Jess and Trisha talk through some news and updates and then discuss Witchmark – including whether it can be classified as a romance.

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As mentioned, this McSweeney’s post by Rachel Mans McKenny will brighten your day. 

Join Jess at the RRAW Experience later this month (or just read about it and be jealous)! 

Partners in Crime by Alisha Rai

Wicked Beauty by Katee Robert

Witchmark by C.L. Polk

Let us know what your fantasy recs are and what you’re reading and thinking about! As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address ([email protected]). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown).

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Jess and Trisha talk about unreasonable expectations of authors and then offer a few “if you like this, try that” romance recs.

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Book club is back!! We’re reading Witchmark by CL Polk, so give it a read and send us your thoughts by Sept. 29.

A little extra background on the Katee Robert signature story can be found here, here, and here. 

The Sweetest Remedy by Jane Igharo

The Simple Wild by K.A. Tucker

The Dragon’s Bride by Katee Robert

The Stand-Up Groomsman by Jackie Lau (October 25, 2022)

If You Love Something by Jayce Ellis

A Virtuous Ruby and The Preacher’s Promise by Piper Hughley

Let us know what your “if you this try that” recs are! As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address ([email protected]). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown).

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Jess and Trisha talk about baby epilogues and revisit a classic romance trope: fake dating stories.

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Book club is back!! We’re reading Witchmark by CL Polk, so give it a read and send us your thoughts by Sept. 29 (note the date change!).

Check out what you might have missed on Bookstore Romance Day.

The Wedding Crasher by Mia Sosa

Ruby Fever by Ilona Andrews

The Out on the Ice series by Kelly Farmer

Jilted by Lilah Suzanne

How to Find a Princess by Alyssa Cole

Rent a Bae by Unoma Nwankwor

Luck of the Draw by Kate Clayborn 

To Catch a Raven by Beverly Jenkins

Honey and Spice by Bolu Babalola

Let us know what you think of baby/child epilogues, and what you think of fake dating. As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address ([email protected]). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown).

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Jess and Trisha cover a grab bag of topics before talking about backlist romances they’re glad to have found this year.

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Book club is back!! We’re reading Witchmark by CL Polk, so give it a read and send us your thoughts by Sept. 15.

Here’s the link to the Apollycon statement we mentioned.

Get excited about the Black Romance Book Club (especially if you live in Canada)!

The Hookup Plan by Farrah Rochon

The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston

Coffee Boy by Austin Chant

An Heiress’s Guide to Deception and Desire by Manda Collins

Wild Rain and Tempest by Beverly Jenkins

Hold Me by Courtney Milan

The Worst Guy by Kate Canterbary

Let us know what backlist books you’ve discovered so far this year, and what you think of Witchmark. As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address ([email protected]). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown).

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Jess and Trisha talk about Fire Island and the essence of a good retelling/adaptation, and offer up some recommendations for Disability Pride Month.

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Book Riot is hiring!

Check out our Best Books of the Year So Far.

MidContinent Public Library’s RomanceGenreCon is back!

Watch Fire Island on Hulu!

Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall

Husband Material by Alexis Hall

Redeemed by Maggie Blackbird

Can’t Escape Love by Alyssa Cole

Kiss Hard by Nalini Singh

Only When It’s Us by Chloe Liese

Knot My Type and Love Flushed by Evie Mitchell

The Bride Test and The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

Tell us what you liked about Fire Island and send us your recs for disabled protagonists! As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address ([email protected]). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown).

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Jess and Trisha talk about the appeal (or not) of the enemies to lovers trope and then offer some picks for their best romances of 2022 so far.

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Book Riot is hiring!

Honey & Spice by Bolu Babalola

Knot Again by Kwana Jackson (Coming July 26, 2022)

A Heart of Blood and Ashes by Milla Vane

D’Vaughn and Kris Plan a Wedding by Chencia C. Higgins

Delilah Green Doesn’t Care by Ashley Herring Blake

A Brush With Love by Mazey Eddings

Tanked by Mia Hopkins

A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall

We got to some of your picks for favorite reads of 2022, but not all of them, so keep sharing your faves – front AND back list! As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address ([email protected]). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown).

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Book club is back as Jess and Trisha discuss The Beast by Katee Robert and then dive into the distinctions between steamy romance, erotic romance, and erotica. 

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Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston has some updates.

Here’s the discussion Jess mentioned between Katee Robert and Beverly Jenkins [insert heart eyes here!]

The Beast by Katee Robert

Looking by Katrina Jackson 

American Royalty by Tracey Livesay

Indigo by Beverly Jenkins

A Lot Like Adios by Alexis Daria

The Eastside Brewery series (first book is Thirsty) by Mia Hopkins

Spoiler Alert and All the Feels by Olivia Dade

Syncopation by Anna Zabo

A Gentleman in the Streets by Alisha Rai (AOC)

The Rose by Tiffany Reisz

Harbor by Rebekah Weatherspoon

The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty by Anne Rice, writing as A.N. Roquelaure

Tell us what you thought of The Beast, your thoughts on erotic romance and erotica, and anything else you’re thinking or reading about. As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address ([email protected]). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown).

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Jess and Trisha do a few updates, dive into a recent film that lives in the romance world (in more ways than one), and talk about some of the books they’re excited about for the rest of 2022.

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Don’t forget! Read The Beast by Katee Robert to join in the WIR Book Club fun, and send us your thoughts by June 23.

The Lost City is waiting for you. 

Here’s the Book Riot post by Annika Barranti Klein about fat representation on romance covers.

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi

Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

Husband Material by Alexis Hall (Coming August 2, 2022)

The Stand-Up Groomsman by Jackie Lau (Coming October 25, 2022) 

The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen (Coming August 23, 2022)

A Ghost in Shining Armor by Therese Beharrie (Coming September 27, 2022) 

Partners In Crime by Alisha Rai (Coming October 18, 2022)

Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake by Mazie Eddings (Coming September 6, 2022)

Tell us what you thought of The Lost City, what romances you’re excited about in the coming year, and let us know what else you’re reading and thinking about. As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address ([email protected]). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown).

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Jess and Trisha talk about weddings in romance: why there are so many, their ties to different tropes, why all the weddings can be a problem, and some recommendations that include weddings in one way or another.

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Read The Beast by Katee Robert to join in the WIR Book Club fun, and send us your thoughts by June 23.

Mechanics of Love by Meka James

The Emma Project by Sonali Dev

American Sweethearts by Adriana Herrera

The Billionaire’s Last Minute Marriage by Amanda Cinelli 

Running Away With the Bride by Sophia Singh Sasson

Not Another Family Wedding Jackie Lau

The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare 

D’Vaughn and Kris Plan a Wedding by Chencia C. Higgins

Tell us what you think about weddings in romance and let us know what else you’re reading and thinking about. As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address ([email protected]). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown).

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Jess and Trisha talk about their current reads, romance novel cover history, and backlist books to add to – or move up on – your TBR.

Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher.

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Read The Beast by Katee Robert to join in the WIR Book Club fun, and send us your thoughts by June 23.

“The Steamy, Throbbing History of Romance Novel Covers” by Kelly Faircloth [Jezebel]

“Hey Right Quick: Fabio Was on Just a Minority of Romance Covers” by Kelly Faircloth [Jezebel]

“The Origin of Romance Novel Clinch Covers” by Jessica Avery [Book Riot]

“How Are Romance Novel Covers Made?” by Sarah Nicolas [Book Riot]

Kiss Hard by Nalini Singh (May 3, 2022)

Tanked by Mia Hopkins

Read Between the Lines by Rachel Lacey

A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Mayhem by Manda Collins

Waiting for the Flood by Alexis Hall

First Comes Like by Alisha Rai

All the Feels by Olivia Dade

A Duke, the Lady, and a Baby by Vanessa Riley

Tell us what backlist books you’d recommend, and let us know what else you’re reading and thinking about. As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address ([email protected]). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown).

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