S05.25: Masquerades in Romance

We’re talking Masquerades! Is it the Phantom of the Opera? Is it Amadeus? Is it Jude Deveraux’s The Raider? We don’t know but man we love a masquerade in a romance novel. We talk about the 3 to 5 different types of masks in romances, about why they’re catnip, about what they mean, and recommend a full grip of romances (mostly historical) for you to read. Enjoy!

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Books discussed in This Episode

Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas

Moonlight Scandals by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Firelight by Kristen Callihan

Thief of Shadows by Elizabeth Hoyt

Duke of Pleasure by Elizabeth Hoyt

The Raven Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt

The Bride Goes Rogue by Joanna Shupe

Lord of the Masquerade by Erica Ridley

All the Ways to Ruin a Rogue by Sophie Jordan

The Raider by Jude Deveraux

Daring and the Duke by Sarah MacLean

One Good Earl Deserves a Lover by Sarah MacLean

Amadeus

The Phantom of the Opera

Eyes Wide Shut

Fifty Shades Darker

Sponsored by

Cassie Mint, author of The Stranger
Get it now from Amazon, or with a monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.

18.5 : Antiheroes in Romance

It seems only right that our final Season One interstitial be about antiheroes because we’ve pretty much been a fancast for antiheroes since the start of this podcast! Let us talk to your earholes about wicked heroes and why we love them!

Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in your favorite podcasting platform so that you know the moment we start Season Two (in early September)!

Next week, it’s the end! WHAT HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?! We’re talking Sian (HORNS HORNS HORNS HORNS HORNS HORNS HORNS) & Lila with Wicked Abyss, featuring the literal King of Hell, and the Queen who takes fully no shit from him. Get Wicked Abyss at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Kobo, or at your local indie!

Dark Mafia Prince by Annika Martin

Wicked Mafia Prince by Annika Martin

Savage Mafia Prince by Annika Martin

The King by Skye Warren

The Queen by Skye Warren

Sordid by Nikki Sloane

Taken Hostage by Kinky Bank Robbers by Annika Martin

Hard Time by Cara McKenna

Moonlight Sins by Jennifer Armentrout

Moonlight Scandals by Jennifer Armentrout

All Chained Up by Sophie Jordan

Thirsty by Mia Hopkins

Perfect by Judith McNaught

One Night is Never Enough by Anne Mallory

Everything I Left Unsaid by M. O'Keefe

The Truth About Him by M. O'Keefe

Burn Down the Night by M. O'Keefe

Wait For It by M. O'Keefe

Show Notes

• What is the appeal of the antihero?

• Fangirl Jeanne wrote a really interesting thread about why she ships villains and what it means to believe in an HEA for everyone.

• The Sierra Simone Scale seems relevant here.

• We here at Fated Mates love a grovel.

• Morality Chain is a very specific trope.

• Jen's goodreads search for books with criminal heroes versus criminal heroines.

• Take a minute to donate to RAICES because we do have concentration camps on our border, and it's so hard to know what to do about it.

• Jen and Sarah talked about female antiheroes in pop culture: Catherine Zeta Jones in Traffic and Mary Louise Parker in Weeds.

• Jen's Rita thread about how white guys get to be anitheores.

• Movie time references: Sarah is Italian, so since there are no Italian mafia guys anymore, watching The Godfather is the only choice. The "one armed man" reference is to The Fugitive.

• What are we talking about when we talk about billionaire money.

• A "diamond of the first water"

• Molly Fader, Molly O'Keefe, and M. O'Keefe are three pen names for one author who really knows her branding. #Blessed

• Wicked Abyss in next and then...we're done with season one. Commence mourning.