Romance at a Glance

It's 2025 and we're starting the year with a Billionaire romance! Manifestation anyone?

We chose Love Redesigned by Lauren Asher. This is book 1 of the new Lakefront Billionaires series. Bridget previously read Asher's Dreamland Billionaires series and enjoyed it, so we thought we were safe choosing her new series.

HOW WRONG WE WERE!

Not only was this book marketed as a childhood enemies-to-lovers, when it is, in fact, a second-chance romance (not our cup of tea), but it was wayyyyyy too long! Like a solid 100-200 pages too long!

We get into all the details including a review of the audiobook from Shani, a plot review and deep-dive, a ranking of the main MCs, and a ranking of the sexy times!

Links to donate LA fires:

• Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation
• Los Angeles Regional Food Bank
• Project Hope
• Humane Society

Magic Mind January offer: https://www.magicmind.com/romanceJAN

Happy New Year, dear listeners and friends! We've got a sizzling podcast discussing Bridget's book obsession, Shani's K-drama addiction, and the hottest 2025 releases that have us drooling. Don't miss out on the fun! Tune in now and join the excitement.

Books Bridget binged:
Better Than Before and Betting on You by Lynn Painter
Fangirl Down and The Au Pair Affair by Tessa Bailey
The entire Cooper County series by May Archer
The entire Billionaire Brotherhood series by Lucy Lennox

📅 2025 releases we can't wait for:

❄️January
💓 Quicksilver by Callie Hart **already out in Sept '24 but reading this month!
https://amzn.to/3Pr00rW

Flirting with Disaster by Naina Kumar
https://amzn.to/3DHAvQu

💝February
Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey
https://amzn.to/3PqAD9L

I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a RomCom by Kimberly Lemming
https://amzn.to/3WaWS7g

☘️March
Finding Lord Landry by Lucy Lennox
https://amzn.to/40pekHZ

☔April
The Wind Weaver by Julie Johnson

https://amzn.to/4afvJWQ

🌷May
The Misfits of Cooper County by May Archer

Flirting With Disaster: A Novel 

https://amzn.to/40aeJMS

Fangirl Down and The Au Pair Affair by Tessa Bailey

https://amzn.to/4gIvUfr

Betting on You Kindle Edition

https://amzn.to/4j7GCxH

The entire Cooper County series by May Archer

https://amzn.to/425v73L

The entire Billionaire Brotherhood series by Lucy Lennox

https://amzn.to/3Po0bV7

#romancereader #upcomingreads #bookishpodcast

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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

The Holidate by Lauren Blakely

When two charmingly single strangers agree to swap cities for the holidays, they get way more than they bargained for! Enter Candice, a savvy businesswoman, and Jackson, a down-to-earth chef, whose arrangement to avoid holiday drama leads to accidental chemistry, heartwarming antics, and some truly swoon-worthy moments. Packed with humor, charm, and holiday magic, this sensible yet slightly overlong rom-com will have you laughing, sighing, and wishing it trimmed a few pages—but hey, it’s a festive feast of feels that’s worth the read! 🎄✨

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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

Under Lock And Key: A Water Witch Cozy Mystery - Book One (Water Witch Cozy Paranormal Mystery Series 1 by Lana Ferguson

• Such a cozy paranormal about a woman who moves to Scotland to learn more about her dad and her roots, only to fall for the lochness monster... YUM!

Protecting Mr. Fine - Billionaire Brotherhood Book 4 - by Lucy Lennox

• Lucy Lennox is such a consistently amazing author for me (Bridget)! I eat up her books when they come out. MM contemporary romances, lots of heart and humor. This one is a bodyguard/rockstar romance!

Psycho Pack - Book 1 of the Unhinged Alphas series by Lenore Rosewood (book 1 - 3 are a complete trilogy of romance for the first omega and her pack, book 4 is about a different omega/pack). These are omegaverse books without shifting 

Christmas Family Movie Recs

Christmas Chronicles 1 & 2 - on Netflix

Family Switch - Netflix

Noelle - Disney

Klaus - Netflix

Santa Claus movies & show - Disney 

A Boy Called Christmas - Netflix

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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

We read Zoey Draven's Taken by the Horde King this week and we definitely needed a quick refresher on the world-building!

It's been a hot minute since we were on the planet with the Hordes but they have been missed. There is nothing quite like an alien romance to cleanse your reading pallet, and your smutty soul.

Come with us as we dip our toes into a mysterious red mist threatening the planet, a magical human woman who can control it because... Plot reasons, a fated mate, a dark evil, and some serious trauma. This one is full of triggers friends including domestic violence (not the main mc), torture, maiming, murder, ritual sacrifice, SA, and more. So listen and read with care. 

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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

While Shani is out, Bridget will play... with guest hosts! Thank you to Zoranne for coming on the podcast to be a guest host for our review of Her Soul to Take by Harley LaRoux! 

Zoranne and Bridget got along like a house on fire and had a great time talking forked tongues, "dumb-bitch-itis", and what we would have done in this scenario! Check out our ratings for the MCs, book overall, and general deep dive... at a glance of course!

You can follow Zoranne on IG and TikTok and get great reviews on fantasy, Science Fiction, and romance! 

Her Soul to Take is a paranormal, dark romance with dark academia vibes. It is part of the Souls Trilogy. 

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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

We Read This Terrible Book So You Don’t Have To: A Review of Pen Pal by J.T. Geissinger

Rarely do books leave you feeling this bewildered. Pen Pal by J.T. Geissinger tries to be an edgy, dark romance but ends up being a chaotic blend of clichés, forced angst, and questionable plot twists. Right from the start, it’s clear that something doesn’t quite add up — and unfortunately, that vibe never improves.

The premise is interesting enough: a grieving widow starts receiving letters from an anonymous admirer, and their correspondence quickly becomes intense. But rather than diving into a suspenseful, engaging story, the book takes wild turns that feel more like attempts to shock than to develop a coherent plot. The romance itself lacks depth, and instead of chemistry, we’re served a strange mix of over-the-top declarations and contrived drama that often leaves you rolling your eyes.

Character motivations are poorly developed, and the plot holes are glaring. The writing occasionally shows promise, but even Geissinger’s usual knack for emotional depth feels muddled here. The twist, which should have been a major reveal, feels less like a revelation and more like a desperate attempt to salvage the story’s lack of structure.

If you’re looking for a dark romance with intensity and genuine suspense, Pen Pal might just leave you disappointed. Save yourself the frustration — we read this one so you don’t have to.

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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

In a super fun chat with romance author Rosie Danan, she shared a bit about her writing journey, and honestly, it was like catching up with a friend over coffee! Rosie talked about how living in England sparked some new ideas for her stories, but also how the pandemic really shaped her latest book. She said there's a big theme of losing control in it, which totally reflects how she felt during that time—relatable, right?

We also got into how she’s always trying to up the "sexy" in her books by adding fresh, unexpected elements. She's all about blending the magic and real world in a way that just clicks, like it’s totally normal for wild, magical things to happen.

Rosie’s working on setting goals and finding a routine that lets her really focus on writing, and she’s even debating whether or not she wants to go full-time as an author. It was so cool to hear how she's balancing everything while still figuring out her next steps!

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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

It's time to RAAG on Romance my friends and see what we have been watching, reading, and loving this  month! 

Movie and TV news we chatted about! 

• Black Dagger Brotherhood casting news.  
• My Fault 2 movie, Your Fault, teaser trailer dropped and is coming soon!
• Maxton Hall season 2 coming soon! 

Books Bridget read this month and loved:

• Broken by Daylight by Elizabeth Helen
  • Fantasy, why choose, retelling of Beauty and the Beast -- this is book 4 and the series is not wrapped up yet!
  
  
• A Not So Meet Cute by Meghan Quinn
  • Hilariously cute rom-com about a woman in need of a billionaire to make her nemesis jealous, and the billionaire who needs a fake fiance to save face in his business.
  
  
• My Vampire Plus-One by Jenna Levine
  • Sequel to My Roommate is a Vampire finds Reginald Cleaves meeting Amelia and pretending to be her fake date. 
  
  
• The Rural Diaries by Hilarie Burton Morgan
  • I love this book so much. Definitely worth a read.
  
  
• Bitter Medicine by Mia Tsai
  • My next read!
  
  

We also dipped into our thoughts on kink and relationship dynamics once you have children, how to whine / play with your partner, and still teach kids not to whine. 

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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

Try a FREE 3 sample pack of Magic Mind here:https://magicmind.com/romanceataglancetrial

We're dipping into the dark to start this fall and we couldn't be happier to be dabbling in the dark again! We're reviewing Depraved by Trilina Lucci and the cover and description had us ready for some delicious dark mobster romance. What we got... was not that! 

As per usual Bridget has some thoughts and feelings about the book, Shani tells a funny story about renovating a house out of state, we debate what makes it a dark romance, and why this book didn't quite work for us! 

If you feel like we missed the mark, hit us up on IG, or email us :) 

If you want a dark romance we love, check out Avril Ashton! We interviewed her and it was one of our favorite interviews of all time (listen here), and we reviewed Love the Sinner on the podcast! ALSO, Bridget read a bunch, and if you want dark Call the Coroner is DARK and currently on Kindle Unlimited. 

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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