Illicit Liaisons

This week, we're celebrating the upcoming release of Fireworks & Flirtation by chatting with Annie R McEwen. We discuss:

- Publishers ending their historical romance lines

- The future of publishing

- Plus, we learn how Guy Fawkes inspired Annie's story in Fireworks & Flirtation, share book recommendations, and more.

A career historian, Annie R McEwen has lived in six countries and under every roof from a canvas tent to a Georgian Era manor house. She writes historical romantic suspense, paranormal romance, and historical fiction. Annie is published by Bloodhound Books (UK), Harbor Lane Books (US), The Wild Rose Press, and Rowan Prose Publishing. She lives in both the UK and US.

Winner of the 2022 Page Turners Writing Award (Romance Category), Annie garnered both a First and Second Place 2022 RTTA (Romance Through the Ages Award), the 2023 MAGGIE Award, and Finalist Status in the 2023 Daphne du Maurier Award. She was a Finalist for the 2024 Page Turners Writing Award and Shortlisted for a Writer’s Mentorship Award. Annie’s short fiction appears in numerous anthologies.

LINKS TO ANNIE

Annie's Website https://www.anniermcewen.com
Annie's Books https://amzn.to/4dwetyr
Annie on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/anniermcewen/

FIREWORKS & FLIRTATION

Fireworks & Flirtation https://amzn.to/4uacLtQ

Available in print, ebook, and in KU.

CURRENTLY READING & RECOMMENDATIONS

Austen at Sea by Natalie Jenner https://amzn.to/42G2gT1
Fantastical Foes...coming in July from Tender & Tempting Tales
The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow https://amzn.to/4wCQwhF
Dark and Shallow Lies by Ginny Myers Sain https://amzn.to/43mDZkU
Peculiar Crimes Unit Mystery (Bryant & May) by Christopher Fowler https://amzn.to/4v1ayB1
British Library Crime Classics https://amzn.to/4tMd8K3

TENDER & TEMPTING TALES

Tender and Tempting Tales Substack: Subscribe and get a FREE story! https://tenderandtemptingtales.substack.com/

Tender and Tempting Tales on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tendertemptingtales/

Calls for Submissions: https://tenderandtemptingtales.substack.com/p/write-for-tender-and-tempting-tales

ILLICIT LIAISONS PRODUCED & HOSTED BY

Tara Leederman Substack: https://taleederman.substack.com/

Jenna Harte: https://jennaharte.com/

Outline and Show Notes: T.A. Leederman
Editing: Jenna Harte

This week, we're celebrating the upcoming release of Fireworks & Flirtation with our authors, Suzy Langevin and Marissa Marinello. We discuss:

• Bookish drama over an editor asking an author to remove similes and other metaphorical language from their story to avoid being accused of using AI
• With the popularity of MM romance, where is the love for sapphic romance? 
• Plus a whole lot more. 

Suzy Langevin writes happily ever afters where people are loved because of, not in spite of, the things they see as their flaws. She is the winner of the 2024 RWA Golden Heart Award, and her short fiction appears in anthologies and magazines. Suzy lives in Massachusetts, and does, in fact, run on Dunkin'.

Marissa Marinello writes urban, high fantasy, and cozy-romantasy. A TTRPG nerd who grew up on Tolkien, musical theater & comics, she's inspired by finding the fantastical in the mundane. Her work can be found in several anthologies, and she is an active participant in fandom and her writing group in Southern California.   

LINKS TO SUZY AND MARISSA

Suzy's Website https://www.suzylangevin.com/
Suzy's Books https://www.suzylangevin.com/team-3
Suzy on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/suzylangevinwrites/

Marissa's Website https://marissamarinello.com/
Marissa's Books https://marissamarinello.com/books/
Marissa on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mmarinello_author/

BOOKS MENTIONED ON THE SHOW

Fireworks & Flirtation https://amzn.to/4uacLtQ

BEACH READ RECOMMENDATIONS

Moonlight & Margaritas: Steamy Romance Anthology  https://amzn.to/4tNokqt
Summer Sisters by Judy Blume https://amzn.to/4u7XuJO
Chesapeake Bay Series by Nora Roberts https://amzn.to/42tZksA
Persuasion by Jane Austen
It's About Damn Time (Skullhaven Bay) Free at https://tenderandtemptingtales.com/free-romance-story/ or https://tenderandtemptingtales.substack.com/
Urna Semper on Substack https://urnasemper.substack.com/
Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson https://amzn.to/49GJsGQ
Paws & Peril: Steamy Romantic Suspense Stories with a Dog (Tender & Tempting Tales Magazine) https://amzn.to/4nmxg3M

TENDER & TEMPTING TALES

Tender and Tempting Tales Substack: Subscribe and get a FREE story! https://tenderandtemptingtales.substack.com/

Tender and Tempting Tales on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tendertemptingtales/

Calls for Submissions: https://tenderandtemptingtales.substack.com/p/write-for-tender-and-tempting-tales

ILLICIT LIAISONS PRODUCED & HOSTED BY

Tara Leederman Substack: https://taleederman.substack.com/

Jenna Harte: https://jennaharte.com/

Outline and Show Notes: T.A. Leederman
Editing: Jenna Harte

This week, our guest host is author Jason Wrench, and we discuss:
* Face Off cover controversy
* Jason's appearance at BookCon
* Hockey romance
and more!

Jason Wrench writes. He writes a lot. With his publisher, Pride Publishing (now Totally Entwined) he’s the author of three different series: 12 Days of Murder & Till Death Do Us Wed, Up on the Farm (Finding a Farmer, Bewitched by the Barista, Sanctuary for the Surgeon, & Catching the Composer), and the Love and Liquidation Series (Boy Bands and Bullets, A Choreographed Coup, & Rhythmic Reclamation), and the standalone novella Wolf Island. As an Indy author, he’s published Life on the Naughty List, or What the Elf!, Jekyll/Hyde, and The Veil. His latest book, Shattering Securities, came out in Spring 2025. His day job is a college professor at SUNY New Paltz where he teaches in the Department of Communication. He’s a member of the Romance Writers of America, Rainbow Romance Writers, Text and Academic Authors Association, and The Authors Guild.

Jason appears in our first summer anthology, Moonlight and Margaritas, with his gay enemies-to-lovers romance, “Ship Happens,” a contemporary story set on a cruise ship.

LINKS TO JASON WRENCH

Jason's Website: https://jasonwrench.com/

Jason's Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/42T2ZQw

BOOKS MENTIONED ON THE SHOW

Goalie and the Geek by Jason Wrench https://amzn.to/4tgOnoW
Moonlight & Margaritas https://amzn.to/4tNokqt
Face Off by Chelsea Curto https://amzn.to/4eoTuzN
Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid https://amzn.to/3QP9Jwo

READING OR RECOMMENDED

Playing Dirty by CE Ricci https://amzn.to/4d78f8c
The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow https://amzn.to/42ffc20
Shadow of Betrayal by Eva LeClerc https://evaleclercauthor.substack.com/
Urna Semper on Substack https://urnasemper.substack.com/

TENDER & TEMPTING TALES

Tender and Tempting Tales Substack: Subscribe and get a FREE story! https://tenderandtemptingtales.substack.com/

Tender and Tempting Tales on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tendertemptingtales/

Calls for Submissions: https://tenderandtemptingtales.substack.com/p/write-for-tender-and-tempting-tales

ILLICIT LIAISONS PRODUCED & HOSTED BY

Tara Leederman Substack: https://taleederman.substack.com/

Jenna Harte: https://jennaharte.com/

Outline and Show Notes: T.A. Leederman
Editing: Jenna Harte

This week, our guest host is Sierra Hill, with whom we discuss the controversial attempt by Ivory Chapters to trademark "Blind Date with a Book," the impact of AI in publishing, sports romance, and more!

Sierra Hill is a RONE Award-winning romance author of Game Changer and the award-winning college sports series Courting Love. She writes steamy new adult and sports romances, including the Vancouver Vikings hockey series, the Puget Sound Pilots, and the Clearview Falls University football series with her co-writing partner, S.E. Rose. She also writes award-winning LGBTQ+ romance under the pen name, K.C. Kassidy.

SIERRA'S LINKS

Website: https://www.sierrahillbooks.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sierrahillbooks
Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/4twzU9o

READING & RECOMMENDED

We All Live Here by JoJo Moyes https://amzn.to/4cDPoma
The Other Bennett Sister by Janice Hadlow https://amzn.to/4tqPiUD
Shadow of Betrayal by Eva LeClerc https://evaleclercauthor.substack.com/
Urna Semper on Substack https://urnasemper.substack.com/

TENDER & TEMPTING TALES

Tender and Tempting Tales Substack: Subscribe and get a FREE story! https://tenderandtemptingtales.substack.com/

Tender and Tempting Tales on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tendertemptingtales/

Calls for Submissions: https://tenderandtemptingtales.substack.com/p/write-for-tender-and-tempting-tales

ILLICIT LIAISONS PRODUCED & HOSTED BY

Tara Leederman Substack: https://taleederman.substack.com/

Jenna Harte: https://jennaharte.com/

Outline and Show Notes: T.A. Leederman
Editing: Jenna Harte

This week, our guest host is author Mariah Ankenman. We discuss hot takes around the author ARCs, disability representation in romance fiction, #authorapril, and book adaptations we'd love to watch.

Mariah Ankeman is a bestselling  romance author living in the beautiful Rocky Mountains with her two rambunctious children and loving spouse, who is her own personal spell checker when her dyslexia gets the best of her. Mariah loves to lose herself in a world of words. Her favorite thing about writing is when she can make someone’s day a little brighter with one of her books.

MARIAH'S LINKS

Website: https://mariahankenman.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariahankenman/
Mariah's Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/4t84Rjr

Backstage Night with the Billionaire by Mariah Ankenman https://amzn.to/3OIyk50

AUTHORS & BOOKS MENTIONED ON THE SHOW

Talia Hibbert https://amzn.to/48hKiJB
E.V. Mitchell https://amzn.to/4tX0HLN
In Death Books by J.D. Robb https://amzn.to/3Owa32f
Fox & O'Hare books by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg https://amzn.to/4mGckEw
Evelina by Frances Burney https://amzn.to/4cEfyUx

READING & RECOMMENDED

Lore Olympus Vol 9 by Rachel Smythe https://amzn.to/4tVxsZQ
The Other Bennett Sister by Janice Hadlow https://amzn.to/4tqPiUD
Jane Austen at Home by Lucy Worsley https://amzn.to/4cFOhRs
Shadow of Betrayal by Eva LeClerc https://evaleclercauthor.substack.com/

TENDER & TEMPTING TALES

Tender and Tempting Tales Substack: Subscribe and get a FREE story! https://tenderandtemptingtales.substack.com/

Tender and Tempting Tales on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tendertemptingtales/

Calls for Submissions: https://tenderandtemptingtales.substack.com/p/write-for-tender-and-tempting-tales

ILLICIT LIAISONS PRODUCED & HOSTED BY

Tara Leederman Substack: https://taleederman.substack.com/

Jenna Harte: https://jennaharte.com/

Outline and Show Notes: T.A. Leederman
Editing: Jenna Harte

This week, Tara and I share the tea, hot takes, and news from the romance book world, including Shy Girl drama, worst spicy writing, and more.

AUTHORS & BOOKS MENTIONED ON THE SHOW

The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow
An Offer from a Gentleman by Julia Quinn
Paws & Peril from Tender & Tempting Tales

READING & RECOMMENDED

Shadow of Betrayal by Eva LeClerc
Urna Semper on Substack

TENDER & TEMPTING TALES

Tender and Tempting Tales Substack: Subscribe and get a FREE story!

Tender and Tempting Tales on Instagram

Tender and Tempting Tales Calls for Submissions:

ILLICIT LIAISONS PRODUCED & HOSTED BY

Tara Leederman Website

Jenna Harte Website 

Outline and Show Notes: T.A. Leederman
Editing: Jenna Harte

This week, we talk with book influencer Bea from Mama Needs to Read Romance about the state of historical romance, being a booktuber, and more.

LINKS TO BEA

Mama Needs to Read Romance YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mamaneedstoreadromance
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mama.needs.to.read.romance/
Goodreads: goodreads.com/user/show/75674482-mama-needs-to-read-romance

AUTHORS & BOOKS MENTIONED ON THE SHOW

Joanna Shupe https://amzn.to/4m9lOYA
Kate Bateman https://amzn.to/4mb9qHE
Teresa Medeiros https://amzn.to/4sZ264y
Lindz McLeod https://amzn.to/4txFW9n
Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon https://amzn.to/3PSOBom
Bridgerton Series by Julia Quinn https://amzn.to/41h9BHS

NOW READING & RECOMMENDED

Once Smitten, Twice Shy by Chloe Liese https://amzn.to/4c8PPDc
With This Ring I Thee Kill by Jenna Harte https://amzn.to/4vtSUa6
Thessaly Affair by Urna Semper https://urnasemper.substack.com/s/the-thessaly-affair
Shadow of Betrayal Eva LeClerc https://evaleclercauthor.substack.com/s/shadow-of-betrayal

TENDER & TEMPTING TALES

Tender and Tempting Tales Substack: Subscribe and get a FREE story! https://tenderandtemptingtales.substack.com/

Tender and Tempting Tales on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tendertemptingtales/

ILLICIT LIAISONS PRODUCED & HOSTED BY

Tara Leederman: https://taleederman.substack.com/
Jenna Harte: https://jennaharte.com/

Outline and Show Notes: T.A. Leederman
Editing: Jenna Harte

This week, we celebrate the release of Paws & Peril, a romance zine with stories, articles, games, and more around romantic suspense that include a dog.

We discuss romantic suspense and why dogs make a perfect side character, and more.

Hosts this week include zine editor Rachel Young; zine copyeditor, social media manager, and contributor Tara Leederman; author Marissa Marinello; and managing editor and contributor Jenna Harte.

LINKS TO PAWS & PERIL

Paws & Peril (in KU): https://amzn.to/3NYe9j8

Rachel Young: https://www.facebook.com/rachel.young.1023

Marissa Marinello: https://marissamarinello.com/

Tara Leederman: https://taleederman.substack.com/

Jenna Harte: https://jennaharte.com/


TENDER & TEMPTING TALES

Tender and Tempting Tales Substack: Subscribe and get a FREE story! https://tenderandtemptingtales.substack.com/

Tender and Tempting Tales on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tendertemptingtales/

ILLICIT LIAISONS PRODUCED & HOSTED BY

Tara Leederman: https://taleederman.substack.com/

Jenna Harte: https://jennaharte.com/


Outline and Shownotes: T.A. Leederman
Editing: Jenna Harte

This week, our guest host is romance author Annie R McEwen where we discuss the hubbub around the new adaptation of Wuthering Heights, classic romance novels, and more.

LINKS TO ANNIE R MCEWEN

Annie's Website: https://www.anniermcewen.com/ 

Bound Across Time https://amzn.to/4bIJ9M9

The Corset Girls Unlaced https://amzn.to/4uPC84S

Annie's Books on Amazon https://amzn.to/487lqnE

BOOKS MENTIONED ON THE SHOW

The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole: https://amzn.to/4tqzdOH

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson: https://amzn.to/47VhlTx

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley: https://amzn.to/4c3ZYlS

Wuthering Heights (2009 TV Serial): Masterpiece | Wuthering Heights | PBS https://amzn.to/4bMd5XI

Carmilla by Joseph Le Fanu: https://amzn.to/4swAW4U

Villette by Charlotte Brontë: https://amzn.to/4suNYjb

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë: https://amzn.to/4t3Qdd9

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen: https://amzn.to/4t5ELxx

Cecilia by Frances Burney: https://amzn.to/4t7r0i1

Evelina by Frances Burney: https://amzn.to/4lOWmYb

A Simple Story by Elizabeth Inchbald: https://amzn.to/3PEec4c

Pamela by Samuel Richardson: https://amzn.to/4buMKhZ

Clarissa by Samuel Richardson: https://amzn.to/4bHNIpR

Persuasion by Jane Austen: https://amzn.to/4bSpVUu

Persuasion (2008) https://amzn.to/4dMEPxM

Persuasion (1996) https://amzn.to/488c3Ef

The Female Quixote by Charlotte Lennox: https://amzn.to/4dHVvqd

The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry: https://amzn.to/4v79Wuz

Castle Rackrent Maria Edgeworth: https://amzn.to/4bEE1sk

Belinda by Maria Edgeworth: https://amzn.to/4svOa1P


TENDER & TEMPTING TALES

Tender and Tempting Tales Substack: Subscribe and get a FREE story! https://tenderandtemptingtales.substack.com/

Tender and Tempting Tales on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tendertemptingtales/

ILLICIT LIAISONS PRODUCED & HOSTED BY

Tara Leederman: https://taleederman.substack.com/

Jenna Harte: https://jennaharte.com/

Outline and Shownotes: T.A. Leederman
Editing: Jenna Harte

This week, our guest host is romance author Aubree Valentine where we discuss Heated Rivalry, hockey romance, the why-choose trope, and more.

LINKS TO AUBREE VALENTINE

Aubree's website: https://authoraubreevalentine.com/

Aubree's social links: https://authoraubreevalentine.com/social/

Aubree's author's page: https://amzn.to/4bglzHF

Pucking Tangled: https://amzn.to/4uwdaY0

Christmas at Mistletoe Bay: https://amzn.to/4bgBWnz

Saving Sadie (Police and Fire: Operation Alpha - Susan Stoker-verse): https://amzn.to/4dpM2nh

BOOKS MENTIONED ON THE SHOW

Heated Rivalry by Rachel Ried(Game Changers Series): https://amzn.to/3NnhS9W

Moonlight & Margaritas: https://amzn.to/4cXLa9z (Aubree's story - More Than a Margarita)

Sweetest Lie (Duet) by Gwyn McNamee: https://amzn.to/47AvGVg

Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser https://amzn.to/473UrZM

With This Ring, I Thee Kill by Jenna Harte: https://amzn.to/4lC10J8

TENDER & TEMPTING TALES

Tender and Tempting Tales Substack: Subscribe and get a FREE story! https://tenderandtemptingtales.substack.com/

Tender and Tempting Tales Submissions Information:  https://tenderandtemptingtales.substack.com/p/write-for-tender-and-tempting-tales

Tender and Tempting Tales on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tendertemptingtales/

ILLICIT LIAISONS PRODUCED & HOSTED BY

Tara Leederman: https://taleederman.substack.com/

Jenna Harte: https://jennaharte.com/