This week my guest is Marisa Kanter, author of the adult rom-com FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS, as well as several YA romance novels. We talked about writing the ultimate contemporary marriage-of-convenience about best friends who get married for health insurance and housing. We had a good venting session about ableism and misogyny in romance reviews, and the weird trend of readers wanting to "rescue" male main characters from their chronically ill heroines.

Topics include: Romance characters who don't want to get married, the disgraceful state of the United States healthcare system, and if escapism has to mean a love story completely untethered from economic reality.

Follow Marisa on Instagram @marisakanter and visit her website at marisakanter.com. Purchase Marisa's FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS from the Rebel Ever After affiliate bookstore here!

My second-chance college reunion romance BUT HOW ARE YOU, REALLY is available wherever books are sold and at bit.ly/buthowareyoureallynovel

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Books referenced this episode include:

• The works of Sarah Dessen
• The works of Meg Cabot
• The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
• The Broposal by Sonora Reyes