Fated Mates - Romance Books for Novel People

Happy anniversary, Firebirds! Seven years ago this week, we launched Fated Mates with our first Episode, "A Wolf Without a Foot," in which we planned a tight 18 episode series, here and gone before you'd know it. Seven years later, we're still here, and we're celebrating by doing the obvious: Talking about Sin! We've taken the seven deadly sins and assigned a great romance novel to each one, and we've dug deep into the dark recesses of our minds, our bookshelves and our psyches to do it. This is a long one (obviously), and full of some real "abandon all hope, ye who enter here" vibes. Thanks for being with us new listeners and longstanding ones...we love you! If you want more romance content, maybe you want to join our Patreon, where you get another episode from us each month, and access to the incredible readers and listeners and brilliant people on the Fated Mates discord! Support us and learn more at fatedmates.net/patreon. Also! We stay phonebanking! Join us this Saturday and next to phonebank with fellow romance lovers. Jen & Sarah are joined by special guests who will knock your socks off! Learn more and register at fatedmates.net/fatedstates. If phonebanking isn't your thing, we're also raising money for downticket house and senate races, because state legislatures may not be sexy, but they sure hold all the power. Learn more, and give what you can at fatedmates.net/givingcircle. The BooksEnvyBarbarian’s Taming by Ruby DixonSin and Ink by Naima SimoneStaying in Vegas by Sam MarianoThe Earl Takes All by Lorraine HeathLustUncivilized by Sawyer BennettBass-Ackwards by Eris AdderlyStolen Desire by Robin LovettGluttonyFury on Fire by Sophie JordanCajun Hot by Nikita BlackBeautiful Stranger by Christina LaurenGreedClaiming the Courtesan by Anna CampbellWelcome to Temptation by Jennifer CrusieOne and Done by Cynthia SaxSlothHook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa BaileyFan Service by Rosie DananDon’t Let Your Dukes Grow Up to be Scoundrels by Louisa DarlingScandalous Desires by Elizabeth HoytWrathA Heart of Blood and Ashes by Milla Vane Wait for It by Molly O’KeefeNero by SJ TillyPrideThe Bride Price by Anne MalloryDouble Standards by Judith McNaughtThe Beast Takes a Bride by Julie Anne LongFlowers from the Storm by Laura KinsaleThe NotesAs we all know, there are 3 kinds of pipe.The Seven Deadly Sins are:  sloth, wrath, gluttony, envy, lust, greed, and pride. In case you not a sinner, you may be more familiar with the seven virtues: humility, charity, chastity, gratitude, temperance, patience, and diligence. Historically, it was illegal for a man to marry his brother’s widow. “I am in lust with Dain,” is a line from Lord of Scoundrels. With some further researching, Jen discovered that there is a podcast by Stephen Fry about the 7 Deadly Sins.The SponsorsBlue Box Press, publishers of Jennifer Probst's Book of the Month, available in print, ebook, and audiobook from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo & Apple Books.Kylie Scott, author of Text Appeal, available in print, ebook, or audiobook from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo & Apple Books, or in audiobook from Audible.Stephanie Rose, author of Safe With Me, available in print or ebook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited. Laura Moher, author of What She's Having, available in print, ebook, or audiobook from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo & Apple Books.

We're starting our Season 7 read alongs off with a bang! M. O'Keefe's Everything I Left Unsaid duology is some of the best contemporary romance out there, and if you need proof, here it is: The first book ends on a cliffhanger and it holds a prime spot on Jen's keeper shelf. We're talking about all the ways this book works, the way O'Keefe wields tension and description and narrative voice and point of view like an absolute master and delivers a series that is not only deeply representative of the contemporary romance of the mid 2010s, but also a near perfect example of how contemporary can fire on all cylinders. Clear your calendar, you're going to want to read all four books in this series back to back.If you want more romance content, maybe you want to join our Patreon, where you get another episode from us each month, and access to the incredible readers and listeners and brilliant people on the Fated Mates discord! Support us and learn more at fatedmates.net/patreon.Also! We're back on the phonebanking train this election season! Join us Saturdays between now and Election Day to phonebank with fellow romance lovers. Jen & Sarah are joined by special guests who will knock your socks off! Learn more and register at fatedmates.net/fatedstates. If phonebanking isn't your thing, we're also raising money for downticket house and senate races, because state legislatures may not be sexy, but they sure hold all the power. Learn more, and give what you can at fatedmates.net/givingcircle. The Books Everything I Left Unsaid by M. O'KeefeThe Truth About Him by M. O'KeefeBurn Down the Night by M. O'KeefeWait for It by M. O'KeefeThe NotesRaise a glass to the Old School Romance Book Club on Facebook. They had their final zoom on October 14, 2024.Problematic vs. Dated originated with a discussion of Rocky Horror Picture Show on Twitter, a conversation that has been ongoing for a long time. Just to be clear, when Jen said “it’s 2015 so it’s in past” she’s referencing that although some books were written in present (like 50 Shades, published in 2011), the wholesale shift to present tense that we see in romance now hadn’t happened yet. Researchers and law enforcement professionals have determined that nonfatal strangulation is a leading indicator of escalating violence in a relationship and an important risk factor for homicide in women, and the fact that choking is on the rise in teenage sexual encounters is especially troubling. The Sponsors1001 Dark Nights, publishers of Audrey Carlan's A Christmas Auction, available in print, ebook, and audiobook from Amazon.Aethon Books, publishers of Belle Walker's Blood and War, available in print, ebook and audiobook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited. Lumi Gummies--use the code FATED50 for $50 off your first order, or use the code FATEDMATES for 30% off your next order.Meghan Quinn, author of How My Neighbor Stole Christmas, available in print, ebook, audiobook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.Don't forget to keep listening for an audio excerpt of June Westwood's Grave Temptation, available in print, ebook, audiobook or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.

An episode for the old school romance readers in the audience, we're talking about kidnapping this week! A trope that either absolutely works for readers (aka us) or absolutely doesn't, we talk about why that is, how the original romances of the 80s and 90s installed these buttons and how we still see the bones of old school kidnapping in delicious romances of today. That, and Jen reminds Sarah of books wrote one time. If you want more romance content, maybe you want to join our Patreon, where you get another episode from us each month, and access to the incredible readers and listeners and brilliant people on the Fated Mates discord! Support us and learn more at fatedmates.net/patreon.Next week, our first read along of Season 7 will be Molly O'Keefe's Everything I Left Unsaid duology, selected by Jen which despite the first book being a cliffhanger should not surprise you because she contains multitudes. The second book is The Truth About Him. Read them both and get ready for Jen to talk to you for hours. You will thank us.Also! We're back on the phonebanking train this election season! Join us Saturdays between now and Election Day to phonebank with fellow romance lovers. Jen & Sarah are joined by special guests who will knock your socks off! Learn more and register at fatedmates.net/fatedstates. If phonebanking isn't your thing, we're also raising money for downticket house and senate races, because state legislatures may not be sexy, but they sure hold all the power. Learn more, and give what you can at fatedmates.net/givingcircle. The BooksA Rogue by Any Other Name by Sarah MacLeanIt Happened One Autumn by Lisa KleypasThe Master by Kresley Cole Gentle Rogue by Johanna LindseyThe Windflower by Laura LondonA Kingdom of Dreams by Judith McNaughtPerfect by Judith McNaughtDemon Lover by Kathleen CreightonPrisoner of My Desire by Johanna LindseyKiss of a Demon King by Kresley ColeThe Outlaw and the Lady by Lorraine HeathThe Hawk by Monica McCartyBurn for Me by Ilona AndrewsA Promise of Fire by Amanda BouchetThe Hostage Bargain by Annika MartinMafia Mistress by Mila Finelli Twisted Pride by Cora ReillyTaken by Charlotte SteinSavage Hearts by JT GeissengerHell Breaks Loose by Sophie JordanCaptive of the Horde King by Zoey DravenThe Grabbed Series by Lolita LopezMy Favorite Kidnapper by Melanie MorelandChieftain: The Outlander Book Club…in Space! By Annie LucasThe NotesNobody has ever quoted me back to me beforeLearning the Tropes has covered every Kleypas book if you’re in the mood for that. Next week, our read along is Everything I Left Unsaid and The Truth About Him by M. O’Keefe, so get to reading. The SponsorsJune Westwood, author of Grave Temptation, available in print, ebook, audiobook or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited. KL Parsons, author of Love By a Landslide, available in print and ebook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.Jenni Bara, author of The Foul Out, available in print and ebook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.

We are so thrilled to have thee Meg Cabot with us, one of the original queens of YA romance. We talk about her longstanding writing career, about the authors who inspired her, about her early historical romances, written as Patricia Cabot, about her pivot into young adult romance and the power of the subgenre, about her own love story, and, of course, about The Princess Diaries of it all. It will surprise absolutely no one that Meg is a delight as a guest--we're so grateful for her time and her insight, and she's welcome back any time. If you also love romance, maybe you want to join our Patreon, where you get another episode from us each month, and access to the incredible readers and listeners and brilliant people on the Fated Mates discord! Support us and learn more at fatedmates.net/patreon.Our first read along of Season 7 will be Molly O'Keefe's Everything I Left Unsaid duology, selected by Jen which despite the first book being a cliffhanger should not surprise you because she contains multitudes. The second book is The Truth About Him. Read them both and get ready for Jen to talk to you for hours. You will thank us.Also! We're back on the phonebanking train this election season! Join us Saturdays between now and Election Day to phonebank with fellow romance lovers. Jen & Sarah are joined by special guests who will knock your socks off! Learn more and register at fatedmates.net/fatedstates. If phonebanking isn't your thing, we're also raising money for downticket house and senate races, because state legislatures may not be sexy, but they sure hold all the power. Learn more, and give what you can at fatedmates.net/givingcircle. Looking for Sarah's Conflict Writing class? It starts this Sunday--find it right here. The BooksWhere Roses Grow WildAn Improper Proposal The Princess Diaries The Black Canary: Ignite The Mediator: ShadowlandEducating CarolineThe Boy Next DoorEnchanted to Meet You All-American GirlShow NotesMeg Cabot. has written over 50 young adult romances, including The Princess Diaries. Meg also wrote adult romances under the name Patricia Cabot, and her first book Educating Caroline has just been re-released under the name Meg Cabot. Jen recommends the book Paperback Crush: The Totally Radical History of 80s and 90s Teen Fiction by Gabrielle Moss. Publishing Professionals and Authors Mentioned: author Barbara Cartland, Jennifer Weis was an agent at St. Martin’s Press and is now at the Weis Agency, editor Amy Pierpont, editor Carrie Feron, agent Laura Langlie, Sarah Davies with MacMillan in the UK, author Judy Blume, author Michelle Jaffe, author Susan Isaacs, author Susan Elizabeth Phillips, author Bolu Babalola, author Lee Child, publisher Erica Sussman, author PD James.Books & Movies mentioned: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, Romancing the Stone, Daughter of Hassan by Penny Jordan, Anne McCafferey’s Dragonriders of Pern series, Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding, Blubber by Judy Blume, The Cat Ate my Gymsuit by Paula Danziger, Norma Klein, Up the Down Staircase by Bel Kaufman, Born in Ice by Nora Roberts, In Bed with the Devil by Lorraine Heath. The SponsorsBook of the Month, bringing the best new fiction to your door. Go to bookofthemonth.com to pick a book and join. For a limited time, you can get your first book for just $5 with code PUMPKIN. Remember to tell them Fated Mates sent you!TL Smith, author of When He Reads to Me, available in print and ebook, from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, or wherever you get your books.Claire Therese, author of The Starling Inn, available in print and ebook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.Isabella Kamal, author of The Temple of Persephone, available in print and ebook from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.

There's a particular kind of romance hero who makes us feel all kinds of warm and fuzzy, because all he wants to do is stare in awe at his partner and tell everyone in the world to do the same. The Wife Guy is everything we love when it's done right, and we're so very excited to share a list of books that deliver this straight shot of serotonin every single time.If you also love romance, maybe you want to join our Patreon, where you get another episode from us each month, and access to the incredible readers and listeners and brilliant people on the Fated Mates discord! Support us and learn more at fatedmates.net/patreon.Our first read along of Season 7 will be Molly O'Keefe's Everything I Left Unsaid duology, selected by Jen which despite the first book being a cliffhanger should not surprise you because she contains multitudes. The second book is The Truth About Him. Read them both and get ready for Jen to talk to you for hours. You will thank us.Also! We're back on the phonebanking train this election season! Join us Saturdays between now and Election Day to phonebank with fellow romance lovers. Jen & Sarah are joined by special guests who will knock your socks off! Learn more and register at fatedmates.net/fatedstates. If phonebanking isn't your thing, we're also raising money for downticket house and senate races, because state legislatures may not be sexy, but they sure hold all the power. Learn more, and give what you can at fatedmates.net/givingcircle. The Books The Bride by Julie GarwoodA Kingdom of Dreams by Judith McNaughtKiss an Angel by Susan Elizabeth PhillipsThe Secret by Julie GarwoodKnockout by Sarah MacLeanWorked Up by Tessa BaileyBombshell by Sarah MacLeanNaked In Death by JD RobbAmerican Royalty by Tracey LivesayThe Favor by Suzanne WrightWild Pitch by Cat GiraldoThe House on Mulberry Street by Jeannie ChinSuddenly You by Lisa KleypasThe Hating Game by Sally ThorneSweet Ruin by Kresley ColeDark Needs at Night’s Edge by Kresley ColeDemon from the Dark by Kresley ColeMacRieve by Kresley ColeWicked Abyss by Kresley ColeDragon Bound by Thea HarrisonAn Island Princess Starts a Scandal by Adriana HerreraUp in Smoke by Tessa BaileyPrince of Broadway by Joanna ShupeTo Catch a Raven by Beverly JenkinsLush Money by Angelina M. LopezEngaging the Enemy by Reese RyanGet a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia HibbertIce Planet Barbarians by Ruby DixonThe NotesWe are not the only ones just discovering what 6-6-6 means. There is evidence that women in Georgia have died as a result of abortion bans, and it’s true in other states as well. Some of our favorite wife guys: Doug Emhoff, Joe Biden, Barack Obama, Tim Walz, and Hunter Woodhall. The Jayne Ann Krentz trailblazer episode has a great discussion of core story. Jen thinks the Julie Garwood book with the wolf is actually Honor’s Splendor, which we do not recommend due to very problematic portrayal of a gay character. The SponsorsSarah Chamberlain, author of The Slowest Burn, available in print, ebook or audiobook from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.Avery Maxwell, author of Late Nights & Love Lines, available in print and ebook, from Amazon.Erin Langston, author of The Finest Print, available in print and ebook from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.

Everything is new and crisp in the fall, as F. Scott Fitzgerald likes to say, and the romance novels are no different! We're starting to think about cozy fall reads under warm blankets with cider and pumpkin spice...and we're talking today about our massive autumn TBR piles! There’s something here for everyone — chefs, witches, sexy anthologies, vampires, sports, dragons, hot air balloons and, of course, dukes. If you also love romance, maybe you want to join our Patreon, where you get another episode from us each month, and access to the incredible readers and listeners and brilliant people on the Fated Mates discord! Support us and learn more at fatedmates.net/patreon.Our first read along of Season 7 will be Molly O'Keefe's Everything I Left Unsaid duology, selected by Jen which despite the first book being a cliffhanger should not surprise you because she contains multitudes. The second book is The Truth About Him. Read them both and get ready for Jen to talk to you for hours. You will thank us.Also! We're back on the phonebanking train this election season! Join us on Saturdays between now and Election Day to phonebank with fellow romance lovers, Jen, Sarah, and special guests who will knock your socks off! Learn more and register at fatedmates.net/fatedstates. If phonebanking isn't your thing, we're also raising money for downticket house and senate races, because state legislatures may not be sexy, but they sure hold all the power. Learn more, and give what you can at fatedmates.net/givingcircle. The BooksContemporary I’ll Have What He’s Having by Abib KhorramMarriage and Masti by Nisha SharmaA Legend in the Baking by Jamie WesleyDeja Brew by Celestine MartinBest Hex Ever by Nadia El-Fassi Love in Bloom by Lucy EdenAdam and Evie’s Matchmaking Tour by Nora NguyenGive It To Me by Angelina Lopez Big Fan by Alexandra Romanoff / 831 StoriesPrime Time Romance by Kate RobbWished by Sarah ReadyFang Fiction by Kate Stayman-LondonAll Signs Point to Malibu by Jennifer SnowLove and Sportsball by Meka JamesYA RomancePayal Mehta’s Romance Revenge Plot by Preeti ChhibberThe Dividing Sky by Jill Tew RomantasyThe Fire in the Sky by Sophie JordanTwisted Shadows by Allie TherinThe House at Watch Hill by Karen Marie MoningBlood and Magic by Lauren DaneSwordcrossed by Freya MarskeServant of Earth by Sarah HawleyThis Will Be Fun by E.B. AsherHISTORICALMy Rogue to Ruin by Erica RidleyThree Sins and a Scoundrel by Tracey SumnerEducating Caroline by Meg CabotThe Duke’s Sister and I by Emma-Claire SundayThe Beast Takes a Bride by Julie Anne LongThe Highlander’s Return by Lynsay SandsA Tempest of Desire by Lorraine HeathThe Wallflower List by Jess MichaelsThe Trouble with Inventing a Viscount by Vivienne LorretteNo Ordinary Duchess by Elizabeth HoytRomantic SuspenseI Did Something Bad by Pyae Moe Thet WarYou Can Kill by Rebecca ZanettiMr. Nice Spy by Tiana SmithThe NotesYou can join us for Fated States phone banking this Saturday, Sept 21, 2024, and then starting Oct 5th, we’ll be phone banking every Saturday until Election Day. A great clearinghouse for all your voter information needs (yes, you should check your voter registration one more time) is Rock the Vote or Vote.org Find out more information about The States Project and join the Fated Mates Giving Circle. After watching this great video from John Legend, who was born in Springfield, you can also support Springfield, Ohio and its Haitian immigrant population by supporting any of the following organizations: Haitian Community Help & Support Center of Springfield, The Second Harvest Food Bank, The Rocking Horse Community Health Center, and the Springfield chapter of St. Vincent De Paul. The SponsorsAethon Books, publishers of KW Foster's A Curse of Breath and Blood, available in print or ebook.Blue Box Press, publishers of J Kenner's Craved By You, available in print, ebook, and audiobook from Amazon.Meghan Quinn, author of Bridesmaid Undercover, available in print or ebook or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.Lumi Labs, creators of Lumi Gummies. Go to Lumigummies.com and use code FATED50 for free gummies with a limited time $50 off coupon, or use code FATEDMATES for 30% off.

Seven is heaven! Today, we are celebrating seven seasons of Fated Mates and this genre that we just can't get enough of with two people we just can't get enough of--Kate Clayborn and Adriana Herrera! We're talking about books, about the tropes we love, about the little bits of romance that make it the very very best. We're also thanking you for listening for seven seasons--and also being the very very best.If you also love romance, maybe you want to join our Patreon, where you get another episode from us each month, and access to the incredible readers and listeners and brilliant people on the Fated Mates discord! Support us and learn more at fatedmates.net/patreon.Our first read along of Season 7 will be Molly O'Keefe's Everything I Left Unsaid duology, selected by Jen which despite the first book being a cliffhanger should not surprise you because she contains multitudes. The second book is The Truth About Him. Read them both and get ready for Jen to talk to you for hours. You will thank us.Also! We're back on the phonebanking train this election season! Join us on Saturdays between now and Election Day to phonebank with fellow romance lovers, Jen, Sarah, and special guests who will knock your socks off! Learn more and register at fatedmates.net/fatedstates.The BooksThe Other Side of Disappearing by Kate ClaybornLuck of the Draw by Kate ClaybornOn the Hustle by Adriana HerreraAn Island Princess Starts a Scandal by Adriana HerreraClan of the Cave Bear by Jean AuelHollywood Wives by Jackie collins The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCulloughBet Me by Jennifer CrusieThe Gift by Julie GarwoodRun Posy Run by Cate WellsThe Devil in Winter by Lisa KleypasFlowers From the Storm by Laura KinsaleMagic Rises by Ilona AndrewsLover Eternal by JR WardDarkfever by Karen Marie MoningTexas Destiny by Lorraine Heath Only You by Elizabeth LowellLothaire by Kresley ColeThe NotesWelcome Kate Clayborn and Adriana Herrera, we’ve had both of them on more episodes that we can count. Kate’s latest book is The Other Side of Disappearing, and Adriana’s is An Island Princess Starts a Scandal. The SponsorsKatelyn Brehm, author of The Art Collector and The Siren's Song, the first two books in the Demons Among Us series, available in print or ebook.Blue Box Press, publishers of Kristen Ashley's Embracing the Change, available in print, ebook, and audiobook from Amazon.Avery Maxwell, author of Love Notes and Lifelines, available in print or ebook or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.Buns & Roses Romance Tea for Literacy, Sunday, October 20th, in Dallas, TX. Proceeds go to the Richardson, TX Adult Literacy Center. Get tickets and more information.The RestFor even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net/episodes/2024/9/10/s0701-the-magnificent-season-seven-with-kate-clayborn-and-adriana-herrera 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.

While we're off this week, we're encouraging everyone to listen to our Stop Book Banning episode, rereleased with new content! This week, we're talking to Maggie Tokuda-Hall, one of the founders of Authors Against Book Bans about the growth of book bans around the country in 2024. Book bans in United States schools and libraries are at their highest since the ALA Office of Intellectual Freedom started collecting data, happening around the country, in every state, and disproportionately affecting books by and about LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC people. What’s more, challenges are likely underreported, because librarians who are resisting them are facing unprecedented workplace retribution and in some cases physical danger.Book Bans are on the ballot this year in every state and local election, up and down the ticket. State legislatures, local town councils, county leadership and school boards are being overrun with candidates supported by conservative activists looking to limit access to books and ideas that offer identity, empathy, awareness, and power to young people around the country. We’re concerned, so today, we’re releasing a special episode of Fated Mates focused on book bans across the country. We interview three experts on what’s happening, who is most impacted, and how we can all help. Show notes are extensive, and we hope you’ll take a look at them. The GuestsMaggie Tokuda-Hall, author, activist, podcaster and founding member of Authors Against Book BansJarett Dapier, librarian, activist and author of Mr. Watson’s Chickens. Jarrett is offering his complete stage adaption of Chris Crutcher's YA novel "The Sledding Hill" to the Office for Intellectual Freedom in support of Banned Books Week as a free download to read. Schools and communities interested in performing the play can do so with a $75 donation to the ALA's Office of Intellectual Freedom. Lily Freeman, activist and student in Central Bucks County, PA. Read Lily’s op-ed in the Philadelphia Inquirer and follow her instagram at ProjectUncensored. Congratulations, Lily, on your graduation!Melissa Walker, political activist at The States Project, journalist, and Middle Grade and YA author of Violet on the Runway, Let’s Pretend We Never Met, Small Town Sinners and more. The ResourcesAuthors Against Book Bans, the author and creator wing of the fight for the freedom to readThe Youth Censorship Database at the National Coalition Against CensorshipBook Riot’s censorship coverage is excellent and updated almost daily. They have an excellent explainer for how to find and develop a local anti-censorship groupIntellectual Round Table Freedom Blog: an exhaustive list of links related to news about challenges, censorship, and banning incidents, developing issues, and controversies that is updated weeklyPEN America’s data on School Book Bans and Index of Educational Gag OrdersAmerican Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom, full of resources and toolkits on challenges and how to combat themWhat’s happening in Central Bucks County, PA is happening all over the country. Kids, families and educators are protesting loudlyAdvocates for Inclusive Education, for more information on what’s happening on the ground in Bucks County, PAA map from ALA Banned Books week at the University of Illinois Library, and another from Red Wine & Blue. Teens around the country can get library cards from the Brooklyn Public Library. To apply for the card, teens can send a note to BooksUnbanned@bklynlibrary.org, or via the Library’s s teen-run Instagram account, @bklynfuture. The $50 fee normally associated with out-of-state cards will be waivedLearn more about the Book Ban Busters at Red Wine & Blue.Ballotpedia is a resource for your local ballot and your local election mapsVote.org, to check your voter registration, locate your voting place and moreHow to HelpEducate yourself about the book challenge process in your school district: How it works, who sits on the book challenge committee, how those committee members are appointed.If there are book bans and protests in your school district, attend local school board meetings and support students, teachers & librarians who are speaking up. Tell your local public and school librarians they have your support. Write letters. Visit the library. Thank them for standing for intellectual freedom.Research school board candidates in your district. Vote accordingly. Consider running for something! Your school board and your state legislature need you! Consider this us telling you seven times! (We’ll phonebank for you!) Vote to flip your state legislature blue. Rally your friends to join you in a Giving Circle at the States Project.If you're an author or creator, join Authors Against Book Bans.Donate to organizations (listed below) that support intellectual freedom and combat book bans. Organizations to Support (and Volunteer with)Donate to the Freedom To Read Foundation and become a member. The Freedom To Read Foundation effectively conducts important first amendment legal work regarding book bans and censorship.GLSEN, Creating a Better World for LGBTQ StudentsIntellectual Freedom Endowment Fund at the American Library AssociationThe National Coalition Against Censorship, providing direct intervention for people and groups facing censorshipThe States Project, helping to flip (or keep) state legislatures blueThe Trevor Project, supporting LGBTQ young people 24/7, all year roundWe Believe in Education, a movement of parents and families fighting for students’ freedom to learnYour local Freedom to Read organization, which you can find with a quick web search!r1qqzChZcbawCZ6X3BVO

Everything old is new again...or young again? We're talking about New Adult romance today, that is, romance novels where the love story is set at or during college! We're hopping in the time machine and headed a generation or two back in romance to talk about the first time New Adult came around changing the contemporary romance game. We're getting to the bottom of why these particular love stories work so well when it comes to feelings, and asking that eternal question -- has anyone involved in this subgenre actually met a 19 year old man? (JK, we support you!) We're taking next week off, but we'll be back the week after for the start of our Seventh Season! If you'd like more romance chatter in the meantime, we encourage you to join our patreon, where you get another episode from us each month, and access to the incredible readers and listeners and brilliant people on the Fated Mates discord! Support us and learn more at fatedmates.net/patreon.Our first read along of Season 7 will be Molly O'Keefe's Everything I Left Unsaid duology, selected by Jen which despite the first book being a cliffhanger should not surprise you because she contains multitudes. The second book is The Truth About Him. Read them both and get ready for Jen to talk to you for hours. You will thank us.Also! We're back on the phonebanking train this election season! Join us on Saturdays between now and Election Day to phonebank with fellow romance lovers, Jen, Sarah, and special guests who will knock your socks off! Learn more and register at fatedmates.net/fatedstates.The Books50 Shades of Grey by EL JamesWait for You  by Jennifer ArmentroutThe Wild Seasons Series by Christina LaurenButterfly by Jo BrennerFirst Semester by QB Tyler Losing It by Cora CarmackNever Sweeter and The Professor by Charlotte SteinThe Unrequited by Saffron KentSincerely, Carter by Whitney GThe Boys Next Door by Miranda SilverThe Game On Series by Kristen CallihanThe Deal by Elle KennedyForeplay by Sophie JordanLick and Play by Kylie ScottThe Love Hypothesis by Ali HazelwoodFourth Wing by Rebecca YarosOne and Done by Frederick SmithWicked Serve by Grace ReillyReal by Katy EvansThe NotesAt the beginning of season 6, Sarah and Lo (Lauren Billings from Christina Lauren) recorded a Hot for Teacher episode. Also a popular Van Halen song from the 80s, and the video is honestly something else. What is new adult as a subgenre?Risks of college life are well-documented, depression, substance abuse, and higher rates of violence toward women.The SponsorsRoxy Sloane, author of Cross My Heart, available in print, ebook, audiobook or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.Blue Box Press, publishers of Rachel Van Dyken's Love Hazard, available in print, ebook, and audiobook from Amazon.Sara Cate, author of The Heartbreaker, available in print, ebook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.Lumi Gummies--use the code FATED50 for $50 off your first order, or use the code FATEDMATES for 30% off your next order. The RestFor even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net/episodes/2024/8/27/0651-college-bound-new-adult-romance 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.

We're back with Christopher Rice celebrating one of the longest running themes in romance: Daddy Issues (not the good kind)! Christopher writes romance under the pen name C. Travis Rice, and today, we're talking about his recent banger, Sapphire Dawn. We talk about the longstanding history of characters with terrible fathers, about why romance seems to love a bad dad, about our favorite characters with terrible fathers, and about why terrible fathers make the best heroes? (we know! it's problematic!) All that, and we're talking about Nora Roberts and (gasp!) Janet Dailey! We're coming up on the end of Season 6 (what?! how!?), and so incredibly grateful to you for listening. If you'd like more romance chatter, we encourage you to join our patreon, where you get another episode from us each month, and access to the incredible readers and listeners and brilliant people on the Fated Mates discord! Support us and learn more at fatedmates.net/patreon.Also! We're back on the phonebanking train this election season! Join us on Saturdays between now and Election Day to phonebank with fellow romance lovers, Jen, Sarah, and special guests who will knock your socks off! Learn more and register at fatedmates.net/fatedstates. The BooksSapphire Sunset by C Travis RiceSapphire Spring by C Travis RiceSapphire Storm by C Travis RiceSapphire Dawn by C Travis RiceThe Dream Trilogy by Nora RobertsIn Death by JD RobbThe Kate Daniels Series by Ilona AndrewsThe Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen by KJ CharlesLove in the Time of Scandal by Caroline LindenKiss an Angel by Susan Elizabeth PhillipsFix Her Up by Tessa Bailey52 Reasons to Hate my Father by Jessica BrodyA Love Song for Ricki Wilde by Tia WilliamsHer Naughty Holiday by Tiffany Reisz This Calder Range by Janet DaileyDuke of Desire by Elizabeth HoytThe NotesWelcome author Christopher Rice who writes gay romance as C. Travis Rice. His current series is called Sapphire Cove, and his most recent release is Sapphire Dawn. Christopher and his best friend Eric Shawn Quinn host a podcast called The Dinner Party Show. The great dish soap decision: Dawn vs. Ajax. Check out some of our trailblazers referenced this episode: Vincent Virga, Radclyffe, and Nora Roberts. If you want to learn more about Janet Dailey and the plagiarism scandal that tarnished her name, check out the Reformed Rakes episodes about her. Maybe you want to read what the New Yorker has to say about pirates. The SponsorsRobyn Peterman, author of As The Underworld Turns, available in print, ebook, audiobook or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited. Blue Box Press, publishers of Kristen Proby's The Substitute, available in print, ebook, and audiobook from Amazon.Victoria Hamel, author of Is This Love Fur Real?, available in print, ebook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited. Bri Castellini, author of Rehabbing the Billionaire, available in print, ebook, 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/2024/8/20/s0650-daddy-issues-with-chris-rice 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.