My guest this week is Joanna Shupe, best-selling historical romance author whose books take place during the Gilded Age. Her latest book The Gilded Heiress publishes this August with Avon.

Joanna's books have always been political, but apparently some of her readers didn't exactly pick up on the undertones of her work. When she wrote a newsletter reacting to Donald Trump's re-election, quite a few of them were surprised. She talked to me about the backlash she received when she pointed out the connections between the Gilded Age and the moment we find ourselves in. How do romance readers actually respond when authors make their politics clear?

We also seethed about anti-vice activist Anthony Comstock and how his weird hang-ups about women's bodies currently threaten our access to abortion and birth control over a century after his death.

Plus: Has Elon Musk ruined the tycoon hero? Why aren't there more unmarried and childfree HEAs in romance? And will different approaches to cover art help historical romance break through with new readers?

Follow Joanna on Instagram and Threads as @joannashupe. Sign up for her newsletter here: https://joannashupe.com/newsletter/

Preorder The Guilded Heiress here: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-gilded-heiress-joanna-shupe

This show is brought to you by the support of my patrons. For $3/month you can join my Patreon and help make this podcast sustainable, as well as get access to bonus episodes starting in April. You can subscribe at patreon.com/brosandprose

Follow Ella as @brosandprose on Instagram, Threads and BlueSky. Read But How Are You, Really at bit.ly/buthowareyoureallynovel

Get tickets to Ella's events in NYC this month:

• 4/9 with London Sperry at the Ripped Bodice to celebrate Passion Project: https://e.sparxo.com/London-Sperry-Passion-Project-BK-Ticketed
• 4/10 with Allison Raskin at The Strand to celebrate Save The Date: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/allison-raskin-ella-dawson-save-the-date-tickets-1155265794089