All Of It – Heated Rivalry & More Readable Romance
Host: Alison Stewart (WNYC)
Guest: Leah Koch, co-owner of The Ripped Bodice Bookstore
Air Date: February 13, 2026
Main Theme & Purpose
This episode explores the boom in romance novels, spurred by popular TV and film adaptions such as "Heated Rivalry." Host Alison Stewart welcomes Leah Koch, co-owner of the genre-focused Ripped Bodice Bookstore, to discuss why readers are drawn to romance, how adaptations affect the genre, and recommendations for those seeking modern, inclusive love stories. Listener calls add personal reflections and deeper conversation on feminism, patriarchal themes, and representation in romance fiction.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Romance’s Surging Popularity
- Trend Drivers:
- Pandemic escapism
- Viral trends on TikTok
- Hard times increasing desire for hopeful endings
- Alison highlights a 529% increase in downloads for a single series due to a social media mention by Mayor Mamdani during a snowstorm ([00:39]).
- Leah Koch:
- “The worse things get in the real world, the better romance sales get.” ([02:31])
- Sales are more steady now, reflecting sustained demand, not just fleeting trends.
Unique Power of Romance in Print
- Depth vs. Screen
- Leah explains that reading allows a deep dive into emotional lives, often untranslatable to TV or film ([03:34]).
- Quote: “With a romance novel, you’re able to be in somebody’s head in a way you can’t [in film].” – Leah Koch ([03:34])
- Adaptation Reception
- Original fans can be critical or delighted depending on quality; “I knew the band before they were cool” effect ([04:10]).
- New adaptations welcome fresh audiences into the genre.
Listener Perspectives:
Heather from Harlem ([04:54]):
- Been reading since her teens, loves Regency historicals.
- Sees romance as wrongly stereotyped—“not just about sex” but about “character development...and personal growth.”
Elizabeth from Manhattan ([05:58]):
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Turned to romance during divorce for comfort.
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Questions whether even ‘feminist’ romances escape patriarchal norms in plot or structure.
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Leah’s Response:
- For less patriarchal stories, explore queer romance, especially outside male-female pairings ([06:52]).
- Recommendations:
- Cat Sebastian and Alexis Hall (“A Lady for a Duke”) for historicals beyond traditional gender dynamics.
Spotlight: Heated Rivalry
- Heated Rivalry ([08:19]):
- A gay sports romance following two hockey rivals/lovers—Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov.
- Themes: secrecy, yearning, masculinity, and long-term emotional arcs.
- “It explores male emotions on a level that is pretty rare in the media.” – Leah Koch ([09:51])
- Supporting Storylines:
- Scott Hunter & Kip Grady—Offer a different gay romance dynamic with different pressures (coming out vs. rivalry).
Why Women Authors Write MM Romance
- Female authors may enjoy exploring emotions between men with no threat of violence toward women ([13:04]).
- “Part of the appeal...is that there’s no threat of violence against women, which I know is a little dark, but it’s true.” – Leah Koch ([13:04])
- Leah recommends Austin Chant and returns to Alexis Hall as an example of queer-written romance.
Diverse Recommendations
- The Kennedy Rule by Casey Carmichael
- Another gay hockey romance, recommended for fans seeking a similar dynamic to Heated Rivalry ([12:13]).
- Alexa Martin
- Writer of authentic football romances, drawing from her NFL-player-husband’s experience ([14:39]).
- Leah’s favorite: the football series.
- Cleat Cute by Meryl Wilsner
- Sapphic romance set in women’s soccer; “spicy,” with themes of fame and neurodivergence ([16:00]).
- Playing for Keeps by Alexandria Bellefleur
- Features publicists for fictional football/pop star couple (Taylor & Travis-esque, but about their publicists) in a fun, meta twist ([17:05]).
- Alexis Hall’s A Lady for a Duke
- Trans historical romance; serious in tone, fully embraces genre tropes in a queer context ([18:23]).
- Hall also writes a "Great British Bake Off"–style contemporary series.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “The worse things get in the real world, the better romance sales get.” – Leah Koch ([02:31])
- “With a romance novel, you’re able to be in somebody’s head in a way you can’t [in film].” – Leah Koch ([03:34])
- “[The OG fans] feel like they’ve been there since the beginning...There’s always room for growth and we’re always happy to welcome new fans.” – Leah Koch ([04:33])
- “Most of the best [romance novels]...are really talking about...the character development...the personal growth, which I think is really fascinating.” – Heather, caller ([05:52])
- “For less patriarchal stories, you need to go beyond a male-female pairing...” – Leah Koch ([06:59])
- “It explores male emotions on a level that is pretty rare in the media in general.” – Leah Koch ([09:51])
- “Until reality can beat fantasy, why on earth would we settle for any more?” – Listener text ([15:45])
Timestamps for Major Segments
- 00:39 – Introduction & Romance’s rising popularity
- 02:31 – Leah Koch on why bad times fuel romance reading
- 03:34 – Books vs. Screen and the inner life of characters
- 04:54 – Caller Heather: What draws readers to romance
- 05:58 – Caller Elizabeth: Feminism, patriarchy, and genre limitations
- 06:52 – Leah’s recommendations for less-patriarchal romances (Cat Sebastian, Alexis Hall)
- 08:19 – Deep dive: Heated Rivalry & what makes it special
- 11:16 – Discussion of different couple dynamics (Scott & Kip)
- 12:13 – Book rec: The Kennedy Rule by Casey Carmichael
- 13:04 – On women writing MM romance
- 14:39 – Discussing Alexa Martin’s authentic football romances
- 16:00 – Sapphic pick: Cleat Cute by Meryl Wilsner
- 17:05 – Publicist romance: Playing for Keeps
- 18:23 – Alexis Hall, queer historicals, and Bake Off novels
Tone & Community
The tone is lively, inclusive, and warm, with a decidedly feminist and progressive flavor. The conversation highlights the diversity of experiences in romance fiction, the expanding boundaries of the genre, and a welcoming spirit to newcomers in the romance community.
Summary Table of Recommendations
| Title | Author | Type/Notes | |-------------------------------|---------------------|-------------------------------------| | Heated Rivalry (Game Changer) | Rachel Reid | Gay hockey, rivals-to-lovers | | The Kennedy Rule | Casey Carmichael | Gay hockey romance | | Cat Sebastian novels | Cat Sebastian | Queer, historical | | A Lady for a Duke | Alexis Hall | Trans, historical, serious tone | | Cleat Cute | Meryl Wilsner | Sapphic, women’s soccer, spicy | | Playing for Keeps | Alexandria Bellefleur| Sapphic, publicists, pop/sports star| | Alexa Martin football series | Alexa Martin | Authentic, NFL background | | Austin Chant novels | Austin Chant | Own-voices queer romance |
For readers and listeners seeking joyful, emotional, and boundary-pushing love stories, this episode is a vibrant guide to the best of contemporary romance fiction, with insights into both the personal and cultural forces driving the genre.