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Raging Romantics episodes

April 16, 2021#16 Don't Forget Your Flashlight!
Lyssa Kay Adams will be live online with Jen interviewing on April 21 @7pm! Registration is now live!

TW: discussions of rape, dubious consent, forced consent, violence against women and domestic abuse, kidnapping, forced captivity, forced drug use, torture scenarios, severe S&M, blood and knife play, NSFW content, language use

Welcome back to the scary world of Dark Romance, fellow romance junkies! We hope you brought your blankie and a flashlight, because we're diving right on in. In this mini episode Jen and Jackie discuss "Sweetest Obsession" by Ann Mayburn, and "Den of Vipers" by K.A. Knight (spoiler alert, Jackie did NOT like the Mayburn book). We look into some rather heavy topics, so please take the trigger warnings to heart for this episode. But, if you want to hear Jackie get really mad at a book and then speak really fast, plug in those earbuds, hit that play button, and don't forget to sparkle on!

The below links are resources for you to use at your own discretion. We here at Raging Romantics support and love you.
National Domestic Violence Hotline
National Teen Dating Hotline
RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline
National Resource Center on Domestic Violence
National Human Trafficking Hotline

Books read/mentioned:
"Sweetest Obsession" by Ann Mayburn
"Den of Vipers" by K.A. Knight
"When She Purrs" by Ruby Dixon
"King" by T.M. Frazier
"Sweet Cruelty" by Zoe Blake
Terms:
Reverse Harem : Subgenre that consists of one female protagonist and three or more male love interests. (Johnson)
Switching : "A switch is someone who demonstrates both characteristics and is comfortable with both submissive and dominant roles" (Fielding, 2021)
Masking : Also called "camouflaging," this is when a person "is artificially performing social behavior that is deemed to be more socially acceptable (by neurotypical standards) or hiding behavior that might be viewed as socially unacceptable" (Egeskov, 2019)
More authors we recommend:
Jessa Kane
Joanna Wylde
Julia Sykes
Stasia Black
Anna Zaires
K Webster
Podcasts listened to for Lyssa Kay Adams prep!
"Author Interview: Lyssa Kay Adams" Read it Or List it (2020)
"Interview with Lyssa Kay Adams" Reading Women (2020)
Don't forget, our interview will air May 7! Shoot us an email @ [email protected] if you have any questions you would like to submit!
44 min
April 02, 2021#15 It's Getting Dark In Here
TW: Issues and tropes of dubious consent, forced consent, and non-consent, rape and rape fantasies, pornography and its influence on real-world violence, violence against women, language-use, NSFW content
This whole episode is a trigger warning and rather NSFW, so listener beware! Here be morally-questionable heroes, dubious scenes, and a lot of stuff that traditional romance wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole. This whole subgenre runs the gamut from BDSM and kink/fetish, to forced/dubious consent, and much...much...further. Jen and Jackie herein have a discussion on some of the more common topics such as fantasies that include dubious consent, the heroes that this subgenre is known for. and why, if it's so scary, so many books still exist for such a large readership. Plug in those earbuds and breakout the flashlight sparkly nerds, because Jen's leading us into the world of dark romance.
The below links are resources for you to use at your own discretion. We here at Raging Romantics support and love you.
National Domestic Violence Hotline
National Teen Dating Hotline
RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline
National Resource Center on Domestic Violence
National Human Trafficking Hotline

Terms:
Dark Romance: There is no actual definition for dark romance, but Wendell says "a dark romance is one wherein there's going to be a happy ending eventually, but it'll hurt a bit first, for everyone involved, including me, the reader.
Features tropes such as abudction, dubious consent, rape fantasies, stalking, extreme BDSM, violence, morally-grey heroes, revenge narratives, and much more
MC: Motorcycle club (gang)
Closed door romance: Sex and intimacy is not featured on page, but is instead implied- also referred to as a "clean romance"
Articles/Blogs/Online Resources:
Smart Bitches Trashy Books
Silver fox episode
"What makes romance novels "dark?" (Dering, 2017)
"What to read: Dark Romance- My Recommendations" (Loren, 2015)
"Smart Bitches, Trashy Books: The Dish Behind Dark Romance" (Wendell, 2011)
"18 Dark Romance Books to Twist and Turn You" (Avery, 2019)
"The nature of women's rape fantasies: an analysis of prevalence, frequency, and contents" (Bivona & Citrelli, 2009)
Twitter thread on dark romance
"The Psychology Behind a Very Common Fantasy" (Florio, 2015)
"In defense of 'rape' fantasies" (Clark-Flory, 2015)
"Don't ban 'rape porn'- introduce more porn with negotiations and boundary-setting" (Stavri, 2013)
"Should We Include Trigger Warnings for Our Story?..." (Gold, 2018)
Podcast- "Dark Romance" (Made in Romance, August 28, 2020)
Other books/authors we mention:
Nancy Friday "My Secret Garden: Women's Sexual Fantasies"
CJ Skuse "SweetPea" (woman serial killer!)
Kathleen Woodiwiss "The Flame & The Flower"
Jessa Kane
Julia Sykes "The Daddy and The Dom"
Joanna Wylde and Reapers MC and Silver Bastard
Eden Summer Hunting Her series
Alexa Riley "Mechanic"
Ruby Dixon Fireblood Dragons series
Sarah MacLean Bareknuckle bastards
LYSSA KAY ADAMS AUTHOR EVENT!
April 21, 2021 @7pm- open and free with registration
Registration opens April 1
Lyssa Kay Adams podcast goes live May 7--email us @ [email protected] if you want to submit questions for us to ask her!!
57 min
March 19, 2021#14 Mad, Bad, and Scantily Clad in Regency Romances
TW: discussions of racism and racial slurs, violence against women, erotic romance, BDSM, language use, and really annoying "heroes"
These proud smut readers are happy to bring you a discussion of some off-brand regency romance novels...and Georgette Heyer. In this episode we talk about the books we read by Heyer, Kate Pearce, and Vanessa Riley. Featuring discussions of inclusivity, classism, white male privilege, heroes we aren't the biggest fans of, the effects of modern warfare on regency characters, and even sex clubs, be warned that this discussion does feature some NSFW chat...so earbuds in, sparkly nerds!
Plus, bonus points for sticking around until the end for a SUPER EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT! Something supercalifragilisticexpialidocious is happening May 7...so put that date in your calendar right now!
Books Read:
Sylvester by Georgette Heyer
Simply Forbidden by Kate Pearce
The Bittersweet Bride by Vanessa Riley
Terms:
Pleasure House/sex club
Not to be confused with brothels, these were private institutions meant mostly for the upper echelons of (male) society who paid high fees to be members.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
"...a psychiatric disorder that may occur in people who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event such as a natural disaster, a serious accident, a terrorist act, war/combat, or rape or who have been threatened with death, sexual violence or serious injury." (American Psychiatric Association)
Nostalgia
Originally used to describe the "morbid longing" for one's home or native country, described as an "endemic disease" in the 1830s, and a description of depression felt in soldiers during the Civil War (etymonline.com)
Wind-contusions/Le Vent du boulet
Early descriptions of "shell shock" used especially during the Civil War
Other recommended reading:
"Secrets of the Great British Sex Clubs" (Perrottet, 2009)
"Gentleman's Clubs in Regency London" (Bolen, 2015)
"Un/civilized; From orgies to opium, exposing the underbelly of Regency London" (The Washington Post)
"Historical Approaches to post-combat disorders" (Jones, 2006)
"Napoleonic War Versus the Afghanistan Grind" (Dietrich, 2012)
"From the Napoleonic Wars to Vietnam and Iraq: a history of war and trauma" (Historyextra.com, 2019)
"Battle fatigue- did it affect soldiers in the ancient world?" (Youtube video! Lindybeige, 2016)
"The First Black Britons" (Sandhu, 2011)
"Interraciality in Early Twentieth Century Britain: Challenging Traditional Conceptualisations through Accounts of 'Ordinariness'" (Caballero, 2019)
"Representing Regency: Multiracial People in the 19th Century" (Regencyreader.com)
"Industrial Revolution" (History.com, 2019)
The Duke Who Didn't by Courtney Milan (2020)
Devil in Spring by Lisa Kleypas (2017; heroine who creates board games)
1 hr
March 05, 2021#13 Bridgerton's or Bust
If you loved Regency romance novels before 82 million households tuned into Bridgerton's on Netflix, or if you're new to the regency game, then this episode is dedicated to you. Here Jen and Jackie attempt to boil down an iconic era of British history into a single podcast episode. Jackie's gives you a fun history lecture on what precisely the regency period was, and together your favorite hosts discuss where the regency romance got its start (all hail Queen Austen), and some potential issues that can be found in (arguably) one of the most popular romance subgenres out there! Button up your pelisse and throw some glitter in your mob cab; it's time to learn about the regency!
If you're interested in visualizing regency fashion, go find @Asta.darling on Instagram (I said it wrong in the episode)! She is an "historically-inspired modiste" who remakes period clothing (and fantasy clothing too), and posts really pretty pictures.
Terms:
Regency
The period during which George IV, prior to his coronation, acted as Prince Regent (1811-1820); there is a larger sense of the the "regency," however, from 1789-1832
Porphyria
Disease from which George III was believed to have suffered; this is a disorder affecting the production of hemoglobin (a component of blood cells), and symptoms include abdominal pain, sensitivity to light and nervous system issues. Problems with the nervous system can further affect both muscle control as well and cognition
Bipolar Disorder (BP)
"Bipolar disorder, formerly called manic depression, is a mental health condition that causes extreme mood swings that include emotional highs (mania or hypomania) and lows (depression)."
Information on bipolar disorder (BP):
The London Season
The social season for persons of the peerage, conducted while Parliament was in session (typically late October-June, with breaks for the holidays)
The Town
London
The Marriage Market
Young women of a marriageable age, after being presented to the Queen as an introduction to society, were expected to make prosperous marriage matches to help increase their family's wealth and social status. Women would have had some control over who they danced with or agreed to court publicly, but the pool of candidates was limited, and perhaps only a few of the bachelors would have been especially desirable, hence giving it the sense of a market economy.
Peerage
A legal system comprising of various hereditary titles, and composes of a number of assorted noble ranks in descending order from those set to inherit the throne. The British peerage goes:
King/Queen
Prince/Princess
Duke/Duchess
Marquess/Marchioness
Earl/Countess
Viscount/Viscountess
Baron/Baroness
Knights of the Realm and the Gentry
Peasantry/non-nobles
Books mentioned:
One Good Earl Deserves a Lover by Sarah MacLean
The Naked Nobility series by Sally Mackenzie
The Naked Earl (he jumps into her window...naked)
The Naked Gentleman (she just wants to know what kissing is all about)
Say Yes to the Marquess by Tessa Dare
Wild Wicked Highlanders series by Suzanne Enoch
Some Like It Scot (book 1)
Other authors we stan:
Amanda Quick
Eloisa James
Tessa Dare
Christina Dodd
Courtney Milan
Vanessa Riley
Kate Pearce
Caroline Linden
A good list featuring heroines of "lower class"
Research Books:
Georgette Heyer by Jennifer Kloester
Jane Austen's England Roy Adkins
Kings and Queens of Great Britain: every question answered by David Soud
Research Articles:
"The Regency Period" by The Regency Townhouse
"When is the Regency Era" by Regencyhistory.net
This is also a good resource for all regency-era information!
"Regency Period Primer: Jane Austen, Regency Period" by JaneAusten.org
'Historical Context for Pride and Prejudice" by Deborah Aschkenes
"What was the truth about the madness of George III" by BBC
"King George III, bipolar disorder, porphyria and lessons for historians" by Timothy Peters
"How accurate is 'Bridgerton's' tale of sex and scandal in Regency England?" by Meredith Blake
Looks at sex and what would have been expected of someone like Daphne Bridgerton
"The Regency Romance: How Jane Austen (kinda) Created a New Subgenre" by Kelly Faircloth
Information on Austen's and Heyer's influence on romancelandia
"Ape Leaders: Spinsters of the Regency Era" by Maria Grace
Information on spinsters and women's statuses
"Gentlemen, Gentry, and Regency Era Social Class" by Maria Grace
"Black People in the Regency" by Vanessa Riley
REALLY GOOD ARTICLE ON POC IN THE REGENCY THAT EVERYONE SHOULD READ RIGHT NOW
"Social Class in the Regency Period" by Regina Jeffries
"The Gentry" by Mass Historia
Also details the other members of the social structure in British history
"Jane Austen's World" by Vic
Features the 1814 census showing breakdown of social classes
"When Was the London Season?" by Rachel Knowles
"Blame Jane: Romance Novels 2019-2020" by Betsy O'Donovan

Podcasts Listened to:
"What to Read if You Loved Bridgerton" Fated Mates podcast
"Time Travel to Regency Britain with Ian Mortimer" Dan Snow's History Hit podcast
Important people to know:
George III
Monarch from 1760-1820
George IV
Prince Regent 1811-1820
Monarch 1820-1830
Jane Austen
I shouldn't have to explain who Jane Austen is...
Georgette Heyer
1902-1974, author, published her first novel in 1921
Became known for starting the Regency romance trend and is still used as a resource by authors today
General timeline of the Regency period:
1714-1837 - Georgian Era
All the monarchs are named George, encompasses the regency period
1788 - George III's first "great" bout of "madness"
1789-1799 - French Revolution
Agreed start of the "larger" regency period as growing feeling of Anti-Frenchness and fear of getting your head chopped off by the populace
1803 - Napoleonic Wars begin
Furthers the idea of Anti-Frenchness as the UK goes to war with Napoleon and the French Empire
1807 - Absolution of the Slave Trade Act
Does not fully abolish slavery in the British empire
1810 - George III suffers the Second Great Madness
1811 - February 5 Regency Act Passed
Authorizes George, Prince of Wales, to act as Prince Regent in George IV's place
1813 - Pride and Prejudice first published
1815 -Napoleon defeated at Waterloo and Napoleonic wars end
1817 - Post-war economic depression causes riots and protests; Jane Austen dies
1820 - George III dies, George Prince of Wales is crowed King George IV
1830 - George IV dies
1832 - Great Reform Act passed
1833 - Slavery Abolition Act abolishes slavery in British empire
1837 -Start of the Victorian era
47 min
February 19, 2021#12 Is Christian Grey a Narcissist?
TW: Talk about grooming, disordered eating, drug abuse and addiction, stalking, physical abuse, physical abuse of children, teacher-student relationships, statutory rape, abortion, some discussion of BDSM practices including gagging and whipping, #MeToo and blackmail; language use
We would like to introduce you, dear listener, to the concept of "hate reading," because Jackie sure as heck hate-read Fifty Shades. Jen, meanwhile, read the trilogy for the first time, and decided it wasn't completely terrible. So they sat down and had an in-depth (very long) discussion about the trilogy as a whole, the characters they hated, their favorite and least-favorite scenes, what they did and didn't like, and just how much Elena upset them both. So here's a question for you, you sparkly romance nerd: if Fifty Shades were written in 2021, could it have been written any better?
The below links are resources for you to use at your own discretion. We here at Raging Romantics support and love you.
National Domestic Violence Hotline
National Teen Dating Hotline
RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline
National Resource Center on Domestic Violence
National Eating Disorder Association Hotline

Terms
Love Bombing: The process of overwhelming someone with effusive signs of adoration and attraction such as texting, gifts, complements, etc. This is designed to manipulate the recipient into spending more time with the bomber and can be part of the cycle of abuse. (Psychologytoday.com)
Grooming: "Grooming is when someone builds a relationship, trust and emotional connection with a child or young person so they can manipulate, exploit and abuse them." This can happen online or in person, and involves a variety of tactics designed to "create" the "perfect" victim (NSPCC.org.uk)
Books mentioned:
Fifty Shades Trilogy by EL James
Grey by EL James
Fifty Writers on Fifty Shades, ed. by Lori Perkins
Jen didn't get to read this one, but wants to:
Hard-Core Romance: "Fifty Shades of Grey," Best-Sellers, and Society by Eva Illouz
Author Alexa Riley
Flame and the Flower by Kathleen Woodiwiss
Bonus reading:
Could Christian Grey be a narcissist? Here's a good article about narcissistic traits: Psychology Today
And a good psychological discussion of Fifty Shades
Master of the Universe pdf for download (og fanfiction)
Case of Mary Kay Letourneau
Books to read if you want to read something similar to Fifty Shades (but better):
Crossfire trilogy by Sylvia Day
On Dublin Street series by Samantha Young
Lotus House series by Audrey Carlan
King series by TM Frazier
Anything by Lila Dubois
Between the Covers bookclub (feel free to join in!) Virtual on Zoom
1 hr 3 min
February 05, 2021#11 The Cult of Snowqueens Icedragon and 50 Shades
Raise your hand if you've ever read 50 Shades of Grey. Now raise your other hand if you've ever seen the movie(s). If your hands remain by yours sides, then don't worry, we're here to introduce you to the world of the 2011 viral sensation that was 50 Shades. In this episode we look at the rise of the series and EL James (aka Snowqueens Icedragon), and examine just how it go so darn popular. We'll also address some of the pros and cons of the story, so please pay attention to the below trigger warnings. This episode is NSFW, so make sure you have your headphones on! Laters, sparkly babes.
TW: BDSM, Intimate Partner Violence, Domestic Abuse, Disordered Eating, Self Harm
National Domestic Violence Hotline
Love is Respect National Teen Dating Abuse Hotline
RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline
National Resource Center on Domestic Violence

Terms:
NSFW
Not Safe For Work
BDSM
BDSM is an acronym for bondage & discipline, dominance & submission and submission & masochism. It’s an umbrella term that covers a range of activities and roles, some of which include sex and others do not
There is a lot of information out there on this, but here is a good succinct article that includes some history on BDSM
Intimate Partner Violence, or IPV
This describes physical violence, sexual violence, stalking, or psychological harm by a current or former partner or spouse. This type of violence can occur among heterosexual or same-sex couples and does not require sexual intimacy.
Please visit the CDC website for more information
Fanfiction
Also abbreviated to fan fic, fanfic, fic or ff, this is fictional writing written by fans, commonly of an existing work of fiction. The author uses copyrighted characters, settings, or other intellectual properties from the original creator(s) as a basis for their writing
Mommy Porn
"Mommy Porn is a sub-genre of erotica...that is characterized by its perceived audience and elegant description of female sexual domination...The characteristics that define Mommy Porn are: Its focus on female sexual fantasy; The introduction of an innocent female protagonist to an unimagined world of sex; A controlling, alpha male love interest; and its detailed description of sex without using graphic words." (Urbandictionary.com)
Also one of Jackie's least favorite terms
The Fifty Shades Defense
Also known as the "Rough Sex Murder defence," this defense measure is employed by some of those accused of murdering a sexual partner, who claim that the death occurred because of injuries sustained during "consensual rough sex, most often through strangulation or restraint.
Statistics and some of the most notorious cases
The Canadian case we reference
Articles read:
"Fifty shades of Grey, the viral myth, and the Truth about how things get popular" (Penguin Press, 2017)
"Why We Love Fifty Shades of Grey" (Bunting, 2014)
"E.L. James is Still Shocked 'Fifty Shades' is so popular" (Tinubu, 2020)
"Reading '50 Shades' Has a Bigger Impact that you might think" (Wilford, ND)
"150M shades of Grey: how the decade's runaway bestseller changed our sex lives" (Cain, 2020)
"What's Wrong with '50 Shades of Grey'" (Berl, 2013)
"Reading 'Fifty Shades' linked to unhealthy behaviors" (Michigan State University, 2014)
"She's Fit to Be Tied" (Dowd, 2012)
"Consent Isn't Enough: The Troubling Sex of Fifty Shades" (Green, 2015)
"Will Fifty Shades of Grey Make 'Mommy Porn' the Next Big Thing?" (Goudreau, 2012)
"50 Shades of Grey: Why 'Mommy Porn' is Hot" (James, 2012)
"How Many People are Actually Doing S&M? We Decided to Find Out" (Rinzler, 2015)
"A Dominatrix Reviews 'Fifty Shades of Grey'" (Pels, 2015)
"'Fifty Shades of Grey' Was the Best-Selling Book of the Decade in the U.S, the NPD Group Says" (PRWeb, 2019)
"The Evolution of E L James" (Alter, 2019)
"Fifty Shades of Grey" (Colgan, 2012)
"Master of the Universe--Fanlore Wiki" (Wiki, ND)
"What Indie Authors Can Learn From E.L. James' Self-Publishing Success" (Spatz, 2018)
Podcasts listened to:
"50 Shades of Grey" MYLF Talk
"50. Fifty Shades of Grey" Couples Talking Couples
Master of the Universe pdf to download
56 min
January 15, 2021#10: Adventures on an Ice Planet
Welcome back to Not-Hoth, dear humans! You sparkly thing you, thanks for giving us a listen! In this episode, we, Jen and Jackie, follow up on our discussion of the Ice Planet Barbarians series by Ruby Dixon. We narrowed down the 18+ books of the series into a critical think session of four books that we reallllllly wanted to talk about. This is a heavier discussion, and we have some difficult themes we're going to be talking about, including dubious consent, rape, kidnapping, and slavery. We end the discussion with a shout out to some of our other favorites in the series (there are many), and Jen gives us a particularly bad joke (as usual). Thanks for listening!
Reminder to go back and listen to the first episode this month (episode #9), as there's a lot of information about the Ruby Dixon universe!
Don't forget to email us at [email protected] if you have any questions, concern, recommendations, or just want to say howdy.

TW: Discussions of rape and rape culture, dubious consent (dubcon), kidnapping, and slavery

Books we talk about:
Ice Planet Barbarians (IPB #1)- Georgie and Vektal
Barbarian's Prize (IPB #5)- Tiffany and Salukh
Barbarian's Mate (IPB #6)- Josie and Haeden
Barbarian's Redemption (IPB #12) - Bek and Elly

Terms
Dark Romance
Generally contains kidnapping or entrapment, psychological and/or physical abuse, and dubious consent, often because of revenge, a misunderstanding, or a debt that must be paid. The hero is usually an inflictor of most if not all of that;
Ultimately the category falls into an awkward area between romance, erotica, and horror. (bookriot.com)
Hurt/Comfort
Heavily focuses on the interaction of a pair of characters; as the name suggests, one character is somehow hurt, and the other character provides comfort. (PPC.fandom.com)
Gaslighting
Gaslighting is a form of psychological abuse where a person or group makes someone question their sanity, perception of reality, or memories. (medicalnewstoday.com)
Hunter's Cave
The sa-khui have various caves scattered across Not-Hoth that are stocked with supplies where they can stay if they're too far away from the Tribal Caves/Croatoan
Dvisti
A creature native to Not-Hoth which looks like a blend between a llama and a pony...I WANT ONE (unfortunately it is prey to the sa-khui...)
Croatoan
After the original Tribal Caves are destroyed by an earthquake in book seven, a new settlement is discovered in a crevasse, with stone huts and running water! The humans name it "Croatoan"

Other links:
Etymology of the word "camouflage"
Information on sex therapy and counseling
Please note that in no situation should a therapist physically touch you in any way that can be deemed as sexual or inappropriate. In these therapies a professional will use talking therapy to help a patient- PLEASE CONTACT A THERAPIST OR DOCTOR FOR MORE INFORMATION

Other books we mention:
Barbarian Lover (IPB #3)- Kira and Aehako (she has an alien translator stapled onto her ear)
Barbarian's Touch (IPB #7)- Lilah and Rokan (PSYCHIC ALIEN GUYS)
Barbarian's Taming (IPB #8)- Maddie and Hassen (earthquake and discovery of new settlement)
Barbarian's Heart (IPB #9)- Stacy and Pashov (he has amnesia and Jackie doesn't like this one)
Barbarian's Beloved (IPB #16)- Ariana and Zolaya (she has severe anxiety and he's adorable)
The book Jen was trying to remember! My Secret Garden by Nancy Friday

Podcasts listened to:
Heaving Bosom's "Ep. 140 - Barbarian's Heart by Ruby Dixon with Erin and Dani"
Ice Planet Podcast "episode 5: 'barbarian's prize' w/funmi"
Ice Planet Podcast "episode 12: 'barbarian's redemption' w/jen of fated mates"
1 hr
January 01, 2021#9 Fifty Shades of Blue with Ruby Dixon
Hey there sparkly blue romance nerds, are you ready for an out-of-this-world discussion? No...literally. We're talking about sci-fi romance! Even better, we're talking in this episode about our favorite Kindle author (maybe one of our favorite authors out there?), Ruby Dixon and her alien romances series Ice Planet Barbarians and Ice Home! We're going to put on our spacesuits and jet out to the far side of an unknown galaxy to explore what a blue barbarian romance hero looks like, acts like, and whether or not this is worth the read. Spoiler alert, we say yes. We'll also discuss the issues that readers might have with the series, so please review the trigger warnings below!

TW: Discussions of rape and forced consent, dubious consent, abduction/kidnapping, and sex slaves and alien slave trade.

Terms
Ice Home
Spin off series of Ice Planet Barbarians (IPB), but also refers to the settlement where the spin-off characters live
D-Class
Earth is a D-Class planet in this universe, meaning that it is strictly forbidden for alien races to contact humans/land on earth/ etc. However, due to the rampant human slave trade, certain races are known to kidnap human women (especially) for the trade
Sa-khui/modified-sakh
The inhabitants of Not-Hoth and the heroes in the whole of Ice Planet Barbarians series. They are an alien species identified by having sweeping horns on their heads (like rams), long twitchy tails, four fingers and four toes, skin in varying shades of blue, and the males have a spur above their penis. They are also plated with natural body armor. The females of the species do not have a spur, and have smaller breasts than the human women, unless they're pregnant. They are "modified" sakh, because they are descended from the messakah species who crash landed on Not-Hoth eons ago, and in order to survive they took on the khui (a symbiotic parasite).
Messakah/Sakh
The species that the sa-khui are descended from. Have all similar physical features to the sa-khui, but they do not have the symbiotic khui.
Other species of Sakh have evolved to live on Not-Hoth, as we learn in Ice Home. They are the:
Tall Horn- identified by especially tall horns; can camouflage to match surroundings
Shadow Cat- identified by excess body hair and fangs and talons; can camouflage to match surroundings
Strong Arm- identified by having four arms and smaller horns; can camouflage to match surroundings
Khui/cootie
A symbiotic parasite native to Not-Hoth that all living creatures supposedly have. It lives in the chest and enables the being to survive the hypoxic atmosphere of Not-Hoth. It enables faster healing, maybe longer life, and allows you to stay warmer in the freezing atmosphere. It also enables resonance and makes it so that human women can bear alien babies.
Resonance
This is when two khuis in different creatures decide that their hosts are biological matches and best able to propagate their species. Resonance is identified by "purring" when the chests of the beings vibrate excessively, encouraging mating until offspring is conceived, ie. when "resonance is filled."
Resonance mates
A mating pair whose khuis have decided that they're the best match and best able to get pregnant. They are lifelong mates and can resonate multiple times. They are only able to get pregnant while actively resonating.
Forcing resonance
When resonance does not happen immediately, sometimes one character (usually the male) "takes" (kidnaps) the character they want to resonate with, in hopes that being in close proximity with no other competition around with force the khui to make a decision. Works about 90% of the time and there is usually a redemption arc in these cases
Dubious Consent
When consent for sexual actions is unknown or certain, and is not explicitly given. This is distinguished from forced consent/rape. Often, a character involved is uncertain about whether he or she wants to participate.
Kit
What the sa-khui/sakh/messakah call their offspring
Not-Hoth
The planet on which Ice Planet Barbarians/Ice Home takes place. Named by humans as it represents the planet Hoth in Star Wars' Empire Strikes Back
Metlaks
Creatures who inhabit Not-Hoth alongside the sa-khui and other native species. They look like yetis, according to the humans, and have dirty white fur and don't have a recognizable language. They may have some sign language, as learn in book IPB #7 Barbarian's Touch
Jen and Jackie think that the metlaks are part of the evolutionary tree of the natives of the planet and related especially to the Shadow Cat Tribe
Fated mates
Can also be termed "soul mates," this is when two characters (usually in sci-fi or paranormal) are "destined" to be together and are each other's one true love. There can often be a lot of sexual tension between the two, as their bodies (or khuis, in this case) recognize that they need to get together, but the characters themselves can be reluctant to do so.

Ruby Dixon series
Ice Planet Barbarians
18 books + novellas
Takes place on Not-Hoth (frozen planet) and involves multiples romances between human women and sa-khui males (for the most part)
Barbarian's Hope (IPB #10) is the story of a romance between two sa-khui
Barbarian's Choice (IPB #11) is the story of a romance between a sa-khui female and a messakah male
Ice Home
14 books + novellas
Spin off from IPB, also takes place on Not-Hoth. We see some original characters, but each book is about a different romance between human females and alien males (not necessarily all sa-khui)
We learn more about the planet and its inhabitants and geography
You see characters/species from Corsairs, Risdaverse, and Fireblood Dragons
Corsairs
4 books (for now)
Somewhat a spinoff of IPB; involves romances between messakah/sakh and human females and all set on space ships IN SPACE (if you like Firefly/Star Trek you'll love this, I promise)
Risdaverse
5 books + novellas
Spin off from Corsairs; Takes place on a remote farm planet and involves the romances between human females who have escaped the sex slave trade and alien males. The more recent books in the series take place off-planet.
FireBlood Dragons
8 books
Post-apocalyptic earth where dragons have broken through a portal and decimated earth's population and culture. Surprise though, the dragons are all shapeshifters and very sexy! Involves the romance between humans and the dragons as they try to help the dragons figure out why earth is making them so aggressive and crazy.
Aspect and Anchor
2 books (very long books) + novella
Hyper-fantasy series that involves human women (so far) who have been anchored to gods during a godly battle for dominance. The women are anchors to these different gods so that the gods stay incarnate.
Bear Bites
4 books
Set on earth, involves romances between men who shift into bears (were-bears) and human women
Bedlam Butchers MC
7 books
Classic MC romance books

Books we mention
Ice Planet Barbarians (Georgie and vektal, IPB #1)
Barbarian Alien (Liz and Raahoosh, IPB #2)
Barbarian Mine (Harlowe and Rukh, IPB #4)
Barbarian's Hope (Asha and Hemalo, IPB #10)
Barbarian's Choice (Farli and Mardock, IPB #11)
When She Purrs (Risdaverse #3)
When She Dances (Risdaverse #5)

Helpful links
The IPB universe wiki
Podcasts listened to
There's a whole podcast devoted solely to IPB/Ice Home! Ice Planet Podcast
"Bonus Episode 4- Ice Planet Barbarians" by The NXT Wrestling Fan
"Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon, Episode 4" by Learning the Tropes
Honestly though, there are a lot, just search "Ice Planet Barbarians!"
50 min
December 18, 2020#8: Billionaires, Hot or Not?
Hello again sparkly romance nerds! We're back with Jen's favorite heroes to hate, billionaires. In our last episode we discussed the billionaire trope as a whole and had an open discussion of whether or not it's okay to like them in romance novels (if you haven't listened to it yet, this is your sign. GO DO IT NOW). In the meantime, if you really want to hear Jen's true feelings on billionaires, give this episode a listen...it gets interesting.
In the meantime, if you haven't yet, go check us out on Spotify @ Raging Romantics! Give us a follow...we'll reward you with kudos.
We can now also accept questions/submissions/suggestions/adulation and praise at [email protected]! (Please, don't be hateful and don't send us bad things. I don't think our combined psyche could handle it at this point)
Again...sorry for audio quality. Jackie's new mic is NOT liking her.

TW: waterboarding/brief discussion of dark romance; toxic relationships; unwanted pregnancy and forced adoption; grooming

Terms:
Meet-Cute: When two characters have an amusing or "cute" first encounter that leads to the development of a romantic relationship.
Grooming: "Grooming is when someone builds a relationship, trust and emotional connection with a child or young person so they can manipulate, exploit and abuse them." (NSPCC)
Sheikh: "The title sheikh is especially borne by heads of religious orders, heads of colleges, chiefs of tribes, and headmen of villages and of separate quarters of towns. It is also applied to learned men..." (Britannica.com)
Books read:
Maid for the Billionaire by Ruth Cardello
"Dominic Corisi knew instantly that Abigail Dartley was just the distraction he was looking for, especially since having her took a bit more persuading than he was used to. So when business forces him to fly to China, he decides to take her with him, but on his terms. No promises. No complications. Just sex. Abby has always been the responsible one. She doesn't believe in taking risks; especially when it comes to men - until she meets Dominic. Does she love him enough to risk losing him for good?"
Wall Street Titan by Anna Zaires
"At thirty-five, Marcus Carelli has it all; a self-made billionaire, he heads one of the largest hedge funds on Wall Street and can take down major corporations with a single word. The only thing he’s missing? A wife. Twenty-six-year-old bookstore clerk Emma Walsh has it on good authority that she’s a cat lady. And yes, fine, she hasn’t had a date since… well, she can’t recall. But that part is fixable. Isn’t that what the dating sites are for? One high-end matchmaker, one dating app, one mix-up that changes everything... Opposites may attract, but can this last?"
Billionaire's Wake-Up-Call-Girl by Annika Martin
"When my manager assigns me the task of finding a new wake up call service for our CEO, I think, how hard can this be? Answer: practically impossible. So in an effort not to lose my job, I secretly start making the calls myself, every day at 4:30 am sharp. Luckily he doesn’t seem to mind my get-your-ass-out-of-bed attitude. Day by day we’re becoming closer, and the calls start turning hot, like pay-by-the-minute hot and oh-so-wild. Now he wants to take me out on a date and he’s scouring Manhattan to find me. How much longer can I keep up this charade?"
Trillion by Winter Renshaw
"Trey Westcott is the first trillionaire in existence. Anything he wants—anything at all—is a snap-of-the-fingers away. But when he snaps his fingers and requests me to play the role of his devoted fiancée, he makes an offer I can’t refuse. All the money in the world can’t change the secret I’ve kept the last eight years. Trey Westcott can have anything he wants … but he can never have me."
Other podcasts listened to:
BookSlut "Eat (Out) the Rich"
52 min
December 04, 2020#7: Diamonds are a Billionaire's Best Friends
Bear with us on the audio for this one, folks. We're sorry...we had some technical difficulties with having to record remotely.
Why are we so obsessed with billionaires as romance heroes? In real life billionaires are nowhere near as popular, or common, as they seem to be in romance novels, where it appears that they are on nearly every street corner. We're not talking Christian Grey here, people! We're talking UBER wealth, UBER attractive, and UBER unrealistic. So, if you're interested in hearing Jackie get very excited about a line graph, and Jen get very conflicted about loving billionaire romance heroes, click that play button and pour some of your favorite beverage into a diamond chalice (what, you don't have one? How plebian).

TW: Some political discussion

Terms
Billionaire romance: a subgenre of romance novel that features a billionaire character, and their wealth/lifestyle is a driving force beyond the plot
Cinderella fetish: When the hero seeks out a heroine who is impoverished and naïve, and lavishes wealth and trappings of a wealthy lifestyle upon her to gain her love and affection.
Lifestyle porn: Features of a wealthy lifestyle including but not limited to, extensive shopping trips at couture and brand names; exotic trips; expensive cars and jewelry; lavish parties; etc.
Incel- "Involuntary celibate" (Jen, Jackie is mad that you made her bring this up)- an involuntary celibate is an individual (usually heavily featured in the online community on Reddit, Tumblr, etc.) who feels that it is not "their fault" they are unable to obtain a romantic or sexual partner, despite wanting one. This is typically linked with arguments of male supremacy and violence against women.
Competence porn- Where someone becomes exponentially more attractive the better they are at whatever they do; sic. billionaires are incredibly attractive because of how capable they are at garnering and maintaining wealth.

Articles
"Americans feel as bad about billionaires today as they did during the 2009 recession" (Schleifer, 2019)
The infamous line graph!
Why One Romance Novelist Didn't Think She'd Write a Billionaire Hero" (Faircloth, 2015)
Interview with Courtney Milan, partial
"How Romance Novelist Courtney Milan Does, and Writes About, Money" (The Billfold, 2015)
Full Milan Interview
"Gravity Payments expands its $70,000 minimum wage from Seattle to Idaho" (Peters, 2020)
The company Jen couldn't remember
"27 Millionaire Statistics: What Percentage of Americans are millionaires?" (Lynkova, 2020)
"The Billionaire Census 2020" (Wealth-X, 2020)
"America has Almost 800 Billionaires, a Record High" (Schleifer, 2020)
"US Billionaire Wealth Surges to %584 Billion, or 20 Percent, Since the Beginning of the Pandemic" (Collins, 2020)
"Where do Jeff Bezos, Warren Buffett and Bill Gates rank among all-time richest Americans?" (Sauter, 2019)
"Romance 10: Billionaires" (Diehl, 2015)
"Who Will be the World's First Trillionaire?" (Simpson, 2019)
"Dukes and Billionaires: Why do we love them so?" (USA Today and Harkness, 2015)
"These are the Trade-off's we make when we depend on billionaires to save us" (Schleifer, 2020)
Books mentioned
Shadow Game by Christine Feehan
Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren
Fifty Shades of Grey by EL James (WHICH WILL GET ITS OWN MONTH IN FEBRUARY 2021)
International Guy series by Audrey Carlan
The Rich and the Mighty by Vera Cowie
In Death series by JD Robb
Breath of Magic by Teresa Medeiros
Nikki Heat series by Richard Castle
The Awakening by Nora Roberts
45 min

About Raging Romantics

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Your favorite local librarians break down romance books. Keep an ear out for four+ episodes a month, with two guaranteed full-length episodes diving into romancelandia, plus bonus minisodes too, featuring book recommendations, reviews, and mini interviews! We can always be contacted at [email protected].

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