S08.21: 🌹A Dozen Roses for Valentine’s Day🌹
This weekend, the world is celebrating the second most important romance holiday in February (see last week’s episode for the most important)—Valentine’s Day! To lean into the traditions of the day, we thought we’d offer you a dozen roses this week, in the form of books! We’re taking the topic broadly—from character names, to author names, to rose scented things, to roses on the page — historical, contemporary, mafia and more…there’s something in here for everyone. 🌹
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 (in March) is Sincerely, Your Inconvenient Wife by Julia Wolf. Find it in ebook or paperback, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
A Dozen Roses for Valentine’s Day
Notes
Ladyhawke is a 1985 movie starring Michelle Pfeiffer, Rutger Hauer, and Matthew Broderick.
Go see “Wuthering Heights” if you want! It has Jacob Elordi ( even though Heathcliff should be a man of color) and Margot Robbie, but mostly it’s about capturing a vibe.
Sinners was terrific, it stars Michael B Jordan playing twins, was nominated for a record-breaking 16 Oscars, and includes both an extraordinary sequence about the history of music and a hero who enjoys a meal.
Well, we actually talked about a bunch of rose adjacent stuff outside of our official dozen roses. Here they are:
Rose DeWitt Bukater from Titanic
Rose Nylund from The Golden Girls defending Minnesota
The first book in Lorraine Heath’s Rogues and Roses series is A Duke of Her Own
SJ Tilly (who we think is great) has an epistolary romance called Dear Rosie
Orca is the official name of the killer whale
We wouldn’t wish Hyperemesis gravidarum on anyone
Please don’t fuck around with measles—get your kids vaccinated and your titers checked
You should probably read The Red before you read The Rose
The covers and/or stepbacks of Sarah’s Rules of Scoundrels series feature roses, and in One Good Earl Deserves a Lover, Pippa is breeding roses
Lilah Rose is the name of the heroine in A Duke Worth Falling For
We love author Stephanie Rose
Here’s a list of romances with rose in the title, and another list of books with characters named Rose.
Jen will be at Babe’s Sports Bar on Thursday, Feb 12, 2026 to talk about Rooting Interest by Cat Disabato and at the White Oak Library in Romeoville at 10:30am on Saturday February 21, 2026.
On Saturday, March 7th, Sarah will be at the Ballrooms and Beyond Conference in Bristol, RI. The event is free, but registration is required. Also, there’s a (not free) cocktail party!
Ten years ago Sarah made this helpful flowchart 👇 for people thinking about writing romance think pieces for Valentine's Day. It's not too late to turn back!
Sponsors
Blue Box Press, publishers of Jennifer L. Armentrout’s The Primal of Blood and Bone limited edition paperback, available in print, ebook or audiobook, at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or wherever you get your books.
Harpercollins, publishers of AT Qureshi’s The Baby Dragon Bookshop, available in print, ebook and audiobook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
Lyx Books, publishers of Brittany Cherry’s Eleanor & Grey, available in print, ebook and audiobook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
Tarina Deaton, author of Day in the Knight, available in print, ebook and audiobook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, your local indie, or wherever you get your audiobooks.
S08.20: Trailblazer Lisa Kleypas
It’s finally happened! In a perfect Derek Craven Day celebration, our Trailblazer conversations continue this week with thee Lisa Kleypas, historical romance royalty, who changed the game when she brought working class heroes to historicals. We discuss her four decades of work in romance, from historical to contemporary to magical realism and now into historical fiction, touching on the Kleypas hero, the way she builds series, and the ways that she continues to push herself as a storyteller. And yes, she was kind enough to play a round of Derek Craven Would Never.
We are so grateful to Lisa Kleypas for making time for us, for her amazing books, and for Derek Craven Day.
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 (in March) is Sincerely, Your Inconvenient Wife by Julia Wolf. Find it in ebook or paperback, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
Lisa Kleypas Books Mentioned This Episode
Notes
Welcome Lisa Kleypas. This fall, she’s releasing her first historical fiction novel, The Queen of Lombard Street.
People mentioned: editor Carolyn Nichols, editor Ellen Edwards, author Laura Kinsale, author Rebecca Brandewyne, author Stephanie Laurens, author Julia Quinn, editor Jen Enderlin, editor Carrie Feron, author Eloisa James, author Jennifer Crusie.
Other notable mentions: Louisa May Alcott’s House in Concord MA, William Crockford the inspiration for Derek Craven, the observation about industry vs crime was (of course) made by Sanj, and Elizabeth Garrett Anderson the inspiration for Dr. Garrett Gibson.
Sponsors
Blue Box Press, publishers of Audrey Carlan’s Marriage Auction Series novellas Madam Alana and A Christmas Auction. Available in print or ebook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited. Learn more at TheBlueBoxPress.com.
The Romantasy Letters, A new kind of romantic fantasy storytelling, delivered right to your door twice monthly. Use the code FATED to get 20% off your year's subscription. Learn more at RomantasyLetters.com.
Jennifer Iacopelli, author of Game, Set, Match, available in print, ebook and audiobook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
Lumi Labs, creators of Lumi Gummies. Go to lumigummies.com and use code FATEDMATES for 30% off your order.
S08.19: Ice Planet Barbarians
It’s a snowstorm, Jen’s from Chicago, and we’re feeling extra qualified to talk about Ice Planet Barbarians! It’s the book and series that took the world by storm back in 2015, and we’re revisiting the absolute powerhouse it was then, before it launched an entire subgenre and changed the romance landscape. We’re also talking about Ruby Dixon’s clear skill, her obvious love of the genre, and all the ways she makes us both laugh and sigh.
If you have a favorite IPB book and you want to talk about it, come find us (and other romance lovers) on the Fated Mates Discord, which you can access by joining our patreon. Support us and learn more at fatedmates.net/patreon.
Our next read along (in March) is Sincerely, Your Inconvenient Wife by Julia Wolf. Find it in ebook or paperback, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
(Some of) The Books
Notes
Horsepower is definitely the same as measuring the weight of ice in golden retriever pounds.
There’s lot of ways to support the people of Minnesota right now. A good clearinghouse site is Stand With Minnesota. You can also order directly from area bookstores: Tropes and Trifles, Black Garnet Books, or Birchbark Books, or use Bookshop.Org for any number of Minnesota stores. Monarca If you are looking to support whistle production, You can also support other Romancelandia efforts. Bree (from Kit Rocha) is part of a team of people that have printed over 150k whistles this month alone! Romancing the Vote will also be back up this summer, so look for information on that. Along with Monarca, Indivisible is also holding trainings to teach people how to document and record ICE.
Get ready, Derek Craven Day is nigh!
It’s February, so lots of upcoming romance events to check out!
Feb 12, 2026: Jen will be at Babe’s Sports Bar to discuss a WNBA romance, Rooting Interest.
Feb 14, 2026: the Free Library of Philadelphia will be holding a Heated Rivalry Event with Xio Axelrod, Rosie Danan & Joanna Shupe.
Feb 21, 2026: Jen will be in Romeoville to discuss Romance.
Feb 21, 2026: An online Heated Rivalry Trivia event.
March 7, 2026: Sarah will join a group of historical romance authors for Ballrooms & Beyond, a daylong celebration of historical romance at Linden Place in Bristol, RI.
Oh, finally, some notes about Ice Planet Barbarians.
Our friend Dani Lacey was the host of Ice Planet Pod if you’re looking for read-alongs.
The final girl is a horror trope!
Our next read along is Sincerely, Your Inconvenient Wife by Julia Wolf. Find it in ebook or paperback, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
Sponsors
Blue Box Press, publishers of new special editions of:
Donna Grant’s Dragon Kings novellas
Jennifer L. Armentrout’s From Blood and Ash, featuring sprayed edges and embossed and glossy cover design elements; and
Heather Graham's Krewe of Hunter and Cafferty and Quinn novellas.
Learn more at TheBlueBoxPress.com.
The Romantasy Letters, A new kind of romantic fantasy storytelling, delivered right to your door twice monthly. Use the code FATED to get 20% off your year's subscription. Learn more at RomantasyLetters.com.
Denise Williams, author of The Re-Do List, available in print, ebook and audiobook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
Jennifer Vido, author of Simplicity by the Sea, available in print or ebook from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
S08.18: Shotgun Weddings with Jayne Ann Krentz
The brilliant Jayne Ann Krentz, romance trailblazer and royalty, joins us this week to talk about one of her favorite tropes—the shotgun wedding! We’re talking all things forced marriage…how it differs from marriage of convenience, how it underscores the inherent conflict in romance and how it often ends up being more like romantic suspense than one would expect! We also talk a bit about how secret babies (and babies in general) play into this trope. Did Jayne say something that Sarah had to stop the interview to write down? Of course she did!
If you have favorite forced marriage/shotgun weddings, maybe you want to join the Fated Mates patreon? There, you get an extra monthly episode from us and access to the incredible readers and brilliant people on the FM Discord! Support us and learn more at fatedmates.net/patreon.
Our next read along will be Ruby Dixon’s Ice Planet Barbarians (you’re welcome). Get it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, your local indie, libro.fm, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
Books mentioned this episode
Notes
Welcome Jayne Ann Krentz, who also writes as Jayne Castle and Amanda Quick. Her new book is The Shop on Hidden Lane.
“Shotgun wedding” is an American phrase dating back to 1929, but forcing people to get married because of pregnancy, politics and patriarchy has been around for a long time.
Get your own bank account, women.
You can listen to our trailblazer interview with Elda Minger to hear more about the first condom in romance.
A romantasy that Jen liked a lot (with no pregnancy plot, that’s why it’s in show notes instead of the photo array) is Silver & Blood by Jessie Mihalik.
When talking about The King’s Spinster Bride, Jen kept saying “epilogue” when she meant “prologue.” I have no excuse for this.
Sponsors
Lexi Davis, author of Pretty Vicious, available in print and ebook at Amazon or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
The Romantasy Letters, A new kind of romantic fantasy storytelling, delivered right to your door twice monthly. Use the code FATED to get 20% off your year's subscription. Learn more at romantasyletters.com.
Sotto Voce Scents, candles for the romance lovers in your life. Go to sottovocescents.com and use code FATEDMATES for 10% off your order.
Lee Taylor, author of A Satchel of Richards, available in print or ebook from Amazon or B&N.
S08.17: Setting New Year’s Reading Resolutions
As it's the beginning of 2026, we're talking about how we think about our reading years. What kind of strategies does Jen use? How is Sarah (futilely) attempting to control the chaos? Which books are already on our TBR piles for 2026, and how are we structuring our reading year to make ourselves happy and prepare for 49 podcast episodes? We're also talking about some books by romance novelists who are publishing outside the genre this year, so get those notebooks ready!
If you want to talk to more people about reading strategies this year, maybe you want to join the Fated Mates patreon? There, you get an extra monthly episode from us and access to the incredible readers and brilliant people on the FM Discord! Support us and learn more at fatedmates.net/patreon.
Our next read along will be Ruby Dixon’s Ice Planet Barbarians (you’re welcome). Get it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, your local indie, libro.fm, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
Books Mentioned This Episode
Notes
Vaccinations are good, actually. In between recording this episode and when it aired, Caroline Kennedy’s daughter, Tatiana Schlossberg, who wrote about her cancer diagnosis in the New Yorker, has sadly died.
It will shock no one to learn that Jen learned about immunizations from books. In her childhood, the book was The Great Brain by John Dennis Fitzgerald, but now we recommend Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green and On Immunity by Eula Biss.
Amazon is forcing AI tools into the kindle books themselves, and it’s all awful! Use your own brains; we don’t know what else to say.
Sponsors
Avon Books, publishers of Emma Alban's Like in Love with You, available in print, ebook and audio at Amazon, B&N, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
Lumi Gummies, microdose gummies available nationwide. Use the code FATEDMATES to get 30% off your first order. Learn more at Lumigummies.com.
Caroline Linden, author of How to Get Away with Scandal, available in print, ebook and audio at Amazon, B&N, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
Allison Bettes, author of Red Flag Warning, available in print, ebook and audio at Amazon or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
S08.16: Winter 2026 Preview
Your discoverabilibuddies are back! It's a new year which means we're dropping our Winter 2026 reads episode, in which we talk about the million trillion 2026 romance books coming out in January, February and March (ok, not a million trillion, but enough that Eric came out of his studio this morning with a thousand-yard stare!). As a reminder, we have not necessarily read all these books, but they are on our TBRs and should be on yours!
If you want more recommendations and more people with whom you can discuss 2026 romance novels, 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 Ruby Dixon's Ice Planet Barbarians (you’re welcome). Get it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, your local indie, libro.fm, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited
January 2026 Releases
February 2026 Releases
March 2026 Releases
Sponsors
The Steamy Bookworms Box, a book box, featuring dark and monster romances with special edition covers, original art, stickers and more. Learn more at SteamyBookworms.com.
Lucy Morris, author of Reclaiming His Viking Queen, available in print, ebook and audio at Amazon, B&N, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
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.
Eve Silver, author of Darkest at Dusk, available in print, ebook and audio at Amazon, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
S08.15: Jen and Sarah’s New Year’s Milkin’ Eve
Another year, another chaotic New Year's episode, with one of our favorites, the Lauren half of Christina Lauren! Y'all. When we say headphones in, we mean HEADPHONES IN. This is not for your kids, your mechanic, or Kate. Today, we're getting into the kink Sarah has been dancing around at Fated Mates Lives for years...the one Sandra Brown and Bertrice Small introduced to us, and that Lisa Kleypas and Christina Lauren continued in a grand, noble tradition. Strap in, friends, we're talking lactation kink! You're welcome!
Happy New Year, pervs. We love you.
If you want other people to discuss brand new romance authors 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 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.
Books Mentioned This Episode
Notes
Lauren Billings of Christina Lauren as our special guest this New Year’s Eve, but frankly Christina has way too much sense for tonight’s nonsense. There’s a Twilight fic called Vulturi Dairy.
It’s lactation kink, not adult breastfeeding. The AO3 tag is “ABF” just in case you need to know. But it’s been around for a long time, including in classics like Dracula.
The book Lo mentioned that made her say “Honey are you okay?” is Milk for Money by Amber Sunwell.
We are embarrassed not by this episode, but by the fact that we didn’t do any MPreg recommendations.
Read up on induced lactation, which according to the Mayo Clinic “might” be possible.
You can find out more about the Alexa Riley AR Taboo pen name at their website. Be sure to check your content warnings before diving in over there.
Sponsors
Michelle Dayton, author of Every Other New Year's Eve, available in print and ebook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, or Apple Books.
Avon Books, publishers of Stacia Clark's We Who Will Die, available for preorder in print, ebook, audio, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited. Get it at Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
831 Stories, publisher of fun, sexy romance novellas available wherever you get your books, or delivered to your door via The Ones membership box. Get more information at 831stories.com where you can use code FATEDMATES to get 10% off your first order on eligible products.
The Steamy Bookworms Box, a book box, featuring dark and monster romances with special edition covers, original art, stickers and more. Learn more at SteamyBookworms.com.
Lumi Gummies, microdose gummies delivered right to your door. Go to lumigummies.com and use code FATEDMATES for 30% off your order.
S08.14: Terrific 2025 Romance Debuts
It's that time of year, when we highlight some of our favorite new voices in romance! This week, we're talking about eight new writers who are making us excited about what's to come in historical, contemporary, cozy fantasy and more. Here's to reading them all for years to come!
From horse girls to divorcees, hair stylists to magical tea shop owners, basketball coaches to jewel thieves, there's something in here for everyone. It's going to be great for you!
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 brand new romance authors 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. 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.
debut romances
Notes
We’ve realized that Annie Mare is a debut solo penname, but she also writes as Mae Marvel (whose books we’ve loved before!). Sarah’s detective work leaves a lot to be desired, considering Annie’s very forthright with this info! Our goal is, as ever, to bring you great books, so we hope you’ll forgive us this snafu in favor of us recommending a book we hope you’ll love along with the rest of the debuts here!
Check out our Debuts of 2024 episode here.
It’s not frod (Friend + rod), it’s frotting. Here’s the wikipedia page. Sarah apologizes for not knowing the proper spelling.
Jenny Hamilton wrote a terrific piece about sex in Heated Rivalry in this recurring feature on her blog called Anatomy of sex scene.
The non-romance time travel book Jen mentioned was Version Control by Dexter Palmer.
Sponsors
Atria Books, publishers of Ellis Hunter's Blood Bound, available for preorder in print, ebook, and audio at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.
The Scandals & Swoons Festival, a new historical romance signing event in Orlando, Florida on January 18, 2026, learn more at swoonsfest.com.
Mariah Scarpellini, author of The Titan's Rose, the first book in the Olympian’s Curse Saga. Learn more about the book and help Mariah build a world before her launch.
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.
