The HEA Book Club: Reading Romance with Friends

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In this episode of The HEA Book Club, we have a special host, Val from @_Val_reads, standing in for Kelsey as she recovers from covid and the amazingly hilarious, author Marie Maravilla. 

We chat about Marie’s debut novel, Skeletons of Society, her FMC who is the ultimate book girlfriend, and the reason spit kinks are so unexpectedly hot. 

We get the scoop on Marie’s next Why Choose book, Syndicate of Sin and how her husband influenced her characters. 

Links we promised to "drop below":

The infamous spit kink TikTok

Gunner inspo/Summer's Weekly Hot

Fated Mates episode on morally grey heroines.

Books mentioned:

Skeletons of Society by Marie Maravilla

Syndicate of Sins (Toxic Paradise Book 2) by Marie Maravilla

Her Soul to Take by Harley Laroux

A Soul to Keep by Opal Reyne

HEA Book Club episodes you may also like: 

Morally Grey Heroes

Motorcycle Club Romances

Why Choose Romances(formally referred to as reverse harems)

Monster Romances

Visit BattleoftheTropes.com to vote between Stalker and Vampire romances for an episode next month! 

In this episode, we are going to prom! Just kidding, but Kelsey does have a very fun love life update including a bisexual threesome on the dance floor. Before diving into the books we’ve been reading, Summer updates us on how writing a book in a month went, what worked, what didn’t and the snack that got her through it all. 

Get a sneak peek into Summer’s new book, Make Me, as she describes what drinks and animals her main characters would be. Does that count as a sneak peek? I’m gonna say yes. 

Books mentioned:

Make Me by Summer O’Toole

The Never King by Nikki St. Crowe

Titan by Jillian Graves

Support the podcast and your favorite book boyfriends by shopping here ✨Use code HEAFREE for free shipping ✨

Click here to vote between Stalker and Vampire romances for an episode next month and get exclusive discounts--including Fated Romance Box! 

In this episode we are joined by Jessa and Pam from Fated Romance and we answer some hard hitting questions like:

Does the tingling really start in the spine?

What’s the difference between Pam’s holiday novella and a Chuck Tingle book?

Which monsters we’d marry and which ones we’d pick for one romp in the hay. 

And Kelsey finally gets an answer to her vampire question!

We talk about lots of knots and magical baby gravy, but also the life-changing powers of the FYP, pivots in writing careers and vaginas with teeth.

Pst…there’s a special announcement about Novembers Fated Romance Box!

Books mentioned:

Lola and the Millionaires by Kathryn Moon

Lady of Rooksgrave Manor by Kathryn Moon

Stalked by the Kraken by Lillian Lark

Deceived by the Gargoyle by Lillian Lark

Found by the Lake Monster by Lillian Lark

Unchained and Boundarylands Omegaverse by Callie Rhodes

Titan by Jillian Graves

Past episodes mentioned:

Orc episode 

Omegaverse episode

Plus size rep episode ft. Gargoyles

Support the podcast and your favorite book boyfriends by shopping here ✨Use code HEAFREE for free shipping ✨

Announcing Battle of the Tropes! Click here to vote between Stalker and Vampire romances for an episode next month. 

So…Summer had an idea, yet to be determined if it’s a great or terrible idea but either way she’s taking you along for the journey as she writes a book in a month.

In this episode, Summer walks you through different writing and plotting processes and tips she’s learned along the way. 

Of course, it wouldn’t be an episode of the HEA Book Club if we didn’t go wildly off topic. So, there’s some healthy debate on how vampires brush their teeth and whether or not thigh tattoos make you gay. 

Support the podcast and your favorite book boyfriends by shopping here ✨Use code HEAFREE for free shipping ✨

Mentioned:

Author Pamela Belliston on IG

Episode featuring Orcs

Caveday for focused remote work | $1 for your first month

Royals of Forsyth Kickstarter

Announcing Battle of the Tropes! Click here to vote between Stalker and Vampire romances for next month’s episode. 

If rainy days trigger you, proceed with caution…

Summer tries and fails to not talk about the Royals of Forsyth for the billionth time, but that’s okay because Kelsey and her are joined by Angie from @hersoulforbooks who is also talking about her favorite series for the billionth time: The Ravenhood Trilogy. 

This episode goes a little off the rails and a lot off topic, but we do talk about some of our favorite books that made us cry, for reasons ranging from tragic childhoods to beautifully written orgasms. 

Oh also, Angie survived Voldemort but the patriarchy prevented her fame and is on a mission to dispel the rumor that Ravenhood is a Why Choose series. 

Support the podcast and your favorite book boyfriends by shopping here ✨Use code HEAFREE for free shipping ✨

This episode:

The Ravenhood by Kate Stewart

Crescent City by Sarah J Maas

Still Beating by Jennifer Hartmann

A Thousand Boy Kisses and Lord of Londontown by Tillie Cole

Dukes of Madness by Angel Lawson and Samantha Rue

Salvatore Brotherhood MC by Haley Tyler

American Queen Series by Sierra Simone

Mentioned:

Episode featuring Dukes

Episode featuring Salvatore Brotherhood

Support the podcast and your favorite book boyfriends by shopping here ✨Use code HEAFREE for free shipping ✨

In this episode, we dive into the intersection of sex and laughter with romantic comedies and the impossible has happened! Summer has found her perfect combination of humor and spice in Tatum Mallory’s debut novella, Fire and Fluff. 

Kelsey continues to love all things romantic comedy, especially as she recovers from Crescent City. 

We discuss the pros and cons of waiting to read a series until it’s complete and Summer’s worst fear (hint: it’s why she’d never write a romcom). Also, is DNR the new DNF? Listen and find out!

Follow Val Reads for impeccable aesthetics here. 

This episode:

Fire and Fluff by Tatum Mallory

Sworn to Loathe You by Rachel John

Next episode: 

The Ravenhood by Kate Stewart

Crescent City by Sarah J Maas

Support the podcast and your favorite book boyfriends by shopping here ✨Use code HEAFREE for free shipping ✨

This may be our most tangent-filled episode yet with the wonderful Alexandra from @LiteraryAlexandra. We run the gauntlet from mothers’ unique ability to master the insult sandwich, what type of monster we’d turn our partners into, bookish coffee, and spicy artwork. We chat about Clio Evan’s Creature Cafe series and the inclusive, hot, and sweet way she proves everyone is deserving of love. 

Be sure to stay up to date with the launch of Next Chapter Coffee here. 

This episode:

Creature Cafe Series by Clio Evans

Next episode: 

Fire and Fluff by Tatum Mallory

Sworn to Loathe You by Rachel John

✨Support the podcast and your favorite book boyfriends by shopping here | Use code HEAFREE for free shipping ✨

On this episode of the HEA Book Club, we are choosing violence. Summer and Kelsey dive into their all-time favorite trope: Morally gray characters. These book boyfriends will give you the moon, the stars, and severed limbs. We discuss why these walking red flags are so attractive in the fictional world and all their different shades. This episode is jam packed with TONS of recs to find your next read or add to your never ending TBR–sorry!

Previous episodes on books mentioned: 

Ruthless Creatures and Millionaire Romances

Hooked and Other Booktok Reads

Royals of Forsyth and ACOTAR

Brutal Prince and Enemies to Lovers/Fake Dating

This episode:

Stolen at Sea by Summer O’Toole

Scarred by Emily McIntire

The Anomaly by Hervé Le Tellier (note: this is a sci-fi thriller with romance but is not a guaranteed HEA)

Next episode: 

Creature Cafe Series by Clio Evans

Welcome back to The HEA Book Club for our second season! Summer and Kelsey catch up on everything that happened over the break. Kelsey has an epic dating update that includes throwing a drink in an a**hole’s face, whip cream, and a cowboy reverse harem. Summer is still recovering from the worst book-hangover of all time and shares the books she’s started…but has yet to finish…are we surprised though?

This episode:

Dukes of Ruin and Dukes of Madness by Samantha Rue and Angel Lawson

My Killer Vacation by Tessa Bailey

Scarred by Emily McIntire

Love Clichés Sweet RomCom series by Emma St. Clair

Next episode: 

Stolen at Sea by Summer O’Toole

Scarred by Emily McIntire

Carnage by Sarah Bailey

Announcement!! Stolen Secrets by Summer is now available on Amazon and free on Kindle Unlimited. Stolen Secrets is a grumpy/supernova, second chance romance with dark twists and a possessive man who will stop at nothing to protect his wife, fake or otherwise.

→ Read Stolen Secrets ←

In this last episode of season 1, we fangirl with Shani from @ShaniReads over Sara Cate’s Salacious Players Club series that is taking the romance world by storm with its sex positive, unapologetically kinky, and heartwarming stories. While Summer was recovering, she fully embraced her obsession with NSFW artists and Kelsey had some memorable moments with Mr. EMT. We talk tropes–the right way and the wrong way to do them–and make our predictions for SPC Book 4: Mercy. 

The Smutty Rogue

Ami

Join our group on Facebook to read Summer’s free short story with thee shower scene and enter the epic giveaway! *Limited spots available*

This episode:

Salacious Players Club by Sara Cate

Next episode: 

Follow Summer on Instagram for updates on Season 2!

Try Kindle Unlimited free for 30-Days: https://amzn.to/3ES0r7T

Get 2 Free Audiobooks from Audible: https://amzn.to/3s2Exev

Read Stolen to Fight: https://amzn.to/3DRGEUD

Read Dirty to Me: Spicy Book Merch: summer-otoole.creator-spring.com