Shelf Love: Romance Novel Discourse

Dame Jodie Slaughter is back to discuss Sought by Evangeline Anderson, a sci-fi alien romance from the Brides of the Kindred series featuring twin alien heroes, fated mates, dubiously consensual erotic worldbuilding, and a surprisingly useful framework for understanding what different readers seek from romance. Rather than treating Sought as simply good, bad, hot, weird, or problematic, we use it as a case study in readerly fantasy: why do some romance novels need to name coercion explicitly, while others use worldbuilding to make coercion feel erotic or safe? And what happens when a book’s fantasy is legible but fundamentally not yours? We talk about dubious consent, consensual non-consent, body betrayal, alien biology, plus-size desirability fantasies, “safe” dangerous men, competence porn, monster/self-cest logic, paranormal romance, sexy animals, and why Andrea wants everyone to stop talking and negotiate better while Jodie is perfectly willing to be carried away by the right kind of chaos. This is an episode about Sought, but it is also an episode about reader reception: not whether a fantasy is objectively good or bad, but what emotional problem it solves. -- Discussed: Sought by Evangeline Anderson Guest: Dame Jodie Slaughter, Shelf Love’s Director of Digital Publishing Website | Instagram Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

Get the scoop on Julia Quinn's new venture straight from the source: JQ Editions is a subscription book box dedicated to curating historical romance to help new readers discover a love for the subgenre. Julia shares insights about the inspiration behind this project, her curation process, and the challenges facing historical romance in the market today. --Guest: Julia QuinnJQ Editions Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1361360798/jq-editions-julia-quinns-curated-romance-book-box?JQ Editions website: https://jqeditions.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jqeditions/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JQEditions  Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

Fangirl Jeanne, fanfic elder, is back to revisit the fan fiction formerly known as “Manacled,” now traditionally published as “Alchemised” by SenLinYu. Three years after our initial discussion about Manacled in episodes 116 and 117, we delve into the transformation of this Harry Potter/”Dramione” (aka Draco-Hermione) + Handmaid’s Tale fanfic into a commercially-published romantasy novel. What happens to subtext when you remove the context of the text? What are the ethics of profiting from fanfic? What’s the harm in supporting derivative works of a prolific anti-Trans activist?File off those serial numbers and sit back and relax an absolute descent into madness as we try to figure out what the heck went on here.To counteract some of the harm of discussing this book, Jeanne suggests supporting trans charities such as the Good Law Project and the Trevor Project.Jeanne also recommends several books by trans authors or featuring trans characters:Reforged by Seth HaddonCemetery Boys by Aiden ThomasHell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph WhiteA Lady for the Duke by Alexis HallAndrea recommended:A Gentleman’s Gentleman by TJ AlexanderGuest: Fangirl JeanneWebsite | BlueSky | Threads Topics:00:25 Revisiting Manacled: Three Years Later 01:33 The Rise of Fan Fiction in the TikTok Era 03:21 From Fan Fiction to Published Novels 08:11 The Ethics of Consuming Fan Fiction 21:48 Highlighting Trans Charities and Authors 26:55 The Transformation of Manacled to Alchemised 38:31 Alchemised: A Romantasy Review 51:41 The Resonance Dilemma 52:40 Lazy Worldbuilding 52:57 Info Dumps and Pacing Issues 54:21 Immigrant Labor and Alchemy 54:41 Confusing Technology and Setting 56:01 The Good Guy Government 01:00:22 Character Backstories and Relationships 01:10:00 Romantasy and Market Trends 01:11:52 Critique of Alchemised 01:13:55 Final Thoughts and Conclusion Shelf Love:</p

Have you read Lisa Kleypas's neogothic duology: Devil in Winter and It Happened One Autumn? Tehyah Carver shares her provocative claims about Kleypas’s Wallflower series, including how St. Vincent is a gothic heroine. We also discuss the revisions the author made to the texts around 2021, theories on why the changes were made, and how we feel about them.What differentiates a villain from an interesting character in romance and how have contemporary romance readers' expectations evolved and what are the broader implications of rewriting problematic elements in historical romance fiction?00:00 Tehyah’s Romance Credentials03:57 Lisa Kleypas's Novels07:07 The Magic of Stony Cross Park11:23 Romance Genre and Reader Response18:26 Neogothic Romance and Social Anxieties23:52 Revisions in Romance Novels51:18 What kind of dog is Sebastian St. Vincent?51:55 Sebastian's Villainous Nature and Reader Perspectives53:47 Gothic Elements in Devil in Winter55:48 Sebastian as a Gothic Heroine57:44 Cam's Role and Racial Elements01:06:42 Sebastian's Masculinity and Gender Roles01:15:01 Revisions and Reader Perceptions01:27:01 Don’t be Boring: Concluding Thoughts on RomanceGuest: Tehyah CarverPhD student at Teachers College Columbia University, “real” romance fan and legit scholarInstagram | PhD ProfileDiscussed:Lisa Kleypas Wallflower series: Devil in Winter & It Happened One Autumn: Neogothic Duology, plus Secrets of a Summer NightRoutledge Research Companion to Popular Romance Fiction (2021): Edited By Jayashree Kamblé, Eric Murphy Selinger, Hsu-Ming TeoChapter 4: Gothic Romance by Angela Toscano Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

Are readers of dark romance or bodice rippers more morbidly curious than those who read sweet romcoms? Is the allure of horror and scary romance similar. Dr. Coltan Scrivner joins Shelf Love to discuss his new book, “Morbidly Curious,” and its insights on why people are drawn to scary media. The conversation delves into how understanding morbid curiosity can provide new perspectives on romance readers, the stereotypes surrounding both horror and romance fans, and the psychological underpinnings of consuming these genres. Dr. Scrivner shares his research on formidability dynamics within horror, how horror media impacts its audience, and the surprising therapeutic benefits they may offer.Guest: Dr. Coltan ScrivnerWebsite | Substack | Book Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

Listen...or don't. Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

Impale yourself on your fate: marrying the Devil can be heaven. Semilore Sobande shares her all-time favorite romance, "Devil's Bride" by Stephanie Laurens. This book has it all: Honoria Prudence Anstruther-Weatherby, a heroine who balances strength and vulnerability, and a hero who might just be Batman in disguise and has a similarly ridiculous name. Discover how this historical romance stands out with its compelling characters, feudal fantasies, and unexpectedly humorous plot twists, all while reimagining the dynamics of power and partnership in the Cynster family saga.Guest: Semilore Sobandehttps://english.brown.edu/people/semilore-sobande Learn more about the Ready to Score release event with Dame Jodie Slaughter and Shelf Love host Andrea Martucci on Monday June 9, 2025 at 7pm at Lovestruck Books in Cambridge, MA: https://lovestruck-Jodie-Slaughter.eventbrite.com/?aff=Andrea Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

Morgan and Isabeau from the Whoa!mance podcast join to discuss the 2024 film “Your Monster.” We discuss how the movie explores female rage and personal discovery, drawing parallels with romance novel conventions. We are divided in our opinions: did the film succeed in merging romance and horror? The conversation highlights how individual experiences and tastes shape reception of the film, making for an engaging discussion on the intersection of romance, rage, and narrative structure.-Guests: Whoa!mance (Morgan and Isabeau)Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Website | Listen on any podcast app!Morgan & Isabeau joined me in episode 076 to discuss Strange Love by Ann AguirreandEpisode 089 to Problematize Romanceand108 She-Devil (1989): Who's Entitled To Be Selfish in Love & Life? (Whoa!mance spectacular) Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

Alice Murphy, a historical romance author, joins to recommend and discuss under-appreciated non-Regency historical romance. The discussion touches on Alice's upcoming book, "A Showgirl's Rules for Falling in Love," and a rich variety of historical romance novels set in diverse time periods and locations. We travel through Ancient Egypt, medieval Wales, 19th century Japan, the Gilded Age, the Civil Rights Movement in the US in the 1960s, and more. This episode is jam-packed with book recommendations!-Guest: Alice MurphyWebsite | Instagram | A Showgirl’s Rules for Falling in LoveNot recommended: Redeeming LoveRecommended:Ancient to Medieval EraMara, Daughter of the Nile by Eloise Jarvis McGrawDefiant Love by Maura SegerA Husband for Esyllt by Virginie Marconato1500sHis Bride by Gayle Callen1700sFierce Eden by Jennifer Blake1800sFlame on the Sun by Maura SegerA Viscount for the Egyptian Princess by Heba HelmyThe Wild West and BeyondHitched to the Gunslinger by Michelle McLean and Untamed by Lisa RayneTurn of the CenturyA Striking Romance by Lindsey BrooksAs You Desire and The Other Guys’ Bride by Connie BrockwayEarly to Post-War 20th CenturyA Manhattan Heiress in Paris by Amanda McCabeThe Companion by E.E. OttomanPhoenix Pictures series by Brianne GillenMidcenturyLet It Shine by Alyssa ColeA Midnight Feast by Genevieve Turner and Emma BarryMrs. Milner Gets a Kitchen by Jane Hadley Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

Why do we read Jane Austen but not the authors Jane Austen read and loved? The answer is a BIT more complicated than just "sexism." Guest: Rebecca Romney, rare book dealer and author of the new book, Jane Austen's Bookshelf.Guest: Rebecca RomneyJane Austen's Bookshelf | Type Punch Matrix-Do you have a romance collection, or do you just love looking at other people's collections? Learn more about Romance Novel Collection, a new section of the Shelf Love Substack where I'll be sharing YOUR romance novel collections: https://shelflovepodcast.substack.com/p/introducing-romance-novel-collection  Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

Can horror and romance coexist? Friend and author Laura J. Mayo joins me to discuss “Land of the Beautiful Dead” by R. Lee Smith. We explore the complexities of combining horror elements (zombies, staking, the apocalypse) with romantic themes, how this book makes us feel, and unlikable and defiant characters who are forged by context. Is it all a metaphor?! (Yes, of course it is!)Discussed: Land of the Beautiful Dead by R. Lee SmithGuest: Laura J. MayoWebsite | Bluesky | Instagram -Romancelandia Holiday Fairies is a mutual aid effort for the romance novel reader community to support anyone in the community who could use a little material help with purchasing gifts for themselves, or loved ones this holiday season. Learn more:bit.ly/holidayfairiesshelflovepodcast.com/holiday-fairies Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

I join The Historical Romance Sampler podcast with Katherine Grant to sample a scene from Lisa Kleypas's Secrets of a Summer Night. We discuss how historical romance has changed since the 1970s and talk about bestsellers and airport books. Also, learn more about Romancelandia Holiday Fairies 2024!Romancelandia Holiday Fairies is a mutual aid effort for the romance novel reader community to support anyone in the community who could use a little material help with purchasing gifts for themselves, or loved ones this holiday season. Learn more:bit.ly/holidayfairiesshelflovepodcast.com/holiday-fairies-Learn more about Katherine Grant and The Historical Romance Sampler podcasthttps://katherinegrantromance.com/historical-romance-sampler-podcast/episode-42-andrea-martucci-reads-lisa-kleypasKatherine Grant on InstagramThe Historical Romance Sampler on Instagram Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

Year of the Unicorn by Andre Norton is a 1965 fantasy novel with subtle romantic elements. How does this vintage novel featuring outsider characters compare with today’s romantasy? Romance reader Kassi joins Shelf Love to discuss Gillan’s journey of identity, empowerment, and agency as she embarks on an adventure: arranged marriage with a were Rider. Would you give up your power for a beautiful fantasy? It’s very demure, very mindful — this oldie is a goodie, although there are no unicorns.Discussed: Year of the Unicorn by Andre Norton (1965)Guest: Kassi Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

Ever wondered why Regencies became all the rage? Or how historical romances shape and sanitize our perceptions of history? This episode delves into how Regency romances displace inconvenient historical truths. A critical look at older 'problematic' romances like Jennifer Blake's 'Fierce Eden' reveals the complexities of characters and settings, challenging the current sanitized romantic fantasies. This audio essay touches upon how modern Regency romance often overlooks deeper societal issues for the comfort of readers, questioning if this trend truly makes the genre better or just more palatable.Read the original Substack essay here: https://shelflovepodcast.substack.com/p/colonizing-history-historical-romance Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

Some call it Romantasy, some call it Dragon Corn (except replace the C with a P). Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros is hotter than dragon’s breath, and so of course we have to see if we can figure out why it’s so popular. Sarah Skilton joins me to discuss “love triangles,” indescribable pain that we would actually like described, War College, and how…hot…Xaden…is. Also, is Fourth Wing enjoyable for people with romance or fantasy genre competence? Listen…or die.Discussed: Fourth Wing by Rebecca YarrosGuest: Sarah SkiltonWebsite: www.sarahskilton.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiltongram/Hollywood Ending by Tash Skilton: https://bookshop.org/p/books/hollywood-ending-tash-skilton/15806212?ean=9781496730671 Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

Ever wondered how "The Hating Game" fares in a classroom setting? Dr. Diana Filar is back to discuss her experiences teaching The Hating Game book and film in a class about popular genre fiction. We discuss the challenges of translating romance novels into films, how stereotypes of genres are formed and challenged, and what it's like introducing non-genre readers to romance. Learn about Dr. Filar's approach to incorporating popular genre fiction like romance, horror, and suspense into her curriculum, how class conversations resembled a Battle of the Sexes as they explored texts that engaged with gender in different ways, and why it’s so hard to both adapt romance and teach romance novels as a genre in the classroom.Class texts also included Gone Girl, Arrival, and The Exorcist. Guest: Dr. Diana FilarWebsite | TwitterListen to Dr. Diana Filar on the #1 most-downloaded episode of Shelf Love: 092. I've Got No Roots: White Immigrant Assimilation & (Romance) Adaptation  Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

Do you love scent marking, some healthy jealousy, and a beautiful and believable mix of internal and external romance in your paranormal werewolf romance? Get your parka and bundle up for "Cold Hearted" by Heather Guerre, the first book in the Tooth and Claw series, in discussion with foremost vampire defender, Dame Jodie Slaughter. We explore werewolves, vampires, Alaska as a transporting setting, depression, Andrea’s soft vulnerable belly, and found family and community, highlighting the book’s atmospheric setting and rich character development. The conversation delves into the unique elements of limited third-person narrative, the dynamics of jealousy, and the beauty of slow-burn romance.Guest: Dame Jodie Slaughter, Shelf Love’s Vampire DefenderWebsite | Twitter | InstagramTo learn more about Dame Jodie Slaughter, follow her on Instagram @jodie_slaughter and on Twitter @jodieslaughter. Check out her books, including "Play to Win" and "Bet on It," and keep an eye out for her upcoming sapphic romance, "Ready to Score." Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

“What is a greater expression of love than eating someone else or wanting to consume and have that person in a way that no one else can have?” Dr. Nicola Welsh-Burke joins to delve into the intriguing topic of cannibalism in romance novels. We explore the intersection of food, eating, and sexuality, discuss the metaphorical use of cannibalism in literature, and examine the societal taboos and fascinations with the concept. The conversation touches upon various themes such as erotic vampirism, werewolf lore, incorrect eating, and how these elements are used to explore deeper human desires and fears.Media Mentioned/Discussed:Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis KlauseTooth and Claw series by Heather GuerreWhere the Wild Things Are by Maurice SendakHannibal (TV show)A Certain Hunger by Chelsea G. SummersFresh (film) Twilight (books/film)Betwixt the Sheets PodcastKinky History PodcastSex historian Esme Louise JamesGuest: Dr. Nicola Welsh-BurkeDr. Welsh-Burke is an academic and lecturer at Western Sydney University in Sydney, Australia. She’s an early-stage researcher in folklore and fairy tales and the romance genre, and her PhD was on contemporary YA supernatural romance, retellings of little red riding hood from the 21st century.Twitter Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

If you’ve always wanted to hear about a romance that takes place within a traveling circus and features a telepathic tiger, hang onto your trapeze bar: Emma from the Substack Restorative Romance and the Reformed Rakes podcast is here to talk about Susan Elizabeth Phillips' “Kiss an Angel,” a contemporary romance that feels like a historical and features an arranged marriage that leads to circus life. In a highly contentious conversation between rival podcasters, the one thing we can agree on the importance of conflict and character flaws in creating a compelling story.Discussed: Kiss and Angel by Susan Elizabeth PhillipsGuest: Emma, a law librarian and writer at Restorative Romance on Substack, and a member of Reformed Rakes.Substack | Reformed Rakes Website Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

Guest: Sarah Rutherford, a romance reader and Associate Professor of Design at Cleveland State University@sarahatschool on InstagramHighlights:The evolution of romance novel covers from the 1980s to the contemporary post-digital age.The significant role of design elements such as typography, color, and imagery in conveying the genre and themes of romance novels.The impact of digital publishing on cover designs, including the preference for stock photography and simplified imagery.How cover designs serve as a branding tool for books and how they contribute to personal branding for readers and collectors.Sarah shares anecdotes about identifying and collecting romance novels based on their covers, highlighting the emotional and aesthetic appeal of cover art.  Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

I was a guest on The Categorically Romance Podcast to discuss my category romance collecting addiction, reading some books from Kiss a short-lived Harlequin line from the early 20 teens, and how not being allowed to read romance as a teen actually made me more obsessed with reading romance. Hope you enjoy this episode and I definitely recommend that you check out the Categorically Romance Podcast if you're not already listening.We read The One that Got Away by Kelly Hunter (Kiss #1) and If You Can't Stand the Heat by Joss Wood.Learn more about The Categorically Romance Podcast: https://linktr.ee/TheCategoricallyRomancePodcast Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

In this episode, host Andrea Martucci embarks on a journey with Dame Jodie Slaughter to the Covering Romance exhibition. The event showcases romance novel cover art by award-winning artist, John Ennis. Interviews with John Ennis and other attendees, including author Nisha Sharma, romance fan Mary Lynne Nielsen, and Fin, owner of Wolf and Kron books, a genre bookstore. Andrea purchases several pieces of cover art and reflects with Jodie on the cultural significance of fandom and passion for the genre.Fellow Traveler: Dame Jodie Slaughter, International Fandom CriticizerWebsite | Twitter | Instagram Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

An exploration of prison planet romances with Megan Erickson. We discuss Guardian by Emmy Chandler and how it explores issues of consent, agency, and morality through an extreme version of the forced proximity trope. Are these brutal dystopians actually hopeful explorations of humanity and love? Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

Romancelandia Holiday Fairies 2023!Romancelandia Holiday Fairies is a mutual aid effort for the romance novel reader community to support anyone in the community who could use a little material help with purchasing gifts for themselves, or loved ones this holiday season. Learn more:bit.ly/holidayfairiesshelflovepodcast.com/holiday-fairies  Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

Is shame productive? This question guides part 2 of a Whoa!mance/Shelf Love convo about A Lady of the West by Linda Howard as we discuss the paradox of enjoying highly problematic books.We interrogate our feelings of shame, enjoyment, and the importance of critically dissecting the pleasures derived from reading, no matter how uncomfortable it may feel.Look at your society, look at your life! Along with me and Whoa!mance, in this crossover episode.Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]: Whoa!mance (Morgan and Isabeau)Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Website | Listen on any podcast app!Listen to part 1 of this episode: episode 150 Shelf LoveMorgan & Isabeau joined me in episode 076 to discuss Strange Love by Ann AguirreandEpisode 089 to Problematize Romanceand108 She-Devil (1989): Who's Entitled To Be Selfish in Love & Life? (Whoa!mance spectacular) Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

I humbly asked Morgan and Isabeau to help me understand why A Lady of the West by Linda Howard had a chokehold on my young romance-reading imagination, and they delivered. We discuss how this book has rules for good (white) women, and explores Manifest Destiny, settler colonialism, sexuality, violence, violent sexuality, and being a desirable (white) woman.Button up your white high-necked blouse and gallop on a virile stallion into the wild west with Whoa!mance, in this crossover episode.Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]: Whoa!mance (Morgan and Isabeau)Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Website | Listen on any podcast app!Morgan & Isabeau joined me in episode 076 to discuss Strange Love by Ann AguirreandEpisode 089 to Problematize Romanceand108 She-Devil (1989): Who's Entitled To Be Selfish in Love & Life? (Whoa!mance spectacular) Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

The difference between erotic romance and romance is all about feelings, in particular, where you feel them. Shelf Love’s Kink Correspondent, Dame Jodie Slaughter, joins the podcast to discuss A Gentleman in the Streets by Alisha Rai. Only enter if you consensually dare.Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]: Dame Jodie Slaughter, Shelf Love’s Kink CorrespondentWebsite | Twitter | Instagram Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

Bisexuality in romance with writer and reviewer Ellie Mae MacGregor (@bisexual_booknerd). When it comes to romance, a genre that explores romantic and sexual desires, what does “good” bisexual representation look like? How can books with or without bisexual representation create worlds that feel safe for bisexual readers?Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]: Ellie Mae MacGregorInstagram @bisexual_booknerd Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

I own 91 Candlelight Ecstasy Romances, so it was high time I read one... then I read another 13 for good measure. In December, 1980, Vivian Stephens launched a new line of contemporary category romance at Dell called Candlelight Ecstasy. The line pushed the envelope when it came to sex and sensuality on the page. But how sexy are they and how do these books hold up in 2023? Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected] Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

Mistress of Mellyn by Virginia Holt is often hailed as responsible for kicking off a boom of modern gothics in the mid-20th century. In this crossover with Reformed Rakes, we ask: is this a gothic first and a romance second? Is our plucky main character in love with the man of the house, or just the house? How does Mistress explore transgression of boundaries, gender, eight-year-olds, and heroines “ahead of their time”?Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]: The Mistress of Mellyn (1960) by Virginia HoltGuest: Reformed RakesWebsite | Emma | Beth | Chels Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

What makes a heroine in romance, a genre invested in exploring how can women be happy in culture? Is the genre a place where heroines create integrated identities that reject binaries of what society tells them to be? Dr. Jayashree Kamble discusses her latest book on romance scholarship, Creating Identity: The Popular Romance Heroine's Journey to Selfhood and Self-Presentation. Shelf Love listeners can use “UShelfLove” to get 35% off the book at Indiana University Press, from now until November 2, 2023. Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]: Dr. Jayashree KambleCreating Identity: The Popular Romance Heroine's Journey to Selfhood and Self-Presentationhttps://iupress.org/9780253065704/creating-identity/Shelf Love Discount code: use “UShelflove” for 35% between September 15, 2023 and November 2, 2023.Jayashree on Humanities Commons: https://hcommons.org/members/kamble/Jayashree’s upcoming New York City book launch events:9/24/23 - https://www.therippedbodicela.com/brooklyn-events9/22/23 - https://aaari.info/23-09-22kamble/Learn more about the International Association for the Study of Popular Romance at IASPR.org and the open access journal where you can find tons of romance scholarship: JPRStudies.org Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

Four romance reading friends embark on a romance history reading project, based on a BookRiot list, and in this episode, two of them — Leigh Kramer and Hannah Hearts romance — have Flames on the Sides of their Face when talking about the Flame and The Flower by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss. To keep things interesting, we talk less about the book itself and more about questions of reader reception and the relationship between the 1972 text and the romance texts that followed. Have we come a long way, baby, or are we still wallowing in the same whirlpool of sludgey emotions?--Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]: The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen E. WoodiwissThe BookRiot list that inspired the project: https://bookriot.com/most-influential-romance-novels/Guests:Leigh KramerWebsite | InstagramHannah Hearts RomanceInstagram | Goodreads Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

What happens when 35 romance scholars walk into a bar, after hours at the IASPR 2023 Romance Revitalised conference? They share their favorite romance scholarship, and why!Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected] to all of the contributors to this episode!Full list of romance scholarship mentioned on Substack: https://shelflovepodcast.substack.com/Romance Reader Stereotype research: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQzi8fBB0R8 Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

The fabulous foursome (Morgan & Isabeau from Whoa!mance, Dame Jodie Slaughter, Andrea Martucci from Shelf Love) get meta textual as we reflect on our meta podcasting project on Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas. What’s this episode about? Take a guess from this collection of possible episode titles:Panopticon Alert: Meta Reflections on Dreaming of YouThe Internet Killed RomanceWhoa! That’s Some Weird RomanceOur Current Romance PanopticonAlienating Persons in RomanceLove Us or Hate UsHere We Are Now, Offend UsDid you enjoy this podcast?Be sure to listen to episode 140 and 141 before diving into the meta-ness and meta-mess of this text.Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]: Dame Jodie SlaughterWebsite | Twitter | InstagramGuests: Whoa!mance (Morgan and Isabeau)Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Website | Listen on any podcast app!Morgan & Isabeau joined me in episode 076 to discuss Strange Love by Ann AguirreandEpisode 089 to Problematize Romanceand108 She-Devil (1989): Who's Entitled To Be Selfish in Love & Life? (Whoa!mance spectacular) Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]</ul

This week, yr grls at long last encounter Derek Craven in "DREAMING OF YOU" by Miss Massachu herself LISA KLEYPAS. It is time for Morgan and Isabeau from Whoa!mance to wade into this collaboration with Shelf Love.You probably already know this - but Sarah is a regency country mouse who is secretly a best-selling novelist. Facing the dreaded sophomore slump, she seeks out a real Gambling Hell to research her next novel and instead finds Derek Craven. Derek's a gutter baby cum Cockney made good by establishing the most luxurious gambling den in London. But, it turns out, his personal tastes skew a bit more bucolic if you catch our drift (they fall in love!).What makes a character captivating and why doesn't Derek Craven have any of it? Is the sentimental version of the Culture Wars any more forgivable? It's 10 p.m. - is your child a Perry?Take our "lump of ice" and tune in as we give this "weep and wail" its "early hours". --Guests: Whoa!mance (Morgan and Isabeau)Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Website | Listen on any podcast app!Morgan & Isabeau joined me in episode 076 to discuss Strange Love by Ann AguirreandEpisode 089 to Problematize Romanceand108 She-Devil (1989): Who's Entitled To Be Selfish in Love & Life? (Whoa!mance spectacular) Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]: Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: <a href="mailto:Andrea@

Let’s talk about Joyce Ashby from Lisa Kleypas's novel Dreaming of You. We delve into the dichotomous portrayal of Joyce as an irredeemable villainess alongside her foil, the redeemable “hero” Derek Craven. We explore the parallel themes of violence, possessiveness, and animalistic sexuality resulting in problematically differing fates and treatment by the text. Belched from the underworld, Defender of Bisexual Villainesses Dame Jodie Slaughter joins Shelf Love in this special cross-over project with Whoa!mance - watch for the next episode, in which Morgan and Isabeau share their conversation about Dreaming of You.Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]: Dreaming of You by Lisa KleypasGuest: Dame Jodie Slaughter, Shelf Love’s Expert on Bisexual VillainessesWebsite | Twitter | Instagram Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

Amanda Cinelli joins me to discuss representation of autistic characters in romance novels. Amanda shares how reading Helen Hoang’s "The Kiss Quotient" played a big part in her realizing that she was autistic, and talks about some other romances with autism representation that she loved. We also discuss why representing autistic love is important to Amanda as an author and her writing journey pre and post diagnosis.-Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]:The Kiss Quotient by Helen HoangThe Heart Principle by Helen HoangThe Brown Sisters Trilogy by Talia HibbertBergman Brothers’ series by Chloe LieseGuest: Amanda Cinelliwww.amanda-cinelli.com**https://twitter.com/AcinelliAuthor**https://www.instagram.com/amandacinelliauthor/https://www.tiktok.com/@amandacinelliauthorhttps://amandacinelliromanceauthor.substack.com/about Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

"Somebody’s Trying To Kill Me and I think it’s my husband" by Joanna Russ is a brilliant bit of 50 year old scholarship about modern gothics, but I say it applies just as well to romance novels of today.In part one, I explore the theme of passive protagonists in adventure stories. Part 2, the personal is the problematic. In all parts: unpacking heteropatriarchy.Discussed:Adventure Stories with Passive Protagonists:https://shelflovepodcast.substack.com/p/adventure-stories-with-passive-protagonistsThe Personal is Problematic:https://shelflovepodcast.substack.com/p/the-personal-is-problematicShelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected] Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

Part 2 of the conversation about North and South with Helena Greer. AI generated these action items from the transcript of this episode. AI responses can be inaccurate or misleading.[ ] Schedule a kiss scene between the main characters for modern audiences[ ] Make the male protagonist more sympathetic by toning down his violent behavior[ ] Make the female protagonist more likable and relatable to modern romance audiences[ ] Follow a beat sheet to hit expected pacing and plot points for romance novelsThis is part 2 of the conversation about North and South. Check out episode 136 for part 1.Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]: North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell and North and South the 2004 BBC adaptation starring Richard Armitage and Daniela Denby-AsheSAVE the Cat: https://savethecat.com/Guest: Helena GreerWebsite | Twitter | Instagram | Storyloom Choose Your Own AdventureHelena Greer is a long time librarian and romance reader, and recent romance novelist. She has a degree in mythography and is interested in deconstructing the social context around the decisions storytellers make about how to frame --or reframe-- their stories. Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

Trains! Fruit! Allusions to Hell abound! Victorian industrialist city mortality rates! Writer, sex educator, and librarian Helena Greer is here to discuss North and South. Did the 2004 BBC adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell's 1854 serialized novel make the heroine more likable and everyone else less nuanced? This conversation is serialized just like the original text. We compare and contrast the romantic moments in the book and adaptation, highlighting how the adaptation focuses more on negative emotions and drama, while the book emphasizes character growth and acts of romantic love.Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected] to the contributors to this episode:Discussed: North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell and North and South the 2004 BBC adaptation starring Richard Armitage and Daniela Denby-AsheGuest: Helena GreerWebsite | Twitter | InstagramHelena Greer is a long time librarian and romance reader, and recent romance novelist. She has a degree in mythography and is interested in deconstructing the social context around the decisions storytellers make about how to frame --or reframe-- their stories. Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

Dame Jodie Slaughter, Feather Fetish Understander, and I recently discussed how The Savage and The Swan speaks the unspoken, what a winged wolf looks like, and whether this book is a metaphor for toxic masculinity and healing generational trauma. This summary below was written by AI using my episode transcript:The Savage and the Swan by Ella Fields is a groundbreaking work of Enemies to Lover literature that combines elements of dark fairytale retellings, a possessive anti-hero, and spicy fae romance. The story follows Opal, a princess in a kingdom at war with its neighboring kingdom, Vordane, ruled by the shape-shifting wolf-with-wings Dade. Opal is forced to marry a human prince to strengthen the alliance between the two kingdoms, but is kidnapped by Dade and must find a way to reconcile her feelings for him despite his shocking act of violence.Shelf Love:Join the Conversation on Discord: https://www.patreon.com/ShelfLoveSign up for the email newsletter list | Website | Patreon | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]: The Savage and The Swan by Ella FieldsGuest: Dame Jodie Slaughter, Shelf Love’s International Smut HistorianWebsite | Twitter | Instagram Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

Starting the year off with some cozy re-reads, comfort reads, and short reads to combat the wintery weather and get through winter cold season. I share thoughts on all the books I read in January 2023, including Alice Coldbreath’s Victorian Prizefighter series, A Holiday by Gaslight by Mimi Matthews, His Majesty by Shon, Better Off Wed by Susanna Craig, Hero by Claire Kent, and the Murderbot series by Martha Wells.Shelf Love:Join the Conversation on Discord: https://www.patreon.com/ShelfLoveSign up for the email newsletter list | Website | Patreon | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]:Alice Coldbreath - Victorian Prizefighters seriesA Holiday by Gaslight by Mimi Matthews (novella)His Majesty by Shon (short story)Better off Wed by Susanna Craig (Love and Let Spy series)Hero by Claire Kent (Kindled series)Murderbot series by Martha Wells Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

We need to talk about Anais Nin and her erotic short story collection Delta of Venus. Did Anais Nin write "female erotica"? Is there such a thing? Have Things™️ changed much since 1941? Noted smut writer Dame Jodie Slaughter is Shelf Love's international smut history correspondent. She schools us on the long history of smut, French people, Choice Feminism, why she doesn't believe in the female gaze, how her work is contributing to the demise of "our value system," and more! We unpack Anais's assertion that "women are more apt to fuse sex with emotion, with love" via Dr. Jodi McAlister’s book "The Consummate Virgin," and her theories of compulsory (female) demisexuality. Shelf Love:Join the Conversation on Discord: https://www.patreon.com/ShelfLoveSign up for the email newsletter list | Website | Patreon | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]: Dame Jodie Slaughter, Shelf Love’s International Smut HistorianWebsite | Twitter | InstagramDiscussed:Delta of Venus by Anais NinThe Consummate Virgin: Female Virginity Loss and Love in Anglophone Popular Literatures by Dr. Jodi McAlister: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-55004-2Hard-Core Romance: Fifty Shades of Grey, Best-Sellers, and Society by Eva IllouzSady Doyle’s Guardian article: https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2015/apr/07/anais-nin-author-social-mediaSherilyn Fenn “MTV Books, Feed Your Head” 1991 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHRo5FAJ3g0  Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

Arranged marriage trope in contemporary Indian American diaspora romance novels with cognitive psychologist and author Sri Savita.Shelf Love:Join the Conversation on Discord: https://www.patreon.com/ShelfLoveSign up for the email newsletter list | Website | Patreon | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]:Running Away With the Bride by Sophia Singh SassonDating Dr. Dil by Nisha SharmaMarriage Game by Sara DesaiThe Trouble with Hating You by Sajni PatelThe Shaadi Set-Up by Lillie ValeShaadi dot com performance by Awaaz Do: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzwhcCeJ4lkGuest: Sri SavitaSri writes romance by night, and by day is a Cognitive Psychologist.Website | Twitter | InstagramForthcoming Short Story: "How to Find Your Footing in France," part of a Wordmakers New Year's Eve holiday anthology.Hôtel d'Amour: A Sweet Romance Anthology: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BMXV9JG3/ref=x_gr_bb_kindle?caller=Goodreads&tag=x_gr_bb_kindle-20 Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

A billionaire romance novel that name drops Citizen’s United only comes along every so often. Carter Sherman, Senior reporter for VICE News, joins me to discuss Preferential Treatment by Heather Guerre. We talk about power exchange, heterosexual marriage as a transaction, and subverting the single script of the hegemonic BDSM billionaire romance to focus on the fantasy as care & safety as opposed to letting go of control.Romancelandia Holiday Fairies: https://shelflovepodcast.com/blog-posts/romancelandia-holiday-fairiesDiscussed: Preferential Treatment by Heather GuerreOther media mentioned:Hard-Core Romance: Fifty Shades of Grey, Best-Sellers, and Society by Eva IllouzEvery New Year by Katrina JacksonPrivate Eye by Katrina JacksonThe Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes by Cat SebastianMarriage: A History by Stephanie CoontzYou’re Wrong About Abortion Stories: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1112270/11515738-your-abortion-storiesGuest: Carter Sherman (she/her/hers)Senior reporter for VICE NewsVICE News | TwitterShelf Love:Join the Conversation on Discord: https://www.patreon.com/ShelfLoveSign up for the email newsletter list | Website | Patreon | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected] Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

Are men in romance novels granted agency & subjectivity, and do readers have the same expectations for male consent as they do for female characters in M/F romance? Lynell from Weekend Reader has some thoughts on mutual consent in romance, especially as she’s binging dark mafia romance with kidnapping plots. What happens when your real life values conflict with your fantasy world values, and how do ideas about happily ever after change as our culture changes? Romancelandia Holiday Fairies 2022: bit.ly/romancelandiaShelf Love:Join the Conversation on Discord: https://www.patreon.com/ShelfLoveSign up for the email newsletter list | Website | Patreon | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]: Lynell from Weekend ReaderWebsite | TwitterBooks Mentioned:Sabbatical by Katrina JacksonThat Time I Got Drunk and Yeeted a Love Potion At a Werewolf by Kimberly LemmingThe Spies That Love Her series: Her Only Valentine by Katrina JacksonToying with Temptation by AH CunninghamGeorgia Acadian series by Dria Anderson Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

Hear Elysabeth Grace & Katrina Jackson in conversation: a recording from Black Romance and Historical Spaces presentation put on by the Center for Black Diaspora at DePaul University on November 5th, 2022. This episode is a co-release with Black Romance Podcast, hosted by Dr. Julie Moody-Freeman.Shelf Love:Join the Conversation on Discord: https://www.patreon.com/ShelfLoveNEW! $1 Patreon tier “Here for the Discourse” - for those of you bummed by the decline of TwitterSign up for the email newsletter list | Website | Patreon | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected] Romance Podcasthttps://blackromancepodcast.libsyn.com/Center for Black Diasporahttps://las.depaul.edu/centers-and-institutes/center-for-black-diaspora/Pages/default.aspxKatrina Jacksonhttps://www.katrinajacksonauthor.com/Elysabeth Gracehttps://www.elysabethgrace.com/ Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

Breaking News! Harlequin Associate Editor John Jacobson is here to give the scoop on Harlequin’s newest, currently unnamed line of sexy new contemporary romances. We talk about Harlequin’s intentions, hopes, and dreams for the line, and also talk about the unfulfilled… gaps in the market, especially for younger readers who want to imagine their own unique, personalized, non-normative happily ever afters.Shelf Love:Join the Conversation on Discord: https://www.patreon.com/ShelfLoveSign up for the email newsletter list | Website | Patreon | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]: John JacobsonTwitterHarlequin.submittable.comwriteforharlequin.com Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

Classic fairy tales Cinderella & Beauty and the Beast may have gotten their Disney-fication, but there are many ways to slide your feet into these glass (or are they fur?) slippers, and romance novels love to play with these tropes. Writer Renee Dahlia and podcaster Philippa Borland join the podcast to discuss fairytale retellings, reversions, and subversions in romance novels.-Shelf Love:Join the Conversation on Discord: https://www.patreon.com/ShelfLoveSign up for the email newsletter list | Website | Patreon | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]:Pod Culture Oz Episode: https://podcultureoz.com/ep11-fairytales/Fairy Tale Retellings resource: http://www.reneedahlia.com/2021/07/25/fairy-tale-retellings-updated/Guests:Renee DahliaWebsite | Twitter | Instagram | BooksPhilippa BorlandListen to Pod Culture Oz | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]

What is beastliness? Little Red Riding Hood stories used to be tales of warning for young women to manage their sexuality in the face of the dangerous beasts of court, who were smooth on the outside, but hairy on the inside. In the 21st century, paranormal teen romances use enchantment to transform the beasts into objects of desire. Dr. Nicola Welsh-Burke, a scholar of fairy tales and romance, is here to discuss hot wolf boys, brooding Byronic figures, pseudomarriage and pseudovirginity, hot villain discourse, and why young women need beastly men to unlock their sexuality.Shelf Love:Join the Conversation on Discord: https://www.patreon.com/ShelfLoveSign up for the email newsletter list | Website | Patreon | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeEmail: [email protected]: Dr. Nicola Welsh-BurkeTwitterDr. Welsh-Burke is an academic and lecturer at Western Sydney University in Sydney, Australia. She’s an early-stage researcher in folklore and fairy tales and the romance genre, and her PhD was on contemporary YA supernatural romance, retellings of little red riding hood from the 21st century.fDiscussed:Nicola’s Texts:Wolves of Mercy Falls Series by Maggie StiefvaterSister's Red by Jackson PierceLow Red Moon by Ivy DevlinRed Riding Hood, the novelization of the 2011 filmThe Toast: A Day In The Life Of A Brooding Romantic HeroAarne-Thompson-Uther indexLittle Red Riding Hood is: ATU 425Famous Folklorists & scholars:Angela Carter: “hairy on the inside”Charles Perrault: “smooth-faced wolves”Countess d'Aulnoy: coined the term “fairytale”Cristina Bacchilega: “the fairy tale web”Dr. Jodi McAllister: The Consummate VirginDr. Christina Seifert: pseudovirginityThe complex fantasy (Diamond, 2011): to have the bad boy, to never come to harm, to have his wildness for one’s self. Shelf Love:NEW! Substack for original writing and stu