Jennifer Prokop 1/17/24 Jennifer Prokop 1/17/24

S06.18: Firefighter Romance Novels

Is it getting hot in here? It is! We’re talking about firefighters this week — arguably the best of the hero(in)es in uniform because, let’s face it, there’s something pretty sexy about someone who will run into flames to save a stranger…let alone to save you. We’re talking about primordial firefighters, about patriarchy (obviously), about the difference between city firefighters and smoke jumpers, and about about the nature of a love interest who puts themself in danger for a living. All that, and they can dead lift you, too.

Our first read along of 2024 is Natalie Caña’s A Dish Best Served Hot. Find it at Amazon, B&N, Apple Books, Kobo or your local indie.

If you just can’t get enough of us, consider joining our Patreon! You get an extra episode of banter every month and access to the Fated Mates discord, full of people who love romance as much as we do. It’s pretty great, we have to say. Learn more at patreon.com/fatedmates.

Show Notes

You can watch some movies and shows about firefighters and paramedics: Backdraft, Chicago Fire, and Sky Med.

Here’s a snipped of the scene from Backdraft where they break a car window to get the hose to the hydrant.

Wildland firefighting is dangerous and often underpaid, and the Marshall Project has written extensively on prisoners forced into these jobs. Also, here is a first person account of two men who used emergency fire shelters to survive a wildfire.

Firefighting demographics are actually pretty bad in Chicago, and here’s a libguide (a library designed portal for collecting links/info on a certain topic) from the University of Illinois about this history of women in firefighting.

Too bad about Charmed by the Alien Vampire Firemen!

Books Mentioned This Episode

Flirting with Fire

Playing with Fire

Down in Flames

Heat Exchange

Hero

Passion Ignited

Seeing Red

Blue Smoke

Heating up the Holidays

Firefighters

Set on You

Anchored Hearts

Talk Dirty to Me

Strike a Match

Fanning the Flames

Hottie Scottie and Mr. Porter

S06.04: Sweater Weather: Romance Novels with Fall Vibes

This week is full ✨vibes✨ and we’re not sorry about it. By request, we’re doing a “Romances for Sweater Weather” which aren’t spooky for Halloween and aren’t (mostly) snowbound romances, but are just…full of apple cinnamon, pumpkin spice, fuzzy socks feelings. We’re talking about sports, about crunching leaves, about small towns, about pumpkins and about elections, so it must be fall here on the pod. Light that fire, put on that cable knit sweater, and get to reading. We’ve got you sorted.

Our first read along of the season will be Laura Kinsale’s Flowers from the Storm, available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Kobo or from your local indie.

If you want more Fated Mates in your life, you are welcome at 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.

Show Notes

Check out Louisa Edwards’s chef romances. The first is called Can’t Stand the Heat.

We like a man in a cable knit sweater. So sue us.

Katy, Texas is home of a lot of football and a lot of book banning.

We don’t really have any opinion about Taylor Swift’s new boyfriend, but his mom seems great.

Books Mentioned This Episode

The Dating Playbook

Hard Knocks

Scoring off the Field

It Happened One Autumn

The Autumn Bride

The Inn on Sweetbriar Lane

Three Way Split

He's So Fine

Maple Sugar Crush

Taming Teddy

Fever

Loving the Secret Billionaire

S05.45: Emotional Navy SEALs: Divorced Main Characters in Romance Novels

After literal years of requests for this one, we’re finally tackling the divorced main characters in romance! We talk about romance between grown ups, about bad exes and good ones, about marriages that were mistakes and ones that help characters learn. This one is full of contemporaries and historicals, and you definitely don’t want to miss it.

After Sarah’s Knockout (preorder it signed, with exclusive FM swag, from her local bookstore), our next read along, the first of Season Six, will be Laura Kinsale’s Flowers from the Storm. Get it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Kobo or from your local indie.