Netflix's summer blockbuster series The Hunting Wives has captivated audiences on screen but its roots are on the page.  May Cobb, bestselling author of sultry suspense novels including The Hunting Wives, A Likeable Woman and The Hollywood Assistant, joins us to talk about writing sexy, complicated, and morally questionable women - whether we like them, or not.

Description highlights:

• The Netflix adaptation of The Hunting Wives and what it’s like to see her book come to life on screen.
• Voyeurism, blurred friendships, and bicuriosity as recurring themes in Cobb’s work.
• The controversy around “unlikeable women” in fiction and why Cobb insists on writing flawed, messy heroines.
• Why infidelity remains one of romance’s biggest taboos—and how Cobb resisted editorial pressure to “justify” her characters’ choices.
• Reflections on East Texas, obsession, and the intoxicating danger of “bad for you” relationships.
• Alongside the interview, listeners hear a dramatic reading from The Hunting Wives, a playful performance experiment with narrator Gideon Frost, and a poignant Dear Allie listener letter about reckless love and lasting devotion.

Notable Quotes

• “I will die on the hill of defending my unlikeable female characters and their messy decisions—because we’re all messy.” — May Cobb
• “Sometimes the relationships that light you on fire, even if they burn, are the ones that help you know yourself better.” — Allie Martina
• “We all understand that magnetic draw—that chemistry you can’t explain.” — Allie Martina

Books & Links Mentioned

📚 By May Cobb

• The Hunting Wives Kindle | Audiobook | Print
• A Likeable Woman Kindle | Audiobook | Print
• My Summer Darlings Kindle | Audiobook | Print
• Big Woods Audiobook

🔖 Recommended by May

• Till Death Do Us Part by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn Kindle | Audiobook | Print

Time-Coded Themes

• 00:00 – Opening Quote: Erica Jong on feminism, desire, and “bad women.”
• 01:00 – Reading from The Hunting Wives: A charged scene of temptation, infidelity, and longing.
• 05:00 – Allie’s Reflection: Why infidelity is nearly forbidden in romance novels, yet resonates in Cobb’s fiction.
• 06:30 – Interview Begins: Allie and May reminisce about 20+ years of friendship and celebrate the Netflix adaptation.
• 09:00 – Voyeurism as Theme: From Hitchcock to East Texas backyards.
• 11:00 – Friendships, intimacy, and bicuriosity: How blurred boundaries fuel Cobb’s stories.
• 15:00 – Lust vs. Motivation: Why women characters shouldn’t need an “excuse” to desire.
• 17:00 – The “Unlikeable Woman” Debate: Cobb defends her messy female characters.
• 23:00 – Infidelity in Fiction: Publishing pushback and Cobb’s resistance to sanitizing her characters.
• 27:00 – Genre & Marketing: Why Cobb’s “sultry suspense” straddles thriller and romance categories.
• 29:00 – From Victorian literature to now: How repression, erotic tension, and female sexuality evolved on the page.
• 31:00 – Romance stigma fading: Why genre barriers are breaking down.
• 33:00 – Book Recs: Till Death Do Us Part by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn.
• 35:00 – Gideon Frost Performance: Playful riff on “irresistible but toxic” relationships.
• 38:00 – Dear Allie Letter: Reckless love that turned into 20 years of partnership.
• 40:00 – Closing & Credits.

Guest Bio: May Cobb

May Cobb is the award-winning author of sultry suspense thrillers set against the backdrop of East Texas. Her novels, including The Hunting Wives and A Likeable Woman, explore obsession, power dynamics, and the lives of unapologetically flawed women. Cobb’s work has been praised for its page-turning suspense, messy characters, and fearless explorations of female desire. She lives in Austin, Texas, with her family and is a frequent contributor to literary discussions about thrillers, women in fiction, and the blurred lines between morality and lust.

Follow May Cobb:

• Website: maycobb.com
• Instagram: @may_cobb

Production Credits

• Host & Producer: Allie Martina
• Series Producer: Jill Ruby
• Special Contributor: Gideon Frost
• Creative Design: Dana Christopherson

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Show notes created by Descript.

"The language of romance has a code."  Jayne Ann Krentz, who also writes under the pseudonyms Jayne Castle and Amanda Quick, has written over a hundred romance novels - more than 50 of which have been named New York Times bestsellers. Jayne joins us to break down the 'code' of romance novels, their unifying themes, and why these books are so timelessly appealing to women.

In this episode of Zipless, Allie Martina dives deep into what truly makes someone sexy—and spoiler alert: it’s not six-pack abs or a perfect pout.

Host Allie opens with a provocative reading from Erica Jong’s essay “What Is Sex Appeal?”, from her book What Do Women Want, exploring how true eroticism lives far beyond perfect bodies. She reflects on the mystery, yearning, and subtle gestures that ignite real desire.

From there, things get intimate and a bit sarcastic as voice actor Gideon Frost joins Allie for a reading from Olivia Dade’s upcoming romcom, Zomromcom. Think zombie attacks, soggy coveralls, macramé underwear, and a hero determined to keep a fiercely independent love interest warm and dry—a swoon-worthy mix of humor and vulnerability.

The heart of this episode is Allie’s interview with bestselling author Olivia Dade. They talk about why romcoms became lifelines during COVID, how readers crave both light stories and darker, angstier reads, and how Olivia’s personal journey with isolation, perfectionism, and depression shapes her books.

One of the most moving moments arrives as Olivia shares how her own struggles with depression inspired a deeply intimate bath scene in At First Spite. It’s a reminder that sometimes the most erotic, vulnerable moments have nothing to do with sex—and everything to do with being cared for when you feel most broken.

Olivia discusses writing Zomromcom as a joyful pivot—a chance to lean into laughter while still weaving in themes of connection, heroism, and love. And she talks about her unwavering commitment to writing fat heroines and heroes who get the full romance treatment: lust, longing, and happily-ever-afters.

“Romance isn’t just sex—it’s about being known. And knowing someone else deeply—that’s love.” — Olivia Dade

Whether you’re here for zombies, burritos used as weapons, or deep discussions about body positivity, this episode is one not to miss.

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Episode Highlights:

- Why true sex appeal lives in mystery and imagination

- How vulnerability creates intimacy deeper than sex

- Olivia Dade’s personal inspirations behind her most poignant scenes

- Writing humor as a balm for hard times

- Body diversity in romance and why it matters

- A fun reading from Zomromcom that’s as spicy as it is sweet

Books Mentioned on Audio:

• Zomromcom (preorder)— Olivia Dade (out August 5th)
• Spoiler Alert — Olivia Dade
• Shipwrecked — Olivia Dade
• At First Spite — Olivia Dade

Books Mentioned in Paperback:

• Zomromcom (preorder)— Olivia Dade (out August 5th)
• Spoiler Alert — Olivia Dade
• Shipwrecked — Olivia Dade
• At First Spite — Olivia Dade
• What Do Women Want? — Erica Jong

Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction and Reading from Erica Jong’s essay, “What is Sex Appeal”

02:38 – Defining Real Sex Appeal

04:16 – Themes of Today’s Episode

10:18 – Interview with Olivia Dade

27:33 – Switching to Joyful Writing

28:43 – Leaning into Humor

29:12 – Writing with a Friend

30:18 – Reading a Scene from Zomromcom

37:12 – Creating Vivid Worlds

40:47 – Body Positive Representation in Romance

47:06 – Reader’s Perspective on Plus-Size Romance

49:20 – Closing Remarks and Credits

Listen wherever you get your podcasts! 

Connect with Zipless on Instagram @ziplesspodcast.

Visit ZiplessPodcast.com for more info.

About Olivia Dade: Olivia Dade is the bestselling author of romantic comedies including Spoiler Alert, Shipwrecked, At First Spite, and the upcoming Zomromcom. Known for her witty dialogue, heartfelt storytelling, and commitment to body-positive representation, Olivia writes love stories where every character—no matter their size—is worthy of desire and a happily-ever-after.

Love is love.  But sometimes your first love makes your heart beat fastest.  Ashley Herring Blake joins us to talk about her latest book Dream On, Ramona Riley; first dates, first kisses, and how the most romantic stories are born when lovers are true to themselves.

Whether it's through words or wands, falling in love and sharing the burdens of life with someone you love and trust is a power we all wish to possess.  Romantasy author LJ Andrews joins us to talk about how the fight for romance - spoken or otherwise - is always magic.

A great romance novel knows how to deliver the fantasy of a perfect relationship and the reality of one.  Author Xio Axlerod joins us to talk about how she balances dreamy boyfriends with the gritty reality of what makes relationships work.

Dark themed romances can take readers through some pretty hairy situations, but the scariest scenes involve affairs of the heart. Authors Jennifer Hartmann and Chelley St Clair, two experts at breaking your heart and putting it back together, join us to talk about how the best dark romances can balance scaring us to death with a really good cry.

Whether we're getting cozy with a paperback or escaping with an audiobook, we love all types of romance novels.  In our first interview in front of a live audience, Allie and fellow romance novel narrators Samantha Brentmoor, Gideon Frost, and Robert Hatchet break down the art of romance narration at the most iconic romance bookstore in town.