Raging Romantics

We all have our guilty pleasures...one of Jen's is mafia romance books! In this episode she leads us on a classic RR discussion all about this specific side of dark romancelandia.

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

Books/authors we mention

• Ann Mayburn
• Alexa Riley
• Maid for the Italian Mafia by Flora Ferrari
• Den of Vipers by K.A. Knight
• Sweet Cruelty by Zoe Blake
• Desperate Measures by Katee Robert
• Addison Cain
• Urgent Vows and Demanding Mob Boss by Lucy Monroe
• Deal with a Demon series by Katee Robert
• Atlas Rose Mafia Monsters
• Orc Boss by Lark Green
• Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver
• My Secret Garden by Nancy Friday

Mob movies Jackie recommends"

• Scarface (1983)
• Gangs of New York (2002)
• Newsies (1992)
• West Side Story (1961)
• Mafia Mamma (2023)

Sources

• The American Mafia
• The Sicilian Mafia
• Omertà

Did we look at a calendar when we recorded this? NOPE. It's mother's day weekend here int he US, but today we're talking about single dads and bookish hot takes. Email us at [email protected] with your thoughts!

Books/authors we mention:

• Lost and Lassoed by Lyla Sage
• Tessa Bailey
• Lana Ferguson
• Devil's Lair by Anna Zaires
• Buns by Alice Clayton
• Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez
• Dust Storm by Maggie Gates

Saddle up and let's make our way back into cowboy-landia! We did our first episode on cowboys back in 2021, and thought they wouldn't come back. Well we're eating our hats, because darn-tootin' if they haven't reappeared on our shelves! In this episode, we discuss why that could be, and what other possible genres could be making a comeback.

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

Books we mention

• Louis L'Amour
• True Blood by Charlaine Harris
• 50 Shades series by EL James
• Dark Carpathian series by Christine Feehan
• Johanna Lindsey
• Done and Dusted by Lyla Sage
• Flawless by Elsie Silver
• Dust Storm by Maggie Gates
• Ava Hunter
• Brooke Montgomery
• Hannah Cowan
• Maisy Yates
• Beverly Jenkins
• Cowboys of California series by Rebekah Weatherspoon
• Lora Leigh
• Lorelei James
• Nora Roberts
• Janet Dailey
• CJ Box Joe Pickett series
• Diana Palmer
• The Cruel Prince and Folk of the Air series by Holly Black
• The Country of the Blind by Andrew Leland

Sources

• “The ‘Yellowstone’ Effect: Controversy and Commerce” (Western Ranch Brokers, 2024)
• "Manifest Destiny" (americanyawp.com)
• "Indian Reservations" (history.com, 2023)
• "The Civil War’s Economic Impact on New York" (Chris K., 2020)

Between the Covers book club pick this month was It Happened One Fight by Maureen Lee Lenker!

Next month we're reading Heartless by Marissa Meyer. Join us May 18th at 630 for baked goods and fun discussions. Questions/comments/concerns/recommendations? Email us at [email protected].

This week we cover a topic that has become quite the buzz in the library and bookish community - Artificial Intelligence. That's right - Jackie makes Jen talk about AI. but we'll cleanse your palate first with a classic talk about plagiarism in romancelandia with none other than romance giants, Janet Dailey and Nora Roberts!

Books we mention

• Sweet Revenge by Nora Roberts
• Notorious by Janet Dailey
• Cait Corrain
• House of Earth and Blood
• Gothikana
• Hatchet
• The Mountain Between Us by Charles Martin (movie adaptation with Kate Winslet/Idris Elba)
• The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo
• Christine Feehan

Sources:

• ‘Plagiarism in Romantic Fiction; Nora Roberts and Janet Dailey’ (Kincaid, 2019)
• “Sometimes Love Means You DO Have to Say You’re Sorry” (Strittfield, 1997)
• “The Queen Of Hearts Gives Up Her Throne” (Peyser, 2007)
• "Definitions" Copyright.gov
• "Copyright and Plagiarism" (duke.edu)
• "Plagiarism, then and now" (Roberts, 2019)

It's that time of the month - new books!

Books we mention:

• The Lady He Lost by Fay Delacour
• Remedial Magic by Melissa Marr
• Night Shift by Annie Crown
• The Partner Plot by Kristina Forest
• For Never and Always by Helena Greer
• Red White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

CONTENT WARNING - Language use, please use headphones if in mixed company!

Buckle in folks, this is a long one! Thomas and I are so happy to introduce Steven Salvatore, whose debut adult romance has recently been added to their YA catalogue! In this episode we talk about publishing, writing degrees, genderqueer books, and what we want to see in the writing community.

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

Make sure to check out Steven's website and follow them on social media!

Books/Authors we mention:

• Can't Take That Away
• And They Lived
• No Perfect Places
• The Boyfriend Subscription
• Lemon at First Sight (coming next year)
• Realm Breaker series by Victoria Aveyard
• Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
• Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon
• Hunger Games Suzanne Collins
• The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun
• Red White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
• Boyfriend Material series by Alexis Hall
• 10 Things that Never Happened by Alexis Hall
• Here We Go Again by Alison Cochrun
• Becky Chambers
• Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
• Libba Bray
• John Green
• Coe Booth
• Nicholas DiDomizio
• Less by Andrew Sean Greer

Check out the Ripped Bodice in Brooklyn, and our interview with Leah back in the day! #26 Today's Romance Novels with the Ripped Bodice

Women. Women doing awesome things. Women breaking records. Women testing the limits. Is there anything more inspiring?

This month, in honor of Women's History Month and in honor of some AMAZING women athletes, Jackie's got a few romance books that feature women athletes!

Oh, and a rabbit hole about one of her favorite niche subjects: The Barkley Marathons.

"The Barkley Marathons - 100 Mile Run" (Mahoney, 2002)

"The Barkley Marathons, the Race that eats its young" (youtube doc)

"Where Dreams go To Die: Gary Robbins and the Barkley Marathons" (My favorite youtube doc)

"Jasmin Paris first woman to complete gruelling Barkley Marathons race" (Brown, 2024)

Courtney DauWalter, 2023 UltraRunner of the Year!

Books I mention:

• The Siren of Sussex by Mimi Matthews
• Cleat Cute by Meryl Wilsner
• Fangirl Down by Tessa Bailey
• Done and Dusted by Lyla Sage
• From Lukov with Love by Mariana Zapata

Questions/Comments/Concerns/Recommendations? Email us at [email protected]!

A ghostwriter...who sees ghosts? And their editor is now a ghost? Yep, sounds about right. Take a peek between the covers with us for our book club's most recent read, The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston!

This episode does contain spoilers for the book. BE WARNED! Spoilers start at 03:45

Books we mention:

• Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston
• Seven Year Slip
• A Novel Love Story
• Partners in Crime by Alisha Rai
• Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

You can also join us for our monthly bookclub. More info can be found here: Nopl.org/events

Email us at [email protected] to find out how you can join us virtually!

Hallmark is synonymous with the world of movie romances...but where did they get their start, and when did they become so intrinsically linked with Christmas? Thomas comes back to the podcast to answer all our Hallmark-related questions!

Movies we mention

• Amahl and the Night Visitors (1978)
• Christmas Under Wraps (2014)
• Housekeeper's Revenge (2016)
• The Psycho She Met Online (2017)
• Shoe Addict's Christmas (2018)
• Road to Christmas (2018)
• Under the Christmas Tree (NOT Hallmark) (2021)
• Memories of Christmas (2018)
• Dashing in December (also not Hallmark, sorrz) (2020)
• My Christmas Guide (2023)
• Romance in Style (2022)

Books

• Dater's Handbook by Cara Lockwood
• Jill Shalvis
• Danielle Steele
• Christina Lauren
• Partners in Crime by Alisha Rai
• The Right Swipe
• A Feather So Black by Lyra Selene

Other episodes we mention

• #79 Krampus