By Simone St. James. This month, Ilana and Wendy go to the Roaring Twenties in this murder mystery-romance with psychics, seances, and cloche hats. We didn't get the horror we were looking for, but we did get a psychic investigator with street smarts, a work-a-day...

By Rainbow Rowell. Ilana's kid sister Naomi joins us to read the first YA Romance of the podcast. Naomi and Wendy start the Youngest Sister Support Group, where we bemoan weird nicknames and getting punched for various reasons. Family dynamics are hilarious! We talk...

By Lorraine Heath. Wendy and Ilana take a pilgrimage to sort-of-historical post-Civil War Texas in this novel published in the 90's, but first Ilana tells us about her apple adventure with a truck driver that may or may not be a witch. Also, this book is 100% inspired...

Getting Lit goes Bollywood with this contemporary romance, a bacchanal of food, weddings, babies, and strangely enough, Michigan countryside. Still adjusting to COVID-19, Ilana makes two different drinks for the podcast.

Wendy and Ilana read 19th Century nerd love in This Rake of Mine by Eva Leigh. But first, we review the latest adaptation of Emma, and give book reports. Ilana also uncovers the Great Purple Skittles Conspiracy. 

Wendy and Ilana dive into (get it?) Mermaid Romance with The Selkie Bride by Melanie Jackson. Bonus subgenres: Highlander and Secret Prince! We discuss the high and low points of when an American human woman and a sexy Selkie Scottish Laird traverse the treacherous...

Ilana and Wendy turn up the heat with Deep Burn by Kimberly Kincaid, a firefighter themed romance novel. Ilana bemoans the lack of feelings talks, and Wendy turns in her book report for Stolen By an Alien. 

Things get weird when Ilana and Wendy read a novella from the Stolen By An Alien series by Amanda Milo. Our hero has horns, scales, and breathes fire...but he saves the heroine thousands in child care, so who cares!    Ilana's Drink: "Alien Cocktail for Christmas" 2...

Ilana and Wendy dip into Tattoo Parlor Romance with a torso on the cover, because that always goes well. Spoiler alert: it's not good. Weirdly heteronormative for the genre. But that's not the worst part of the novel...Ilana's Drink: "So We Meet Again"1.5 tablespoons...

Ilana and Wendy talk about the Kiss Quotient by Helen Huang, an interesting novel about an autistic heroine, written by an autistic woman. Also the hottest Disney character is...let's say it together...Robin Hood.What Michael Looks Like He groaned as suspicion dawned....

By Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy. This month's theme is Gay Hockey! Ilana, Wendy, and special guest Katharine talk The Sportz and a love affair between two hot dudes that love hockey.   Below is Ilana's drink, the Purple Skittle, and photos from Katharine's trip...

By E L James. Ilana and Wendy try out their first ever James novel, reading her latest novel that is completely outside of the Shades series. Ilana and Wendy have differing opinions, and spend most our time arguing about whether the other should or should not like...

Ilana’s Drink: The Careless Venture       1/4 cup white wine 1/4 cup seltzer 2 oz cranberry juice 2 oz whiskey Next Month's Book The Mister, by E.L. James The NYTimes article that inspired Ilana to choose this book: The Evolution of E L James. ...

by Alyssa Cole. This episode is a package of punching! Ilana and Wendy talk secret princes, cave sex, and the dubious infrastructure of a Wakanda-like country. We also dive deep into why career focused women like romances with princes and billionaires, and the dreaded...

By May Sage. This month, Ilana’s husband Matt joins us for a second time and wows us with his knowledge of remembering snowfall statistics. Wendy forgets that kidnapping is a crime, and Ilana comes up with the next big holiday: You’re Everything You Need Bagel Day.

by Pippa Grant. For season 2’s finale, Wendy and Ilana discuss “high” versus “low” literature, the outsider’s perception of the romance genre, as well as the real purpose and benefit of romance novels. We also laugh over the words “insertion” and “pink taco.”

by Melody Anne. This month, our paperback romance adventure is a two-fer, billionaire AND secret baby! We drag our friend Rosie through the romance novel world, and find out her secret love of Goodwill bargain Harlequin novels.

By Kristen Aishley. This month, Ilana and Wendy delve into biker romance! Which is, spoiler alert, just dudes in leather jackets talking about how much they love eachother! We are accomplished people! Ilana is officially an elected official, and...

By Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Our special guest Katharine joins the podcast, introducing us to her favorite problematic beach read. We talk about the contextual history of consent in romance novels, the contemporary trope "emotional virgin," and...

  by Nina Bangs. This month, Ilana and I make the excellent choice of making my sister, who has a masters in linguistics, read a time travel vampire highlander viking romance novel. Is it as bad as it sounds? To that I say, "och aye!" Ye dinnae ken...