Marielle and Carter dive into the first half of Alwyn Hamilton's "The Notorious Virtues" with glee and fervor. Focusing on Nora, the heiress to a magical family of extraordinary means, and Lotte, the hidden foundling from the countryside with an unlikely connection to said family, "Virtues" weaves a plot of intrigue, betrayal, and magic. This book's got everything, a magical gilded age, dashing knights, gumshoe detectives, and capitalist critiques! 

"The Notorious Virtues" is published by Penguin Random House and can be purchased directly at Hamilton's website: The Notorious Virtues | Alwyn Hamilton | New York Times Best Selling Author

A change of pace! Carter and Marielle take a look at the YA romance, "Dungeons and Drama" by Kristy Boyce. High schooler Riley is grounded for stealing a car to go see a touring production of "Waitress: the musical" and as punishment has to work in her distant father's game store. When she runs into an old flame and says that she's already rebounded with her nerdy D&D-playing co-worker, the two have to see if they can get along long enough to make the fake relationship seem real. It's just like acting, or roleplaying, there'll be nothing to it... right?

"Dungeons and Drama" is available online and in-stores, published by Penguin Random House © 2024. For more information on the DUGEONS AND DRAMA audiobook, click here: Dungeons and Drama by Kristy Boyce: 9780593647011 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books 

Themes/tropes include: GrumpyxSunshine, Fake dating, High school romance

Carter and Marielle return to finish the second half of "Built to Fall" by Julia Wolf. Dom and Claire finally give in to their desires but agree that their fling will only last as long as the tour. With a whirlwind physical connection drawing them closer together than either is willing to admit, how can their situationship fare if they're both catching feelings? Will Marta ever get to kiss that hot frontwoman from the opening band? What's Dominic's dark secret that haunts him so? Will we be lucky enough to never see Adam in this book again??
"Built to Fall" is available on the kindle bookstore.
Themes include: GrumpyxSunshine, Age gap relationship, Rockstar romance, Bad boy/good girl, Plus size heroine, Boss/Employee

***Trigger warning: Domestic Abuse***

Carter and Marielle take a dive into the first half of "Built to Fall" by julia Wolf. After the facade of her abusive husband is suddenly torn away, young Claire must strike out on her own and start a life that was halted by an early marriage. Rockstar Dominic Cantrell is a broken man, haunted by his past and unwilling to open his heart up to anyone again. When Claire finds herself working as his PR intern, the sparks of chemistry seem immediate, but is Claire really prepared for a casual fling with the man she had a poster of on her wall in middle school?

"Built to Fall" is available on the kindle bookstore.


Themes include: GrumpyxSunshine, Age gap relationship, Rockstar romance, Bad boy/good girl, Plus size heroine, Boss/Employee

Carter and Marielle return to finish up D.C. Kile's "Beautiful Distraction."
Now that Riley and Kellan have started a workplace situationship, will they be able to compartmentalize their feelings as they work to exonerate their pop superstar client? Will Kellan ever be able to move beyond his troubled past, or will Riley's meddling in his personal life push him away? And, most importantly of all, how many times will Marielle publicly defend a man in this episode?

"Beautiful Distraction" is available on the kindle bookstore

Themes include: Fake dating, GrumpyxSunshine, and Enemies to Lovers

Carter and Marielle discuss the first half of D.C. Kile's "Beautiful Distraction."

In this spicy riff off of Legally Blonde, Riley (a fresh faced and colorful law-school grad) goes to work at her father's firm as a defense attorney. When she gets her first big case, she has to work alongside Kellan, the firm's ace attorney with a personality darker than his wardrobe. Together, they must work to save a popstar from going to jail for a murder it looks like she definitely committed, all while wrestling with their irresistible attraction to each other.

"Beautiful Distraction" is available on the kindle bookstore

Themes include: Fake dating, GrumpyxSunshine, and Enemies to Lovers

Carter and Marielle discuss "Captive of the Horde King" by Zoey Draven.

After her brother breaks the alien law of Dakkar, Luna offers herself to the Dakari horde king as compensation. However, Luna soon finds out that she has agreed to far more than she first realized, and the Dakkari king isn't in search of a concubine, but a Queen...

"Captive of the Horde King" is available on the kindle bookstore, or at https://zoeydraven.com/books/captive-of-the-horde-king/

Skip to 19:16:48 to avoid spoilers!

Carter and Marielle kick off the pod with "Behold Her" by Emily Antoinette.

When a young woman confronts a stranger she believes is spying into her apartment, she finds herself entangled in the witchy world of a demonic private eye, a seductive vampiress, and her own mysterious gifts. Filled to the brim with spice, this is the perfect way to start the pod. Come get a little dirty with us ;)

"Behold Her" is available on the kindle bookstore, or at https://emilyantoinette.com/beholdher

Triggers:
discussion and explicit depictions of sex and kink-based activities including voyerism, exhibitionism, CNC (consensual non-consent), bondage, fake stalking, fake kidnapping, and verbal degradation during dirty talk. 
Throughout the book, there are references to depression, pet loss/grief after losing a pet, internalized fat shame, and negative body image. There are short references to racism and misogyny, but they aren’t central to the themes of the book. There are brief depictions of blood and violence but they aren’t prevalent throughout the story.