Have you ever fallen for someone only to realize they’re secretly a billionaire? Or a prince? Or, oh, just a government spy with a kill count?

This week, Nikki and Meg are diving deep into one of the most over-the-top, high-drama romance tropes of all time: SECRET IDENTITY ROMANCE.

What’s inside this episode:

* The "Love Me Despite" Factor: Why the conflict in these stories is always I want to be loved for me, not my title/wealth/dangerous profession.

* The Aladdin Effect: How romance novels use this trope to explore class dynamics, privilege, and public vs. private identity.

* The Almost Reveal: That agonizing moment where the specialist boy (gender-neutral term!) almost confesses…but doesn’t.

* The Uno Reverse Card Reveal: Sometimes, the "commoner" love interest is actually hiding a secret, too. (Plot twist!)

Check out our list of secret identity romances on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4kiWZbq *affiliate link

Books & Media We Mention:

* Crazy Rich Asians (film)

* A Princess in Theory by Alyssa Cole

* Ever After (film)

* The Prince and Me (film)

* True Lies (film)

* Mr. & Mrs. Smith (film)

* Roman Holiday (film)

* The Billionaire Brotherhood series by Lucy Lennox

* Prince of Lies by Lucy Lennox

* The Spy & Mobsters Son by Keira Andrews

* The Big Fix (Torus Intercession Book 5)

* How to Catch a Prince by Ana Ashley

* Felix & The Prince by Lucy Lennox

* Interview with Harrison Ford and Allison Hammond

* The Gorge (film)

* Only One Bed by Katie Wild

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View the full show notes on our Substack.

Order Meg’s debut novel, Peppermint Bark, No Bite (affiliate link)

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

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