Organizing your bookshelves or Kindle starting to feel chaotic? In this Season 3 finale, I’m taking you behind the scenes of how I organize my physical and digital romance library without making it a full-time job.

We’re talking sapphic shelves, BIPOC-only shelves, signed books, Kindle collections, Handy Library, StoryGraph, and how it all works together so I stop double-buying books and always know what to read next.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How I organize my main bookshelf on camera (Elizabeth Stevens, Kennedy Ryan, Katie Robert + a dedicated sapphic romance section that reflects my values)
• The structure of my office bookshelves, including a BIPOC-only shelf and a separate shelf for everything else (contemporary, dark, queer romance, etc.)
• Why I use the Handy Library app to catalog my physical books, avoid duplicates, and even track my husband’s and kids’ books
• How I organize my Kindle collections for mood reading: Up Next, KU, physical TBR, podcast prep, Free Black, BIPOC, ARCs, anthologies, dark, contemporary, etc.
• How Handy Library, Kindle, and StoryGraph each play a different role in my reading life
• My system for reading three books at once (physical/audio + Kindle + Kindle app) without getting plots confused

Things Mentioned: 

Handy Library

Kindle Unlimited

Buy a Kindle

Tasty by Taahesi B. Williams (Amazon)

Running list of books mentioned (Doc)

Support the show

Join the After Dark Substack Community

Connect with Alesia:
Storygraph

Instagram

This podcast was produced by Galati Media.
Proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective.

Reconnecting with your creative identity after a massive life shift is challenging, especially when that shift is motherhood. Today, I am talking with debut author Adrienne Thurman about her new contemporary rom-com, Don't Tell Me How It Ends. We have an incredibly honest conversation regarding the isolation of the first year of parenting, processing postpartum depression, and how navigating those heavy phases of life can actually spark the desire to write gloriously unlikable women who get the happy endings they deserve. 

Adrienne Thurman writes romance and commercial fiction where gloriously unlikable women get the happily ever afters—or revenge plots—of their dreams. As a BIPOC creator, she writes stories with a diverse cast of characters that makes her readers feel seen. Don't Tell Me How It Ends is her debut novel. 

In this episode, we're discussing:

• Reclaiming Identity Through Fiction: Adrienne shares how the isolation of the pandemic and the challenges of early motherhood led her back to writing as a way to fill her own cup separate from parenting.
• A Vulnerable Look at Postpartum Depression: A raw discussion on the physical and emotional toll of the first year of motherhood, processing postpartum depression, and how that heavy phase inspired her to create complex, authentic characters.
• Sibling Case Studies: An analysis of the sibling dynamics in her debut—how two sisters raised in the exact same household can develop completely opposite coping mechanisms and perspectives on love.
• Grounded Humor Over Ridiculous Scenarios: Why the best rom-coms build humor directly from a character's sharp personality and a true crime obsession rather than forcing them into absurd situations.
• Heavy Realities in Romance: Adrienne discusses balancing a hopeful romance narrative with real-world gravity, including the representation of a parent living with early onset dementia.

CONNECT WITH ADRIENNE THURMAN:

Website

Instagram

BOOKS/AUTHORS MENTIONED:

Don’t Tell Me How It Ends (Amazon)

Running list of books mentioned (Doc)

Support the show

Join the After Dark Substack Community

Connect with Alesia:
Storygraph

Instagram

This podcast was produced by Galati Media.
Proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective.

Second chance romance has been testing my boundaries lately. After years of avoiding the trope, I am finally seeing the appeal of a hard-earned reunion. Today, I sit down with Swati Hegde to discuss her new book, Love Beyond Reasonable Doubt. We explore the sharp tension of the courtroom, the massive differences between the Indian and US legal systems, and the importance of writing neurodivergent leads with depth and soul. 

Swati Hegde is the author of Love Beyond Reasonable Doubt, Can’t Help Faking in Love, and Match Me If You Can, as well as the young adult romance As Long as You Loathe Me. She is also a freelance editor, mindset coach, and self-proclaimed coffee shop enthusiast who lives in Bangalore, India, and can often be found at the nearest café with a hot mug of tea or singing her favorite songs off-key at karaoke night. She looks forward to a long career bringing Indian stories and voices to light. 

In this episode, we're discussing:

• Swati breaks down the procedural differences in the Indian legal system, including why they do not use juries and how civil law shapes the courtroom experience.
• A conversation regarding autism representation that prioritizes the internal life and personality of the character over a clinical diagnosis.
• Why second chance romance works best when the characters have spent years developing the maturity needed to handle a relationship.
• How Swati navigated the complexities of legal research to ensure her courtroom scenes felt grounded and realistic.
• The significance of reflecting Indian family structures and traditions in a way that feels natural and lived-in.

CONNECT WITH SWATI HEGDE:

Website

Instagram

BOOKS/AUTHORS MENTIONED:

Love Beyond Reasonable Doubt (Amazon)

As Long as You Loathe Me (Amazon)

Can’t Help Faking in Love (Amazon)

Match Me If You Can (Amazon)

Running list of books mentioned (Doc)

Support the show

Join the After Dark Substack Community

Connect with Alesia:
Storygraph

Instagram

This podcast was produced by Galati Media.
Proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective.

The billionaire trope is a staple in romance, but what happens when the hero decides he doesn't actually want the money? Today, I’m talking with Marina Hill about her journey from writing fanfiction to crafting intricate stories that challenge genre standards. We discuss the anti-billionaire lead in Royal Pain, the vital importance of representing undiagnosed chronic pain, and why the enemies-with-benefits trope remains undefeated. 

Marina Hill is a multifaceted author romance to historical fiction with an eventual path into fantasy. With over a dozen publications of short stories, her work has been hailed as fun comfort reads while managing to discuss important topics. A New Jersey native, Marina spends her days working around books and her nights writing them. 

In this episode, we're discussing:

• A look at the inspiration behind the characters in Royal Pain, a heroine who inherits a fortune and chooses the radical act of giving it all away.
• A discussion on chronic pain representation, specifically the struggle of living with pain that lacks a formal diagnosis and the importance of partners who validate a heroine's lived experience.
• How representing curly hair and shared cultural backgrounds serves as a form of intimacy on the page, moving beyond surface-level descriptions.
• Marina shares her process for writing deep, believable sisterhood bonds despite being an only child.
• Why the physical tension between characters who hate each other creates a superior foundation for character growth and chemistry.

CONNECT WITH MARINA HILL:

Website

Instagram

BOOKS/AUTHORS MENTIONED:

Roaming Holiday by Marina Hill (Amazon)

Royal Pain by Marina Hill (Amazon)

Running list of books mentioned (Doc)

Support the show

Join the After Dark Substack Community

Connect with Alesia:
Storygraph

Instagram

This podcast was produced by Galati Media.
Proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective.

Everyone deserves to see themselves reflected in every single trope and microtrope. Today, I am joined by Meg of Fat Girl Smut to examine the radical joy of seeing larger bodies in romance and the specific humor of the coming early microtrope. We talk about the empathy gap, why erotica is a necessary space for healing, and how to find beauty in your own body exactly as it is right now.

Key Takeaways

• Why reading about experiences different from your own is the fastest way to increase your understanding of the world.
• How this trope brings humor, light-heartedness, and evidence of extreme desire to an intense scene.
• A candid discussion on the exhaustion of Ozempic culture and the importance of accepting your body without waiting to reach an "ideal" weight.
• Why reading about consensual, female-prioritized pleasure can be a restorative experience for survivors.

CONNECT WITH FAT GIRL SMUT:

Instagram

People Mentioned

Amie @ Curvy Girls Read (Episode)

Grand Gesture Bookstore (Instagram)

Sabina Nordqvist (Episode)

Ruby Dixon (Author)

BOOKS/AUTHORS MENTIONED:

The Wedding Date – Jasmine Guillory (Amazon)

Against a Wall – Cate C. Wells (Amazon)

The Tyrant Alpha’s Rejected Mate – Cate C. Wells (Amazon)

A Chance at Love – Beverly Jenkins (Amazon)

Every Chance You Get – Sloan Spencer (Amazon)

Choosing a Forever – Daisy Wren (Amazon)

After Hours on Milagro Street – Angelina M. Lopez (Amazon)

The Catch – Leonor Soliz (Amazon)

Yours for Now – Leonor Soliz (Amazon)

PS You’re Intolerable – Julia Wolf (Amazon)

Cocky – Taahesi B. Williams (Amazon)

Breaking Away – Sookh Kaur (Amazon)

The Princess Trap – Talia Hibbert (Amazon)

Personal – Alexandria House (Amazon)

They Wouldn't Dare – Deanna Grey (Amazon)

Full list of books mentioned (Doc)

Support the show

Join the After Dark Substack Community

Connect with Alesia:
Storygraph

Instagram

This podcast was produced by Galati Media.
Proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective.

I am always curious about how authors take their real-world expertise and use it to craft stories that make us feel seen. This week, I chat with Charish Reid, an author who navigated the world of academia as an adjunct instructor before making her mark in both contemporary and paranormal romance. We discuss her book Mickey Chambers Shakes It Up, the importance of showing rather than telling chronic illness, and why we are both strictly "no" on Ouija boards. Charish also shares how she uses her background in literature to subvert old-school tropes and center Diverse joy.

Charish Reid is a fan of sexy books and disaster films. When she’s not grading papers or prepping lessons for college freshmen, she enjoys writing romances that celebrate quirky Black women who deserve HEAs. Charish currently lives in Sweden, with her husband, working on her next book. 

In this episode, we're discussing:

• The Adjunct Reality: Charish discusses how her experience in academia provided the "write what you know" foundation for Mickey Chambers Shakes It Up, highlighting the labor and struggle of non-tenure track instructors.
• Invisible Illness on the Page: A deep look at the representation of hypothyroidism. Charish explains the importance of showing the day-to-day management of chronic illness and how it impacts a character's life and relationships.
• Flipping the Script on Maturity: Why Charish prioritizes "returning students" and characters over the age of 30. We discuss how fully developed brains and life experience change the stakes in romance.
• The Thrill of the Haunting: Charish breaks down her transition into paranormal horror and why the psychology of artificial fear makes for such a visceral reading experience.
• Rhetoric in Romance: How teaching students to skewer old-school literary standards helped Charish find her own voice as a diverse creator.

If you want to see a masterful blend of workplace tension and authentic vulnerability, start with Mickey Chambers Shakes It Up. 

CONNECT WITH Charish Reid:

Website

Instagram

BOOKS/AUTHORS MENTIONED:

Mickey Chambers Shakes It Up (Amazon | Bookshop)

The Beck Sister Hauntings (Amazon)

Speak of the Devil (Amazon) 

Jewel Me Once (Amazon | Bookshop)

Running list of books mentioned (Doc)

Support the show

Join the After Dark Substack Community

Connect with Alesia:
Storygraph

Instagram

This podcast was produced by Galati Media.
Proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective.

Second Chance Romance usually gets a meh from me. I am a fool me once, shame on you type of reader, so reruns in romance rarely make my list. But today, Lisa from Babe in Library joins the podcast to flip the script on its head. She shares why this trope sits at the top of her favorites and how it offers a unique sense of safety. We also announce a big project coming this September for the We Read Smut community.

Lisa, better known as Babe in Library on Instagram and YouTube, is an avid reader and content creator. She builds deep, meaningful conversations around diverse romance and prioritizes intentional reading. Lisa fosters a community that celebrates authentic representation and provides nuanced reviews that help readers find their next favorite story.

Key Takeaways

• The YouTube Advantage: Why long-form video beats short-form clips for nuanced book discussions.
• The WRS Virtual Event: Details on the first We Read Smut virtual event scheduled for the weekend of September 5.
• The Frontal Lobe Theory: How maturity and growth make a second chance work when the first attempt failed.
• Safety and Comfort: Why returning to a familiar love feels like finding a safe corner in a chaotic world.
• WRS Approved Recommendations: A massive list of diverse titles ranging from hockey players to dark romance.

CONNECT WITH Lisa @ BabeInLibrary:

YouTube

Instagram 

Books Mentioned:

Rudy Jones’s New Year’s Novella by Aria Daze (Amazon)

Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan (Amazon)

Holding by Alexandria House (Amazon)

Winter’s Eve, Then Now Always by AE Valdez (Amazon)

Reclaim Me by JL Seegers (Amazon)

Seven Days in June by Tia Williams (Amazon)

Sweet Heat by Bolu Babalola (Amazon)

August Lane by Regina Black (Amazon)

Hard Sell by Hudson Lin (Amazon)

Almost Yours by Anna P (Amazon)

Toxic by Kenya Gorey-Bell (Amazon)

Back to Me by Katie Duggan (Amazon)

Memphis by Alexandria House (Amazon)

Full list of books mentioned (Doc) 

Support the show

Join the After Dark Substack Community

Connect with Alesia:
Storygraph

Instagram

This podcast was produced by Galati Media.
Proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective.

In honor of Autism Acceptance Month, I am sharing a curated list of books that feature authentic autistic representation. This episode is deeply personal. I share the story of my son’s diagnosis and how that journey led to my own realization that I am likely on the spectrum as well. We talk about the power of teach me romances, why grumpy female leads are a breath of fresh air, and how these authors (many of whom are neurodivergent themselves) create spaces where we feel seen, validated, and less alone.

Key Takeaways

• A Mirror to the Self: How a parenting book about autism accidentally described my own childhood behaviors and led to a journey of self-discovery.
• The "One Autistic Person" Rule: Understanding that neurodivergence is a unique, individual experience that cannot be categorized into a single box.
• The Power of "Teach Me" Romances: Why books like The Kiss Quotient and From the Start resonate with readers looking for clarity and communication in intimacy.
• Grumpy Sunshine & Flipping Roles: Discussing the joy of seeing autistic women as the "grumpy" partner in a relationship.
• WRS Approved Recommendations: A list of 10+ books featuring diverse, steamy, and authentic representation across sub-genres.

BOOKS/AUTHORS MENTIONED:

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang (Amazon)

The Bride Test by Helen Hoang (Amazon)

Always Only You by Chloe Liese (Amazon)

If Only You by Chloe Liese (Amazon)

The Hunger Duet by Aveda Vice (Amazon)

From the Start by Katie Duggan (Amazon)

Chaos by Jack Whitney (Amazon)

Meegan by Rebecca Weatherspoon (Amazon)

Act Your Age, Eve Brown  by Talia Hibbert (Amazon)

A Girl Like Her by Talia Hibbert (Amazon)

Running list of books mentioned (Doc)

Support the show

Join the After Dark Substack Community

Connect with Alesia:
Storygraph

Instagram

This podcast was produced by Galati Media.
Proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective.

I am always curious about how my favorite authors take tropes I sometimes struggle with and make them absolutely delicious. In this episode, I chatted with L.M. Bennett, the author behind some of the most soulful and beautifully complicated Black Sapphic romances on my shelf. We dive into her journey from writing Matlock-inspired courtroom dramas as a kid to centering Black queer women who are allowed to be messy, soft, and wholly themselves. L.M. also shares why she refuses to skip the hard conversations in her second-chance romances and how she layers softness into every steamy scene.

L.M. writes indie Black Sapphic romance because she believes Black Queer women deserve stories that let them be messy, soft, stubborn and wholly themselves, warts and all. L.M. wants Black Sapphic love to be portrayed as joyful, soulful, deep, and beautifully complicated.  

Key Takeaways:

• L.M. shares her diverse writing history, moving from Sims stories and horror to finding her home in contemporary romance.
• Why centering characters’ emotional connections creates a more authentic and soothing reading experience than just telling the reader they are in love.
• A deep dive into why third-act breakups and messy second chances make a Happy Ever After (HEA) feel earned and sustainable.
• L.M. discusses her Hot Mic series and her Sports Romance series, bringing much-needed Sapphic representation to MMA, F1, and even professional poker.
• What it looks like for an indie author to be in the streets this year, from Book Con to Pride Lit Con.

If you are new to L.M. Bennett’s work, I highly recommend starting with Retwist. It is a beautiful, intimate introduction to her style and the perfect way to find a new favorite diverse creator.

CONNECT WITH LM BENNETT:

Website

Instagram

Patreon

Shop

BOOKS/AUTHORS MENTIONED:

Retwist (Amazon) 

Hot Mic Series (Amazon)

Track Four Is Not About You (Amazon) 

The Art of Going Rogue (Amazon) 

Sports Romance Series (Amazon) 

You Were Almost Home (Amazon) 

Running list of books mentioned (Doc)

Support the show

Join the After Dark Substack Community

Connect with Alesia:
Storygraph

Instagram

This podcast was produced by Galati Media.
Proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective.

Does the romance industry still fear fat Black women on book covers? USA Today Bestselling author Danielle Allen joins the podcast to discuss her transition from a prolific indie career to traditional publishing with Bramble. She explains why her stories center fat Black joy rather than the struggle of a body type. We examine how her background as a life coach helps her characters move from mere existence to a life of reclamation and confidence.

Danielle Allen is a USA Today bestselling author, a professor, and a life coach. Living authentically has been the key to her living her best life. With a background in social sciences, helping people better understand themselves so they can become the best version of themselves is one of her passions. She aims to write contemporary romance novels that change the status quo of the genre.

Key Takeaways

• Danielle details the shift from independent deadlines to the rigid schedules of traditional publishing houses.
• The Curve Series flips the script on how the industry portrays plus-size Black women.
• Life coach skills assist her character development and help her weave lessons into every plot.
• She revives the work of Edgar Allan Poe through modern, spicy retellings.
• Pre-orders signal to bookstores that readers demand diverse and representative covers.

CONNECT WITH DANIELLE ALLEN:

Website

Instagram

Amazon

Tour Dates 2026

BOOKS/AUTHORS MENTIONED:

Curve Series Amazon

Work Song Amazon

Essense Post

Black Bookstore Finder

InstaLove Amazon

Continuum Amazon

The Cask Amazon

Tell-Tale Amazon

Nevermore Amazon

Annabelle and Lee Amazon

Running list of books mentioned (Doc)

Support the show

Join the After Dark Substack Community

Connect with Alesia:
Storygraph

Instagram

This podcast was produced by Galati Media.
Proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective.