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(This episode contains spoilers).

I only have a few more episodes to go, but this series so far is refreshing, delightful and vicariously quite healing. As a middle child, Mary Bennet has never been the star or even costar of any Pride and Prejudice adaptation, rather an outcast and object of ridicule. But in this reimagining of the story, Mary finally emerges as swan from her oppressive existence at Longbourn, becoming the main character in her own life as she takes a new job in London. Turns out she's a smart, sweet thoughtful woman with tons to offer the world, and desires of her own, and I can't wait for her happy ending.

"We should sweep away these old tired rules..."

This scene could easily turn the most hardened heart into a poetry lover.

"What if Mary Bennet’s life took a different path from that laid out for her in Pride and Prejudice? What if the frustrated intellectual of the Bennet family, the marginalized middle daughter, the plain girl who takes refuge in her books, eventually found the fulfillment enjoyed by her prettier, more confident sisters?" This sounds like a great idea for a book and a show.

Brief but interesting interview with Ella Bruccoleri on playing Mary Bennet

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(This episode contains spoilers)

I have been in the worst romance novel slump for ages, but Bridgerton Season 4 has restored that glorious, lush fantasy feeling from all of my favorite romance books. We know the destination of romantic tropes, but we don't know how each journey is going to go, which is part of the fun. Luckily, the Bridgerton production team knows at this point just how to spin a romantic story to stir our anticipation and our hearts in the most delicious way.

Bridgerton S4 is based on An Offer from a Gentleman by Julia Quinn.

"I'm charting an adventurous course! You're a rake!" 

A scene by scene breakdown of all the instrumental pop covers in S4.

And a tease about S5.

Fun interview with Bridgerton S4 writer/showrunner Jess Brownell on The Screenwriting Life podcast (talk of the show starts approximately 23:00).

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I found these poignant movies on a search for something else, and couldn't take my eyes off either one — they are stunners. Lyrical direction and pacing, spare soundtracks and understated, nuanced performances float gentle light layers of meaning into every scene in each of these stories. They're soulful, profound at times, revealing the struggles and authentic moments of connection in these women's lives.

https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.com

Pamela Anderson is a revelation as The Last Showgirl.

The Lido de Paris that Shelly mentions as the inspiration for Le Razzle Dazzle revue.

The modern showgirl wasn’t born in Las Vegas, but she was perfected there. 

As usual, the dated trailer is trash, so here's one of my favorite scenes from Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her.

Director Rodrigo García has quite the interesting lineage and résumé.

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My current fantasy bedroom is full of steam & kink. I'm in the mood, people, so let's read-aloud from some of the hottest, kinkiest romances I've ever read! It's hard to find this level of heat, consent, care AND happy-ever-after on screen, but romance writers have got you covered.

https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.com

The Psychology of Sexual Kink at The Swaddle is a must read.

The National Coalition for Sexual Freedom is a nonprofit membership organization that advocates for consenting adults in the kink and non-monogamy lifestyles by fighting discrimination and persecution.

In case you were curious: Vice lists the top five kinks in the US. And here are the results of a 2015 survey of sexual diversity in the US.

Clips

I love the Netflix show Easy for so many reasons, but mostly because it's chock full of humor, relatable relationship issues and sex positivity. The writing is smart, and the ensemble cast is fantastic, too.

Calling all musical theater geeks: Schmigadoon! will be catnip for your soul.

Fifty Shades of Grey is the kink granddaddy of them all. This movie is a comfort re-watch for me.

Hot Stuff

The gorgeously smutty Serve series, set in an exclusive NYC BDSM club, was my introduction to kink in romance and it's a doozy.

Melt Into You is the scorching-hot Book 2 in the  Loving on the Edge series, set at a private, exclusive BDSM ranch in Texas.

Sugar Daddies.  Daddy Crush.  Y'all. Y'ALL.

Neon Gods is Book 1 in the steamy, sexy Dark Olympus series.

The erotic short stories by women & erotic podcasts round-ups from Oprah Daily are chock full of kinky, sexy, hot AF goodness.

Erotica flash fiction writer JM Seaborn writes dirty, smut-hot stories featuring daddy kink and dominant/submissive scenes.

The evolution of a kink is a fascinating read, full of compassion, sex positivity and acceptance.

The explicit female-gaze audio porn from Girl on the Net is super well-done and classy, and it probably doesn't hurt that she narrates with a British accent.

Love Bytes Originals offers high-quality short form audio romance and erotica. Their stories bring "heart, heat and humor" and their professional team of narrators are fantastic. It includes one of my favorite romance audiobook narrators, Emily Woo Zeller.

I haven't signed up for Audio Desires yet -- "erotic audio stories for women and couples" -- but oh, I want to.

Cosmo magazine was writing about girl power and sex positivity way before it was cool. So leave it to them to develop the Complete Beginner's Guide to Fisting.

Kinkly is a one-stop kink info shop.

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Does a bad boy or villain hero give you a bit of a thrill? A little tingle? Dark romance unsettles me, but there's something reassuring and  protective in the gentle villain/noble demon, who chooses any means to the end of protecting you from hurt and harm. They'll burn down the world for you when needed--and what's not to love about that?

https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.com

More on the Morality Pet and Morality Chain tropes at tvtropes.org. Every aspect of these story tropes fascinates me and I can spend hours following the links on this site.

You can find my guest listener Monique at the fantastic Her Entrepreneurial Spirit podcast.

Movies/TV Shows

Watching the characters in Dangerous Liaisons out-evil each other is delicious up to a point, but it ends with most of the players' lives in tatters.

The Talented Mr. Ripley with its glamorous 1950s Italian setting, is so charming at first: you watch rich, beautiful young people living an indulgent, luxurious lifestyle. But it quickly devolves into tragedy, and by the end, this story seriously creeped me out.

My best friends on the block had Grease on VHS and I lost count of the number of times we watched it.

The setting, plot and main characters of French Kiss make it one of the most delightful rom coms of the 90s.

The bit that I watched of Shadow and Bone was excellent, but I need training wheels before I can get into most world building like this.

Books

If you enjoy world building, the sexy, sweeping and captivating fantasy-romance series  Blood and Ash is wildly popular for a reason.

Return Billionaire to Sender is part of the Billionaires of Manhattan series by Annika Martin, and they're not your typical arrogant, hot rich guy romances. Every one I've read has been full of clever banter and plotting, funny, sharp heroines and sexy bad boys who adopt them as morality pets only to become the better men they were always meant to be.

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These funny, sharp TV shows written by women knock fat- and mental illness shaming on its behind, and tell stories of hard-won self-acceptance instead. It's about embracing our deepest desires and the person we are, not who They say we should be. It's about romancing yourself. CW: mentions of body shaming, anti-fat bias, mental illness, and briefly, abortion, weight loss and suicide ideation.

https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.com

I paraphrased the gorgeous Mary Oliver poem, The Summer Day.

The National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance fights the discrimination that one third of the world experiences on a daily basis.

TV Shows

Shrill is one of the most joyous TV shows about anti-fat bias and body acceptance that I've ever seen. It's fun but also smart and thoughtful, and much of that is due to the charming performance of Aidy Bryant as Annie. The show is produced by Elizabeth Banks and Lorne Michaels, so funny rules, but always with that trademark light touch and satirical bite.

How do I count the many ways I love This Way Up? From its overall tone to the hilarious writing and often poignant performance of Aisling Bea as Aine, just trying to recover from a nervous breakdown while keeping her sense of humor intact, it's such a funny but insightful journey down the messy road to self acceptance.

Dietland pulls zero punches in its depiction of fat shaming and the difficulty in accepting yourself in a critical, mean and often abusive male-dominated world. Their solution might not be the most realistic, but it's certainly satisfying.

The Bold Type is a glossy modern take on holding onto your self-esteem and self-worth while operating within the Global Female Dissatisfaction Industrial Complex.

Books

In the acerbically funny memoir Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman sticking up for yourself means amusing yourself at the same time. Lindy West covers how to keep your sanity while "coming of age in a culture that demands women be as small, quiet, and compliant as possible -- like a porcelain dove that will also have sex with you."

Dietland is a crazy ride, a feminist subversive fantasy that "guarantees you won't look at a pair of stilettos or a bathroom scale the same way again."

Muffin Top by Avery Flynn is one of the sexiest, most fat-positive romances I've ever read. Marie Lipscomb's Vixens Rock series features gorgeous curvy heroines and big, burly (and hot) heroes.

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It's the first anniversary of this podcast! Turns out, I'm even more in love with romantic TV shows, movies and books one year on. And still feel no shame--mostly--crushing on romance. So in support and love for the genre, let's revisit some of the lushest, most romantic, and rom com funny movie scenes evah. Cue the gushing.

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Movies/TV Shows

The scenes featured in this episode are from just a few of my all-time favorite romantic movies & shows:

Outlander, especially the first season, is a must for anyone who loves stirring, romantic epics. It's based on the massive series of adventure romance books by Diana Gabaldon.

The "official" trailer for Something's Gotta Give says nothing about the sweet, sexy honesty of the age & sex positive romance between Harry Sanborn and Erica Barry, played by Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton. Any Nancy Meyers rom com is a must see.

What more can I say about this classic, groundbreaking rom com? It's in my Romance Hall of Fame, and I've quoted from it throughout much of my life.

Ditto for this classic rom com. Another personal Romance Hall of Fame entry. It's no surprise that Nora Ephron and Meg Ryan were involved with both movies.

Moonstruck is a romantic comedy, a poetic and sexy look at the whims of love, and a meditation about the importance of family (or found family) in grounding you when you feel lost.

Laurence Olivier often chewed the scenery and was quite the ham, but he was never more moving than in this scene from the 1939 movie Wuthering Heights, based on the novel by Emily Brontë.

I featured the rom com Book Club in my Love, Sex and Romance--After 40 Edition episode, and I adore its age and sex positivity.

I'm going to feature Trainwreck in an upcoming episode because I love the humor, honesty and bravery of Amy Schumer's writing and acting.

I featured Destination Wedding in an early episode and its banter and wit put this in my Top 5 Modern Rom Coms.

Books

If you're recovering from romance shame, Dangerous Books for Girls is a fascinating look at the history of the romance genre, why it's so important to women, and why it has been mocked for so long. And most importantly, why you shouldn't feel bad about escaping into its stories.

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There's nothing more intimate than a letter, card, text or message written for your eyes only. The epistolary novel has been popular for centuries, and romantic stories using this device can feel like the best kind of eavesdropping.

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Movies/TV Shows

The script for Love & Friendship takes Jane Austen's epistolary novel Lady Susan to new heights. I always call this director "Will Stillman" but it's Whit.

84 Charing Cross Road will always have a special place in my heart. The book and movie are delightful.

Daddy Long Legs has it all: So playful and Parisian! The costumes! The music! Slightly inappropriate with the age-difference trope!

Kevin Bacon plays the titular character in I Love Dick and the whole thing is a visually fascinating, messy, complicated look at desire.

I find most Hallmark movies insipid, but the lead actors' chemistry, locations and script for Her Pen Pal made it super enjoyable.

Books

You can read Lady Susan by Jane Austen on Project Gutenberg.

I cried multiple times while reading the romance-novel-in-text Way Down Deep. The ending felt a bit rushed to me, but it's an HFN and the characters are beautifully fleshed out despite learning about them in short messages. Their emotional journeys are unbelievably compelling.

From the smart banter and hilarious plot, to the funny heroine and gorgeous grumpy hero, The Billionaire's Wake-Up-Call Girl is one of the best romances I've read this year. Can't wait to read the whole series.

In Flashed, a former male model and party boy gets in a near-fatal accident and hides away at his secluded ranch. He reluctantly hires a local art student as his live-in cook and housekeeper with one rule--she’s not allowed to see him. So she resorts to texting him.

Stay is about an exclusive virtual assistant service that promises its VIP clients anonymity--until the owner figures out that the customer sending her mildly flirty texts requiring her attention at all hours is a hot hockey superstar. 

The World Needs More Love Letters is a wonderful letter writing project.

The Penpalooza penpal project started in Spring 2020 as a way to connect people during the pandemic, and now has more than 10K members.

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The sweet, sexy romantic cinnamon roll: there's no better hero in all of Romancelandia. Let's explore this gooey hearted, tender fictional confection and why this character brings all the feels.

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The Onion article that inspired the whole thing.

Movies/TV Shows

Ashton Kutcher was a sweet doofus in That 70s Show and he grew up to be the hot cinnamon roll of No Strings Attached.

The opposites-attract romance of Long Shot only works because of the sweet, relatable cinnamon roll that is Seth Rogen.

You only have to see a few scenes from Ted Lasso to get the quirky, gooey, warmhearted charm of this series.

Bill Hader is the best cinnamon roll ever in Trainwreck.

Hugh Grant and his group of kind-hearted friends in Notting Hill qualify as one huge cinnamon roll.

The 40 Year Old Virgin has the usual Judd Apatow bro excesses, but cinematic cinnamon rolls Steve Carell, Seth Rogen and Paul Rudd keep things mostly tender and sweet.

Luke Wilson loving and helping Sarah Jessica Parker fly her freak flag in The Family Stone epitomizes the cinnamon roll hero.

Books

Ren Bergman is the sweet, soft hero of Always Only You, the second book in the Own Voices Bergman Brothers romance series by Chloe Liese. Every single Bergman brother is a cinnamon roll, and this entire series is so diversity-and-disability-positive it just warms the heart. 

The heroes in Kate Clayborn's books Love Lettering and Love at First are tender-hearted, introverted, intellectual geeks, and I don't think there's a better combination. Featured in the Intimate Worlds episode. 

Marie Lipscomb writes body-positive romances. and the plus-sized hero and heroine in Amped, her third and latest book in the Vixens Rock series, are kind, caring and absolutely irresistible.

The cinnamon roll hero of The Sweetest Fix is a baker who can bake cinnamon rolls and other treats at his NYC bakery, making this story a cinnamon roll meta-experience. He's also a big, burly, sexy dirty talker, as only the best Tessa Bailey heroes can be.

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Intimacy and love can be found in the most unexpected places. In sci-fi and fantasy-tinged romance, that means online, offline, synthetic or organic, from a lab, with creatures on earth or heaven above. Open hearts find love everywhere.

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Movies/TV Show

Her inspires so many questions: what is true intimacy? Is love chemistry, an accident of fate or a created experience? It's visually interesting, the sound design is stunning, the acting is superb, and the script is thought-provoking. Its multi-talented director Spike Jonze won an Academy Award for the screenplay. Many have taken a stab at analyzing this intriguing movie.

City of Angels is based on the 1987 Wim Wenders film Wings of Desire. It's a much less complex, but still beautiful--if tragic--love story. Meg Ryan was in her prime, and Nicolas Cage was never better (excepting Moonstruck of course).

I wrote a whole college paper on Wings of Desire. There's so much to unpack in this beautiful film, especially the idea of beings on another astral plane witnessing, supporting and loving human beings through their desires, fears and earthly suffering.

Upload is a heartwarming dramedy series that imagines a subscription-based virtual afterlife, except "Heaven" is a luxury mountain resort that you could probably never afford while alive, complete with angel-like customer service reps. The central romance between an angel and her digital charge is the slowest of slowburns, and when they finally express their love for each other, the series ends. They're planning a S2, so hopefully we get more of this couple.

Book

Sci-fi and fantasy romance is a brand new thing for me, and I was shocked at how much I loved the sci-fi romance Tangled Wires. The tone of this book is as cool and smart as I'd imagine a human-android relationship might be, and there's a fascinating plot twist, too, to prove we're not always in charge of experience--or love.

Well, leave it to the academics to be buzzkills about love :) This multi-year metaphysical philosophy project attempts to define love: Emotion? Experience? Desire? Biological urge? 

The old-school modem sound effect in this episode is used under a Creative Commons license from freesound.org.

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Sometimes all I want in this world is strong arms around me, someone who has my back, and a soft place to fall. That's when I pull out a good bodyguard romance. Nothing in the world makes me feel safer than these stories. They've got me dreaming of an avenger, a 24/7 personal protection officer of my very own.

https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.com


Movie

The Bodyguard (1992) is one of the first things that comes to mind when you think "bodyguard romance." It looks a bit clunky to my eyes now, but the chemistry between Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston is an eternal flame.

Books

Goodreads has a great round-up of bodyguard romances to get you started. If you're like me and don't enjoy suspense and violence with your romance, definitely read the reviews of these books first before you go in.

Girl Gone Viral, part of the short Modern Love series, is about two vulnerable people finding love and security in each other. Family and mental health issues are woven so skillfully throughout--the focus is always firmly on this gorgeous couple.

Dangerous Beauty is a slow-burn bodyguard romance, full of hot sexual tension and bunker love, but the full-on sexytimes come right at the end–-AND it ends on a cliffhanger. Book 1 of 3. Arrrrghhh.

Pawn is Book 1 in the Ironclad Bodyguards series. If the other bodyguards in this series are like Sam, I'll be reading every book.

Rock Chick is completely bonkers and the hero is definitely an over-protective alpha right to the end, but the heroine is a firecracker and it's a sexy, fun ride with mild/brief suspense & danger.

Vulnerable is Book 1 in the 14-book McIntyre Security bodyguard series, and it brings all the juicy tropes: wounded heroine, secret protector, age-difference, virgin, millionaire, and band of brothers romance. Imperfect, Book 5, is about a combat-blinded former Navy SEAL, a McIntyre brother, who falls in love with his scarred artist neighbor. Fantastic disability rep in this book. CW for brief descriptions of physical assaults in both books.

I finally made my bed alcove dreams come true. Some pictures to inspire you to create a sleep bunker of your very own.

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There's nothing like the bubbly fun, clever banter and twisty plots of a romantic caper movie*. It's just the thing when you crave romance and sexy flirting in beautiful settings, plus a dash of gentle mystery and mild suspense. *Episode contains spoilers. Lots.

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Movies:

The Lady Vanishes is a comfort re-watch for me, even though I know whodunit. The central romance is so charming.

The Thin Man and its sequels are delightful from start to finish. Nick and Nora Charles are the ultimate married-couple energy to me. Made more than 80 years ago and still bright and fun.

Charade has been called the best Hitchcock film that he didn't direct, and I agree. I don't know what's more appealing: the plot, the Paris setting, Cary Grant's handsome humor or Audrey Hepburn's beauty and stunning costumes.

The gorgeous French Riviera settings of Murder Mystery and To Catch a Thief are worth the watch alone, but the plots and champagne-bubble fun will win you over.

Manhattan Murder Mystery isn't top drawer Woody Allen but it's sweet and fun. Diane Keaton is the star here.

The Lovebirds walks so many fine lines well that its effect and scope just can't be summed up in a trailer. You have to see it.

Steve Carell and Tina Fey are at their straight-man best in Date Night, especially during the car chase scene.

Other romantic capers worth a look:

The beautiful Audrey Hepburn is back for another vintage caper, this time with Peter O'Toole in How to Steal a Million.

There was a remake, but the original The Thomas Crown Affair is full of 60's cool. 

I prefer this Jim Carrey remake of Fun with Dick and Jane to the original.

Tom Cruise is ridiculously charming and Cameron Diaz shows off her great comedic timing in Knight and Day.

It's all about the hot chemistry between sexy Sean Connery and sexy Catherine Zeta-Jones, plus a badass plot in Entrapment.

The warmth and humor of George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez were never better than in Out of Sight.

Hot White Heist is a queer audio caper performed by a cast of talented stage and screen actors. It's daffy and delightful.

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Many contemporary romances are based on, or inspired by, rom-com movies. Turns out recycling romance is good for the narrative arc--and heart as well.

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The Vulture roundup that inspired it all.

Movies

Groundhog Day is classic for a reason.

10 moments from When Harry Met Sally. I said that Harry and Sally don't marry anyone else during the movie, but always forget Harry's ex-wife.

About Time is a lushly romantic story with a gorgeous HEA.

Sliding Doors is mostly fun and romantic but there are some serious themes as well (just fyi).

How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days isn't one of my favorite rom coms--it seems a bit mean at times--but apparently I love this plot in recycled form (see below).

Books

People We Meet on Vacation: the narrative arc of this story, told in flashback, takes you through ten annual vacations and miles of emotional history between friends-to-lovers Poppy & Alex. Affectionate, sexy & compelling.

In a Holidaze: Mae spends most Christmases with her family at a mountain cabin along with family friends. And she's spent most of that time pining for their friend's son. After a serious accident, she regains consciousness on her way to the cabin to begin the holiday again. And again. Maybe this time she'll finally romance the guy.

Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating: Hazel, a sweet, ditzy schoolteacher and Josh, a thoughtful physical therapist, are opposites yet best friends who don't realize that they're the ones actually dating on the double blind dates they set up for each other.

If Henry Golding is cast as Michael in The Kiss Quotient movie, I will launch into the crush stratosphere.

Not the Girl You Marry is a clever, richly emotional reverse How to Lose a Guy. Jack and Hannah meet and decide to date each other temporarily to save their jobs--without the other knowing the relationship is fake. Burned by love, they never expect to fall for each other, but oh, how they do.

Runaway Girl is a sizzling hot take on the movie Runaway Bride, about a sheltered beauty queen who runs from traumatic relationships with her fiancé and Southern family, right into the arms of a hunky special ops Army diver living in Florida. Drooled over every dirty detail.

Hold Me is an updated You've Got Mail. STEM geniuses chat for months online without sharing any personal details – not realizing they've already met on campus and detest each other. A warm, smart & sexy story, one of the first romances I've read with a trans main character.

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I've been thinking for a long time about the gendered sociocultural accusation of "too much" that's often directed towards women's behavior, especially how they love and connect to others, and how often this theme appears in romantic stories. This episode is the first in a little series I have planned, talking about female characters in romances who are shamed for being "too much," especially in costume dramas and 19th century romantic novel adaptations. Lena Dunham's fantastic new romantic comedy series is the perfect jumping off point to examine the power this accusation still has today. (I say fluffy about 29 times in this episode, but I won't apologize for being too much.)

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Now this is a good trailer. I'm not one of those Love Actually girls, but I am one of those Notting Hill girls.

Lena Dunham on creating the show Too Much.

A breakdown of one of my favorite scenes in the series. 

And the truly jaw-dropping Megan Stalter interview on Stephen Colbert. Or maybe charmingly chaotic? That wig could have its own talk show.

Oh how those corsets, and gender roles, still bind us today.

Some of us are born A Bit Much.

Delightful interview with Lyndsay Rush on NPR's Book of the Day.

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Music romances and seduces listeners, sometimes gently and sometimes with a rough, dirty, driving, relentless hot beat. That kind of romance rocks, and its rockstars are sex on legs.

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Music

"Energy" by Scott Holmes Music & "Unashamed Ballad" by Learning Music, used with a Creative Commons license from freemusicarchive.org

Pink is one of the biggest badasses in rock. Her video for So What is classic. The concert documentary Pink: All I Know So Far follows her & her family on a European tour ending with 2 sold-out shows at Wembley. 

I always call this Marshall Crenshaw album Flag Day, but it's Field Day. Whenever You're On My Mind is one of my favorite songs. Cutie.

Rockstar Romances:

Goodreads has excellent round-ups of romances featuring male & female rockers.

The VIP series by Kristen Callihan follows a hit band that's survived rockstar drama as family. It's full of charismatic characters, rich details and some of the hottest romantic scenes I've ever read.

Bad Habit  is a series about a band of the same name by J.T. Geissinger. Make Me Sin is about their aloof, hostile drummer who falls in love with a sweet florist. Incredible story.

The trilogy Dirtshine by Roxie Noir follows members of the band Dirtshine as they handle recovery, fame, stardom, & falling in love in/out of the industry. Loved these stories.

Movies:

I first heard about New York's CBGB club when it was mentioned in the Talking Heads song Life During Wartime. Apparently CBGB the movie isn't completely accurate but it's a fascinating history of the tiny dive where many groundbreaking acts got their start.

The Dirt is a movie based on the memoir by Motley Crue.

The Runaways is a biopic about how the iconic all-girl band, led by Joan Jett, was formed in the 70s.

Remember when Arnel Pineda replaced Steve Perry as the lead singer of Journey? The movie Rock Star follows a singer with a similar chance to achieve rock-n-roll dreams.

Bohemian Rhapsody brings Freddie Mercury & Queen's history to life.

Almost Famous is the story of a 70s teen wannabe gonzo music journalist suddenly immersed in rock life on the road. 

If we're talking about rock, we have to talk about the mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap.

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I crave more sex- and age-positivity, a wider range of human sexuality and relationship, in the romantic TV shows and movies that I watch now. Romance novels have always done a great job at representing shame-free sexuality, desire, and fantasy. But the Netflix series Easy and the movie The Overnight also get it right.

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Salt-n-Pepa Let's Talk About Sex. The late 80s-early 90s style in this video! It dates from 1991 and wow, things were different back then. But the ladies got it goin' on: let's talk about it.

A good, brief definition of the different types of human sexuality. I love that they point out that sexuality can change throughout your life.

Britannica has a fascinating worldwide sociological overview of human sexuality. There's even a good section on solo sex :)

What it means to be on the asexual spectrum.

It's possible to have hot sex and intimacy without intercourse.  Here's an excellent article full of ideas on how to go about it.

Movie/TV Show

An exploration of the lo-fi, indie mumblecore film movement.

Joe Swanberg created, wrote, directed and co-produced the TV series Easy which is quite a feat. Just look at the size of that cast! The range of subjects! 

The Overnight works because of the cast. I've crushed on Adam Scott for ages, and he's the perfect straight man here -– the main reason this even works. Ditto for Jason Schwartzman. Taylor Schilling and Judith Godrèche are also amazing. The Duplass Brothers produced this movie, and they're also big in the mumblecore movement.

The Amazon TV series Transparent is a touching tragicomedy about a trio of LA-based siblings who struggle with sex, love and relationships, while supporting their father coming out as trans. Jay Duplass stars in this show, and he's so good in it. It's a small world.

Books

I can't say enough about the respectful, passionate way Naomi and Ethan relate in The Intimacy Experiment. It's mostly a slow burn, but when things heat up, they heat up. Check out The Roommate, too, which defines a steamy, sex-positive plot.

The Belle and the Beard by Kate Canterbary is a clever and sexy romance, loosely based on Beauty and the Beast. It features a Southern-born, super-capable woman with childhood trauma and a grumpy arborist hero who identifies as pansexual. He's been in love with a man in his past, and now he loves her. I love romances that bring the emotional baggage, as well as sex positivity, to relationship. It makes the story richer, deeper, and more compelling.

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Romances about people at the height of their physical prowess in pro sports finding love with a partner who matches their wit and talents is a bit unfair to us mere mortals. But I'll live vicariously through these stories all day long.

https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.com

Eileen Brennan and Goldie Hawn are comic gold in Private Benjamin. 

The incredible haka from Rugby World Cup 2011.

That serving contest in Wimbledon. The plot is charming and the performances and chemistry of Kirsten Dunst and Paul Bettany make it worthwhile.

The book roundups by Book Riot and Goodreads are full of sport romances of all types.

Hockey romances 

I read from Man Down, part of the irresistible Rookie Rebels hockey series by Kate Meader.  Her Chicago Rebels hockey series is also fantastic.

I also read from Always Only You, Book 2 in the Bergman Brothers series by Chloe Liese. This story is my favorite, and this romance series is easily one of my favorites ever. 

Heated Rivalry is a M/M romance about top-tier NHL players—a cheerful Canadian and a grumpy Russian— who fall for each other and are secret on-off lovers for years until they realize their relationship is worth the risk. Loved this one.

Unadulterated Something is a F/F romance about women's hockey rivals who hate each other--until they both retire from the game and get jobs coaching at an elite girls school in Massachusetts. Sweet and warm-hearted.

Rugby romances

Melt for You by JT Geissinger is a slow burn featuring a Scottish rugby player on hiatus, and the bespectacled bantering editor across the hall in New York he falls for. Hot and hysterically funny. 

 Love Hard is about a widowed rugby player for New Zealand's All Blacks team who falls for his late wife's sassy, curvy best friend from school.

The Hooker and the Hermit is a steamy fake relationship story about a hot-headed Irish rugby player and an introverted gossip blogger.

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Found family, partners, true-blue friends: it's all about the groups of people who claim us, warm our hearts, and have our backs no matter what, who help us feel that we belong.

https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.com

Remember the TV show Queer as Folk? It originated in the UK, and there was a US version too. Its group of friends fits this trope so well. My high school crush/date came out to me on prom night so I felt a bit like Daphne in this clip: happy and proud for him, but a bit disappointed, too. The TV show Friends is all about this trope, too, of course.

My BFF loves motorcycle club romances, which embody this trope as well. 

All the Tropes on band of brothers is great, and tvtropes.org also explores a band of brothers trope off-shoot called True Companions.

Four Weddings and a Funeral is still charming and touching, with one of the best “we belong together” found-family examples in any rom-com.

Bromance Book Club is the first book in the Bromance Book Club series by Lyssa Kay Adams. Its band of brothers is romance gold—needless to say, Netflix snapped up the rights so the story will be coming to a tiny screen near you sometime soon. 

Daniel is a steady, wise and affectionate presence in the Loveless Brothers series by Roxie Noir, and his story, Best Fake Fiancé is one of my favorites, along with Levi’s and Eli's stories.

Jo Beverley’s Malloren series is one of my top favorite romance series ever. Devilish, the oldest Malloren brother Lord Rothgar's story, is one romance I can happily read over and over.

Tessa Dare’s Spindle Cove series centers on an English village in the Regency era with blue stockings and shy, spirited women who don't quite fit in as its residents, along with the group of aristocratic men who love them. They're full of wit and whimsy, the perfect place to start reading historical romance.

The Beautiful series by writing duo Christina Lauren is quite a ride: spicy hot and kinky (unlike their more recent books) with "naughty" tropes that ratchet up the fantasy.

I plan to explore this fantastic series in an upcoming episode, but for now, let me say that Chloe Liese's Bergman brothers series has this trope in spades and it's another, new top favorite romance series.

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Banter is the best kind of romantic conversation, full of wit and emotional tension, leaving clues for us about how the couple really feels about each other. The best banter strip teases for our brain. It's verbal foreplay for the hot action to come. It's all about the juicy, sexy romantic banter in this episode.

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After I said the word aloud, something didn't sound right, so I looked it up and it's pronounced Yah-KUZ-ah. Sigh. Apologies to my Japanese listeners--but it gives me an excuse to bring up Drunken Angel, a fascinating 1948 yakuza film directed by one of my favorite filmmakers, Akira Kurosawa.

If you've never seen a Spencer Tracy/Katherine Hepburn movie, you can't go wrong with Adam's Rib. Everything about it is perfection: the script, the acting, the plot and the fabulous costumes and sets. It was made in 1949 and still feels fresh. Plus I have a weird thing for that cozy kitchen in their apartment.

Destination Wedding is one of the funniest rom coms I've seen in years. I go into greater detail about this movie in my All the Words Romance episode. If you like sexy-smart banter, don't miss this one.

Friends with Benefits is the funniest rom com that I forgot to watch. If you are a banter fan like me, rush to your nearest streaming service and watch this.

Enemies with Benefits is part of the Loveless Brothers series by Roxie Noir. I can't express how much I adore the band of brothers trope in this series. It centers on a family of five hot, hunky, slightly bad boy brothers who live in a small Virginia town, and the cool, sharp, bantering women who fall for them. And the delicious dialogue and insightful interior monologues? Let's just say I strongly suspect LA-based Roxie Noir is a screenwriter too.

So many romance fans adore the Blood and Ash fantasy/romance series by Jennifer Armentrout. I haven't read much in that category, but wow, it sounds like I need to.

As you can tell from her confession, Monique is a warm, sparkling presence, and you don't have to be a business woman to get a ton of healing heart messages from her podcast, Her Entrepreneurial Spirit. It's a don't-miss podcast for me.

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Human beings exist on a spectrum of diversity and differences, and romances that reflect that are touching my heart lately. The widest range of life experiences represented in stories can only be a good thing.  Being seen and accepted, not treated as an exception, is inspiring. It's all part of the flow of life.

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April 2 was World Autism Awareness Day, and April is National Autism Awareness Month in the US. Audible has a fantastic roundup of audiobooks in all genres that celebrate neuro difference and diversity.

Interesting article in Forbes on disability representation in film.

I call Michael, the hero of The Kiss Quotient, a cinnamon roll in this episode and realized not everyone's familiar with the character labels of Romancelandia. There are so many I still don't know :) A cinnamon roll hero is the sweetest, kindest, most supportive, all around nicest person to a heroine. Here's a great roundup of books featuring cinnamon roll heroes.

The Bride Test audiobook. Have I mentioned how much I love it? It's narrated by Emily Woo Zeller. She has won awards. I would follow that voice anywhere.

The third book in the series, The Heart Principle, is coming soon! Learn more about bestselling author Helen Hoang here.

At the moment, it looks like Doc Martin can be streamed on Hulu, Acorn TV and YouTube TV in the US.

Here's the  compilation of the Doc's most awkward moments from S1 and S2.

Michael is described as looking like a particular K-drama heartthrob in The Kiss Quotient. If you haven't watched these, they're like a romance/soap opera combo. Netflix has a ton and wow, they're addictive. I used to work in book publishing, so I'm currently gobbling up the K-drama  Romance Is a Bonus Book.

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Some of my favorite romantic stories create intimate worlds where true, vulnerable, heartfelt things can be said--and done. Sometimes it takes half the story to get there, sometimes it takes most of the story, but it's always worth the wait for that magic moment when characters finally bare their hearts.

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Original vintage trailer for The Shop Around the Corner. Oh, the charm.

Nora Ephron followed the original  first date scene very closely in her remake, You've Got Mail. Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullavan were very good friends in real life and Jimmy carried a tiny torch for her for a long time.  Thinking that's why they're so adorable together in this movie!

The trailer for You've Got Mail. It doesn't do this movie justice. At all. See it!

Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn  is worth the read in any format, but the audiobook, performed by Nicol Zanzarella, is sublime.

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Unrequited love, "the timing's wrong" coupling, enemies to friends, friends to lovers, and then sometimes back to friends. What are these relationships about? Does chemistry even need a category? Some unforgettable romantic movies pin down that bittersweet, undeniable connection.

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Change the World  and Change Your Mind are the soundtrack to this episode. Yep, I'm an idealist.


Featured in order:

500 Days of Summer

When Harry Met Sally

The Age of Innocence

La La Land

The Red Shoes is a glorious, groundbreaking visual trip of a movie that explores how love and romance connect with the artistic process.

Made of Honor

Sex and the City

The Broken Hearts Gallery
 

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Most romance makes me feel warm, optimistic and hopeful. But sometimes hot and kinky is what you need. A touch of BDSM. Sex with an alien. The wild fantasies of some contemporary romances practically catch fire on the page. And sometimes non-fancy hot sex with good communication and a considerate fictional character who appeals to you does the trick. It's risk-free,  shame-free pretend in this episode, in any flavor you want. Vanilla?  I'm here to support it all.

Confessions of a Closet Romantic

If you like exploring story forms in any genre, TV Tropes is the place to be online. Plan on a week--or at least being late for dinner.


Book excerpts in order:

Savor You from the Fusion series by Kristen Proby. This whole series is on fire, especially in audiobook.

An Indecent Proposal from the O'Malleys series by Katee Robert. Haven't read the whole series yet, but oh I'm going to get to it. If you like your romances hot and spicy with a bit of  kink, Katee Robert is your one-stop shop.

Best Man with Benefits, by Samanthe Beck, part of the Wedding Dare series. This series is hot, hot, hot.

Savor You 

There wasn't enough space, but I'm in love with the hot hockey hunks with hearts of gold in the Chicago Rebels series by Kate Meader. Unmissable for professional-sports hero trope lovers!

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I've been having fun reading a ton of contemporary romances featuring buff young things getting it on. But it's time to get real: which means ageless love, with plenty of imperfection, wisdom and fun thrown in. It's romance full of humor, honesty, acceptance and kindness. The sexiest combo I know.

https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.com

The Heaving Bosoms podcast features different romance novels that best friends Erin and Melody have enjoyed--or just have opinions about. Hysterical, smart opinions.

At Home in Mitford

Movies/TV Shows mentioned:

Something's Gotta Give

Our Souls at Night

Book Club

Grace and Frankie

State of the Union

Geraldine bags Johnny Depp!! in this Vicar of Dibley special.

It's Complicated

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(I'm taking a short break in the next couple of weeks for a road trip with my sweetie. I'll be back soon!)

My journey from a strict religious upbringing to discovering I'm mildly kinky in the right settings, and with the right partner, was quite the revelation. These fascinating, complex stories explore women also discovering their secret desires, vulnerabilities and sexual thrills through consensual BDSM kink. The movies are sometimes titillating, sometimes romantic but always thought-provoking in a way that you don't often see on the big screen.

CW: sexually explicit scenes, and lots of spoilers.

https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.com

Whewwww. Hotttt. Even if you weren't interested in kink before, aren't you now?!

"This is all I ever dreamed about—to be used by you."

"While safe kinky play is an excellent forum for navigating and even healing trauma, it’s a harmful stereotype to assume that only “broken” people are drawn to kink." Excellent article by a sex educator about what Babygirl gets right—and wrong—about kink.

"I think the sadomasochistic relationship is a theatrical platform for exploring power dynamics in a relationship, but also you can explore power dynamics with directors and actors...and the fear of performing and putting on a persona which is not you, and being watched." Fascinating glimpse into the creative mind of The Duke of Burgundy writer/director Peter Strickland.

"Exploring kink, even if you’re unsure if you yourself are kinky, can broaden your horizons, enrich your sexual repertoire, and increase tolerance of others..." If you're interested in joining the Erotic Minority, this Vice round up of kinks is a fun primer.

"There is no shame in healing in whatever way feels authentic and cathartic. You are the curator of your sexual script, and it gets to play out in whatever way you find most empowering."

"...if you're not 100% sure monogamy is right for you...I've found a great deal of happiness and freedom so far in taking a more liberal approach to relationships, and am interested to see where it leads." Lovely BDSM model Ariel Anderson talks about being "Not strictly monogamous."

Fascinating discussion with Ariel Anderson and Dr. Kate Lister, who hosts the amazing podcast Betwixt the Sheets: the History of Sex, Scandal & Society.

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It's all about the alpha male today. Because he likes it that way, and dammit, makes me like it too. Plus, nobody ties a sexier Windsor knot than Jamie Dornan as Christian Grey.


https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.com


Is it hot in here? The official, and super steamy, Fifty Shades of Grey trailer.

And then, it gets Fifty Shades Darker.

Crazy Rich Asians trailer.

The Romcomathon podcast episode on Crazy Rich Asians.

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Who knew that Empire-waist dresses, waistcoats,  cravats and women discovering their own power could be so sexy? Well, fans of Regency romance know. It's all about the debs and the Dukes in this episode. These two shows are the place to start your new, fresh, modern costume drama love affair.

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Fascinating interview with Bridgerton showrunner Chris Van Dusen. He talks about adapting the books, the mostly female writers' room, the female gaze throughout and a controversial sex scene.


The Duke and Daphne's first dance. With all kinds of fireworks.

Every costume drama dance scene is the best dance scene to me, but Oh This Dance. It's worth watching the entire season of Sanditon for this moment.

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Nothing wrong with indulging in slightly corny and comforting romantic movies. I talk about a bunch of my favorites in this episode, chock full of cheese (the tasty romantic kind).


https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.com



Movies mentioned:

The screwball comedy I featured is His Girl Friday (1940) starring Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell. What a chemistry set!

The Holiday

The Lake House

Message in a Bottle

Leap Year

The Proposal

Grease 2

Blue Lagoon

Bridges of Madison County

Only You

Ever After

Compilation clip from Endless Love (1981)

The movie is based on the book  Endless Love, the best-selling Salinger-esque novel by Scott Spencer. One of my favorite books of the 80s.

A fun royal Hallmark holiday movie, Christmas at the Palace.

Not romantic but so touching: November Christmas is one of the best Hallmark holiday movies ever. Have a hanky ready.

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The March and Stone families give us the cozy, faithful and often funny holiday we all need this year.


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Trailers:

Little Women (1933)

Little Women (1949)

Little Women (1994)

Little Women (2019)

The Family Stone


Download the Little Women ebook at Project Gutenberg

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This episode is about one of my favorite romantic tropes of all time: the grand--or small but meaningful--romantic gesture.



https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.com


Stream NBC's Lipstick Jungle here


The Age of Innocence trailer




Elizabeth's thank you to Darcy and the second proposal scene from the 1995 BBC Pride & Prejudice

The breathtaking glider scene from Fifty Shades of Grey. One Last Night by Vaults is on constant repeat lately, and I can picture every moment of this scene when I hear it.


Go sailing with Christian and Ana. BTW, spoiler: he's going to buy you that vintage Tudor mansion later.  Yeah, now that's a grand gesture.

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In this episode I talk about one of the best filmed versions of the classic novel Jane Eyre: the 2011 romantic movie with Michael Fassbender and Mia Wasikowska. In my humble opinion, ahem.


https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.com



<p>Project Gutenberg, a library of more than 60,000 free e-books!</p>


<p>The Mr. Rochester book.</p>

<p>The second fireside conversation between Mr. Rochester and Jane.</p>


<p>The proposal scene. Passion played out in the woods and/or nature! Always a winner! See also The Grabby Kiss episode. Mia breaks my heart each time I watch this scene.</p>

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In this episode, I talk about the classic romantic suspense novel Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier and the sexy 2020 Netflix adaptation.



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<p>The full Alfred Hitchcock version of Rebecca from 1940.</p>

<p>The 2020 Netflix Rebecca trailer.</p>

<p>The Rebecca episode from A Novel Adaptation.</p>

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 In this episode, I talk about the hilarious, often crude new Netflix rom-com series The Duchess starring comedian/actress/writer Katherine Ryan.


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<p>A lot of the material for The Duchess seems to have been inspired by this Katherine Ryan Netflix special.</p>

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Death Comes to Pemberley trailer.  Anna Maxwell Martin is one of my favorite Elizabeths, too.

It's based on a book by P.D. James

The Scapegoat trailer

The Scapegoat book by Daphne du Maurier

The  foreplay to the train make-out clip from North by Northwest

Notorious, full movie. That Scene comes right at the end.

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In this episode I talk about the visually stunning 2018 miniseries The Woman in White, a creepy romantic mystery perfect for Halloween.


 http://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.com

Where to stream The Woman in White

2018 WiW miniseries trailer and fantastic "sizzle reel"

1948 WiW movie trailer

Trailer for the dark and sometimes humorous  Sleepy Hollow

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This episode from a few years ago is one of my most popular, and since life has been kicking my behind lately, I thought it was a good time to take a breather and forget it all by getting kinky. It's also the episode that best represents my growth as a partner, person and podcaster, all thanks to producing and hosting this show. 

I'm working on a new episode about kink and kinky romance inspired by the Nicole Kidman movie Babygirl, so look for that next time. Meanwhile, hope you enjoy this thoroughly non-NSFW throwback episode about "smutty" and kinky romance. (To find the original show notes, visit confessionsofaclosetromantic.com and search for "romance after dark.")

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In this episode I talk about my latest binges and obsessive romance rewinds, Outlander and A Discovery of Witches, and try to answer the question: am I going nuts?

 http://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.com


Outlander S1 trailer

A Discovery of Witches S1 trailer. That Kiss comes right at the end.

All Souls Trilogy books.

The article I mention.

Another fun article on the topic.

Music mentioned in the Confessional:

Lissie's amazing cover of Go Your Own Way

I Found by Amber Run

Never Gonna Dance by Fred Astaire, from one of my favorite Astaire/Rogers movies.

You Go to My Head by Frank Sinatra. He practically makes love to every vowel in this song.

You're the Best Thing by The Style Council

More Than This by Roxy Music

Sledgehammer by Peter Gabriel

Suite: Judy Blue Eyes by Crosby, Stills & Nash

Stardust by Nat King Cole. The best version of this song, ever.

The Mayor of Simpleton by XTC

Jungle Love by Steve Miller Band

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In this extra episode, I talk about one of my favorite tiny romantic moments in the clever detective drama Sherlock.

https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.com

The Christmas Scene (tag says "dearest Sherlock" not "Merry Christmas, Sherlock," even better): https://youtu.be/ulYsQ7-w4PU

A fun video compilation of some of the best Sherlock moments: https://youtu.be/OJ8eQZLcfXA

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In this episode, I talk about some of the wordiest rom coms ever, and why I can't get enough of these romances.

Show notes at: http://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.com

This clip from Destination Wedding is the scene just prior to the one I discuss in this episode. You say puma, I say mountain lion, it's all hysterical: https://youtu.be/ICVNRU90Z-Q

The Q&A scene from Before Sunrise: https://youtu.be/sbwzV4cN90I

And the stop the car scene from Before Sunset: https://youtu.be/TUbgKkn9qFw

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In this extra episode, I continue talking about the actor Matt Bomer, because I can't get enough of his performance in The Last Tycoon. Someone, rescue me…

https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.com


The Last Tycoon trailer: https://youtu.be/KnRIv-QNtjg

Pure glamor: https://condenaststore.com/featured/norma-shearer-and-irving-thalberg-in-a-garden-edward-steichen.html?product=poster

Oh, this picture: https://artsmeme.com/2009/01/15/jewish-prince-of-hollywood/

More about F. Scott Fitzgerald and Thalberg in Hollywood: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2009/11/16/slow-fade-arthur-krystal

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In this episode I talk about some of my favorite visual romantic tropes— like a grab and a kiss and passion in the woods, used so well in the movie Becoming Jane.


Becoming Jane movie trailer: https://youtu.be/qmd-ej9Hx20

That Dance: https://youtu.be/mXoa7RcYT8M

Emma proposal scene: https://youtu.be/LTgOLHxQ9mM

More about Jane Austen's early life: https://www.notablebiographies.com/An-Ba/Austen-Jane.html

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I'm revisiting the romantic ups and downs of senior year on this episode with the help of a fantastic new movie called Chemical Hearts.

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I'm finally saying goodbye to shame about loving romance, and talking about the book Mr. Malcolm's List.

Show notes at confessionsofaclosetromantic.com

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One of my favorite romantic tropes in all the world is chosen or found family. Rock bands, the military, college besties, your work husband and siblings, your little clique in high school, your beloved pets past and present—if they choose you and you choose them, they're family. If you had a less than ideal upbringing, stories like these full of emotional complexity along with acceptance, loyalty and love, are so healing and remind us that relations are always our choice.

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Who wouldn't want to be related to these people?!

The amazing cast and crew of The Four Seasons.

The intrusive soundtrack drives me bonkers (yes, we know they met in the 80s!) but the camaraderie is just so dang good in Peter's Friends. 

Friends with Kids owns the chosen family and friends-to-lovers tropes—though you have to suspend disbelief that no one seems to want Ed Burns, who represents the most perfect partner to ever roam the earth.

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After losing my sweet senior dog this week, I find myself mired in waves of grief, but in between, also feeling grateful for love: human, animal, loving relationships in all of their forms and however they come into our lives. The love of an animal is a very special experience, and my heart goes out to other pet guardians who may be experiencing anticipatory grief of their own.

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It's hard to describe how sexy, funny yet heartbreaking this mini series is. Based on real-life best friends Molly and Nikki, who created a podcast about Molly's sexual adventures while in hospice, it's one woman's story of healing, emotional fulfillment and discovering who she is as a romantic and sexual being. It's also a comical, heartfelt, life-affirming look at the deep bonds and love shared between female friends. (CW: explicit descriptions of kink and sex, reference to childhood SA)

"I want to feel everything for as long as I can."

The full cast and crew of Dying for Sex.

"The show taught me so much about what sex could be...” Variety interviews Dying for Sex co-showrunners Kim Rosenstock and Elizabeth Meriwether.

"Molly wanted to fall in love, and she did; she fell in love with herself...so whatever is on your list of things to do before you die—you better get started.”

"Love isn’t just doing what you think is best for someone, whether or not they want it. It’s learning how they want to be loved and loving them that way." Awesome interview with Dying for Sex co-showrunner Kim Rosenstock.

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I'm a true gore-phobe, but I was blown away by these unforgettable movies, and their amazing (and bloody) revenge moments. One is an intense, atmospheric Frankenstein horror story, the other a joyously funny Beauty and the Beast-inspired monster romcom with wit, hot monster sex and plenty of emotion. Different as they are, they're both about women coming into their own and reclaiming their power to scare away the monsters lurking everywhere, just waiting to tell them how imperfectly perfect they are.

As absurd and outrageous as all of the absurd and outrageous beauty standards that infect our daily lives.

"While it may feel like a cautionary tale for our times, the horrors at the heart of “The Substance” have been with us for many years, and the issues the movie uncovers are so much more than skin deep."

It got mixed reviews, maybe it wasn't perfect, but I absolutely adored Your Monster. I'm going to agree with the reviewer on Rotten Tomatoes who said it's a "wickedly delightful genre mashup."

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I'm recovering from a nasty flu that has affected my voice, but hope to be back soon, so let's revisit one of my favorite episodes from the past few years. As you know, one of my favorite topics is finding hot sex, love and romance past the age of 40, 50 or even 60 — my sweetie and I have been living this dream for more than two years now and I can tell you, it's glorious. Never give up on your desires!

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(I'll be taking a break in the next few weeks for my sweetie's extended visit!)

Seeking hot, healthy sex and love later in life is quite the adventure, as I have discovered. It helps to have a compassionate, wise guide for the journey like sex educator Dr. Donna Jennings PhD. I interviewed Dr. J  a few years ago about healthy sexuality at every age, and how to identify your deepest sexual and romantic desires, and she's the positive role model we all need.

https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.com

Dr. J wears many hats in the world of healthy sexuality — and hot romance.

She created the Purple Passion Reflections for Women, a card deck that aims "to help you create space for your sexual alignment so your true sexual nature can emerge...and become the sexual being you were always meant to be."

Joan Price is another smart, compassionate sex educator who advocates for healthy sexuality at every age. 

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Life continues to throw a lot at me (I'm sure we can all relate) but I did get to take another road trip to the mountains with my sweetie. We were road tested on a few issues including broken down rental cars and hotel accessibility and I started thinking about what you learn about yourself when you travel. That inspired a new episode (coming soon) about romantic movies featuring characters who leave home to explore new horizons, and in between the ice cream, sightseeing, luxury hotel beds, Tuscan villa renos and arguments with companions of all sorts, learn something important about themselves. Meanwhile, enjoy this revisit with Kristen Meinzer and Jolenta Greenberg of the Romance Road Test podcast, now hosts of How to Be Fine, a spinoff of their podcast By the Book and their book of the same name.

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If you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!