Happy anniversary, Firebirds! Seven years ago this week, we launched Fated Mates with our first Episode, "A Wolf Without a Foot," in which we planned a tight 18 episode series, here and gone before you'd know it. Seven years later, we're still here, and we're celebrating by doing the obvious: Talking about Sin!

We've taken the seven deadly sins and assigned a great romance novel to each one, and we've dug deep into the dark recesses of our minds, our bookshelves and our psyches to do it. This is a long one (obviously), and full of some real "abandon all hope, ye who enter here" vibes. Thanks for being with us new listeners and longstanding ones...we love you!

If you want more romance content, maybe you want to join our Patreon, where you get another episode from us each month, and access to the incredible readers and listeners and brilliant people on the Fated Mates discord! Support us and learn more at fatedmates.net/patreon.

Also! We stay phonebanking! Join us this Saturday and next to phonebank with fellow romance lovers. Jen & Sarah are joined by special guests who will knock your socks off! Learn more and register at fatedmates.net/fatedstates.

If phonebanking isn't your thing, we're also raising money for downticket house and senate races, because state legislatures may not be sexy, but they sure hold all the power. Learn more, and give what you can at fatedmates.net/givingcircle.

The Books

Envy

Barbarian’s Taming by Ruby Dixon

Sin and Ink by Naima Simone

Staying in Vegas by Sam Mariano

The Earl Takes All by Lorraine Heath

Lust

Uncivilized by Sawyer Bennett

Bass-Ackwards by Eris Adderly

Stolen Desire by Robin Lovett

Gluttony

Fury on Fire by Sophie Jordan

Cajun Hot by Nikita Black

Beautiful Stranger by Christina Lauren

Greed

Claiming the Courtesan by Anna Campbell

Welcome to Temptation by Jennifer Crusie

One and Done by Cynthia Sax

Sloth

Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey

Fan Service by Rosie Danan

Don’t Let Your Dukes Grow Up to be Scoundrels by Louisa Darling

Scandalous Desires by Elizabeth Hoyt

Wrath

A Heart of Blood and Ashes by Milla Vane 

Wait for It by Molly O’Keefe

Nero by SJ Tilly

Pride

The Bride Price by Anne Mallory

Double Standards by Judith McNaught

The Beast Takes a Bride by Julie Anne Long

Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale

The Notes

As we all know, there are 3 kinds of pipe.

The Seven Deadly Sins are:  sloth, wrath, gluttony, envy, lust, greed, and pride. In case you not a sinner, you may be more familiar with the seven virtues: humility, charity, chastity, gratitude, temperance, patience, and diligence. 

Historically, it was illegal for a man to marry his brother’s widow. 

“I am in lust with Dain,” is a line from Lord of Scoundrels. 

With some further researching, Jen discovered that there is a podcast by Stephen Fry about the 7 Deadly Sins.

The Sponsors

• Blue Box Press, publishers of Jennifer Probst's Book of the Month, available in print, ebook, and audiobook from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo & Apple Books.
• Kylie Scott, author of Text Appeal, available in print, ebook, or audiobook from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo & Apple Books, or in audiobook from Audible.
• Stephanie Rose, author of Safe With Me, available in print or ebook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
• Laura Moher, author of What She's Having, available in print, ebook, or audiobook from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo & Apple Books.