Best Spinster Book Podcasts (2025)

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S07.35: On the Shelf with Spinsters and Wallflowers 1:20:10

6d ago1:20:10

1:20:10

One of the og romance tropes is on the table today -- we're talking about heroines who are on the shelf! It's not quite wallflowers, not quite ruined, not quite spinsters...it's a very particular flavor of unmarried woman, and one we basically only find in historicals (can you tell Sarah is writing?). We're talking about the subtle nuances of heroi…

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RERUN: S04.43: [Sex on the] Beach Reads 1:06:52

11h ago1:06:52

1:06:52

We're on hiatus this week. We planned this long ago, but forgot to tell you about it. Honest! Please visit the original season four episode page for more info.By Fated Mates

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S07.34: The Third Act Break-Up (Complimentary) 1:28:12

14d ago1:28:12

1:28:12

We're gonna get people excited with this one (it's us. we're the ones who are getting excited). Back by popular demand, we're talking craft this week--digging deep into the third-act breakup, what it really means, why it's misunderstood, and why it really is essential to romance. Sarah suggests that every romance has one whether people like to admi…

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S07.33: Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid 1:34:10

22d ago1:34:10

1:34:10

Today we're headed back in the time machine to before the pandemic when everyone but us read this one m/m hockey book and lost their collective minds! Heated Rivalry is one of those books that romance lovers place high up on their keeper shelf, and we're talking about why, about how it really knocks sports romance out of the park (yes, we're aware …

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S07.32: Ruination! 1:53:23

29d ago1:53:23

1:53:23

We're talking about the worst possible thing that can happen to a romance heroine today (it's always the heroines) -- ruination! Whether the hero did it, another man did it, or society simply decided that she's ruined, there's simply nothing to be done about it...except revenge, a triumphant return, or the crowning of a new reigning queen. We cover…

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S07.31: Romance on the Run 1:34:38

1M ago1:34:38

1:34:38

Yes, Sarah has a longtime fantasy of being on the lam, but let's be honest, she'd be caught reading a book in the nearest diner as soon as anyone got serious about looking for her. This week, we're talking about books in which characters are much more serious about being on the run! We break the category into people on the move and people in hiding…

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S07.30: Getting Things Done (to them): Romance with Lists 1:32:42

1M ago1:32:42

1:32:42

We're crossing off a classic romance novel structure this week -- the list! Whether life changing to-do lists, bucket lists, or lists for kinky exploration, these romances take characters and readers on remarkable rides, reminding us all that sometimes it really does pay to be organized. If you want more Fated Mates in your life, please join our Pa…

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S07.29: Spring 2025 New Releases: Teasing Your TBR 1:56:44

2M ago1:56:44

1:56:44

It's our quarterly discoverabilibuddy episode! Get your TBR piles structurally sound and exercise that preorder clicking finger, because here are nearly 50 books coming out in the next three months that we're excited to read! Eric said next time we have to split it into two if we're going to keep talking about what's coming for hours... In the mean…

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S07.28: Everything We Know About Horses Comes From Romance 2:16:59

2M ago2:16:59

2:16:59

This week, for some reason, we're talking about romance novels with horses in them! Do we know anything about horses? Of course not! Do we let that stop us? It never has before! We're talking about the ones where the horse dies, the ones where they do it on a horse, the ones where she's a horse whisperer, and the ones where she just really likes ho…

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S07.27: What I Did for a Duke: This Gentleman is Completely Composed of Revenge Molecules 1:26:56

2M ago1:26:56

1:26:56

It's deep dive day here at Fated Mates and we're reading an absolute banger of a historical -- Julie Anne Long's fifth Pennyroyal Green book, What I Did for a Duke. We talk about great romance kisses, about age gaps and how they operate in books, about house parties and art and sacrifice and how sexy it is when someone actually sees you for who you…

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S07.26: Romance Novels With a Ticking Clock 1:45:17

2M ago1:45:17

1:45:17

This one's for those of you who've been asking us to talk more about craft on the podcast! We're talking romances with ticking clocks and clear time frames, about how this impacts conflict and makes books more breathless, and of course about the books that deploy this strategy perfectly. Inside, you'll find road trips and adventures, vacation roman…

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S07.25: Sci-Fi Romance: There's No Book Banning in Space 1:39:12

3M ago1:39:12

1:39:12

Maybe you're rooting for the asteroid, but you gotta have a plan! To help, this week, we're keeping track of what romance is looking like off-planet--it's Romance! In! Space! (Part 2, but the first episode we did was six years ago, so we figured it's time.) Headphones in, loves, this one covers space scavengers, aliens, anatomy, crash landings, abd…

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S07.24: He's NOT a Billionaire 1:54:50

3M ago1:54:50

1:54:50

It's been the longest month of our lives and as self-care, we're not thinking about billionaires this week (or at least for the duration of this episode). Instead, we're talking about those men who are rich in other ways, in throwing a punch, chasing a tornado, camping, playing an instrument, you get it. We've got a bunch of books we love and not a…

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S07.23: Long Live Historicals! 2:08:24

3M ago2:08:24

2:08:24

Historicals are dead! Long live historicals! This week, we're talking about fourteen (and change) historical romances that we've never talked about before -- all published recently, some already this year. Every book we talk about is available right now for download and reading pleasure--and we have a stack of them ready to talk about in future epi…

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S07.22: Adriana Herrera on the Power of Historical Romance: When We’re Up Against a Corner, Baby, Let’s Fight. 2:05:50

3M ago2:05:50

2:05:50

There's a new Adriana Herrera book out this month, so that means we get to have one of our very favorites back on the pod to talk about not only her banger of a book, A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke, but also about historical in general! This week, we talk about historicals, in general, about why everyone seems to think they're dying (spoiler: they'…

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New York Public Library Best New Romance List 22:47

3M ago22:47

22:47

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

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S07.21: Meet My Vibe Criteria: V.E. Schwab on writing, obsession, and romance outside of Romance 1:37:28

4M ago1:37:28

1:37:28

We're mixing it up today with a fabulous special guest! The brilliant V.E. Schwab joins us for a far-reaching chat about writing romance outside of romance novels™️, about the difference between obsession and love, about the way we can't help but ship characters who will never get together, and about writing in general...and how we tackle character…

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A Taste of Craven 22:36

4M ago22:36

22:36

It's February 4th, the most important romance holiday in February: Derek Craven Day! We're celebrating this year with a little reminiscing of the past years' episodes, and a close reading of the first chapter of that classic, Lisa Kleypas's Dreaming of You. Read Dreaming of You at: Bookshop, Amazon, B&N, Kobo, Apple Books, or wherever you get your …

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S07.20 Tarot, Astrology, and Psychics in Romance 1:36:40

4M ago1:36:40

1:36:40

We'll be honest, we don't know what the heck is going on, either. If we could find someone or something to make all this chaos make sense, we'd be very very happy. And so, we're reading books this week about people and things that make sense of chaos--that realign the universe. It's tarot, astrology and psychics this week! If you want more Fated Ma…

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S07:19 Back in Time with Harlequin Blaze 1:43:48

4M ago1:43:48

1:43:48

We're getting into the romance time machine and setting the course for 2001, when Harlequin decided that those Temptations could get scorching hot and become a Blaze. We scoured ebay for boxes and boxes of old Blazes, dug deep into the back catalogues of our Kindles, and are celebrating the OG one-handed read, the Harlequin Blaze. We had a great ti…

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S07:18 Winter 2025 New Releases: The Quarterly Edging Episode 1:44:02

4M ago1:44:02

1:44:02

We're toppling TBR piles and preorder lists today with our quarterly "Books we're excited to read" list! We're name-checking more than 50 romance novels we're looking forward to, and looking forward to hearing about the ones you're waiting for, too! If you're a romance novelist and have a book coming this year, please head over and fill out this Go…

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S07.17: The Proposition by Judith Ivory 1:44:06

5M ago1:44:06

1:44:06

Happy New Year, Magnificent Firebirds! We don’t know what 2025 is going to bring, so we’re starting with a bang—the long awaited deep-dive of Judith Ivory's The Proposition, featuring that rakish rat catcher, that ferret-loving firebrand, the man himself, Mr. Mick Tremore! We’re talking sexual tension so overwhelming it makes a girl cry, horse-face…

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01 – Notes on Men 25:05

5M ago25:05

25:05

More great books at LoyalBooks.comBy Myrtle Reed

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02 – Concerning Women 24:22

5M ago24:22

24:22

More great books at LoyalBooks.comBy Myrtle Reed

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S07.16: Hear Me Out: New Year's Eve 2024 3:07:25

5M ago3:07:25

3:07:25

It's New Year's Eve, and we're ringing it in with our standard silliness, this year with brilliantly funny duo Adriana Herrera and Nikki Payne, playing the current internet sensation game, Hear Me Out, where we share the people, illustrations, and vibes that can get it in our respective corners of the world. While there is no specific call for head…

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03 – The Philosophy of Love 24:35

5M ago24:35

24:35

More great books at LoyalBooks.comBy Myrtle Reed

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04 – The Lost Art of Courtship 19:59

5M ago19:59

19:59

More great books at LoyalBooks.comBy Myrtle Reed

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05 – The Natural History of Proposals 24:39

5M ago24:39

24:39

More great books at LoyalBooks.comBy Myrtle Reed

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06 – Love Letters: Old and New 23:14

5M ago23:14

23:14

More great books at LoyalBooks.comBy Myrtle Reed

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07 – An Inquiry Into Marriage 24:03

5M ago24:03

24:03

More great books at LoyalBooks.comBy Myrtle Reed

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08 – The Physiology of Vanity 22:50

5M ago22:50

22:50

More great books at LoyalBooks.comBy Myrtle Reed

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09 – Widowers and Widows 34:41

5M ago34:41

34:41

More great books at LoyalBooks.comBy Myrtle Reed

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10 – The Consolations of Spinsterhood 22:36

5M ago22:36

22:36

More great books at LoyalBooks.comBy Myrtle Reed

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07.15: Holiday Romances for 2024: Put It in the Lilly Library 1:50:36

5M ago1:50:36

1:50:36

It's the holiday season, which means holiday romance! This year, we're talking about Princes of Christmas falling for heirs to Halloween, Hanukkah treats, retellings ofThe Holiday, sexy cabins in the woods, second chances, Harlequin Presents, and yes, an online site called OnlySantas. It's truly something for everyone! We are taking next week off, …

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S07:14 Excellent 2024 Debut Romance Novels 1:35:48

6M ago1:35:48

1:35:48

We're so excited to be talking about some of the bright new voices in romance this week -- every book we talk about in this episode is a debut romance from 2024. We're introducing you to eighteen new authors, all of whom you'll be able to meet years from now and say, "I've been reading you from the beginning!" From chefs to film directors, baseball…

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S07:13 Getting Pearl Jammed: Romance After 40 1:53:40

6M ago1:53:40

1:53:40

Let's talk about the over 40s and how they deserve love, too! This week, we're diving into what the industry calls "seasoned" romance, though we're not wild about this phrasing and prefer "Women over forty can get it!" We're talking about romances where, yes, the heroines are older, but they still get to go on adventures, in and out of the bedroom.…

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S07:12 Bookstores and Booksellers 1:28:40

6M ago1:28:40

1:28:40

It's Thanksgiving week in the United States, which means capitalism! We're skipping (mainly) the talk of the midnight electronics runs, and heading straight to Small Business Saturday, when your local independent bookseller is doing their very best to put great books in your hands. Ever been in your local bookstore and thought -- I wish this place …

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S07:11 Best Romance Novels of 2024 1:29:40

6M ago1:29:40

1:29:40

The Best Romance Novels of 2024! This is our favorite episode of the year, where we get to shout at you about the terrific books we read this year, and tell you all the ways romance continues to excite us. It's the best and worst job, because we get to shout about books we love, but we are limited to only ten! And choosing ten favorites is very dif…

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S07:10 Comfort Reads and Finding Solace in Romance 1:20:15

6M ago1:20:15

1:20:15

Like many people, we don't have much to say this week, and whatever we might have said probably wouldn't have been very eloquent, so we've decided to talk about something we know about: Comfort reading and the way romance provides us solace, peace and hope. This week's books are our old reliables--books that we turn to again and again for a reminde…

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November 2024 Bantr+ 1:12:00

7M ago1:12:00

1:12:00

It’s just a very normal first Tuesday in November, and you need — and deserve — a distraction! We’re here to help with an episode that not only avoids discussing anything that might or might not be happening in the US today, but also lacks anything remotely of consequence (we promise 100% vibes!). Today, we’re releasing the November 2024 Bantr+, wh…

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S07:09 Mermaid Romance with Zoraida Córdova/Zoey Castile 1:25:53

7M ago1:25:53

1:25:53

Today we're talking mermaids with our friend, Zóraida Cordova, an author of many genres who also writes romance under the name Zoey Castile. We talk about the appeal of mermaids, why we're so drawn to them as creatures, their history in mythologies around the globe, and yes, we get into biology, because we give the people what they want. If you wan…

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S07:08 I Read Dead People: Ghosts, Morticians, and the Dead in Romance 1:53:22

7M ago1:53:22

1:53:22

This is a bit different than our usual Halloween adjacent episodes -- we're talking about the rise of romance centered around ghostly secondary characters (Jen) and funeral homes and mortuaries (Sarah). These two themes have become more and more prevalent in romance over the last few years, and we talk about how and why they've risen and what they …

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S07:07 The Seven Deadly Sins: Let's Fire Up Wikipedia 1:56:07

7M ago1:56:07

1:56:07

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…

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S07:06 The Everything I Left Unsaid duology 1:55:10

7M ago1:55:10

1:55:10

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 t…

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S07.05: Some Light Kidnapping: Restraints are for Amateurs 1:50:40

8M ago1:50:40

1:50:40

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…

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S07.04 Trailblazer Meg Cabot 1:51:32

8M ago1:51:32

1:51:32

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 cour…

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#59 Our First Time... (get your head out the gutter, not that kind of first time) 1:03:41

8M ago1:03:41

1:03:41

This week we thought it would be fun for you to get to know us (and get to know each other) a little better by sharing some throwback stories. Our first kisses, first dates, first jobs.. and a whole load of other firsts! If you've got anything to ask us in our Q&A being recorded next week, use the comment box on the episode! Where To Find Us Elsewh…

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S07.03 Wife Guys in Romance: Just Look at Her! 1:43:48

8M ago1:43:48

1:43:48

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 eve…

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#58 Five Tips For Living In The Moment (& Its NOT Meditation) 28:53

8M ago28:53

28:53

This is one from the archives back in February but we thought it was so relevant for right now when the post-summer burnout begins and we're all just trying to fall back into step! EPISODES MENTIONED what to write in gratitude list: how to manifest: learning to be your own best friend: ---- To get 10% off Better Help, click the link below: ⁠https:/…

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S07.02 Fall 2024 New Releases 2:01:54

8M ago2:01:54

2:01:54

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, va…

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