Riot Headline Book Riot’s 2025 Read Harder Challenge

They Keep Bumping Into Each Other

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Jess and Trisha discuss the Ripped Bodice’s annual report on the state of racial diversity in romance, talk through some of the romance sales issues brought to light by a high-profile plagiarism event, and recommend books that sit all along the emotional spectrum.

This episode is sponsored by Libro fm audiobooks and Down and Dirty by Rhenna Morgan, published by Carina Press.

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News:

Patricia covered the Ripped Bodice report for Book Riot, and the 2016 and 2017 reports can be found at the RB site as well.

Nora Roberts has some feelings, and she is making them known in 2019.

Here’s the Venn diagram we mentioned that Bree posted (and you should read the whole thread).

Kilby Blades reflected on the ghostwriter issue on her blog.

Books:

Perv by Dakota Gray

Long Shot by Kennedy Ryan

Hired by Zoey Castile

Ripped Pages by M. Hollis

American Dreamer by Adriana Herrera

The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang

Let us know if you have thoughts on Thirsty and what books you’ve loved for the Read Harder challenge. Find us on email (trisha@riotnewmedia.com and jessica@riotnewmedia.com), Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown).