Raging Romantics

Jackie and Jen tackle the history of the holiday that, well, is more holy that holi...

Questions/comments/concerns/recommendations? Email us at [email protected]!

Books/primary sources we mention:

• Bede's Martyrologium
• Golden Legend (Legenda Aurea) by Jacopo de Voragine
• The Parliament of Fowls by Chaucer (trans. by Kline, 2007)
• Poem by Charles, Duke of Orleans
• Howland Valentine example (Mtholyoke.edu)
• The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper
• Gammer Gurton's Garland
• Romain de la poire
• Pucking Around by Emily Rath
• Out of the Woods by Hannah Bonam-Young
• Deep End by Ali Hazelwood

Other episodes:

• #82 Virginal myths
• #71 Chivalric love

Sources:

• "The dark origins of Valentine's Day" (Seipel, 2022)
• "Sts. Marius, Martha, Audifax, and Abachum, Martyrs" ( Congregation Of The Sisters Of The Divine Redeemer, American Region, 2025)
• "Chapter 42 of the Golden Legend by Jacobus Voragine (1275), translated by William Caxton, 1483" (Christianiconography.info)
• "The Life of Claudius" (Historia Augusta, web, 2021)
• "What the mythical Cupid can teach us about the meaning of love and desire" (Christensen, 2022)
• "Amethyst" (huffmanjewelers.com)
• "The History of the Heart Shape" (Robinson, 2024)
• "Lupercalia" (history.com, 2024)
• "The Evolution of Valentine's Day" (Hohn, 2023)
• "The History & Mythology Of Amethyst" (Varianceobjects.com)
• "The Parlement of Foules" (britannica.com)
• "The First Valentine" (Petty, 2023)
• Esther Howland 1847 (MtHolyoke.edu, 2025)

It's Jen's turn to geek out over an author! Let's bring Cate C Wells to the stage, shall we?

Make sure to check out Cate's newsletter to stay up to date with all her writing news and books!

Questions/comments/concerns/recommendations? Email us at [email protected].

Books we mention:

• Charge
• Steel Bones MC series
• The Wild Wolf's Rejected Mate
• Twitch
• After the Shut up Ring
• Warrior's Woman by Johanna Lindsay
• Joanna Wylde
• Cora Reilly
• Natasha Knight (Taken, Dark Legacy Trilogy)
• Kresley Cole
• Christine Feehan
• M.E. Carter (Goalie)
• Maya Alden
• Christine Michelle
• Eve Black
• Katee Robert
• Brynne Weaver
• The Consolations of Philosophy by Alain de Botton(apparently it was also turned into a 6 part documentary!)
• Lena Hendrix
• Lucy Monroe
• Luv (Un)arranged by NM Patel
• Once a Duchess by Elizabeth Boyce

Library book clubs can be fun too! Check out our romance book club that meets every third Thursday, Between the Covers!

Questions/comments/concerns/recommendations? Email us at [email protected].

Sierra Simone/Julie Murphy Interview

Lyla Sage interview

Virtual bookclub link!

Books we mention:

• Salt Kiss
• Salt in the Wound
• Honey Cut
• Bitter Burn (out Sept. 30)
• American Queen (New Camelot series)
• Priest series
• Done & Dusted by Lyla Sage

Join Jackie + Jen as they sit down for a giggly and heartfelt interview with author Hannah Bonam-Young!

Hannah's website

Questions/comments/concerns/recommendations? Email us at [email protected].

Books we mention:

• Next of Kin
• Next to You
• Out on a Limb
• Out of the Woods
• Set the Record Straight
• People Watching
• Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery
• Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
• Wild & Wrangled by Lyla Sage
• Scythe & Sparrow by Brynne Weaver
• Flirting with Disaster by Naina Kumar

What book releases are we looking forward to this year? So glad you asked! (Also, headphone wearers BE WARE)

Books we recommend:

• Well, Actually by Mazey Eddings
• Out of the Woods, by Hannah Bonam-Young
• Zomromcom by Olivia Dade
• At First Spite by Olivia Dade
• Kilt Trip & Scot and Bothered by Alexandra Kiley
• Say a Little Prayer by Jenna Voris
• Say You'll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez
• The First Love Language by Stefany Valentine
• Dream on, Ramona Riley by Ashley Herring Blake
• Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig
• Wearing the Lion by John Wiswell
• The Ballad of Falling Dragons by Sarah Parker
• Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry
• Wild Side by Elsie Silver
• Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros
• A Crown so Silver by Lyra Selene
• Katabasis by RF Kuang
• Scythe & Sparrow by Brynne Weaver

Have any you want to recommend to us? Email us at [email protected].

We are beyond honored to welcome our og favorite to the podcast - Ruby Dixon!!!

Questions/comments/concerns/recommendations (besides we get better home microphones. We're sorry). Email us at [email protected]!

ruby Books:

• Ice Planet universe
• The Half Orc's Maiden Bride
• Sunrise Cantina
• Bound to the Shadow Prince
• When She Purrs
• Fireblood Dragons
• Barbarian's Mate
• Bad Guy
• By The Horns (next minotaur book by Ruby!)

Books/movies/authors we mention:

• Last of the Mohicans (movie)
• Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper
• Jessa Kane
• Alexa Riley
• Kati Wilde
• Ella Good
• Dragon's Bride by Katee Robert
• Morning Glory Milking Farm by CM Nascosta
• The C*ck Down the Block by Amy Award
• Kresley Cole
• Zoey Draven
• Lillian Lark
• Out on a Limb by Hannah Bonam-Young
• Mrs. Nash's Ashes and Happy Medium by Sarah Adler
• Ali Hazelwood
• Loch and Key by Lana Ferguson

Another year come and gone?! Happy 2025 romance nerds! Jen and I look back on 2024 and plan our reading resolutions for the coming months. Want to share yours? Email us at [email protected].

Hey team, we did it! We hit 100 (full length) episodes! Jen and I are eternally grateful to all of you for listening in, and we can't wait to bang out another 100 with you! For this one, you get to dive deep into the Jen + Jackie show for some good laughs and even better discussions.

Questions/comments/concerns/recommendations? Email us at [email protected]!

Fantastic Four - It's Clobberin' Time

Lyssa Kay Adams interview, ep. #17

Ruby Dixon interview, ep. #34

Tessa Bailey interview, ep. #43

Scandals, ep #30

Trope off, eps. #74/75

Books/authors we mention:

• Bromance book club by Lyssa Kay Adams
• Crescent City by SJM
• The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang
• Disorderly Conduct by Tessa
• Bloody Jack series by LA Meyer
• Cate C. Wells
• Tessa Dare
• Kristen Ashley
• Layla Frost
• Sunset Embrace by Sandra Brown
• Mr. Perfect by Linda Howard
• The Gift by Julie Garwood
• Colleen Hoover
• Freida McFadden
• Fireblood Dragons
• Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver
• Hannah Bonam-Young

We hope your holiday season is filled with many a good book. But just in case, here are some more to add to that ever-growing liste.

• How My Neighbor Stole Christmas by Meghan Quinn
• Merry Ever After by Tessa Bailey
• Make the Season Bright by Ashley Herring Blake
• Knotty Clause by Honey Phillips
• The Gift Rarely Given by Ambar Cordova

#93 Chelsea Reads interview

Jen and I are beyond excited to bring to you two authors we have long admired; Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone! We talk deli meats, friendship, washing machines, dark villain romances, book bans, library boards, fanfic, and so much more! Happy holidays from this library crew to you!

Questions/comments/concerns? Email us at [email protected].

Books/Authors we mention:

• Dumplin' by Julie Murphy
• Tessa Gratton
• Merry Little Meet Cute by JM/SS
• Ann Rinaldi
• Jerry Spinelli
• Christopher Pike
• Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
• Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean Marie Auel
• Catty Corner
• Let Them Stare by JM and Jonathan Van Ness
• Chuck Tingle
• Stepbrother Dearest by Penelope Ward
• The Feminist Porn Book by Tristan Taormino
• The Fundamentals of Being a Good Girl (no available links yet)
• Nisha Sharma
• Nana Malone
• MA Wardell
• Split or Swallow by Lindsay Straube
• Vicious Lost Boys by Nikki St. Crowe
• Butts a Backstory by Heather Radke
• Unruly by David Mitchell
• Bloody, Slutty, Pathetic by WhatMurdah

Artist Hang Le (links to Facebook)

Wind of Change podcast Series