Romance ME Podcast

In this episode, we discuss An Extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole.

Elle Burns is a former slave with an eidetic memory working for Lincoln’s Loyal League during the Civil War when she meets fellow undercover agent, Malcolm McCall.

Pretending to be sympathetic to the Southern cause, Pinkerton Detective Malcolm uses his jovial charm and develops a “friendship” with a Confederate Senator’s family to help achieve Northern victories and Elle keeps up her subterfuge of mute slavery to gain otherwise inaccessible intel.

While she spies and he lies, they consider forming a union of their own. But, can she trust him?

Content warning: Slavery, discussion and threats of rape.

Today we’ll be discussing Pitifully Ugly by Robin Alexander.

Displeased with her life and with wine in hand, Shannon impulsively creates a dating profile to prove she can manage her own love life, thank you very much. While enduring romantic misadventures, she makes a connection with “Newbie,” a shy woman who is unwilling to meet in person, except, maybe, they have already met.

In this episode, we discuss His Human Assistant by Michele Mills.

While working for the Intergalactic Business Bureau, Avery Klein needs somewhere, anywhere, to hide after her secret cover is blown.

Hannibal Hellstone is a businessman in need of an assistant and Avery takes the assignment. While they are mutually attracted to each other, Hannibal has sworn to never fall in love again.

Avery didn’t know she was looking for a place to call home, but being welcomed into Hannibal’s family feels right. Can she convince Hannibal to give love another chance?

Content Warning: Mentions of suicide, drug abuse, and domestic violence.

In this episode, we discuss The Code for Love and Heartbreak by Jillian Cantor.

Emma is co-president of the high school coding club along with her friend and academic rival George. As co-presidents, it is their responsibility to come up with a project idea and Emma’s idea to make a match-making app is popular with everyone but George.

The club moves forward with the matching app and it seems to be working, at first. However, Emma can’t figure out the code for that ineffable quality of love that the happy couples around her describe.

In this episode, we discuss Real Men Knit by Kwana Jackson.

After his mother unexpectedly passes away, Jesse is determined to keep her knitting shop open, in spite of his brothers’ doubts that he can be successful. His childhood friend Kerry agrees to help him with learning to run the business, despite her lifelong crush on him.

As they work together to save the shop, they discover that their shared past and current passions are strong and lasting.

In this episode, we discuss Sustained by Emma Chase.

Jake is a criminal defense lawyer and he’s good at his job. He likes to live a “complication free life” and it’s been working out for him until he meets Chelsea. Chelsea’s life is anything but uncomplicated. She’s the legal guardian of her six nieces and nephews and she has no support network until Jake steps in.

Soon, Jake is living the family life, even though he’s always told himself that’s what he never wanted. Being with Chelsea and the kids feels right, but Jake isn’t sure he knows how to be the man Chelsea deserves.

In this episode, we discuss Mr. Perfect by Linda Howard.

On their regular girls’ night out, Jaine and her friends create a list for what would make a man Mr. Perfect. Although it was meant to be a private bit of fun, the list gets shared around at work, and then it spreads to the news. While many think the list is funny, some people are offended, maybe even offended enough to kill.

When one of her friends is murdered, Jaine turns to her next door neighbor, police detective Sam, for help. Sparks fly as they work together to figure out who the killer is and stop them.

Content warning: Child abuse, murder.

In this episode, we discuss Love is a Rogue by Lenora Bell.

Lady Beatrice longs for the freedom of spinsterhood, when she will finally be allowed to work on her etymological dictionary and enjoy a life of solitude. She just has to get through one more London season as a wallflower before she can begin her life. Unfortunately, she keeps running into Stamford Wright, a handsome carpenter with a rogue’s reputation.

Although they are divided by social status, Ford and Beatrice become close friends and soon, even more. Beatrice now has a different dream, but can she cross the boundaries society has set for her in order to be truly free?

In this episode, we discuss Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall. 

Luc is tangentially famous as the son of two rock stars from the 80s. Ever since his estranged father has made a comeback, Luc has been uncomfortably in the public eye. When a picture showing him in a bad light is released, Luc has to clean up his image in order to keep his job. To do that, he needs to find a nice, normal boyfriend. 

Oliver, a vegetarian lawyer, is the perfect man for the job, and he agrees to be Luc’s fake boyfriend for a time. But, as they spend more time together, the lines between real and fake begin to blur.

In this episode, we discuss A Bollywood Affair by Sonali Dev.

Mili has been married since she was a child in India, but she doesn’t remember the groom. She’s spent the last twenty years learning how to be the best possible wife she can be while she waits for her husband to finally come back and claim her.

Samir is a famous Bollywood director, and the brother of Mili’s husband. He travels to Michigan to find Mili and convince her to officially annul her marriage to his older brother. Mili is nothing like what he expected, and Samir ends up wanting more from her than her signature.

Content warning: Child marriage and child abuse.