Religion in romance with romance novel experts Rebekah Weatherspoon, Katrina Jackson, and Felicia Grossman, in which we discuss all the things you shouldn't talk about in polite society.

The Quarantine Romance Book Club is a 10-episode mini-series of short, casual conversations with romance experts, who are here to spread the joy of romance novels so that we can all stay home and NOT spread the Coronavirus. Stay safe, stay calm, and keep reading romance.

This episode is brought to you by Kensington’s newest title from Priscilla Oliveras, ISLAND AFFAIR. You can find ISLAND AFFAIR by Priscilla Oliveras wherever books are sold. Find out more at Kensingtonbooks.com. 

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Book recs:

• The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare
• The Lord I Left by Scarlett Peckham
• Sinner by Sierra Simone (CW: Child abuse, suicide)

Other mentions:

Fated Mates episode that discussed Priest by Sierra Simone

(I'd recommend listening to the episode for full content warnings, and please do your own research as well.)

Shelf Love:

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• Email: [email protected]

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Guests:

• Katrina Jackson
  • Twitter | Buy Office Hours by Katrina Jackson
• Felicia Grossman
  • Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Website | Amazon | Buy Dalliances & Devotion by Felicia Grossman
• Rebekah Weatherspoon
  • Twitter | Instagram | Website | Buy A Cowboy to Remember by Rebekah Weatherspoon

Shelf Love:

• NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
• Email: [email protected]

Shelf Love:

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• Email: [email protected]

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My guest Becky is big on Instagram and first joined me on episode 6 - we read Halloween Boo.  In this episode, we read A Week To Be Wicked by Tessa Dare, which was kindly recommended by Lara van Lelyveld in episode 6.

Books/Media Mentioned:

• The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
• Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood
• Bad Blood by John Carreyrou (it’s about Theranos)
• Excel Bible 2019
• The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
• The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
• She’s All That (film)

Modern Romance Canon Nomination by Hannah Hearts Romance: Unclaimed by Courtney Milan

If you’d like to recommend Becky’s next romance, here’s what we’re looking for:

Yes to: Contemporary, crime, murder, political intrigue, external plot, kept on toes entire time not knowing what’s coming

No to: Historical, Mystery, fantasy/magic, internal musing

Shelf Love:

• NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
• Email: [email protected]

Food in romance with romance novel experts Ruby Lang, Mia Sosa, and Jessica Van Slooten. Can food be infused with feelings? Does Sherry Thomas somehow make soup sexy? Listen to this episode to find out!

The Quarantine Romance Book Club is a 10-episode mini-series of short, casual conversations with romance experts, who are here to spread the joy of romance novels so that we can all stay home and NOT spread the Coronavirus.

Stay safe, stay calm, and keep reading romance.

--

Shelf Love:

• Sign up for the email newsletter list
• Website
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Email: [email protected]

Sign up for the Shelf Love newsletter for bonus content!

Guests:

• Ruby Lang
  Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website | Buy House Rules by Ruby Lang
• Mia Sosa
  Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website | Buy The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa
• Jessica Van Slooten
  Twitter | Instagram | Website | Listen to Jessica’s Ted Talk “Romance Novels are Feminist”

Book recommendations:

• Delicious by Sherry Thomas
• Mangos and Mistletoe: A Foodie Holiday Novella by Adriana Herrera
• Graham's Delicacies by Mina Waheed
• A Taste of Sage by Yaffa S. Santos
• The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender (not a romance)

(I'd recommend listening to the episode for full content warnings, and please do your own research as well.)

Shelf Love:

• NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
• Email: [email protected]

Parenthood in romance with romance novel experts LaQuette, Felicia Grossman, and Jessica Van Slooten. It's all about choice, my friends.

The Quarantine Romance Book Club is a 10-episode mini-series of short, casual conversations with romance experts, who are here to spread the joy of romance novels so that we can all stay home and NOT spread the Coronavirus.

Stay safe, stay calm, and keep reading romance.

--

Shelf Love:

• Sign up for the email newsletter list
• Website
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Email: [email protected]

Sign up for the Shelf Love newsletter for bonus content!

Guests:

• LaQuette
  Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website | Amazon | Buy Bedding the Enemy by LaQuette
• Jessica Van Slooten
  Twitter | Instagram | Website | Listen to Jessica’s Ted Talk “Romance Novels are Feminist”
• Felicia Grossman
  Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Website | Amazon | Buy Dalliances & Devotion by Felicia Grossman

Book recs:

• Rafe: A Buff Male Nanny by Rebekah Weatherspoon
• Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie
• The CEO’s Nanny Affair by Joss Wood

(I'd recommend listening to the episode for full content warnings, and please do your own research as well.)

Shelf Love:

• NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
• Email: [email protected]

Megan Erickson (USA Today bestselling romance author) is my guest, and we talk prison planet romances, which can briefly be summarized as “forced proximity on steroids.” The romance worth reading is Guardian by Emmy Chandler, the first in a series of prison planet romances. 

Discussed: Morality, The Trolley Dilemma, Consent, Humanity.

CW: in this episode we discuss consent, sex work, threat of sexual violence, and violence.

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Shelf Love:

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Guest Host: Megan Erickson

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meggiejoknows/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/MeganErickson_
• Website: https://meganerickson.org
• Ella Maven: https://www.ellamaven.com/

We Read Guardian by Emmy Chandler

Modern romance canon: Kristen Ashley: Sweet Dreams

Books/Media/Mentions:

• Hold by Claire Kent
  • https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24582265-hold?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=vHtVIw6XdD&rank=1
• The Gamers series by Megan Erickson
  • The one Andrea read and remembers fondly: Changing His Game m/f romance
  • Tied to Trouble: m/m romance
• Netflix film: 13th
  • 13th is a 2016 American documentary by director Ava DuVernay. The film explores the "intersection of race, justice, and mass incarceration in the United States;"[3] it is titled after the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, adopted in 1865, which abolished slavery throughout the United States and ended involuntary servitude except as a punishment for conviction of a crime.
• Sonali Dev: spoke at Baltimore Book Festival about how romance novels aren’t the journey of finding someone to love, it’s about the journey to discovering you’re worthy of being loved.
  • https://sonalidev.com/
• Disney “I Want” Songs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%22I_Want%22_song
  • Tangled is a great movie - Disney-fied version of Rapunzel 
• Reese Witherspoon’s Glamour Speech “What do we do now!?” 
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKKRBnpDpBY
• I mentioned episode 14 with Funmi B when we were discussing characters, and black heroines in particular, “not needing to be fixed.” You can listen to that full conversation here: we read Equivalent Exchange by Christina C. Jones.

Listener contributions:

• Kini Allen: for her continual ribbing of that one time I pronounced Gif like Jiff
• What are prison planet romances about? Contributors: Katrina Jackson, B. and her Books, Marisa Elaine Getas, Jess <3, Christina.us.uk, Jayne Hendry.

Shelf Love:

• NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
• Email: [email protected]

Decameron Quarantine Romance Book Club: part 3 of a 10-episode mini-series of short, casual conversations with romance experts, who are here to spread the joy of romance novels so that we can all stay home and NOT spread the Coronavirus.

Tonight’s theme is Fate vs. Free Will and my guests are romance novel experts LaQuette, Katee Robert, and Ruby Lang.

Stay safe, stay calm, and keep reading romance.

-

Shelf Love:

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Guests:

• Ruby Lang
  Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website | Amazon | Buy House Rules by Ruby Lang
• LaQuette
  Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website | Amazon | Buy Bedding the Enemy by LaQuette
• Katee Robert
  Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website | Bookbub | Buy A Worthy Opponent by Katee Robert

Book recs:

• Kiss of a Demon King by Kresley Cole
• The Cougar’s Pawn by Holley Trent
• Heart of the Falcon by Francis Ray

(I'd recommend listening to the episode for full content warnings, and please do your own research as well.)

Shelf Love:

• NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
• Email: [email protected]

Myths Twitter Thread from 12/11/19: https://twitter.com/ShelfLovePod/status/1204745917527732226

Shelf Love:

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Myth: Romance Novels Aren’t Well Written
Myth Buster: Emma Barry

Mentioned

• Purple Prose Parody Contest
• Susanna Kearsley’s experiment

Emma Barry

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/author.emma.barry/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorEmmaBarry
• Website: https://authoremmabarry.com/

Listen to Emma on Episode 30: A Seditious Affair by KJ Charles with Emma Barry: Cross-Class Romance, and Andrea’s HEA Existential Crisis

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Myth: Romance novels are only read by uneducated women who don’t want to read substance
Myth Buster: Talia Hibbert

Talia Hibbert

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taliahibbert/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/TaliaHibbert
• Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorTaliaHibbert/
• Facebook Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/192280797995525/

Listen to Talia on Episode 27: Talia Hibbert on Genderqueer Themes from Mulan and Forced Proximity in Therese Beharrie’s Work

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Myth: Romance novel heroines are all damsels in distress; they’re vapid and lack substance or depth
Myth Buster: Tif Marcelo

Tif Marcelo:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tifmarcelo/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/TifMarcelo
• Website: http://www.tifmarcelo.com/

Listen to Tif in episode #22: Tif Marcelo: Community, Outcasts, and Thirsty by Mia Hopkins

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Myth: Romance novels are boring and all the same
Myth Buster: Kennedy Ryan

Mentioned:

• The Fish Tails by Suanne Laqueur - The Fish Tales series (CW: school shooting)

Kennedy Ryan:

• Website: https://kennedyryanwrites.com/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/kennedyrwrites
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kennedyryan1/

You can listen to Kennedy on the following episodes

• #18 Kennedy Ryan Minisode: The RITAs and Breaking Through
• #24 Body Image in Romance Novels: Kennedy Ryan and Esme Brett
• #28 Emergency Contact by Mary HK Choi with guest Kennedy Ryan: Longing, Connection, and Friendship as Foundational to Romance

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Myth: Romance novel readers are stupid, can’t be feminists, and are all women
Myth Buster: Suzanne Jefferies

Suzanne Jefferies:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SuzanneJefferiesAuthor
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/SuzanneJefferiesAuthor/
• Website: www.suzannejefferies.com

Shelf Love:

• NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
• Email: [email protected]

Guests:

• Karelia Stetz-Waters
  Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website | Buy Worth the Wait by Karelia Stetz-Waters
• Katrina Jackson
  Twitter | Buy Every New Year by Katrina Jackson
• Katee Robert
  Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website | Bookbub | Buy A Worthy Opponent by Katee Robert

Book Recommendations

• Trade Me, Courtney Milan
  • Bonus rec: Red, White, and Royal Blue, Casey McQuiston
• Block Shot by Kennedy Ryan
• Perv by Dakota Gray
  • Bonus rec: Filth by Dakota Gray
     

Shelf Love:

• NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
• Email: [email protected]

Shelf Love:

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• Website
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• Email: [email protected]

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Guest Host: Charish Reid

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charishreidauthor/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorCharish
• Website: https://charishreid.com/

We Read White Whiskey Bargain by Jodie Slaughter

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48137517-white-whiskey-bargain?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=D7NSbYj3yN&rank=1

Charish’s Influences:

• Katrina Jackson
• Rebekah Weatherspoon
• Tessa Dare (Smart girls learning how to kiss for the first time)

Books/Media

• Talk Sweetly to Me by Courtney Milan
• Xeni by Rebekah Weatherspoon
• Just One More by Jodie Slaughter
• Doris Payne, notorious jewel thief 
• Long Shot by Kennedy Ryan
• A Duke by Default by Alyssa Cole

Heist movies

• Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
• The Thomas Crown Affair (1999)
• Entrapment (1999)

What’s next for Charish:

• Hearts on Hold is out now
• Charish’s first novel is also available! The Write Escape
• Heist blog excerpt from Charish’s next book: https://charishreid.com/2020/02/01/work-in-process-teaser-jewel-heist/

Shelf Love:

• NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
• Email: [email protected]

Shelf Love:

• Sign up for the email newsletter list
• Website
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• Instagram
• Email: [email protected]

Sign up for the Shelf Love newsletter for bonus content!

Guest Host: Emma Barry

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/author.emma.barry/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorEmmaBarry
• Website: https://authoremmabarry.com/

We Read A Seditious Affair by KJ Charles

Emma’s Modern Romance Novel Canon recommendation:

The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley (2010)

Books/Media

• Thief of Shadows by Elizabeth Hoyt
• Broken Knight and Ruckus by LJ Shen
• Peterloo - Amazon Prime: Like the prequel to A Seditious Affair
• Jean Valjean and Javert Kiss in Les Mis
• Felicia Grossman: Georgette Heyer was an Antisemite and her work is not foundational historical romance

Historical romance that confronts politics of the time:

• Lydia San Andres: https://lydiasanandres.com/
• Felicia Grossman: https://feliciagrossmanauthor.com/
• Alyssa Cole: https://alyssacole.com/

Related Episodes:

• #23 with guest Katrina Jackson: The episode in which we discuss HEA/HFN
• #17 with guest Katrina Jackson: The episode in which we discuss An Unconditional Freedom by Alyssa Cole
• #11 with guest Kate Clayborn: The episode in which we discuss A Midnight Feast by Emma Barry and Genevieve Turner

What’s next for Emma:

• A story in this upcoming anthology: He’s Come Undone (May 12, 2020 release)
  • "Appassionata" by Emma Barry
  • Piano technician Brennan Connelly lives to control details: the tension on a piano string or the compression of hammer felt. But he's never faced demands like those heaped on him by Kristy Kwong, the diva who's haunted his dreams for two decades. Kristy's got her own secrets--the debilitating stage fright that's kept her from performing publicly for years to start--and this concert is the last chance to save her career. But can he locate her lost passion without losing his precious control?
  • Also stories by Olivia Dade, Adriana Herrera, Ruby Lang, and Cat Sebastian
• Red Shift with Genevieve Turner (out in 2020) - part of the Fly Me To the Moon series and featuring Soviet and US spies!

Shelf Love:

• NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
• Email: [email protected]