Gemma is exactly our kind of heroine, so we were both a bit bummed that this book ended up doing more for the wider plot of the series than the main couple. Bec McMaster's books are always fun, but this book really wanted us to care about people and relationships that didn't have enough backstory to warrant the emotional payoff. Gemma is a BAMF and she deserved a guy who would actually go down on her instead of faking us out with a thigh bite.

May 17, 202230:12

Priest by Sierra Simone

This one is a modern take on the "corrupting a priest" thing. Neither we nor the book could overlook the church's systemic abuse, which made some of the reading difficult and not sexy. The titular priest isn't super great about resisting temptation, but the resulting sex all over the church is creative but should not be used as instructions.

May 13, 202247:23

The Courtship Recap: Episode 9 | #VanLife

May 12, 202249:34

RERELEASE: The Lord I Left by Scarlett Peckham

Laine and Meg disagree about this story of an aspiring whipping governess and a pastor. Meg thinks Henry's piousness and consistency are sexy and intriguing, Laine thinks the book lacks depth and fails to problemitize evangelism. Also Laine hates foot stuff and this book has a lot of it.

May 10, 202243:57

Never a Duke by Grace Burrowes

We fell hard by this cute couple but weren't nearly as enamored with the wider book. We totally admit that might have been our fault for starting with book 7, but we have a LOT of questions.

May 06, 202234:25

Errata 9: Truly Erratic

A funny outtake, some insight into Laine's brain, a review of "The Lost City", and our immediate response minutes after finishing Bridgerton Season 2.

May 04, 202227:32

The Courtship Recap: Episode 8 | Poor Kitty and Slouch Socks

May 04, 202258:13

Dark Needs At Night's Edge by Kresley Cole

Apparently the consequence of Meg making Laine start in the middle of a series is an hour long episode. This series is BONKERs and each species has its own soulmate/boner rules so there was a lot we had to parse through. There's a scene like "Ghost" except instead of a pottery wheel it's a wall, so we talk about that a lot.

Apr 29, 202201:04:23

The Courtship Recap: Episode 7 | At Least He's Not Good Looking

Apr 27, 202256:41

The Mad Girls of New York by Maya Rodale

Maya Rodale is a romance author but this book is a big departure from her usual fare and could generously be called flirtation adjacent. Don't let that put you off, however, because it's a very good book if you like pulpy books about the Gilded Age (and we do).

Apr 25, 202220:34

Heiress Gone Wild by Laura Lee Guhrke

We enjoyed this conclusion to the Dear Lady Truelove series, which managed to stay true to the spirit of the original. In this episode, we shockingly agree that there are times when we respect that sex wouldn't have added to the plot. (???? Yes we are still us and have not been body snatched.)

Apr 22, 202237:13

The Courtship Recap: Episode 6 | BACCHANAL!

Apr 20, 202257:35

The Queer Principles of Kit Webb by Cat Sebastian

Look, Meg and Laine recognize we're probably not the right people to review this book. Cat Sebastian is a good writer, but the plot here missed the mark for us. The greatest joy to be found here is Meg coming to terms with missing all the Robin Hood parallels.

Apr 19, 202240:49

I Married a Lizardman by Regine Abel

Meg and Laine spend way too much time talking about capitalism, racial coding, and Star Trek when discussing this sex book.

Apr 15, 202243:28

The Courtship Recap: Episode 5 | What's Authenticity Worth These Days?

Apr 13, 202249:48

Bridgerton Season 2 Discussion

Laine an Meg are once again joined by Maria (a romance novice) to discuss Bridgerton. This time, it's season 2! Our opinions were mostly aligned, which amused Laine and Meg given how book-centric they felt.

Apr 12, 202257:37

To Marry and to Meddle by Martha Waters

Martha Waters is becoming one of our favorite and most reliable romance writers. Neither of us are angst queens, and her ability to make what could be serious issues lighthearted is right up our alley. We could have done with a bit more resolved sexual tension as character development, but when isn't that true?

Apr 08, 202232:18

The Courtship Recap: Episode 4 | Dating Privilege

Apr 06, 202258:07

The Capture of the Earl of Glencrae by Stephanie Laurens

18 books in and the third straight book with the exact same plot and we're as charmed as ever. Does the plot make sense? No. Is there a plot? Also pretty much no. Did we have fun? You bet we did.

Apr 05, 202254:40

How to Be a Wallflower by Eloisa James

Jake and Cleo a ton of fun as long as you're along with them for the ride on their unconventional courtship. If you're not and you think too hard, Jake is a stalker. We didn't think too hard.

Apr 01, 202226:46

The Courtship Recap: Episode 3 | You Look Like the Duke of Hastings

Mar 29, 202256:24

The Mech Who Loved Me by Bec McMaster

Laine and Meg are here for a prissy, smart heroine and a rough around the edges hero. We give a lot of warning when we want to discuss spoilers, so know that if you want to skip from our warning until it's safe: No spoilers after 27:15

Mar 29, 202234:21

Nine Rules to Break When Romancing A Rake by Sarah MacLean

Laine and Meg talk about Sarah MacLean’s First Romance Novel and the “girl who is very hot but doesn’t know it” trope.

Mar 24, 202220:01

Red Blossom in Snow by Jeannie Lin

The world of the Pingkang Li gets richer and more complex with each installment, and we are very here for it. The mystery here let us both down, and Laine wasn't destined to be attracted to a man who has a regular table for staring at his love's front door, but Lin's skill at world building remains exceptional.

Mar 22, 202246:04

The League of Gentlewoman Witches by India Holton

Laine and Meg were both seemingly delirious when recording this episode, but managed to string enough coherent sentences together to review this book. It's fun, it's pithy, the characters are sexy, but something about this just maybe isn't for us? We're still a bit undecided on this series, but it's a romp!

Mar 18, 202231:40

The Courtship Recap: Episode 2 | Kind of Like the Thing You'd See in a Romcom

Mar 17, 202252:28

The Hidden Moon by Jeannie Lin

Loved this book. The mystery is more baffling the more we think about it and we couldn't care less. Five stars.

Mar 16, 202238:35

A Reckless Match by Kate Bateman

Sometimes you just need to laugh joyfully at a couple who can pretend they hate each other when they definitely don't AND can find joy in cave sex. We were pretty joyful reading and discussing this book.

Mar 11, 202235:08

The Courtship Recap: Episode 1 | Don't Say Bridgerton

Mar 10, 202245:50

The Jade Temptress by Jeannie Lin

Jeannie Lin is so talented and her characters really do come alive on the page. Less trauma than the first book, with more bad guys!

Mar 08, 202238:48

Errata (Not Erotica) 8: Bridgerton is coming

In this errata, we share clips from our recent discussion with the Bridgerton 2000 crew in anticipation of season 2, share insight into our different approaches to topics in our episode structure, and continue our discussion of the most ridiculous ways to be ruined.

Mar 04, 202210:08

The Lady Tempts an Heir by Harper St. George

Pretty much everything about this book worked for us, even the stuff that precedent would tell you we'd hate. We both somehow remembered this as having more sex than it did because the sexy stuff was that good? A+.

Mar 01, 202242:12

Beyond Repair by Catherine Stein

This steampunk romance was so dang cute it had us both smiling. It caught us by surprise more than once, but the happily ever after was perfect.

Feb 22, 202244:52

The Lotus Palace by Jeannie Lin

Imperial China might not be our usual romance setting, but we both loved pretty much everything about this book. Be prepared for some heavy subject matter and excellent world building.

Feb 18, 202238:48

A Perfect Equation by Elizabeth Everett

This book is a sexy romp that also makes readers confront the bullshit of the patriarchy, which can be stressful. We took different things away from this book, but both really enjoyed it.

Feb 15, 202229:28

Six Impossible Things by Elizabeth Boyle

Goodness knows we love a spy novel and Elizabeth Boyle, so a whole lot of this really worked for us. It's more farce than badass spy mystery, but there's clandestine makeouts while undercover so we'll take it.

Feb 11, 202227:57

Morning Glory Milking Farm by C.M. Nascosta

If you're going to give handjobs to pay off your student debt, there's no shame in that game as long as you're honest about engaging in sex work with yourself. We also discuss when in a monster book a line into bestiality is crossed. At one point we analyze our own forearms as a size comparison, but Laine edited that out.

Feb 08, 202242:05

In Pursuit of Eliza Cynster by Stephanie Laurens

Stephanie Laurens is a genius for writing the same book again, but this time with less logic. We stan.

Feb 04, 202244:53

Mission: Improper by Bec McMaster

If Mission: Improper was a TV show, Ingrid and Caleb would have been the will they/won't they pair that kept viewers waiting for all 15 seasons. Luckily Bec McMaster doesn't delay the gratification of seeing these two give in to each other for that long, but we did feel like this love story didn't get the attention it deserved.

Feb 01, 202239:57

Barbarian Alien by Ruby Dixon

The sentient sex toy from the first book definitely has "brothers" but Liz isn't as thrilled by this fact as you would think. Sexy and funny, this sequel definitely makes you confront the difficulties facing our heroines in the few seconds between sex.

Jan 28, 202226:36

Electric Idol by Katee Robert

The Dark Olympus series continues with the story of Eros and Psyche, except not really? Both Meg and Laine thought this book's greatest weakness was how few parallels there were to the myth. Otherwise, there's a lot to enjoy here from the wedding day/night sex to the sex in front of mirrors.

Jan 25, 202238:40

The Runaway Duchess by Joanna Lowell

Meg is really charmed by taking an absurd scenario to a logical conclusion, while Laine is less so. The unlikeable characters are very fun and add to the book's unique charm.

Jan 21, 202226:10

The Siren of Sussex by Mimi Matthews

Meg and Laine love clothes, so you know this worked for us on the fashion front. We loved both main characters and bought the conflict, so we definitely recommend this one in spite of its chastity.

Jan 18, 202226:20

The Knave of Hearts by Elizabeth Boyle

This one has enough plot threads to be a Cynster novel. How ok you are with the lack of pay-off on some of those threads may depend on your frame of mind when reading the book. Tuck and Lavinia make it fun and sexy, as we've come to expect from Boyle.

Jan 14, 202226:52

Neon Gods by Katee Robert

You know we love reinterpretations of classic stories and this modern take on the Greek pantheon was super fun. Half the fun was figuring out how the classics would tie in, and the other half was the super fun relationship of convenience with an expiration date between Hades and Persephone. Oh, and it's a SEX book.

Jan 11, 202242:04

Viscount Breckenridge to the Rescue by Stephanie Laurens

Guys this book makes no sense. It asks the very important question, "what happens when sex telepathy works but it works so well you're convinced it was a trick?"

Jan 07, 202242:03

Better Off Wed by Susanna Craig

Now that we're done with Christmas Novellas, we return to our bread and butter (historical SPIES). We loved how willing Susanna Craig was to lean into a LOT of absurdity and we say the word "coincidence" several times. Fun, sexy, and well-written, we definitely recommend this one.

Jan 03, 202226:40

The Rebel and the Rake by Emily Sullivan

Meg and Laine really like anachronistically progressive spies and their suffragette lovers. What can we say, we're predictable.

Dec 30, 202131:58

A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas

We wrap up our ACOTAR reviews with a discussion of which genre this series falls into. Meg was grateful for the lack of sex cabin, which was a first.

Dec 28, 202129:36

Christmas Special: A Castle for Christmas

Laine & Meg enjoyed this knitting propaganda disguised as a Christmas film so much they decided to watch it a second time and record their commentary! Enjoy some perfect romance tropes with a curmudgeon-ey Duke of our childhood dreams. Happy Holidays!

Dec 26, 202101:34:41

A Mistletoe Kiss by Eloisa James

We wrap up our Christmas novellas with the most epic Christmas party ever! I need to go to this Arthurian grotto.

Dec 24, 202124:49

A Holiday by Gaslight by Mimi Matthews

This Christmas Novella takes the "aristocratic woman marries low born but wealthy man" trope (better name TBD) and adds some Christmas house party shenanigans. We liked it, even if it was a bit tame compared with our standard fare.

Dec 21, 202119:36

The Christmas Courtesan by Victoria Vale

This is a "virgin hero sells virginity at Christmas house party" story. Lots of potential in that description, but it's BARELY a Christmas book and there's a bit too much conflict.

Dec 17, 202127:02

A Christmas Gone Perfectly Wrong by Cecilia Grant

Two unlikely travel companions get stranded in a small village for Christmas and make the best of it/learn the true meaning of Christmas while trying to act like all the bed sharing doesn't mean anything. (it does).

Dec 14, 202122:27

Great Scot! by Suzanne Enoch

The Scotsmen with terrible parents have a cousin who gets a Christmas novella! Laine was very very charmed by two adults clearly communicating their desires and expectations. Meg was just glad Matthew wasn't there.

Dec 10, 202118:14

Gentleman Seeks Bride by Megan Frampton

This sex book was so charming, and a hot air balloon wasn't the only thing to rise to the occasion. Did we recognize Jane from the previous book? Not really (now ask us how much we care).

Dec 07, 202131:03

After Dark with the Duke by Julie Anne Long

I swear the Grand Palace on the Thames generates more marriages than mid-sized liberal arts colleges in Ohio. Our latest couple is a reserved and honorable duke and a street-smart actress with less generational wealth and a bigger age gap than you may be used to. It's a fun addition to the series, but Meg and Laine disagree over which age gap has been the biggest deal.

Dec 03, 202136:05

A Wicked Bargain for the Duke by Megan Frampton

Marriage of convenience with agreement to produce an heir after a dumb ruination has never been so sexy. We had a lot of fun with this one, and we think you will too.

Nov 30, 202146:53

Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon

A kidnapped earth woman abandoned by her cruel abductors is rescued by her soulmate, who is basically an Avatar with genitalia. I don't even know, you guys.

Nov 26, 202147:35

An Heiress's Guide to Deception and Desire

Val and Caro are a second chance romance we're totally on board with! We were super impressed with how deliberate and well designed many of the scenes and plot points were in this one as well. Now if only it had a title that made it stand out so we could remember how much we liked it.

Nov 23, 202127:57

All the Feels by Olivia Dade

The second book in the Spoiler Alert series builds on the super fun universe of the first book in a way we both found extremely charming. It takes a while for this to go from adversaries to friends to lovers, but the payoff is excellent.

Nov 19, 202139:39

The Viscount Who Lived Down the Lane by Elizabeth Boyle

If anyone knows what the fairy tale is in this one please tell us because it's driving Laine crazy. Regardless, we very much enjoyed this sunshine/grump book with a no-nonsense heroine and her satanic cat.

Nov 16, 202122:53

Tall, Duke, and Dangerous by Megan Frampton

Meg and Laine are always here for friends to lovers and sexy lessons, so you know we enjoyed the heck out of this one. Ana Maria has a level of independence rarely seen in romance novel heroines and both of them have a mentality toward sex and relationships that we found very refreshing.

Nov 12, 202137:16

After Glow by Jayne Castle

First of all, I can not be held responsible for keeping track of Amanda Quick/Jayne Castle's noms de plume. Meg has a lot of affection for the romantic-couple-solves-mystery, but in space! thing this book has going on. Laine wishes it made more sense and/or that the romance was given more development. Marriage of convenience is fun trope, you just have to know what you're getting into.

Nov 09, 202137:52

Miss Moriarty, I Presume? by Sherry Thomas

BRB going to law school to become a divorce attorney, then learning how to time travel and make fictional universes real so I can FINALLY GET LORD INGRAM HIS DIVORCE. This book is very good, we discuss where the series is going, we rave about the character growth. Did I mention Lord Ingram is an archeologist and spy who is still married?

Nov 05, 202134:47

The Lady Gets Lucky by Joanna Shupe

Kissing lessons, house parties, and women upsetting the patriarchy are all right up our alley, and this book has all of them! Laine quibbled a bit over some of the characterization and plot points, but Meg loved the dynamic between the main characters completely. Now if only we understood why her mom was THE WORST.

Nov 01, 202139:26

My Kind of Earl by Vivienne Lorett

The premise of this book is perfect. It's basically a gender-swapped Anastasia which hit us right in the feels, and our heroes get to spend a surprising amount of time alone together given the time period. We're not complaining.

Oct 29, 202133:13

After Dark by Jayne Castle

Laine and Meg have a difference of opinion on this one. Meg admits to a bias toward Amanda Quick and all of her other noms de plume, which Laine lacks. Laine admits to expecting a very different book based on the novella, and Meg had read this before. Scooby Doo, plucky women in consulting, and sassy best friends are all topics of conversation for this one.

Oct 19, 202134:20

The Devil's Own Duke by Lenora Bell

We both thought this was a cute concept, even if Meg is a self-proclaimed Wine Grinch. We would have loved a bit more from both of these characters, but the ending makes it worth the read.

Oct 15, 202132:57

Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade

Not only does April get to go out with a hot celebrity from her favorite TV show, it turns out he's secretly been her online BFF all along. Olivia Dade is a great writer and this story is VERY well crafted. Laine was a little bothered by their poor communication skills, but the ending is adorable enough to make up for it.

Oct 12, 202141:17

RE-RELEASE: Devil’s Bride by Stephanie Laurens

Laine and Meg talk about kissing your future wife next to your cousin’s body, very stupid nicknames, and familial justice. Buckle up, this one is wild.

Oct 07, 202140:37

RE-RELEASE: The Wallflower Wager by Tessa Dare

Meg and Laine gush about perfect books, talk about what it means to be ruined, and don't question what keeps happening to their clothing even a little bit.

Sep 30, 202139:15

RE-RELEASE: The Governess Game by Tessa Dare

Meg and Laine talk about doll funerals, non-penetrative sex, and science that isn’t botany.

Sep 29, 202121:48

RE-RELEASE: The Duchess Deal: Girl Meets Duke by Tessa Dare

Laine and Meg talk about wedding tropes and scars. Also cats.

Sep 28, 202122:15

Love is a Rogue Lenora Bell

This book is so full of tropes there's no way we got them all. We both agree this is light reading with great cooperation and heat between the main characters,.but disagree on whether or not that's a good thing.

Sep 21, 202124:54

The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun

This bachelor-esque tale was right up Meg's alley, and we both loved the way these men fell in love. The author does a great job outlining the trigger warnings, and we suggest you read them.

Sep 11, 202136:22

Lord Holt Takes a Bride by Vivienne Lorret

Laine and Meg go back to the beginning with the Mating Habits of Scoundrels to see where it all began. We love a good road trip romance, but this book has a few too many of our pet peeves to be a favorite. The series premise remains excellent, and we'll definitely be reading more Lorret.

Sep 07, 202122:25

I'm Only Wicked with You by Julie Anne Long

Laine and Meg are joined by special guest Natalie to discuss the most recent in the Grand Palace on the Thames series. The series' charm remains as strong as the heroes and we definitely recommend this one.

Sep 03, 202159:43

Governess Gone Rogue by Laura Lee Guhrke

Somehow Laura Lee Guhrke manages to take some of our least favorite tropes and turn them into a downright charming book with complex and consistent characters. It's hot, too!

Aug 27, 202139:00

A Duchess a Day by Charis Michaels

This Fairytale retelling hits all the right spots for us. Whimsical and funny with two characters who cannot stop making out? Mirror mirror on the wall, that's our favorite thing of all!

Aug 20, 202131:12

Errata 7: So Much Sebastian

Laine and Meg some of our favorite outtakes, romance musings, and excerpts from our conversations with the Lit Wallflowers!

Aug 17, 202121:47

Never Kiss a Duke by Megan Frampton

This book has some fun takes on tropes we've seen before (gambling hells, debutant siblings) but has one glaring point of historical inaccuracy that you either make peace with or you'll be in for a bumpy ride. Potentially our favorite take on the capitalist feminist (not to mention the steamiest), we recommend this for anyone willing to look past the inheritance law shenanigans.

Aug 13, 202130:35

Hit Me With Your Best Scot by Suzanne Enoch

The last Scottish brother is married off and this book did not go down as Meg or Laine expected. Both of us were charmed by Coll, and neither of us were charmed by his parents or brother in law.

Aug 10, 202131:44

If Wishes Were Earls by Elizabeth Boyle

We are huge Boyle stans so it hurts to admit this one didn't work for us quite as well as the first two books in the series. We loved Roxley's crazy aunts and the premise of a mustering, but the wider plot was hard to follow. Luckily it veered into "so weird I'm just along for the ride" so we still had fun with it.

Aug 06, 202143:36

Angel in a Devil's Arms by Julie Anne Long

Meg and Laine are joined by Shani from Romance at a Glance to discuss the second book in the Palace of Rogues series. There's a lot to love with this book, but the debate about if gems or real estate are the better gift is the true substance of the episode.

Aug 03, 202145:16

Devil in Disguise by Lisa Kleypas

We actually managed to keep this one spoiler free in the beginning and very clearly notate where the spoilers start, so those wanting a preview without knowing the mystery of Keir's parentage can safely listen. Turns out Scottish cinnamon rolls are the intersection of both of our types, so we spend most of this review swooning over Keir and his beard.

Jul 30, 202142:15

The Baron without Blame by Katherine Grant

Lolly is super lucky that the strange man who heard her sneeze happens to share her politics and be super hot and be super into her because God knows that's not what dating is usually like.

Jul 27, 202121:33

Isn't it Bromantic by Lyssa Kay Adams

The Russian gets a character and boy does Meg like him. Having Vlad write a romance was a stroke of genius and put a new spin on the romance-reading crew. Laine got caught up in issues with IBS, sports stuff, and sex-trafficking but still thinks it's worth a read.

Jul 23, 202132:31

Lady Derring Takes a Lover by Julie Anne Long

A spy falls for a Countess who recently opened a hotel with her dead husband's mistress in a former brothel. We had a lot of fun with this one and totally bought the chemistry between the main characters!

Jul 19, 202125:57

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

Laine really likes this book. Meg can't stop talking about plumbing. We agree that the interpersonal narratives are better than the external plot.

Jul 16, 202152:56

The Devil and The Heiress by Harper St. George

This road trip/fortune hunter book was a worthy successor to the first book in the series. It had a ton of our favorite tropes, but not enough carriage sex (TBH).

Jul 16, 202132:08

The Wrong Marquess by Vivienne Lorret

Elephant stampedes are super romantic, dontcha know?! Seriously, we were very into this couple and loved the setup of this conflict. We could have done with a bit more cooperation in the end, but this book is sexy regardless

Jul 13, 202130:44

Chasing Cassandra by Lisa Kleypas

Look, this isn't our favorite Kleypas. The main couple certainly has its moments and this might be her best use of former characters yet, but ultimately we had a few too many issues with this one to sing its praises. Not even library negotiation sexytimes can make up for diet culture bullshit and sexual assault. And feet, but that might just be Laine.

Jul 05, 202135:25

The Trouble with True Love by Laura Lee Guhrke

We loved the sexy and reluctant advice columnist paired with the wallflower finding her voice and thought most of this book was really fun, and the take on the gossip industry remains great. We wish the main couple had spent more time working together in the end, in all the ways you're thinking of.

Jul 02, 202130:25

The Heiress Gets a Duke by Harper St. George

Impoverished aristocrat is a fortune hunter in need of a marriage of convenience has been done before, but it's definitely done well here. We might rant about capitalism and a contrived ending, but overall we thought this was the most consent-driven fortune hunter book we've read, and that is definitely a good thing.

Jun 29, 202135:55

Errata Not Erotica: Mispronunciations, Courtesy titles, and Lit Wallflowers

It seems we always have more to say about courtesy titles, Amelia Peabody, and Bridgerton.

Jun 24, 202140:27

A Court of Thornes and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Laine read this series a while ago and apparently can't keep the books straight or remember the gross plot elements. Meg was not here for Feyre's wet noodle personality. The first book in this trilogy is a pretty literal beauty and the beast retelling and the two main characters really have the hots for each other, but the real interest comes in the next book.

Jun 21, 202130:54

The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton

This gaslamp-ish romance is a ton of fun and made us laugh a lot. It's also filled with a LOT of literary references, and we're pretty sure we missed quite a few. We liked it best for the badass pirate society and the dick jokes, if we're honest.

Jun 18, 202133:43

Three Nights with a Scoundrel by Tessa Dare

The final book in the Stud Club series has a great portrayal of deafness and Deaf culture but a confusing plot tied up with a plot twist that made Laine very angry. Not our usual response to a Dare, for sure. We wouldn't call this "fun."

Jun 15, 202142:28

Film Review - Witness

Laine and Meg are joined by "Just Plain Wrong" podcast hosts Erin and Tillie to discuss the romance in Witness. Harrison Ford is hot, the cops are really violent, and Laine comes up with the perfect sequel.

Jun 10, 202101:03:43

Like No Other Lover by Julie Anne Long

Laine and Meg talk about marrying for money, bad girls, and the funniest drinking game in the genre.

Jun 10, 202125:40

The Perils of Pleasure by Julie Anne Long

Meg and Laine talk about how smelly people on the run are, if we want to solve the mystery, and believably duplicitous brothers.

Jun 09, 202124:08

Devil's Daughter by Lisa Kleypas

Laine and Meg both really like Phoebe and West. They're cute together, well suited, and largely pretty sexy. However, there are some ill-conceived notions of masculinity and even MEG agrees there's too much Sebastian FKA St. Vincent.

Jun 08, 202143:47

The Bride of Larkspear by Sherry Thomas

Laine and Meg review a novella/writing exercise from Sherry Thomas in this one. It's... hard to talk about as a book because it mirrors Tempting the Bride so closely, but it does provide a lot of conversation fodder. Did he make his daughter a dog? Was anal sex a metaphor?

Jun 04, 202134:40

How to Find a Princess by Alyssa Cole

Alyssa Cole's latest is about the youngest woman in a line of badass female warriors with no respect for boundaries and maybe princess/definite doormat from New Jersey. Meg and Laine don't typically love pushover characters, especially those who turn down money, jewels, and status for reasons of principle we don't understand OR people who operate without concern for social comfort, so this wasn't really our thing. That said, the family dynamics and politics of this one were interesting.

May 31, 202130:35

Have You Any Rogues? by Elizabeth Boyle

Crispin and Henrietta have been locked in a will they/won't they thing for 11 years, and now they're locked in a wine cellar. This novella crams a lot of plot into a short span along with a lot of sexiness, and is a strange combination of angsty and fluffy. To the surprise of no one, we liked it.

May 28, 202126:54

Deception by Amanda Quick

Diving in the way back machine today for Deception by Amanda Quick. We love piracy and academic women, but could have done without the sexual assault. Quick holds up better than most of her time, and this is a fun one.

May 25, 202142:36

The Truth about Love and Dukes by Laura Lee Guhrke

Meg and Laine talk about believable conflict, period-appropriate dialogue, and sexy debate tactics.

May 20, 202133:59

Twice Tempted by a Rogue by Tessa Dare

This book has tropes galore and some seriously batshit plots (yes we bring up Cynsters...) but the characters are charming and we love tropes. Pay attention to the content warnings for this one, because some of them are intense.

May 18, 202119:14

Hello Stranger by Lisa Kleypas

Independent Doctor and Moral Spy trying to reform a corrupt system from the inside..... yeah Kleypas has our number. Add in some wonderful clothing and an inability to keep hands to themselves and you know we spent this episode raving.

May 14, 202139:30

Devil in Spring by Lisa Kleypas

In spite of the title Gabriel really is nothing like his father. You'd think that would make Laine happy, except he really wasn't much of a character at all. Meg tried to pretend the characterization of Pandora in the first two books could be dismissed, but even that didn't make this one our cup of tea.

May 11, 202145:38

Tempting the Bride by Sherry Thomas

We've enjoyed the Fitzhugh series so far but this one really turns up the heat. While this one deviates from our usual favorite tropes, Sherry Thomas continues to make us like things we usually don't. Maybe the best amnesia romance ever?

May 06, 202148:40

Once Dance with a Duke by Tessa Dare

We're dipping back into the Tessa Dare Archives with this one. Trope-tastic, sexy, and more than a little absurd, this book definitely previews the good stuff to come with Dare's books, even if the jacket doesn't live up to her usual standards.

May 04, 202128:52

Of Silk and Steam by Bec McMaster

The last book in the London Steampunk series wraps up all the loose ends in a way we didn't always totally understand, but with main couple this perfect we found it quite easy to hand wave the plot away and enjoy the flirting.

Apr 30, 202136:28

The Devil Comes Courting by Courtney Milan

A Civil War vet and a Chinese-born missionary widow team up to solve global communication issues in an equitable and sustainable way. If it sounds like all that characterization and plot would make romance come second, you're right, but this is still a very good book.

Apr 28, 202143:01

To Love and To Loathe by Martha Waters

There's plenty to love here - from a critical examination of rakishness to some really well developed friendships. Meg liked this more than Laine (who is admittedly a bit over independent and undersexed women who hide their emotions) but both of us thought it was a romp! Very much a romcom in text form, we look forward to the rest of the series.

Apr 23, 202142:10

To Have and to Hoax by Martha Waters

Martha Waters impressed us both with her debut novel, even if marriage in crisis isn't Meg's favorite. This series really gets us to dive in to whether romance novels in a series can or should be read as standalones.

Apr 20, 202132:12

The Duke Undone by Joanna Lowell

Meg and Laine disagree about the merits of this book. Laine found it to be almost Cynster-esque while Meg was able to put that aside and buy into the story and some of the social commentary. Lucy might draw Anthony's tool but Laine thought he WAS the tool.

Apr 16, 202142:05

And the Miss Ran Away with the Rake by Elizabeth Boyle

Everything about this book is ridiculous in the best way. Hilarious and sexy, this book put big grins on both our faces. We just wish there'd been only one room at at least one inn!

Apr 13, 202132:35

One Thing Leads to a Lover by Susanna Craig

Spies! Again! Some more! But in this case it's a spy retrieving a much needed code book from an unsuspecting and bored widow. Meg and Laine disagree on how we felt about Amanda, but couldn't deny the chemistry between the leads. Worth a read!

Apr 09, 202144:04

A Dance in Moonlight by Sherry Thomas

Laine and Meg usually looooovveeee Sherry Thomas, and this book does have some cute moments and was was sexier than expected. But neither of us could really come around on rooting for a woman who was setting herself and her kids up to life as a mistress of an honorable dude.

Apr 06, 202128:06

Marrying Winterborne by Lisa Kleypas

This book has a lot going for it, it's just not the plot or the conflict or the secondary characters. This book is, however, extremely sexy. So we liked it.

Apr 02, 202149:36

Your Scandalous Ways by Loretta Chase

Spies in Venice! Again! This book is FUN and really leans into the fantasy opulence of high society Italy. The main couple plays second fiddle to the plot here, but in a way that really works and gives plenty of opportunity for jewel porn.

Mar 30, 202127:07

Forged by Desire by Bec McMaster

In my mind I now live in steampunk London and I'm just waiting on a newly promoted cop whose mom was killed by basically jack the ripper to save me from myself. Plot took a backseat to romance in this one, but let's be real, we don't hate that.

Mar 26, 202138:22

The Husband Plot by Katherine Grant

Adrian is the grandson of a duke and the heir to a shipping fortune but his black ancestry can prevent him from inheriting if he can't convince parliament to grant him a legal pass. Enter Lisbeth, who decides the best way to marry is to see your groom for the first time on your wedding day. Funny, historically interesting, and sexy so we definitely liked it.

Mar 22, 202141:15

Who's that Earl? by Susanna Craig

Laine and Meg enjoyed the tropes and the excellent chemistry between the two main characters. We were more than a little confused by the plot and the emotional arc, but overall thought this was an enjoyable read.

Mar 19, 202133:08

A Rogue to Remember by Emily Sullivan

This debut novel is about a woman taking her destiny into her own hands and a man haunted by the choices he's made as a archeologist/spy. So yes we loved it and it's super sexy and Indiana Jones gets brought up so sue us. You should probably read this right now.

Mar 16, 202134:04

The Heiress Hunt by Joanna Shupe

We're all for a good childhood friends to lovers plot, but we aren't fans of men who lie or meddling mamas without development. We do love women in sports always, however, even if their books let them down.

Mar 12, 202143:12

Cold-Hearted Rake by Lisa Kleypas

Laine and Meg don't know what this book was about, who the characters were, or why so much time was spent on subplots. This book is bad, you guys, but it's also kinda bonkers in an almost Cynster way and you know we're reading the rest of the Ravenels regardless.

Mar 09, 202138:51