When In Romance

Jess and Trisha do a bit of follow-up, try to design the perfect starter catalogue for book stores new to romance, talk about some upcoming titles they’re excited about, and recommend some light and delightful reads.

This episode is sponsored by Libro fm, BookCon, and Unscripted by Claire Handscombe.

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NEWS:

If you’re interested in the Hugo awards, here’s a piece on this year’s nominees by Book Riot’s Margaret Kingsbury.

Romance Sparks Joy is sparking OUR joy.

We hope Bookstore Romance Day is coming to a store near you this August!

And Book Riot has a new podcast! Check out Kid Lit These Days for kid lit news and recommendations.

BOOKS:

Wrong to Need You by Alisha Rai

Bad Blood by M. Malone

My So-Called Bollywood Life by Nisha Sharma

Long Shot by Kennedy Ryan

The Duchess War by Courtney Milan

Indigo by Beverly Jenkins

Let It Shine by Alyssa Cole

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

Syncopation by Ana Zabo

Truth or Beard by Penny Reid

Flirting with Disaster by Victoria Dahl

An Extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole

Duchess by Design by Maya Rodale

Rafe by Rebekah Weatherspoon

Wolfsong by T.J. Klune

Rebel by Beverly Jenkins

Reverb by Anna Zabo

Tell Me How You Really Feel by Aminah Mae Safi

That Kind of Guy by Talia Hibbert

Goalie Interference by Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn

Sapphire Flames by Ilona Andrews

Can’t Escape Love by Alyssa Cole

The Key to Happily Ever After by Tif Marcelo

A Duke in Disguise by Cat Sebastian

The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare

Let us know what books to recommend to our indie bookstores, and tell us what you’re excited to read this summer. Find us on email ([email protected] and [email protected]), Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown).

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Author Andie J. Christopher joins Trisha to discuss shady book repackaging practices, the RITA mess, how content warnings help readers, and Andie’s erotic romance recs.

This episode is sponsored by Book Riot Insiders, In Her Sights by Katie Ruggle, and the audiobook edition of The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves.

Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher.

To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter!

NEWS:

Here’s Shiloh Walker’s thread on book regurgitation.

There’s too much going on with the RITAs to link to everything, but here’s Jess’s Book Riot post from right after the nominations, here’s a lot of data Bronwen Fleetwood pulled together related to the lack of diversity in RITA awards and nominations (and here’s some more), and here’s the RWA response we mentioned on the show.

And just one more reminder to subscribe to our Kissing Books newsletter – written by Jess! – if you don’t want to miss romance news between podcasts.

BOOKS:

The One Night in South Beach series by Andie J. Christopher (the first book is Stroke of Midnight)

Not the Girl You Marry by Andie J. Christopher

Long Shot by Kennedy Ryan

Damaged Goods by Talia Hibbert

The Blank Canvas series by Adriana Anders (the first book is Under Her Skin)

The Professor and Never Sweeter by Charlotte Stein

Curio by Cara McKenna

Priest by Sierra Simone

Craving Flight by Tamsen Parker

Misadventures of a Curvy Girl by Sierra Simone

Theirs for the Night by Katee Robert

Locked Box, Open Hearts, and Act Your Age by Eve Dangerfield

Driven By Fate by Tessa Bailey

Sin and Ink, Passion and Ink, and Scoring the Player’s Baby by Naima Simone

Haven (which is ACTUALLY the first Beards and Bondage book), So Sweet, and Rafe by Rebekah Weatherspoon

Syncopation by Anna Zabo

Let us know if you have thoughts on content warnings and what your favorite erotic romances are. Find Andie on Twitter (@authorandiej) and Instagram (@authorandiej), and as always, you can find us on email ([email protected]and [email protected]), Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown).

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Jess and Trisha discuss the problem with calling non-explicit romance “clean,” explore why Trisha rereads and Jess doesn’t, and talk about what they’ve been reading this week.

This episode is sponsored by Book Riot Insiders.

Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher.

To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter!

NEWS:

On Book Riot, Sarah talks about why calling books “clean” is a problem.

The Feminist Librarian makes an argument that a distinction between “erotica” and “porn” is harmful.

BOOKS:

Friends Without Benefits by Penny Reid

Virgin River by Robyn Carr

Worth the Fall by Claudia Connor

So Sweet by Rebekah Weatherspoon

Going Down by Barbara Bell

Geek Out: A Collection of Trans and Genderqueer Romance

Can’t Escape Love by Alyssa Cole

The Governess Affair by Courtney Milan

Let us know if you have thoughts on calling romance “clean,” and whether/why/when you reread books. Find us on email ([email protected] and [email protected]), Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown).

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Jess and Trisha discuss the Ripped Bodice’s annual report on the state of racial diversity in romance, talk through some of the romance sales issues brought to light by a high-profile plagiarism event, and recommend books that sit all along the emotional spectrum.

This episode is sponsored by Libro fm audiobooks and Down and Dirty by Rhenna Morgan, published by Carina Press.

Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher.

To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter!

NEWS:

Patricia covered the Ripped Bodice report for Book Riot, and the 2016 and 2017 reports can be found at the RB site as well.

Nora Roberts has some feelings, and she is making them known in 2019.

Here’s the Venn diagram we mentioned that Bree posted (and you should read the whole thread).

Kilby Blades reflected on the ghostwriter issue on her blog.

BOOKS:

Perv by Dakota Gray

Long Shot by Kennedy Ryan

Hired by Zoey Castile

Ripped Pages by M. Hollis

American Dreamer by Adriana Herrera

The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang

Let us know if you have thoughts on Thirsty and what books you’ve loved for the Read Harder challenge. Find us on email ([email protected] [email protected]), Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown).

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Jess and Trisha try to sort out a romance plagiarism garbage fire, discuss all of things they appreciate about Thirsty for the WIR book club, and give you some romance recs so that you can Read Harder.

This episode is sponsored by Audible, MIRA Books and HQN, and The Devil’s Daughter by Lisa Kleypas.

Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher.

To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter!

NEWS:

Carolina breaks down the #CopyPasteCris situation for Book Riot.

Also, check out Courtney Milan’s blog post about it for more info and also for some personal reflections.

Jess mentioned this tweet from Beverly Jenkins, which inspired this tweet from @allieiswriting, and then also this related t-shirt that you can buy. And that is the short version of why this week’s episode is marked explicit.

Here’s the full Read Harder challenge list so you can read your way through.

BOOKS:

The Duchess War by Courtney Milan

Thirsty by Mia Hopkins

Intercepted by Alexa Martin (and here’s our book club convo about it)

Thrall by Avon Gale and Roan Parrish

The Boy Next Door by Meg Cabot

My Beautiful Enemy and its prequel, The Hidden Blade by Sherry Thomas

Behind These Doors by Jude Lucens

The Craft of Love by E.E. Ottoman

Love On My Mind by Tracey Livesay

Let us know if you have thoughts on Thirsty and what books you’ve loved for the Read Harder challenge! Find us on email ([email protected]and [email protected]), Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown).

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Jess and Trisha talk about the first ever romance in Reese Witherspoon’s book club, a new title by E L James, romances that are rare – or sometimes just older – and we announce our new WIR Book Club pick!

This episode is sponsored by TBR, Healing Hearts from Shadow Mountain Publishing, and Never Let Go by Elizabeth Goddard and Revell Books, a Division of Baker Publishing Group.

Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher.

To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter!

NEWS:

Jasmine Guillory’s The Proposal is the Hello Sunshine book club pick for February!

E L James has a new book out and Trisha has questions about it.

Speaking of erotic romance, here’s a great Book Riot quiz if you wanna know what steamy romance you should be reading next.

Here’s the Courtney Milan thread we mentioned about the VERY BAD take on erotic romance that was published (and very quickly removed) on Frolic.

The Ripped Bodice is going old school, y’all.

The responses to this tweet from Rebekah Weatherspoon will keep your TBR stocked for years. YEARS.

Both Indigo and Morning Glory are, in fact, on this NPR list.

We’re very bummed for the folks impacted by the shuttering of Loveswept (though we’re using the WIR book club to make lemonade out of lemons!)

Jess mentioned that one of our listeners sent us the the ALA’s Reading List award for romance. The romance books on that list are books we loved from last year about AND they’re all authors of color.

BOOKS:

The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory

Fifty Shades of Grey by E L James

The Mister by E L James

A Gentleman in the Street by Alisha Rai

Bedroom Games by Alisha Rai

Glutton for Pleasure by Alisha Rai

The Crossfire Series by Sylvia Day, which starts with Bared to You

Morning Glory by LaVyrle Spencer

Indigo by Beverly Jenkins

Thirsty by Mia Hopkins

Let us know if you’re reading The Proposal, whether you’re going to read The Mister, what your favorite older romance is, and how excited you are to read Thirsty. Find us on email ([email protected] and [email protected]), Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown).

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Jess and Trisha celebrate their first pod-iversary, have some words for people who aren’t inclusive readers, discuss the characteristics of a good romance novella, and recommend some of their favorites.

This episode is sponsored by The Read Harder Journal by Book Riot and by the Avon Kisscon Weekend Affair.

Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher.

To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter!

NEWS:

Here’s a thread on the kind of disruption romance is actually in need of right now.

And if you need good options for books coming out in early 2019, just read the list Book Riot’s Silvana Reyes Lopez put together.

BOOKS:

Untouchable by Talia Hibbert

Only for a Night by Naime Simone

Once Ghosted Twice Shy by Alyssa Cole

Her Every Wish by Courtney Milan

Craving Flight by Tamsyn Parker

Welcome to Seaport by Katrina Jackson

Ghost by Robin Convington

Rogue Desire by many authors (including Grassroots/ Loving the Secret Billionaire by Adriana Anders)

Rogue Nights by many authors

The Seal’s Rebel Librarian by Anne Calhoun

Tell us what your favorite historical romance by an AOC is, what novellas you like, and whether you’re going to KissCon (Trisha needs to know).  Find us on email ([email protected] and [email protected]), Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown).

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Jess and Trisha start the year off right by discussing all the things they’re going to do better in 2019, a few of the many books they’re excited about in 2019, and some of the romance they read while they were away.

This episode is sponsored by The Read Harder Journal by Book Riot, The One You Fight For by Roni Loren, and Nightchaser by Amanda Bouchet.

Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher.

To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter!

NEWS:

Be like Jess – resolve to Read Harder in 2019!

Here’s that whole big list of 2019 books we’re jazzed about at Book Riot and you’re welcome.

BOOKS:

Beard Necessities by Penny Reid

An Unconditional Freedom by Alyssa Cole

Ayesha At Last by Uzma Jalaluddin

Unmarriageable by Soniah Kamal

The Key To Happily Ever After by Tif Marcelo

American Dreamer by Adriana Herrera

Burn for Me by Ilona Andrews

Tikka Chance on Me by Suleikha Snyder

Fumbled by Alexa Martin

Only for a Night by Naima Simone

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Jess and Trisha discuss Pride by Ibi Zoboi as part of the Great Big Romance Read; offer quick takes on some of the best and strangest news of 2018; and help you decide exactly which holiday romance is right for your seasonal circumstances.

This episode is sponsored by Dirty Little Secret by Jennifer Ryan and the Book Riot Read Harder journal.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Google Play AND find full show notes at the When in Romance page on Bookriot.com.

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It’s all recs all the time this week as Jess and Trisha offer romance recommendations for under the radar picks from 2018, books for the romance film-lover in your life, non-book gifts from romancelandia, and more.

This episode is sponsored by Cadenza by Stella Riley, an exquisite historical romance in The Times-recommended Rockliffe series; Penguin Random House Audio; and the Book Riot Read Harder journal.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Google Play AND find full show notes at the When in Romance page on Bookriot.com.

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