Explore every episode of the podcast When In Romance

It’s Book Club week! Jess and Trisha discuss The Siren of Sussex and similar historical romance books they recommend. Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! Keep up to date with the world of books and reading with Today in Books, Book Riot's daily round-up of literary headlines at the intersection of politics, culture, media, and more. Our editors offer commentary, context, and the occasional clap-back to keep you informed and entertained. Visit bookriot.com/todayinbooks to subscribe for free, or become an All Access member starting at $6 per month or $60 per year and get unlimited access to members-only content in 20+ newsletters, community features, and the warm fuzzies knowing you are supporting independent media. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. News Send us your requests for recommendations AND your favorites of 2024 - you can send both to WhenInRomance@BookRiot.com Books Discussed Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava The Siren of Sussex by Mimi Matthews An Unnatural Vice by KJ Charles The Duke Who Didn’t by Courtney Milan Ana Maria and the Fox by Liana de la Rosa The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang The Wallflowers series by Lisa Kleypas (first book is Secrets of  Summer Night) The Brothers Sinister Series by Courtney Milan (first book is The Duchess War) The Girl Meets Duke series by Tessa Dare (first book is The Duchess Deal) Let us know what you’re reading, what you’re thinking, and what you’re thinking about what you’re reading! As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address (WhenInRomance@BookRiot.com). You can also find us on Twitter (@JessIsReading), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @TrishaHaleyBrown), and Jess is even on TikTok (@jess_isreading). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha get ready to announce dates for the next WIR Book Club and recommendations episodes and then dive into a discussion about age gap romances. Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! This October, Tailored Book Recommendations is giving away a pair of Beats Fit Pro headphones! TBR is the perfect way to take the guesswork out of finding your next favorite read. To get started with TBR, just fill out a quick survey about your reading likes and dislikes, and we’ll pair you with a professional book nerd— aka bibliologist— who uses their bookish knowledge to match you with three books they think you’ll dig. You can sign up to receive your recommendations via email or have your bibliologist’s picks delivered right to your door as either hardcovers or paperbacks. And if you sign up or gift TBR in the month of October, you’ll be automatically entered to win a pair of Beats Fit Pro headphones! Current TBR subscribers also have a chance to win by purchasing a drop-in round of recommendations in October. Sign up today at mytbr.co This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. News It's time to start reading The Siren of Sussex! Have you watched A Family Affair or Lonely Planet? Books Discussed The Fall that Saved Us by Tamara Jerée The Talk of Coyote Canyon by Brenda Novak Stepdaddy Season by Natisha Raynor Ella Gets the D by Tanvier Peart Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez The Art of Scandal by Regina Black Everything For You by Chloe Liese You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi So Sweet by Rebekah Weatherspoon Let us know what you’re reading, what you’re thinking, and what you’re thinking about what you’re reading! And of course, send us your holiday recommendation requests! As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address (wheninromance@bookriot.com). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown), and Jess is even on TikTok (@jess_isreading). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha talk about what are — and are NOT — the reasons RWA filed for bankruptcy and then recommend some romances with good mental health rep. Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! Learn something new, sharpen your skills, and expand your horizons with our Better Living Through Books newsletter. Better Living Through Books is your resource for reading material that helps you live the life you want. From self-help to cookbooks to parenting to personal finance, relationships, and more, Better Living Through Books has got you covered. If it’s part of life, it can be part of your reading life. That's what Better Living Through Books is all about. Visit bookriot.com/betterliving to subscribe for free, or become an All Access member starting at $6 per month or $60 per year and get unlimited access to members-only content in 20+ newsletters, community features, and the warm fuzzies knowing you are supporting independent media. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. News WIR Book Club is back! Read Consort of Fire by Kit Rocha with us and send us your thoughts for our June 24 show.  Our next adaptation discussion is The Idea of You (yes, we know about the book HEA questions - we want to talk about them!), so get ready for that episode in July. Jess joined Vanessa to talk about Bridgerton, and it's delightful. Join Jess and the Someplace Generous team at their virtual book launch on June 13! RWA files for bankruptcy [The Guardian], and our friend Sarah Wendell puts a voice to the frustration we all have (or should have) with the coverage of the story. Books Discussed A Liaison with her Leading Lady by Lotte R. James Someplace Generous, edited by Elaina Ellis and Amber Flame Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez A Brush with Love by Mazey Eddings Even If We’re Broken by A.M. Weald Getting His Game Back by Gia de Cadenet Trade Me by Courtney Milan Let us know what you’re reading, what you’re thinking, and what you’re thinking about what you’re reading! As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address (wheninromance@bookriot.com). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown), and Jess is even on TikTok (@jess_isreading). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha talk about things people love about reading romance and then offer some non-romance novel entertainment options that might share similar qualities. This episode is sponsored by TBR, Book Riot’s subscription service offering reading recommendations personalized to your reading life; Libro FM; and Book Riot Insiders, the digital hangout spot for the Book Riot community. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! News Discussed You – yes you! – can attend the virtual Romance GenreCon from the Mid-Continent Public Library! Books and Non-Book Entertainment Discussed Tangled Playing House The Great Harlots Ms. Marvel by G. Willow Wilson and illustrated by Adrian Alphona Green Lantern Legacy by Minh Le and illustrated by Andie Tong America Vol 1: The Life and Times of America Chavez and America Vol 2: Fast and Furtona by Gabby Rivera Digital coloring, and specifically Happy Color and Color Planet Sanjay’s Super Team Purl Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin with pictures by Betsy Lewin Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett and drawn by Ron Barrett The Bold Type The Weekend  Tig Imagine Me & You Kissing Jessica Stein But I’m a Cheerleader Free Solo Let us know what you love about reading romance and whether you can get any of those feelings or perspectives through other media. As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address (wheninromance@bookriot.com). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha talk about all of the many things they liked about Getting Schooled by Christina C. Jones and and recommend some favorite romance reads from the year so far – to the extent that they’ve been able to read. This episode is sponsored by TBR, Book Riot’s subscription service offering reading recommendations personalized to your reading life; Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall, from Sourcebooks; and Book Riot Insiders, the digital hangout spot for the Book Riot community. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! News Book Riot’s best books of 2020 so far is here for your enjoyment and TBR-extending purposes. Books Discussed Getting Schooled by Christina C. Jones The Rakess by Scarlett Peckham Guarding Temptation by Talia Hibbert Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert One Last Chance by Therese Beharrie Two Rogues Make a Right by Cat Sebastian Check, Please: Sticks and Scones by Ngozi Ukazu Let us know what you thought of Getting Schooled (do you need the dark moment??) and what your favorite books of 2020 so far have been. As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address (wheninromance@bookriot.com). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha discuss some more RWA work, takeaways from a Juneteeth Book Fest panel on writing Black romance, the delight for all readers in reading queer romance, and offer some favorites for Pride Month. This episode is sponsored by Hey YA, Book Riot’s own podcast about all things young adult lit; Book Riot Insiders, the digital hangout spot for the Book Riot community; and TBR: Tailored Book Recommendations, Book Riot’s personalized reading recommendation service, which now has gifting! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! News Please take a few minutes and fill out our survey! You could win an ereader! RWA is working to support Dreamspinner authors who are owed money. Here’s a great longform piece from Vox on the racism in RWA and how a new board is trying to turn things around. Learn about the Juneteenth Book Fest and then watch the “Black Love: Writing Black Romance” panel! Books Discussed Treasure by Rebekah Weatherspoon Just Like That by Cole McCade That Could be Enough by Alyssa Cole Lord of the Last Heartbeat by May Petersen Two Rogues Make a Right and It Takes Two to Tumble by Cat Sebastian The Craft of Love by EE Ottoman Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert Every Dark Desire by Fiona Zedde Getting Schooled by Christina C. Jones (read it now for our book club discussion in the next episode!) Let us know what you thoughts of the Juneteeth Book Fest romance panel and what thoughts and questions you have about Getting Schooled! As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address (wheninromance@bookriot.com). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha talk about the impact of anti-Black racism in publishing, an RWA awards decision, and books we love by Black authors. Plus! We announce a new book club pick! This episode is sponsored by Hey YA, Book Riot’s own podcast about all things young adult lit; Book Riot Insiders, the digital hangout spot for the Book Riot community; and TBR: Tailored Book Recommendations, Book Riot’s personalized reading recommendation service, which now has gifting! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! News #PublishingPaidMe has illustrated the systemic racism in publishing. Lee and Low helped quantify it by posting their data about the appallingly low number of Black authors and publishing professionals. RWA has dropped the RITA and replaced it with the Vivian, a new award named for RWA founder Vivian Stephens. Books Discussed The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon That Kind of Guy by Talia Hibbert Pink Slip by Katrina Jackson Wherever You Are Are by Elle Wright So Sweet by Rebekah Weatherspoon In Case You Forgot by Frederick Smith and Chaz Lamar Getting Schooled by Christina C. Jones (read it now for our July book club discussion!) As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address (wheninromance@bookriot.com). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha talk with Passionflix founder and CEO Tosca Musk about romance adaptations, managing fan and author expectations, and what being a “producer” actually means. This episode is sponsored by a Taste of Sage from Harper Paperbacks; Recipe for Persuasion by Sonali Dev and William Morrow paperbacks; and TBR: Book Riot’s service for Tailored Book Recommendations, now available as a gift! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! News Take a peek at Gabriel’s Inferno or one of the other romance novel adaptations on Passionflix. Books Discussed Gabriel’s Inferno by Sylvain Reynard The Ravenswood Series (the first book is A Girl Like Her) by Talia Hibbert Better Off Red by Rebekah Weatherspoon Let It Shine by Alyssa Cole Something to Talk About by Meryl Wilsner The Driven series (the first book is Driven) by K. Bromberg Fighting to Breathe by Aurora Rose Reynolds Wicked by Jennifer L. Armentrout You can find Tosca and Passionflix on Twitter and Instagram at @toscamusk and @passionflix, and as always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address (wheninromance@bookriot.com). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha talk about the importance of inclusive language, have MANY thoughts about an adaptation of Safe Harbour by Danielle Steel, and recommend a few more readalikes and some romances that are set entirely in one location. This episode is sponsored by Lit Stitch: 25 Cross-Stitch Patterns for Book Lovers, made by Book Riot and Abrams; TBR, Book Riot’s subscription service offering Tailored Book Recommendations for readers of all stripes; and Stay with Me from author Becky Wade. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! News The GLAAD Media Reference Guide might be a useful resource for a lot of us. Safe Harbour – with a “u” – may be the romance adaptation you need right now. It also very much may not be. Books Discussed Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors and Recipe for Persuasion by Sonali Dev Island Affair by Priscilla Oliveras One Last Chance by Terese Beharrie American Fairytale and American Love Story by Adriana Herrera Rafe by Rebekah Weatherspoon Sleeper by Kayley Loring A Taste of Her own Medicine by Tasha L. Harrison Do You Want to Start a Scandal? by Tessa Dare A Cowboy to Remember by Rebekah Weatherspoon Candy Hearts by Erin McLellan Proper English by KJ Charles Bear With Me by Lucy Eden Keep sending us your recs for what romance adaptations we should discuss, and let us know what your favorite single setting romances are. As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address (wheninromance@bookriot.com). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha chat about remote romance author events, share their thoughts on the adaptation of Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella, and offer read-alikes for some of the books and series they talk about most. This episode is sponsored by TBR, Book Riot’s subscription service offering Tailored Book Recommendations for readers of all stripes; Libro FM; and Book Riot Insiders, the digital hangout spot for the Book Riot community. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! News Info about the May 1 Loyalty Bookstore event with Alyssa Cole, Rebekah Weatherspoon, Sharina Harris, and Mia Sosa is here! (Doesn’t look like there’s a video up at this point, so keep an eye out!) Can You Keep a Secret? may be the romance adaptation you need right now…maybe. Books Discussed Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella A Princess in Theory by Alyssa Cole The Princess Trap by Talia Hibbert The Princess Affair by Nell Stark The Widow of Rose House by Diana Biller Glitterland by Alexis Hall It Takes Two to Tumble by Cat Sebastian Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh Ayesha At Last by Uzma Jalaluddin Unmarriageable by Soniah Kamal Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn The Marriage Game by Sara Desai (scheduled for release on June 9, 2020) The Twisted Wishes series (first book is Syncopation) by Anna Zabo The Rakess by Scarlett Peckham Hot and Badgered by Shelly Laurenston The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics by Olivia Waite How to Talk to Nice English Girls by Gretchen Evans Life is Sweet by Lily Seabrooke Being Hospitable by Meka James Keep sending us your recs for what romance adaptations we should discuss, and let us know what WIR faves you need read-alikes for. As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address (wheninromance@bookriot.com). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha discuss some recent RWA developments, review the adaptation of Beverly Jenkins’s Deadly Sexy, and recommend some favorites by Ms. Bev. This episode is sponsored by TBR, Book Riot's subscription service offering Tailored Book Recommendations for readers of all stripes; Book Riot Insiders, the digital hangout spot for the Book Riot community; and Sourcebooks’s Conventionally Yours by Annabeth Albert. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! News RWA has a brand new Board of Directors and one of the first orders of business was to offer some apologies. Deadly Sexy on Amazon Video may be the romance adaptation you need right now. Books Discussed A Cowboy to Remember by Rebekah Weatherspoon Do You Want to Start a Scandal? By Tessa Dare Reverb by Anna Zabo By Beverly Jenkins: Destiny’s Embrace and the Destiny Series Indigo Through the Storm Forbidden Rebel Keep sending us your recs for what romance adaptations we should discuss, and let us know what you’re reading to take care of yourselves these days. As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address (wheninromance@bookriot.com). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and special guest host Jenn Northington (Co-host of Book Riot podcasts Get Booked and SFF Yeah! and all-around person of awesomeness) talk All Things Austen and Austen-related. They discuss Jenn’s participation in a Regency RPG, Drunk Austen’s VirtualJaneCon, share recs for Austen retellings, and talk about an Emma adaptation that people don’t talk enough about. This episode is sponsored by TBR: Tailored Book Recommendations; Book Riot Insiders; and Libro FM. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! News Book Riot has a story stream collecting all of our bookish COVID-19 coverage. Check out Good Society, the Regency Role Playing Game. See the rundown of VirtualJaneCon, which was held over the weekend of March 28-29. Many of the video presentations are linked there or on Drunk Austen’s Facebook page. See if there’s an event like Jane Austen Night at the Woodlands near you. Books Discussed Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Persuasion by Jane Austen Emma by Jane Austen Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen Sanditon by Jane Austen Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding (referenced) Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev Recipe for Persuasion by Sonali Dev If I Loved You Less by Tamsen Parker Sophia Khan is Not Obliged by Ayisha Malik Ayesha At Last by Uzma Jalaluddin Longbourn by Jo Baker Well Played by Katrina Ramos Atienza And check out the 2009 adaptation of Emma starring Romola Garai and Jonny Lee Miller. There was also some Clueless discussion. Check out the interview with 2020 Emma director Autumn de Wilde on the Novel Gazing podcast. Watch that version of Emma.  Here’s the Great Emma-Off from Gail Carriger’s blog. Keep sending us your recs for what romance adaptations we should discuss, and let us know what you’re reading to take care of yourselves these days. As always, you can find Jess and Trisha (and Jenn!) at the WIR email address (wheninromance@bookriot.com). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading and @jennIRL), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @iamjennIRL). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha know that things are super weird and rough right now, but they’ve got some ideas and book recs for romance fans. They also discuss the annual Ripped Bodice report on the State of Racial Diversity in Romance Publishing. This episode is sponsored by TBR: Tailored Book Recommendations; The Honey-Don’t List from the New York Times bestselling author of The Unhoneymooners, Christina Lauren; and My Way To You by Catherine Bybee. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! News Book Riot has a story stream collecting all of our bookish COVID-19 coverage. If you want to support authors who have new releases out, the Book Riot Insiders New Release Index can help you find them. And if you want to (and can!) support local bookstores, lots are delivering and/or shipping. We mentioned The Haunted Book Shop and The Ripped Bodice, but there are others! Speaking of The Ripped Bodice, the annual racial diversity and inclusion report has been released, and Jess offered some reflections on it. Virgin River on Netflix may be the romance adaptation you need right now. And these are the adaptations you may need ASAP. Books Discussed Hot and Badgered by Shelly Laurenston The Widow of Rose House by Diana Biller Rafe, Xeni, A Cowboy to Remember, So Sweet, and Treasure by Rebekah Weatherspoon Team Phison by Chace Verity Conventionally Yours by Annabeth Albert And feel free to check out this episode of WIR with Rebekah Weatherspoon for more fluffy reads. Keep sending us your recs for what romance adaptations we should discuss, and let us know what you’re reading to take care of yourselves these days. As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address (wheninromance@bookriot.com). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha belatedly share listener emails and talk (again) about what makes a romance a romance. Plus! Romances to get you ready for the summer. Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! Looking for a thoughtful Mother's Day gift? Go beyond the tried and true flowers and chocolate and give the gift of reading with Tailored Book Recommendations! Our bibliologists are standing by to help your mom find her next favorite read, delivered right to her inbox or doorstep. And with gifts starting at just $18, there’s something for any budget! Head to mytbr.co/gift to send the gift of reading to the book nerd in your life! This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. News WIR Book Club is back! Read Consort of Fire by Kit Rocha with us and send us your thoughts for our June 24 show.  And our next film adaptation discussion is The Idea of You. Our conversation will be mostly focused on the film, but you can also check out the book, also called The Idea of You, by Robinne Lee. (Yes, we know about the book HEA questions - we want to talk about them!) Plus, many thanks to Michelle, who suggested that Calibre could help to address our book cover and re-purchasing book situations (and Trisha's are many). Books Discussed That Summer Feeling by Bridget Morrissey Along for the Ride by Mimi Grace The Key to Happily Ever After by Tif Marcelo The Language of Seabirds by Will Taylor The Prospects by KT Hoffman The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa Compromised into a Scandalous Marriage by Lydia San Andres Out of Office by AH Cunningham The Matchmaker Bay series (starting with Mermaid Inn) by Jenny Holiday Let us know what you’re reading, what you’re thinking, and what you’re thinking about what you’re reading! As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address (wheninromance@bookriot.com). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown), and Jess is even on TikTok (@jess_isreading). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha talk about some maybe promising RWA news and a literacy fundraiser, romances about people overcoming obstacles, and stories that grab you right from the start. This episode is sponsored by Book Riot Insiders, the digital hangout spot for the Book Riot community, and Flatiron Books, publisher of Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore and Anna K by Jenny Lee. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! News Here’s a list of those running for RWA positions courtesy of Melanie Greene. Donate or spread the word about Romance for Literacy! Books Discussed Damaged Goods by Talia Hibbert Think of England by KJ Charles Thirsty and Trashed by Mia Hopkins Fit by Rebekah Weatherspoon Idol,  Managed, and Fall by Kristen Callihan Something About You by Julie James Bear With Me and Blind Date With a Book Boyfriend by Lucy Eden Mr. and Mr. Smith by HelenKay Dimon Proper English by KJ Charles White Whiskey Bargain by Jodie Slaughter Send us your recs for what romance adaptations we should discuss! As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address (wheninromance@bookriot.com). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha discuss the way the RWA debacle somehow keeps getting worse, celebrate the Ripped Bodice Awards, offer you some short reads for this short month, and toss out a couple of romances that fit the 2020 Read Harder Challenge. This episode is sponsored by Book Riot’s Read Harder 2020 Challenge, The Handsell, and Chasing Cassandra by Lisa Kleypas. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! News The entire RWA board resigned. You can read the RWA audit report for yourself, but you should definitely read some of the reactions to it as well. Here’s a thread from the CIMRWA chapter (And quick clarification – as of our recording, the board of that chapter had voted to bring a vote of dissolution to their membership and the results of that vote aren’t public yet, so we don’t know yet whether they’ve voted to dissolve.) The Ripped Bodice awards for Excellence in Romantic Fiction have been announced! Books Discussed House Rules by Ruby Lang Team Phison by Chace Verity Baggage Claimed by Alexandra Warren Unsolicited Duke Pic by Nico Russo Taken by Charlotte Stein The Heart is a Universe by Sherry Thomas White Whiskey Bargain by Jodie Slaughter A Cowboy to Remember by Rebekah Weatherspoon The Good, The Bad, and the Dad by Jaxon Knight Send us your favorite short romances and the romances you’re Reading Harder in 2020! As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address (wheninromance@bookriot.com). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha match romances to conversation heart sayings and recommend romances for all of your Valentine’s/Galentine’s/Palentine’s Day needs. This episode is sponsored by The Handsell; Never Kiss a Duke by Megan Frampton, published by Avon Books; and Book Riot Insiders. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! NEWS None! We took the week off from news – it’s our “Alentine’s” Day gift to you. BOOKS DISCUSSED Take the Lead by Alexis Daria His Convenient Husband by Robin Covington Mating the Huntress by Talia Hibbert Royally Matched by Emma Chase A Prince on Paper by Alyssa Cole My Boyfriend is a Bear by Pamela Ribon and Cat Farris The Undoing by Shelly Laurenston Just One More by Jodie Slaughter The Twisted Wishes series by Ana Zabo (first book is Syncopation) The Governess Game by Tessa Dare The Fixer, The Enforcer, and The Negotiator by HelenKay Dimon Candy Hearts by Erin McLellan A Big Surprise for Valentine’s Day by Jackie Lau Send us your favorite Val/Gal/Palentine’s Day picks! And let us know the romance titles you’d match with candy hearts (or feel free to just concur with Trisha about which candies are gross). As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address (wheninromance@bookriot.com). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha are a little underwhelmed about some news updates, are delighted by Get a Life Chloe Brown, and are ready to point you toward the romance you need to achieve your new year’s resolution. This episode is sponsored by Book Riot’s Read Harder 2020 Challenge, the new podcast Novel Gazing, and Book Riot Insiders. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! NEWS In the ongoing RWA debacle, Damon Suede resigned and Executive Director Carol Ritter is leaving as of January 31. Just a general shout out to #readRchat team and the #readRchat awards and also to the lovely people behind Romance Sparks Joy. In case you need a reminder, here’s the episode we did about the Dreamspinner story. And here’s an update. BOOKS DISCUSSED Get A Life Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn The AI Who Loved Me by Alyssa Cole A Delicate Deception by Cat Sebastian One Last Chance by Therese Beharrie Thanks for all of the feedback about Chloe Brown and Goodreads reviews! Send us your additional Chloe Brown thoughts and which books you’re using to support your new year’s goals. As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address (wheninromance@bookriot.com). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha try to explain the destructive disaster that engulfed RWA, talk about the implications of the organization’s implosion, and discuss 2020 resolutions and romance titles they’re ready for. This episode is sponsored by Book Riot Insiders, Book Riot’s Read Harder 2020 Challenge, and Libro FM. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! NEWS Here’s the SBTB rundown of the RWA debacle, and here’s Claire Ryan’s detailed timeline of the events leading up to it. Jess did some very thoughtful reflecting on the situation as well. Romance Sparks Joy created a list of books by underrepresented authors which were withdrawn from the RITA awards (which have now been cancelled). And here’s the original of the comic Jess was describing by Alex Norris. (There’s another version with a fourth panel, but we’re not sure who created that fourth panel.) BOOKS DISCUSSED The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon (Coming June 9th) Recipe for Persuasion by Sonali Dev (Coming May 26th) Get A Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert (which we’re discussing on the next episode of WIR!) Send us your 2020 resolutions, books you can’t wait for, and your Goodreads reviewing tips! As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address (wheninromance@bookriot.com). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha pass along some recs from listeners, run through some recent romance news, and celebrate some of their 2019 reading highlights. This episode is sponsored by the Read Harder Journal, Regretting You by Colleen Hoover from Amazon Publishing, and Libro FM. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! NEWS Don’t forget to check out The Lesbian Review for great f/f options! Here’s Christine Feehan’s second statement. We’re sending good vibes/energy/magic to Donna, and as of this writing the Feel Better Bundle is still available at kitrocha.com/surgery. And here’s Jenny Trout’s rundown of the many ways defenses of Lucia Franco’s book are a BIG problem. BOOKS DISCUSSED From the additional request section: Wait by Susan Fanetti Secrets Well Kept and Chain Reactions by Lynn Ames The Witch of Stalingrad (and others) by Justine Saracen The Journey Home by K’Anne Meinel Letters Never Sent by Sandra Moran Kitten by Jack Harbon The Fixer by HelenKay Dimon Hearts of Ishira by Bethany Aan Chosen by Stacy Jones Other books discussed: Well Met by Jen DeLuca Blitzed by Alexa Martin World Turned Upside Down by Elyse Springer My Fake Rake by Eva Leigh Work For It by Talia Hibbert Flashed by Zoey Castile Ayesha at Last by Uzma Jalaluddin The Bride Test by Helen Hoang Once Ghosted, Twice Shy by Alyssa Cole The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics by Olivia Waite The Widow of Rose House by Diana Biller I Think I Might Love You by Christina C. Jones Get A Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert (which we’re discussing on the WIR ep coming Jan 27!) Huge thanks to everyone who sent recommendations for other listeners. Let us know what romance you loved in 2019 and what you’re excited about for 2020 – we’ll meet you there! As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address (wheninromance@bookriot.com). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s part two of romance recs! Jess and Trisha talk historicals, slow build romance, SFF romcoms, and much (much) more! This episode is sponsored by the Read Harder Journal, TBR from Book Riot, and Libro FM. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! NEWS Not news exactly, but here’s the SFF Yeah! episode we mentioned that highlights SF/F romance. And here’s the Kit Rocha “search by theme/trope” page – have fun! BOOKS DISCUSSED The Tiger and Del series (starting with Sword-Dancer) by Jennifer Roberson Slave to Sensation and Silver Silence (which is the first in the later trilogy) by Nalini Singh Hither, Page by Cat Sebastian Bring on the Blessings and Destiny’s Embrace by Beverly Jenkins The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley The Ladies Guide to Celestial Mechanics by Oliva Waite Dithered Hearts by Chace Verity Beyond Jealousy by Kit Rocha Ayesha At Last by Uzma Jalaluddin The Bollywood Bride, A Distant Heart, and Pride, Prejudice and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev In Her Sights (first in the Rocky Mountain Bounty Hunters series by Katie Ruggle) Sanctuary and Xeni by Rebekah Weatherspoon Beard Science by Penny Reid Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey Flirting With Disaster by Victoria Dahl Rend and In the Middle of Somewhere by Roan Parrish Reverb by Anna Zabo Shadows You Left by Jude Sierra and Taylor Brooke (Quick correction: we named the wrong “Taylor” in this ep. Taylor Brooke is the very talented co-author of this book – our apologies for the error!) Unsolicited Duke Pic by Nico Rosso In Case You Forgot by Frederick Smith and Chaz Lamar Anything by by Jay Northcote (A Family For Christmas is a great option!) Anything by T.J. Klune (Wolfsong is a great place to start!) The Widow of Rose House by Diana Biller The Unleashing by Shelly Laurenston Legend of the Highland Dragon by Isabel Cooper Soulless and The Sumage Solution (which kicks off the San Andreas Shifters series) by Gail Carriger The Liberators of Willow Run by Marianne K. Martin Heart’s Orders by Jaycie Morrison Morning Glory by LaVyrle Spencer Thank you again for all of your enthusiasm, and let us know if you have recs we missed – especially for the requests that left us a little bit stumped! As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address (wheninromance@bookriot.com). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s the recommendation show!! Jess and Trisha rec books that deal with infertility, romance with disabled characters, holiday titles that may not be on your radar, and more. This episode is sponsored by A Story Most Queer from Mischief Media and Book Riot Insiders. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! NEWS Don’t forget to find yourself a copy of Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert so that you’re ready for the WIR Book Cub discussion coming in January. For more great info about romance titles featuring characters with disabilities, check out the wonderful Sense and Disability site. And stay tuned for the next episode if we didn’t get to your question today! BOOKS DISCUSSED Love Around The Corner by Sally Malcolm A Second Chance Road Trip for Christmas and One Bed For Christmas by Jackie Lau Auld Lang Syne by Rebel Carter A Family For Christmas by Jay Northcote MILF on a Shelf by Nico Rosso Not Quite a Husband by Sherry Thomas So Good by Darcy Burke Snow-Kissed by Laura Florand The Countess Conspiracy by Courtney Milan Can’t Escape Love by Alyssa Cole Romancing the Duke by Tessa Dare Autumn by Cole McCade Worth It All by Claudia Connor Play It Again by Aidan Wayne Coincidence of Coconut Cake by Amy Reichert Pride, Prejudice and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev The Matched to Perfection series (starting with His Perfect Partner) by Priscilla Oliveras How to Be a Normal Person and How to Be a Movie Star by T.J. Klune (Do note Jess’s epic caveat on this one!) The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley The Hidden Blade and My Beautiful Enemy by Sherry Thomas The Spymaster’s Lady by Joanna Bourne Thank you for all of the recommendation requests and for all of your enthusiasm about great books and stories! As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address (wheninromance@bookriot.com). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha announce the next WIR book club pick, talk about romance authors who write in multiple subgenres, and discuss how to fill the gap when your favorite author stops writing romance – or just does it a bit more slowly than you might like. This episode is sponsored by Mischief Media, Book Riot’s Read This Book giveaway, and Book Riot’s TBR subscription service. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! NEWS Thanks to Melody from the Heaving Bosoms podcast for pointing us toward HEAs All Day: Romance Novels as Social Justice Narratives, a Goodreads book club hosted by Maria DeBlassie! Check out both the book club, which is related to our discussion from the last episode, and the HB podcast, which is delightful. Find yourself a copy of Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert so that you’re ready for the WIR Book Cub discussion coming in January! Here’s Jessica Avery’s rad BR post about Tiffany Reisz books if you need more guidance (or even if you don’t). And this is our last call for any recommendation requests! Send them to wheninromance@bookriot.com by November 11! BOOKS DISCUSSED Radio Silence, A Princess in Theory, and Let It Shine by Alyssa Cole Trade Me and The Duchess War by Courtney Milan Haven, Better Off Red, and Rafe by Rebekah Weatherspoon The Night Mark and The Rose by Tiffany Reisz Writing Her In and Erstwhile by Holley/HE Trent Jane Doe by Victoria Helen Stone Between the Sheets by Molly O’Keefe The Forbidden Hearts series (beginning with Hate to Want You) by Alisha Rai The Third Mrs. Durst and the 2B trilogy (beginning with I Want It That Way) by Ann Aguirre To Love A Scandalous Duke by Liana de la Rosa A Bollywood Affair and Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev In the Middle of Somewhere and Riven by Roan Parrish The Ultimate Pi Day Party and A Match Made for Thanksgiving by Jackie Lau Tell us your favorite multi-subgenre romance authors and what writers you’ve turned to when you can’t get your hands on a book by your favorite author. As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address (wheninromance@bookriot.com). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha talk about what's great and what can be challenging about book clubs, the role of romances that address social and cultural issues, and some recs for books that do just that. This episode is sponsored by Book Riot’s blind date with a book giveaway; Twice in a Blue Moon by Christina Lauren, available now from Gallery Books; and The Library of Lost Things by Laura Taylor Namey. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! NEWS AND UPDATES Thanks again to Jackie Horne from Romance Novels for Feminists for her book list on romance history and romance literary criticism! For the full list from Jackie, check out the full show notes for this episode at Book Riot. And check out Sense and Disability and the RomBkPod podcast for great romances that include disability rep! BOOKS Butterfly Swords by Jeannie Lin Intercepted by Alexa Martin The Bride Test by Helen Hoang The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai His Convenient Husband by Robin Covington Fumbled by Alexa Martin Thirsty and Trashed by Mia Hopkins Roomies by Christina Lauren Ayesha At Last by Uzma Jalaluddin American Love Story and American Fairytale by Adriana Herrera Goalie Interference by Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn Can’t Escape Love by Alyssa Cole Tell us your thoughts about book cubs (and specifically the When In Romance book club) and romances that deal with serious social issues. As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address (wheninromance@bookriot.com). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha talk about author identities and pen names, bookish events gone wrong, and road trip romances. Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! Looking to elevate your reading life? Tailored Book Recommendations is here to help with handpicked recommendations. Tell the Bibliologists at Tailored Book Recommendations about what you love and what you don't. You can get your recommendations via email or receive hardcovers or paperbacks in the mail. And with quarterly or annual plans available, TBR has something for every budget. Plans start at just $18! Subscribe today. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. News Check out this first person account of Readers Take Denver 2024 by Jessica Mack at Latest Book Crush. Books Discussed You Should Be So Lucky by Cat Sebastian Dating Dr. Dil by Nisha Sharma In Which Margo Halifax Earns Her Shocking Reputation by Alexandra Vasti A Shore Thing by Joanna Lowell (June 18) Signal Boost by Alyssa Cole Never Cross a Highlander by Lisa Rayne Let us know what you’re reading, what you’re thinking, and what you’re thinking about what you’re reading! As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address (wheninromance@bookriot.com). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown), and Jess is even on TikTok (@jess_isreading). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha discuss how sexual content ratings could work in romance, talk about how to learn more about the history of romance and romance trailblazers, and recommend some romance you might want to read this autumn. This episode is sponsored by Book Riot’s blind date with a book giveaway and No Judgement by Meg Cabot from William Morrow Paperbacks. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! NEWS Learn more about romance history from the RWA’s Romance Trailblazers page and from the Love Between the Covers Resource Guide. BOOKS Background and history on the romance genre: Desert Passions: Orientalism and Romance Novels by Hsu-Ming Teo Dangerous Books for Girls by Maya Rodale A Natural History of the Romance Novel by Pamela Regis Dangerous Men and Adventurous Women: Romance Writers on the Appeal of Romance edited by Jayne Ann Krentz Beyond Heaving Bosoms: The Smart Bitches Guide to Romance Novels by Sarah Wendell and Candy Tan Everything I know About Love I Learned From Romance Novels by Sarah Wendell Romance Recs: Perfect Rhythm by Jae Mating the Huntress by Talia Hibbert Goalie Interference by Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn Suckerpunch by Elyse Springer Halloween Boo by Sarah Spade The Winston Brothers Series by Penny Reid (the first book is Truth or Beard) A Match Made for Thanksgiving by Jackie Lau Tell us your thoughts on how to signal sexual content in romance, ways to learn about and appreciate trailblazers across romance history, and what you’re reading this season. As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address (wheninromance@bookriot.com) or you can still catch us at trisha@riotnewmedia.comand jessica@riotnewmedia.com. You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha share some thoughts about book displays; discuss plot, characters, science, and embroidery for the Great Big Romance Read; and talk about buzzworthy books still to come in 2019. This episode is sponsored by Book Riot’s mysteries giveaway, Libro FM, and Frankly In Love by David Yoon from Penguin Random House Audio. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Booksnewsletter! NEWS ICYMI, here’s the Barnes & Noble info about their increase in romance sales If you’re looking for a romance cause to support, check out the Sandra Hyde Romance Writers Trust. We got to talk about The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics by Oliva Waite for the Great Big Romance Read! BOOKS Primary Suspect by Laura Scott The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics by Oliva Waite A Little Light Mischief by Cat Sebastian The Write Escape by Charish Reid (out September 30) The Widow of Rose House by Diana Biller (out October 8) Lush Money by Angelina M. Lopez (out October 14) Blitzed by Alexa Martin (out December 3) Beard Necessities by Penny Reid (out November 4) American Love Story by Adriana Herrera (out October 7) My Fake Rake by Eva Leigh (out November 26) Not the Girl You Marry by Andie J. Christopher (out November 12) Tell us how your bookstores display romance, what you thought of The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics, and what you can’t wait to read for the rest of 2019. As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address (wheninromance@bookriot.com) or you can still catch us at trisha@riotnewmedia.comand jessica@riotnewmedia.com. You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha discuss an unprofessional move by a writer in New Zealand, authors who aren’t getting paid by a romance publisher, and the romance authors, series, and subgenres they came to a bit late. This episode is sponsored by Book Riot’s mysteries giveaway, Shadow Mountain Publishing, and the Recommended podcast. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! NEWS Check out the new inclusive romance podcast RomBkPod! Here is what a professional article about romance author Nalini Singh looks like. And if you want to learn more about a literary charity supporting New Zealand romance writers, check out the Sandra Hyde Romance Writers Trust. Tweets about the Dreamspinner Press non-payment debacle from Anna Zabo (not a Dreamspinner author), Avon Gale, and TJ Klune. We’re discussing The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics for the Great Big Romance Read in our next episode! Send us your thoughts before Sept 19! BOOKS I Think I Might Love You by Christina C. Jones Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh Wolfsong and How to Be a Movie Star by TJ Klune The Preacher’s Promise and A Champion’s Heart by Piper Huguley The Princess Trap, A Girl Like Her, and Damaged Goods by Talia Hibbert It Takes Two to Tumble by Cat Sebastian Stripped by Zoey Castile Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey Let us know your thoughts and questions about The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics and what series, authors, and genres you came to late. As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address (wheninromance@bookriot.com) or you can still catch us at trisha@riotnewmedia.com and jessica@riotnewmedia.com. You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha are not surprised that romance sales are up, talk a little about romance book printing and supply decisions, and recommend books in which the geographic setting is integral to the story. This episode is sponsored by Book Riot Insiders; Libro FM; and TBR, Book Riot’s new subscription service offering tailored book recommendations for readers of all stripes. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! NEWS Barnes & Noble is selling more romance (and the bestselling books are listed at that link). Podcast high-five for all of the booksellers involved in Bookstore Romance Day! The Great Big Romance Read caused a spike in sales for The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics – and don’t forget we’re discussing that next month! Here are Esi Sogah’s threads on book availability and on romance covers and trade paperback. And here’s the Book Riot piece on illustrated covers by Kelly Jensen. BOOKS The Big Burn by Timothy Egan We Are Never Meeting In Real Life by Samantha Irby Misadventures of a Curvy Girl by Sierra Simone The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics by Olivia Waite Once Ghosted, Twice Shy by Alyssa Cole Virgin River by Robyn Carr Three Part Harmony by Holley Trent Pride by Ibi Zoboi Wicked and the Wallflower by Sarah MacLean Brazen and the Beast by Sarah MacLean The World Turned Upside Down by Elyse Springer Indigo by Beverly Jenkins Rebel by Beverly Jenkins I Think I Might Love You by Christina C. Jones The Coincidence of Coconut Cake by Amy E. Reichart Let us know your thoughtful thoughts on romance sales, supply, covers, and geography! As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address (wheninromance@bookriot.com) or you can still catch us at trisha@riotnewmedia.com and jessica@riotnewmedia.com. You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha celebrate important progress at the RITAs, talk through romance authors writing outside their own experience, and brainstorm what romance series they’d like to see get the fanfic treatment. This episode is sponsored by the podcast Hot and Bothered from Spoke Media; The Rogue to Ruin by Vivienne Lorret; and The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai, published by Avon Books. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! NEWS Ripped Bodice giveaway! Ripped Bodice Great Big Romance Read! You can still watch the RITAs AND the Romance Trailblazers video – lucky you! Here’s the post Jess wrote about the RITAs, the full list of RITA winners, and the statement about the process from the RWA Board. Jess mentioned this thread about writing and representation from the exceptionally thoughtful and talented Adriana Herrera. And here’s the list of new Smarty Pants Romance books. BOOKS The Color of Love by Sandra Kitt The Winston Brothers series (first book is Truth or Beard) Merry Inkmas by Talia Hibbert The Reluctant Royals series by Alyssa Cole (first book is A Princess in Theory) Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes Let us know what you think of romance written outside an author’s experience and what extended or alternate universes you’d like to see in romance! As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address (wheninromance@bookriot.com) or you can still catch us at trisha@riotnewmedia.com and jessica@riotnewmedia.com. You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha are delighted about a new award for excellence in romance fiction, discouraged by some publishing news, and thinking about how tragedy in a romance can impact the “happily” in an HEA. This episode is sponsored by Libro.fm audiobooks, The Rogue to Ruin by Vivienne Lorret, and Mom’s Perfect Boyfriend by Crystal Hemmingway. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! NEWS Get excited for The Great Big Romance Read from The Ripped Bodice! We’ll discuss The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics by Olivia Waite on Sept 23, so feel free to send us your thoughts about it between now and then! And then get excited about the Ripped Bodice Awards for Excellence in Romantic Fiction! This Harlequin/Carina Press news is less exciting, and here’s Angela James’ farewell to Carina. And some people are pretty frustrated about this Entangled Publishing news as well. (If you need a reminder about book stuffing, we talked about it last year in Episode 17, “Look How We Accidentally Recommended All the Strippers.”) Less Than Three Press is also closing because this week is full of publishing bummers. And here’s the list of 50 Must Read Romances from the 2010s that we talked about. BOOKS The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics by Olivia Waite Desire and the Deep Blue Sea by Olivia Dade The Perfect Date by Evelyn Lozada with Holly Lorincz Her Other Secret by HelenKay Dimon Let us know what you think of the new Ripped Bodice Awards and tragedy in romance, and what your favorite romances of the last decade are! As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address (wheninromance@bookriot.com) or you can still catch us at trisha@riotnewmedia.comand jessica@riotnewmedia.com. You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha are joined by the wonderful Sarah Wendell of Smart Bitches, Trashy Books for a mid-year check in, and they discuss all things romance in 2019 so far – big news, breakout authors, and books we’ve loved and want everyone to read. This episode is sponsored by Libro.fm audiobooks, Sourcebooks (featuring Kingdom of Exiles by Maxym M. Martineau), and Lifelines by Heidi Diehl. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! NEWS Sarah’s website and podcast will both add delight and books to your life. Sarah talked about a 1997 lawsuit involving Nora Roberts, and you can read about it here and here. Allow Courtney Milan to remind you about the #CopyPasteCris situation. (You can also revisit some of our episodes from the spring.) Listen to Sarah’s interview with Kristy (CaffeinatedFae) and Claire Ryan, and visit the website for Claire’s software in progress that will help detect plagiarism. Here are a couple of links to remind you about what went very wrong with the RITA nominations, and a statement from the RWA Board about what they want to do differently. The Bridgerton Series made some great casting announcements. Here’s that Book Riot “Best of 2019 So Far” list we mentioned. And here’s the episode of Smart Podcast, Trashy Books featuring Jess and Trisha. BOOKS Beyond Heaving Bosoms: The Smart Bitches’ Guide to Romance Novels by Sarah Wendell Everything I Know About Love I Learned from Romance Novels by Sarah Wendell Lighting the Flames by Sarah Wendell These are the authors who are breaking out in 2019 (or who are about to!) along with where you can start with their books: Linda Holmes – Evvie Drake Starts Over Alisha Rai – The upcoming book is The Right Swipe Jasmine Guillory – Coming this month is The Wedding Party, and the holiday book Jess mentioned is Royal Holiday Anna Zabo – The Twisted Wishes series starts with Syncopation We also talked about these books that we’ve loved so far this year: The Key to Happily Ever After by Tif Marcelo Wolf Pack by Abby Wambach (which is non-fiction, not romance…and while you’re at it with commencement speeches turned into books, also listen to Dream More by Dolly Parton) Kiss and Cry by Mina V. Esguerra The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman American Dreamer and American Fairytale by Adriana Herrera Can’t Escape Love by Alyssa Cole The Ultimate Pi Day Party by Jackie Lau A Prince on Paper by Alyssa Cole Pride, Prejudice and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev Ayesha At Last by Uzma Jalaluddin Let us know what romance authors you think are having a big 2019 and what you’ve been reading and loving this year! Find Sarah online at smartbitchestrashybooks.com or (for the podcast) smartbitchestrashybooks.com/podcast; on Instagram and Twitter @smartbitches; OR you can email her at sarah@smartbitchestrashybooks.com! As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the shiny new WIR email address (wheninromance@bookriot.com) or you can still catch us at trisha@riotnewmedia.comand jessica@riotnewmedia.com. You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha do a bit of follow-up, discuss an article about the online abuse romance writers face, mention a few releases for the second half of 2019 that they’re looking forward to, and shout out some underrated romance authors. This episode is sponsored by Libro.fm audiobooks, Her Other Secret by HelenKay Dimon, and Brazen and the Beast by Sarah MacLean. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Booksnewsletter! NEWS Apologies again for our error when talking about Thaw by Elyse Springer last week! By way of follow-up, you might want to check out the Patreon for The Lesbian Review. Here’s that Nicholas Sparks statement we mentioned. Jess tracked down a few tweets that relate to the “sex on the page” conversation we had, and you can find them here, here, here, here, and here. Here’s the Glamour article we discussed about the ways romance writers are targets for abuse online. As we mentioned on the podcast, CW for abuse. Support Rediscovered Books and Mostly Books! They support romance! Feel free to email us at the sparkly new When In Romance email address! It’s wheninromance@bookriot.com! BOOKS Her Perfect Affair by Priscila Oliveras (but like we said, also read Her Perfect Partner) Craving Flight by Tamsen Parker The Key to Happily Ever After by Tif Marcelo The Ballad of Whiskey Jax by Avon Gale The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics by Oliva Waite One Day to Fall by Therese Beharrie Sapphire Flames by Illona Andrews The Wallflower Wager by Tessa Dare Blitzed (and Intercepted and Fumbled) by Alexa Martin Love On My Mind by Tracey Livesay The Unleashing by Shelly Laurenston Only for a Night by Naima Simone Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev Taking the Lead by Cecelia Tan The Fandom series by Cathy Yardley (Level Up is the first book) Perfect Rhythm and Not the Marrying Kind by Jae Let us know what books you’re excited about and who your favorite underrated authors are! Find us on email at the new WIR email address (wheninromance@bookriot.com) or you can still catch us at trisha@riotnewmedia.com and jessica@riotnewmedia.com. You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha discuss new revelations about discrimination at the school Nicholas Sparks founded; suggest some romance-focused Patreons you might consider supporting; and recommend books featuring characters who are asexual, aromantic, grey-asexual and greyromantic. This episode is sponsored by Libro.fm audiobooks, This Time Will Be Different by Misa Sugiura, and Fix Her Up by New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey, published by Avon. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! NEWS Like we said, no more comments section at Book Riot – but you can just contact Trisha and Jess! Our info is below! Here’s the link to the Romance GenreCon! It’s free! Click here to learn about how Nicholas Sparks went from sucking generally to being the actual worst. Here are the Patreons (PAtreons? PaTREons? PatreONs?) we talked about: The Ripped Bodice WOCINROMANCE LGBTQReads The Lesbrary Smart Podcast Trashy Books Love’s Sweet Arrow Love in Panels Romance Class BOOKS Hot Licks by A.M. Arthur That Kind of Guy by Talia Hibbert Shadows You Left by Taylor Brooke and Jude Sierra Perfect Rhythm by Jae Writing Her In by Holley Trent Syncopation by Anna Zabo Thaw by Elyse Springer Correction: In discussing Thaw by Elyse Springer, our host incorrectly identified the asexual character. Abigail, rather than Gabrielle, is asexual; our apologies for the error. Play It Again by Aidan Wayne Let us know what Patreons you love (no matter how you pronounce it!) and what your favorite books are that feature characters who are asexual, aromantic, grey-asexual and greyromantic. Find us on email (trisha@riotnewmedia.comand jessica@riotnewmedia.com), Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha talk through what they want from book cons, respond to a reader request for own voices romance by Asian and Asian-American authors, and recommend some “unputdownable” romances for summer reading. This episode is sponsored by Book Riot’s All The Books podcast; Read Bliss, presented by Harlequin; and Rebel by Beverly Jenkins. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! NEWS The book and romance conventions we discussed are: Book Lovers Con Kiss Con Apollycon BookCon The Tucson Festival of Books The Baltimore Book Festival Romance GenreCon, sponsored by the Mid-Continent Public Library (We actually forgot to mention this one, but we meant to!) BOOKS Hidden Impact by Piper J. Drake My Beautiful Enemy by Sherry Thomas A Study in Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas Tikka Chance on Me by Suleikha Snyder Bollywood and the Beast (the third in the Bollywood series) by Suleikha Snyder Seared by Suleikha Snyder A Bollywood Affair by Sonali Dev The Bollywood Bride by Sonali Dev Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev His Cocky Valet by Cole McCade The Bride Test by Helen Hoang The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang Teach Me by Olivia Dade Talk Me Down (and the whole Tumble Creek series) by Victoria Dahl Riven by Roan Parrish Think of England by KJ Charles Ayesha At Last by Uzma Jalaluddin Let us know what you want from your book cons, what your favorite own voices books by Asian and Asian-American writers are, and what romance books you just couldn’t put down. Find us on email (trisha@riotnewmedia.com and jessica@riotnewmedia.com), Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trisha is joined by special guest Vanessa Diaz, Managing Editor for Book Riot, and they talk about reading habits, books they love, and why third person present narration is so weird. Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! Looking to elevate your reading life? Tailored Book Recommendations is here to help with handpicked recommendations. Tell the Bibliologists at Tailored Book Recommendations about what you love and what you don't. You can get your recommendations via email or receive hardcovers or paperbacks in the mail. And with quarterly or annual plans available, TBR has something for every budget. Plans start at just $18! Subscribe today. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Books Discussed The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo Aphrodite and the Duke by J.J. McAvoy The Kiss Countdown by Etta Easton The Widow of Rose House by Diana Biller Boyfriend Material and 10 Things That Never Happened by Alexis Hall The Switch and The Road Trip by Beth O’Leary The Sitcom Star and The Reluctant Heartthrob by Jackie Lau The Primas of Power series, including A Lot Like Adiós, You Had Me at Hola, and Along Came Amor by Alexis Daria Vanessa also mentioned Alyssa Cole - there’s no wrong place to start with Alyssa Cole, but if you’re looking for ideas, check out Let It Shine and/or A Princess in Theory! Let us know what you’re reading, what you’re thinking, and what you’re thinking about what you’re reading! As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address (wheninromance@bookriot.com), and Vanessa is on the socials @BuenosDiazSD. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha are together at Book Lovers Con in New Orleans talking about the good and bad things about using series to tell romance stories and the upcoming books they’ve heard about at the convention that they’re excited about. This episode is sponsored by Audible; Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev, published by William Morrow; and Read Bliss, presented by Harlequin. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! BOOKS: The Reluctant Royals series by Alyssa Cole (starts with A Princess In Theory and ends with A Prince on Paper) The Twisted Wishes series by Anna Zabo (starts with Syncopation and ends with Reverb) The Ravenswood series by Talia Hibbert (starts with A Girl Like Her and ends with That Kind of Guy) The Girls Meets Duke series by Tessa Dare (starts with The Duchess Deal and is ongoing!) The Regency Imposters series by Cat Sebastian (starts with Unmasked by the Marquess and is ongoing!) The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams The Widow of Rose House by Diana Biller The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore Arctic Sun by Annabeth Albert Three Part Harmony by Holley Trent Let us know whether you can drop into a series or whether you have to start from the beginning and let us know what your favorite series are. Find us on email (trisha@riotnewmedia.com and jessica@riotnewmedia.com), Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha have updates, talk about how they became romance readers, and recommend some titles for the beginning of #RomBkLove. This episode is sponsored by Book Riot Insider, Every Last Breath by Juno Rushdan, and BookCon. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! NEWS: Nora Roberts is putting her lawyers where her mouth is: she’s filed a plagiarism lawsuit against Cristiane Serruya, better known on Twitter as #CopyPasteCris. Huge congratulations to Valen Cox, who is the first recipient of Avon Books’ Beverly Jenkins Diverse Voices Sponsorship. As we mentioned, here’s Ashley’s post about how a bunch of Rioters were turned on to romance. And read/share along with #RomBkLove! Here’s Jess’s post from last week. BOOKS: Legend by Jude Deveraux Insatiable by Meg Cabot She Went All the Way by Meg Cabot Neanderthal Seeks Human by Penny Reid About Last Night by Ruthie Knox Let It Shine by Alyssa Cole Romancing the Duke by Tessa Dare Slave to Sensation (Psy-Changling Book 1) by Nalini Singh An Extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole Think of England by K.J. Charles In the Middle of Somewhere by Roan Parrish A Fashionable Indulgence (Society of Gentleman Book 1) by K.J. Charles Lover at Last by J.R. Ward Fumbled by Alexa Martin Rebel by Beverly Jenkins Getting Hot with the Scot by Melonie Johnson The Rose by Tiffany Reisz Ghost by Robin Covington A Prince on Paper by Alyssa Cole Let us know how you came to romance reading and what your #RomBkLove picks are. Find us on email (trisha@riotnewmedia.com and jessica@riotnewmedia.com), Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha do a bit of follow-up, try to design the perfect starter catalogue for book stores new to romance, talk about some upcoming titles they’re excited about, and recommend some light and delightful reads. This episode is sponsored by Libro fm, BookCon, and Unscripted by Claire Handscombe. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! NEWS: If you’re interested in the Hugo awards, here’s a piece on this year’s nominees by Book Riot’s Margaret Kingsbury. Romance Sparks Joy is sparking OUR joy. We hope Bookstore Romance Day is coming to a store near you this August! And Book Riot has a new podcast! Check out Kid Lit These Days for kid lit news and recommendations. BOOKS: Wrong to Need You by Alisha Rai Bad Blood by M. Malone My So-Called Bollywood Life by Nisha Sharma Long Shot by Kennedy Ryan The Duchess War by Courtney Milan Indigo by Beverly Jenkins Let It Shine by Alyssa Cole The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang Syncopation by Ana Zabo Truth or Beard by Penny Reid Flirting with Disaster by Victoria Dahl An Extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole Duchess by Design by Maya Rodale Rafe by Rebekah Weatherspoon Wolfsong by T.J. Klune Rebel by Beverly Jenkins Reverb by Anna Zabo Tell Me How You Really Feel by Aminah Mae Safi That Kind of Guy by Talia Hibbert Goalie Interference by Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn Sapphire Flames by Ilona Andrews Can’t Escape Love by Alyssa Cole The Key to Happily Ever After by Tif Marcelo A Duke in Disguise by Cat Sebastian The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare Let us know what books to recommend to our indie bookstores, and tell us what you’re excited to read this summer. Find us on email (trisha@riotnewmedia.com and jessica@riotnewmedia.com), Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author Andie J. Christopher joins Trisha to discuss shady book repackaging practices, the RITA mess, how content warnings help readers, and Andie’s erotic romance recs. This episode is sponsored by Book Riot Insiders, In Her Sights by Katie Ruggle, and the audiobook edition of The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! NEWS: Here’s Shiloh Walker’s thread on book regurgitation. There’s too much going on with the RITAs to link to everything, but here’s Jess’s Book Riot post from right after the nominations, here’s a lot of data Bronwen Fleetwood pulled together related to the lack of diversity in RITA awards and nominations (and here’s some more), and here’s the RWA response we mentioned on the show. And just one more reminder to subscribe to our Kissing Books newsletter – written by Jess! – if you don’t want to miss romance news between podcasts. BOOKS: The One Night in South Beach series by Andie J. Christopher (the first book is Stroke of Midnight) Not the Girl You Marry by Andie J. Christopher Long Shot by Kennedy Ryan Damaged Goods by Talia Hibbert The Blank Canvas series by Adriana Anders (the first book is Under Her Skin) The Professor and Never Sweeter by Charlotte Stein Curio by Cara McKenna Priest by Sierra Simone Craving Flight by Tamsen Parker Misadventures of a Curvy Girl by Sierra Simone Theirs for the Night by Katee Robert Locked Box, Open Hearts, and Act Your Age by Eve Dangerfield Driven By Fate by Tessa Bailey Sin and Ink, Passion and Ink, and Scoring the Player’s Baby by Naima Simone Haven (which is ACTUALLY the first Beards and Bondage book), So Sweet, and Rafe by Rebekah Weatherspoon Syncopation by Anna Zabo Let us know if you have thoughts on content warnings and what your favorite erotic romances are. Find Andie on Twitter (@authorandiej) and Instagram (@authorandiej), and as always, you can find us on email (trisha@riotnewmedia.comand jessica@riotnewmedia.com), Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha discuss the problem with calling non-explicit romance “clean,” explore why Trisha rereads and Jess doesn’t, and talk about what they’ve been reading this week. This episode is sponsored by Book Riot Insiders. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! NEWS: On Book Riot, Sarah talks about why calling books “clean” is a problem. The Feminist Librarian makes an argument that a distinction between “erotica” and “porn” is harmful. BOOKS: Friends Without Benefits by Penny Reid Virgin River by Robyn Carr Worth the Fall by Claudia Connor So Sweet by Rebekah Weatherspoon Going Down by Barbara Bell Geek Out: A Collection of Trans and Genderqueer Romance Can’t Escape Love by Alyssa Cole The Governess Affair by Courtney Milan Let us know if you have thoughts on calling romance “clean,” and whether/why/when you reread books. Find us on email (trisha@riotnewmedia.com and jessica@riotnewmedia.com), Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha discuss the Ripped Bodice’s annual report on the state of racial diversity in romance, talk through some of the romance sales issues brought to light by a high-profile plagiarism event, and recommend books that sit all along the emotional spectrum. This episode is sponsored by Libro fm audiobooks and Down and Dirty by Rhenna Morgan, published by Carina Press. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! NEWS: Patricia covered the Ripped Bodice report for Book Riot, and the 2016 and 2017 reports can be found at the RB site as well. Nora Roberts has some feelings, and she is making them known in 2019. Here’s the Venn diagram we mentioned that Bree posted (and you should read the whole thread). Kilby Blades reflected on the ghostwriter issue on her blog. BOOKS: Perv by Dakota Gray Long Shot by Kennedy Ryan Hired by Zoey Castile Ripped Pages by M. Hollis American Dreamer by Adriana Herrera The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang Let us know if you have thoughts on Thirsty and what books you’ve loved for the Read Harder challenge. Find us on email (trisha@riotnewmedia.comand jessica@riotnewmedia.com), Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha try to sort out a romance plagiarism garbage fire, discuss all of things they appreciate about Thirsty for the WIR book club, and give you some romance recs so that you can Read Harder. This episode is sponsored by Audible, MIRA Books and HQN, and The Devil’s Daughter by Lisa Kleypas. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! NEWS: Carolina breaks down the #CopyPasteCris situation for Book Riot. Also, check out Courtney Milan’s blog post about it for more info and also for some personal reflections. Jess mentioned this tweet from Beverly Jenkins, which inspired this tweet from @allieiswriting, and then also this related t-shirt that you can buy. And that is the short version of why this week’s episode is marked explicit. Here’s the full Read Harder challenge list so you can read your way through. BOOKS: The Duchess War by Courtney Milan Thirsty by Mia Hopkins Intercepted by Alexa Martin (and here’s our book club convo about it) Thrall by Avon Gale and Roan Parrish The Boy Next Door by Meg Cabot My Beautiful Enemy and its prequel, The Hidden Blade by Sherry Thomas Behind These Doors by Jude Lucens The Craft of Love by E.E. Ottoman Love On My Mind by Tracey Livesay Let us know if you have thoughts on Thirsty and what books you’ve loved for the Read Harder challenge! Find us on email (trisha@riotnewmedia.comand jessica@riotnewmedia.com), Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha talk about the first ever romance in Reese Witherspoon’s book club, a new title by E L James, romances that are rare – or sometimes just older – and we announce our new WIR Book Club pick! This episode is sponsored by TBR, Healing Hearts from Shadow Mountain Publishing, and Never Let Go by Elizabeth Goddard and Revell Books, a Division of Baker Publishing Group. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! NEWS: Jasmine Guillory’s The Proposal is the Hello Sunshine book club pick for February! E L James has a new book out and Trisha has questions about it. Speaking of erotic romance, here’s a great Book Riot quiz if you wanna know what steamy romance you should be reading next. Here’s the Courtney Milan thread we mentioned about the VERY BAD take on erotic romance that was published (and very quickly removed) on Frolic. The Ripped Bodice is going old school, y’all. The responses to this tweet from Rebekah Weatherspoon will keep your TBR stocked for years. YEARS. Both Indigo and Morning Glory are, in fact, on this NPR list. We’re very bummed for the folks impacted by the shuttering of Loveswept (though we’re using the WIR book club to make lemonade out of lemons!) Jess mentioned that one of our listeners sent us the the ALA’s Reading List award for romance. The romance books on that list are books we loved from last year about AND they’re all authors of color. BOOKS: The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory Fifty Shades of Grey by E L James The Mister by E L James A Gentleman in the Street by Alisha Rai Bedroom Games by Alisha Rai Glutton for Pleasure by Alisha Rai The Crossfire Series by Sylvia Day, which starts with Bared to You Morning Glory by LaVyrle Spencer Indigo by Beverly Jenkins Thirsty by Mia Hopkins Let us know if you’re reading The Proposal, whether you’re going to read The Mister, what your favorite older romance is, and how excited you are to read Thirsty. Find us on email (trisha@riotnewmedia.com and jessica@riotnewmedia.com), Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha celebrate their first pod-iversary, have some words for people who aren’t inclusive readers, discuss the characteristics of a good romance novella, and recommend some of their favorites. This episode is sponsored by The Read Harder Journal by Book Riot and by the Avon Kisscon Weekend Affair. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! NEWS: Here’s a thread on the kind of disruption romance is actually in need of right now. And if you need good options for books coming out in early 2019, just read the list Book Riot’s Silvana Reyes Lopez put together. BOOKS: Untouchable by Talia Hibbert Only for a Night by Naime Simone Once Ghosted Twice Shy by Alyssa Cole Her Every Wish by Courtney Milan Craving Flight by Tamsyn Parker Welcome to Seaport by Katrina Jackson Ghost by Robin Convington Rogue Desire by many authors (including Grassroots/ Loving the Secret Billionaire by Adriana Anders) Rogue Nights by many authors The Seal’s Rebel Librarian by Anne Calhoun Tell us what your favorite historical romance by an AOC is, what novellas you like, and whether you’re going to KissCon (Trisha needs to know).  Find us on email (trisha@riotnewmedia.com and jessica@riotnewmedia.com), Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha start the year off right by discussing all the things they’re going to do better in 2019, a few of the many books they’re excited about in 2019, and some of the romance they read while they were away. This episode is sponsored by The Read Harder Journal by Book Riot, The One You Fight For by Roni Loren, and Nightchaser by Amanda Bouchet. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! NEWS: Be like Jess – resolve to Read Harder in 2019! Here’s that whole big list of 2019 books we’re jazzed about at Book Riot and you’re welcome. BOOKS: Beard Necessities by Penny Reid An Unconditional Freedom by Alyssa Cole Ayesha At Last by Uzma Jalaluddin Unmarriageable by Soniah Kamal The Key To Happily Ever After by Tif Marcelo American Dreamer by Adriana Herrera Burn for Me by Ilona Andrews Tikka Chance on Me by Suleikha Snyder Fumbled by Alexa Martin Only for a Night by Naima Simone See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha cover a few potpourri topics and updates before talking about romances that are worth the hype. Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! Want to make your book club the best club? Sign up for our In the Club newsletter. In the Club will deliver recommendations for the best books to discuss in your book clubs. From buzzy new releases to brilliant throwbacks, the books highlighted in this newsletter will drive your book club discussions. We’ll also share some book club-friendly recipes and interesting bookish updates from all over. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features. In other words, we’ll keep you well-met, well-read, and well-fed. Sign up today! This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. News Check out the Lammy award nominees and let us know which books you liked and which books are missing.  As recommended by Jess, a fantastic conversation with some of our faves. Books Discussed This Could Be Us by Kennedy Ryan The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang Bride by Ali Hazelwood The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Amezi Pucking Around by Emily Rath Morning Glory Milking Farm by C.M. Nascosta Let us know what you’re reading, what you’re thinking, and what you’re thinking about what you’re reading! As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address (wheninromance@bookriot.com). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown), and Jess is even on TikTok (@jess_isreading). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha discuss Pride by Ibi Zoboi as part of the Great Big Romance Read; offer quick takes on some of the best and strangest news of 2018; and help you decide exactly which holiday romance is right for your seasonal circumstances. This episode is sponsored by Dirty Little Secret by Jennifer Ryan and the Book Riot Read Harder journal. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Google Play AND find full show notes at the When in Romance page on Bookriot.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s all recs all the time this week as Jess and Trisha offer romance recommendations for under the radar picks from 2018, books for the romance film-lover in your life, non-book gifts from romancelandia, and more. This episode is sponsored by Cadenza by Stella Riley, an exquisite historical romance in The Times-recommended Rockliffe series; Penguin Random House Audio; and the Book Riot Read Harder journal. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Google Play AND find full show notes at the When in Romance page on Bookriot.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha are joined by delightful and insightful author Rebekah Weatherspoon to follow up on romance covers, discuss what makes a romance “fluffy,” and recommend some of our favorite fluffy reads. This episode is sponsored by My One and Only Duke on audiobook, written by Grace Burrowes and read by James Langton; Dragonshadow by Elle Katharine White; and Book Riot Insiders. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Google Play AND find full show notes at the When in Romance page on Bookriot.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices