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What happens when fat joy meets sports romance? Author and podcaster Kelly Reynolds joins me to talk about why plus-size characters in romance—especially sports romance—matter more than ever.

We chat about the politics of body representation, how romance can normalize diverse body types, and Kelly’s own baseball romance series. Kelly also shares plenty of book recs—from rugby poly romances to fat girl hockey series—that will expand your TBR with joyful, body-positive reads.

Hit It and Quit It by Kelly Reynolds — Buy on Amazon | Baseball Romance | KU ✅

Pitches Be Crazy by Kelly Reynolds — Buy on Amazon | Baseball Romance | KU ✅

All Bats Are Off by Kelly Reynolds — Buy on Amazon | Baseball Romance | KU ✅

Addicted to Glove by Kelly Reynolds — Buy on Amazon | Baseball Romance | KU ✅

Every Move You Make by Sloan Spencer — Buy on Amazon | Rugby, Why-Choose Poly Romance | KU ✅

No Cooldown for Love by Aliyah Burke — Buy on Amazon | Basketball, Interracial Romance  | KU ✅

Stumped by Anna P — Buy on Amazon | Cricket, Age Gap Romance | South Asian rep

The Game by Leonor Soliz — Buy on Amazon | Football, Grumpy QB/PR Manager Romance | KU ✅

The Cock Down the Block by Amy Awards — Buy on Amazon | Football Romance, Plus Size Heroine  | KU ✅

Pucking Around series by Emily Rath — Buy on Amazon | Hockey Romance (Book 2 heroine plus size) | KU ✅

Conner (Glendale Magic Series) by Mary Warren — Buy on Amazon | Hockey Romance, Plus Size Heroine

[00:00] Intro & Kelly’s writing journey

[06:00] Why plus size romance is political (and joyful)

[12:00] Body neutrality, fat rep & realism in romance

[15:00] Kelly’s baseball romances (plus size heroines)

[17:30] Rugby polyamorous romance rec

[19:00] Basketball romance rec

[21:00] Cricket romance rec

[22:00] Football grumpy QB/PR romance rec

[24:00] Hockey series with fat heroines

[26:00] Fat Girls in Fiction & community resources

[29:00] Kelly’s holiday romances and upcoming projects

🎧 Want more book recs? Subscribe to the What to Read Next Substack for KU guides, library hacks, and exclusive podcast episodes: wtrnblog.substack.com

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