Melanie (@mells_view) joins us to chat about how romance book movie adaptations are making a splash on streaming sites and we are here 👏 for 👏 it👏. My Fault London is a fave but there are lots of films to catch up on. We also chat about which books we'd love to see adapted and how we absolutely can't support Passionflix.

Shani

• Promise Me Sunshine, Cara Bastone
• Nightshade, Autumn Woods
• Bloody, Slutty and Pathetic, WhatMurdah (a03, Dramione fic)
• Not Safe for Work, Nisha J Tuli
• Godless (Netflix)
• Princes of Carnage, Eva Ashwood

Mell

• A Breath of Fresh Air, Allegra Hall
• The Story of My Life, Lucy Score
• The Walking Dead (Netflix)
• Yellowjackets (Hulu)

Bonnie

• Hathor & the Prince, JJ McAvoy
• Bloodmarked, Tracy Deonn
• The Architect, Nikki Sloane
• Absolution, Jeff Vandermeer
• The Auction, lovesbitca8 (a03, Dramione fic, no longer available)

Mary

• Oathbound, Tracy Deonn
• Sunrise on the Reaping,  Suzanne Collins
• The Broker, Nikki Sloane

Other books mentioned

• Ronan, KA Tucker
• The Wolf Hotel series, KA Tucker

Book to movie adaptations:

• Culpa Mia
• Culpa Tuya
• My Fault London
• Butcher and Blackbird
• Twisted series, Ana Huang
• Lick (passionflix)
• 50 Shades of Grey
• Maxton Hall
• Marked Men
• The Notebook

Our dream adaptations:

• The Harlequin Crew
• On The Line, Naomi Loud
• Was I Ever series, Naomi Loud
• Nocticadia, Keri Lake
• Magnolia Parks, Jessa Hastings
• Nashville Neighborhood, Nikki Sloane
• Monsters & Muses, Sav R Miller
• Addicted, Krista & Becca Ritchie
• Deanna Madden series, AR Torre
• Mendell Hawks, Deanna Grey
• New Haven, JL Seegars
• Filthy Rich Americans, Nikki Sloane
• Kennedy Ryan (all books)
• Trail of Sins, Pam Godwin
• Lyonesse series, Sierra Simone

Everyone say bye-bye to Sophie Lark! The ARC readers for her Sparrow & Vine, uncovered multiple problematic and racist passages in the book, which triggered a mountain of blacklash against her. We talk about what went down during that wild week and now badly Sophie and Bloom managed the whole situation.

Books Mentioned:

Mary

• Oathbound, Tracy Deonn (Legendborn series)

Bonnie

• Bloodmarked, Tracy Deonn
• Annie Bot, Sierra Greer
• Nightshade by Autumn Woods

Shani

• Princes of Carnage, Eva Ashwood
• The House of My Mother, Shari Franke

Our intent was not to talk about Ali Hazelwood's Deep End again, but we just have a lot of feelings you guys. Featuring the wonderful and talented Ada of @adagetsliterary and @be.archetype on Instagram!

Mary

• The Broker, Nikki Sloane
• The House of My Mother, Sherri Franke
• Pretty Ruthless Monsters, Eva Ashwood
• Treading Water, B. Sobjakken
• My Fault London (Amazon)

Bonnie

• Only In Your Dreams, Ellie K Wild
• Lola & the Millionaires
• Hood Feminism, Mikki Kendall

Ada

• Deep End, Ali Hazelwood
• Gabby Petito documentary (Netflix)

Shani

• A New Leaf, Samm Wilde

Other Mentions

• Perfect Addition (Amazon Prime)
• Filthy Rich Americans, Nikki Sloane
• The Favorites, Layne Fargo

This week we simply have too many things to say about Ali Hazelwood's newest book, Deep End. We unequivocally loved it but want to know why so many readers are crashing out about the spice, kink, Pen and female friendships. Come on in, the water's fine. 

Mary

• Deep End, Ali Hazelwood
• Uncultured, Daniella Mestyanek Young

Shani

• Quicksilver, Callie Hart
• Empire of Temptation, Mila Finelli
• First-Time Caller, BK Borison

Bonnie

• Phantasma, Kaylie Smith
• First-Time Caller, BK Borison
• The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy, Brigitte Knightley
• Living Legend, Allie Shante
• Ride With Me, Simone Soltani

Other books

• The Broker, Nikki Sloane
• Deep End, Ali Hazelwood

So many romance bookstores are popping up all over the country, which we love, obv. What trends are we seeing, what could be improved, will they last?

Bonnie books mentioned:

• Lola and the Millionaires, Kathryn Moon
• Quicksilver, Callie Hart

Shani books mentioned:

• First Time Caller, BK Borison
• Calamity MT series, Devney Perry
• The Bridge Kingdom, Danielle L Jensen
• Sold copies of Fourth Wing & Iron Flame & Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

Mary books mentioned:

• Heavenly Tyrant, Xiran Jay Zhao

Romance Book Stores - US

• Meet Cute, La Mesa, CA
• Heartbound Book Shop, Anaheim, CA
• Smitten, Ventura, CA
• The Ripped Bodice, Los Angeles, CA
• Spicy Librarian, Denver, CO
• The New Romantics, Orlando, FL
• Steamy Lit, Tampa, FL
• All the Tropes, Atlanta, GA
• HEA Book Boutique, Marion, IA
• Blush & Bashful, Hopkinsville, KY
• A Novel Romance, Louisville, KY
• Blush, Wichita, KS
• Romance-Landia, Centreville, MD
• Trope Bookshop in Charlotte, NC (mobile bookshop)
• Beach Read Books in Wilmington, NC
• Kiss & Tale, Collingswood, NJ
• The Ripped Bodice, Brooklyn NY
• The Last Chapter Bookshop, Chicago, IL
• Love’s Sweet Arrow is in Tinley Park, IL
• Lovestruck Books, Cambridge, MA
• Grump & Sunshine, Belfast, ME
• Pages & Grapes, Wyoming, MI
• Tropes & Trifles, Minneapolis, MN
• Under the Cover, Kansas City, MO
• Good Girls Bookshop, Kalispell, MT
• Lovebound Library, SLC, UT
• Friends to Lovers Bookstore, Alexandria, VA
• Sweeter Than Fiction, Charleston, SC
• Blush, Dallas, TX
• Love Affair Bookstore, Midland, TX
• Roaming Romance (pop-up)

Canada

• Slow Burn Books, Calgary, Canada
• Pages of Passion Bookstore, Saskatoon, SK
• Leather and Lace Books,  Saskatoon, SK

Recorded a few days before TT went quiet in the US, but stay tuned for our usual yap, and who knows if we'll have TikTok in a few months anyway!

Shani

• Sky Ridge Hot Shots series
• Reckless, Elsie Silver
• High Sticking the Heat, Marie Maravilla
• Marriage & Masti, Nisha Sharma
• Once Smitten, Twice Shy, Chloe Liese

Bonnie

• The Bridge Kingdom, Danielle L Jensen
• Under Loch and Key, Lana Ferguson
• Stalker Daddy’s Milk, Krystal Clark
• The Wolf King, Lauren Palphreyman

Mary

• Feast of Fools, Naomi Loud
• Uncultured, Daniella Mestyanek Young
• Severance rewatch podcast

Happy 2025! We round up some recent gossip and drama in the book community and chat about most expected releases for the year.

Books mentioned:

Mary

• A Novel Love Story, Ashley Poston
• Never Keep, Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti
• Gifted to His Dad, J Wilder
• Feast of Fools, Naomi Loud
• The Diplomat (TV series)
• Industry (TV series)

Shani

• The Shepherd King Duet, Rachel Gillig
• Yellowstone (TV series)
• Fight, Sloane St James

Bonnie

• The Bridge Kingdom series, Danielle L Jensen
• Split or Swallow, Lindsay Straube
• Under Loch and Key, Lana Ferguson
• Angels Blood, Nalini Singh

Recent Discourse Round-Up

• Yearly “you didn’t read that many books” discourse
• Audible shames readers
• Fable fails with AI wrap-up
• It’s UX not UI
• Freydis Moon “returns”?

2025 releases!!

Mary

• The Broker Nikki Sloane
• Oathbound, Tracey Deonn
• Sunrise on the Reaping,
• The Knight & the Moth, Rachel Gillig

Shani

• Out of the Woods, Hannah Bonham Young
• Rewind it Back, Liz Tomforde
• Beautiful Venom, Rina Kent
• Endless Anger, Sav R Miller
• Not Safe for Work, Nisha J Tuli
• Fight, Sloane St James
   

Bonnie

• Sinners Atone, Somme Sketcher
• The Wretched Divine, Adalyn Grace
• Deep End, Ali Hazelwood
• Rose In Chains, Julie Soto
• The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy, Brigitte Knightley
• Can't Get Enough, Kennedy Ryan

Roll on 2025, here's what we loved in 2024!

Books mentioned:

• Wild Side, Elsie Silver
• Deep End, Ali Hazelwood
• Fan Service, Rosie Dana
• Unloved, Peyton Corinne
• Spiral, Bal Khabra
• Not Another Love Song, Julie Soto
• Savor It, Tarah Dewitt
• The Co-op, Tarah Dewitt
• Funny Feelings, Tarah Dewitt
• Lights Out, Navessa Allen
• If He Wanted to He Wood, Tanya Lynn
• Kidnapped by the Krampus
• Crucible, BB Reid
• Bourbon & Secrets, Victoria Wilder
• Jingle Bell Mingle, Sierra Simone & Julie Murphy
• First Time Caller, BK Borison
• Heretic (Movie)
• The Auction, lovesbitca8
   

Our Top Books / Series of the Year
 

Shani

• On The Line, Naomi Loud
• Truly Madly Deeply, Alexandria Bellefleur
• American Kingpin, Nick Bilton
• Not Another Love Song, Julie Soto
• Strong And Wild, Sloane St James

Mary

• The Temptation, Nikki Sloane
• The Frat Boy, Nikki Sloane
• Two Twisted Crowns, Rachel Gilllig
• Never, Jesse Hastings
• Iron Widow, Iran Jay Zhao

Bonnie

• Filthy Rich Americans series, Nikki Sloane
• Truly Madly Deeply, Alexandria Bellefleur
• Bride, Ali Hazelwood
• Two Twisted Crowns, Rachel Gilllig
• Magnolia Parks series, Jessa Hastings 
• Sinners Anonymous series, Somme Sketcher
• Songbird & The Heart of Stone, Carissa Broadbent

This week we chat about some UNHINGED holiday novellas and we really wish you could have seen Mary re-enact a horn job.

Books mentioned:

• Reel, Kennedy Ryan
• Pretty Ruthless Monsters, Eva Ashwood
• The Legacy Series, Melissa K Roehrich
• Split or Swallow, Lindsay Straube
• Breath Mints / Battle Scars, Onyx and Elm
• Forget Your Morals, Sarah Blue
• Christmas at Fox Ridge, Bailey Hannah
• My December Darling, Lauren Asher
• Dashing All The Way, Chelsea Curto
• Chilled and Thrilled, Cleo White
• Filthy Rich Santas, Eva Ashwood
• Hot Frosty (Netflix)
• Our Little Secret (Netflix)
• Gifted to His Dad, J Wilder
• Elf’d, Ginger Kane
• Cork’d, Ginger
• Railed by the Krampus, Dalia Davies
• My Present This Year, Sierra Simone

Bonnie and Mary chat about the ten books they're aiming to read before the year is out and some wild holiday novellas!

• Hot Frosty (Netflix)
• The Holidate (Netflix)
• Love Hard (Netflix)
• Let it Snow (Netflix)
• I think You Should Leave (Netflix)
• Salt Kiss, Sierra Simone
• Salt In the Wound, Sierra Simone
• Honey Cut, Sierra Simone
• Heavenbreaker, Sara Wolf
• Nalini Singh
• Legendborn, Tracy Deonn
• Breath Mints Battle Scars (a03 fic no longer available)
• Truly Madly Deeply, Alexandria Bellefleur
• Never Keep, Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti
• Brutal Boys of Everlake Prep, Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti
• Harlequin Crew, Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti
   

Mary 10 Before the End

• Heavenbreaker, Sara Wolf
• Honey Cut, Sierra Simone
• Our Little Secret, QB Tyler
• Filthy Rich Santas, Eva Ashwood
• Reel, Kennedy Ryan
• The Perfect Marriage, Jeneva Rose
• Ruthless Vows, Rebecca Ross
• Lore of the Wilds, Analeigh Saran
• Heavenly Tyrant, Xiran Jay Zhao
• Mindf*ck series S.T. Abby
   

Bonnie 10 Before the End

• Bloodmarked, Tracy Dean
• Spiral, Bal Khabra
• First Time Caller, BK Borison
• Fan Service, Rosie Danan
• The Auction, LoveBitca8
• Living Legend, Ali Shante
• The Truth According to Ember, Danica Nava
• Bride of the Shadow King, Sylvia Mercedes
• Trial of the Sun Queen, Nisha J Tuli
• The Bridge Kingdom, Danielle L Jensen

Holiday Romance Novellas

• Paddled by Krampus, Harley Laroux
• My Present This Year, Sierra Simone
• A Very Krampus Holiday, Katee Robert
• Railed by the Krampus, Dalia Davies
• Taken by the Snowman, BD Brown
• Kidnapped by the Krampus, Emily Shore
• A Very Merry Krampus Christmas, Patti Petrone Miller
• A Very Krampus Christmas Party (Gender Swapped, Brigid Finn
• Elf’d, Ginger Kane
• The Very Naughty List, Callie Rose (Not a novella)