Just in time for the spookiest day of the year, we’re back to talk about all things monsters, grim reapers and well, psychos. Trigger warning: mentions of death, mutilation, torture, death, beheadings, dubious consent, and sex under the influence. Books of the week: Grim by Layla Fae Jack’s Head by Siggy Shade Halloween Spirit: A Date With Death Latrexa Nova Hollow by C.M. Nascosta Halloween Mating by Kyra Keys Carving for Cara by Melissa McSherry, Dana LeeAnn Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Once again, it would appear that the Ton is abuzz with the rumour of royal nuptials! Indeed, dear reader, the time has come for us to travel to the recent past and witness the makings of a love story that changed the world forever. Will you join us for part two? Triggers: mentions of grooming, loss of identity, marriage, racism, colourism, death, porphryria, marital rape, pregnancy, child death, parental neglect, loss of a spouse, cheating, motherhood, and torture. Show of the week: Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, directed by Tom Verica, 2023 Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Once again, it would appear that the Ton is abuzz with the rumour of royal nuptials! Indeed, dear reader, the time has come for us to travel to the recent past and witness the makings of a love story that changed the world forever. Will you join us? Triggers: mentions of racism, colourism, death, porphryria, marital rape, pregnancy, child death, parental neglect, loss of a spouse, cheating, motherhood, and torture. Show of the week: Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, directed by Tom Verica, 2023 Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Seff’s day has finally come, we’ve made it to Zsadist’s book! Join us as we take a deep dive into Z and Bella’s story—or well try to as we continue to be our chaotic selves. Trigger warning: mentions of sex slavery, trauma, body mutilation, rape, sexual assault, death, slave markings, prostitution, pregnancy, and children Book of the week: Lover Awakened by J. R. Ward Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Oh boy, here we go…Grab yourself a nice cup of piping hot tea because we’re about to share our bookish unpopular opinions! Of course, this is all just for fun, please do not take any of this too seriously, they’re all just personal opinions. Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

We are finally – and we mean, FINALLY – releasing our episode on the second book of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, Lover Eternal. Join us as we reconnect with the BDB men and their women! Have our thoughts changed about this series? We shall see… Note: this episode was recorded in July 2022. Trigger warning: mentions of non-consensual memory removals, cheating, death, torture, terminal illness, cancer treatments, sexual assault, mental health surrounding past sexual assault, infertility. Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

2023 is here, baby! We can’t leave 2022 behind though until we talk about our favourite books, movies and tv shows of 2022. Join us as we reminisce on the year we've had, and ponder what 2023 might bring our way! Triggers: mentions of somnophilia, bullying, torture, blind revenge, pet play, manipulation, power struggles, death, age gaps, forced marriage, spanking, serious hate to love, psycho love interests, BDSM, mafia, reverse harems, ghost sex, sex with non-humans. Books mentioned: Mo Dao Zu Shi (Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation) by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu Nan Chan by Tang Jiuqing Icebreaker by Hannah Grace Fawned by Winter Prior The Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon My Roommate is a Vampire by Jenna Levine Dishonor by W. Wren Doves and Demons by Clio Evans The Dark Verse series by Runyx The Sinners Anonymous series by Somme Sketcher The Forgotten Phantom by Kathryn Ann Kingsley King of Wrath by Ana Huang The Cursed Mermen series by Aramis Jordan The Mindf*ck Series by S.T. Abby The Bonds that Tie series by J. Bree Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score Muscles and Monsters and Tentacles and Triathlons by Ashley Bennett The Devils series by Elizabeth O’Roark Desire in His Blood by Zoey Draven Sinners Atone by Somme Sommer The Syndicator by Runyx Drakonara by Runyx The Crown of Oaths and Curses by J. Bree Flawless by Elsie Silver Heartless by Elsie Silver Untitled Horde Kings spin-off by Zoey Draven Untitled Brides of Kylorr book by Zoey Draven Lilac by B.B. Reid Curse of the Gods series by Jaymin Eve and Jane Washington The Land Where Sinners Atone by V.F. Mason Soul Eater by Lily Mayne Good Deeds by Kathryn Moon The Beta: Part one by Avanne Michaels When She Unravels by Gabrielle Sands Haunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton All for the Game by Nora Sakavic Bitter Secrets by Mia Knight Boys of Bellerose Series by Jaymin Eve and Tate James Salt Kiss by Sierra Simone Forget Me Not by Julie Soto Media mentioned: Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, directed by Tom Verica, written by Shonda Rhimes, 2023 Love Between Fairy and Devil directed by Yi Zheng, 2022 Secret Love, directed by Lee Eung-bok and Baek Sang-hoon, 2013 Willow, developed by Jonathan Kasdan, 2022-present KinnPorsche, directed by Kongkiat Komesiri, Krisda Witthayakhajorndet, and Banchorn Vorasataree, 2022 Avatar The Way of Water, directed by James Cameron, 2022 The Last of Us, created by Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, 2023-present Barbie, directed by Greta Gerwig, 2023 Fanfics mentioned: The Auction by LovesBitca8 Landscape with a Blur of Conquerors by disasterisms Breathe Mints and Battle Scars by Onyx & Elm Manacled by SenLinYu Various Storms & Saints by Viridianatnight Don’t Look Back by Onyx & Elm Unexpected by Ambpersand The Slytherin Princess by Taylorikari Remain Nameless by HeyJude19 Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Hoe-Hoe-Hoe! The time has come for some festive goodies and this year, they come in the form of books! Join us as we talk about Holiday monsters, endearing romances, and well, wanting to eat the Gingerbread Man. Triggers: mentions of food coming out of erm genitals, torture, edging, spanking, trauma caused by repressed sexuality, abduction, death, breaking of trust, and family manipulation. Books mentioned: The Old Winter Chapel by Lyx Robinson Grumpy Alien Santa by Liz Paffel My December Daddy by Leta Blake Unwrapped by Santa and Krampus by Libby Doe 'Tis Better to Want: An Erotic Krampus Tale by Sonora Taylor Taken by the Beast: Creamed by Krampus by C.C. Cummings Dear Monster Claus by Maeve Black From Cocktails to Sleigh Bells by Wren K. Morris My Present This Year by Sierra Simone Cookies and Cream by Latrexa Nova Satan by Layla Fae Falling for Jack Frost by Molly Likovich Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Our time with Love Between Fairy and Devil has come to an end! Join us as we talk about the final episodes with these characters we grew to love. Of course, it wouldn't be a RTM episode without a rant about TROS. Our little Reylo hearts needed healing and this might have reopened old wounds…for better and for worse. In this episode, we cover episodes 31 to 36 of Love Between Fairy and Devil. Triggers: mentions of torture, marriage, loss of autonomy, reincarnation, betrayal from a loved one, death, manipulation, and imprisonment. Media of the week: Love Between Fairy and Devil, directed by Yi Zheng, 2022 Medias Mentioned: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, produced by Lucasfilm, Disney, 2015-2019 Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Our deep-dive continues this week! Settle down with a drink or a snack because this is a long one, folks. So much to discuss. Join us! In this episode, we cover episodes 25 to 30 of Love Between Fairy and Devil. Triggers: mentions of torture, marriage, death, manipulation, and imprisonment. Media of the week: Love Between Fairy and Devil, directed by Yi Zheng, 2022 Medias Mentioned: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, produced by Lucasfilm, Disney, 2015-2019 Star Wars Prequels, produced by Lucasfilm, directed by George Lucas, 1999-2006. Immortals After Dark series by Kresley Cole Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Spooky season is here and we come ready with monster reads for Halloween! We’re rating the smut using candy corns because…of course! Join us! Triggers: mentions of dub-con, sexual assault, rape, accusations of rape, death, muzzles, stomping, degradation, murder. Books mentioned: Knot Today Satan: A Halloween Omegaverse Novella by Calliope Stewart Scream for the Scarecrow by Violet Taylor Enthralled by Death by Latrexa Nova Riding the Headless Horseman by Molly Likovich Blood and Secrets by Beatrix Hollow The Lantern by S.J. Sanders Tricks and Treats: A Scarecrow Monster Erotica by Moira Carmel Their Monsters Natures by Honor St. Jean Abducted by the Pumpkin King by Cassie Idol Headless by Aveda Vice His Heartbeat by Kat Baxter Halloween Boo by Sarah Spade Monster Milking Motel: A Shattered Earth by Harpie Alexa Taken in the Haunted House by Ruby Winchester Bat Out of Hell by Latrexa Nova Where to Werewolf by Latrexa Nova Mummy? Sorry. Mummy? Sorry. by Latrexa Nova Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Buckle in folks, there’s A LOT to unpack in these episodes. Join us to discuss all the emotional highs — and the lows — that our main characters have gone through already. With war on the horizon, tensions are rising on both sides and stirring old emotional wounds that have gone ignored for far too long… In this episode, we cover episodes 17 to 24 of Love Between Fairy and Devil. Triggers: mentions of torture, marriage, death, manipulation, imprisonment, bullying, infantilization, body swapping. Media of the week: Love Between Fairy and Devil, directed by Yi Zheng, 2022 Medias Mentioned: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, produced by Lucasfilm, Disney, 2015-2019 Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

The truth is out! Our Orchid fairy knows the truth of who the man she’s been spending her time with is: the Moon Supreme, the cold and cruel leader who wants to destroy her people. Although… he doesn't seem to be as cold as she thought he would be when he’s with her. Join us as we discuss the budding friendship between two unlikely souls and the extent to which one would go to uphold the facade of the "monster" they were made into. In this episode, we cover episodes 9 to 16 of Love Between Fairy and Devil. Triggers: mentions of torture, marriage, death, manipulation, imprisonment, bullying, infantilization, body swapping. Media of the week: Love Between Fairy and Devil, directed by Yi Zheng, 2022 Medias Mentioned: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, produced by Lucasfilm, Disney, 2015-2019 Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Are we fans of dark, broody, and tortured villains? Are we fans of hopeful, joyous and caring heroines? Heck yes and yes! The time has come for us to discuss our first ever Chinese drama on the podcast, Love Between Fairy and Devil. Join us as we are introduced to this brand-new world where love and war become entangled and bind in inextricable ways the fates of the dark lord Moon Supreme and a seemingly inconspicuous fairy. Can they manage to unbind their fates before it's too late? We’ll have to wait and see… In this episode, we cover episodes 1 to 8 of Love Between Fairy and Devil. Triggers: mentions of torture, death, manipulation, imprisonment, bullying, infantilization, body swapping. Media of the week: Love Between Fairy and Devil, directed by Yi Zheng, 2022 Medias Mentioned: Meteor Garden, directed by Lin Helong, 2018 Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

We're so sad to say goodbye to yet another incredible series this week. Join us to discuss the final book in the Hathaway series. Have Beatrix, Christopher and, of course, Albert managed to capture our hearts? Come find out! Triggers: PTSD, attempted murder, death of a sibling. Book of the week: Love in the Afternoon (Hathaways, #5) by Lisa Kleypas Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Next up on our Hathaway journey is the much anticipated duo (well M’s much anticipated duo, anyway) Leo and Miss Marks! Leo is in need of a wife and heir lest the Hathaways lose their family home! Who does he have in mind? It surely couldn’t be the bespectacled bane of his existence, Catherine Marks, who’s only prospective lover is a ferret? Yes, yes, it is! Do Cat and Leo actually hate each other as much as they claim or are they more similar than they first thought? Join us to find out! Triggers: mentions of death, rape, child molestation, grooming, forced prostitution, drug use (and addiction), non-consensual drug use, sexual assault, estranged family, kidnapping, attempted suicide, and pregnancy. Book of the week: Married by Morning (Hathaways, #4) by Lisa Kleypas Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

This week on Romancing the Monsters we are joined by Desirée M. Niccoli to talk about all things books! We have so many recs for you all: danmei books, murderous heroines, monster romance, dramione fanfics and so much more! TRIGGER WARNINGS: death, attempted forced marriage, human consumption, child torture, kidnapping, kept in a cage, murder, sexual assault, incest, pseudo-incest, Mentioned by Desiree: -The Four Leaf by Lee Jacquot - Beneath the Loch by SD Simper - Wicked is the Reaper by Nisha J. Tuli - Dulce Monstrum by Elle Porter - Hyacinth by Elle Porter - Muscles & Monsters by Ashley Bennett - The Astronaut and The Star by Jen Comfort Mentioned by M: - Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation: The Founder of Diabolism (Donghua + novel) by MXTX - Heaven Official's Blessing (Donghua + novel) by MXT - Quiver & Quill by A.M. Kore - Aberrant Monsters & Insidious Monsters by Debbie Cassidy - Stuck With You by Ali Hazelwood - Season of the Sun by Catherine Coulter - Little Slice of Hell by Clio Evans (+ Curse of the Cyclops from the Monsters in Love Anthology) - Obsesión by CL Matthews - Starlight by Olivia Wildenstein - Railed By the Easter Bunny by Dalia Davies - Call_Me_Daddy_Fest Mentioned by Seff: -Stranger Things, created by the Duffer Brothers, 2016-present -The Maze of Shadows series by Kathryn Ann Kingsley -A Deal with the Devil, The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by Elizabeth O’Roark -The Mobster’s Masseuse, Step-Stalker, Caught by the Convicts by Jessa Kane -Moon Knight, created by Jeremy Slater, 2022 -Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score Mentioned by S: -Vicious Lost Boys Series by Nikki St. Crowe -Various Storms and Saints by Viridianatnight -Don’t Look Back by Onyx & Elm -MindFuck Series by S.T. Abby -Unexpected by Ambpersand -Lilac by BB Reid -Thieves & Monsters by Clio Evans and Opal Fairchild Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@romancingthemonsterspod Find Desiree: Instagram: @author_dmniccoli Twitter: @dmniccoli Website: https://dmniccoli.com/ Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Up next on our Hathaways journey: Poppy and Harry's story! Did Harry really compromise Poppy so she would be forced to marry him instead of the man she loves? *Gasps* Yes, yes he did. What does he do when she finds out about his devious scheme? He claims he doesn't regret it and that he doesn’t need her love or forgiveness… just her body. Or does he? Oh boy, strap in folks, we're about to tackle the Ruthledge mogul in all his infamous glory… Trigger warning: controlling behavior, jealousy, estranged relationships, weapon creation, forced relationship, negligence from a parent, death of a parent, substance abuse. Book of the week: Tempt Me at Twilight (Hathaways, #3) by Lisa Kleypas Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

"Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same!" Yup, it's time for Kev's book which means prepare yourselves for some capital "A" angst and a tortured soul that could rival Heathcliff himself. Kev meets his other half in Winnifred, Win, who’s had enough of the man she loves running away from what they could be. She's spent too many years in bed with illness, watching life pass her by. So, she's now determined to take matters into her own hands and get her happily ever after. If it doesn’t include Kev Merripen, then so be it, she’s done waiting. Or… that’s what she tells him. Trigger warning: Mention of suicide attempt, death of parents, jealousy, possessiveness to the nth degree, illness, fights to the death, child abuse and abandonement, loss of self worth, pregnancy, bodily atonomy, murder of a spouse. Books of the week: Seduce Me at Sunrise (Hathaways, #2) by Lisa Kleypas Books mentioned: Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

We’re finally headed to Ramsay House! Join us as we kick start our Hathaways readalong with Cam and Amelia’s story. This crazy, rambunctious family is in desperate need of money, help and a firm hand to guide them through their new life in the Ton. When Amelia meets Cam Rohan, sparks start flying and they indulge in a forbidden kiss that neither can forget. But, Amelia is used to her independence as head of the family – as much as she craves the idea of letting go and exploring whatever is blooming between her and the handsome Romani, she’s struggling with the guilt of doing something for herself for once. Thankfully, Cam Rohan isn’t scared of a challenge and once he's decided to set his sails on a future with Amelia, he won’t be deterred so easily. Also, some beloved characters from the Wallflowers also make appearances, so let’s see what they’re up to! Trigger warning: Mention of suicide attempt, dead lover, death of parents, illness, substance abuse (opium, alcohol). Books of the week: Mine Till Midnight (Hathaways, #1) by Lisa Kleypas Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

The time has come where we finally, FINALLY tackle our first reverse harem. That’s right folks, we’re discussing the Bonds That Tie series by J. Bree (Books 1-3). What if you woke up one day and were told you don't just have one mate…but five? Would you be scared or excited? After hearing of her new reality, Oleander flees from her bonds. Now five years later, they've found her, and she is forced to return to them and accept her role as their central bond…but they're holding a grudge and demanding answers she can't give. They think she left because she's a selfish, spoiled girl but what if there was more to her story? What if she was hiding a secret they may be better off never learning about… Trigger warning: mentions of abuse, death, forced relationships, fear of oneself, manipulation, torture, abduction, bullying and harassment of your bonded, and betrayal of a loved one. Books of the week: Broken Bonds, Savage Bonds and Blood Bonds by J. Bree Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

We've finally reached the finale of our Reylo deep-dive! Have we successfully turned S into a fellow Reylo or does she remain unconvinced? Well, you're gonna have to listen to find out! Fair warning though, we are not big fans of this movie, and things do get a negative at times. That said, we decided to turn our negativity into a drinking game! So, come have a drink with us! Also, we welcome a totally new guest on the podcast, S's little sister, Veronica. If we're gonna have to talk about this excruciating movie, we should at least try to have fun doing it! Trigger warning: death of a main character, suicide, assault, gaslighting, grooming, abuse, neglect, and child abandonment. Movie of the week: Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, directed by JJ Abrams, 2019 Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

The last Jedi, the legendary Luke Skywalker, has been found and he’s not at all what Rey expected. He's a recluse, haunted by the failures of his past and determined not to reconnect with the force. Rey, desperate for answers and fearing her new abilities, is forced to seek answers from the most unlikely person in the whole galaxy; her nemesis Kylo Ren. The two of them realize that something is connecting them; a powerful force willing them to talk to each other. And soon, they're confronted with the truth that maybe they aren’t as different from each other as they originally thought. Our ever-loving Reylo hearts finally get to talk about the movie that birthed many, many reylos circa 2017 and we also reminisce on just how horny The Last Jedi actually is…Rian Johnson, you knew EXACTLY what you were doing. Trigger warning: mentions of death, suicide, rape, assault, gaslighting, grooming, abuse, neglect, and child abandonment Movie of the week: Star Wars: The Last Jedi, directed by Rian Johnson, 2017 Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

There has been an awakening, have you felt it? That's right, RTM is dedicating a whole mini series to Reylo! Seff and Marge have loved this ship and these characters for a very long time, but can they finally convert S, too, and awaken her to this romance's potential? A voyage to a galaxy far, far away might do the trick but how many stops will it take to get there and achieve what is seemingly impossible? Well, let's see what surprises this first stop brings our way… TRIGGER WARNINGS: Patricide, villain apologists left unsupervised, mind control, mind control again but in a sexy font, villain apologists being thirsty for 2 hours, glove kink may be activated, inappropriate use of the force, blatant disregard of all plot points that don't involve Rey and Kylo/Ben, trio what trio?, 2015 tin foil hat nonsense but it's actually 2022, torture & kidnapping, FinnPoe deserved better, blatant mentions of lightsabers as phallic-like objects, we are not star wars experts nor do we want to be so keep your bad takes and opinions to yourself, proud Reylos: we stay winning, 'You Know I Can Take Whatever I Want' is kinda hot actually, mentions of Ben Solo's death (but no one's ever really gone.) Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Spoilers! We either love ‘em or we hate ‘em. Today, we discuss all things related to spoilers: Have we ever been spoiled? Do we purposely look out for spoilers? And then the worst question of all…have we ever accidentally spoiled someone else? Also, this episode contains an announcement for the next mini series that we'll be posting on the Podcast, starting next week! So keep an ear out for that! Books mentioned : Mafia Mistress by Mila Finelli Season of the Sun by Catherine Coulter Indebted series by Pepper Winters Love Me With Lies by Tarryn Fisher The Fine Print by Lauren Asher Triggers: mentions of death, forced marriage, post Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker grief and sadness, mention of emotional distress and suicidal thoughts. Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

The third horseman, Famine, has arrived and he is ending humanity with a vengeance. Ana is tasked with seducing Famine only for him to order her death mere seconds later. Ana lives through the ordeal, with a newfound desire to kill the man whom she once saved years ago. Join us for a discussion about the power of love and how the strength of compassion may be enough to overcome the horrors of inhumanity. Trigger warning: mentions of prostitution, violent massacres, loss of humanity, sacrifice of loved ones, abuse, rape, and death. Book of the week: Famine by Laura Thalassa Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Oh how the plot thickens, dear listener! It would appear that the Ton's most eligible bachelor, Viscount Anthony Bridgerton, has indeed proposed…but to the wrong sister! What will the Ton think of such a scandal?! This author certainly has an opinion or two to share on the matter. Will Anthony Bridgerton delude himself into taking this engagement all the way to "I do", or will the forces of love intervene before he finds himself forever trapped in an unthinkable fate, married to a woman he does not desire, and pining for the one he cannot have? (This episode focuses on episodes 5-8.) Trigger warning: mentions of familial duty, death, childbirth, trauma, loss of a parent, societal expectations, inability to grieve, social duty, toxic masculinity, and loss of a spouse. Beware of spoilers! We talk about the book, THE VISCOUNT WHO LOVED ME by Julia Quinn and the TV show, Bridgerton in great detail. Media of the week: Bridgerton, created by Chris Van Dusen, 2020-present Book mentioned: The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

The London Ton is positively abuzz! Indeed, dear listener, it would seem another social season is upon us, promising many sizzling stares across ballrooms and illicit affairs of the heart. Rumor has it that we are to be joined by newcomers this year, the Sharma sisters, who, too, come in search of husbands of nobility. Only, Miss Kate Sharma is not looking for a husband for herself but rather for her young sister, the Diamond of the season. More shocking still, this author has it on good authority that the eldest Bridgerton offspring, Viscount Anthony Bridgerton, is rather eager to secure a match with the youngest Sharma sister, Miss Edwina. So why is it that he seems to only have eyes for the eldest sister? This author may have a scandal to share sooner, rather than later after all… (This episode focuses on episodes 1-4.) Trigger warning: mentions of familial duty, death, childbirth, trauma, loss of a parent, societal expectations, inability to grief, social duty, and loss of a spouse. Beware of spoilers! We talk about the book, THE VISCOUNT WHO LOVED ME by Julia Quinn and the TV show, Bridgerton in great detail. Media of the week: Bridgerton, created by Chris Van Dusen, 2020-present Book mentioned: The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

This week is all about monsters! We discuss the Big Feels Anthology, a collection of monster romance stories that are definitely going to activate your size kink! From satyrs, to demons, orcs, yeti, aliens and tree giants, this episode is sure to contain something for everyone! Join us! Triggers: mentions of immense size difference, gender inequality, control of women, and death. Book of the week: Big Feels: A Monster Romance Anthology Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

This week we watch another monster romance, Tim Burton's Corpse Bride! We meet Victor who, after running into the woods to escape a failed proposal he wasn't really enthused about to begin with, finds himself married to a living corpse. Emily, was murdered on the eve of her own wedding by the horrible man who'd promise to love and cherish her. Ever since, she's been biding her time, waiting to be relieved from her curse and married at last…And that's exactly what Victor unknowingly did. Thrown together in a flurry of confusion and joy, the two of them straddle the worlds of the living and the dead as they try to figure out where, and with whom, they truly belong… Media of the week: Corpse Bride, directed by Tim Burton, 2005 Media mentioned: The Nightmare Before Christmas, directed by Tim Burton, 1993 Frankenweenie, directed by Tim Burton, 2012 Marry Me, directed by Kat Coiro, 2022 Books mentioned: Keturah and Lord Death by Martine Leavitt A Wallflower Christmas by Lisa Kleypas Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

This week on Romancing the Monsters, we’re talking about all the things we've been loving in the first few weeks of the year! We talk dramione and reylo fanfics, alien anatomy (it's not a CUAC without some weird anatomy, right?!), and a whooooole lot of toxic relationships... Yeah, we've entered our messy, chaotic romance era, folks. But, of course, do not be scared, we also talk about ranchers, angels, and there’s even a mention of a Turkish show and for once, it's not Seff! GASP! Oh, and you didn’t think M would forget her beloved monsters now, did you?! TRIGGER WARNINGS: mentions of rape, child rape, incest, abuse, sex slavery, human trafficking, pregnancy, post-war PTSD, adultry, bullying, minors having sex, forced surrogacy, mysogyny, toxic relationships, bullying, and murder. Mentioned by M: - Feather & Celestial by Olivia Wildenstein - The Auction by Lovesbitca8 - Wicked Dreams, Wicked Games and Wicked Promises by S. Massery - Big Feels Anthology - Possessed By the Alien King by Krista Luna - The Demon Next Door by Chace Verity - Yuri & the Yeti by Daphne Green - Bound in Stone by Stephanie Simpson - Grinch & Guile by A.M. Kore - All Yours by Vicky Walklate Mentioned by Seff: -Taken by the Horde King by Zoey Draven -Twisted Hate by Ana Huang -1883, created by Taylor Sheridan, 2021-present -Redeeming Love, directed by D.J. Caruso, 2022 -Munro by Kresley Cole -Death by Laura Thalassa -The Heartbreak Prince by diasterisms Mentioned by S: -Breath Mints/Battle Scars by Onyx & Elm -Manacled by SenLinYu -Amends by TheLashJedi -Nothing Good Happens After 2AM by LovesBitca8 -Hercai, directed by Cem Karcı, Benal Tairi, Baris Yoş, Ali İlhan, 2019-2021 -Stand Still by Peachy_V Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Let's talk about tropes, baby! What are the tropes we love and think should be more popular in romance novels? What are the tropes we (not so secretly) hate? Well, today's the day we reveal it all! Join us for an hour of laughs, recommendations and an anatomy lesson or two. Triggers: mentions of cheating, pregnancy, and breeding. Books mentioned: Ghosted J.M. Darhower Carter & Leah by R.J. Lewis The Tyrant Alpha’s Rejected Mate by Cate C. Wells Broken by the Horde King by Zoey Draven MacRieve by Kresley Cole Dreams of a Dark Warrior by Kresley Cole Kiss of a Demon King by Kresley Cole Whitney, My Love by Judith McNaught Taken by the Horde King by Zoey Draven The Bonds That Tie series by J. Bree Pack Darling Part 1, Part 2 by Lola Rock This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi Morning Glory Milking Farm by C.M. Nascosta Arrows Through Archers by Nash Summers The Bronze Horseman by Paulina Simmons Media mentioned: Eternal Love, Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms, directed by Lam Yuk-fan, Yu Cuihua, Ren Haitao, 2017 Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

This week, we're diving into controversial waters with this 1995 historical romance that is very much "of its time". But, is there still value to be found in these older romances despite their problematic content? Well, that's what we try to figure out! If you're feeling up for it, join us! IMPORTANT NOTE: this episode obviously deals with darker subject matter that may be triggering or upsetting to our listeners; therefore, we ask that you read the trigger warnings before listening. Take care of yourselves! Trigger warnings: On page rape of the heroine commited by the hero, pedophilia and incest committed by a side character, predatory behavior, attempted rape, grooming, wrongful incarceration, sexual and emotional abuse by a past spouse, mental health/distress, trauma, mistreatment in prison, misogyny, rape fantasies, homicide. Book of the week: To Have and To Hold by Patricia Gaffney Books mentioned: The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss Essay/Research mentioned: Women's Erotic Rape Fantasies: An Evaluation of Theory and Research by Joseph W. Critelli and Jenny M. Bivona Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

This week, it's time to tackle the real monster on our TBR, the book that we've all been putting off reading for far too long. Yup, you guessed it, we're discussing HOUSE OF EARTH AND BLOOD or as S would call it "Emotional Damage!" Crescent City opens its doors to a brand-new world where shifters, faes, vampires and the like co-exist. But is it really all sunshine and roses or is something brewing in the dark underbelly of this metropolis? Perhaps things aren't quite as they seem, especially when rebellions of the past start encroaching on the present... Trigger warning: mentions of grief, survivor’s guilt, torture, forced amputation as punishment (wings), betrayal from a loved one, attempted suicide, and loss of loved ones Book of the week: House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City, #1) by Sarah J. Maas Books mentioned: Feather by Olivia Wildenstein Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Derek Craven is a man of many talents. A libertine and a gambler, he built his infamous name from nothing save for his own blood, sweat and tears. When he meets author Sara Fielding, the curious yet delightfully innocent novelist who’s hell-bent on learning all she can about Craven’s gambling house, Craven starts to question his way of life. Both are thrown into a whirlwind of romance, danger, and intrigue as they navigate their budding emotions for one another. Trigger warning: mentions of gambling, prostitution, ignorance of social inequity and class, gaslighting, feelings of inferiority/superiority, cheating, substance abuse, saviour complex and death Book of the week: Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within; the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Here that? That's the sound of Seff fangirling like the total POTO nerd she is. Yup, this week on Romancing the Monsters, we tackle our first ever musical. The Phantom of the Opera is here...but has he truly made his way inside our mind? You'll have to listen to find out... Media of the week: The Phantom of the Opera, directed by Joel Schumacher, music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, 2004 Essay mentioned: The Silent Threat: A (Re)Viewing of the "Sexual Other" in the Phantom of the Opera and Nosferatu by Andrew P. Williams Media mentioned: The Phantom of the Opera at Royal Albert Hall, directed by Nick Morris, music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, 2011 The Phantom of the Opera, directed by Rupert Julian, 1925 Trigger warning: mentions of death, manipulation, child abuse, self isolation, grooming, patriarchy, murder, and harassment. Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

At long last, 2021 has come to an end. Was it a good reading year? Did we challenge ourselves? Explore new corners or Romancelandia? Well, this week we discuss all that plus our favourites of 2021 and what we’re most excited for in 2022! Get your TBRs ready, they're about to get a lot fuller! Also, it wouldn't be a Romancing the Monsters episode without technical difficulties, a chatty lawn mower, an anatomy lesson or two and a whole lot of banter! Join us! Trigger warning: mentions of abuse, trauma, usage of chemicals, potential attempt at suicide. Books mentioned by Seff: House of Night series by P.C. Cast Hitting the Wall by Cate. C. Wells Mates of the Kaluma series by Ella Maven House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas Bonds That Tie series by J. Bree House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas The Inadequate Heir by Danielle L. Jensen The next Hoard Kings of Dakkar by Zoey Draven Dating Dr. Dil by Nisha Sharma Run Riot by Colette Rhodes Terms and Conditions by Lauren Asher Called to the Deep by Désirée M. Niccoli Munro by Kresley Cole Books mentioned by M: Bound by Stone by Stefani Simpson The Bridge Kingdom/ The Traitor Queen by Danielle L. Jensen The Song of David by Amy Harmon To Have and to Hold by Patricia Gaffney The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood Wild Signs by Patricia Briggs Morning Glory by Lavryle Spencer This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi Under One Roof, Below Zero, Stuck with You by Ali Hazelwood Ruby Fever by Ilona Andrews The Dragon’s Bride by Katee Robert The Muse by Emma Scott Lisa Kleypas’ untitled novel, hopefully coming in 2022 Books mentioned by S: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab Run Posy Run by Cate C. Wells Bitter Heat by Mia Knight Pack Darling: Part 1 and Pack Darling: Part 2 by Lola Rock Forced Bonds by J. Bree Wild Game #3 by Colette Rhodes Bitter Secrets #2 by Mia Knight The Long Game by Rachel Reid Hidden Heat by M.J. Marstens Lightlark by Alex Aster Media mentioned: Bridgerton, season 2, created by Chris Van Dusen, 2020-present Yellowstone, created by Taylor Sheridan, 2018-present Destan, directed by Emir Khalilzadeh, 2021-present A Discovery of Witches, directed by Juan Carlos Medina, Alice Troughton, Sarah Walker, 2018-present Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Jingle bells! Jingle Bells! Or...wedding bells? You thought we had seen the last of winter? Not so fast, dear listeners, not so fast! The season for joyous festivities and rambunctious parties is here, and with it comes a marvelous Wallflowers reunion that is definitely worth enduring a few hours in a cold and uncomfortable carriage. Good news, we're staying here a while because we've finally reached the final stop on our Wallflowers journey. That's right, we made it to A Wallflower Christmas! Rafe, the arrogant and rash heir to the Bowman fortune, travels to London to meet Lady Natalie, the woman he is supposed to marry. Except… he's way more interested in Hannah, her lady companion. Too bad Hannah wants nothing to do with him. Not that that's ever gonna stop him, he's more than happy to change her mind. Of course, no Christmas celebration is complete without a healthy dose of drama and a scandal or two… Trigger warnings: mention of cheating, power imbalance, pregnancy, and fire. Book of the week: A Wallflower Christmas by Lisa Kleypas Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Hoe hoe hoe, Santa has come, our dear listeners! ‘Tis the time of merry, myrrh and…peppermint-flavored members? Join us as we discuss some holiday-themed erotica and rate their candy canes...Literally. Trigger warning: mentions of harsh punishments. Books mentioned: Broken Bonds by J. Bree Abducted for the Pack by Natalia Prim A Very Krampus Holiday by Katee Robert Paddled by Krampus by Harley Laroux How the Monster Stole me on Christmas Eve: A Christmas Monster Romance by Jade Price Elf’d by Ginger Kane Santa is Going to Town on Me by M.L. Eliza Santa’s Candy Cane by Darcy Bennet The Naughty List by Ellie Mae MacGregor Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

This demon boy from Hell who was raised to become a protector of humankind only really cares about two things: Liz Sherman and his cats. But, work comes first... Hellboy, Liz and their friend, Abe Sapian must work together to defeat the mystic Gregori Rasputin who wants to raise the Seven Gods of Chaos and bring about the destruction of humankind. Join us as we discuss our first movie on the podcast, we explore the question which we have long pondered on the podcast: what makes a monster vs. what makes a man. We also debate on worth of the self-sacrificing hero in fiction and wonder about the possibilities of Hellboy partaking in…copulation…? Trigger warning: mentions of Nazis, self mutilation, capitivity, refusal of self, death, and isolation. Movie of the Week: Hellboy, directed by Guillermo del Toro, 2004 Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

The frosty kiss of Winter is finally being chased away by the warmth of the coming Spring. The first blooms of the season are attracting the promenading Ton outside and one Daisy in particular finds herself in a bit of a situation... Uh-oh, here comes the fifth stop on our Wallflowers journey: Scandal in Spring! Matthew Swift and Daisy Bowman absolutely do not want to marry each other. Or at least...that's what they say. When Daisy's father gives her an ultimatum (to find a man to marry at once or she'll have to marry Matthew) she's appalled at the idea of marrying the scrawny, quiet boy she remembers following her father like a shadow growing up. What she doesn't remember is Matthew growing up into a very handsome man indeed, one who knows exactly how to make her romantic heart beat a little faster. After an encounter with an angry goose, a spectacular tournament of lawn bowling, and a few unfortunate parlor games, one might say that despite Daisy Bowman and Matthew Swift's best efforts to stay away from each other, life just keeps throwing them in the same room. How long can they resist the invisible pull between them? How long before they get themselves into a bit of a scandal? Trigger warning: mentions of pregnancy, miscarriage, and neglectful parenting. Book of the Week: Scandal of Spring by Lisa Kleypas Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Ever wondered how this podcast came to be? Yeah, we realized we completely by-passed (more like strongly avoided) the step in creating this podcast where we were supposed to introduce ourselves to our listeners. Oops! Well, better late than never! This week, we're finally telling you all about how our podcast happened, the story behind its name and what we define as "the monster of the story". Of course, it wouldn't be a Bite-Sized episode without us deviating into other topics as well, so we also discuss illustrated covers — are they deceiving or not? Do they give readers false expectations? — and some related romancelandia drama. Join us and weigh in on the debate! Trigger warning: mentions of enslavement, death, cancel culture. Books mentioned: Strange Love by Ann Aguirre That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Hemming Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Ridges, tails, blue skin and the famous spur? That's right, to celebrate the re-release of Ice Planet Barbarians, we're FINALLY dedicating a whole episode to our favorite blue aliens! We go down memory lane and discuss the ways in which this book opened up a whole new world for us. Turns out, some aliens don't want to eat you, they'd much rather eat you out! Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

There's a chill in the air, it looks like winter has arrived at last and what better way to keep ourselves warm than with the devilish ways of the infamous Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent. Mmhmm, dear listeners, we've reached the fourth (and long-awaited) stop on our Wallflowers journey: Devil in Winter! Evie Jenner is in dire need of a hasty wedding and the protection and freedom provided by a husband. Pressed for time as a result of her father's declining health, she finds herself out of options. Well, there is one option….the biggest, most wicked rake in all of London: Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent. Luckily for her, he, too, desperately needs to marry and he's all too willing to seal the deal (in every way possible). But, can a marriage between such vastly different people survive? Will Sebastian's charming yet scandalous ways irreversibly corrupt Evie's gentle nature, or will her soft and tender influence thaw the heart of this notorious devil? Trigger warning: mentions of abuse, starvation, loss of friendship, death of a parent, death by sickness, and neglectful parenting. Book of the week: Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas Books mentioned: Carter & Leah by R.J. Lewis Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

The time has come for us to share with you what we’re reading and watching, but most importantly, LOVING at the moment. Buckle up, friends, we got a whole lotta stuff coming (pun intended) your way; from marriages in trouble, to alien jizz that works as an aphrodisiac, and of course, without forgetting a lot (and we mean A LOT) of hot monsters along the way, rest assured there is something for everyone in this episode! Trigger warning: mentions of rape, blood play, sexual deprivation Books mentioned by M: Daughter of No Worlds by Carissa Broadbent The Sinner by Emma Scott End of the Line by Nicky James Contagion by Amanda Milo Atnomen by IllustrAriane Given to the Ghoul by Desirée M. Niccoli No Getting Ogre You by M.L. Eliza That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming Claimed By the Demon & Dragged to Hell by Harpie Alexa Book mentioned by S: Bitter Heat by Mia Knight Savage Bonds by J. Bree Claimed by the Monster in my Closet by Wanda Violet O. Books mentioned by Seff: Kraving Tavuk by Zoey Draven Ever After Always/ With You Forever by Chloe Liese Knot My Type by Evie Mitchell Media mentioned: Squid Game, directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk, 2021-present Money Heist, La casa de papel, created by Álex Pina, 2017-present Maid, created by Molly Smith Metzler for Netflix, 2021 Aşk 101, directed by Ahmet Katıksız Deniz Yorulmazer Gönenç Uyanık Umut Aral for Netflix, 2020-2021 Yargı, directed by Ali Bilgin, 2021-present Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

The third stop on our Wallflowers journey is upon us already! From America to British soil, the Bowman sisters are taking the Ton by storm...quite literally. Unfortunately, there isn't much that Marcus, Lord Westcliff, dislikes more than the chaos wrought by these two boisterous sisters…well, one of them in particular, and now he has to endure her maddening presence under his roof for weeks. Lillian Bowman has a good nose — An exceptional nose, even — and she's found a perfume that may be potent enough to be an aphrodisiac. Only problem is...it's working a little too well on the one man she despises the most. Before she knows it, she's transformed the stoic yet infuriating Lord Westcliff into a prowling hound on a scent. His prey? Her. Trigger warning: mentions of death, disapproving parents, toxic parenting, threat of sexual assault, sex while intoxicated, conspiracies, and kidnapping Book of the week: It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas Media mentioned: Love 101, directed by Ahmet Katıksız, 2020-2021 Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Imagine you have a book on your shelf that’s been waiting to be read, but despite your desire to read it, it keeps getting pushed back and back...and back...until it’s been sitting there for years, lonely and ignored. Well, the three of us decided enough is enough! The time for avoidance is over and the time for reading is now! This week on Romancing the Monsters, we’re facing the monster that is our TBR shelf. Whether it's books we're scared will make us emotional, books with too much hype or simply books we're scared might've not aged well, we're about to take a leap and read them anyway! We invite you, our listeners, on this journey, pick a book off your own TBR and read with us! Books mentioned: His Contract Bride by Rose Gordon A Lady Awakened by Cecilia Grant Nine Minutes by Beth Flynn Transcend by Jewel E. Ann Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Time to leave the rickety english roads and exchange our traveling clothes for finer attire, we've reached the second stop on our Wallflowers journey: Secrets of a Summer Night! Though if you're anything like our girls Annabelle, Lillian, Daisy and Evie, clothes may be altogether optional during an exciting game of Rounders-in-Knickers! Let us just hope no potential suitors will stumble upon the scandalous scene… Annabelle Peyton needs to marry for money — her mother is being harassed by a lewd gentleman of the Ton, the coffers are dangerously empty and her brother's education may be in jeopardy. Armed with the help of her three best friends and running on desperate determination, Annabelle is convinced she can secure a match with Lord Kendall. There's only one small problem...well, one rather large problem, actually; the arrogant, but oh so delicious, Simon Hunt, who has made it quite clear he wants Annabelle as his mistress... Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Hell hath no fury like a Kingdom scorned? This week on Romancing the Monsters we are once more joined by our friend Gabby to talk about not one, but rather TWO books! Oh yes, we are finally discussing THE BRIDGE KINGDOM and THE TRAITOR QUEEN by Danielle L. Jensen! Lara, born to a king's harem and raised in seclusion in the Maridrinan desert to become the perfect assassin bride, is sent to fulfill a long-standing promise to marry Aren, the Prince (now king) of Ithicana. What he doesn't know, though, is that his perfectly respectable new wife may not be as prim and proper as she seems — her perfectly manicured nails are far sharper than claws and her carefully concealed knives may find their way in unsuspecting victims when he's not watching. Until… love blooms between enemies, truths are unveiled and alliances are questioned. And though Lara is meant to be planning his kingdom's downfall, she is forced to wonder if she's the hero she thought she was...or the villain. Trigger warnings: mentions of death, snakes, betrayal of a loved one, torture, implied sexual assault, weaponry, brainwashing, manipulation, grief, self-loathing, and self-sacrifice Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Somebody fetch our carriage, we are officially journeying to Hampshire and (re)entering the world of Lisa Kleypas’ Wallflowers! First stop? Again the Magic! McKenna, a former stable boy turned millionaire, is back in town to exact revenge on his estranged lover and childhood best friend, Lady Aline, whom he has not seen since the fateful night she rejected him twelve years prior. Alas, both are far from the youths they used to be, with scars deep enough that even love might not be able to heal… but they say revenge is an act of passion and this one is served tall, dark and deliciously cold. Meanwhile, Gideon Shaw, heir to a colossal American fortune, is traveling for business with McKenna bearing demons of his own. That is, until he meets the elusive Lady Olivia, whose kindness and inner-strength may be enough to make even a man like Shaw want to reinvent himself into the man she needs and deserves. Trigger warnings: mentions of societal class, miscarriage, alcoholism, death as a result of a precarious abortion, death of a loved one, burns resulting in severe scarring, emotional manipulation, patriarchy. Book of the week: Again the Magic by Lisa Kleypas Media mentioned: Atonement, directed by Joe Wright, 2007 Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

As proud (and known) Reylos, we are ecstatic to finally talk about our love for Ben Solo and Rey on the podcast this week while we discuss THE LOVE HYPOTHESIS, a reylo fanfic turned published novel! Adam Carlsen, a big shot professor, and Olive Smith, a graduate student at his university, decide to orchestrate a fake relationship to fulfill their respective ends (ones that don't involve kissing each other senseless whatsoever, of course!) So, when real emotions start to take root, and their shared love for STEM turns to STE(A)M, things get a whole lot more complicated... But, all good things eventually come to an end and it's not long before Olive realizes that, in the words of Ben Solo himself, academia is a lot more like academi-"ow!" Join us as we talk about the importance of fanfiction and the extent of its power within popular fiction. We also discuss sexual harassment, sexism and racism in STEM and academia. Trigger warning: parental death, isolation, fear of loneliness, sexual harassment, sexual assault, anxiety, fake relationship, miscommunication, sexism, and mysogyny. Book of the week: The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood Medias mentioned: Star Wars franchise, created by George Lucas, 1977-2019 Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

This week on Romancing the Monsters, we welcome our very first author on the podcast! Lyndall Clipstone, author of Lakesedge, joins us to talk about her debut novel. We also pick her brain about all things monsters, Hades and Persephone, Reylo and, of course, we couldn't forget to mention our shared love of Keturah and Lord Death by Martine Leavitt! Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Creepy lakes, dark forests and supernatural forces! Join us as we dip our toes into the atmospheric eeriness of the gothic romance! To protect her brother, Leta is forced to move into Lakesedge, an eldritch estate that is as mysterious and lonesome as its owner. But, a dark force is poisoning the estate and hungering for its heir's blood. All too soon, the corruption is spreading beyond the shores of the lake, and the threat to the life of the boy Leta has just formed a bond with becomes undeniable. Left with no other choice and armed with secrets of her own, Leta must resign herself to ask for the help of the unearthly Lord Under... Join us this week on Romancing the Monsters, as we discuss the importance of having your own agency to make decisions. We also explore the idea of self-sacrifice and how that affects those around you. Trigger warning: mentions of underage sex, death, poison, sacrificing one’s self, torture, self harm, bodily harm onto others, and fear of the unknown. Book of the week: Lakesedge by Lyndall Clipstone Books mentioned: Keturah and Lord Death by Martine Leavitt Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

The second Horseman of the Apocalypse hath awakened! Bring out the swords, don the chainmail and prepare dramatic farewells for your loved ones –– the time has come to go to War! But, despite the dire straits of humanity, could War change its path of destruction if love and passion were to bloom in the throes of chaos? We explore the tragedy and horror of mass-deaths, the scars that are left by the atrocities of war, and how difficult yet important it is to believe in the power of love despite it all. We also discuss how the end of the world may affect your view of humanity. Trigger warning: mentions of death, resurrecting the dead, zombies, sexual assault, attempted sexual assault, death of children and elderly, pregnancy, power struggle dynamic, and rape Book of the week: War (Horsemen of the Apocalypse, #2) by Laura Thalassa Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Can you believe our podcast is already turning one? Yeah, neither can we! Join us this week as we celebrate this momentous occasion by playing bookish games and reminiscing about some of our favorite moments on the podcast so far. Oh, and prepare thyself, things are about to get QUITE competitive in here! Think you can guess who will get crowned as the grand winner? Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

We’re trying something new this week, we have our first guest on the podcast! Join us as we welcome a dear friend of ours who comes with MANY amazing recommendations for us all! We’ve got some mafia romance, the famous minotaur book, some sports romance, and a whole lot of reverse harems! Trigger Warning: mentions of death, attempted murder, bullying, multiple romantic partners, torture, kidnapping, childhood trauma, sleep running, brutal nightmares, science experiments, living in captivity, emotional reads, and betrayal of a loved one. Books mentioned by S: Broken Bonds by J. Bree Morning Glory Milking Farms by C.M. Nascosta Pack Darling by Lola Rock The Plated Prisoners Series by Raven Kennedy Caught by the Convicts by Jessa Kane Books mentioned by M: The Bridge Kingdom and The Traitor Queen by Danielle L. Jensen From Lukov With Love by Mariana Zapata The Song of David by Amy Harmon and the Law of Moses by Amy Harmon Books mentioned by Gabby: Feral by Nora Ash First Comes Blood by Lilith Vincent Baby and the Late Night Howlers by Katheryn Moon A Lady of Rooksgrave Manor by Katheryn Moon Books mentioned by Seff: Walking Olivia by Elizabeth O’Roarke The Savage and the Swan by Ella Fields War by Laura Thalassa Brutal Prince by Sophie Lark Media mentioned: Le Silence de la Mer ('the Silence of the Sea'), directed by Pierre Boutron, 2004 Loki, created by Michael Waldron for Disney+, 2021-present Beastars, directed by Shin’ichi Matsumi, 2019-present Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

We’re throwing it back to 2005, where vampires were all the rage and J.R. Ward released her first paranormal book in a fledgling series about, you got it, vampires. This week, we talk about whether this book aged well and if having attempted assault in books is beneficial in character growth or not. Seff also can’t stop talking about a Brother! Spoiler: it’s Zsadist. Trigger warnings: mentions of rape, attempted assault, death, murder, affects of assault, dubious consent, sexual acts under the influence, body mutilation, loss of parents, and living in the foster system. Book of the week: Dark Lover by J.R. Ward Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

The time has finally arrived, a new Lisa Kleypas novel has been granted to us by the gods of historical romance! Join us to discuss Devil in Disguise and lust after her heroes for nearly an hour and twenty minutes! We can't help ourselves! We also share our opinions on the characters of the beloved Wallflowers series as they navigate parenthood, scandals and a promiscuous past that may be a blessing in disguise after all...This episode contains a special announcement you definitely don't want to miss…. Also discussed this week on Romancing the Monsters: the social classes of the time and the advantages and disadvantages of such divides for some characters, the importance of giving second chances, what makes a parent/caregiver, as well as the notion of infertility and adoption in the 1870s. Trigger warnings: mentions of death, childbirth, infidelity, social hierarchy and class, toxic society in the 19th century, adoption, infertility, Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), difficulties with conceiving, domestic violence, knife wounds, blood, and attempts on one’s life. Book of the week: Devil in Disguise by Lisa Kleypas Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Imagine you have a book on your shelf that’s been waiting to be read, but despite your desire to read it, it keeps getting pushed back and back...and back...until it’s been sitting there for years, lonely and ignored. Well, the three of us decided enough is enough! The time for avoidance is over and the time for reading is now! This week on Romancing the Monsters, we’re trying something new and facing the monsters of our TBR shelf, whether it's books we're scared will make us emotional, books with too much hype or simply books we're scared might've not aged well, we're about to take a leap and read them anyway! We invite you, our listeners, on this journey, pick an old book off your own TBR and read with us! Trigger warning: mentions of loss/death of loved ones, abusive environments, BSDM, attempted assault and kidnapping, derogatory term usage, false accusations, and separation from a loved one. Books mentioned: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid The Law of Moses by Amy Harmon Friend-Zone by Belle Aurora Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Youtube—Romancing the Monsters Podcast Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

We’re trying something a bit different this week in this completely unprepared conversational-style episode where we let the discussion take us where it wants to. As a result, we tell you our tips and tricks to finding book recommendations, reminisce about our first intergalactic love and gateway to alien romance and go on a (short) rant about the “shame” attached to romance readers, sometimes even coming from those within our own community. Books mentioned: A Husband’s Regret by Natasha Anders Ice Planet Barbarians series by Ruby Dixon Shades of Darkness by Nicky James Love Me Whole by Nicky James Run Posy Run by Cate C. Wells A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas Slow Heat by Leta Blake Facebook groups mentioned: Monsters, Demons, & Knotting, Oh My! Fifty Shades of Fae Jealous/Possessive Hero Book Group Romance After Dark Reader’s Group Deliciously Dark and Taboo Romance Group OSRBC: Read More Romance Help Name That Book Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Abyssian had vowed to destroy his fey mate only for her to die before he could exact his revenge on her for enslaving his demon race. Lila, his mate reborn, looks like the latter but doesn’t remember her past life or the horrors she caused on his people. Now, Sian is slowly starting to let his guard down, but little does he know, she was sent to destroy him once again... Join us this week on Romancing the Monsters as we talk all things reincarnation and overcoming your nightmares, loneliness and the isolation that comes with feeling like you don't belong. We also discuss how one's perception of oneself can be affected by physical changes that can't be stopped or prevented, potentially transforming you into someone you no longer recognize. We FINALLY reveal our Valkyrie names, reflect on our journey reading this 20-book series and sprinkle in a few theories for where we think the series might be going next! Join us! Trigger warning: mentions self mutilation, torture, enslavement, betrayal by a loved one, toxic masculinity, low self-esteem and self loathing, childbirth and death. Book of the week: Wicked Abyss by Kresley Cole Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Ever had a book that you love whole-heartedly but don’t see people talk about nearly enough? Well, we’ve got a few of those for you! Join us this week on Romancing the Monsters as we discuss books on our list that are “underrated” and deserve some love! We discuss dragons, time travel, and hot single dads. We also kind of discover that maybe we do like friends to lovers…? *gasp* Books mentioned: Carter & Leah by R.J. Lewis Hawthrone & Heathcliff by R.K. Ryals The Mason List by S.D. Hendrickson Arrows Through Archer by Nash Summers The Surviving Trace by Calia Read Forever Right Now by Emma Scott Hearts on Fire by L.H. Cosway Six of Hearts by L.H. Cosway King of Hearts by L.H. Cosway The Unwanted Wife by Natasha Anders A Husband’s Regret by Natasha Anders Heart of Fire by Bec MacMaster Media mentioned: I Am Dragon, directed by Indar Dzhendubaev, 2015 Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Psychology student Adrian is thrown into the deep end when he meets his first client as a new counselor. Rory, who struggles with severe heliophobia, is uncooperative at best and intimidating at worst during their sessions. However, despite getting off to a rough start, Rory and Adrian feel an instant connection and neither of them can ignore the pull that drives their every encounter. But before long, Adrian is faced with the reality of living in Rory's eternal and suffocating darkness and whether or not he can be the one to guide him back towards the light... This week on Romancing the Monsters, we discuss phobias and how they relate to past traumatic events and the various ways in which the former can control our life. We also discuss how some forms of help are productive while others simply enable destructive behaviors and lifestyles. And lastly, we tackle the importance of standing up for yourself and advocating for those whose cries for help are being silenced. Trigger Warning: mentions of phobias like heliophobia, anxiety and panic attacks, verbal and physical bullying, unlawful filming of sexual acts, near death experience due to bullying, and inability to trust another person. Book of the week: Shades of Darkness by Nicky James Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod YouTube—Romancing the Monsters Podcast Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Rune the Archer and Josephine the vigilante first meet when Rune is "otherwise occupied"…with not one, not two but FOUR nymphs. However, that doesn’t stop Jo from stealing his most prized item, one that was given to him by his mother as a child. Thus commences their journey of love, healing and acceptance. And let's just say...Rune is more than capable of ruining us with his words! In this episode of Romancing the Monsters, we discuss the importance of working through one’s past and not settling for less than what you deserve. We also look at the very relatable fear of being forgotten and what that would entail for a half vampire/half phantom individual confronted with immortality. Trigger warnings: mentions of childhood physical and sexual abuse, death of a child, death of parents, choice between love and duty, fated relationship, the fear of being forgotten and slavery. Book of the Week: Sweet Ruin by Kresley Cole Books mentioned: Lady and the Orc by Finley Finn Media mentioned: Interview with the Vampire, directed by Neil Jordan, 1994 Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

The time has come once again for us to share what we’ve been watching and reading recently! Unbeknownst to each of us, we seem to have a theme here and it's...psychos? While some of these books may not be for the faint of heart, rest assured we have you covered with some sweet psychos as well! HA! We jest. Fear not, listeners, we have tons of other recs for those who aren't too keen on the darkness. Join us! Trigger warning: mentions of death, death of parents, racism, the devil, murder, kidnapping, dub-con, non-consensual, marriage, aliens, abandonment, psychopaths, sociopaths, cults, abuse against minors, pregnancy, terrorist allegations, prison, false imprisonment, corruption in the justice system, anti-heroes, villains as romantic lead, women being forced to become vessels for spirits/power. Books mentioned: Broken by the Horde King by Zoey Draven Jegudiel by Tillie Cole Run Posy Run by Cate C. Wells Amusement by Albany Walker Twisted Love by Ana Huang Marriage for one by Ella Maise The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren Stolen Mage Bride by Sylvia Mercedes Endangered Species by Onley James The Queer Principles of Kit Webb by Cat Sebastian Viper by Naomi Lucas Media mentioned: Lucifer, developed by Tom Kapinos for Fox (2016-2018) and Netflix (2019-present) Kardeşlerim, directed by Serkan Birinci, 2021-present In the Heights, directed by Jon M. Chu, 2021 I Am Dragon, directed by Indar Dzhendubaev, 2015 Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Ketahn, our alien spidery hero, has caught himself a brand new pet...who happens to be Ivy, a human crashlander who was venturing into the unknowns of space in the hopes of starting a new life before it all came to a screeching halt. Ivy soon realizes that Ketahn's world is unlike anything she’s ever thought possible and she is forced to depend on him to survive. But of course, first contact with new alien life comes with its set of hardships and quite a few...interesting discoveries. Who knew alien spiders would turn out to be kinky! Also discussed: choosing one's own happiness over the well-being of a group and how hard it is to navigate this choice, the ethics involved in handling the fate of people who are unable to voice their own wishes, neglect of a parent versus indifference of a parent and how they may affect someone's future relationships with other people. Trigger warning: mentions of sexual assault, sexual exploitation, neglectful and indifferent parenting, homelessness, rights being taken away, a society under an authoritarian rule, matriarchy, patriarchy, bondage, and interspecies relations. Book of the week: Ensnared by Tiffany Roberts Books mentioned: Ice Planet Barbarians series by Ruby Dixon Shielded Heart by Tiffany Roberts Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Youtube—Romancing the Monsters Podcast Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Long ago, there was a budding relationship between two young immortals whose species were at war. Thronos, a Vrekener, who was "NOT" a winged-demon and Melanthe, a Sorceri gifted with the power of persuasion. Theirs was a union that blossomed into sweet friendship despite the odds—and dissolved just as quickly into hatred and obsession for centuries thenceforth...until the fates reunited them once again for the ultimate game of survival. This week on Romancing the Monsters, we explore the miscommunication trope, the positives and negatives of having a fated bond and why those two things can lead to obsession and the loss of one's identity and individuality. Also mentioned: the idea of misogyny and gender roles in a conservative environment and the difficult process of dismantling a learned mindset/mentality. Trigger warning: mentions of death, physical and mental torture, misogyny, gender role expectations, cults, verbal abuse, non-sexual acts done without consent (forced removal of Sorceri magic, etc.), and sterilization. Book of the week: Dark Skye by Kresley Cole Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Dear reader, what is sure to be the most scandalous event of the season has occurred! This author delights in announcing that Lord Anthony Bridgerton seems to have found his match in Miss Kate Sheffield, a headstrong, self proclaimed spinster who vowed never to be wooed by a Rake. The Ton will certainly be spoiled for entertainment this season as the two use their wiles to engage in the ultimate battle of will! After all, all is fair in love and war... This week we discuss the repercussions of losing a parent at a young age and how that might warp someone’s perception of their own future. We also explore traumas, phobias, repressed memories, and the looming presence of death. Trigger warning: mentions of death, loss of parent, anxiety attacks, panic attacks, childhood trauma, self-sabotage, allergies of insect bites, and phobia of rainstorms Book of the week: The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn Media mentioned: Bridgerton, created by Chris Van Dusen for Netflix, 2020-present Books mentioned: It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

We’ve got a mentally unstable lykae who finds his mate in a succubus, the same species of the woman who murdered his parents and molested him as a child. MacRieve has a lot of trauma to unpack in order to move forward with his mate, Chloe who was thrown into the world of the Lore with no prior knowledge of it. Oh, did we mention her father is Webb, the sadistic psycho who tortured many from the Lore? Yeah, this one's a wild rollercoaster of emotion folks, so you better buckle up! Also discussed this week: The way past trauma can affect someone's emotional growth and capacity to move on or rationalize, how far one would go to assuage their own pain even if it’s at the extent of a loved one, as well as the darker (and less talked about) side of fated mates. Trigger warning: mentions of suicide, child molestation, rape, abuse, dubious consent, torture, animosity to one’s partner and death. Book of the Week: MacRieve by Kresley Cole Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

This week, we take a trip to the jungle and explore the wonders of the unknown with this Tarzan-inspired tale! Meet Thorn, the mystical protector of the jungle, and Eden, the American journalist who finds herself thrown into the thick of it. As danger looms in the distance and an unknown man threatens Eden's life, the two of them fall in love amidst the treacherous and beautiful depths of the Impenetrable Forest. But what does it mean to love a man who doesn’t know life outside of the jungle and what if he is the lost heir to an Earldom he doesn't remember nor want? In this episode of Romancing the Monsters, we discuss the destructiveness of greed and power, the enduring quality of nature and its mysticality, the burden of love in the real world vs. the freedom of the wild, and the representation of Africa in western media. Trigger warning: death of a parent, murder, plane crash, animal cruelty and death, deforestation, poaching. Book of the Week: Love in the Wild by Emma Castle Books mentioned: Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs Dark Needs at Night’s Edge by Kresley Cole Media mentioned: Tarzan, directed by Jason Lima and Chris Buck, 1999 Tarzan: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack, composed by Phil Collins, 1999 The Legend of Tarzan, directed by David Yates, 2016 Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

It’s finally time for Lothaire, the Enemy of Old, to shine. In this week’s episode of Romancing the Monsters we uncover the mysteries of Lothaire and discover the woman who will bring him to his knees. Ellie and Lothaire are fighting each other as well as an evil goddess' possession as they form unbreakable bonds, though Lothaire still believes his mate isn't Ellie and a lot of pain ensues. Buckle up, folks, we're about to unpack Lothaire's brand of crazy! Also discussed: Why it's never a good idea to take in someone else's vendetta as your own, the meaning and importance of happiness and the disconnect of immortals to such things, why integrity and inner strength matter, and how past traumas can shape and alter your perception of the world in great depth. Trigger warning: mentions of kidnapping, possession, rape, dubious consent, blood play, virginity, decapitation, emotional manipulation, amputation, self mutalition, prison, murder, death and torture. Book of the week: Lothaire by Kresley Cole Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

The time has come for us to share with you what we’re currently reading, watching, or salivating over in our newest episode! This week on Romancing the Monsters, we obsess over monsters, orcs, ranch owners and men of the mafia. Marge explains the special appendage on her newest alien discovery and S and Seff try to visualize what that could possibly look like. Oh, and we attempt to understand what a ménage à trois with monsters would entail… Basically, conversations turn in a very interesting dickrection! Books mentioned by Marge: His Secondhand Wife by Cheryl St. John Saving Askara by J. M. Link The Moonfire Bride by Sylvia Mercedes Wild Sign by Patricia Briggs Books mentioned by S: In Love and War by Kyra Parsi A Lady of Rooksgrave Manor by Kathryn Moon Books mentioned by Seff: All Rhodes Lead Here by Mariana Zapata The Lady and the Orc by Finley Fenn Requiem of a Soul by A. Zaverelli and Natasha Knight Media mentioned: The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, created by Malcolm Spellman for Disney+, 2021 Cursed, created by Frank Miller, Tom Wheeler for Netflix, 2020 Felicity, created by J. J. Abrams and Matt Reeves, 1998-2002 Good Girls, created by Jenna Bans, 2018-present Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

A scarred duke is forced out of seclusion because he somehow ended up engaged to a Lady even though he had previously completely sworn off marriage. Turns out, not only has he never met the lady in question but...she invented the whole thing! In this episode of Romancing the Monsters, we discuss the importance of self-love, the sacrifices of duty, the world's perception of disability versus that of loved ones, and the emotional and physical healing involved in recovering from trauma, specifically in how it relates to the temporary loss of one's sexual drive. Book of the week: My Darling Duke by Stacy Reid Books mentioned: My Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare The Beast of Beswick by Amalie Howard The Black Beast of Belleterre by Mary Jo Putney Trigger warning: mentions of scars, death, impotency, child bearing, fatal accident, and overcoming traumas Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

The time has come to shed light on the dark mysteries of the Grisha world in Shadow and Bone, one of the most awaited tv series of the year for book lovers everywhere! Join us as we discuss all things misfits, saviors and villains. Beware, we talk about the Darkling and Darklina quite a bit, so if you find these things triggering, you may want to skip this one! Trigger warnings: mentions of mental abuse and manipulation, past trauma, death, murder, rape, mutilation, religion/faith and betrayal. Media of the week: Shadow and Bone, developed by Eric Heisserer for Netflix, 2021 Books mentioned: Shadow and Bone trilogy by Leigh Bardugo Six of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

“I’ll always find you” has a different ring to it when your eternal soulmate reincarnates every 250 years, doesn’t it? Join us as we discuss the complex relationship between Regin the Radiant and Declan Chase né Aidan the Fierce many, many and I mean, many years go. Now, she’s his prisoner and she'll do whatever it takes to be free of him and end this curse once and for all. Can these two seemingly incompatible people find their own slice of happiness and forget their differences? Because, for once, Declan might be here to stay... Trigger warning: mentions of torture, physical and mental abuse, prisons, reincarnation, death of a lover, brainwashing, mental health, drug abuse, withdrawal, and degradation. Book of the week: Dreams of a Dark Warrior by Kresley Cole Books mentioned: Dark Desires After Dusk by Kresley Cole Dark Needs at Winter’s Edge by Kresley Cole Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Four horsemen are sent to earth to start the end of days. Five years have passed since their first appearance and Pestilence, the Horsemen of disease, is plaguing the world with sickness. That is, until a firefighter tries to kill him but fails. This is a story of unlikely love blooming in the midst of a dying world... In this episode of Romancing the Monsters, we discuss: the goodness of humanity and how one learns to love and empathize with another who has inflicted horrors upon them, developing a "human" side despite a strong hatred for humankind and how the struggles of this change affects one’s psyche. Trigger warning: mentions of religion, severe physical harm, COVID-19, emotional abuse, sickness/plague, death of people including children and elderly, and brutal torture. Book of the week: Pestilence by Laura Thalassa Books mentioned: The Bargainer series by Laura Thalassa Lothaire by Kresley Cole Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Must seduce hot AF demon vampire and bring him to his death? Seems easy peasy! What Carrow doesn’t expect is for her new vemon boyfriend to be the sweetest male to ever exist. And better yet, he even has piercings in...unmentionable (but very exciting) places. Sure, they don’t actually speak the same language and can't understand each other but….that’s semantics, right?! Join us, this episode on Romancing the Monsters as we look at just how hard it can be to build a relationship up from nothing, especially when someone has major trust issues, and the importance of being your own source of strength instead of constantly relying on others to power you up. Trigger warnings: mentions of child abuse and torture, rape, peircings, broken trust, adoption, and difficult family bonds/parental neglect. Books mentioned: Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J.R. Ward Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Slumber parties, Valkyrie olympic qualifiers, and magical objects that dub you Lady Death? Join us and the miniature Pegasus’ as we tackle the second half of A Court of Silver Flames in part two of our discussion. We look at the extent of what trauma does to a person and how one overcomes their past to become a new, healthier version of themselves. Discussed in this episode of Romancing the Monsters: parts 3 and 4 of Sarah J. Maas’ newest book, Azriel’s bonus chapter and our juicy theories for what's to come in the series! This discussion will have spoilers for all the previous books in the series, BEWARE! Note: Please take our theories as just that: theories. We are by no means seers (sadly) and we have yet to figure out how to infiltrate Maas' laptop to get all the spoilers in advance, but we do enjoy discussing what we hope to see! Trigger warnings: mentions of death, mental health conditions, familial bonds, pregnancy, life threatening childbirth, rape, torture, abuse, and self harm. Book of the Week: A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

We're back in Prythian, baby! Join us this week to discuss one of our most anticipated (and long awaited) reads of the year, A Court of Silver Flames. Nesta and Cassian undergo a lot together in this first half of the novel–there's love, healing, training, and… a lot of smexy times. And by "a lot" we mean "A LOT"! Also, old and beloved characters make an appearance and Rhysand has a newfound career as an Uber driver.....Wait, what? Also discussed in this episode of Romancing the Monsters: the effects of past traumas and the difficulties of overcoming certain mental health conditions such as phobias, depression and PTSD, complicated and messy familial relationships, the constant battle to be a better person, and the suffocating belief of being unworthy or a complete failure. Part one of our two part discussion will have spoilers for all the books in the A Court of Thorns and Roses series, so BEWARE! Trigger warnings: mentions of death, mental health conditions, difficult familial bonds, life-threatening complications during pregnancy, death during childbirth, torture, abuse, alcoholism and self harm. Book of the Week: A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas Books mentioned: The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

This week on Romancing the Monsters, we’re talking about all the things we've been loving in the first few months of the year! Join us as we talk about books, movies and tv shows that have us all hyped. There's some fantasy, historical, contemporary and even a lengthy discussion about intriguing alien...appendages? Trigger warnings: mentions of mental health conditions, domestic abuse, torture, pregnancy, death. Books mentioned: Mister West by R.J. West The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab Land of the Beautiful Dead by R. Lee Smith Thornchapel Series by Sierra Simone Green Greek series by TJ Klune Lord Holt Takes a Bride by Vivienne Lorret My Kind of Earl by Vivienne Lorret This Earl is on Fire by Vivienne Lorret We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal Sapphire Flames by Ilona Andrews Emerald Blaze by Ilona Andrews Morning Glory by Lavyrle Spencer Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco Dancing on Coals by Ellen O’Connell A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas Thirsty by Mia Hopkins Shielded Heart by Tiffany Roberts Kraken series by Tiffany Roberts Media mentioned: Raya and the Last Dragon directed by Carlos López Estrada, Don Hall, 2021 Ginny & Georgia, created by Sarah Lampert for Netflix, 2021–present Sanditon, adapted by Andrew Davies, 2019 Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Offering a scary demon some cookies in exchange for protection? Seems like a damn good deal if you ask us! It doesn't hurt that said demon is rather easy on the eye...despite the tail and horns (or maybe it's *because* of them). From this bargain unfolds a tale of adventure, magic and friendship as evil threatens our world and it is up to our heroine and her new demon companion to put a stop it. Can they succeed? Also discussed in this episode of Romancing the Monsters: Overcoming social anxiety and a lack of self confidence, the darker side of humanity, enslavement of foreign species and how it relates to our own dark history, and much more. Trigger warning: mentions of torture, manipulation and social anxiety. Book of the week: Taming Demons for Beginners by Annette Marie Books mentioned: Ice Planet Barbarians series by Ruby Dixon Breeds series by Lora Leigh Media mentioned: Beastars directed by Shin'ichi Matsumi, 2019–present Pokémon, developed by Game Freak, 1996– Match.com, “Match Made in Hell” commercial, 2020 Match.com, “When Satan Met 2020” commercial, 2020 Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

The prince of the Lykae and a fierce valkyrie archeress are off on an adventure of apocalyptic proportion! This episode of Romancing the Monsters also explores: whether or not talking about one's trauma is necessarily needed to move on (and if us, readers, should know all the gruesome details) and the anxiety of not knowing who you truly are when your whole identity is being questioned. Trigger warning: mentions of rape, past sexual traumas, and murder Book of the week: Pleasure of a Dark Prince by Kresley Cole Books mentioned: The Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J.R. Ward Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

This week on Romancing the Monsters we visit a brutal prison planet where morals are a luxury many can't afford. As a woman thrust into a world of dangerous men, Audra is forced to use her body as currency in order to pay for the protection and resources provided by a guardian. When she picks Tyson, the lone wolf with a heart of gold, the last thing she expects is to fall in love. Now, she wants him for more than a month, except... that's against the settlement's laws and if people find out, chaos will ensue. Also discussed: the struggle of right and wrong, what happens when women are stripped of their own autonomy and forced to depend on others for the basic means of survival, men who thrive on disorder, chaos and having control over those in vulnerable positions. Trigger warning: mentions of rape, murder, torture, mental health, and power struggle/imbalance Book of the week: Guardian by Emmy Chandler Books mentioned: Captive in the Dark by CJ Roberts Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

What happens when a rakish vampire is blooded by an Ice Maiden who cannot bare the scorching warmth of his touch? White hot sexy times involving ingenious (and rather frosty) devices... Also discussed in this episode: the burden of reputations and their influence on how we are treated and perceived, the fear of love leading to a rejection of commitment, the isolating feeling of being an outsider amongst loved ones, and why it's so important to be upfront about your desires and expectations with your partner. Mentions of pregnancy, dubious consent and mental health. Book of the Week: Untouchable by Kresley Cole Media mentioned: Frozen, directed by Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck, 2013 Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

The time has come for us to unveil what we deemed the crème de la crème of 2020! Join us on this special episode of Romancing the Monsters as we discuss all the stories we loved last year. And better yet, we have a little something for everyone in there whether it's fantasy, dark romance, historical or sci-fi, we are determined to help you find your next best read! Trigger warning: mentions of mental and physical abuse, sexual trauma, murders, and infidelity. Books mentioned by Marge: Longbourn by Jo Baker Chasing Cassandra by Lisa Kleypas Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs Fate’s Star by Elizabeth Vaughan The Hostage Bride by Jane Feather Alpha and Omega series by Patricia Briggs The House on the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune Kiss of a Demon King by Kresley Cole The Warlord Wants Forever by Kresley Cole Books mentioned by S: Wild at Heart/Forever Wild by K.A. Tucker Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid The Bad Guy by Celia Aaron The Wicker King by K. Ancrum The Wolf Hotel series by K.A. Tucker Krie Captivity/Zercy by Kota Knight Touch of Taboo series by Katee Robert Jessa Kane's backlist Books mentioned by Seff: A Dark and Stormy Knight by Kerrigan Byrne Slow Heat by Leta Blake Keturah and Lord Death by Martine Leavitt Horde Kings of Dakkar series by Zoey Draven Media mentioned: Bridgerton, created by Chris Van Dusen for Netflix, 2020 Hercai, directed by Cem Karcı, Bariş Yoş and Ali Ilhan, 2019- Anne with an E, created by Moira Walley-Beckett, 2017-2019 Emanet, directed by Ayhan Özen, Taner Tunç and Serkan Mut, 2020- Hayat Şarkısı,directed by Cem Karci, 2016-2017 Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

This author's delight with the Ton's newest TV show continues! It has been confirmed that Miss Daphne Bridgerton is newly engaged to be married to the Duke of Hastings. Is this union a love match or an attempt to smother unwanted rumors? This author would wager it may be both. One thing is for certain, married life promises to be quite the journey for our love birds, for we know those we love have the power to inflict the deepest wounds... Join us, Dearest Reader, on this special episode of Romancing the Monsters as we discuss all things Bridgerton, episodes 5 to 8. Trigger warning: child abuse, child negligence, self-harm, attempted suicide, miscarriage, dubious consent, and pregnancy Media of the week: Bridgerton, created by Chris Van Dusen for Netflix, 2020 Beware of spoilers! We talk about the tv show as well as the book series in great detail. Books mentioned: Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn Love in the Afternoon by Lisa Kleypas Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Have you heard? A new TV show has been unveiled and it is quite the talk of the Ton! It appears Miss Daphne Bridgerton has been declared this season’s incomparable, which begs the question: will she find a perfectly suitable husband or fall for the rakish ways of the Duke of Hastings? It is rumored the enchanting pair were caught sending each other sizzling looks across a plethora of ballrooms and engaging in scandalous nighttime affairs, but this author must admit it is the spoon of a certain Duke which made her feel most scandalized and bothered, indeed... Join us, dearest reader, on this special episode of Romancing the Monsters as we discuss all things Bridgerton, episodes 1 to 4. Trigger warning: child abuse, child negligence, dubious consent, and pregnancy. Beware of spoilers! We talk about the tv show as well as the book series in great detail. Media of the week: Bridgerton, created by Chris Van Dusen for Netflix, 2020 Books mentioned: Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn Love in the Afternoon by Lisa Kleypas Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

The Falconer hath claimed a wife! James, Lord Falconer, marries lady Ariel to save her from her gambling father; however, the lady kinda, maybe, totally wants a real marriage with her husband. Drama and denial ensues! We also discuss whether or not Abraham Lincoln is a hottie and we may or may not have come up with our very own Black Beast of Belleterre fanfiction! Join us as we celebrate the upcoming holidays with this festive-esque historical romance novella! Trigger warning: mentions of parental abuse and burn scars. Book of the Week: The Black Beast of Belleterre by Mary Jo Putney Books mentioned: A Wallflower Christmas by Lisa Kleypas The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare The Beast of Beswick by Amalie Howard Media mentioned: The Notebook, directed by Nick Cassavetes, 2004 Emanet, directed by Ayhan Özan, Taner Tunç, Serkan Mut, 2020– Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

The scarred Beast of Mayfair enters a marriage of convenience with the strong-willed seamstress who is determined to woo him out of his grumpy persona. Also worthy of mention: an adopted cat named breeches who was most definitely *not* named after the Duke's enticing derrière...or so the new Duchess would have you believe. Trigger warning: mentions of pregnancy, sexual trauma, lack of self love, misogynistic comments, fire and intense scarring. Book of the Week: The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare Books mentioned: Spindle Cove series by Tessa Dare The Beast of Beswick by Amalia Howard Lover Awakened by J.R. Ward Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Meet Rydstrom: A rigid, dutiful King by day and a kinky AF demon by night! And Sabine, Badass Sorceri Extraordinaire, who has one hell of a scheme under way to ensure she is Rydstrom's Queen… it might involve a bed, shackles and a whole lot of torture (the delicious kind, though.) Trigger warnings: mentions of dubious consent, pregnancy, addiction, incest, infidelity, death, strained familial bonds, and light BDSM elements. Book of the Week: Kiss of a Demon King by Kresley Cole Books mentioned: Strange Love Ann Aguirre Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas Keturah and Lord Death by Martine Leavitt Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

In this episode of Romancing the Monsters, we’ve got an emotionally scarred werewolf and the London socialite he's been silently pining over. Oh, and did we mention she's very HUMAN and the exchange of bodily fluids between them could literally kill her? Yeah, cue the delicious soundtrack of forbidden love. Trigger warnings: mentions of rape, unconsensual acts, loss of human rights, and misogynistic mindsets. Book of the Week: Heart of Iron by Bec McMaster Books mentioned: The Beast of Beswick by Amalie Howard Seduce me at Sunrise by Lisa Kleypas Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Time for our first Immortals After Dark demon! Spoiler alert: he’s a HORNY one! This hilarious and cocky rage demon is about to find his mate in the brainy half-Valkyrie who he plans to...sacrifice to evil incarnate? Uh-oh, sounds like trouble with a capital T. We also talk about the trials of carrying immense guilt and the heights one might go to suppress it. Trigger warnings: mentions of dubious consent, pregnancy, infidelity, and necrophilia. Discussion of mental health. Book of the Week: Dark Desires After Dusk by Kresley Cole Books mentioned: The Trials of Fear series by Nicky James Love Me Whole by Nicky James Media mentioned: Lucifer developed by Tom Kapinos, on Fox 2016-2018, on Netflix 2019- Groot, Marvel Comics, 1960- Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

This week we’re talking about...us! What we're reading, watching and, most importantly, LOVING at the moment! In other words, we mention Turkish dramas, some smutty books, reality tv, and western romances! It's a wild ride, as per usual with us. Trigger warnings: mentions of abuse, rape, sexual and domestic violence, and pregnancy. Discussion of a book that uses problematic and outdated terms. Books mentioned: Always Only You by Chloe Liese Annie’s Song by Catherine Anderson Comanche Heart by Catherine Anderson Alpha and Omega series by Patricia Briggs Queen Sized by Jessa Kane Out of Love by Jewel E. Ann Wicked Fox by Kat Cho Lothaire by Kresley Cole The House in the Cerulean Sea by T. J. Klune The Wolf Hotel series by K.A. Tucker House of Blood and Earth by Sarah J. Maas A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas Phoenix Pack Series by Suzanne Wright Crimson Eyes by persimonne, AOF, fanfiction Audiobook narrators mentioned: Robert Petkoff, Immortals After Dark series by Kresley Cole Holter Graham, Alpha and Omega series by Patricia Briggs Media mentioned: The Bachelorette, American Broadcasting Company, 2013- Tale of the Nine-Tailed, created by Studio Dragon, 2020- Goblin/Guardian: The Lonely and Great God, created by Studio Dragon, 2016-2017 Bridgerton, created by Chris Van Dusen for Netflix, 2020 The Proposal, directed by Anne Fletcher, 2009 Star Wars, the sequel trilogy, 2015-2019 The Queen’s Gambit, created by Scott Frank for Netflix, 2020 Howl’s Moving Castle, directed by Hayao Miyazaki, 2004 Hercai, directed by Cem Karcı, Bariş Yoş and Ali Ilhan, 2019- Doğduğun Ev Kaderindir, directed by Çağri Bayrak, 2019- Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

This week on Romancing the Monsters, we have a vampiric male who has the tendency to go crazy from time to time (but who doesn't love a touch of crazy) and a ghostly ballerina who brings his heart back to life...literally. In this episode we discuss living with the difficulties of self loathing and echoes of the past still haunting the future. Mentions of mental health, death and murder. Book of the Week: Dark Needs at Night’s Edge by Kresley Cole Books mentioned: The Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J.R. Ward Model mentioned: Paul Marron Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

We’re fighting the plague once again in this Steampunk London setting! In this week's book, the leader of the London Underground is swooning over his tutor while killer vampires are on the loose. Sounds chaotic, right? Oh, and there is some intense “air humping.” In this episode we highlight the importance of trust, familial bonds and chosen family, while also tackling the real monster: patriarchy. Mentions of pregnancy and limb loss. Book of the Week: Kiss of Steel by Bec McMaster Books mentioned: Immortals After Dark series by Kresley Cole Media mentioned: Penny Dreadful, created by John Logan, 2014-2016 Priest, directed by Scott Stewart, 2011 Star Wars: the Prequel Trilogy, produced by Lucasfilm, 1999-2005 Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

How NOT to offend your mate and put one’s foot in their own mouth: 101. Join us for this week’s episode as we continue with our Immortals After Dark read with Bowen and Mariketa and—can you hear that? That’s Bowen hitting himself for screwing things up with Mariketa...again. In this episode, we highlight the importance of accepting and loving oneself as well as the damages of living with one's personal guilt. Book of the Week: Wicked Deeds on a Winter’s Night by Kresley Cole Books mentioned: Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer Media mentioned: The Twilight Saga, produced by Summit Entertainment Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Women who speak their mind and fight for their rights as they woo their hot, angsty, tortured beast? Give it to us, now. In this episode we embark on our first Historical Romance in this week’s episode of Romancing the Monsters with a discussion on feminism and the importance we give the influences of society. Book of the week: The Beast of Beswick by Amalie Howard Books mentioned: The Duke’s Princess Bride by Amalie Howard, out Jan 2021 Media mentioned: Phantom of the Opera, directed by Rupert Julian, 1925 Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall, directed by Nick Morris, 2011 The Last Jedi, directed by Rian Johnson, 2017 Wuthering Heights, directed by Coky Giedroyc, 2009 Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Mutha of angsty souls, Sebastian Wroth finds his Bride in Kaderin the Cold Hearted—yikes on bikes! Join us as we talk about humpy vamps and the way to melt THE frozen heart of all frozen hearts in our next episode of Romancing the Monsters. In this episode we talk about the importance of perspectives and the power of prejudices. Book of the week: No Rest for the Wicked by Kresley Cole Media mentioned: Doctor Who, 2005-present Star Wars: the Sequel Trilogy, directed by J.J. Abrams, Rian Johnson, 2015-2019 Tangled, directed by Byron Howard, Nathan Greno, 2010 The Lion King, directed by Rob Minkoff, Roger Allers, 1994 The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride, directed by Darrell Rooney, 1998 Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

We’ve got slick men who have knotty sides which provide for some serious HEAT. We also can knot forget about the angst—this book has got angst by the loads! You really thought we were knot going to include every pun possible with this week’s book in Romancing the Monsters? Within this episode we discuss the plague once again, but with the idea of oppression and the loss of rights. WARNING: Mentions of miscarriage, sexual abuse, pregnancy, restrictive laws that target a specific population Book of the week: Slow Heat by Leta Blake Books Mentioned: A Ruthless Proposition by Natasha Anders For Real by Alexis Hall The Best Next Thing by Natasha Anders Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

We continue with our Immortals After Dark reading with Nikolai and Myst and the magical chain that binds them, or does it just make them horny? Book of the week: The Warlord Wants Forever by Kresley Cole Books Mentioned: A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole Slow Heat by Leta Blake Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

In our next episode of Romancing the Monsters, we tackle the Lord of Death, well, we hope we can TACKLE him. Spoiler Alert: We’re horny for death, ‘tis all. Book of the week: Keturah and Lord Death by Martine Leavitt Books mentioned: The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales by Bruno Bettelheim Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

We’ve got an uber alpha Lycae, a vampire Valkyrie hybrid and a shit-ton of steam in the first episode of Romancing the Monsters! Aaaaannnd someone might have amputated their own limb in this story. Book of the week: A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.