S08.13 KJ Charles’s The Magpie Lord: We’re Gonna Get to the Tattoos
We’re so excited for our deep dive of KJ Charles’s The Magpie Lord, first in her magical, gothic series, A Charm of Magpies. We talk about the clear chops displayed in this romance --strong plotting, complex characterization, and a beautiful understanding of what happily ever after looks like. And yes, we get to the tattoos. Obviously.
Don't forget--you can buy the Fated Mates Best of 2025 Book Pack from our friends at Pocket Books Shop in Lancaster, PA, and get eight of the books on the list! Scoundrel Take Me Away and Lazarus, Home from War (independently published) are not in the box. As always, you can add additional romances, or one of Sarah's books to your box.
If you want other people to discuss great romance series, maybe you want to join our Patreon? You get an extra monthly episode from us and access to the incredible readers and brilliant people on the Fated Mates Discord! Support us and learn more at fatedmates.net/patreon. You can also ask for it as a gift, or give it as one at fatedmates.net/gift.
Our next read along will be Ruby Dixon's Ice Planet Barbarians (you’re welcome). Get it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, from your local indie, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
Notes
This is our second KJ Charles deep dive. The first was Band Sinister.
We were lucky enough to speak to KJ Charles about her work and her pathway through romance as part of our Trailblazers series. Listen to that interview here.
It’s been the snowiest start to winter in Chicago since 1978! The Great Lakes can freeze, kind of. Here’s what the Great Lakes ice prediction for this year.
The Ice Fishing town hall meeting, as promised.
Heated Rivalry is great and Jen (and everyone else) thinks you should watch it.
The Magpie Lord was published in 2013 by Samhain Publishing, which shut down in 2016.
You can find all of our 80+ deep dive episodes in the Fated Mates Book Club.
Sponsors
Zara Doyle, author of Bianca and Her Wolf, available in print, ebook, audio or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
Lumi Gummies. Go to lumigummies.com and use code FATEDMATES for 30% off your order.
Alexandra Cait, author of Storm of Fire, available in ebook or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
1001 Dark Nights, publishers of years of delicious romance novellas and collections. The imprint will shutter in 2026, so head over and load up on print versions of all your favorites right now.
S08.12: Fantastic Romance Series
It's winter, which means that it's time to get cozy, build a blanket nest on the couch, and read a million books one right after the other in the great tradition of our ancient forbears. Today, we're talking about series that deliver one banger after another and, yes, that also bang. We'll talk historicals, contemporaries, and of course, the paranormal series that started it all for us.
Don't forget--you can buy the Fated Mates Best of 2025 Book Pack from our friends at Pocket Books Shop in Lancaster, PA, and get eight of the books on the list! Scoundrel Take Me Away and Lazarus, Home from War (independently published) are not in the box. As always, you can add additional romances, or one of Sarah's books to your box.
If you want other people to discuss great romance series, maybe you want to join our Patreon? You get an extra monthly episode from us and access to the incredible readers and brilliant people on the Fated Mates Discord! Support us and learn more at fatedmates.net/patreon. You can also ask for it as a gift, or give it as one at fatedmates.net/gift.
Our next read along will be KJ Charles's The Magpie Lord. Get it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
Notes
Go to Sarah’s site to sign up for her newsletter. Apparently, it’s going to be a snowy winter because of squirrels, the Farmer’s Almanac is over, and social media is ruining your life and your brain, or maybe it’s just your whole damn phone.
Heated Rivalry, baby. Also this fall, the CW has unveiled a bunch of movies based on Harlequin books, including Savvy Sheldon Feels Good as Hell, Mason Deaver’s YA romance I Wish You All the Best and in January we get Season 4 of Bridgerton, and Netflix's adaptation of Emily Henry's People We Meet on Vacation.
Graphic Audio has adapted a bunch of your favorite books, not just Kate Daniels.
Here’s a cool way to look at the connections from Lorraine Heath’s Scoundrels of St. James series.
Sarah misses Romantic Times magazine.
Books Mentioned This Episode
The Sponsors
Zara Doyle, author of Tanya and Her Wolf, available in print, ebook, audio or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
Jenny Alexandra, authors of Santa Cutie, available in print, ebook or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
Bailey Seaborn, author of Peppermint Bark, No Bite, available in ebook or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
Blue Box Press, publishers of JR Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood: 20th Anniversary Insider's Guide, available in hardcover, ebook and audiobook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
S08.11: Holiday Romance 2025
The end of the year is nigh, and it's our holiday romance novel episode! We're talking about a collection of romances that are entirely new to us (except for the one moment where Sarah talks about that old McNaught short story that installed all her cold-weather romance buttons). We've got Austen retellings, Regency cats, characters playing with holiday toys, CIA agents and, of course, some sexy Santas. You deserve nice things.
Don't forget--you can buy the Fated Mates Best of 2025 Book Pack from our friends at Pocket Books Shop in Lancaster, PA, and get eight of the books on the list! Scoundrel Take Me Away and Lazarus, Home from War (independently published) are not in the box. As always, you can add additional romances, or one of Sarah's books to your box.
If you want other people to discuss holiday (or other) romances, maybe you want to join our Patreon? You get an extra monthly episode from us and access to the incredible readers and brilliant people on the Fated Mates Discord! Support us and learn more at fatedmates.net/patreon.
Our next read along will be KJ Charles's The Magpie Lord. Get it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
Notes
There are several accounts as to where Irving Berlin wrote White Christmas. Sarah stayed at the Arizona Biltmore Hotel, which claims it inspired the song (by being the opposite of snowy), but there's also an account that he wrote it in La Quinta, CA at the La Quinta Hotel (not to be confused with just any LaQuinta).
Rassle is a real word, Sarah was just having a moment. Get yourself the 12th edition Merriam-Webster Collegiate dictionary, the first new hardback version in 22 years.
Sarah’s favorite Christmas anthology is not called A Gift of Love (which, lol, that’s gonna be real funny in a few weeks. I’ll report back), it is called A Holiday of Love. You can find links to both of them in the photo array below.
Here’s an article ranking the Friends Thanksgiving episodes.
The gangway vs the jetway. I also learned there is a Chicago-specific meaning of gangway.
Check out our prior holiday romance episodes:
2024, including Sara Raasch, Vivian Mae, Evie Rose, Timothy Janovsky & more
2023, including Holly June Smith, Oona Grace, Kayla Grosse, Tracey Livesay & more
2019, including Adriana Herrera, Delilah Peters, and several anthologies
2018, including Therese Beharrie, a Chanukah anthology, Cecilia Grant, Tiffany Reisz & more
holiday books!
Sponsors
Jenny Alexandra, authors of Santa Cutie, available in print, ebook or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
LaQuette, author of The King's Pregnancy Proposition, available in print, ebook and audio at Amazon, B&N, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
Ginny B Moore, author of How the Rogue Stole Christmas, available in print, ebook or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
William Morrow Books, publishers of Olivia Dade's Second Chance Romance, available in print, ebook and audio at Amazon, B&N, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
S08.10: The Best Romance Novels of 2025
It's that time of year! We're talking about the Best Romance Novels of 2025. We've chosen ten books that we love and that cover a range of historical, contemporary and paranormal, featuring romance with werewolves and cowboys, vaudeville actresses and vikings, Dukes and the actual Devil.
This year, you can buy the Fated Mates Best of 2025 Book Pack from our friends at Pocket Books Shop in Lancaster, PA, and get eight of the books on the list! Scoundrel Take Me Away and Lazarus, Home from War (independently published) are not in the box. As always, you can add additional romances, or one of Sarah's books to your box.
We love the idea of you gifting yourself this box (you deserve it!), but maybe you’d like to slide into someone’s text messages with the link as a very excellent gift for you! Or…you can do what Sarah does, and buy the box and spread the love around—sending each of the books to someone on your list or wrapping them up and popping them in your local Little Free Library. Let us know what you end up doing with these fabulous books, and don’t forget to tag us on Instagram or Threads or Bluesky when you unbox!
Check out our “Best Romance Novels” lists from previous years: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, and 2019. (We were 5 minutes old in 2018 and didn’t do a list that year), and please tell us what your favorite books of 2025 were!
If you want other people to discuss this list with, maybe you want to join our Patreon? You get an extra monthly episode from us and access to the incredible readers and brilliant people on the Fated Mates Discord! Support us and learn more at fatedmates.net/patreon.
Our next read along will be KJ Charles's The Magpie Lord. Get it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
The Best Romance Novels of 2025
The Sponsors
LYX Books, publishers of Selina Mae's Lessons in Faking, available in print, ebook and audio at Amazon, B&N, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books. (We mistakenly called this YA in the ad read. It is New Adult.)
Lumi Gummies. Go to lumigummies.com and use code FATEDMATES for 30% off your order.
Darcy Green, author of After the Siren, available in print or ebook at Amazon, Kobo, and Apple Books.
Zara Doyle, author of Emma and Her Wolf, available in print, ebook and audio at Amazon, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
S08.09: Our Favorite Romance Microtropes
We had a great week, and so we decided we all need nice things, which means it's time to just talk about the stuff we love in romance. We're talking about our favorite microtropes in romance novels--the things that give us pure shots of joy. There's all sorts of stuff in here: contemporaries, historicals, paranormals, mafia, hockey, tattoos, piercings, kilts, families getting their comeuppance, and much much more.
If you'd like more romance chat in your life, please consider joining our Patreon, which comes with an extremely busy and fun Discord community! There, magnificent firebirds hang out, talk romance, and be cool together in a private group full of excellent people. Learn more at patreon.com. (You can now gift subscriptions!)
Our next read along will be KJ Charles's The Magpie Lord. Get it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
Notes
It’s not too early to donate to our Fated States Giving Circle, or maybe you want to Run for Something.
You can check out the Collections page for more great book lists (made by humans!), and we also talked about the breeding kink episode in case you want to see just how unhinged we get on New Year’s Eve…
The Mandela Effect is in fact named after Nelson Mandela.
Jennifer Lynn Barnes is a researcher who has described universal pleasure centers.
Monkey Island is a real place called Cayo off the coast of Puerto Rico or a video game.
Here’s an amazing dissection of a microtrope beloved by Mary Balogh: stern men who can’t stop skinny dipping.
If you are in Brooklyn this week, stop by on Thursday November 13, 2025 to see Sarah and several other authors from the Ladies in Waiting collection.
Books Mentioned This Episode
Sponsors
Lily Riley, author of Phoenix's Last Heist, available in print and ebook at Amazon or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
Lumi Gummies. Go to lumigummies.com and use code FATEDMATES for 30% off your order.
Kylie Scott, author of So My Ex-Boyfriend is a Serial Killer, available in print, ebook and audio at Amazon, B&N, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
S08.08: Romance Short Stories and the Ladies in Waiting Anthology
We definitely have a hope-became-reality hangover this morning, but we also have a very fun episode for you today! We're talking romance shorts -- not novellas, not short novels, but actual short stories under 15,000 words (or about 50 pages). We talk about why this is such a difficult goal to hit, about why romance lends itself to longer formats, and about why short fiction is a really great way to keep reading when things feel chaotic.
We also chat about Sarah's new short story, a part of the Ladies in Waiting anthology, out this week and providing minor characters from Jane Austen their own happily ever afters. Sarah is joined by romance greats Diana Quincy, Nikki Payne and Eloisa James, among others. Get the collection at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
Also, we want to take a moment to send enormous thanks to everyone who donated to the Fated States Giving Circle at The States Project this year — those donations were gamechangers — last night we expanded our majority in the VA House, and secured a Democratic Trifecta in Virginia! As ever, we’re so proud to stand and fight with you!
If you'd like more romance chat in your life, please consider joining our Patreon, which comes with an extremely busy and fun Discord community! There, magnificent firebirds 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 will be KJ Charles's The Magpie Lord. Get it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
Show Notes
The Ladies in Waiting anthology was released this week, and in the anthology, authors wrote HEAs for minor Austen characters. Sarah wrote about Miss Bates from Emma. Sarah has a few short stories: The Bladesmith Queen, a Medieval short available with her newsletter signup; "Fire That Lasts," and a YA short in the Generation Wonder anthology. The duke who has a sheep is in a novella called A Duke Worth Falling For.
Sarah asked Threads for recs of romance short stories and that’s where many of these stories came from, but there are many more we didn’t get to. So check it out.
There are lots of news articles and independent essays about why people are reading less, college kids are reading less, and children are reading less, But also, the decline of reading has been something we’ve been talking about for years.
Check out the Read Me Romance podcast and Audible Originals for other pieces of original short fiction.
Books Mentioned This Episode
Sponsors
Blue Box Press, publishers of Jennifer L. Armentrout's Official Blood and Ash Coloring Book, available in print at Amazon, B&N, or wherever you get your books.
Avon Books, publishers of Sasha Laurens's When I Picture You, available in print, ebook and audio at Amazon, B&N, Kobo, Apple Books, or wherever you get your books.
William Morrow, publishers of Akwaeke Emezi's Son of the Morning, available in print, ebook and audio at Amazon, B&N, Kobo, Apple Books, with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited, or wherever you get your books.
The What in the Smut? Podcast, available wherever you get your podcasts.
S08.07: Romance Demons: Problématique (Italics)
It's Halloween which means we're talking about monsters (complimentary)! We've done devils and witches and an entire season on monsters of all ilk, but we haven't done demons yet, and so here we are! Come one come all as Sarah confesses one of her weirdest (charming) kinks and we discuss the age-old adage: "If a demon's horns aren't sexual organs, why are they even there?" We're heading back to the early 00s on this one, so headphones in because who knows what we're going to talk about?! Definitely not us!
This week also marks our 7th anniversary, so we're feeling just a little emotional (grateful). Thank you for being with us, whether this is your first episode or your almost four hundredth. We love you.
If you'd like more romance chat in your life, please consider joining our Patreon, which comes with an extremely busy and fun Discord community! There, magnificent firebirds hang out, talk romance, and be cool together in a private group full of excellent people. Learn more at patreon.com.
Notes
We’ve done some serious Halloween episodes and also some silly ones. And all of season one was the Immortals After Dark series.
The devil is just the most powerful demon in Christian mythology, and apparently so are incubi and succubi.
Tim Curry in Legend is actually nothing at all like David Bowie in Labyrinth.
Books Mentioned This Episode
Sponsors
HarperCollins, publishers of N.E. Davenport's Our Vicious Oaths, available in print, ebook or audiobook at Amazon, B&N, Kobo, Apple Books, with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited, or wherever you get your books.
Rachel Runya Katz, author of Isn't it Obvious, available in print, ebook or audiobook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, or wherever you get your books.
Zara Doyle, author of Tori and her Wolf, available in print, ebook, audiobook or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
Jessica Thomas, author of Dare Me, Ellie, available in print, ebook or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
S08.06: Gorilla Twins! The Earl Takes All by Lorraine Heath
It's Gorilla Twins Week! We couldn't be happier to be talking about The Earl Takes All, a book we love so much we gave it a nickname that all of Romancelandia uses now. Whether you're reading it for the first time or the fiftieth, we're so happy to have you. We talk about Jane Goodall, Romance Gorillas, Lorraine Heath's brilliant mind, how she's easily a top-five romance novelist and possibly the best of them when it comes to writing conflict, and just how much we love a bonkers historical.
Find The Earl Takes All at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
If you'd like more romance chat in your life, please consider joining our Patreon, which comes with an extremely busy and fun Discord community! There, magnificent firebirds hang out, talk romance, and be cool together in a private group full of excellent people. Learn more at patreon.com.
Notes
It’s not too late to join the The Fated States Giving Circle, 25 people who give in October will receive a copy of Ladies in Waiting: Jane Austen's Unsung Characters, featuring Sarah's novella about Emma's Miss Bates.
This is our second Lorraine Heath deep dive episode, because she writes a banger. Listen to our deep dive of Waking Up With the Duke. According to search, we’ve mentioned Gorilla Twins (aka The Earl Takes All) at least 34 times on the podcast. Sorry not sorry.
The Hallmark movie Adventures in Love & Birding is based on Birding with Benefits by Sarah Dubb. Apparently the birding community has some feedback on the bird situation of the movie.
Rest in Peace Jane Goodall. Famous Last Words is a show where you get to leave your burn book, and Jane Goodall’s was the first episode. Our episodes will be 100 hours each, so plan accordingly.
Sponsors
Charis Michaels, author of Claiming the Princess, available in print, ebook or audiobook at Amazon, B&N, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
Elizabeth Roubaix, author of the His Duchess's Lovers collection, available in ebook or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
Sotto Voce Scents. Go to sottovocescents.com and use code FATEDMATES2025 for 25% off your order.
S08.05: Governesses with Louisa Darling
How is it possible we've never done a governess episode? And how is it possible Louisa Darling hasn't been a guest on the pod yet? We're rectifying both of these injustices this week. We talk about Jane Eyre, The Sound of Music and other primordial governesses, and discuss exactly what kind of buttons these books installed--almost entirely thanks to old school historicals. We also talk about how governess books are some of the only books in which we will suffer a child, and yes, we shout out the nannies, too!
Louisa Darling is the pen name of Louisa Edwards and Lily Everett, and the author of Don’t Let Your Dukes Grow Up to be Scoundrels, Where Have All the Scoundrels Gone, and Scoundrel, Take Me Away.
Our next read along is Gorilla Twins, AKA Lorraine Heath's The Earl Takes All. Find it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
If you'd like more romance chat in your life, please consider joining our Patreon, which comes with an extremely busy and fun Discord community! There, magnificent firebirds hang out, talk romance, and be cool together in a private group full of excellent people. Learn more at patreon.com.
Notes
Learn more about The States Project and donate to the Fated States Giving Circle to keep Virginia blue this November.
Welcome historical author Louisa Darling. She’s written contemporary romance as Louisa Edwards and women’s fiction as Lily Everett. She imprinted on Jayne Eyre and worked as an editorial assistant for Leslie Gelbman at Berkley, who edited Nora Roberts and Jayne Ann Krentz.
Maybe all those early governess books were really about The Sound of Music.
We talked about the Molly O’Keefe series that included Wait For It in season 7, and about Vanessa Riley and wet nurses when we had Kennedy Ryan on in season 2.
Finally, our next deep dive will be Gorilla Twins. The actual title, of course, is The Earl Takes All by Lorraine Heath.
Books Mentioned This Episode
Sponsors
Harpercollins, publishers of Lindsay Kelk's Christmas Fling, available in print, ebook or audiobook at Amazon, B&N, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
Andie J. Christopher, author of Faster, available in print, ebook, audiobook, with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited, or wherever you get your books.
Lumi Gummies. Go to lumigummies.com and use code FATEDMATES for 30% off your order.
Katherine Grant, author of The Widower Without a Will, available at Amazon, B&N, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
S08.04: We Love You Chicago, Dc, and LA
We're thinking about Chicago, DC, and LA this week, and standing in solidarity with the people living and resisting in those cities. While reading isn't action, it can supplement it, and keep us joyful as we do the hard work of standing up. To that end, this week, we're recommending books that feature Chicago, Washington, DC & Los Angeles as settings. We're also sharing resources and ways you can stay informed, help communities of immigrants, and get involved in whatever way possible.
Note: We recorded this episode just as the National Guard was sent to Portland, Oregon, which is why Portland-set romances are not included in this episode. Please feel free to share your favorite romances set there in comments or on social media. Tag us so we can share!
Our next read along is Gorilla Twins, AKA Lorraine Heath's The Earl Takes All. Find it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
If you'd like more romance chat in your life, please consider joining our Patreon, which comes with an extremely busy and fun Discord community! There, magnificent firebirds hang out, talk romance, and be cool together in a private group full of excellent people. Learn more at patreon.com.
Notes
Learn more about Ramón Ayala, the King of the Accordion.
It's too late to go to The Gothenburg Book Festival this year, but there’s always next year. One of the first internationally known Swedish romance writers is Simona Ahrnstedt. Crime fiction is a big deal in Sweden, and Sarah met Camilla Läckberg and Anders de la Motte.
Terrible awful things happening in Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington DC, and Portland. Many of these raids are apparently being filmed to make propaganda for the regime.
Support local, independent news organizations in your town. This is how you can find out information about what is going on across the country. You might start by checking out: Unraveled Press, Block Club Chicago, The Triibe, LA Taco, WBEZ chicago or your local NPR station, The Chicago Sun-Times.
You should also find local organizations that do work you care about and find a way to support them. In Chicago, for example, two vital organizations are The Brave Space Alliance and The Love Fridge. And, find out who is supporting immigrants where you live and find out what they need and how you can support their work. For example, The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights in Illinois, and CHIRLA, The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights in LA.
Find a local Latinx-owned bookstore near you by using this list from the Latinos In Publishing account. Here's a list of Latinx bookstores in LA if you're looking there.
The Chicago North Romance Writers hosts a writing conference called Spring Fling, it’s happening in April of 2026. Some of the great people Jen has met from the group or around town at local romance events: Pamala Knight, Shannyn Schroeder, Kelly Farmer, Victoria Hamel, Kathy Douglass, and Chandra Blumberg.
Find other people in your community who are working to fight authoritarianism and tyranny at Mobilize.
Not sure how to contact your reps? Try using 5 Calls and Resistbot. You, too, can Run for Something. It’s not too late to donate money to our Giving Circle for the upcoming election in Virginia.
Listen to Amanda Litman from Run For Something on Fated Mates
Listen to Melissa Walker from The States Project on Fated Mates
Books Mentioned This Episode
Sponsors
Lindsay Barrett, author of Savannah Royals series, available at in print or ebook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
Vedentro, premium leather accessories. Use code FATED at checkout to get 30% off.
Jamie Varon, author of Charlie Quinn Lets Go, available at Amazon, B&N, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
S08.03: Fall 2025 Preview
It's October, which means we're thinking about fall, which comes with spice, heat and hanging out under the blankets! Today, our Fall 2025 romance novel preview, guaranteed to fill your TBR pile. There’s something here for everyone — historicals, contemporaries, a splash of magic, princesses, superheroes, time-travel, widows, F1 drivers...a real ideal dinner party roster.
If you'd like more romance chat in your life, please consider joining our Patreon, which comes with an extremely busy and fun Discord community! There, magnificent firebirds hang out, talk romance, and be cool together in a private group full of excellent people. Learn more at patreon.com.
September Releases
October Releases
November Releases
December Releases
Sponsors
Jaylee Austin, BL Lucas, Tegan Lleuad, Brie Blackmore, RM Fire, & Natasha Wilco, authors of Monsters in Moonlight series, six books available at Amazon, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
Avon Books, publishers of Diana Quincy's The Earl That Got Away, available at Amazon, B&N, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
Pippa Grant, author of The Spite Date, available at Amazon, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
Jamie Varon, author of Charlie Quinn Lets Go, available at Amazon, B&N, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
S08.02: Feminism in Romance with Adriana Herrera
Our fave, Adriana Herrera, is with us this week to talk about feminism, romance, and how the two intersect. We talk about the history of the genre, about the evolution of feminism within it, and about what we want from the texts we're reading now, as the world does whatever it is it's doing. Oh, and we recommend some feminist romance, because of course we do.
If you'd like more romance chat in your life, please consider joining our Patreon, which comes with an extremely busy and fun Discord community! There, magnificent firebirds hang out, talk romance, and be cool together in a private group full of excellent people. Learn more at patreon.com.
Notes
Welcome back to the podcast, Adriana Herrera. Her first time on the podcast was way back in Season One, talking about Bowen and Mariketa, and then there were all these other times we’ve talked with her or about her books. Her latest project is the After the End kickstarter, which was just ending as this podcast aired. But you might be able to get in on it for a few more days if you act fast.
Choice feminism isn’t the way, even if you’re Charlotte from Sex in the City… why did Jen think it was Samantha? Because memory is weird, okay!!
In 2025, the New York Times reports that 350k Black women have lost their jobs and the goal of the administration broadly seems to be resegregation.
We recommend books about feminism below, from beginner to advanced. But we’ve also collected some web-based resources you might want to check out:
The Race to Innocence: watch this TikTok or read this 1998 paper by Fellows & Razack which first defined the phenomenon.
Intersectionality: This idea was first defined by Kimberlé Crenshaw in 1989. You can read more about the basics of intersectionality here, here, or here.
Feminist Theory: The Four Waves of Feminism explained; The Uses of the Erotic: the Erotic as Power by Audre Lorde; No Offense by Jia Tolentino.
Transmisogyny: Transmisogyny defined; why trans rights are human rights, and why feminism must support trans people.
Romances Mentioned this Episode
Books About Feminism
Sponsors
Melody Beckett, author of Alien Desire, available at Amazon, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
HarperCollins, publishers of A. T. Qureshi's The Baby Dragon Bakery, available at Amazon, B&N, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
Pippa Grant, author of The Spite Date, available at Amazon, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
S08.01: Cold Open: Craft, Criticism, and Summer Vacation
Season Eight! How is it possible you're all still here?! We're so incredibly thrilled to have you all with us for another season. We've got big plans for talking to your favorite people, getting under the hood of your favorite tropes, and filling your TBR pile with your new favorite books. We quickly find ourselves in the deep end, talking about craft, criticism, and romance’s place in 2025. But first, we share what we did on our summer vacations.
Season Eight. Wowzer. Honestly, we love knowing you're out there. Thank you so much for listening.
If you'd like more romance chat in your life, please consider joining our Patreon, which comes with an extremely busy and fun Discord community! There, magnificent firebirds hang out, talk romance, and be cool together in a private group full of excellent people. Learn more at patreon.com.
SHOW Notes
If you’re a writer looking to learn more about in person events for romance craft, check out Romancing the Craft in Anaheim this fall or Spring Fling which will be hosted by Chicago North Romance Writers in spring of 2026.
Australia is not actually a land of criminals, but Tasmania is a dark place…the sky we mean. On the This is Love podcast, there was an episode about it! Check out the Night Sky app, which will help you identify the stars you are seeing in the night sky.
Martha’s Vineyard is great, actually. But watch out for ticks and sharks. Speaking of Jaws, it’s a different vibe without that music and here’s more about John Williams and the power of the score.
AP isn’t doing book reviews anymore, and that means that there will be less book news in papers across America. We talked about the decline of cultural criticism this week. Similar declines can be found in music criticism and film criticism. This goes hand in hand with news that less Americans are reading for pleasure.
Across storytelling mediums, people are noticing a breakdown in the ability to tell a story. Here’s a great essay about the difference between premise and narrative in film. Here’s a really interesting thread from Blue Sky wondering if Sci-Fi is a genre that’s dying.
Ten years ago gay marriage passed and it felt like the world had changed, but they’re determined to roll them back. Keep fighting.
Sponsors
Blue Box Press, publishers of Kristen Ashley's Finding the One, available at Amazon, B&N, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
HarperCollins, publishers of Laurie Gilmore's The Gingerbread Bakery, available at Amazon, B&N, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
Vasilisa Drake, author of A Bargain So Bloody, available at Amazon, B&N, Kobo, or Apple Books or wherever you get your books. Get the audiobook wherever you listen.
Lumi Gummies, THC gummies available nationwide. Go to Lumigummies.com and use code FATEDMATES for 30% off.
Between Seasons Palate Cleanser: Fated Mates Live St. Louis!
This year's Fated Mates Live was a little different than those we've hosted before, as it was also launch day for Sarah's These Summer Storms! We celebrated in style in the Midwest, hosted by the fabulous team at indie bookstore (and romance lovers), Novel Neighbor and joined by our absolute favorite, Kate Clayborn.
So many Firebirds turned out to celebrate with us from across the midwest to help Sarah learn the intricacies of Midwestern Romance Heroes™️, to talk about Derek Craven and others, and to celebrate Storms in style. The audience was, unfortunately, without microphones, so some of the event has been edited from this recording, but we hope you'll get the vibes -- and learn a little about the midwest! (We apologize for the Indiana and Connecticut shade within.)
Thanks to everyone who came out to celebrate with us -- we couldn't have asked for a better event, or a better launch day for These Summer Storms. Thank you for reading, for hanging, and for standing in an endless line to meet us and spend a little of your rainy Tuesday with us!
07.49: Season Seven Ends Not With a Bang, but With a Kombucha Girl
We’re wrapping up season seven by asking ourselves a simple question. Do we like this stuff? Yes? No? Maybe so?
We’ll be back in two weeks for the start of Season Eight of the podcast. Honestly, we remain amazed that y’all are with us on this journey. In a world full of madness, you bring us calm, joy and purpose, and we couldn’t be more grateful for you. Thank you so much for listening.
While you’re waiting for Season Eight, you’re welcome to 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.
Notes
The Komboucha Girl was sick of seeing her face back in 2019, and yet here we are.
Hozier in concert was great, even if his parents were not stars on the NBC soap, Days of Our Lives. That was John and Marlena. The visuals on Eat Your Young and Nina Cried Power were especially moving and inspiring. Someone made a playlist of the Nina Cried power songs, and now is a great time to listen to protest music.
The impact 50 Shades had on the sales of ties (and other things) was real.
An article from MEL about the wet problem, not just in romance, I guess. (that’s a NSFW link based on the headline and content, okay.) Butts tie these two clips together: Miranda on SATC on “are we doing this now?” and Tom Hanks in Sleepless in Seattle thinking “some lady is going to want to do it her.” But overall, spit is important.
Fucking her ass, saving her life is a quote from a Shayla Black book and this amazing review from Smart Bitches, Trashy Books. Truly a Romancelandia classic.
EM Forester described flat and round characters in Aspects of the Novel (1927).
“The second shift” was a phrase used by author Arlie Russell Hochschild to describe the housework and childrearing responsibilities faced by women after coming home from their day jobs.
Commuting is really bad for your wallet and bad for your health.
Go to a farmer’s market if you must.
Books
Sponsors
Blue Box Press, publishers of the Hearts and Hidden Secrets: A Family Romance Collection featuring Devney Perry, Helena Hunting, Lauren Blakely and Tijan, available at Amazon.
Rose Prendeville, author of Grace on the Rocks, available at Amazon, B&N, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
Avery Flynn, author of Head Witch in Charge, available at Amazon, B&N, Kobo, or Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
S07.48: Con Artists & Criminals With Joanna Shupe
Joanna Shupe joins us this week to celebrate her new book, The Gilded Heiress, and talk about one of our favorite things—baddies with a heart of gold! We talk about the book, about our mutual love of criminals, of noble scoundrels, of con artists and basically anyone willing to do crime in the name of love. We also talk about how everything Gilded Age is back again, which…ugh. We love Joanna and her book – come see us with her in Chicago on August 28th and in Brooklyn on September 9th.
You can get The Gilded Heiress right now in print, ebook or audio at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
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.
Books
Notes
Welcome Joanna Shupe, who writes mafia romance as Mila Finelli. Next week, her historical The Gilded Heiress comes out next week. Earlier this summer, she released her latest in the New York State of Mafia series, Empire of Seduction. You can see her on book tour starting the week of August 26th, including with Jen in Chicago on August 28th.
Pinkertons & Bow Street Runners were early cops and private investigators.
Check out Joanna’s TikTok, which explores how the history of the Gilded Age is very relevant again: Tariffs are pretty bad, actually; the attempt to build an all white town in Arkansas, inspired by Apartheid South Africa, you can learn about Sundown Towns, Redlining, and racist housing covenants.
Al Swearengen is a character on the show Deadwood based on a real person.
The Gilded Heiress pays homage to Anastasia the Disney movie, which is itself a retelling of the story of Anastasia Romanov. The novel also explores the famous crime of the kidnapped Lindbergh Baby.
Sponsors
Amy Andrews, Pippa Roscoe, Rachael Stewart and Clare Connelly, authors of The Karma Club series, available in print or ebook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
Maureen Lee Lenker, author of His Girl Hollywood, available in print, ebook or audiobook from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
Lumi Gummies, THC gummies available nationwide. Go to Lumigummies.com and use code FATEDMATES for 30% off.
S07.47: Bodyguards
It’s Bodyguard Romance week, which feels impossible, honestly, considering we’ve definitely done this before, haven’t we? According to Eric and also the internet, we haven’t, which means we get to talk for the first time in seven seasons about why Bodyguards work so well for so many romance readers, including us! We talk about the basics – the innate joy of having an Exasperated Man™️ willing to put himself in front of a bullet for you, the absolute delight of the books that turn the whole thing on its head and make the protector the protected, and yes, Whitney Houston. Also, Jen makes a brilliant observation on surveillance culture and how it’s impacting romance. We’re keeping you safe from the baddies this week.
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.
Notes
In a recent interview Kevin Costner talked about his feelings about Whitney Houston. Dolly Parton and Whitney Houston’s versions of I Will Always Love You, Whitney’s isolated vocals on How Will I Know, and Whitney sang the Star Spangled Banner at the Super Bowl in 1991 and the New Yorker article about it.
Caroline has created a bodyguard collection featuring books across subgenres.
The Big Easy is a movie with Dennis Quaid (he’s crazy now) and Ellen Barkin where he is a cop who uncovers corruption on the force.
Everyone, it looks like this thing about not needing a PI license in the state of Wyoming is legit, go forth and spread the news.
Books Mentioned this Episode
Sponsors:
1001 Dark Nights, publishers of the Duty and Desire: A Uniformed Heroes & Bodyguard anthology featuring Aurora Rose Reynolds, Kristen Ashley, Kylie Scott & Rebecca Zanetti available at Amazon.
Hunter Snow, author of Gone Country, available at Amazon, B&N or wherever you get your books.
Lumi Gummies, THC gummies available nationwide. Go to Lumigummies.com and use code FATEDMATES for 30% off.
07.46: Natural Born Charmer by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
We're back with a deep dive episode on one of our favorite Susan Elizabeth Phillips books, Natural Born Charmer. Jen thinks this one marks SEP's Imperial Period, and Sarah looks askance at the term romcom to describe romance novels. We're back on our bullsh*t, is what we're saying. We're talking plot, character, risk-taking, and how romances can feel wildly expansive.
This is our last deep dive of Season 7 -- more in Season 8, which begins in September. If you want to talk in depth about specific books, though, maybe you'd enjoy being a member of 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.
Notes
You can get Susan Elizabeth Phillips's Natural Born Charmer at Amazon, B&N, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
In season 2, we did a deep dive of an earlier Chicago Stars book, Nobody’s Baby But Mine. We also did an episode with Susan in season 3. It’s the interview that made us realize we should keep interviewing romance trailblazers. Jen was on Learning the Tropes to talk about another SEP book, Kiss an Angel.
In 2003, the song Hey Ya by Outkast was number 1 for 9 weeks at the end of that year and into early 2004. In 2018, Rolling Stone ranked the song #4 in the top 100 songs of the 21st Century So Far.
This article from Spin describes what it means when an artist is in their imperial period.
Almost Famous (2000) is amazing movie about the rise and fall of a 70s rock band.
A great thing happened during the baby races halftime show last week at a Las Vegas Aces game last week. Also at the Indiana Fever game.
Sponsors
Scarlett Xavier, author of Irish Fire and Forbidden Love, available in print or ebook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
Avon Books, publishers of Mason Deaver's The Build-a-Boyfriend Project, available at Amazon, B&N, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
Claire Trella Hill, author of Black and Deep Desires, available at Amazon, B&N, Kobo, or Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
Avon Books, publishers of Holly Michelle's Last Night Was Fun, available in print, ebook or audio from Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, or wherever you get your books.
S07.45: Reading Down Under: Australian Romance Novelists
By request (and because Sarah needed books for her upcoming trip), we're talking about romance novels by Australian authors this week, with a nod to some New Zealanders as well. We discuss how historical romance has much maligned Australia, recommend some absolutely terrific books, many of which we've actually done deep dives on, and we talk about why so many Australian romances hit the spot with American readers.
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 (next week!) is Susan Elizabeth Phillips's Natural Born Charmer. You can get it at Amazon, B&N, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
Books by Australian Romance Authors (AND SOME NEW ZEALANDERS)
Notes
French Kiss is not available on streamers and it's very upsetting for those of us who know the deep magic of Kevin Kline & Meg Ryan.
Australia is not the nation of criminals historical romance novels would like you to believe, but a lot of criminals did get sent there over an 80 year period from 1788-1868.
Sarah is going to talk to the Romance Writers of Australia and the Romance Writers of New Zealand next month. Yes, she'll be going to Port Arthur in Tasmania to check out the place where all those criminals were sent.
Victor Gadino illustrated the stepback for Dream Fever by Katherine Sutcliffe
Mills & Boon is a British romance imprint, in North America these books are published under the name Harlequin.
When Sarah talked about The Australians in the early years of Mills & Boon, she was wrong, and likely thinking of Diana Palmer's 1985 The Australian. The Australians series was a 12 book series in the early 2010s from Harlequin Presents.
The book Raising the Stakes by Jess Dee is no longer available in Kindle, but maybe it is in other countries or maybe you downloaded it in the past? Check out her available titles here.
Listen to the Deep Dive episodes on:
Devil’s Bride and the Cynster family by Stephanie Laurens
The Stage Dive series by Kylie Scott
Caressed by Ice by Nalini Singh
Sponsors
World Gone Wrong: A fictional chat show about friendship at the end of the world, available at audaciousmachinecreative.com and wherever you listen to podcasts.
Sophie Morgan, author of Season of the Witch, available at Amazon, B&N, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
Louisa Darling, author of Scoundrel Take Me Away, available at Amazon, B&N, Kobo, or Apple Books.
S07.44: Relentless Competence & Fixers in Romance
It's been several years since the last time we talked about the allure of competency in romance, but it's a topic we adore, so here we are again, talking about characters with relentless competence and the characters who love them beyond measure. If you're new here, welcome! We're happy to have you!
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 Susan Elizabeth Phillips's Natural Born Charmer. You can get it at Amazon, B&N, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
the Books
Notes
The These Summer Storms tour is a wrap, ending with Sarah in conversation with Rebecca Baumann from the Lilly Library at the Mallow Run vineyard.
That one movie with Keanu Reeves and a vineyard is called A Walk in the Clouds (1995).
You can’t grow grapes anywhere, but you can grow them in a lot more places than you’d think.
The Nora Roberts book about fossils called Birthright, and here’s the manga Dreaming of You. Look at all these editions of Wuthering Heights.
There’s a recent update on the search for Amelia Earhart’s plane from just a few weeks ago.
Watch the video of Delta’s flight crew uniforms over time.
Jen was interviewed by Lauren Sarner from the New York Post for an article about love triangles in pop culture because of the return of The Summer I Turned Pretty.
Ranger vs Morelli has been going on for far too long, or maybe it’s over?
We last officially talked about careers back in Season 2, episode 8.
Speaking of fixers, you might enjoy the movie Michael Clayton.
Our next deep dive is Natural Born Charmer by Susan Elizabeth Phillips.
Sponsors
Hillary Bowen, author of Out With Lanterns, available in print and ebook from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, and Bookshop.org.
Wattpad Books, publisher of Z.W. Taylor's The Pack, available in print, ebook and audio from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, and Bookshop.org.
Lumi Gummies, THC gummies available nationwide. Go to Lumigummies.com and use code FATEDMATES for 30% off.
