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...and with rock stars and incubi, even!

Guess what? There's a romance with a heroine over 40 in the Fated Mates Best of 2024 Book Pack from our friends at Pocket Books Shop in Lancaster, PA! You can get a box of our favorite books of the year and support booksellers at a fantastic indie bookstore all at the same time!

If you were shouting book names at your car stereo during this episode and want to shout them at other people, maybe you want to join our Patreon? You get an extra monthly episode from us and access to the incredible readers and brilliant people on the Fated Mates Discord! Support us and learn more at fatedmates.net/patreon.

Our next read along is Judith Ivory's The Proposition, a terrific Pygmalion retelling and one of Sarah's favorites. Find it at your local independent bookseller, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or Amazon.

The Books

• Mr. Loverman by Bernardine Evaristo
• Becoming Crone by Lydia M. Hawke
• Pick-Up by Nora Dahlia
• Gray Hair Don’t Care by Karen Booth
• Remember When by Mary Balogh
• Come As You Are by Jess K. Hardy
• Reaper’s Stand by Joanna Wylde
• The Art Collector by Katelyn Brehm
• Losing Sight by Tati Richardson
• Role Playing by Cathy Yardley
• The Undermining of Twyla and Frank by Megan Bannen
• Candidly Yours by Reese Ryan
• Dirty Little Midlife Mistake by Lilian Monroe
• Beautifully Unexpected by Lily Morton
• Chieftain by Annie Lucas
• Talk me Down by Victoria Dahl
• Fanning the Flames by Victoria Dahl
• The Worst Guy by Kate Canterbury
• As the Underworld Turns by Robin Peterman
• It’s a Wonderful Midlife Crisis by Robin Peterman

The Notes

• We had an episode about Daddy romance and age gap romance, but that’s not what this episode is about, this one is about characters over 40. Basically, if you loved Pearl Jam’s Ten, then you are probably the age of the characters in this episode. Now that “spicy” is used to describe sexy books, the word seasoned seems less useful.
• Veteran’s Day, Armistice Day, and how the wikipedia editors are making war on AI slop.
• Allie Parker is the host of the Romance Ever After podcast, and she recently suggested “the next wave of historical romance would be the 80s and 90s,” but there’s been way more historical romance kerfuffles happening since then.
• Sandra Antonelli is a key advocate for romance with older characters. Her site has an essay called Ignored and Misrepresented, which describes why characters over 40 should be leads and not stereotypes.
• This NYTimes article answers a pressing question: Why Do So Many Women Wear Giant Eyeglasses?
• A new name for middle aged folks: the sandwich generation.

The Sponsors

• Book 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 TINSEL! Remember to tell them Fated Mates sent you!
• Jenni Bara, author of Finding Out, available in ebook or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
• Avon Books, publishers of Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone's A Jingle Bell Mingle, available in from your local independent bookstore, Kobo, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble or Amazon.
• Kayla Grosse, author of Axes & Os, available in print, ebook or audiobook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.