love:

NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
Email: Andrea@shelflovepodcast.com

015. Listener Favorites Read in 2019 with B. And Her Books Dec 31, 2019

Show notes

Guest: B. And Her Books

Twitter: @bandherbooks https://twitter.com/bandherbooks
Instagram: @b.andherbooks https://www.instagram.com/b.andherbooks/

Recording engineer and occasional provider of book answers:

Jess a Flerken (@ladyofcheese https://twitter.com/LadyOfCheese)

https://www.subscribepage.com/m4c2v7_inst_copy

The printable reading list includes every book mentioned in this episode plus books from categories that had to be cut for time, including: kick-ass heroines, most over-the-top sex scenes, no on-page sex, and more!

NOTES:

Jess’s Write This Book - I will be trademarking Shelf Lovelies
(WTB Inspiration: https://video.bonappetit.com/series/gourmet-makes)

Podcast Episodes Mentioned:

Boobies & Noobies with Kelly Reynolds:
- Andrea on Boobies and Noobies: The 8th Day of Boobsmas: https://boobiepodcast.podbean.com/e/regifted-boobsmas-8/
- Stocking Stuffers episode Boobsmas Day 1: https://boobiepodcast.podbean.com/e/stocking-stuffers-boobsmas-1/
Whoamance
- Hummingbird Episode: https://www.whoamancepodcast.com/episodes/2019/12/17/episode-70-triage-trois-hummingbird-by-lavyrle-spencer
Rombkpod episodes with disability recommendations:
- Episode 105: http://lustandfoundreads.com/rombkpod/ep-105/
- Episode 106: http://lustandfoundreads.com/rombkpod/ep-106/
- Episode 107: http://lustandfoundreads.com/rombkpod/ep-107/
- Episode 108: http://lustandfoundreads.com/rombkpod/ep-108/
Learning the Tropes
- Episode with Sarah MacLean, “The Gorilla Twins”: Lorraine Heath: https://learningthetropes.podbean.com/e/the-earl-takes-all-by-lorraine-heath-w-sarah-maclean-episode-48/
Wicked Wallflowers
- Mia Hopkins episode: https://wickedwallflowersclub.simplecast.com/episodes/mia-67843607

Pinterest:

Fainting couch romance novels: https://www.pinterest.com/eagabri/romance-novel-covers-with-fainting-couches/
All B’s Pinterest boards: https://www.pinterest.com/eagabri/

Miscellaneous:

B’s neighbor: Liz Lincoln https://lizlincoln.com/
Chuck Tingle: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27804008-oppressed-in-the-butt-by-my-inclusive-holiday-coffee-cups

Contributors:

@Has_bookpushers, Arnold The Scottish Hedgehog, Jess (Wander Awhile), Amanda (Spaamanda_4), Charlotte (@romansedegare), Esme Brett (Feminist_Romance), HEA or GTFO, Kelly Reynolds (@BoobiesPodcast), Bookish Kelly (bookish.com), Marisa (@marisaelainegettas), Jayswell, Lara Van Lelyveld, Kini Allen, Amanda Ball, Angeleke Kaldis, Nathan Burgoine, Angie Girl, Lust n Found reads, Leigh Kramer, Christina.us.uk, Laura Yamin, HEA Apologist, Ms. Bug Bug, Jess (JessReadinBooks), Megan Erikson, Hannah, Catherine (@CatSteinBooks), Renee, Ariana, Nancy (Love.Reading.With.Nancy), Whoamance, Lauren M. Hae, Adele Buck, Jes (YesMissJes), Sofia (SofiainBookland), Queerly Chaotic M (@Mx_m_reads), Maida Malby, Daisy Blaine, Weendizzle, Tej (@Readaholic19), Corey Alexander (TGStoneButch), Suzanne (Cerestheories), Amber (PeskyNoodles), Emma Love, RamblingoutLoud, JL Peridot, Quick N Dirty Romance, Megan Bate, Sarah Penna, Michelle Mars.

Shelf Love:

NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
Email: Andrea@shelflovepodcast.com

014.5. Revisiting Courtney Milan's Writing in the Wake of RWA's Censure Dec 24, 2019

Show notes

Content from about the 5:00 - 38:00 mark was previously part of episode 7 of Shelf Love.

Guest Information

Erin Leafe, co-host of Learning The Tropes Podcast
Twitter: @LearningTropes
Instagram: @LearningTheTropes

Book Pick

The Heiress Effect by Courtney Milan

Go find more books by Courtney Milan on her website: http://www.courtneymilan.com/

Links

Alyssa Cole’s Twitter Thread with details on allegations against Courtney and RWA’s actions: https://twitter.com/AlyssaColeLit/status/1209280219175100422
RWA Ethics Committee Report: https://www.docdroid.net/qj8dh9a/ethics-committee-report-1119.pdf
Kathryn Lynn Davis Formal Complaint: https://www.docdroid.net/uMizS30/kathryn-lynn-davis-formal-rwa-complaint.pdf
Suzan Tisdale Formal Complaint: https://www.docdroid.net/UcBKxjo/suzan-tisdale-screenshots.pdf
Suzan Tisdale Screenshots: https://www.docdroid.net/UcBKxjo/suzan-tisdale-screenshots.pdf

Smart Bitches post/reaction: https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2019/12/wtaf-rwa-courtney-milan-banned-suspended-from-rwa/

The Wrap post: https://www.thewrap.com/romance-writers-courtney-milan-suspension-racist-mess/

Information about RWA/official website: https://www.rwa.org/Online/About_RWA/Online/About/About_RWA.aspx?hkey=c3b46e21-4b8e-4265-b7a5-c01fe2bad22c

Shelf Love:

NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
Email: Andrea@shelflovepodcast.com

014. Equivalent Exchange by Christina C. Jones with Funmi B. Dec 17, 2019

Show notes

Guest: Funmi B.

Twitter: @FunmiReadsHEAs https://twitter.com/FunmiReadsHEAs

Instagram: @When_Funmi_Met_Romance https://www.instagram.com/when_funmi_met_romance/

We read:

Equivalent Exchange by Christina C. Jones
https://www.amazon.com/Equivalent-Exchange-Night-Shift-Christina-ebook/dp/B07YP1GHJT

(Available on Kindle Unlimited)

Content Warning: off-page domestic and sexual abuse

Books mentioned:

Forever by Judy Blume
Top 3 Beverly Jenkins Books:
- Indigo
- Breathless
- Captured
Bollywood Bride by Sonali Dev

Other mentions:

Funmi’s favorite sour beer: Raspberry Crush by Ten Barrel Brewing Company
Where Should We Begin, podcast with couple’s therapy: https://www.estherperel.com/podcast
Funmi’s guest post on Ana Coqui’s website about reading romance/Beverly Jenkins: https://www.anacoqui.com/2019/07/guest-post-thank-you-beverly-jenkins-by-funmi-baker.html
Tasha L. Harrison response to Rebekah Weatherspoon Tweet: https://twitter.com/tashalharrison/status/1196934724524134401
Stone Fox Meme (Adele Morse): https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2291620/Meet-Stoned-Fox-The-badly-stuffed-creature-reborn-Russian-internet-celebrity.html
Kate Clayborn - Frolic article: “Face Value: ‘Natural’ Beauty, Cosmetic Surgery, and the Woman You’re Not Supposed to Love in Romance Novels” https://frolic.media/face-value-natural-beauty-cosmetic-surgery-and-the-woman-youre-not-supposed-to-love-in-romance-novels/

Trope Town: Therapy/Healing/Growth

Care for Me by Bria Felicien
Determining Possession by Christina C. Jones
Encore for Love by Alexandra Warren
In His Corner by Alexandra Warren
Someone Seeking Someone Else by Nicole Falls
Beard in Mind by Penny Reid (Penny is a guest on an upcoming episode!)
A Duke by Default by Alyssa Cole
Teach Me by Olivia Dade (upcoming episode book pick by Denise Williams!)
Fall by Kristen Callihan
Serving Pleasure by Alisha Rai
Best of Luck from the Chance of a Lifetime Series by Kate Clayborn (Kate was the guest in episode 11!)
Getting Schooled by Christina C. Jones
Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert
Work for It by Talia Hibbert
Hero by Lauren Rowe

Contributors:

B.andherbooks, Spaamanda_4, HannahHeartsRomance

Shelf Love:

NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
Email: Andrea@shelflovepodcast.com

013. The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams with Steve Ammidown Dec 10, 2019

Show notes

Guest: Steve Ammidown (Manuscripts and Research Archivist at BGSU Browne Popular Culture Library)

We read: The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams

Website: BGSU Browne Popular Culture Library https://www.bgsu.edu/library/pcl.html

Twitter: @Stegan

BGSU Pop Culture Library Twitter

Books mentioned:

Aphrodite’s Kiss by Julie Kenner
Brothers Sinister series by Courtney Milan
Entwined Destinies by Elsie Washington - first category romance by a black woman featuring black main characters
Gaywyck by Vincent Virga
Throwing Stones by Avery Cockburn (Curling Romance)

Can you redeem baddies from book 1 in book 2?

Kini Allen’s episode - Julianna Keyes’ Time Served has an antagonist who is the MC in Book 2, In Her Defense

Alisha Rai, Forbidden Hearts series.

Book 1: Hate to Want You
Book 2: Wrong to Need You

Discussed in Episode 1, We discussed Lord Saint Vincent from Lisa Kleypas’s Wallflower series, who is the villain in book 2 (It Happened One Autumn) but the MC in book 3 (Devil in Winter)

Other mentions:

Editor Vivian Stephens at Dell Candlelight
Jessica Lynn Van Slooten Ted Talk: Romance Novels Are Feminist
BGSU Researching the Romance 2020 Conference with Alyssa Cole - April 22-23, 2020
RWA About The Romance Genre (cites % men reading romance)

Trope Town: Men’s Friendships

Brothers Sinister Series by Courtney Milan
Rules for Scoundrels Series by Sarah MacLean
Double Up by Vanessa North
Roller Girl by Vanessa North
FBI/US Attorney Series by Julie James (starts with Something About You)
Rafe by Rebekah Weatherpoon
Champions of Desire Series by Christa Tomlinson
A Tale of Two Cities Novellas by Alexandra Warren

Contributors:

@Readaholic19, Jess (@romtenkey) on Twitter, Kat Jackson, Nathan Burgoine

Shelf Love:

NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
Email: Andrea@shelflovepodcast.com

012. The Obsession by Nora Roberts with Lucy Score Dec 03, 2019

Show notes

Content Warning: The book we discuss features a serial killer and rapist. We also discuss sexual assault.

Guest: Romance Author Lucy Score
Website: lucyscore.net
Twitter: @LucyScore1
Instagram: @ScoreLucy

Lucy while recording this episode (shot by Mr. Lucy): https://www.instagram.com/p/B4hqadgAwYv/

We read:

The Obsession by Nora Roberts (2016)
(CW: on-page descriptions of sexual violence)

Lucy’s books that are mentioned:

The Worst Best Man
The Christmas Fix
Mr. Fixer Upper
Moonshine Kiss (pining)
The Price of Scandal (Bluewater Billionaires)
Newest (out Jan. 2020) - ...Listen to hear the title!

Books mentioned:

The Bride by Julie Garwood
Bluewater Billionaires series:
- The Price of Scandal by Lucy Score
- The Mogul and the Muscle by Claire Kingsley
- Wild Open Hearts by Kathryn Nolan
- Crazy for Loving You by Pippa Grant
JD Robb In Death Series
Chanel Miller - Know My Name

Other mentions:

Bluewater Billionaires Boobies & Noobies episode
Air Ambulance ER - YouTube
Turn The Page - Nora Roberts’ Bookstore: https://www.ttpbooks.com/
Inn BoonsBoro - Nora Roberts’ Inn: https://innboonsboro.com/

Trope Town: artists

Strictly Professional - Katherine Nolan
Reckless (Book 1: Renegades) - Skye Jordan
Chesapeake Blue - Nora Roberts
Flashed - Zoe Castile
Pacific Blue - Kristina Luckey
Serving Pleasure - Alisha Rai
Beard in Mind - Penny Reid

Contributors:

Kelly Reynolds (Boobies & Noobies), Denise Williams, Hannah is a Palindrome, Fiona West

Shelf Love:

NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
Email: Andrea@shelflovepodcast.com

011. A Midnight Feast by Emma Barry/Genevieve Turner with Kate Clayborn Nov 26, 2019

Show notes

Guest: Kate Clayborn:

Kate’s books:

Holiday novella (out now): Missing Christmas (3.5 in Chance of a Lifetime)
Love Lettering: Out Dec. 31, 2019
Chance of a Lifetime Series

Contributors:

HEA Apologist
The Ariel Storm
Mary Lynne Nielsen
The Romance Mom

Book:

A Midnight Feast by Emma Barry and Genevieve Turner

Tweets Mentioned:

Jen Prokop's thread: https://twitter.com/JenReadsRomance/status/1175892103727128580
Kate’s subthread: https://twitter.com/kateclayborn/status/1177193605951344643

Books Recommended:

Listen to the Moon by Rose Lerner
Rafe by Rebekah Weatherspoon
Making it Last by Ruthie Knox
The Bride Test by Helen Hoang
The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams

Mentioned:

Tillie Olsen: I Stand Here Ironing https://www.shortstoryproject.com/story/i-stand-here-ironing/
Heroines in white dresses
Life in the Iron Mills, and Other Stories By Rebecca Harding Davis
Harper’s Bazaar article https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/features/a12063822/emotional-labor-gender-equality/

Shelf Love:

NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
Email: Andrea@shelflovepodcast.com

010.5 More to Love: Polyamorous Romance, Hot Tub No Ma'am, Billionaire Questions Nov 21, 2019

Show notes

Listen to episode 10:

The Case of the Missing O: Wallbanger by Alice Clayton with Kelly Reynolds from Boobies & Noobies

In episode 10 we read Wallbanger by Alice Clayton. We mention it a little bit in this extra, but just a smidge.

If you want to listen to the Jennifer Crusie episode Jess contributed to, it's episode 2.

The Alyssa Cole book we mention with a forge/swords is A Duke By Default. Alyssa was my guest on episode 8!

Check out Boobies & Noobies to hear more from Kelly.

Shelf Love:

NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
Email: Andrea@shelflovepodcast.com

010. Wallbanger by Alice Clayton with Kelly Reynolds (Boobies & Noobies) Nov 19, 2019

Show notes

Book: Wallbanger by Alice Clayton

Guest: Kelly Reynolds from Boobies & Noobies Podcast

@BoobiesPodcast on Twitter and Instagram

Trope Town Recommendations: Neighbors to Lovers

Cade by Liliana Hart
Heat of the Night by Elle Kennedy
Serving Pleasure by Alisha Rai
A Princess in Theory by Alyssa Cole
Broken Knight by L.J. Shen

Miscellaneous:

Everything's Trash But It's OK by Phoebe Robinson
Prince of Sin by Cass Ford Episode of Boobies & Noobies
Where Should We Begin (Podcast) - "A Small Town Affair" is the episode I reference

Contributors:

@GayDreaming1, Jess, Charlotte, HEA Apologist

____

You can always email me at andrea@shelflovepodcast.com or check in on social media to participate in future listener request episodes!

Twitter: @shelflovepod
Instagram: @shelflovepodcast

Shelf Love:

NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
Email: Andrea@shelflovepodcast.com

009. Listener Requests and Mass Market Paperbacks Nov 16, 2019

Show notes

Questions from:

Christina.us.uk
HEA Apologist
Kini Allen (episode 5 guest!)
purlsquirrel
JenniMReads

Books mentioned:

Bollywood Bride by Sonali Dev
A Midnight Feast by Emma Barry and Genevieve Turner (on upcoming episode with Kate Clayborn)
The Charm School by Susan Wiggs

Links:

Twitter Thread starting place for Mass Market Paperback discussion (JenReadsRomance)
My Favorite Darcy - data/poll from EisReading

Questions:

Americans: do you find you have more or less time to listen to podcasts during Thanksgiving week? Everyone: do you catch up on listening during holidays, or listen less?
Would you be interested in a future episode focused on the evolution of the romance genre throughout time and why (I think) it's unfair to completely tear apart retro romance?

You can always email me at andrea@shelflovepodcast.com or check in on social media to participate in future listener request episodes!