Put on your cryptid-hunting gear! My guest this week is Mallory Marlowe, author of the contemporary romance Love and Other Conspiracies. Her 2024 debut was one of my favorite books of last year and features a heroine healing from an emotional abusive relationship. We talked about leaving behind toxic partners and workplaces, and how Mallory wrote a healthy romantic partnership worth swooning over. We also discussed gray ace representation, depression, and consent in romance.

Plus: Why is the Mothman's butt so nice? When do conspiracy theories cross the line between harmless curiosity about cryptids into bigoted paranoia? Where can I meet a hot woke conspiracy theorist??

Follow Mallory Marlowe on Instagram @mallorymarlowewrites or visit her website.

Read Love and Other Conspiracies here, and pre-order Love at First Sighting here. Browse all the books featured on this podcast in my bookshop.org affiliate bookstore!

Other books mentioned in this episode include:

• Temple of Swoon by Jo Segura

• Wedding Dashers by Heather McBreen

• Play Nice: The Rise, Fall, and Future Of Blizzard Entertainment by Jason Schreier (non-fiction)

Please rate, review, and subscribe to Rebel Ever After on your favorite podcast app! Support the show by becoming a patron at patreon.com/brosandprose starting at $3/month. Make sure you sign up on desktop or in a web browser instead of the Patreon iOS app, where Apple tacks on an extra 30% free because they are greedy.

You can follow me on Threads, Instagram and BlueSky @brosandprose for updates about the show and other romance/political shenanigans. My second-chance college reunion romance But How Are You, Really is available here.