Fated Mates is a romance novel podcast co-hosted by author Sarah MacLean and critic Jen Prokop. Weekly episodes include romance novel read-alongs and discussions of the work of the genre, highlighting the romance novel as a powerful tool in fighting patriarchy…with absolutely no kink shaming.
S06.34: Marriage in Trouble, the Mercury Retrograde of Romance Novels
For our forever favorite, Kate Clayborn, our third Fated Mates Live episode! During the absolutely delightful event (we had so much fun!), Kate selected an interstitial topic that we’ve never tackled, somehow? It’s time for Marriage in Trouble! We talk about the old school bones of the trope, with ingenue wives and the jaded heroes who have to crawl over glass for them, about marriages that carry enormous secrets, the grovel, the heir, and about the threat of divorce motivating men toward being their best selves. Is this good marriage therapy? It is not. Is it good podcasting? It is. We also want to thank the following publishers and authors for their incredible generosity in making sure that almost every attendee of the Live went home with a romance novel. We are so lucky to share Romancelandia with you: Avon Books, Ballantine Books, Blue Box Press, Dell, Grand Central/Forever, Gallery Books, Lauren Blakely, LJ Evans, Pippa Grant, Ana Huang, Parker S. Huntington & LJ Shen, Elle Kennedy, Avery Maxwell, Ava Miles, Max Monroe, Kathryn Nolan, Amari Nylix, Meghan Quinn, Piper Rayne, P Rayne, Stephanie Rose, Lucy Score, & TL Swan.If you want more discussion of banana-pants romance, join our Patreon and get access to our Discord, where a thousand other listeners are hanging out and giggling all day long. Show NotesRead Kate Clayborn’s The Other Side of Disappearing, which is a beautiful road trip of a romance that does not have a marriage in trouble but does have a hero who is pure fire.Sarah used to work for Susan Miller of Astrology Zone, so when she tells you that Mercury is in retrograde, you better listen. Even if it’s about The 2000 election Like Jen, you may have thought the superhymen was a myth! But now you know better because of romance, Fated Mates Live, and Megan Frampton.
5/1/2024 • 1 hour, 35 minutes, 15 seconds
S06.06: Trailblazer Nalini Singh
10/18/2023 • 0
S05.35: Trailblazer Loretta Chase
The Trailblazers conversations continue this week with the brilliantly talented Loretta Chase, who we adore, and not only because she wrote one of our favorite romances of all time. We obviously talk about Lord of Scoundrels and Jessica and Dain, but we also talk about writing, about the challenges of writer’s block, about the glorious rabbit holes of research, and yes…we ask hard hitting questions about The Mummy. We are so grateful to Loretta for making time for us, and for writing such glorious books.If you are in New England, you can meet Loretta and Sarah at the Ashland Public Library Romance Festival this Saturday, May 20th in Ashland, MA. Attendance is free! Learn more and register at Eventbrite. We have a Patreon now, and it comes with an extremely busy and fun Discord community! Join other magnificent firebirds to hang out, talk romance, and be cool together in a private group full of excellent people. Learn more at patreon.com. Show NotesWelcome author Loretta Chase, author of over 20 historical romance novels. We did a deep dive on Lord of Scoundrels back in season 2.Authors mentioned: Jayne Ann Krentz writing as Amanda Quick, Susan Holloway Scott, Mary Jo Putney, and Caroline Linden.Publishing Professionals: Walker & Co. Publishers, editor Ellen Edwards, , Gail ? at Berkley, Romantic Times magazine.
5/17/2023 • 1 hour, 17 minutes, 46 seconds
Transcript for Episode S04.14: Elda Minger: A Trailblazer Episode
A full transcript is now available for season 4 , episode 14. Enjoy!
6/28/2022 • 0
Transcript for Episode S04.29: Nora Roberts: a Trailblazer Episode
A full transcript is now available for season 4 , episode 29. Enjoy!
6/20/2022 • 0
Transcript - Beverly Jenkins: Trailblazer
A full transcript is now available for season 4, episode 10. Enjoy!
3/27/2022 • 0
Transcript: Jessa Kane New Year's Eve Extravaganza
A full transcript is now available for season for our New Year’s Eve
extravaganza. Enjoy.
6/11/2021 • 0
Transcript for Episode S03.06: We Are Grateful For You - Freewheeling with Sarah & Jen
Enjoy.
11/28/2020 • 0
Transcript for Episode 14.5: Space Romance Interstitial - There Are No Wallflowers in Space!
A full transcript is now available for season 1, episode 14.5. Enjoy!
10/13/2020 • 0
Transcript for Episode S02.6: Cinnamon Roll Romance Heroes Interstitial with Andie Christopher
A full transcript is now available for season 2, episode 6. Enjoy!
3/24/2020 • 0
Transcript for Episode 13.5: Freewheeling with Sarah and Jen: We’re Big Mad
A full transcript is now available for season 1, episode 13.5. Enjoy!
3/6/2020 • 0
Transcript for Episode S02.25: Asking For Trouble: Tessa Bailey is the Queen of Dirty Talk
A full transcript is now available for season 2, episode 25. Enjoy!
2/28/2020 • 0
Transcript for Episode S02.17: Pegging Romance Interstitial
A full transcript is now available for season 2, episode 17. Enjoy!
2/21/2020 • 0
Transcript for Episode 4.5: Curvy Heroines in Romance - Interstitial
A full transcript is now available for season 2, episode 25. Enjoy!
2/14/2020 • 0
10.5: Fake Engagement Romance - Interstitial
This one has to be a top-ten universal trope…were talking fake engagements! Listen to us chat about why ladies love a fantasy, the royal wedding, marriages of convenience, and books by Elle Kennedy, Talia Hibbert, Chelsea M. Cameron and Kate Clayborn!
4/3/2019 • 41 minutes, 32 seconds
10: Declan Chase is Kinda Trying: Dreams of a Dark Warrior
Mr. Vivisection is here, and it’s a whole lot! Regin the Radiant is on Torture Island, and just her luck, the guy running the whole show is a berserker reincarnate who she’s loved in five earlier lifetimes. Declan Chase is a highly controversial Kresley hero, and Dreams of a Dark Warrior is a book Sarah and Jen always skip on the reread…but this week, we’re talking about it and *gasp!* we’re kind of on #TeamDeclan by the end?! UP IS DOWN!
This episode, we’re digging into the way Kresley builds characters and lays the brickwork for the rest of the IAD series. We’re talking about torture, about childhood, about packing for the end of days, and about Lothaire’s Guide to Wooing Women. We’re joined by the wonderful Sarah Hawley, co-host of the Wicked Wallflowers podcast, and Declan-stan.
3/27/2019 • 1 hour, 36 minutes, 4 seconds
Transcript for Episode S02.2 The Alpha in Romance Novels - Interstitial
A full transcript is now available for season 2, episode 2. Enjoy!
1/15/2018 • 0
Transcript for Episode S02.44: Freewheeling with Kennedy Ryan
A full transcript is now available for season 2, episode 44. Enjoy.
1/1/2018 • 0
Transcript for Episode S02.30: Nobody’s Baby But Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips : Grandma has her Shotgun
A full transcript is now available for season 2, episode 30. Enjoy!
1/1/2018 • 0
Transcript for Episode 16: Was It as Good For You as it Was For Me? Sweet Ruin
A full transcript is now available for season 1, episode 16. Enjoy!
1/1/2018 • 0
Transcript for Episode S04.02: Sandra Brown: a Trailblazer Episode
A full transcript is now available for season 2, episode 17. Enjoy!
9/5/2017 • 0
Transcript for Episode S04.11: Vincent Virga: a Trailblazer Episode
A full transcript is now available for season 4 , episode 11. Enjoy!
