Romance at a Glance

Hosts Bridget and Shani return from hiatus for a season focused on romance adaptations, outlining upcoming titles and inviting 2026 adaptation requests. They review Ali Hazelwood’s standalone contemporary romance The Love Hypothesis (fake dating, grumpy/sunshine), discuss audiobook narration by Callie Dalton and Teddy Hamilton, and note a tonal shift when a harassment “villain” plotline appears late. They rate Olive 3/5, Adam 3/5 (Bridget 4/5), describe the spice as “classy” with limited on-page sex, and give the book 3/5. They then review the film adaptation (directed by Claire Scanlon; written by Sarah Rothschild; starring Lily Reinhart and Tom Bateman), calling it unfaithful and criticizing changes that reduce Olive’s agency, add a third-act breakup, alter harassment details, diminish side characters, and deliver weak chemistry, costumes, and sex-scene filming; they rate the adaptation 1–2/5 and do not recommend it, previewing Practical Magic next.

00:00 Recording 2 - Sep 28, 12:58 PM

00:50 Season Lineup

03:42 Narrator Review

04:33 Cover Art

05:18 The Villain Problem

08:02 What We Liked

11:26 Classy to Nasty

12:32 Heroine Rating: Olive

14:25 Hero Rating: Adam Carlson

19:30 McDreamy to McSteamy

20:01 Favorite Lines

20:27 Book Rating

21:52 Movie Adaptation Review

23:14 Were You Faithful?

26:26 Third Act Breakup

33:13 Sex Scene Discussion

36:03 Casting & Costumes

42:57 Creative License: But Why?

55:27 Adaptation Rating

58:06 Sign-Off

In this episode of Romance at a Glance, hosts Bridget and Shani interview Bianca Gillam, debut author of Bad Publicity, which follows senior book publicist Andy and her tumultuous, enemy-to-lovers relationship with author Jack Carlson. The discussion dives into Bianca's transition from romance editor to author, the challenges of separating the editorial voice while writing, and the process of making her protagonist competent in her job. The novel also touches on themes of grief, and Bianca shares how her own experiences with loss influenced the book. The episode wraps up with a sneak peek into Bianca's upcoming project, 'Off Script.'

00:00 Introduction and Guest Announcement

00:12 Book Overview and Themes

01:03 Author's Journey and Writing Process

01:33 Challenges of Being an Author-Editor

02:15 Balancing Writing and Editing

04:16 Working with Editors

07:18 Querying Process and Finding an Agent

09:48 Transition to Full-Time Writing

17:38 Character Development and Crafting the Protagonist

19:44 The Importance of Edits and Research

20:54 Balancing Professionalism and Personal Relationships

22:46 Insights from Publicists and Celebrity Stories

24:27 Navigating Public Persona and Social Media

25:27 Sales, Marketing, and Book Distribution

28:10 Emotional Impact and Reader Connections

30:55 The Power of Romance Novels

34:34 Upcoming Projects and Future Plans

36:30 Conclusion and Farewell

ABOUT BAD PUBLICITY

Andie’s first day at her new job could very well be her last when she discovers she has to work with literary darling Jack Carlson. While the rest of the world may adore him and his perfect hair, Andie has despised this man ever since he ruined her life five years ago. But to keep her job, she must execute a flawless campaign. To make matters worse, the centerpiece of this career-defining campaign is a book tour. For an entire month, Andie will have to travel across Europe with the man she’d secretly love to hit with her car. But she refuses to lose this opportunity, especially not because of him. One month on tour with Jack Carlson, visiting some of the most romantic spots in Europe. Deep breath. She can do this.

ABOUT BIANCA GILLAM

Bianca Gillam is a London-based author and armchair expert on ’80s and ’90s rom-coms whose poetry has been published in a variety of publications. She formerly worked in publishing, where she had the joy of editing a wide variety of brilliant authors; she was inspired by the books she published to write her own. Bad Publicity is her debut.

 ABOUT ROMANCE AT A GLANCE

Leave us a rating and review on Itunes

A lot of additional listening on Patreon!

Welcome to Romance at a Glance, a podcast that uses romance novels to dive into candid conversations about life, relationship dynamics, and sexual desires. 

As hosts Bridget and Shani review books and interview some of romance's biggest authors, they explore the breadth of the genre, openly embracing the sex, diverse couplings, and taboos to create a safe space for listeners to be exposed to different lifestyles, fantasies, and to pique their naughty curiosity.

Expect 100% honest reviews, spontaneous singing, life lessons, indecent anecdotes, and bawdy humor.

Check out www.romanceataglance.com

Chat with us on Instagram at instagram.com/romanceataglance

Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/romanceataglance

AFFILIATES AND DISCOUNT CODES

Get a discount and we get an affiliate commission! 

•  That sweet sweet juice, Magic Mind, that's helping us stress less and be WAY more productive, use our code ROMANCEATAGLANCE20. For 20% off a one-time order or 48% off a subscription!
• Get 30 days free on Kindle Unlimited just for our listeners!
• Or listen on Audible like Shani and get up to two free ebooks when you try Audible Premium Plus.

In this episode of Romance at a Glance, hosts Bridget and Shani tackle the alarming issue of book bans alongside guest Sabrina Baêta, Senior Program Manager of Freedom to Read at PEN America. The episode delves into the growing incidence of book bans in K-12 public schools, with a particular focus on romance novels and LGBTQIA+ literature.

The hosts discuss the motivations behind these bans, which often target minority communities and aim to censor literature that addresses sexual experiences, violence, and abuse.

Sabrina shares alarming statistics about the books being banned and the increasing trend of 'sideways censorship.' The conversation also highlights the role of Penn America in combating these bans and emphasizes the importance of community action to support librarians and educators.

The episode concludes with practical advice for listeners on how to get involved and make a difference in their local communities against the backdrop of this critical issue.

About the growing book bans across America

Bans Sweep Across Reading Levels and Genres, Targeting Titles about People of Color, Race, Racism, and LGBTQ+ Subjects at High Rates.

Analysis Shows Stories about Disabled People, Immigrants, Social Activism and Bullying Are Targets and Debunks Exaggerated Claims about Explicit Sex in Books.

(NEW YORK)-- The removal of books focused on people of color, race and racism, and LGBTQ+ subjects from public schools continues as part of a concerted and dangerous campaign nationwide, according to new analysis of thousands of banned titles by PEN America. These topics are highly targeted among banned books across genres and reading levels—fiction, history, biography, memoir, even picture books.

 Of the 4,218 unique banned titles in the 2023-2024 school year, 1,534 or 36% featured fictional characters or real people of color. In analyzing banned history and biography titles alone, PEN America found 44% featured people of color, with 26% of banned historical and biographical titles specifically featuring Black people. The comprehensive analysis is based on PEN America’s documentation of the more than 10,000 instances of book bans nationwide, as school districts banned many of the same titles. The movement to ban books originated in a coordinated network of groups that also largely espouses white supremacist and Christian nationalist ideology.

 The targeting of banned titles featuring people of color is happening at the same time as the population of students of color has reached an all time high—now more than half of all American schoolchildren. This is especially concerning as equity and diversity initiatives seeking to achieve more equal representation in schools are under attack by government at all levels.

 Coupled with the banning of books about communities of color is the removal of titles about the LGBTQ+ community. During the 2023-2024 school year, 29% of all banned titles included LGBTQ+ characters, people, or themes. Of the banned titles with LGBTQ+ characters or people, 28% specifically featured trans and/or genderqueer characters. Also, more than half of the banned books with LGBTQ+ people or characters include communities of color, highlighting the intersectionality of attacks on marginalized groups.

 Research has shown that banning books about the experiences and histories of marginalized groups of people increases feelings of exclusion and invisibility, and intensifies their risk of mental health challenges. The erasure of books about students of color in school libraries has deeply harmful impacts on mental health.

 “This targeted censorship amounts to a harmful assault on historically marginalized and underrepresented populations — a dangerous effort to erase their stories, achievements, and history from schools,” said Sabrina Baêta, senior manager for PEN America’s Freedom to Read program. “When we strip library shelves of books about particular groups, we defeat the purpose of a library collection that is supposed to reflect the lives of all people. The damaging consequences to young people are real.”

 Proponents of book bans often label titles with consensual sexual experiences as “explicit.” But PEN America found their rhetoric to be exaggerated. Out of all 4,218 unique titles examined, 31% had references to sexual experiences but with minimal detail. Only 13% described the sexual experiences “on the page”. Books with sexual content allow students to raise questions about this aspect of human experience, which can help guide them. PEN America’s analysis showed other books offering real-world experience on important topics were among those banned at higher levels— on death and grief, violence, abuse, and mental health issues.

 Similarly, books about books about race and racism (20% of all banned titles) illuminate the ways in which these factors have impacted history and everyday life. Books on activism and social movements (15%) illustrate real and fictional stories about those who have worked to better the world in which they live. Books that touch on incarceration and policing (13%) can increase young people’s understanding of prison and policing systems, and foster empathy towards those impacted. Books about immigration or immigrants and refugees (7%) help raise awareness and dispel misinformation.

 PEN America’s Work on Educational Censorship

PEN America has documented the steep rise in book bans in schools since 2021. The censorship has been mobilized by a well-funded coordinated network of conservative groups. Together with state laws and policies that erase so-called “divisive” topics from classrooms, this “Ed Scare” has led to education censorship unseen since the 1950s-era Red Scare. On book bans, the groups have created platforms, such as BookLooks or Laverna in the Library, giving adherents who want to ban books a tool to target topics PEN America has identified as disproportionately banned.

About Sabrina

Sabrina Baêta is a senior program manager with Freedom to Read at PEN America. She is co-author of PEN America's reports documenting book bans in the U.S. She engages in research and awareness-building around censorship attacks on public K-12 education, especially as it relates to literature accessibility in libraries and classrooms. Sabrina graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Bachelor of Music in Voice, and then from the University of Central Florida with a Master of Nonprofit Management. She is a poet, essayist, and writer and prior to PEN America, worked in educational publishing and in a variety of performing arts and education nonprofits.

About PEN America

PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide. We champion the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Our mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible. Learn more at pen.org.

What’s not to love about a love story? Romance book bans

Romance novels are among the most frequently banned books in U.S. schools, according to PEN America’s analysis of school book bans. Romance fiction is often targeted and banned in schools for its inclusion of sex, even if only referred to and not explicit.

Most of these books were written specifically for young adults and feature love and romance story lines for teens figuring out romantic relationships. A love of love stories can turn teens – including 18-year-old students who are legally adults – into lifelong readers. 

These are the most banned romance novels in the 2023-2024 school year.

A Court of Thorns and Roses series, by Sarah J. Maas (Bloomsbury Publishing) 

This “romantasy” series follows the journey of 19-year-old Feyre Archeron after she is brought into the faerie lands of Prythian. The storylines might be “spicy” but also focus on consent and agency. There were over 270 instances of book bans in the series in the 2023-24 school year, with dozens of districts banning each of the books.

Throne of Glass series, by Sarah J. Maas (Bloomsbury Publishing) 

Maas’ Throne of Glass series features a teenage assassin in a corrupt kingdom with a tyrannical ruler. Books in the series were banned more than 180 times in the 2023-24 school year.

Last Night at the Telegraph Club, by Malinda Lo (Dutton Books) 

This National Book Award-winning novel was a New York Times bestseller. Set in 1954, it features a Chinese American finding love with another girl amid Red Scare paranoia.

The Fault in Our Stars, by John Green (Penguin Books) 

The Fault in Our Stars is a young adult novel about two teenagers with cancer who fall in love. The book was adapted into a movie starring Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort.

Red, White and Royal Blue, by Casey McQuiston (St. Martin’s Griffin) 

This romance novel centers on the son of the President of the United States as he falls for a British prince. It was made into a film in 2023.

Like a Love Story, by Abdi Nazemian (Balzer + Bray) 

Like a Love Story is a historical, young adult romance novel that follows Reza, an Iranian boy, as he grapples with his homosexuality amid the AIDS crisis in New York City.

Twilight series, by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown & Company) 

Team Edward or Team Jacob? Some teens will never know. Books in this werewolf-vampire love triangle series were banned in 34 instances in the 2023-24 school year.

******

Affiliates and discount codes

Get a discount and we get an affiliate commission! 

•  That sweet sweet juice, Magic Mind, that's helping us stress less and be WAY more productive, use our code ROMANCEATAGLANCE20. For 20% off a one-time order or 48% off a subscription!
• Get 30 days free on Kindle Unlimited just for our listeners!
• Or listen on Audible like Shani and get up to two free ebooks when you try Audible Premium Plus.

******

About Romance at a Glance

Leave us a rating and review on Itunes

A lot of additional listening on Patreon!

Welcome to Romance at a Glance, a podcast that uses romance novels to dive into candid conversations about life, relationship dynamics, and sexual desires. 

As hosts Bridget and Shani review books and interview some of romance's biggest authors, they explore the breadth of the genre, openly embracing the sex, diverse couplings, and taboos to create a safe space for listeners to be exposed to different lifestyles, fantasies, and to pique their naughty curiosity.

Expect 100% honest reviews, spontaneous singing, life lessons, indecent anecdotes, and bawdy humor.

Check out www.romanceataglance.com

Chat with us on Instagram at instagram.com/romanceataglance

Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/romanceataglance

We had the absolute pleasure of interviewing historial romance author Eloisa James this week! Her latest book Hardly a Gentleman is out now.

By day she's a fancy Professor at Fordham University, and by night she's an even fancier historical romance lead author!

We chatted all about her very impressive educational background, creating heros you love and heroines you want to be your best friend, how she writes and researches her stories, how to stay engaged in new stories and banter after writing so long and more.

Bridget surprised Shani with this interview and couldn't be prouder of herself :)

About Eloisa James

I'm a writer, a professor, a mother - and a wife. My husband Alessandro is Italian, born in Florence. We spend the lazy summer months with his mother and sister in Italy. It always strikes me as a huge irony that as a romance writer I find myself married to a knight, a cavaliere, as you say in Italian.

I write novels as Eloisa James and Mary Bly, but when I’m not writing, I'm Professor Bly, who teaches Shakespeare at Fordham. It's rather like having two lives. The other day I bought a delicious pink suit to tape a television segment on romance; I'll never wear that suit to teach in, nor even to give a paper at the Shakespeare Association of America conference. It's like being Superman, with power suits for both lives. Yet the literature professor in me certainly plays into my romances. The Taming of the Duke (April 2006) has obvious Shakespearean resonances, as do many of my novels. I often weave early modern poetry into my work; the same novel might contain bits of Catullus, Shakespeare and anonymous bawdy ballads from the 16th century.

After graduating from Harvard University, Eloisa got an M.Phil. from Oxford University, a Ph.D. from Yale and eventually became a Shakespeare professor, publishing an academic book with Oxford University Press. Her "double life” as a professor and romance writer is a source of fascination to the media and her readers. In her professorial guise, she's written a New York Times op-ed defending romance, as well as articles published everywhere from women's magazines such as More to writers' journals such as the Romance Writers' Report.

Eloisa has published over 30 historical romances, many of which have hit the bestseller lists. She also wrote a bestselling memoir, Paris in Love, as well as a contemporary novel, Lizzie and Dante. Her books are published in 28 languages and 30 countries, from Slovakia to Sweden. Worldwide, she has approximately 7 million books published in print or electronically. She lives in New York City and Florence, Italy.

About Hardly a Gentleman

Book 2 in the Accidental Brides Series, a romance about a forced marriage between a feisty heroine and a Scottish laird… neither of whom have plans to marry, let alone fall in love.

Desperate after her Season comes to a spectacularly disastrous end, the Honorable Miss Clara Vetry jumps into a carriage hired to take a housekeeper to Scotland.

The laird of Castle CaerLaven has no interest in a wife, especially a love match—but when Caelan sees his new housekeeper, he changes his mind. Marriage to a delectable bookworm strikes him as a perfect arrangement.

To his surprise, Clara refuses his proposal once…and again…yet again.

When her true identity is revealed, and they’re forced to marry, Caelan realizes he has a far more crucial challenge.

He finally has Clara’s hand—but how will he ever win her heart?

******

Affiliates and discount codes

Get a discount and we get an affiliate commission! 

•  That sweet sweet juice, Magic Mind, that's helping us stress less and be WAY more productive, use our code ROMANCEATAGLANCE20. For 20% off a one-time order or 48% off a subscription!
• Get 30 days free on Kindle Unlimited just for our listeners!
• Or listen on Audible like Shani and get up to two free ebooks when you try Audible Premium Plus.

******

About Romance at a Glance

Leave us a rating and review on Itunes

A lot of additional listening on Patreon!

Welcome to Romance at a Glance, a podcast that uses romance novels to dive into candid conversations about life, relationship dynamics, and sexual desires. 

As hosts Bridget and Shani review books and interview some of romance's biggest authors, they explore the breadth of the genre, openly embracing the sex, diverse couplings, and taboos to create a safe space for listeners to be exposed to different lifestyles, fantasies, and to pique their naughty curiosity.

Expect 100% honest reviews, spontaneous singing, life lessons, indecent anecdotes, and bawdy humor.

Check out www.romanceataglance.com

Chat with us on Instagram at instagram.com/romanceataglance

Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/romanceataglance

In this episode of Romance at a Glance, Bridget interviews Emma Tonner, the Executive Producer at GalateaTV and Chief Innovation Officer at Inkitt. Emma shares insights into how Inkitt leverages AI and data-driven algorithms to turn unknown stories into blockbusters. She discusses the creation and success of Inkitt’s app Galatea, which produces million-dollar ebooks and now converts them into TV series on GalateaTV.

The conversation also covers the process of using AB testing, predictive algorithms, and user engagement to craft compelling stories. Additionally, Emma details their approach to producing vertical video content, their innovative methods to keep readers engaged, and how they are staying female-driven with female directors and creators.

Finally, the episode touches on Inkitt’s ambition to expand into feature films beginning with Keily. The novel Keily, by Manjari,  was produced as a vertical TV series. The feature film, with the same main actors!, will release this summer.

Check out GalateaTV and dip into your bully romance dreams with Keily.

Emma Tonner is in her Executive Producer Era at GalateaTV. As Chief Innovation Officer at Inkitt & co-founder of Galatea, she leads at Inkitt Media. Emma is championing the company’s systematic approach to creating blockbusters across emerging platforms. She joined Inkitt as one of its first ten employees, co-founded the Galatea reading app, and rose over the past eight years to become Chief Innovation Officer. Emma’s enthusiasm for romance and cutting-edge technology positions her as the perfect person to guide multiple teams under her towards innovative solutions not only in digital storytelling, but now media.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction to Romance at a Glance

00:06 Meet Emma Toner: Innovator in Entertainment

00:18 The Power of AI in Storytelling

00:40 Gala TV: From Books to Screen

02:40 Exploring the Technology Behind Storytelling

03:08 The Funnel Process: From Ink It to Gala TV

05:11 Vertical Video: A New Era in Filmmaking

23:59 Casting and Chemistry: The Key to Success

26:48 Navigating YA Romance for Older Audiences

28:05 The Power of Escapism in Storytelling

30:39 Personalizing Reading Experiences

33:10 Expanding Content and Future Goals

34:25 Innovations in Audiobook Production

36:55 From Indie Publisher to TV Content Creator

40:49 Producing Content Across Locations

42:30 Localization and Language Adaptations

48:07 Ensuring Authentic Romance in Productions

49:45 Rebranding and Future Directions

******

Affiliates! Get a discount and we get an affiliate commission! 

•  That sweet sweet juice, Magic Mind, that's helping us stress less and be WAY more productive, use our code ROMANCEATAGLANCE20. For 20% off a one-time order or 48% off a subscription!
• Get 30 days free on Kindle Unlimited just for our listeners!
• Or listen on Audible like Shani and get up to two free ebooks when you try Audible Premium Plus.

******

Leave us a rating and review on Itunes

A lot of additional listening on Patreon!

Welcome to Romance at a Glance, a podcast that uses romance novels to dive into candid conversations about life, relationship dynamics, and sexual desires. 

As hosts Bridget and Shani review books and interview some of romance's biggest authors, they explore the breadth of the genre, openly embracing the sex, diverse couplings, and taboos to create a safe space for listeners to be exposed to different lifestyles, fantasies, and to pique their naughty curiosity.

Expect 100% honest reviews, spontaneous singing, life lessons, indecent anecdotes, and bawdy humor.

Check out www.romanceataglance.com

Chat with us on Instagram at instagram.com/romanceataglance

Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/romanceataglance

Pre-order RDM (about Foster Blake!): Get the audiobook + e-book for less than the price of an Audible credit!

Finding Lord Landry by Lucy Lennox - on KU and Audible! Out now :)

Romance author Lucy Lennox is back on Romance at a Glance, and she’s bringing spicy billionaire boyfriends, chicken palaces, and a Pride and Prejudice variation addiction that puts most Janeites to shame. We chat cruises (too cool for us), Try by Ella Frank (hello awakening), and why the Hero’s Journey says your MC better save a cat before getting squirrelly.

Lucy breaks down how KU changed the game, how Patreon keeps her caffeinated, and how writing in a world you’d actually want to visit (shoutout to the Psychology of Fiction “theme park test”) is key to keeping readers obsessed.

We deep-dive into self-publishing secrets, writing gay romance in a post-coming-out world, cliffhanger strategy, and how to make audio sales without selling your soul to Audible.

Bridget threatens to riot if certain side characters don’t get their own books, and we all agree: cliffhangers at 2am are the devil’s work. Whether you love gay romance, write it, or just wanna geek out over author and audiobook tips, this ep is giving everything. Come for the laughs, stay for the literary strategy—and maybe go back to rereading P&P for the 437th time like Lucy did.

Listen to Lucy Lennox and May Archer's Interview

Hang with Lucy on Instagram, support her on Patreon.

******

Affiliates! Get a discount and we get an affiliate commission! 

•  That sweet sweet juice, Magic Mind, that's helping us stress less and be WAY more productive, use our code ROMANCEATAGLANCE20. For 20% off a one-time order or 48% off a subscription!
• Get 30 days free on Kindle Unlimited just for our listeners!
• Or listen on Audible like Shani and get up to two free ebooks when you try Audible Premium Plus.

******

Leave us a rating and review on Itunes

A lot of additional listening on Patreon!

Welcome to Romance at a Glance, a podcast that uses romance novels to dive into candid conversations about life, relationship dynamics, and sexual desires. 

As hosts Bridget and Shani review books and interview some of romance's biggest authors, they explore the breadth of the genre, openly embracing the sex, diverse couplings, and taboos to create a safe space for listeners to be exposed to different lifestyles, fantasies, and to pique their naughty curiosity.

Expect 100% honest reviews, spontaneous singing, life lessons, indecent anecdotes, and bawdy humor.

Check out www.romanceataglance.com

Chat with us on Instagram at instagram.com/romanceataglance

Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/romanceataglance

Bridget and Shani hang out with bookstagrammer Amanda from @AmandasBookClub_, and things immediately go off the rails in the best way possible. Amanda, a self-proclaimed “dummy reader”, aka here for a good time, not a grammar check, is deep in her fantasy romance era—dragons, vampires, Omegaverse, you name it.

The trio dives into book club disasters (Viola Davis’ biography? Not the smut they signed up for), romance tropes that own their souls, and The Summer I Turned Pretty drama (Belly is the problem, actually). Also on the table: Loch Ness Monster smut, an absurd amount of orc fluids, and the eternal battle of Stefan vs. Damon. It’s chaotic, it’s hilarious, and it’s the kind of unhinged book chat every romance reader needs in their life

We decided:

• Romance books don't need to be serious; let's embrace the joy of ridiculous plots like vampires and aliens, shall we?
• Being a mood reader means I might dive into a rom-com one day and a dark fantasy the next, because who needs consistency?
• We can all agree that if a book has dragons or shifters, it's an instant win in the fun department, right?
• It's a wild ride trying to escape reading slumps, but sometimes you just gotta reread your faves and hope for the best.
• Why read serious biographies when you can enjoy a rom-com about being abducted by aliens? Life's too short for boring books!
• The absurdity of love triangles in books is just that: absurd, but somehow we keep falling for them, don't we?

• Kevin Hart - I Can't Make This Up
• Tina Fey - BossyPants
• Amy Poehler - Yes, Please
• Trevor Noah - Born a Crime

• Got Bridget out of a reading slump. 5 stars! I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom-Com by Kimberly Lemming
• Book Bridget and Amanda are HYPED for! Oathbound by Tracy Deonn - out now. This is book 3 in the Legendborn Cycle
• A dragon-shifter romance highly recommended by us! Dragon Actually by G.A. Aiken
• Loch Ness Monster Shifter Bridget recommended to Amanda. Under Loch and Key by Lana Ferguson
• Amanda recommended Get in My Swamp by GM Fairy
• Bridget has read all these books and they're unhinged in the best way. Orc Sworn by Finley Fenn

You get a discount and we get a commission :) 

•  That sweet sweet juice, Magic Mind, that's helping us stress less and be WAY more productive, use our code ROMANCEATAGLANCE20. For 20% off a one-time order or 48% off a subscription!
• Get 30 days free on Kindle Unlimited just for our listeners!
• Or listen on Audible like Shani and get up to two free ebooks when you try Audible Premium Plus.

******

Leave us a rating and review on Itunes

A lot of additional listening on Patreon!

Welcome to Romance at a Glance, a podcast that uses romance novels to dive into candid conversations about life, relationship dynamics, and sexual desires. 

As hosts Bridget and Shani review books and interview some of romance's biggest authors, they explore the breadth of the genre, openly embracing the sex, diverse couplings, and taboos to create a safe space for listeners to be exposed to different lifestyles, fantasies, and to pique their naughty curiosity.

Expect 100% honest reviews, spontaneous singing, life lessons, indecent anecdotes, and bawdy humor.

Check out www.romanceataglance.com

Chat with us on Instagram at instagram.com/romanceataglance

Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/romanceataglance

Enjoy this episode with a delightful guest-host Tre, our new friend from bookstagram, who is here to talk about Kimberly Lemming's latest release, I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom-Com! Tre loves monster romances, and like many of us, discovered Kimberly's books with That Time I Got Drunk and Saved A Demon.

• We chatted through our favorite characters of this alien world, how funny the world-building is.
• That the romance is in Dory's POV, which allowed us to discover the alien planet at the same time as Dory.
• How much we love Toto the lion, his nonchalance, his confidence, his wingman skills.
• How Dory's intelligence and PhD help us as readers understand the world and solve the main conflict of the book (YAY)
• The aliens in charge being birds that have tech integrated with themselves, and that they did the LEAST research possible in the process.
• Tamagochi - the involvement of the "love" meter and how the other characters reacted to the information as it came.
• How all of Dory's quirks are the things that Loc and Sol love about her the most.

At the end we talked about some other books Tre is excited about in 2025.

• Oathbound by Tracy Deonn! Tre is hosting a midnight release party in Atlanta.
• Our Vicious Oaths by N.E. Davenport
• Lore of the Tides by Analeigh Sbrana
• Hooked by Emily McIntire
• The Never King by Nikki St. Crowe

Follow Tre on Instagram: @xo.treleigh

I Got Abducted by Aliens and Trapped in a Rom-Com by Kimberly Lemming (it's a new series Cosmic Chaos!)

Synopsis: A hilarious and sexy romance about a woman who gets dropped on a strange planet only to fall for not one, but two, aliens, from the author of I Got Drunk and Yeeted a Love Potion at a Werewolf.

Mead Mishaps series

We had the pleasure of interviewing Kimberly Lemming on our podcast last week! You can listen to that interview here, or scroll back an episode in the podcasting app of your choice!

You get a discount and we get a commission :) 

•  That sweet sweet juice, Magic Mind, that's helping us stress less and be WAY more productive, use our code ROMANCEATAGLANCE20. For 20% off a one-time order or 48% off a subscription!
• Get 30 days free on Kindle Unlimited just for our listeners!
• Or listen on Audible like Shani and get up to two free ebooks when you try Audible Premium Plus.

******

Leave us a rating and review on Itunes

A lot of additional listening on Patreon!

Welcome to Romance at a Glance, a podcast that uses romance novels to dive into candid conversations about life, relationship dynamics, and sexual desires. 

As hosts Bridget and Shani review books and interview some of romance's biggest authors, they explore the breadth of the genre, openly embracing the sex, diverse couplings, and taboos to create a safe space for listeners to be exposed to different lifestyles, fantasies, and to pique their naughty curiosity.

Expect 100% honest reviews, spontaneous singing, life lessons, indecent anecdotes, and bawdy humor.

Check out www.romanceataglance.com

Chat with us on Instagram at instagram.com/romanceataglance

Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/romanceataglance

Dive into the hilarious world of alien romance! We made new best friends with our incredibly funny new friend and the author of I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom-Com, Kimberly Lemming!

What follows is a riveting discussion with hosts Bridget and Shani gushing over Kimberly Lemming, delving into her latest literary creation, "I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom-Com", book 1 of her new series Cosmic Chaos, and making alien/fantasy romance fun!

Synopsis: A hilarious and sexy romance about a woman who gets dropped on a strange planet only to fall for not one, but two, aliens, from the author of I Got Drunk and Yeeted a Love Potion at a Werewolf.

Takeaways:

• In this episode, we discussed the delightful intricacies of Kimberly Lemming's latest book, which is titled 'I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom Com', and how it uniquely blends humor with romance and fantasy elements.
• We talked about the importance of the protagonist's intelligence, particularly as a wildlife biologist, which is a pivotal trait that influences the narrative and ultimately aids in resolving the central conflict.
• Throughout our conversation, we explored the concept of alien romance, highlighting how the characters navigate their relationships amidst bizarre circumstances.
• We touched upon the creative process behind the book's cover art, discussing how the illustrator captures the essence and emotions of the characters, making the visual representation align closely with the narrative's playful and adventurous spirit.
• An engaging aspect of our discussion was the comedic approach to traditional romance tropes, as the alien characters attempt to decipher human courtship rituals, leading to humorous misunderstandings and scenarios that enrich the story.
• Lastly, we celebrated the significance of independent authorship and the evolving landscape of publishing, particularly how unconventional titles and narratives are gaining traction and recognition in the literary world.

Check out Kimberly Lemming!

See her other series Mead Mishaps #1!

******

Affiliates! Get a discount and we get an affiliate commission! 

•  That sweet sweet juice, Magic Mind, that's helping us stress less and be WAY more productive, use our code ROMANCEATAGLANCE20. For 20% off a one-time order or 48% off a subscription!
• Get 30 days free on Kindle Unlimited just for our listeners!
• Or listen on Audible like Shani and get up to two free ebooks when you try Audible Premium Plus.

******

Leave us a rating and review on Itunes

A lot of additional listening on Patreon!

Welcome to Romance at a Glance, a podcast that uses romance novels to dive into candid conversations about life, relationship dynamics, and sexual desires. 

As hosts Bridget and Shani review books and interview some of romance's biggest authors, they explore the breadth of the genre, openly embracing the sex, diverse couplings, and taboos to create a safe space for listeners to be exposed to different lifestyles, fantasies, and to pique their naughty curiosity.

Expect 100% honest reviews, spontaneous singing, life lessons, indecent anecdotes, and bawdy humor.

Check out www.romanceataglance.com

Chat with us on Instagram at instagram.com/romanceataglance

Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/romanceataglance

Welcome to Feb episode of Raag on Romance where Shani and Bridget chat about all things romance and podcast each month!

This week Shani reminisced about her older sister reading to her as a kid, how Bridget's kids get a huge haul of books from the library every week, and how Bridget is raising a little reader!

Shani and Bridget talk about the feeling of reading physical books vs Kindle vs audiobooks. And how Shani wants to find the first romance novel she ever read.

Bridget shares all the books she read in January of 2025, some alternative books to Onyx Storm, as well as shares upcoming books on her TBR, and upcoming author interviews!

• It's a Love Skate Relationship by Carli J. Corson - Sapphic Enemies-to-Lovers hockey romance
• Flirting with Disaster by Naina Kumar - Second-chance romance a la Reese Witherspoon classic Sweet Home Alabama
• Out of the Woods by Hannah Bonam-Young - Rekindling love!

• Gwen and Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher - DNF - Bridget reveals her goal to actually DNF books that aren't working for her. She thinks that this book could work really for some people but the Arthur character didn't work for her.
• Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros - Book 3 of the Fourth Wing series. Bridget went into this book thinking it would be the end of a trilogy. Turns out, it is going to be 5 books! YIKES. The main character is waffling about you don't love me too much, there is way too much additional world-building and cultures added to book 3 that definitely could have been cut out, and generally, I was very disappointed.
• Iron Widow - Xiran Jay Zhao - Bridget re-read book 1, Iron Widow, and is currently reading book 2 Heavenly Tyrant!

• Amanda the founder of the Last Chapter Bookstore in Chicago is coming on to chat about starting a brick-and-mortar bookstore, her journey into romance reading, and more.
• Tre from IG is coming on to talk about Kimberly Lemming's latest book I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom-Com
• Lucy Lennox is returning for an interview in March to talk about her Billionaire Brotherhood series. Be sure to listen to Lucy's first interview with May Archer from 2020.
• Julie Johnson is coming on to chat about The Wind Weaver in April!
• Bridget is super hyped for the release of Oathbound by Tracy Deonn on March 4th! If you haven't read books 1 & 2 the series is excellent YA Fantasy with a big romance element.

• If you want to join the January Magic Mind Mental Wealth Challenge you can go to https://www.magicmind.com/romanceataglance for 45% off your bundle!

Thank you to Dell, Ace, Penguin, Berkley and Harper Collins for our gifted copies :)