Fated Mates - Romance Books for Novel People

This week, for some reason, we're talking about romance novels with horses in them! Do we know anything about horses? Of course not! Do we let that stop us? It never has before! We're talking about the ones where the horse dies, the ones where they do it on a horse, the ones where she's a horse whisperer, and the ones where she just really likes horses. Giddyup! If you want more Fated Mates in your life, please join our Patreon, which comes with an extremely busy and fun Discord community! Join other magnificent firebirds to hang out, talk romance, and be cool together in a private group full of excellent people. Learn more at patreon.com.Take the Fated Mates Season 7 listener survey at fatedmates.net/surveyThe BooksA Kingdom of Dreams by Judith McNaughtA Very Private Love by Melinda CrossThis Fierce Splendor by Iris JohansenThe Secret by Julie GarwoodBlack Lyon by Jude DeverauxMontana Sky and Irish Thoroughbred by Nora RobertsThe Siren of Sussex by Mimi MatthewsThe Trouble with Anna by Rachel GriffithsCold-Hearted Rake by Lisa KleypasLegends Lake by JoAnn RossAll Night Long with a Cowboy by Caitlin CrewsThe Wildest Ride by Marcella Bell A Thorn in the Saddle by Rebekah WeatherspoonSanctuary Island by Lily EverettThe NotesWho Did it Better… on a Horse? In an elevator? In the library? At Thanksgiving? And on a pool table? “It’s a fun book, there’s no sex in it,” is something Sarah said about Pride and Prejudice, which is just funny. In honor of the 20th Anniversary of the MacFayden/Knightly version of Pride and Prejudice, they are releasing it again in theaters the weekend of April 20th. Horses get stressed out on  movie sets, and that’s why there are so many regulations about how to care for them. There was an HBO show that got cancelled because so many horses died! Why horses have to be put down when they break a leg. Based on some research, it was clear that Jen’s friend Bridget said that Lou Diamond Phillips DID know how to ride a horse in Young Guns. But, here’s an interview of him talking about a horse accident on the set of Young Guns 2! LDP, still hot, by the way! We did an episode on A Kingdom of Dreams if you want to listen. In A Very Private Love, the horse is like Secretariat or some shit like that.The Budweiser Clydesdales are real horses, and I’m just gonna say, you come across some weird information about the world when you write show notes. Here's an article about them being at the bar near Sarah's house.Fetlock are this, not this.The entire first season of Unbound Pod with Adriana Herrera and Nikki Payne is about Western romance.The SponsorsAvery Maxwell, author of Cross My Heart, available in print, ebook or audiobook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.1001 Dark Nights, publishers of Crowns and Courtships: A Royal Romance Collection, with novellas by Claire Contreras, Jennifer L. Armentrout, Lexi Blake and Skye Warren, available in print or ebook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.Piper Rayne, authors of Mr. Swoony, available in print, ebook, audio, from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books. Stay tuned after the podcast for a sneak peek of the audiobook!The RestFor even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net/episodes/2025/3/24/0728-horses If you wish you had six more days in a week of people talking about romance, may we suggest joining our Patreon? Aside from an additional episode every month you get access to our Discord, where other romance readers are talking about books they love (and many other things!) all the time. It’s so fun! Learn more about the Patreon and go join those cool people who love romance as much as you do at patreon.com/fatedmates. Beyond your favorite podcast app, you can find us on Instagram, Threads, Blue Sky, Tumblr, and probably some other places, too, if you look hard enough. If you've never listened to our Stop Book Banning episode, there's no better time than now.

It's deep dive day here at Fated Mates and we're reading an absolute banger of a historical -- Julie Anne Long's fifth Pennyroyal Green book, What I Did for a Duke. We talk about great romance kisses, about age gaps and how they operate in books, about house parties and art and sacrifice and how sexy it is when someone actually sees you for who you are. If you haven't read this one yet, do yourself a favor and do it right now. It's so great.If you want more Fated Mates in your life, please join our Patreon, which comes with an extremely busy and fun Discord community! Join other magnificent firebirds to hang out, talk romance, and be cool together in a private group full of excellent people. Learn more at patreon.com.The BooksWhat I Did for a Duke by Julie Anne Long The Pennyroyal Green SeriesShow NotesThe main building you think of when you think of the New York Public Library with the lions is officially called the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building. From what I can tell, it didn’t actually have anything to do with Andrew Carnegie, but he did donate $5 million to ensure that the New York Public Library had branch libraries in communities around the city. He also donated a lot of money to other things, that’s a fun thing billionaires used to do. Read more about doing the forbidden kind of “romance stuff” in the library. Jen talked to the New York Public Library's Best New Romance List Committee Co-Chairs Kate Fais and Grace Loiacon back in February.In 2022, we recorded our “Break in case of emergency” episode, and it was in fact two sisters, Cait and Kara who requested the episode. PS: We are in emergency. Feel free to break those out  now.Julie Anne Long’s The Beast Takes a Bride was on our Best of 2024 episode. What I Did for a Duke is the 5th book in her Pennyroyal Green series. “It must have been a lie,” is what Jen’s grandma Betty used to say if you lost your train of thought and couldn’t remember what you were saying. This is a good speech from Crash Davis, the pitcher played by Kevin Costner in the 1988 movie Bull Durham (also, Nuke says “what’s all that molecule stuff?” which is pretty funny considering the title of this episode).The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston had a Titian exhibition back in 2022 called Women, Myth and Power, and it seems like a thing Genevive would have liked it a lot. Titian’s Venus of Urbino is currently on display at The Uffizi Galleries in Italy. If you’re in New York on March 31st, head over to the Astoria Bookshop to see Historical Romance authors TJ Alexander and Joanna Lowell in conversation, moderated by Sarah, in honor of Transgender Day of Visibility.SponsorsAvery Flynn, author of Airhead: A Hartigans Totally '80s Hot RomCom, available in ebook or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.Lumi Gummies,. Go to lumigummies.com and use code FATEDMATES for 30% off your order.The RestFor even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net/episodes/2025/3/18/0727-what-i-did-for-a-duke-this-gentleman-is-completely-composed-of-revenge-molecules If you wish you had six more days in a week of people talking about romance, may we suggest joining our Patreon? Aside from an additional episode every month you get access to our Discord, where other romance readers are talking about books they love (and many other things!) all the time. It’s so fun! Learn more about the Patreon and go join those cool people who love romance as much as you do at patreon.com/fatedmates. Beyond your favorite podcast app, you can find us on Instagram, Threads, Blue Sky, Tumblr, and probably some other places, too, if you look hard enough. If you've never listened to our Stop Book Banning episode, there's no better time than now.

This one's for those of you who've been asking us to talk more about craft on the podcast! We're talking romances with ticking clocks and clear time frames, about how this impacts conflict and makes books more breathless, and of course about the books that deploy this strategy perfectly. Inside, you'll find road trips and adventures, vacation romances and romantic suspense, house parties and that classic romance chestnut: "I have 30 days to get pregnant." It's going to be fun.But first, we're talking to Amanda Litman, founder of Run For Something, an organization filling the back bench of the Democratic party, helping people run for local office and make sure that we're holding the line at all levels of government. Tell us if you are running for school board, and we'll proudly donate to your campaign!If you want more Fated Mates in your life, please join our Patreon, which comes with an extremely busy and fun Discord community! Join other magnificent firebirds to hang out, talk romance, and be cool together in a private group full of excellent people. Learn more at patreon.com.Next week, we're reading Julie Anne Long's What I Did For a Duke, available in print, ebook, and audio at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books. The BooksIt Had to Be You and Heaven, Texas by Susan Elizabeth PhillipsHot Touch by Deborah SmithWhiteout by Adriana AndersWaking up with the Duke by Lorraine HeathPerfect by Judith McNaughtFiasco by Constance FayOne Good Earl Deserves a Lover by Sarah MacLeanHer Night with the Duke by Diana QuincyAlong Came Amor by Alexis DariaCurvy Girl Summer by Danielle AllenSexy in Stilettos by Nana MaloneFan Service by Rosie DananAgain the Magic by Lisa KleypasOne Last Night by Lauren FordTycoon by Joanna ShupeInto the Woods by Jenny HolidayOne Stormy Night by Jules BennettSins of a Wicked Duke by Sophie JordanTo Catch a Raven by Beverly JenkinsPleasure of a Dark Prince and Lothaire by Kresley ColeSomething Wilder by Christina LaurenLuck of the Draw and The Other Side of Disappearing by Kate ClaybornDionysus in Wisconsin by E.H. LuptonThe NotesJoin TJ Alexander and Joanna Lowell in a conversation at Astoria Bookshop in Queens, NY on March 31st for a conversation about trans rep in romance, moderated by Sarah. Learn more about Run for Something and What You Can Run For in 2026 (don't forget to tell us you're running!), and preorder Amanda Litman's book, When We're in Charge: The Next Generation’s Guide to Leadership wherever you get your books.Four Minutes is a very shallow cut, actually.This is the good stuff: Casey Kasem’s Top 40 and Friday Night Videos, boom boxes, and cable TV. Also, The Sound of Music on has an actual running time of 2 hours and 52 minutes and an “on-TV- with-commercials" running time of 200 hours and 52 minutes. The best scene is the curtains one, the dancing one, or the tearing down the flag one.That leg lamp is a reference to the movie A Christmas Story. Conflict defined. Or, next time Sarah gives it in October 2025, attend her conflict workshop. Speaking of tension, how about that moment in Toy Story 3 when they are headed to the incinerator. We’ve talked about Ted Lasso season 1 and season 2. Sarah wasn’t the only one disappointed with season 3, Jen felt the ship going down and bailed right out of it. In the book Techniques of a Selling Writer, Dwight Swain described his scene and sequel theory.The Sponsors1001 Dark Nights, publishers of Office Sparks: A Workplace Romance Collection, with novellas by C.D. Reiss, K. Bromberg, Laurelin Paige, and Heather Graham, available in ebook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.Lumi Labs, creators of Lumi Gummies. Go to lumigummies.com and use code FATEDMATES for 30% off your order.Lucy Score, author of Story of My Life, available in print, ebook, audio, from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.TJ Alexander, author of A Gentleman's Gentleman, available in print, ebook or audiobook, at Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Amazon, or wherever you get your books.The RestFor even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net/episodes/2025/3/10/0726-romance-novels-with-a-ticking-clock If you wish you had six more days in a week of people talking about romance, may we suggest joining our Patreon? Aside from an additional episode every month you get access to our Discord, where other romance readers are talking about books they love (and many other things!) all the time. It’s so fun! Learn more about the Patreon and go join those cool people who love romance as much as you do at patreon.com/fatedmates. Beyond your favorite podcast app, you can find us on Instagram, Threads, Blue Sky, Tumblr, and probably some other places, too, if you look hard enough. If you've never listened to our Stop Book Banning episode, there's no better time than now.

Maybe you're rooting for the asteroid, but you gotta have a plan! To help, this week, we're keeping track of what romance is looking like off-planet--it's Romance! In! Space! (Part 2, but the first episode we did was six years ago, so we figured it's time.) Headphones in, loves, this one covers space scavengers, aliens, anatomy, crash landings, abductions, talking lions and people in Space Army (what happens in Space Army stays there, unless it's here). If you want more Fated Mates in your life, please join our Patreon, which comes with an extremely busy and fun Discord community! Join other magnificent firebirds to hang out, talk romance, and be cool together in a private group full of excellent people. Learn more at patreon.com.Our next read along is Julie Anne Long's What I Did For a Duke, available in print, ebook, and audio at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books. The Books Fiasco and Chaos by Constance FayFull Speed to a Crash Landing and How to Steal a Galaxy by Beth Revis Space Deputy by Jenny SchwartzI Got Abducted By Aliens and Now I’m Trapped in a Rom-Com by Kimberly LemmingWinter’s Orbit by Everina MaxwellHeart Song by Heather GuerreRuling Sikthand  by Victoria AvelineStranded by Heather Fox Raw Desires by Cynthia SaxCathian by Laurann DohnerSpace Army Recruits by Kinley GreyThe Murderbot Diaries by Martha WellsThe NotesBad news: the asteroid can’t save us, so we’ll just have to save ourselves. You can read Jen’s newsletter here, she’ll be writing about the grand gesture in Fiasco next.We did space romance back in season 1, Claire Kent’s Hold back in season 5. And speaking of Claire Kent, she’s been writing dystopian books lately that you might want to check out. Insane colonialist fantasies are running rampant in the USA right now, so we don’t really need them in our romance, now do we. You’re a virgin who can’t drive.All about the legendary imprint Ellora’s Cave. Our next read along is What I Did for a Duke by Julie Anne Long.The SponsorsChandra Wicke, creator of The Happily Ever After Sociey: A Book About Romance Novels. Back the Kickstarter.Yvette de Oro, author of Mine to Match, available in print or ebook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited. Enter to win the Mine to Match giveaway on Yvette’s Instagram by making a donation to your local foodbank — winners will win a copy of her book and a matching gift to the foodbank of their choice!Amy Spalding, author of On Her Terms, available in print, ebook, audio, from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.Elle Kennedy, author of The Charlie Method, available in print, ebook or audiobook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.The RestFor even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net/episodes/2025/3/1/0725-sci-fi-romance-theres-no-book-banning-in-space If you wish you had six more days in a week of people talking about romance, may we suggest joining our Patreon? Aside from an additional episode every month you get access to our Discord, where other romance readers are talking about books they love (and many other things!) all the time. It’s so fun! Learn more about the Patreon and go join those cool people who love romance as much as you do at patreon.com/fatedmates. Beyond your favorite podcast app, you can find us on Instagram, Threads, Blue Sky, Tumblr, and probably some other places, too, if you look hard enough. If you've never listened to our Stop Book Banning episode, there's no better time than now.

It's been the longest month of our lives and as self-care, we're not thinking about billionaires this week (or at least for the duration of this episode). Instead, we're talking about those men who are rich in other ways, in throwing a punch, chasing a tornado, camping, playing an instrument, you get it. We've got a bunch of books we love and not a ten-figure bank account to be seen!If you want more Fated Mates in your life, please join our Patreon, which comes with an extremely busy and fun Discord community! Join other magnificent firebirds to hang out, talk romance, and be cool together in a private group full of excellent people. Learn more at patreon.com.Enter the Macmillan Audio sweepstakes to win one of five free copies of the audiobook of Charlotte Stein's My Big Fat Fake Marriage.Our next read along is Julie Anne Long's What I Did For a Duke, available in print, ebook, and audio at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.The BooksForbidden by Beverly JenkinsThirsty by Mia Hopkins Stealing the Rogue’s Heart by Erica MonroeA Substitute Wife for the Prizefighter by Alice ColdbreathIn the Morning Sun by Lena HartAn Unseen Attraction by KJ CharlesWhirlwind by Kayla GrossGone Too Deep by Katie RuggleTake Me Home Tonight by Erika KellyInto the Woods by Jenny HolidayDrilled by Brill HarperSinner (was Sinful Temptation) by London Hale Pardon my Frenchie by Farrah RochonSleeping With the Frenemy by Natalie CañaCommon Ground by Melanie GreeneDemon from the Dark by Kresley ColeMorning Glory Milking Farm by CM NascostaRock and Soul by Lauren SattersbyLosing Sight by Tati RichardsonUnloved by Payton CorinneThe NotesThere have always been rich people in romance, but we think it could be argued that Christian Grey and 50 Shades invented the billionaire romance genre. Jen started writing a newsletter, leaning back into the romance reader “and critic” part of the job.  You can check it out here. It’s free and who knows how long it will last. Bobby Tom is the hero of Heaven, Texas by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. If Jen refers to something being “a basic” please know she is referring to a line from Strictly Ballroom. Maybe you want to learn about a rookery.  Anti-miscegnation laws in the United States prevented people from marrying someone of a different race.Storm chasing seems honestly like a very dangerous activity. There is no evidence that I could find that a tornado can rip your clothes right off your body, but Kayla Grosse probably read this webpage for research. (lol)Dyscalculia is a learning disability rooted in math and number.The SponsorsPiper Rayne, authors of Mr. Heartbreaker, available in print, ebook, audio, from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books. Megan Frampton, author of The Devil's Charm, available in print, ebook, audio, from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books. 1001 Dark Nights, publishers of Riches and Romance: A Billionaire Romance Anthology from Dylan Allen, Kendall Ryan, Lexi Blake and Melissa Foster, available with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited. Charlotte Stein, author of My Big Fat Fake Marriage, read by Imogen Wilde, available from Audible, Kobo, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Libro.fm, or wherever you get your audiobooks. Enter the Macmillan Audio sweepstakes to win one of five free copies of the audiobook. Lucy Score, author of Story of My Life, available in print, ebook, audio, from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books or wherever you get your books. The RestFor even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net/episodes/2025/2/24/0724-hes-not-a-billionaire If you wish you had six more days in a week of people talking about romance, may we suggest joining our Patreon? Aside from an additional episode every month you get access to our Discord, where other romance readers are talking about books they love (and many other things!) all the time. It’s so fun! Learn more about the Patreon and go join those cool people who love romance as much as you do at patreon.com/fatedmates. Beyond your favorite podcast app, you can find us on Instagram, Threads, Blue Sky, Tumblr, and probably some other places, too, if you look hard enough. If you've never listened to our Stop Book Banning episode, there's no better time than now.

The hosts dive into a lively discussion about recent historical romances that are redefining the genre. They celebrate the importance of Black romance novels and weigh the pros and cons of e-books compared to traditional prints. Expect whimsical tales of art thieves, magical sapphires, and characters navigating societal norms with humor. From romantic misunderstandings during a rainstorm to deep emotional journeys through time, this podcast is a treasure trove for romance enthusiasts eager to uncover enchanting narratives.

There's a new Adriana Herrera book out this month, so that means we get to have one of our very favorites back on the pod to talk about not only her banger of a book, A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke, but also about historical in general! This week, we talk about historicals, in general, about why everyone seems to think they're dying (spoiler: they're not!), and do some myth busting on perceptions of the historical romance. We're extremely grateful to friend of the pod Alexandria Bellefleur for offering up her collected data on historical romance and readers -- check out her books (listed below), as well, and come back next week for more historical recs!If you want more Fated Mates in your life, please join our Patreon, which comes with an extremely busy and fun Discord community! Join other magnificent firebirds to hang out, talk romance, and be cool together in a private group full of excellent people. Learn more at patreon.com.Our next read along is Julie Anne Long's What I Did For a Duke, available in print, ebook, and audio at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.Enter the Macmillan Audio sweepstakes to win one of five free audiobook copies of Chloe C. Peñaranda's The Night is Defying. The Books A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke by Adriana HerreraPerks of Loving a Wallflower by Erica Ridley Proper English by KJ CharlesMy Lady’s Lover by Nicola Davidson The Duchess Hunt by Lorraine HeathThe Gilded Heiress by Joanna ShupeThe Duke Gets Desperate by Diana QuincyLove, Death, and Lanterns by Jeanne LinA Duke, the Lady, and a Baby by Vanessa Riley The Duke Gets Even by Joanna ShupeThe Magpie Lord by KJ CharlesWicked and the Wallflower by Sarah MacLeanThe Luckiest Lady in London by Sherry ThomasThe Prince of Broadway by Joanna ShupeThe Bride by Julie GarwoodLet Us Dream by Alyssa ColeAn Extraordinary Union by Alyssa ColeNight Hawk by Beverly JenkinsForbidden by Beverly JenkinsTo Catch a Raven by Beverly JenkinsThe Earl Takes All by Lorraine HeathAny Old Diamonds by KJ CharlesThe Raven Prince by Elizabeth HoytThe NotesWelcome Adriana Herrera, author of A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke, the third in the Las Leonas series set during the Exposition Universelle in 1889 Paris. In this book, Aurora is running a women’s health clinic and the text is a fierce call for reproductive justice, and we’re back there. If you’re interested in checking out some of the books she used to do her research, try Sex, Herbs, and Birth Control: Women and Fertility Regulation Through the Ages by Ann Hibner Koblitz and The Story of Jane: The Legendary Underground Feminist Abortion Service by Laura Kaplan. The Comstock Act of 1873 was a problem then, and sooner or later, they’ll be a problem again.Thanks to Alexandria Bellefleur for sharing the results of her poll about historical romance. You can check out her latest contemporary romance, Truly, Madly, Deeply.The SponsorsJenn Bouchard, author of Considering Us, available in print or ebook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.1001 Dark Nights, publishers of From Friends to Forever: A Love Grows Collection , available in print or ebook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.Chloe C. Peñaranda, author of The Night is Defying audiobook, read by Corvin King and Jacci Prior, available from Audible, Kobo, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Libro.fm or wherever you get your audiobooks. Enter the Macmillan Audio sweepstakes to win one of five free copies of this audiobook.Sophie Lark, author of Kingmakers: Year One, available in print or ebook from Amazon, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.Annabelle Slator, author of The Launch Date, available in print, ebook or audiobook from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.00:00 Welcome Adrianna Herrera01:34 A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke07:41 The Political Realities11:24 What Historical Can Do14:54 AD: FROM FRIENDS TO FOREVER16:41 Romance and Feminism29:26 AD: CONSIDERING US31:17 More of What Historicals Can Do43:29 AD: KINGMAKERS: YEAR ONE45:39 The Future (and Present) of Historical Romance57:38 Myth: There Aren't Sapphic Historicals 59:54 ADL THE NIGHT IS DEFYING1:07:07 Myth: The Writing isn't for Me1:09:56 Myth: I Can't Relate1:15:10 AD: THE LAUNCH DATE1:16:56 Myth: History is a Problem1:25:52 Foolproof Recs1:43:22 Beverly Jenkins Recommendations1:47:24 The "Wettest" Historical Romance1:59:19 Outro2:01:01 ADL THE NIGHT IS DEFYING

Jen had a great time chatting with the New York Public Library's Best New Romance List Committee Co-Chairs Kate Fais and Grace Loiacono this week. They talk about the list and how they built it, about the power of libraries, and, as always, about joy. See the full listVisit the New York Public Library

We're mixing it up today with a fabulous special guest! The brilliant V.E. Schwab joins us for a far-reaching chat about writing romance outside of romance novels™️, about the difference between obsession and love, about the way we can't help but ship characters who will never get together, and about writing in general...and how we tackle character, conflict, and power in storytelling. We had a great time, and you will, too. If you want more Fated Mates in your life, please join our Patreon, which comes with an extremely busy and fun Discord community! Join other magnificent firebirds to hang out, talk romance, and be cool together in a private group full of excellent people. Learn more at patreon.com.Our next read along is Julie Anne Long's What I Did For a Duke, available in print, ebook, and audio at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.Enter the Macmillan Audio sweepstakes to win one of five free audiobook copies of Emma Lord's The Rival. The BooksBury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. SchwabThe Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. SchwabVicious and Vengeful by V.E. SchwabA Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. SchwabThe Fragile Threads of Power by V.E. SchwabThis is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max GladstoneThe Ministry of Time by Kaliane BradleyBabel by RF KuangThe Midnight Line by Lee ChildSix of Crows by Leigh BardugoWhen Among Crows by Veronica Roth A Heart of Blood and Ashes by Milla VaneChaos by Constance FayMurderbot Diaries by Martha WellsThe NotesWelcome V.E. Schwab to the podcast! You can check out her podcast about writing called No Write Way, and you can click her to sign up for her newsletter. Sarah has a new birdfeeder for her office. You, too, can watch Lee Child playing chess. Philip Larkin wrote a great poem about parents, This Be the Verse.The SponsorsMax Monroe, author of Playing Games, available in print or ebook from Amazon.Adriana Herrera, author of A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke, available in print or ebook from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.Macmilllan Audio, publishers of The Rival by Emma Lord, read by Jesse Vilinsky, available from Audible, Kobo, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Libro.fm or wherever you get your audiobooks. Enter the Macmillan Audio sweepstakes to win one of five free copies of this audiobook.Allison A. Andrews, author of The Winning Ticket, available in print or ebook from Amazon, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.00:00 Bantr07:54 Welcome VE Schwab15:15 AD: THE WINNING TICKET21:37 Writing Relationship32:29 The Marketing Problem34:24 AD: THE RIVAL44:47 Characters and Genres Evolve49:10 AD: PLAYING GAMES57:35 Judgement & Labels1:03:56 AD: A TROPICAL REBEL GETS THE DUKE1:12:32 The Minions Complex1:20:02 Recommendations 1:31:25 Outro1:33:44 AD: THE RIVAL

It's February 4th, the most important romance holiday in February: Derek Craven Day! We're celebrating this year with a little reminiscing of the past years' episodes, and a close reading of the first chapter of that classic, Lisa Kleypas's Dreaming of You. Read Dreaming of You at: Bookshop, Amazon, B&N, Kobo, Apple Books, or wherever you get your books. Learn more about the holiday, and the man who inspired it, and listen to past Derek Craven Day episodes on the Fated Mates website. If you want more discussion of Derek Craven in your life, please join our Patreon, which comes with an extremely busy and fun Discord community! Join other magnificent firebirds to hang out, talk romance, and be cool together in a private group full of excellent people. Learn more at patreon.com.