Fated Mates - Romance Books for Novel People

Afleveringen

• RERUN: Trailblazer Loretta Chase 01.06.2026 1u 19min

  AH2's Historical Trailblazers Romance Collection is inspired by the Fated Mates Trailblazers series, so we thought it would be good to rerun each featured author's Trailblazer episode. This time we've got Loretta Chase, author of Lord of Scoundrels. If this leaves you hungry for more, you can revisit our Lord of Scoundrels deep dive episode.The Historical Trailblazers Kickstarter runs until June 2. Don't miss out!
• RERUN: Trailblazer KJ Charles 30.05.2026 1u 43min

  AH2's Historical Trailblazers Romance Collection is inspired by the Fated Mates Trailblazers series, so we thought it would be good to rerun each featured author's Trailblazer episode. This time we've got KJ Charles, author of The Magpie Lord. If this leaves you hungry for more, you can revisit our Magpie Lord deep dive episode.The Historical Trailblazers Kickstarter runs until June 2. Don't miss out!
• RERUN: Trailblazer Jeannie Lin 27.05.2026 1u 31min

  AH2's Historical Trailblazers Romance Collection is inspired by the Fated Mates Trailblazers series, so we thought it would be good to rerun each featured author's Trailblazer episode. This week we've got Jeannie Lin, author of Butterfly Swords. If this leaves you hungry for more, you can revisit our Butterfly Swords deep dive.The Historical Trailblazers Kickstarter runs until June 2. Don't miss out!
• S08.35: Sad Boys Who Punch Things with Veronica Roth 20.05.2026 1u 32min

  This week, we’re joined by one of the greatest, Veronica Roth, whose new book, Seek the Traitor’s Son, features one of her most beloved of tropes: Sad Boys Who Punch Things. We were delighted when she suggested we do an episode on this very particular, very delicious romance concept, and of course, we invited her to join us! We talk about how it works, why we love soft boys who are full of rage, and how we stan a hero who is willing to stand back and let his partner be awesome. We also talk about The West Wing & Ladyhawke (makes sense). And of course, we talk about her books!If you’d like to continue the conversation about sad boys who punch things or about Veronica’s deep backlist, please join the Fated Mates Discord, which is accessible to our Patreon subscribers. By joining the Patreon, you meet other Fated Mates listeners and get an extra monthly episode from us. Support us and learn more at fatedmates.net/patreon.Our next read along is Seven Days in June by Tia Williams. Get it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, wherever you get your books, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.NOTESVeronica Roth’s newest release is Seek the Traitor’s Son, the first in a dystopian fantasy duology with a strong romance subplot.We love the follow sad boys: Toby Ziegler, Angel, Fox Mulder, Tobias from Animorphs, and Rutger Hauer from Ladyhawke.The Sixth Faction is coming soon! SPONSORSPiper Rayne, author of The Hotshot, available in print, ebook, audiobook and with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.Rose Prendeville, author of A Faire Affair, available in print, ebook and with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.Blue Box Press, publishers of Dylan Allen’s beautiful new print editions of The Daredevil, The Mastermind & The Wild Card. Available in print and ebook from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.Lumi Gummies. Go to lumigummies.com and use code FATEDMATES for 30% off your order.The RestFor even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net/episodes/2026/5/18/s0835-sad-boys-who-punch-things-with-veronica-roth If you wish you had six more days in a week of people talking about romance, may we suggest joining our Patreon? Aside from an additional episode every month you get access to our Discord, where other romance readers are talking about books they love (and many other things!) all the time. It’s so fun! Learn more about the Patreon and go join those cool people who love romance as much as you do at patreon.com/fatedmates. Beyond your favorite podcast app, you can find us on Instagram, Threads, Blue Sky, Tumblr, and probably some other places, too, if you look hard enough. If you've never listened to our Stop Book Banning episode, there's no better time than now.
• RERUN: Trailblazer Beverly Jenkins 18.05.2026 1u 9min

  AH2's Historical Trailblazers Romance Collection is inspired by the Fated Mates Trailblazers series, so we thought it would be good to rerun each featured author's Trailblazer episode. We're starting with Beverly Jenkins, author of Indigo. If this leaves you hungry for more, we talk about Ms. Bev quite frequently on the podcast, including in this Indigo deep dive.The Historical Trailblazers Kickstarter runs until June 2 and includes not just the Indigo hardcover book, but a full cast audiobook, too! Don't miss out!
• S08.34: Historical Romance with Ali Hazelwood and Adriana Herrera 13.05.2026 1u 53min

  We are thrilled to have two of our favorite people with us today to discuss one of our favorite genres! Ali Hazelwood and Adriana Herrera, the masterminds behind the AH2 Kickstarter of Historical Trailblazers are here to talk about all the ways historical romance is unmatched! We talk about the new Historical Trailblazer special edition box set that AH2 launched this week, about the power of historicals, and about some of our favorite historical romances, past and present.The Historical Trailblazer Box Set of books, including Indigo by Beverly Jenkins, Butterfly Swords by Jeannie Lin, The Magpie Lord by KJ Charles, Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase, and (of course) Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas. The box set includes stunning hardcover editions, gold foil, sprayed edges, original artwork and letters from the authors. Learn more at the AH2 Kickstarter page.If you’d like to continue the conversation about historical romance, please come join the Fated Mates Discord, which is accessible to our Patreon subscribers. By joining the Patreon, you meet other Fated Mates listeners and get an extra monthly episode from us. Support us and learn more at fatedmates.net/patreon.Our next read along is Seven Days in June by Tia Williams. Get it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, wherever you get your books, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.SponsorsBlue Box Press, publishers of Larissa Ione’s Legacy of Desire, available in print, ebook or audiobook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, or wherever you get your books.Juniper Butterworth, author of The King in the Forest, coming soon in print, ebook and with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.Elle Kennedy, author of The Off Campus series, beginning with The Deal, now a television show on Amazon, available in print, ebook and audiobook, at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.Dawn Banks, author of The Spreadsheet Situation, available in print or ebook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, free with Kobo Plus, or wherever you get your books.The RestFor even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net/episodes/2026/5/11/historicals-with-ali-hazelwood-and-adriana-herrera If you wish you had six more days in a week of people talking about romance, may we suggest joining our Patreon? Aside from an additional episode every month you get access to our Discord, where other romance readers are talking about books they love (and many other things!) all the time. It’s so fun! Learn more about the Patreon and go join those cool people who love romance as much as you do at patreon.com/fatedmates. Beyond your favorite podcast app, you can find us on Instagram, Threads, Blue Sky, Tumblr, and probably some other places, too, if you look hard enough. If you've never listened to our Stop Book Banning episode, there's no better time than now.
• S08.33: Ian Mackenzie is DTF: The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie 06.05.2026 1u 36min

  We’re deep diving into one of our favorite historicals from the 00s today — Jennifer Ashley’s The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie. It’s a great follow up to our Paris episode last week, but we also talk about how Ashley really wrote the heck out of this book. We talk about widows, about sex in historicals, about autism rep in historicals, romance families, and the way this series electrified us as readers. This book is a straight up banger.If you’re interested in learning more about the AH2 Historical Trailblazer Kickstarter, featuring beautiful, hardcover special editions of Lord of Scoundrels, Indigo, The Magpie Lord, Butterfly Swords and Dreaming of You, head over to the Kickstarter page and sign up for updates!If you’d like to continue the conversation about The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie or any of Jennifer Ashley’s other books, please come join the Fated Mates Discord, which is accessible to our Patreon subscribers. By joining the Patreon, you meet other Fated Mates listeners and get an extra monthly episode from us. Support us and learn more at fatedmates.net/patreon.Our next read along is Seven Days in June by Tia Williams. Get it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, wherever you get your books, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.NotesCheck out the AH2 kickstarter, partnering with Fated Mates and Julia Whelan’s Audiobrary. It goes live next week!Dua Lipa met her fiance Callum Turner because they both were reading the same book, Trust by Hernan Diaz. Dua Lipa’s book club is called Service 95.You, too, might enjoy reading Dungeon Crawler Carl. Or Reacher. Or Murderbot. Jen is thinking of going to bedazzle a copy of Dungeon Crawler Carl, but is that too silly?Dorchester Publishing was a house that published mostly mass market paperbacks, and it shuttered shortly after the publishing of The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie. The editor of the book, Leah Hultenschmidt, is now at Forever.There’s a new-ish translation of The Odyssey by Emily Wilson that you might like. Xenia is the ancient Greek word for hospitality, and Wilson talks a about how the word comes from the root xenos, meaning both stranger and friend. Maybe if we were all a little more open to those we don’t know, things would be different.SponsorsHarperCollins, publishers of Laurie Gilmore’s The Daisy Chain Flower Shop, available in print, ebook or audiobook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, or wherever you get your books.Michelle Ruoff, author of A Summer to Stay, available in print, ebook and with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.Jennilynn Wyer, author of All Our Next Times, available in print, ebook and audiobook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.The RestFor even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net/episodes/2026/5/4/0833-the-madness-of-lord-ian-mackenzie If you wish you had six more days in a week of people talking about romance, may we suggest joining our Patreon? Aside from an additional episode every month you get access to our Discord, where other romance readers are talking about books they love (and many other things!) all the time. It’s so fun! Learn more about the Patreon and go join those cool people who love romance as much as you do at patreon.com/fatedmates. Beyond your favorite podcast app, you can find us on Instagram, Threads, Blue Sky, Tumblr, and probably some other places, too, if you look hard enough. If you've never listened to our Stop Book Banning episode, there's no better time than now.
• S08.32: Paris Romance with Kate Clayborn 29.04.2026 1u 34min

  We Love Paris in the Springtime and we love Paris in The Paris Match by our very favorite, Kate Clayborn. Today, we’re talking about the City of Love itself, with Kate! We talk about the magic of the City of Lights, about the weight it has in romance, and about the mythology it carries with it whenever it’s included in a book. Yes, of course, we talk about Jessica and Dain, but we also celebrate Kate’s new release, The Paris Match! We’re also covering sex workers, chocolatiers, cigarette smokers and heroes who gnaw off their own legs, the Champs de Elysee be damned. Thanks, as always, to Kate for joining us and putting up with our shenanigans.If you’d like to continue the conversation about Paris, please come join the Fated Mates Discord, which is accessible to our Patreon subscribers. By joining the Patreon, you meet other Fated Mates listeners and get an extra monthly episode from us. Support us and learn more at fatedmates.net/patreon.Our next read along is The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie by Jennifer Ashley. Get it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.NotesWelcome Kate Clayborn. Her first episodes way back in Season 1 were about Siblings’ Best Friends and then Sexclamation Points!, and since then, she’s been on about a million other times. Cormac McCarthy has some strong feelings about punctuation and Random House doesn’t like the interrobang, but Sarah’s a rebel.Green screen technology has come a long way. In this interview, Heated Rivalry cinematographer Jackson Parrell describes how he used the technology in the show, including the scene on the beach in Tampa. Cinematographer Valentina Vee did a really interesting set of videos talking about the use of green screen technology in the show.The Edna St. Vincent Millay sonnet about place that Sarah quoted is Time Does Not Bring Relief.Kate wrote a round up for People magazine about great books set in and about Paris.Jen heard about Puppets by Jenna Ryan after being tagged in an Instagram post by WendieReads. But in digging around, Jen discovered the Passages podcast did a deep dive of the book in 2025.You can read more about the puppet theaters of Paris in this New York Times article from 2019.SponsorsElle Kennedy, author of Love Song, available in print, ebook, audiobook and with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.Claire Wilder, author of Nailed, available in print, ebook and with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.Blue Box Press, publishers of Donna Grant’s The Dragon Chronicles, beautiful new print editions of seven books in the series, including Dragon King, Dragon Fever, Dragon Burn, Dragon Night, Dragon Claimed, and Dragon Lost. Available in print and ebook from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.Lumi Gummies. Go to lumigummies.com and use code FATEDMATES for 30% off your order.The RestFor even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net/episodes/2026/4/27/0832-the-paris-match-by-kate-clayborn If you wish you had six more days in a week of people talking about romance, may we suggest joining our Patreon? Aside from an additional episode every month you get access to our Discord, where other romance readers are talking about books they love (and many other things!) all the time. It’s so fun! Learn more about the Patreon and go join those cool people who love romance as much as you do at patreon.com/fatedmates. Beyond your favorite podcast app, you can find us on Instagram, Threads, Blue Sky, Tumblr, and probably some other places, too, if you look hard enough. If you've never listened to our Stop Book Banning episode, there's no better time than now.
• S08.31: Trailblazer Ruby Dixon 22.04.2026 1u 46min

  This season, we’re expanding our traditional Trailblazer series to include the romance writers who are trailblazing today. Our first guest on this branch of the legend tree is Ruby Dixon, author of the Ice Planet Barbarians series. Ruby joins us to talk about how she became Ruby Dixon, what inspired the Ice Planet Barbarians series, how she thinks about writing this ever expanding world, the business of the Barbarians, and what’s next. We’re very grateful to her for making time with us.If you’d like to continue the conversation about Ruby Dixon, her work and the Ice Planet Barbarians, head over to join the Fated Mates Discord, which is accessible to our Patreon subscribers. By joining the Patreon, you meet other Fated Mates listeners and get an extra monthly episode from us. Support us and learn more at fatedmates.net/patreon.Our next read along is The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie by Jennifer Ashley. Get it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.NotesWelcome Ruby Dixon, bestselling author of the Ice Planet Barbarians series.Authors, Publishing Professionals, and Influencers Mentioned: author Anne McCafferty; author Edgar Rice Burroughs; author Andre Norton; author Bertrice Small; author Julie Garwood; editor Cindy Hwang; Ellora’s Cave authors Evangeline Anderson, Laurann Donner, and Jaid Black; author R. Lee Smith; Dani Lacey’s Ice Planet Pod; TikTokker and now author Charlotte Swan; agent Holly Root; Ruby’s writing group, Alexa Riley, Kati Wilde, & Ella Goode.Books and Movies Mentioned: Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean Auel, Last of Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper, Amarna Sunset by Aiden Dodson, Beneath the Sands of Egypt by Donald Ryan, Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier, Villain Origin Story by Ruby Dixon, Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman.For more Ruby Dixon, check out our Ice Planet Barbarians deep dive.SponsorsLittle Brown & Company, publishers of Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham’s The Academy, available in print, ebook and audiobook from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Kobo or wherever you get your books.Lucy Score, author of Mistakes Were Made, available in print, ebook or audiobook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited. Get it wherever you get your books.Lumi Gummies, Go to lumigummies.com and use code FATEDMATES for 30% off your order.The RestFor even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net/episodes/2026/4/19/0831-trailblazer-ruby-dixon If you wish you had six more days in a week of people talking about romance, may we suggest joining our Patreon? Aside from an additional episode every month you get access to our Discord, where other romance readers are talking about books they love (and many other things!) all the time. It’s so fun! Learn more about the Patreon and go join those cool people who love romance as much as you do at patreon.com/fatedmates. Beyond your favorite podcast app, you can find us on Instagram, Threads, Blue Sky, Tumblr, and probably some other places, too, if you look hard enough. If you've never listened to our Stop Book Banning episode, there's no better time than now.
• S08.30: Irredeemable Characters: Morality Chain Redux 15.04.2026 1u 30min

  By request, we’re talking about the characters who have been exiled from family, from community, and from themselves—the irredeemable characters in romance. This is Morality Chain all over again. We’re talking about characters that have done terrible things on and off the page, to the detriment of their reputations in the text and outside, with readers, and somehow, by the end of their own book, are made whole and worthy of love. Here lies St. Vincent, Mr. Vivisection, and more.Tell us about your favorite irredeemable characters in romance on our social media or head over to join the Fated Mates Discord, which is accessible to our Patreon subscribers. By joining the Patreon, you meet other Fated Mates listeners and get an extra monthly episode from us. Support us and learn more at fatedmates.net/patreon.Our next read along is The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie by Jennifer Ashley. Get it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.NotesWe have been so inspired by all the moon joy in the world. Here is the Artemis II path from the Astronomy Picture of the Day; splashdown was awesome; the dark side of the moon isn’t like a real thing, exactly; and here’s a bunch of other stuff from NASA. Check out our episode from season 1 with astronomer Summer Ash (her interview is at the end of the episode), and learn all about that golden record they sent out to space on Voyager.Michael Corleone was irredeemable! Tommy Shelby? Well, apparently that’s open to interpretation!SponsorsNeyha Liu, author of Midnight at Soulfield, available in print or ebook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.Avery Maxwell, author of The Forgotten Billionaire, available in print, ebook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.Little Brown & Company, publishers of Ruth McKell’s Honey in Her Veins, available in print, ebook and audiobook from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Kobo or wherever you get your books.Claire Contreras, author of Isle of Wrath, available in print, ebook, audiobook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.The RestFor even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net If you wish you had six more days in a week of people talking about romance, may we suggest joining our Patreon? Aside from an additional episode every month you get access to our Discord, where other romance readers are talking about books they love (and many other things!) all the time. It’s so fun! Learn more about the Patreon and go join those cool people who love romance as much as you do at patreon.com/fatedmates. Beyond your favorite podcast app, you can find us on Instagram, Threads, Blue Sky, Tumblr, and probably some other places, too, if you look hard enough. If you've never listened to our Stop Book Banning episode, there's no better time than now.
• S08.29: Jen & Sarah Answer Your Burning Questions 08.04.2026 1u 24min

  As always when we’re together, today we’re answering listener questions! In here, we’re recommending sex lessons books, motorcycle romance, books set in Toronto, Ohio and more — we’re also talking about the evolution of the trade paperback, how Jen edits, when Duchess is coming, and if we have favorite dinosaurs. It’s a full service episode for you, our faves.If you have more burning questions for us, you can find us in the Ask Jen & Sarah channel on the Fated Mates Discord, which is accessible to our Patreon subscribers. By joining the Patreon, you meet other Fated Mates listeners and get an extra monthly episode from us. Support us and learn more at fatedmates.net/patreon.Our next read along is The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie by Jennifer Ashley. Get it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.The RestFor even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net If you wish you had six more days in a week of people talking about romance, may we suggest joining our Patreon? Aside from an additional episode every month you get access to our Discord, where other romance readers are talking about books they love (and many other things!) all the time. It’s so fun! Learn more about the Patreon and go join those cool people who love romance as much as you do at patreon.com/fatedmates. Beyond your favorite podcast app, you can find us on Instagram, Threads, Blue Sky, Tumblr, and probably some other places, too, if you look hard enough. If you've never listened to our Stop Book Banning episode, there's no better time than now.
• S08.28: Spring 2026 Preview 31.03.2026 1u 37min

  It’s time to fill those TBR piles again! April means the start of Spring and also another quarterly upcoming romance episode! We’re talking about romances hitting shelves and ereaders during April, May & June 2026! Whether historical, paranormal, contemporary or Romantasy, we’ve got something for everyone in fifty or so recs across every single genre. As a reminder, we haven’t read most of these, but we have big plans!If you want more recommendations and more people with whom you can discuss 2026 romance novels, maybe you want to join our Patreon? You get an extra monthly episode from us and access to the incredible readers and brilliant people on the Fated Mates Discord! Support us and learn more at fatedmates.net/patreon.Our next read along is The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie by Jennifer Ashley. Get it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.AUTHORS: Do you have a book coming out in 2026 that you’d like to make sure we know about? Or, are you a debut romance author who’d like to make sure we know about your debut? Fill out the forms here:2026/2027 Upcoming Romance Novels2026 Debut Romance NovelsSponsorsLavinia K. Darcy, author of Return to Kingscote, available in print or ebook. Get it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, or wherever you get your books.Metaltail Press, publishers of SE McPherson’s A Villain’s Hope, available in print or ebook. Get it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.Neyha Liu, author of Midnight at Soulfield, available in print or ebook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.The RestFor even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net If you wish you had six more days in a week of people talking about romance, may we suggest joining our Patreon? Aside from an additional episode every month you get access to our Discord, where other romance readers are talking about books they love (and many other things!) all the time. It’s so fun! Learn more about the Patreon and go join those cool people who love romance as much as you do at patreon.com/fatedmates. Beyond your favorite podcast app, you can find us on Instagram, Threads, Blue Sky, Tumblr, and probably some other places, too, if you look hard enough. If you've never listened to our Stop Book Banning episode, there's no better time than now.
• S08.27: Romance Baby: Not the Secret Kind 24.03.2026 1u 37min

  It never fails to surprise us when we realize we’ve never talked about a really classic trope even now…eight years in. This week, we’re talking about kids in romance—which we’ve somehow never done before?! We’re covering Romance Babies, Romance Kids, and Single Parents in Romance — but so sorry to the Secret Baby lovers out there, that one deserves its own episode (someday). We’re talking babies, toddlers and teens, the appeal of the single parent romance novel, and that one Erin St. Claire book that Sarah can’t get out of her head.If you want more Fated Mates in your life, or you want to talk more about Romance Babies/Kids, please join our Patreon, which comes with an extremely busy and fun Discord community! Join other magnificent firebirds to hang out, talk romance, and be cool together in a private group full of excellent people. Learn more at patreon.com.Our next read along is The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie by Jennifer Ashley. Get it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.NotesThe Silhouette Intimate Moments line eventually turned into Harlequin Romantic Suspense. Erin St. Claire is one of Sandra Brown’s many pen names.Wet nurses have been around for a very long time, baby bottles not so much. I say this only because Sarah said “Bottle service” and that’s something different.Red ink has been around for a long time, actually. So maybe that’s how Sophie had access to it during the Regency?So there’s not a whole lot of evidence that birthmarks are hereditary. Shocking, I know.SponsorsThe Romantasy Letters, a new kind of romantic fantasy storytelling, delivered right to your door twice monthly. Use the code FATED to get 20% off your year's subscription. Learn more at RomantasyLetters.com.LJ Andrews, author of Heir of Twisted Lies, available in print or ebook. Get it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, or wherever you get your books.Neyha Liu, author of Midnight at Soulfield, available in print or ebook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.Lucy Score, author of Mistakes Were Made, available in print, ebook or audiobook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited. Get it wherever you get your books.The RestFor even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net If you wish you had six more days in a week of people talking about romance, may we suggest joining our Patreon? Aside from an additional episode every month you get access to our Discord, where other romance readers are talking about books they love (and many other things!) all the time. It’s so fun! Learn more about the Patreon and go join those cool people who love romance as much as you do at patreon.com/fatedmates. Beyond your favorite podcast app, you can find us on Instagram, Threads, Blue Sky, Tumblr, and probably some other places, too, if you look hard enough. If you've never listened to our Stop Book Banning episode, there's no better time than now.
• S08.26: Ballet and Opera in Romance 17.03.2026 1u 38min

  Someone said something real stupid, and that means we get to hit back in the best way possible — with romance recommendations! Today we’re talking about the Opera and the Ballet in Romance! We’re talking about historicals and contemporaries, about mafia enforcers and exasperated dukes, about football players and yes, of course, our sweet baby Conrad Wroth. You’re going to have a great time. Congratulations to the movie-starrest of movie stars, Michael C. Jordan, on the occasion of his Oscar win.If you want more Fated Mates in your life, or you want to talk more about Opera and Ballet and romance novels, please join our Patreon, which comes with an extremely busy and fun Discord community! Join other magnificent firebirds to hang out, talk romance, and be cool together in a private group full of excellent people. Learn more at patreon.com.Our next read along is The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie by Jennifer Ashley. Get it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.NotesTornadoes are scary, but the University of Michigan is keeping track of them for you. Chicagoans think that the city is tornado-proof; it’s not.Daylight Savings Time sucks.Cara Dion and Robin Lovett are both Opera Singers — Romancelandia remains the coolest.Thanks Louisa Darling, for giving us this episode about Timothee Chalamet and his boneheaded comments about ballet and opera a few weeks ago, and then he didn’t win a single Oscar. Are these things related? Who can say!Magic Mike is the greatest dance movie ever made, or a feminist text. Pick your poison.A ballet book Jen imprinted on as a teenager was called Mariana by Karen Strickler Dean, and for Sarah it was an opera book called Mountain Laurel by Jude Deveraux.Kelly Clarkson and Josh Groban do this version of All I Ask of You from Phantom of the Opera that’s very beautiful.Michael B Jordan DID win the Academy Award for best actor, and we couldn’t be more happy about it.SponsorsThe Monique Fisher Universe, including The Decadence Series, and the upcoming novella Make Room for Heather, available in print or ebook. Get it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.The Romantasy Letters, a new kind of romantic fantasy storytelling, delivered right to your door twice monthly. Use the code FATED to get 20% off your year's subscription. Learn more at RomantasyLetters.com.Blue Box Press, publishers of Kristin Ashley’s After the Climb, a River Rain novel. Available in print, ebook or audiobook from Amazon & Barnes & Noble.Lumi Gummies. Go to lumigummies.com and use code FATEDMATES for 30% off your order.The RestFor even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net If you wish you had six more days in a week of people talking about romance, may we suggest joining our Patreon? Aside from an additional episode every month you get access to our Discord, where other romance readers are talking about books they love (and many other things!) all the time. It’s so fun! Learn more about the Patreon and go join those cool people who love romance as much as you do at patreon.com/fatedmates. Beyond your favorite podcast app, you can find us on Instagram, Threads, Blue Sky, Tumblr, and probably some other places, too, if you look hard enough. If you've never listened to our Stop Book Banning episode, there's no better time than now.
• S08.25: Heated Rivalry Read-Alikes with Christopher Rice 10.03.2026 1u 44min

  Calling all Loons! You’ve heated and reheated the rivalry, and now it’s time for us to talk about what you should read between now and Season 2. We’re joined by friend and fave of the pod, Christopher Rice, who writes m/m and sometimes m/m/m romance as C. Travis Rice. We talk about our feelings about Heated Rivalry, about the books and their impact, and about the transformational work of the show…and then we fill your to-be-read piles with books we thing deliver the same kind of emotions. We had a great time, and you will, too.If you want more Fated Mates in your life, or you want to talk more about Heated Rivalry & romance novels, please join our Patreon, which comes with an extremely busy and fun Discord community! Join other magnificent firebirds to hang out, talk romance, and be cool together in a private group full of excellent people. Learn more at patreon.com.Our next read along is The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie by Jennifer Ashley. Get it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.NotesWelcome back Christopher Rice who writes romance under the name C. Travis Rice. Christopher and his best friend Eric Shaw Quinn host a podcast called The Dinner Party Show. You can listen to their Heated Rivalry episode here, and Eric’s tuna melt thoughts start around the 18:30 minute mark. Their episode with Dateline producer Josh Mankiewicz aired on March 1st. You can watch the documentary Anne Rice: An All Saints’ Day Celebration for free at her website.Wesley Morris’s essay in the New York Times, I’m so Used to Gay Tragedies That I Almost Missed Romance. The Heated Rivalry Crave social media feed highlighted the power of the adaptation by showing the cast reading from the books, juxtaposing scenes from the show with the text, and loving Rachel Reid!Good Will Hunting is 29 years old! Okay, I know that Ryan Coogler has made a couple of Marvel movies, but he’s also writing dazzling original films like Sinners!Olympians in Italy ran through 10,000 condoms in 3 days and the Village needed to do some restocking. Here’s one athlete’s history of condoms at the Olympics.To be fair, adding a pitch clock and changing other MLB baseball rules have shortened the running time of most games.For more information about gay rodeo, follow the instagram of the International Gay Rodeo Association. Pick Up Men is the first book in the Pick Up Men series by LC Chase.SponsorsJayne Ann Krentz, author of The Shop on Hidden Lane, available in print or ebook. Get it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.The Romantasy Letters, a new kind of romantic fantasy storytelling, delivered right to your door twice monthly. Use the code FATED to get 20% off your year's subscription. Learn more at RomantasyLetters.com.Blue Box Press, publishers of Jennifer L. Armentrout’s Dream of You, a Wait for You novella. Available in print, ebook or audiobook from Amazon & Barnes & Noble.The RestFor even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net If you wish you had six more days in a week of people talking about romance, may we suggest joining our Patreon? Aside from an additional episode every month you get access to our Discord, where other romance readers are talking about books they love (and many other things!) all the time. It’s so fun! Learn more about the Patreon and go join those cool people who love romance as much as you do at patreon.com/fatedmates. Beyond your favorite podcast app, you can find us on Instagram, Threads, Blue Sky, Tumblr, and probably some other places, too, if you look hard enough. If you've never listened to our Stop Book Banning episode, there's no better time than now.
• S08.24: Sincerely, Your Inconvenient Wife by Julia Wolf 03.03.2026 1u 41min

  Things are looking very wild out here in the real world so you deserve a deep dive on a book by an author with a big backlist and we are here to give you just that! Today's episode is on Sincerely, Your Inconvenient Wife, a modern day marriage of convenience story from Julia Wolf's The Harder They Fall series. We talk about fake husbands down bad, family drama, and the charm of an author building a big universe for all their characters to live in forever.If you want more Fated Mates in your life, or you want to talk more about Julia's books, please join our Patreon, which comes with an extremely busy and fun Discord community! Join other magnificent firebirds to hang out, talk romance, and be cool together in a private group full of excellent people. Learn more at patreon.com.Read Sincerely, Your Inconvenient Wife in ebook or paperback, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.NotesHow the great blizzard of 2026 stacked up with previous blizzards. Seems like Providence was a bad place to be. The winner of this year’s Chicago’s snowplow naming contest: Abolish ICE.Everyone loves Bad Bunny.Ryan Coogler gave a beautiful speech about love at the BAFTA awards. Watch Jayme Lawson from the NAACP Awards give a brilliant explanation of why BAFTA and BBC are to blame for the events at this year’s BAFTA awards.We have both been reading a lot of Julia Wolf books ever since our New Year’s Milkin’ Eve episode.Wyoming is a very big state with a very small population, so small in fact that there are 117 counties that have a bigger population than the entire state. You can play around with comparing populations using this map tool from Slate.The other books we mentioned this episode by Julia Wolf: a rock star romance, Built to Fall. Saoirse’s brother’s book is Sweet Like Poison. Luca’s sister’s book is In the Details.SponsorsMelanie Greene, author of New Flames, available in print or ebook. Get it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.The Romantasy Letters, a new kind of romantic fantasy storytelling, delivered right to your door twice monthly. Use the code FATED to get 20% off your year's subscription. Learn more at RomantasyLetters.com.The What in the Smut? Podcast, available wherever you get your podcasts.Vedentro, premium leather accessories. Use code FATED at checkout to get an additional 10% off the best offer on the site.The RestFor even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net If you wish you had six more days in a week of people talking about romance, may we suggest joining our Patreon? Aside from an additional episode every month you get access to our Discord, where other romance readers are talking about books they love (and many other things!) all the time. It’s so fun! Learn more about the Patreon and go join those cool people who love romance as much as you do at patreon.com/fatedmates. Beyond your favorite podcast app, you can find us on Instagram, Threads, Blue Sky, Tumblr, and probably some other places, too, if you look hard enough. If you've never listened to our Stop Book Banning episode, there's no better time than now.
• S08.23: The Chemise Protects You From Boning: Romance Wardrobe 24.02.2026 1u 28min

  Continuing our series on Romance Vibes, we’re talking about Romance Wardrobe this week! We’re talking corsets and chemises, falls and Hessian boots, Armani suits and underpants that rip right off. We also get to the bottom of the pronunciation of bliaut. Do we recommend books? Not really, but it’s ok, we all deserve a week of goofing off sometime. All that, and Sarah saw “Wuthering Heights.”If you want more Fated Mates in your life, or more romance lovers who love music, please join our Patreon, which comes with an extremely busy and fun Discord community (complete with a music channel)! Join other magnificent firebirds to hang out, talk romance, and be cool together in a private group full of excellent people. Learn more at patreon.com.Next week, our read along is Sincerely, Your Inconvenient Wife by Julia Wolf. Find it in ebook or paperback, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.NotesSarah went to see Scare Quotes Wuthering Heights, but Jen hasn’t seen it yet. According to New York Magazine, you don’t have to read Wuthering Heights to see “Wuthering Heights.” But the costumes sure are beautiful.Those Bronte sisters!Desmond Morris’s 12 Steps to IntimacyAll about smelling salts.A woman and her baby stroller were blown into Lake Michigan last week! The Windy City is no joke! Am I to understand these are not historically accurate Kilts?Beau Brummell was a real person.The Armani suit was a big deal in the 80s.We are not rich enough to do anything but read about stealth wealth.You should watch Deadwood.All About:ChemiseReticuleA beaver hat is this, not that.BliautKirtleButtonsWaistcoatGreatcoatPelisseUnion suitSponsorsBlue Box Press, publishers of Larissa Ione’s Demonica Legacy series rereleased paperbacks, available in print, ebook or audiobook. Get the redesigned paperbacks at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or wherever you get your books.The Romantasy Letters, A new kind of romantic fantasy storytelling, delivered right to your door twice monthly. Use the code FATED to get 20% off your year's subscription. Learn more at RomantasyLetters.com.Lumi Labs, creators of Lumi Gummies. Go to lumigummies.com and use code FATEDMATES for 30% off your order.Amy Spalding, author of In Her Spotlight, available in print, ebook and audiobook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.The RestFor even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net If you wish you had six more days in a week of people talking about romance, may we suggest joining our Patreon? Aside from an additional episode every month you get access to our Discord, where other romance readers are talking about books they love (and many other things!) all the time. It’s so fun!...
• S08.22: Chart Topping Songs and Their Perfect Romance Novel Pairings 17.02.2026 2u 1min

  Our old pal Billy Shakes told us that music is the food of love, and we’re taking that to heart this week! By request from Eric (who’s never requested anything before), we’re looking at songs that charted in February over the years and matching them with romance novels that suit! We’ve got a little bit of something for everyone here, from historicals to paranormals, motorcycles to mafia to magical realism. Eric’s put together a playlist, and you can find links to that and articles about a bunch of these songs in show notes, or you can just head straight to reading the books. We don’t judge!If you want more Fated Mates in your life, or more romance lovers who love music, please join our Patreon, which comes with an extremely busy and fun Discord community (complete with a music channel)! Join other magnificent firebirds to hang out, talk romance, and be cool together in a private group full of excellent people. Learn more at patreon.com.Our next read along (in March) is Sincerely, Your Inconvenient Wife by Julia Wolf. Find it in ebook or paperback, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.NotesYou can listen to the accompanying playlist on Apple Music and SpotifyYou, too, may want to learn about this mahjong situation brewing in the Midwest with Barbara.It’s the Olympics. Defector is covering all the news stories we want to know about, including the Curling Drama between Sweden and Canada, the ice dancers are super villains, and this Norwegian skier is an idiot.Happy Black History Month! Jen did something cool at The Newberry Library. It was part of the Douglass Day transcribe-a-thon, transcribing information about the Colored Conventions. You can still participate using Zooniverse, and looking for the Douglass Day Project.Sarah enjoyed learning about the Asking Dumb Questions class at Yale.Tom Breihan writes a column The Number Ones at Stereogum, and Jen also enjoys a similar Slate podcast called Hit Parade.Here’s the spreadsheet of February hits, and a playlist of songs we talked about today! The Macarena is a song about love triangles! Bad Romance by Lady Gaga is on this list, but we only talk about books we like.The DJ book Jen couldn’t remember was Rival Radio by Kathryn Nolan.The Stud Budz, WNBA players Courtney Williams & Natisha Hiedeman, did a long livestream during the 2025 All Star Weekend, and they sang and danced to Pink Pony Club. Check out Babes Sports Bar if you’re ever in Chicago. Jen did an event there, cohosted by 831 Stories & Off the Dribble Chicago, an organization for basketball-playing women and girls in the city.Prince renamed himself as a symbol when fighting with his record label.SponsorsBlue Box Press, publishers of Dylan Allen’s Rivers Wilde rereleased paperbacks, available in print, ebook or audiobook. Get the redesigned paperbacks at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or wherever you get your books.The Romantasy Letters, A new kind of romantic fantasy storytelling, delivered right to your door twice monthly. Use the code FATED to get 20% off your year's subscription. Learn more at RomantasyLetters.com.MA Wardell, author of Peaches & Pucks, available in print, ebook and audiobook at Barnes & Noble, bookshop.org or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.Jennifer Iacopelli, author of Game, Set, Match, available in print, ebook and audiobook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.The RestFor even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net If you wish you had six more days in a week of people talking about romance, may we suggest joining our Patreon? Aside from an additional episode every month you get access to our Discord, where other romance readers are talking about books they love (and many other things!) all the time. It’s so fun! Learn more about the Patreon and go join those cool people who love romance as much as you do at patreon.com/fatedmates. Beyond your
• S08.21: 🌹A Dozen Roses for Valentine’s Day🌹 10.02.2026 2u 6min

  This weekend, the world is celebrating the second most important romance holiday in February (see last week’s episode for the most important)—Valentine’s Day! To lean into the traditions of the day, we thought we’d offer you a dozen roses this week, in the form of books! We’re taking the topic broadly—from character names, to author names, to rose scented things, to roses on the page — historical, contemporary, mafia and more…there’s something in here for everyone. 🌹If you want more Fated Mates in your life, please join our Patreon, which comes with an extremely busy and fun Discord community! Join other magnificent firebirds to hang out, talk romance, and be cool together in a private group full of excellent people. Learn more at patreon.com.Our next read along (in March) is Sincerely, Your Inconvenient Wife by Julia Wolf. Find it in ebook or paperback, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.NotesLadyhawke is a 1985 movie starring Michelle Pfeiffer, Rutger Hauer, and Matthew Broderick.Go see “Wuthering Heights” if you want! It has Jacob Elordi ( even though Heathcliff should be a man of color) and Margot Robbie, but mostly it’s about capturing a vibe.Sinners was terrific, it stars Michael B Jordan playing twins, was nominated for a record-breaking 16 Oscars, and includes both an extraordinary sequence about the history of music and a hero who enjoys a meal.Well, we actually talked about a bunch of rose adjacent stuff outside of our official dozen roses. Here they are:Rose DeWitt Bukater from TitanicRose Nylund from The Golden Girls defending MinnesotaThe first book in Lorraine Heath’s Rogues and Roses series is A Duke of Her OwnSJ Tilly (who we think is great) has an epistolary romance called Dear RosieOrca is the official name of the killer whaleWe wouldn’t wish Hyperemesis gravidarum on anyonePlease don’t fuck around with measles—get your kids vaccinated and your titers checkedYou should probably read The Red before you read The RoseThe covers and/or stepbacks of Sarah’s Rules of Scoundrels series feature roses, and in One Good Earl Deserves a Lover, Pippa is breeding rosesLilah Rose is the name of the heroine in A Duke Worth Falling ForWe love author Stephanie RoseHere’s a list of romances with rose in the title, and another list of books with characters named Rose.Jen will be at Babe’s Sports Bar on Thursday, Feb 12, 2026 to talk about Rooting Interest by Cat Disabato and at the White Oak Library in Romeoville at 10:30am on Saturday February 21, 2026.On Saturday, March 7th, Sarah will be at the Ballrooms and Beyond Conference in Bristol, RI. The event is free, but registration is required. Also, there’s a (not free) cocktail party!SponsorsBlue Box Press, publishers of Jennifer L. Armentrout’s The Primal of Blood and Bone limited edition paperback, available in print, ebook or audiobook, at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or wherever you get your books.Harpercollins, publishers of AT Qureshi’s The Baby Dragon Bookshop, available in print, ebook and audiobook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.Lyx Books, publishers of Brittany Cherry’s Eleanor & Grey, available in print, ebook and audiobook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.Tarina Deaton, author of Day in the Knight, available in print, ebook and audiobook at Amazon,
• S08.20: Trailblazer Lisa Kleypas 03.02.2026 1u 58min

  It’s finally happened! In a perfect Derek Craven Day celebration, our Trailblazer conversations continue this week with thee Lisa Kleypas, historical romance royalty, who changed the game when she brought working class heroes to historicals. We discuss her four decades of work in romance, from historical to contemporary to magical realism and now into historical fiction, touching on the Kleypas hero, the way she builds series, and the ways that she continues to push herself as a storyteller. And yes, she was kind enough to play a round of Derek Craven Would Never.We are so grateful to Lisa Kleypas for making time for us, for her amazing books, and for Derek Craven Day.If you want more Fated Mates in your life, please join our Patreon, which comes with an extremely busy and fun Discord community! Join other magnificent firebirds to hang out, talk romance, and be cool together in a private group full of excellent people. Learn more at patreon.com.Our next read along (in March) is Sincerely, Your Inconvenient Wife by Julia Wolf. Find it in ebook or paperback, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.Lisa Kleypas Books Mentioned This EpisodeThen Came You by Lisa KleypasDreaming of You by Lisa KleypasChasing Cassandra by Lisa KleypasForever My Love by Lisa KleypasThe Vallerands Series by Lisa KleypasThe Wallflowers Series by Lisa KleypasAgain the Magic by Lisa KleypasThe Devil in Winter by Lisa KleypasMarrying Winterborne by Lisa KleypasLove in the Afternoon by Lisa KleypasDevil in Spring by Lisa KleypasHello Stranger by Lisa KleypasSugar Daddy by Lisa KleypasThe Queen of Lombard Street by Lisa KleypasNotesWelcome Lisa Kleypas. This fall, she’s releasing her first historical fiction novel, The Queen of Lombard Street.People mentioned: editor Carolyn Nichols, editor Ellen Edwards, author Laura Kinsale, author Rebecca Brandewyne, author Stephanie Laurens, author Julia Quinn, editor Jen Enderlin, editor Carrie Feron, author Eloisa James, author Jennifer Crusie.Other notable mentions: Louisa May Alcott’s House in Concord MA, William Crockford the inspiration for Derek Craven, the observation about industry vs crime was (of course) made by Sanj, and Elizabeth Garrett Anderson the inspiration for Dr. Garrett Gibson.Keep up with everything Derek Craven!SponsorsBlue Box Press, publishers of Audrey Carlan’s Marriage Auction Series novellas Madam Alana and A Christmas Auction. Available in print or ebook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited. Learn more at TheBlueBoxPress.com.The Romantasy Letters, A new kind of romantic fantasy storytelling, delivered right to your door twice monthly. Use the code FATED to get 20% off your year's subscription. Learn more at RomantasyLetters.com.Jennifer Iacopelli, author of Game, Set, Match, available in print, ebook and audiobook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.Lumi Labs, creators of Lumi Gummies. Go to lumigummies.com and use code FATEDMATES for 30% off your order.The RestFor even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net/episodes/2026/2/2/0820-trailblazer-lisa-kleypas If you wish you had six more days in a week of people talking about romance, may we suggest joining our Patreon? Aside from an additional episode every month you get access to our Discord, where other romance readers are talking about books they love (and many...