Fated Mates And Lots Of Romance

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Amanda and Jenn are joined by Sarah MacLean and Jen Prokop of the Fated Mates podcast in this romance special episode!

This episode is sponsored by Book Marks, a customizable journal to record your reading life, Sourcebooks, and Two Lines Press.

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Questions

1. Hello! I love your show. I’m looking for a fantastic romp. I love light, hilarious reads like Tessa Dare and the book I’m currently reading, My Fake Rake, which is utterly brilliant. I also love a SFF romp, like How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse and Jodi Taylor’s books. That’s the mental place I’m in. Can you recommend some great romps, in any genre? Thank you!

2. I love listening to your show and have found so many great books at your suggestion. I finally got to read Red, White, and Royal Blue over my holiday break and i loved it. I would love another book like this one.

-Heidi

3. I’ve been in a bit of romance reading slump. I love the genre, but keep ending up with books that annoy the hell out of me. Things that frustrate me: years and years of pining, finally moving on, just to go right back to the person they pined after; power imbalances between characters (no boss/subordinate stuff, and I especially can’t stand when someone falls in love with their damn therapist); super-alpha dudes (I like a lot of Kristen Ashley’s female characters, but I want to bury most of her men alive). I prefer contemporary romance – I can’t get into historical stuff, and for some reason, I just don’t care for any royalty related stuff either. Books/authors I’ve really enjoyed are Alisha Rai’s The Right Swipe and Forbidden Hearts series, Alexa Martin’s Playbook series, Jasmine Guillory, Yolanda Wallace, Zoey Castile’s Happy Ending’s Series, Penny Reid, and Helen Hoang. I’m interested in m/m, m/f, f/f, or any other variation, so it doesn’t have to be only hetero romance. I prefer more comedic/lighter stuff to heavy drama, but don’t mind some seriousness and my favorite tropes involve forbidden love, friends to lovers, and in a m/f romance, dudes who absolutely worship their ladies.

Thanks!

-Desiree

4. Hi! I recently found your podcast and I love it. Thanks for sharing your insights and expanding my reading horizons.

I’m looking for a sexy book. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a romance or have descriptions of sex in it, but I would like something with a sexy vibe/feel to it. I know this is a bit of a vague request, and I’m having a hard time nailing down what exactly I’m looking for, so let me share some of my preferences:
– I tend to read and enjoy a lot of literary fiction. I also like SFF and have recently started reading romance (but haven’t found anything yet in that genre that scratches this itch).
– I’m a little tired of the very young woman/older man trope, but will go back to it if you feel strongly about your recommendation. Same with the virgin trope.
– I can do spooky but not gory.
– I have no preference on when the book was published.

So I’m kind of asking: What is the sexiest book you’ve read? I know this might not elicit the same response to my request, but maybe it’s a good starting point.

Thanks for all you do! Keep up the good work!
-Nan

Books Discussed

The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa

Chilling Effect by Valerie Valdes

What Happens in Scotland by Jennifer McQuiston

One Fine Duke by Lenora Bell

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

How To Be a Movie Star by TJ Klune (tw: discussion of suicidal thoughts & depression)

American Dreamer by Adriana Herrera

Band Sinister by KJ Charles

Take the Lead by Alexis Daria

Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev (tw: discussion of rape & assault, racism & police encounters, fears around disability, miscarriage and difficulties with pregnancy)

Scoring Off the Field by Naima Simone

Wrong Bed, Right Roommate by Rebecca Brooks

One and Only by Jenny Holiday

Priest by Sierra Simone

Written on the Body by Jeanette Winterson

The Vegas Top Guns series by Katie Porter

Dark Needs at Night’s Edge by Kresley Cole