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Fated Mates - Romance Books for Novel People
07.27: What I Did for a Duke: This Gentleman is Completely Composed of Revenge Molecules
01:26:56
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- [00:00]
Sarah MacLean
I have something I was gonna say for Banter plus this month, but I think I'm actually gonna just put it here on me.
- [00:04]
Jennifer Prokop
Okay, I'm ready.
- [00:05]
Sarah MacLean
Hi, everyone. Welcome to Fated mates. I'm Sarah MacLaine. I write. No. What do I do? I read romance novels and I write them.
- [00:14]
Jennifer Prokop
I was like, I don't know.
- [00:16]
Sarah MacLean
I don't know what you do.
- [00:17]
Jennifer Prokop
I am Jennifer Prokup, a romance reader and editor.
- [00:22]
Sarah MacLean
And this past week, the New York Public Library decided that romance novels are a thing. And they basically set up this, like, giant romance reader. I don't know, maybe like 150 or 200 people from all across the city got tickets to come to the Main Library on 42nd street, the one with the lions outside. The, like, really nice big building built by Andrew Carnegie. I don't know if that's 100% true, but it feels true.
- [00:52]
Jennifer Prokop
That's all that matters these days.
- [00:53]
Sarah MacLean
So it's fine. Exactly. And it was an evening event. And, like, it was basically like New York romance. People hung out. So fun, did romance stuff in the library and so not, like, did romance stuff in the library. You know what I mean?
- [01:07]
Jennifer Prokop
I'm glad you corrected me. You all know what I mean, Because I was having a moment.
- [01:12]
Sarah MacLean
So it was like a very cool group of authors were there. I mean, lots of authors who. Later somebody told me Betty Cruella was there. And I was like, well, I didn't see her. Like, there were lots of people who were there who I didn't see. But I did hang out with Adriana, Alexis, Daria, Priscilla Oliveiras, Rachel Griffiths, brand new, brand spanking new romance novelist. Joanna Shoup came in. Celestine Martin was there. It was really fun. It was like a very. Zoraida Cordova was there. Like, it was a. First of all, it was like a who's who of fated mates guess. And then. And it was really cool. And they had a bingo card that they had built because there's also, like, the New York. Well, as you know, as you know.
- [01:54]
Jennifer Prokop
I spoke to them, right?
- [01:56]
Sarah MacLean
The New York Public Library romance committee was all there and they were so fun. Everybody was having a great time. And the romance committee had put together a bingo card for everybody. And the bingo card included, like, all sorts of, like, romance y stuff. Like you prefer you're Team Werewolf or like you exclusively read books that have only one bed or. And one of the boxes was, you get your romance recommendations from fated mates.
- [02:28]
Jennifer Prokop
Stop it.
- [02:29]
Sarah MacLean
Isn't that so nice? I wish I had a picture of it, but I don't.
- [02:32]
Jennifer Prokop
I meant to.
- [02:33]
Sarah MacLean
I didn't do that.
- [02:34]
Jennifer Prokop
Maybe I'll. And then email my new friends at the librarians and be like, can you send me and ask?
- [02:40]
Sarah MacLean
It was really fun. And so the way that bingo worked was like, you had to, like, mingle and like, find people who could help you.
- [02:46]
Jennifer Prokop
I love that.
- [02:47]
Sarah MacLean
Tick off your boxes. It was really cool. And. But here's what happened. So when you got your ticket, you were also asked for to bring a book for a massive romance book exchange. And like, when you got there, it was blind date with a book. And so there was wrapping there. Like, there was wrapping paper and tape and like crayons and pencils so that you could wrap the book up and then like, blind date with a book. You know, write your blind date with date with a book stuff on it. So we all did this. We all were very, you know, focused on what books we were going to bring. You know, we got there, we all wrapped up our books and put them on the table. And then they, like, told everybody that they could go and, you know, select their books. So I ran into Catherine from the Rip Bodice Brooklyn there. I mean, like, it was really, honestly, kind of amazing. Like, everybody in romance in New York was. Was in this room. I ran into Catherine and some of her friends, and Catherine had picked up a mass market sized book and all it said on it was romance in Italy. And so she and I were looking at, she was holding and it was wrapped. And I was like, what is this? And she was like, I know, it's weird, right? It's mass market. And so we started. I was like, wait, I want to try and guess like before we open this up. And I was like, in Italy, it's mass market, so maybe it's like historical. Like, Matt, there was no mass market on the table at all. And I was like, this is wild. Like, there. What? Actually, that's not true. There was one mass market, and I can't even remember what it said, but I put my finger on it. I was like, this is Joanna shoot book.
- [04:24]
Jennifer Prokop
And it was amazing.
- [04:27]
Sarah MacLean
This is where, like, you know, our particular set of skills really sings. So this is why I was really struggling with romance in Italy. Like, what could it be? And then I was like, romance in Italy in general is. Is rare. Like, there's that one Bella Andre, but that's not a mass market. And then I got really frustrated because I, like, could only think of one romance in Italy. And I flipped it over and I did that thing. It was wrapped in White paper. And I sort of, like, did that thing where I tried to, like, figure it out. And I was like, oh, no, because it had, like, big block letters on the back.
- [05:01]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah.
- [05:02]
Sarah MacLean
And I was like, this is not a romance novel. I don't know what this is. Lady Chatterley's Lover.
- [05:09]
Jennifer Prokop
Did you then find the person and expel them from the gathering?
- [05:12]
Sarah MacLean
Then I was like, there is an imposter in our midst. Nobody. I was basically like, close the doors. No one leaves.
- [05:23]
Jennifer Prokop
We're figuring this out. I became, through a bomb in here, her Cool Toaro.
- [05:30]
Sarah MacLean
I was like, we gotta find the.
- [05:32]
Jennifer Prokop
Person who did this.
- [05:35]
Sarah MacLean
Person who thought this was a good idea. And then I told the women at the library. I was like, I have a point of order for next time. It should be like, if Lady Chatterley's Lover. Like, then we have to figure out who the imposter is.
- [05:54]
Jennifer Prokop
It's like. Or like you go home with, you know, Fight Club, that book or whatever by that guy.
- [05:59]
Sarah MacLean
Yeah.
- [05:59]
Jennifer Prokop
You don't deserve nice things anymore.
- [06:01]
Sarah MacLean
One book said, not a romance underlined. So at least there was that, right? And then it was like, trigger warning. Drowning. Get ready to be sad. And I was like, what is this doing here? And then Adriana found somebody who had a Gloria Steinem biography. And I was like, some of you have misunderstood the assignment.
- [06:21]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah. They're like, I'm just gonna bring a book, I guess.
- [06:23]
Sarah MacLean
But also, Jen, it was really a delight because there was an older gentleman there who. So on every table were, like, wrapping stuff and bingo cards.
- [06:32]
Jennifer Prokop
I'm going to bring up little stickers and go all over the city of Chicago and just put, like, a little sticker on every copy of Lady Chatterley's Lover. Now that says romance in Italy.
- [06:44]
Sarah MacLean
Imagine, like, poor Catherine.
- [06:47]
Jennifer Prokop
Also, I could do that on Romeo and Juliet, of course.
- [06:52]
Sarah MacLean
I mean, what I will say is we didn't open it. We just, like, snot. We like. We sleuthed out that it was Lady Chatterloo's Lover. And then she threw it back on the table.
- [07:00]
Jennifer Prokop
Yes, she did.
- [07:01]
Sarah MacLean
On every table were, you know, wrapping stuff and. And, you know, some other cool things. Stickers, bingo cards, and a puzzle. And I was like, what a nice addition. And they were, like 100 piece puzzles, like, easily completed in a couple hours. And so I was like, that's such a clever idea. There was one older man who was there. He was not there for the romance novels, Jen. He was just quietly doing his puzzle at one of these tables. And I was like, this man is perfection. Like, he was just like, I don't know what's happening. I don't know why all these people are being so loud. Like, I just want to do my puzzle and piece here in the Celeste Bartos forum at the New York Public Library main branch.
- [07:44]
Jennifer Prokop
That sounds delightful.
- [07:46]
Sarah MacLean
It was really fun. If you're in New York, you can go and sign up and go to the library website and sign up to be notified when we have another one. And as I understand, they will be regular occurrences, and they should be, because so many people were there. It was really fun.
- [08:02]
Jennifer Prokop
Those New York public librarians are the best.
- [08:05]
Sarah MacLean
They are. And they. Everybody loves you, Jen. I ran into them, them both, and they were like, jen's the best. We have such a fun time. And he's like, jen is the best.
- [08:17]
Jennifer Prokop
I. I like to think so. But, you know, I mean, you never do know. You never know. I'm also some people's worst enemy.
- [08:24]
Sarah MacLean
Well, not mine yet. We're not beefing, and that's because we've read a great book.
- [08:29]
Jennifer Prokop
All right, Sarah. So this week, everybody, we are discussing what I Did for a Duke by Julie M. Long. And I'm gonna tell you. At one point, several years ago, we did a really fun episode. We had somebody win an auction, and they requested a really fun topic, which was, like, talking about books that are, like, in the vault. And what we had talked about at that point was, like, books you own, but you are, like, waiting for, like, a rainy day or, you know, fascism to read. And I am going to say that I'm going to put what I did for Duke in a bit of a different bucket, because I. This is not a book I owned, but this is a book that I have seen people talk about for years.
- [09:08]
Sarah MacLean
Yes.
- [09:08]
Jennifer Prokop
And it is a book that those people are passionately in love with. Like, I have seen romance readers, I deeply respect their. Their, like, their advice, their, you know, like, their recommendations say that this is one of not just their favorite Julianne Long books, but one of their favorite historical romances. Full stop. Yep. And for whatever reason, though, like, you know how almost that can be a little intimidating because you're like, well, what if I don't like it? Or, you know, whatever. And so this was a book that had just been like, whatever is like, the next galaxy over from it's in the Vaults is like, everyone's talking about it. I trust those people. But for whatever reason, I am just gonna leave it there for my, like, my next starship. Right.
- [10:04]
Sarah MacLean
Yes.
- [10:04]
Jennifer Prokop
When I read the Beast Takes a Bride because Everyone knows I am absolute fucking garbage for a lady. Beauty and the Beast retelling.
- [10:14]
Sarah MacLean
Yes.
- [10:14]
Jennifer Prokop
And I loved it so much that when we talked about doing a read along, like our next read along, I was like, you know what? Let's do this. What I did for a duke. Everyone says this book is amazing and I've never read it. In fact, I like literally had to buy it. It was like, I mean, I, I was like, wait, how is this not even in my, you know, on my E Reader? So that was sort of like the way that I came to this book because I really, it had, I'd been so aware of it, but just really was like, I don't know, can I. I'm flying too close to the sun.
- [10:46]
Sarah MacLean
Listen, this book is great.
- [10:48]
Jennifer Prokop
And you had read it before, correct?
- [10:50]
Sarah MacLean
I read it in 2011 when it came out. And at this point Julian Long had been around for a while. This is book five in the Penny Royal Green series. And Patty Royal Green I don't think is her first series.
- [11:05]
Jennifer Prokop
She, at the point when I heard about this book was in the middle of actually writing a contemporary series.
- [11:11]
Sarah MacLean
Yeah, Whiskey Creek.
- [11:13]
Jennifer Prokop
Correct. And I think I read one of those and, and liked it, but was not at that point, like, kind of like, I don't remember which one. It was like I liked it, it was great. You know what I mean? But I think I was kind of like, oh well, I'll just wait to get to this historical. So I mean, I think that's the other thing is at that point she had been, you know, it was kind of like doing both. Right now she's I think back firmly writing historicals.
- [11:36]
Sarah MacLean
Actually, now that I'm looking, I feel like there was one series before and then now she's writing the palace of Rogues series, which is different. So she. So there are 11 books in the Penny Royal Green series.
- [11:51]
Jennifer Prokop
Talking about a woman not afraid of a long series.
- [11:53]
Sarah MacLean
My God, no, it's terrific. But also, of course not because this.
- [11:57]
Jennifer Prokop
Is a small town and a big ass family.
- [11:59]
Sarah MacLean
We've talked about this a lot, just over the years on, on random episodes. But like every, for a long time, like regencies were just small town romances packaged in historicals. Right. Even the London of it all felt like a small town because the aristocracy was such like rarefied air. Anyway, Julianne Long wrote was in the middle of Penny Royal Green when this, when this book came out. And this whole series is really great because I think she's doing. I've been thinking about like a number of different Things that she does in this series that tend not to be like common place in historicals, but it's very smart. It's a really like thoughtfully conceived series. It's obviously. It centers around a small town, the. The town of Penny Royal Green, right, Where there are two families that are at each. They're like the, you know, Montagues and the Capulets or those, you know, Dukes of Hazzard families. And they hate each other. And they hate each other because for generations they have hated each other and no one has any idea why they hate each other, but they just do.
- [13:11]
Jennifer Prokop
My favorite.
- [13:12]
Sarah MacLean
So that's the sort of like backbone of the whole series. The first book, Perils of Pleasure, I think it's called, is like. It begins with this kind of like there's the youngest son of the. Of the. Of the Eversea family is about to be hanged for infractions and then he is saved and then they fall in love. And it sort of teased. The whole series is like teed up with this big kind of wild setup. Like there's, you know, Colin. It's almost. She drops you into a small town in. In historicals with this. Like, he's a. This is the Victorian era. Like early Victorian era. And like this guy's about to be hanged, like. And so you sort of have this feeling of like what. Everything feels just heightened in these books. Like all the characters are dialed up. All the. All the events that happen feel like big in some way. And then here comes this book. This like what I did for Duke, which is a much sort of. It like settles the whole book sort of settles into these two people. One of the things I think is really interesting though is that all of these. Maybe not all. I don't want to speak to all, but I'm now down the rabbit hole of rereading these Penny Royal Green books. And what's really interesting is the beginning of both the first book and what I did with the Duke. The POV is a third character.
- [14:49]
Jennifer Prokop
You guys, this book is so good.
- [14:51]
Sarah MacLean
It's really great. Okay.
- [14:53]
Jennifer Prokop
Right. I feel like I should go back and be like, I, you know, I was like, oh, all these people said it was so great. And I was like, oh, yeah, they were right. This book slaps. It is so from the jump. From the jump. And that is the part that I was also really interested in because I will read a book out of order. And in this book, Sarah, I'm gonna. I'm not gonna lie to you. Do you wanna hear this? Ah, boy. Did not even Read the back of this book. I like, was like, all right, people love this book. I'm gonna start it. Yeah.
- [15:21]
Sarah MacLean
No, I rarely read a back. If somebody recommends me a book, I.
- [15:24]
Jennifer Prokop
Just dove right into the pool. And then I was like, wait, who is this idiot? Chaos readers, who is this idiot crawling up.
- [15:30]
Sarah MacLean
Yeah.
- [15:30]
Jennifer Prokop
Crawling up a tree. And it turns out it is the heroine's brother, Ian. And what happens is he is essentially having a delightful little affair with the fiance of the Duke.
- [15:45]
Sarah MacLean
Falcon Bridge.
- [15:46]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah. Does she ever get her ha. Or she just on the road now?
- [15:50]
Sarah MacLean
I don't remember. I think she's out in the wind.
- [15:54]
Jennifer Prokop
So anyway, she went to Italy, if I remember correctly, after. After this situation. So Ian has been climbing up her trellis and, like, kind of, they've been having a little hanky panky. And tonight is the night they're going to, like, seal the deal. Go all the way. He's pretty sure, because she said to him, I'll be like, naked in my bed.
- [16:12]
Sarah MacLean
Yeah. And it's been three nights. And of course, you know, third date rule here.
- [16:19]
Jennifer Prokop
Correct. Well, and of course, the thing now here, let me tell you, when I was like, wait, what's going on here? Because if these two are the actual main couple of this book, then this book is not starting in the right place. Right. So I was like, I guess I have to figure out who these main characters are. And I was like, okay, it's not Ian. He's just a distractor. Well, the Alexander. How do you say his last name? Sarah Moncrief.
- [16:46]
Sarah MacLean
The Moncrief.
- [16:47]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah. Okay. Alex Moncrief is the Duke. And just as Ian takes off his clothes and slips into the bed with a beautiful lady, Abigail, there is the sound of another person in the room. And perhaps. And that person is incredibly pissed off. And it is the Duke. Right?
- [17:09]
Sarah MacLean
Yes. And he's, like, dark and angry. Definitely.
- [17:16]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah.
- [17:17]
Sarah MacLean
I mean, you get the sense that this man could easily just, like, dispatch young Ian without thought.
- [17:24]
Jennifer Prokop
Listen, the rest of us are made up of, like, the regular stuff people made up. This gentleman is completely composed of revenge molecules. And so Ian is. I mean, and like, to put. Not to put too fine a point on this, he throws all Ian's clothes out of the. Out of the room and then is like, go ahead and climb down. Like, basically makes him climb down the tree. And the part that is really amazing about it is. And this is, I think, one of the things that. Well, let me, like, essentially Ian's like. Is kind of like has the gall to Sort of ask like, right, like, okay, but what are you going to do? I understand that this. There will be more coming me. You're made of revenge molecules. And it's like he was not a kind man. He did not forgive and it was true. Nobody liked him. What makes you think I intend to do anything? Basically, it is very clear that he is going to take his revenge, but he's gonna like figure out, figure out, take some time to figure out what that is.
- [18:32]
Sarah MacLean
So in that moment, in that very first scene, he feels very, I mean like the moment he speaks from the darkness, you're like, oh no wait, that's the hero.
- [18:41]
Jennifer Prokop
Silly me. There he is.
- [18:43]
Sarah MacLean
Oh wait, there he is.
- [18:45]
Jennifer Prokop
This is like me. I was reading some book the other day, one of these like MC romances I like and they described like the, you know, brutal, terrifying enforcer. And I was like, where's his book? Like garbage human.
- [18:57]
Sarah MacLean
Exactly. And it's interesting because this is, this is often my problem with small town romances in general. Right. Which is I'm so intrigued by so many of the like side characters. Like Polly, who works at the, at the pub and is like obviously in love with Colin, but Colin's married at this point. Like, so what's the deal with Polly? Polly's not in a future book. Like she. And I'm sort of like, was there a plan, Julianne? Like, were you supposed to get to poly? Who was she gonna end up with?
- [19:32]
Jennifer Prokop
This week's episode of Faded Mates is brought to you by Lume Gummies. Consistent, mellow and super delicious. Lume gummies are specifically designed to make you feel good, not stoned.
- [19:43]
Sarah MacLean
So whether you're looking for an end of day distressor or a midday mood boost or help getting the best sleep ever, Lumi Gummies has a strain that's right for you. So Jen uses them. We've talked a lot about this at to get sleep and I have been known to have a husband who walks past me when I am just on the ceiling spiraling a bit, press a gummy into my hand and say, maybe you want this. So I think I'm, I'm in the end of day distressor but sort of, you know, it's not always at the end of the day. But I want to talk about midday mood boost here because I met somebody the other day who is a writer who told me that she takes a gummy before she writes, which feels very like Hemingway. Like write drunk, addict, sober. But the thing about Looming labs is these gummies are sort of designed to not make you feel super stoned or really stoned at all. So the reality is, is that she takes a gummy and then, like, feels creative. She feels energized. You know, this is how she kind of focuses and gets herself into the rhythm of writing. And I gotta tell you, I am armed now with Pina colada Kush, which is a sativa dominant gummy from Lumilabs. And I'm gonna do that this week. I'm gonna. With a gummy ahead of time.
- [21:00]
Jennifer Prokop
Yes.
- [21:01]
Sarah MacLean
If it gets me focused. Because right now, my problem, like a lot of people, so hard to focus. So you can get your Lumi Gummies right now available nationwide. Go to lumigummies.com, that's L U M I-gummies.com and use the code faded mates for 30 off your order. Again, that's Lumigummies. L u m I gummies.com. code faded mates. Thanks to Lumi Gummies for sponsoring this week's episode. So. But what's really fascinating about this is so he speaks from the darkness. And listen, anybody who is like, old school romance coded, the way you and I are like, oh, there's our hero now, the problem is that he's real old school. And I think. And we'll get into the fact that this is a. This is a big age gap romance too. And, like, there's a lot going on here related to, like, age and experience and maturity and what we want in the world. Like what we think we want versus what we actually want. Like, this is a really, like, thoughtful, nuanced book when it comes to that. However, there is something very old school about this man in that first. The. When we first. First see him and the way that he's instantly like, fuck you, Ian. Like, I'm gonna ruin your life, Right? That's a real, like, 1980s historical hero kind of way of being. Revenge molecules.
- [22:25]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah.
- [22:27]
Sarah MacLean
We immediately move from his. From Ian's point of view into the point of view of Alex, our hero. And he. When Ian, like, he, you know, throws Ian's stuff out the window, and Ian's, like, out the window naked, doing whatever it is he's doing because he's. His book doesn't come for a little bit longer. Right? And then Alex turns to the bed where his fiance is.
- [22:50]
Jennifer Prokop
Yes.
- [22:51]
Sarah MacLean
And he thinks to himself, like, she's so beautiful. I could have loved her.
- [22:58]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah.
- [22:58]
Sarah MacLean
Like, we. I could have made her happy. And what's interesting about this. And then she sort of the. She, like, lets. Lets her blanket slip. She lets him see her boobs. And, like, there's a kind of moment where, like, she's obviously trying to, like, save herself in all of this. And he's like, I'm kind of brokenhearted about this. Like, I. I could have loved this woman. What we don't know at this point, though, is that he has loved before. Like, there's something so modern about him. So, like, I guess what I'm trying to say is this book. We've talked about this in the past. Like, there are some books that really speak to me as a reader of romance for a long time.
- [23:46]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah.
- [23:47]
Sarah MacLean
And this is one of those books where I can see, like, Julianne Long is saying, like, hey, see this hero from the 80s?
- [23:55]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah.
- [23:56]
Sarah MacLean
Now imagine him, like, refracted through the lens of now. And so he has both. He's a really beautiful mix of these two.
- [24:05]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah. I think there's a part, the other part that's, like, really, like, the, like, poignancy of this moment. Right. Is that she says something to him. Right. Which is basically like, your armor is the notion that nobody likes you. I do believe you revel in it. And he is sort of, like, amazed at how astute this is, because up until this point, he'd really just seen her as beautiful. He was attracted to her. He sort of thought, like, I could. She could be the one. But, like, the loss in that moment is, like, with this statement, he realizes, like, she really could have been the one. Right. Like, there was something more to her even than I realized. But I think the other thing that I really found myself thinking about, and, you know, listen, I'm. This is not head hopping, right? Like, once we go. Once we shift into his point of view, out of Ian's, we stay there. But it's a really. The thing that. That you lose when you don't allow occasionally. Right. I'm not saying all the time, blah, blah, but when you see a character like this through someone else's eyes, it is a way the character cannot see themselves. Right. And so at this moment, it's such a really interesting way to ground us in that this is going to be a book about this man who has Ben seen, who has engineered being seen a certain way, having to let that go to be happy. Right. It is built right into the system from the very beginning. And the only way to get there is to show us him through other people's eyes first. It's brilliant. It's such a brilliant setup for, like, the journey that he's gonna go on.
- [25:58]
Sarah MacLean
It's so Clever. And it's so cleverly done because another author, right? I say this all the time. Like you can have romance is not. Not all romances are the same. I'm just so annoyed by people who say it because this tee up, right? Ian Eversea has like ruined my wedding. Humiliated me. Yeah, exactly. And now I'm going to take revenge by taking from him what he took from me. Right? A classic, an absolute banger of a plot. And he goes off to a country house party. He invites himself, by the way. Yes, to a country house party.
- [26:46]
Jennifer Prokop
The he wants.
- [26:47]
Sarah MacLean
Yeah, that's mentioned throughout the whole book. And listen, this is one of the greatest things about historical romance that like basically you want to know why that character could do whatever it is. It's because he's a fucking duke.
- [27:02]
Jennifer Prokop
Yes.
- [27:02]
Sarah MacLean
It's because no one's gonna tell him he can't. And he says it multiple times in this book. Like there's a moment where he's like, everyone wants to go do something and he's like, I'm hungry.
- [27:15]
Jennifer Prokop
So they all go eat.
- [27:16]
Sarah MacLean
Like, or like a moment when he's staring at Genevieve, his heroine across a dinner table. And like everyone notices but no one says anything because he's a duke. What are you gonna do? Anyway, so this duke invites himself to a country house party at the Everseas house. And they're like, I guess he's coming. And then Ian is like, oh no, this is gonna be terrible. And then we get there and we know, we know the tee up, we know he's already said I'm gonna, I'm gonna seduce the boring like plain looking one sister Genevieve and leave her high and dry. And that's just gonna be that. And I can do it because I have been wronged.
- [28:01]
Jennifer Prokop
Yes.
- [28:02]
Sarah MacLean
And then of course we've seen this happen a million times, right? Where like they soften to each other. He realizes she's not that boring, she's not that plain looking. She's very clever and she's stunning. Like when she smiles and it's all perfect and in the hands of another author this could have gone to. And then it's revealed and that's the dark moment of the book. And like it's all broken, but she clocks it.
- [28:29]
Jennifer Prokop
I was so delighted by that. So here's what happens, right? So the, the chapter, chapter one ends. And I thought it was smart. It's not a prologue, it's chapter one. And then chapter two is like kind of picks up. It's not that much later. He has very quickly Just, you know, kind of figured out, like, what he's going to do, which is show. Show up at this. This house party.
- [28:50]
Sarah MacLean
It's like a week later.
- [28:51]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah.
- [28:51]
Sarah MacLean
It's like, not anytime.
- [28:53]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah. And I think before we get to sort of her clocking it, I think the other thing that so is important is then we get. When we first meet Genevieve, she is convinced that her childhood love. She has had, like, a two childhood best friends and she is sort of. She's been silently in love with Harry for her whole life, it feels like. And the third of their kind of trio is their friend and Harry is young, is her age, she's 20. He is a viscount. But of course, you know, like many people, he has no money or whatever, but they have a third friend, Lady Millicent, and the three of them are essentially like three peas in a pod. Right. Like, they are always together. And so Harry gets her and it's really clear she's sort of like, giving a little bit of the backstory, but she is, you know, she is in love with Harry. And so the house party's coming and he asks her to go for a walk and she is convinced that he is going to ask her to marry him. She's like, surely everyone must know how I am deeply in love with Harry.
- [30:16]
Sarah MacLean
It has always been me and Harry.
- [30:18]
Jennifer Prokop
Yes. Even. Yes, Millicent's there, but that does not change the way I feel about Harry. And surely. Yeah.
- [30:25]
Sarah MacLean
And they, like, are a perfect match. Like, they both love art, they both love, like, they're. They're both friendly, they both love the outdoors. They're like.
- [30:33]
Jennifer Prokop
They're perfect for each other. Right. And so when he gets her out there, he says that what he's planning to do is ask Millicent to marry him. And what we see in this moment is Genevieve's hardwired to make peace with people. She's like a younger sibling. She. There's all this stuff and so she just kind of like, blinks, you know, blinks at him. And inside she is screaming and she just essentially, like, goes along with it. And it's really, I think, like no one has ever. No one ever sees her, Right? Yeah, no one ever sees her. And then along comes Alex, who it takes, actually, I just look back. Abigail calls him Alex, but it takes a really long time for Alex to call himself Alex, even. Along comes the Duke, right, to crash the house party, and he immediately sees her the way no one else has. He sees that she's in love with Harry.
- [31:40]
Sarah MacLean
He immediately. He sees her and he's like, oh, that's the boring one. I'm gonna do that. I'm gonna seduce that one. Because there is another sister, Olivia, who is, like, an ice queen. Like, she's waiting around for book 11 penetrable. And that's because she's the last book in the series.
- [31:55]
Jennifer Prokop
Well. And everyone knows she's in love with Lion Redmond. And he's been gone, and clearly there's been some sort of drama with them.
- [32:01]
Sarah MacLean
And so what you don't know is that in the first. Because you haven't read the series, but in the first book, it's established that she broke his heart and he left. Like, he disappeared. No one knows what happened to him. He's probably in the fault, but it was Olivia's fault. So. Because he does, he sees it. He's like, it's Genevieve. She's gonna be the easy one. And, like, within minutes, he's like, oh.
- [32:23]
Jennifer Prokop
No, too bad she's in love with this dummy. Right.
- [32:27]
Sarah MacLean
Right. So then there's, like. Then what's really interesting is this book, actually, not a ton happens. Like, it's a very sort of tightly.
- [32:40]
Jennifer Prokop
The.
- [32:41]
Sarah MacLean
The walls are all pulled in very close around this family. We don't interact with anybody other than the people who are at this house party.
- [32:48]
Jennifer Prokop
Right.
- [32:48]
Sarah MacLean
It's, like, really forced proximity.
- [32:50]
Jennifer Prokop
Yes.
- [32:51]
Sarah MacLean
Happening here. And he pretty quickly discovers that, like, he can fuck with Ian, like, and torment Ian while simultaneously, like, enjoying himself with Genevieve. And he clocks very quickly that she's wildly brokenhearted, related to Harry marrying Millicent.
- [33:17]
Jennifer Prokop
Wanting to marry Millicent.
- [33:18]
Sarah MacLean
That's what I was just about to get into. So Harry is, like, dragging his feet on marrying, on proposing to Millicent. And it's, like, kind of a weird thing that goes on where, like, she's. You know, Genevieve is like. Her heart is in her chest. I mean, her. Your heart is always in your chest. Everybody. Her heart is in her throat all the time when she's with them. Because there's this kind of, like, looming cloud of, when is Harry gonna propose? Is he gonna do it in front of everybody? Is she gonna have to pretend to be happy? Like, is she going, what's gonna happen? And no one really, in the whole book, none of her family, like, nobody notices that she's, like, really on edge.
- [34:04]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah.
- [34:05]
Sarah MacLean
Except for Alex, who gets it and, like, instantly is like, oh, I can simultaneously mess with Ian and enjoy myself by being with this woman who's, like, the most entertaining person at this party and also, like, convince her that what I'm trying to do is, like, make Harry jealous. And there's a great moment where they're sitting together and they're like, on a grassy knoll. And, like, he says to her, like, you're in love with Harry. And she sort of demurs. And then he says, has he kissed you? Like, have you kissed? And she says, he kissed my hand, and it was the greatest kiss.
- [34:50]
Jennifer Prokop
Well, she doesn't tell him it was her hand. She does say, he kissed me.
- [34:53]
Sarah MacLean
Oh, right. And he guesses that it was her hand.
- [34:55]
Jennifer Prokop
It's so humiliating.
- [34:56]
Sarah MacLean
I mean, he's perfect. He's such a classic romance hero, because romance heroes are kings, and romance heroes know everything. And so, like, he's like, it's the hand. And she's like. And she blushes because it was his hand. Her hand, rather. They're on a grassy knoll and everybody's, like, sort of away. And then Harry turns back and, like, looks at.
- [35:17]
Jennifer Prokop
She.
- [35:17]
Sarah MacLean
He makes her laugh. Alex makes Genevieve laugh, and she laughs, and it's, like, real. It's like a real laugh. And he takes it as, like, full triumph at his own. Like, he's so arrogant. He's like, look at me. I'm amazing. And then Harry looks back and she. They all notice that Harry. And the writing in these moments is really great because the POV is all. Obviously, it's all third person, and you're usually, like, through the lens of one character. But there are these moments where Julianne Long lets you see every. Like, you. You pull. She pulls you out, and you see the whole game board. And then Genevieve is like, wait a second. Why is Harry glowering over here? And it's because he's put two fingers. Alex has put, like, two fingers on the back of her hand.
- [36:07]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah.
- [36:09]
Sarah MacLean
And, like, she's so aware of his touch. And he's like, your hand is. You know, you have very soft skin. And he keeps saying, like, these wildly sexy things, but, like, not in a sexy way. And she's like, what is happening? Like, poor Genevieve is getting, like, full, like, fuzz brain. Like, she just. All the time.
- [36:31]
Jennifer Prokop
Well, and I think one of the things that I think is really. Oh, my God, there's so many brilliant things about this book. But one of the things that's really brilliant is all of her feelings of desire for Harry have been filtered through the lens of friendship, of, like, a true love that she has for him. And now she's feeling those feelings with a startling intensity for a man that she can tell is probably up to no good. Right. Or has. Or she doesn't trust. Has done this so many times. Now, the other part of this, remember, is, okay, Sarah had mentioned this earlier when we first meet Abigail, and he thought I could really love her. Is there. As soon as we are sort of introduced to him again, there is this rumor that Alex was responsible for his wife's death, that he poisoned her. So it's not just that he is dangerous to men. Right. Like, there is, you know, like, that Alex is intimidated and frightened by him, but also that potentially he is a danger, a literal danger to women. Right. That he killed his first wife. And so she is, like, completely like. I mean, the fuzz brain is like, I am attracted to him. Like, what is going on? And it's just, I think in the same scene where he essentially. They talk about what happened with Ian. Right, Because. Or actually, no, what happened with Abigail, because everyone is also very aware that they. The two of them has, you know, the story is. Have mutually agreed to, like, break off this engagement. And she sort of like, you know, did you. Did you love her? And he. And he tells her the story, essentially, about catching Ian. Yep. Up in the. Up in the tree and. Or catching, you know, and. And all of. And really, I thought it was really interesting, like, kind of willing to reveal. Essentially.
- [38:24]
Sarah MacLean
Yeah. He tells her the truth.
- [38:25]
Jennifer Prokop
The humiliation that this was. Right.
- [38:28]
Sarah MacLean
This is where we have to talk about the age difference. Because, yes, he's so honest with her.
- [38:36]
Jennifer Prokop
Yes.
- [38:36]
Sarah MacLean
This man does not lie.
- [38:38]
Jennifer Prokop
No.
- [38:39]
Sarah MacLean
And he tells her, and he's sort of shocked by his own truthfulness with her. But, like, the reality is. Is, like, the juxtaposition of, like, young whippersnapper Harry, who is, like, blonde and dumb, like a true himbo. Right. Like, out there in the woods, and Alex, like, tall and dark and 40 years old with, like, gray at the side of his temples and, like. And a man who has been through it. Right.
- [39:12]
Jennifer Prokop
Yes.
- [39:12]
Sarah MacLean
Because we don't. This is not where we find out what happened to his wife, but there is this beautiful moment later on where she says, tell me about his. Your wife. And he said. He explains, like, his wife was allergic to oysters and she died.
- [39:27]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah, right.
- [39:27]
Sarah MacLean
Like, she. She had oysters for the first time and died. Then he. She's like, were you very sad? And he's like, I. I was afraid. I was scared because I couldn't save her. Like, I couldn't keep her safe. And then he says, it was a terrible day, and it was worse even than the day my. My child died.
- [39:46]
Jennifer Prokop
Yes.
- [39:47]
Sarah MacLean
And we Are all like, none of us knew that. And she didn't know that he'd had a baby, that they'd had a baby. And she, she, then she starts to ask these really interesting questions, like, did you love her? Was she very beautiful? And she says, was she very beautiful? And he's like, what a thing. Like, what a thing a woman would ask, like. And he was like, you don't want to know if she was beautiful. You want to know if you are more beautiful. And he's like, and it doesn't matter. She was beautiful to me.
- [40:17]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah.
- [40:17]
Sarah MacLean
And like there are these powerful moments in this book where he's like, yes. Over and over and over. Yeah, he's like a grown man saying grown up things and Harry is a child saying childish things and doing child. Like the juxtaposition of these two men and the disgust that Alex has for Harry.
- [40:42]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah, we'll talk about that at the end because it takes a while.
- [40:45]
Sarah MacLean
No, I mean, but like, but he's a little bit disgusted by. Look, at the end. He's disgusted for a real reason. But like, he's pretty disgusted by Harry from the jump.
- [40:55]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah, it's true. Like, it's true.
- [40:56]
Sarah MacLean
Even. Because, like, even when. Listen, this is spoilery. So if you are gonna read this book, go away and then come back. But even before everything that goes down explaining, like, where Harry's at, he hasn't made the move to actually propose to Millicent. He's sort of after Genevieve again, like, he's not saying what he really thinks. And like, this man has been through it.
- [41:22]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah.
- [41:23]
Sarah MacLean
And when he has something to say, he says it.
- [41:28]
Jennifer Prokop
This week's episode of Faded Mates is brought to you by Avery Flynn, author of airhead a Hartigan's Totally 80s hot romcom.
- [41:37]
Sarah MacLean
So this is a 20th century historical, everyone. And it is the story of the mother and father of Avery' famous Hartigans, who are the stars of some of her her biggest books. And this is the story of Katie Madigan, who cannot resist avenging her sister's broken heart in 1982 by filling that sister's cheating boyfriend's bitch in Delorean with extra buttered movie popcorn, a half melted Snickers bar, and the contents of a shaken up can of tab soda. Terrific. 80s perfection. 80s. Locked in is one problem, Jen. Katie has filled the DeLorean of not the ex boyfriend, but Frank, quote the airhead Hardigan's DeLorean. And now he needs Katie to drive him somewhere to make up for trashing his car. So on the outside, she's like, no way, I'm not interested.
- [42:40]
Jennifer Prokop
I hate you.
- [42:41]
Sarah MacLean
But on the inside, Katie has not been able to stop thinking about Frank since that night a while back when they had a one night stand. That can't happen again because Frank is not the kind of guy you fall in love with. And if you want to keep your heart in one piece, he's been breaking hearts around town forever. So no kisses, no getting hot and bothered. She will drive him around town, but that is it. Except we all literally know how this one's going to go, because later they smash a bunch of times and have a bunch of babies.
- [43:17]
Jennifer Prokop
See, look at. This is what I want. Go back in time and tell me these stories. So everybody, if you are looking forward to reading Airhead, it is available in ebook or audiobook later on this year, but right now, you just want to go and get it in ebook wherever books are sold. Thanks to Avery Flynn for sponsoring this week's episode. So again, he's the only person who has quickly kind of realized her real feelings for Harry, right? And this is like right after the scene where she's like, he kissed me. And he's like, well, has he ever brought you flowers? And she talks about, like this, like, bunch of wild flowers. He brought daisies. And then he said, well, you know, have you. Did he. Has he kissed Millicent? Has he brought Millicent flowers? And she says, you know, like, I don't know. I don't. She hasn't told me, right? And I. But we tell each other everything, right? And he said to her, he says to her, and I remember thinking, like, such a great moment because it's a moment where Genevieve feels her own youth, right? Where he says, well, if you haven't told Millicent how you feel about Harry, then you haven't told Millicent everything, have you? And she just feels like a fool, right? And not that he's made. And I want to be clear, she's not saying he's making me feel foolish.
- [44:40]
Sarah MacLean
No, he's not treating her like she's silly. In fact, he's treating her like she's his equal.
- [44:45]
Jennifer Prokop
Right, exactly. And this, I think is really important because this is not something anybody has ever treated her like, you know, her mom, her mother is essentially like, oh, my God, there's a duke here. Like, we're gonna have to. You're gonna do some things. Like this might be an opportunity for you. You know, her father's kind of always yucking it up with him. Her brother's just treat her like they love her, but they treat her like she's young. Olivia is just too cool to be believed, right? And Millicent is whatever a himbo is, but, like, she's not a bimbo, right? Like, she's not dumb, but she's.
- [45:19]
Sarah MacLean
She just wants to paint kittens. That's all she wants out of life. And listen, I support that. It's hard out here, girl.
- [45:26]
Jennifer Prokop
You really. It's like there's this moment where you see that, like, Alex is the first person who has treated her like a real person, right? Like, you have. You. He sees her. Meanwhile, through all of this, through all of this, everyone, you're thinking, well, okay, again, like you said, I can see exactly how this is going to turn out, right? He's going to, you know, continue on his revenge plan, because that's how, you know, men are.
- [45:53]
Sarah MacLean
And that's how romance heroes do, right?
- [45:56]
Jennifer Prokop
And that's how it's going to happen. And you know, that this is going to, like, the same things that we think are going to happen is going to be exactly what's going to happen. And it's not actually too far after this conversation about Millicent and the birds or whatever. And then he finally tells her about, like, what Ian did, and she sort of, like, figured, like, right. She figures it out, like, what do you plan to do? She's sort of laughing, seduced and abandoned me. I showed you. Ian ever see, I just despoiled your sister because you despoiled my fiance, right? And he's like, well, when you put it like that. And it's like, this is you all. It's a third of the way through the book.
- [46:38]
Sarah MacLean
And I thought, no, it's so great. And all of a sudden you're like, wait a second down. So what is gonna happen exactly?
- [46:45]
Jennifer Prokop
You think you know and you don't know.
- [46:47]
Sarah MacLean
Oh, can we talk about nighttime shenanigans, though?
- [46:50]
Jennifer Prokop
Yes.
- [46:52]
Sarah MacLean
God, you know, I love them so much. All right. There's nothing I like more. And nobody who's ever read a Sarah Maclean novel will disagree, right? Everyone knows this. They're going to be like, yeah, Sarah is like, things that happen at night, secret meetings at night, when the house.
- [47:12]
Jennifer Prokop
Is full of people and we're not supposed to be anywhere near each other.
- [47:15]
Sarah MacLean
I mean, it's just so great. And it's like, it is the best. So throughout this book. So this book begins with, like, a secret assignation at night. And then the first night that he's after, they've had their first Walk. She's at the window and she's like dressed in her room. She's dressed in her nightgown and she looks out and he's. The duke is in the garden and he is quiet. He's sitting on a bench and his like head is in his hands. And she's like, I wonder. She sort of vaguely thinks, like, I wonder what he's up to out there. But like, she doesn't care. She loves Harry. She's going to bed.
- [47:50]
Jennifer Prokop
Sure.
- [47:52]
Sarah MacLean
And then like more. They like spend more time during the day. And then the next night she's in. She's like, convinces herself, she tells herself she needs a specific book from the library. And she goes downstairs to the library and she walks into the library and he is in there alone.
- [48:10]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah.
- [48:11]
Sarah MacLean
And he turns and she looks at him and then she gets full panic and runs away.
- [48:18]
Jennifer Prokop
It's so awesome.
- [48:20]
Sarah MacLean
It's so great because again, another author would be like. And now they talk and instead she's like, oh shit, he's tall and handsome and dark and brooding at the window. And now I have to run away. What am I gonna do? Run away.
- [48:36]
Jennifer Prokop
There's no other choice, really.
- [48:37]
Sarah MacLean
But now she knows, right? Now she knows. At midnight every night he's like up. He's like, yeah, around, right? And so the next night she goes and she tells herself, like she's got things to do. Like she's, she's certainly not looking for him, Jen.
- [48:55]
Jennifer Prokop
No, of course not.
- [48:57]
Sarah MacLean
But it's like she goes to the library and like, he's not in the library. And then she's like, I better go look, check for my embroidery in the other room. And then she goes into like the blue salon and like he's not in there either. And she's like. Then she goes into the third, the gray salon. And he's there and he's drunk cuz he's been gambling.
- [49:17]
Jennifer Prokop
That's the other thing I was going.
- [49:18]
Sarah MacLean
To say we have to talk about with all the men. Yeah. And like winning this duke wins. Nobody can lose. No, everybody loses to the Duke when they gamble. And so like he always proposes cards and every. All the men, like. Because men are like, oh, we have to play.
- [49:34]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah.
- [49:35]
Sarah MacLean
Even though they're all going to lose their shirts to this man.
- [49:37]
Jennifer Prokop
Doesn't matter. And by the way, he is filthy rich, so he does not need their money.
- [49:41]
Sarah MacLean
I mean, he does not care, right? So he, she. He's at the window and he's like disheveled. Like it's clear that he's like, gotten comfortable gambling. And like, he does nice shirts, weirdly button and his cravats undone and his hair is chaotic. And she sees him and she's like, like, so happy. Like, she's so finally rewarded with this like, dark. And this man is there and then they like have this intense conversation and then they kiss. And this kiss is top 10 romance kisses of all time.
- [50:21]
Jennifer Prokop
Well, and the thing that you have to remember, or we didn't talk about it, is the first time he talks about, like the kiss on the hand, right? He essentially sort of immediately is like, if it was a real kiss, right, you would have known it because real kisses essentially, right? And he gives her this speech and it's essentially like kind of like the speech in Waldorum where he gives her the whole like, you know what I mean? Like, where he's basically like, if he had ever done this, you gentlemen or no, right. You would have known what it was like to be kissed by somebody who really wanted you. It's this amazing speech and she's kind of like, you know, blink, blink.
- [51:09]
Sarah MacLean
Right.
- [51:09]
Jennifer Prokop
So this kiss, when it happens.
- [51:13]
Sarah MacLean
So wait, but you're in his pov.
- [51:15]
Jennifer Prokop
Correct.
- [51:15]
Sarah MacLean
And that's great. Listen, kisses should be in Hero POVs. They really should more often because it's so much fun. And so he basically is like, he'd kissed a lot of people before, right? And kisses went, you know, one of two ways. And like, he. Then he articulates like what the ways are, right?
- [51:33]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah.
- [51:34]
Sarah MacLean
And then he says it had never occurred to him that, like, this kiss could go a completely, like, could go sideways into a new way of kissing. And then he says he was hers now. Like, oh, yes, this kiss with this, like, dumb virgin is so good.
- [52:00]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah.
- [52:01]
Sarah MacLean
That now I belong to her.
- [52:03]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah. Well. And he is, right? He's just gone.
- [52:08]
Sarah MacLean
Yes. Like, it's so perfect.
- [52:11]
Jennifer Prokop
Well, and that's what he told her. It was like a kiss like that should haunt you for the rest of your life. And now he's like, I'm kicking my own ass. Because here we are and this is.
- [52:20]
Sarah MacLean
When we start to see what Julianne Long is going to tee up for the end. Because she says, was it like that? Like, did the kiss deliver what you promised, what you said kisses should deliver? And he said. What does he say? Almost.
- [52:37]
Jennifer Prokop
I think I forget the words. Something like that. Yeah. Let me look.
- [52:39]
Sarah MacLean
Yeah. And he says, almost. And it's such a lie. This lying liar refuses to admit. There it is. Right, Right. Well, at this point, everything's out the window. He's not gonna use her to get back at Ian. He's not like, this is. He is done for. This man is trash for Genevieve, right? But instead of being like, hell yes, it does, and like, just owning it now, he's. He's gonna start playing stupid games and he's gonna win stupid prizes. Well, and I think, like, it's at.
- [53:18]
Jennifer Prokop
This moment he's like, I promised myself revenge and this is my instrument. And yeah, she figured it out and was like, would it have worked? And he's kind of like, don't ask questions you don't want to hear, because probably. And it's this moment where it's like he falls back on strategy, right. Essentially, right? Like, he's like, okay, I have to. He's constantly just astounded by her in every way, right? And so it's at this moment, and this is like maybe halfway through the book, right, that this kiss happens. That it's like he is disoriented and so he falls back on, like, well, okay, how have I won every hard fought battle in my life? And it's like, right, it's strategy and it's like figuring this out and figuring out what I want, right? And it's like he's panicked. It's. Yeah, but she doesn't see that, right?
- [54:19]
Sarah MacLean
No.
- [54:19]
Jennifer Prokop
He appears completely calm.
- [54:21]
Sarah MacLean
This is where he starts to try to manipulate her, right? He, until this point, he has not manipulated her at all. Like, she's been sort of in on the joke, right? In fact, there's a great moment where she sort of sees. Where she sees her brother, she sees Ian, and it's just the two of them. And she said, he says something about, like. Like, why is she spending so much time with the Duke? Like, is he being. Is he treating her well? And she says, oh, yeah, he seems very, you know, solicitous and very, you know, concerned. In fact, he asked me the other day if you have made a will, because she's just like, now she's fucking with Ian too. It's great. So, but here's the thing that starts to happen. So then the next day he says, I have a house nearby.
- [55:10]
Jennifer Prokop
Oh, yeah.
- [55:12]
Sarah MacLean
And I think maybe we ought to go there.
- [55:14]
Jennifer Prokop
And he means the whole party of people, right? Not just.
- [55:17]
Sarah MacLean
He's like, everyone's invited. Let's just go. You can see the grounds. Like, you know, but more importantly, I have some art there that I'd like. Genevieve. I'd like, you know, Genevieve to take a look at it because she's so into art and she's such an expert on art. And so at this point, we've known. Like, Genevieve's really into the Italian masters. Like, she really. Her favorite artist is Titian. We've all heard of him. He's very expensive. And, like, so. And Harry also, like, loves art. And so.
- [55:47]
Jennifer Prokop
Oh, and this is the Venus and Mars kind of flirting that they've been doing. Right?
- [55:52]
Sarah MacLean
There's a Venus and Mars allegory, like, through the whole thing. It's very sexy. Like, it's. He keeps. Like, they keep having these, like, flirty moments where he says something about, like, basically nude paintings and how all the women are about to get gunned down on. Right. It's great. So, anyway, so they get to the house, and everybody's there, and Millicent's there, and she's looking for kittens and being chased by a swan. And, like, there's, like. It's a little chaotic, but it's really fun and sweet. And then, like, he takes her into the house and he shows her this, like, painting of a nude Venus, and it's a Titian. And then we're in his head, and there's this magnificent moment where he's like. She's like, it's price. He's. You know, she's like, it's priceless. He's like, no, everything has a price. Like, everything. It's not priceless. But in his head, he's like, but what was priceless is watching her love this painting. Like, he's like, he doesn't care about this painting. It could be all it is, is a thing on his balance sheet. But, like, she loves it so much, and he's so obsessed with her. Yes, he loves how she loves art. He could listen to this woman talk about art all day, every day, for the rest of his life.
- [57:04]
Jennifer Prokop
He even, like, reads some books about art and is kind of like, what the fuck am I doing?
- [57:09]
Sarah MacLean
What a sweet baby. It's. What a sweet baby. And then Harry's like, oh, note the dog. Note the this. Note the that. And he's like, fuck off, Harry. Like, he just. He's so over Harry and so completely gone for Genevieve. And it's so beautiful. Except. Except when he speaks to her, it's still this kind of, like, cool. Like, we're playing a game. We're, like, clever and funny and, like, flirty and playing a game. And Genevieve, poor Genevieve is, like, all tied up because he's so perfect. But she's supposed to love Harry. And Harry hasn't proposed to Millicent. And like, poor Genevieve. So they get home and it's midnight. And she goes downstairs and finds him again because he's waiting for her.
- [58:06]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah. Now he knows, right?
- [58:08]
Sarah MacLean
And they make out and then he's like, we have to go upstairs.
- [58:15]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah.
- [58:16]
Sarah MacLean
And so she lets him go upstairs.
- [58:20]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah.
- [58:20]
Sarah MacLean
And he's basically like, we're. I'm gonna. You. Yeah.
- [58:24]
Jennifer Prokop
We're gonna accept. Yeah. You're not gonna be able to do it.
- [58:27]
Sarah MacLean
I want you, you want me, and this is how it's gonna go. And they do it. And it's great.
- [58:36]
Jennifer Prokop
It's also like a really interesting moment where she chooses it. It's not that he's. Again, like, back to that. Like, he treats her like a grown up, right. Like, he understands perfectly well that, like, as a virgin, this is not something they should be if we get caught or. I mean, he's really like, we both want this.
- [58:56]
Sarah MacLean
I want you, you want me. Let's just do this.
- [58:57]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah, let's just do this. And I thought that that was. Again, like, I think the thing about this book that is so spectacular, I mean, many things, is at this moment, again, you're kind of like, it would be so easy to have an author have her say something like, well, you know, but I can. I'm a virgin, or I'm not married, or we're not. You're not intending to marry me. There's been no of anything else here. And instead she sort of says to herself, well, plenty of people have lost their hymen, like riding horses or whatever. She really.
- [59:32]
Sarah MacLean
It's great.
- [59:33]
Jennifer Prokop
She does realize that no one will ever have to know except her. And she chooses this. And I think that this is, to me, I don't know, it's just really powerful. It felt like, you know, the way in which she was sort of saying, like, here's a. Like again, I think you mentioned earlier, like, age gap, right? When. Age gap is kink, right? When he's just older and she's like. And he's daddy. And she's just like, I'm a sweet, innocent thing, no matter what. This is not being played that way. Instead, his maturity, right. His knowledge, his experience allows her to essentially discover the parts of herself that she already trusted and then, like, make decisions for herself. The promise of this, like, relationship between them is not, I will be able to stay a little girl forever or young, or, you know, you'll is. Instead, I will. I will be on the fast track to maturity to those things myself by choosing. By having someone treat me like this. And Being able to choose the things I want.
- [60:42]
Sarah MacLean
Yeah. And the sex is so great. Like, he's so. He's just so into her, and it's so romantic, and it's just such a great scene. And then she's like, I like this.
- [60:59]
Jennifer Prokop
Kind of like, why do people say that people don't like this? This is.
- [61:02]
Sarah MacLean
Who wouldn't like this, right? It's great. She's into it. And then things start to kind of fall apart because she's like, well, aren't we friends? Like, we could just friends with benefits in the evening. And then I could still have it. Like, have my heart set on Harry. And, like, he suddenly is like, no, that's not how this. For somebody who's like, we're gonna be very authentic and honest about sex, the reality is, is that, like, he's just. He's just a mixed up pile of goo for her.
- [61:37]
Jennifer Prokop
Right?
- [61:37]
Sarah MacLean
And, like, this is a mess. So. But what's really interesting is, like, during all of this, there is a lot of fear in Moncrief. Right? Like, he is terrified of, like, feeling something for her. And again, losing.
- [61:53]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah, right. Right.
- [61:54]
Sarah MacLean
Not just losing a woman who he loves, because clearly he. He will not admit it, but he does love her. But, like, he loved his wife and she died. He thought he could love Abigail, and that didn't work. Like. And so here he is again, like, he can have everything, but he can't have Genevieve as long as she is, like, after Harry. And there's a moment where he's like, I guess I could be your consolation prize. And that is really. It's really powerful and really sad.
- [62:32]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah.
- [62:33]
Sarah MacLean
Because still, Genevieve isn't sure what she wants, even though she absolutely knows what she wants. And then he figures out. Then Harry comes to him.
- [62:45]
Jennifer Prokop
I was really moved by the end of this book by, like, what the scenes that we're gonna, like, talk about now, because I think what it is. And again, this is all a big.
- [62:53]
Sarah MacLean
Spoiler, everybody, like, if you think at this point that you are gonna read this book, which you should. You should not listen to the rest of this episode if you care about spoilers.
- [63:02]
Jennifer Prokop
So the thing, okay, we've talked a lot about, like, sort of this, like, vast differential in their maturity. Right. And what he. And I think this is also the reason why the conversation with Abigail at the beginning really pays off for him in this way here, which is he realizes she. We will be happy together. We have all these things in common. I will be able to make this woman happy, but be able to keep.
- [63:30]
Sarah MacLean
Her safe and happy.
- [63:31]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah. But she also, potentially will always wonder if she would have been happier with Harry. Right. Or what would have happened if. Right. And I think the thing about this is. This is maturity talking again. Right. This is a man who has really lived his life and knows that he does not want her to feel those regrets, but he's also not interested in having. In being, like, her second choice or whatever that is. And so without even really telling her what's going on, a couple of things happen. One is that he and Harry have this conversation where Harry. Oh, yeah, this is.
- [64:23]
Sarah MacLean
Harry admits something really abhorrent.
- [64:26]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah.
- [64:26]
Sarah MacLean
He says, I didn't. I don't really want to marry Millicent. I want to marry Genevieve, but I needed to know if she loved me. If she loved me because I didn't want to ask her and then be embarrassed.
- [64:39]
Jennifer Prokop
Yes.
- [64:40]
Sarah MacLean
If she turned me down.
- [64:41]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah.
- [64:42]
Sarah MacLean
And, boy, does Moncrief just like. I mean, what's amazing is it's not a. It's not an intense moment. Like, he doesn't. He doesn't lose his. Punish him in the rhythms. He doesn't. He doesn't. Nothing, like, physical or even, like. Like, even. It's not even stern to him. He's disgusted.
- [65:00]
Jennifer Prokop
He's disgusted. Yeah.
- [65:01]
Sarah MacLean
That this young man would make such an abhorrent mistake.
- [65:06]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah.
- [65:07]
Sarah MacLean
Like. And do such a terrible thing to somebody who is kind and good and would never dream of doing such a thing to another person.
- [65:16]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah. The narration's really interesting, Right. Moncrief was difficult to shock, but the potent cruelty Osborn had perpetuated in the name of love speared him motionless. And he thinks, like, this boy. And this is really interesting because he starts to refer to Harry throughout this scene then, as a boy. Right. Had nearly killed her out of cowardice. And he'd never known such purifying rage. Like, he can sparsely speak. And he does say that to Harry. Right. Like, just to be clear, in order to force a confession of love from her, you thought you might frighten her into showing her feelings? You thought you might break her heart in order to win her heart. What the hell kind of man are you? And it is. It is.
- [66:08]
Sarah MacLean
It's a great moment.
- [66:09]
Jennifer Prokop
It is a great moment.
- [66:11]
Sarah MacLean
It is great. It's. It's a great moment.
- [66:14]
Jennifer Prokop
I don't want to put too fine a point on it, everybody, but, like, it is one of the greatest romance moments I've ever read because I think that there is a way in which, especially now, I will say this right in the world we live in where people really treating each other with not just casual but intentional cruelty. And to have someone find out, Right. That, like, he. That Harry had. And he has no doubt that Harry cares for Genevieve, but to have done this out of cowardice and the way that he is just shocked and appalled. And I think this is the fact that he's, like, lost. This is a man who has lost his son and lost his wife. And the idea that you would do this cavalierly, it truly is. He is. It's almost like he can't process it. And I don't know, it felt really gratifying. I felt. I found myself very moved by his reaction.
- [67:21]
Sarah MacLean
Same.
- [67:22]
Jennifer Prokop
Same.
- [67:23]
Sarah MacLean
Because it's not. It's. Yeah. What I will also say is, like, if you are out there and you are thinking about writing an age gap romance like you. This book really underscores, like, the importance of thinking about what it means.
- [67:38]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah.
- [67:39]
Sarah MacLean
For a man to be older. Like, for. For the reverse. Right. Like, if for a woman to be older, like, what does it mean to have lived a life before you love for the forever? Like, what does it mean to have experienced heartbreak? To experience. To have experienced, like, humanity, to know yourself in the world.
- [68:03]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah.
- [68:04]
Sarah MacLean
And what does. Does love threaten for you?
- [68:07]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah.
- [68:08]
Sarah MacLean
And these are questions that I think in many age gaps. And listen, like, I love a daddy romance. Right. But, like, we're not negotiating. Like, those books are not making. They're not asking this question. But, like, this is an important question that then leads to these really magnificent moments for the hero.
- [68:29]
Jennifer Prokop
Again, it would be very easy for that to be the end of the scene. Right. For him to just kind of be like, are you to say, what kind of man are you? And then, like, walk away and have Harry be left there. Right. And us sort of judging him too. And then it's really interesting because what Harry sort of then talks about is how he doesn't have any property. Right. He literally is like, how was I supposed to do that? Right. How was I supposed to offer for her when. And their class, their society, the. The stratosphere that they exist in.
- [69:06]
Sarah MacLean
Yeah.
- [69:07]
Jennifer Prokop
Indicates that, like, being a man actually is about a whole nother set of things.
- [69:12]
Sarah MacLean
Yep.
- [69:12]
Jennifer Prokop
And I think it's really brilliant that in this bizarre way, Alex then has a moment of thinking, like, I. I understand this too. Right. Like, he's not dismissive of that. He doesn't think that that's nothing because he knows that it's something. And I thought that this was, like, really interesting that, like, just, like, Alex can see Genevieve. There's also a way in which she sees Harry. And so I think what this is, is this is a moment where we see Alex sort of like. Like, without Harry really even knowing what's going on. Like, decide, like, being older than Harry, too, right? Like, having this knowledge and understanding and, like, wisdom or whatever. It's not like he's 70, but, like, still right now there's anything wrong being 70, but you know what I mean? Like, he's not, like, grandfatherly or. But he's really, like, I. These two young fools are both trapped in the. They. They are not themselves yet. All they are is, like, purely formed by the society that's made them. And I think that that is very generous. I think it's just, like, one of the ways in which this man at the beginning, who is like, yes, I thrived on people not liking me, has been shown to be, in fact, one of the most, like, deeply empathetic people in the entire book.
- [70:45]
Sarah MacLean
So he arranges something simultaneous to this. Genevieve is, like, following her around the house in the middle of the night, right? Because she wants to get it done to her. And the reality is, is that she wants to get it done to her because she likes it, but also because she is falling in love with him. Yes. And, like. But she can't see it because she's still, like, stuck in this. Like, it's always been Harry. It's always been Harry. He thinks to himself, like, this is too juvenile. Like, I. Except they have a conversation. And this is where I think Julianne Long is doing something really interesting. Because one of the things that I talk about a lot when I talk about conflict is, like, at some point, right, there has to be something, a truth or an item or, like, a thing that a character is unwilling to sacrifice. Right? And at the end of the book, there has to be a moment where essentially that thing has to be sacrificed for love.
- [71:40]
Jennifer Prokop
Correct?
- [71:41]
Sarah MacLean
Right. So what's interesting about this here is that Moncrief is protecting himself. We see him protecting himself, like, emotionally, right? Because Genevieve is such a mess at this point. Like, she just can't. She can't confess her love. And he's like, well, if she won't. If she can't love me, then I'm certainly not going to confess my love to her. Like, I'm not going to acknowledge my feelings for her. So he's still, like, aloof and fantastic and, like, dreamy.
- [72:10]
Jennifer Prokop
One of my favorite things about this book is how many times in the book he's like, God, men, are so stupid.
- [72:15]
Sarah MacLean
Oh, my God, it's perfect. I highlighted it every time I was like, crap. Because he can see. He knows he's being stupid, right? But, like, he can't stop himself because he's trapped in, like, I don't know, patriarchy, too. I don't know. So here's the thing. So we have. He kind of convinces himself the first. Like, they. So they have sex once, and then they have sex the second time. Like, they spend the night together a second time. And then the third time, she, like, goes to find him, and he's not there. Like, he doesn't answer the doors. He's like, he's not in any of the rooms. He's just not there. And she goes back to bed alone, right? And he's playing cards that night with Harry and everybody else. But before this, they have a conversation where she kind of says, like. Like, as much as a woman can say in these. In this time, right? Like, well, would you want to be with me?
- [73:16]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah.
- [73:17]
Sarah MacLean
And he's like, we could marry. Like, this is all very sort of, like, chill. Like, sure. I mean, I could see a way that we would. We would be a fine match, a decent match. Like, not romantic in any way. Even though both of these babies, like, their hearts are beating out of their chests, they want each other so much. Like, everybody's being an idiot, right?
- [73:41]
Jennifer Prokop
But in the way that is the greatest in romance.
- [73:44]
Sarah MacLean
Yeah. And you're like, oh, my God, Moncrief. Just tell her. Tell her how you feel. Right? Because also, you're like, the thing about Genevieve is her heart has been fully broken by another person. So, like, she's feeling a little wounded, too. And so he says it, and she's like, okay, well, I guess he doesn't really, like, want me. Like, he does. Like, she's like, okay, I guess that's that then. So she goes looking for him, and he, of course, can't have sex with her because he's so gone at this point. He's like, I can't. Like, it's too much. I can't even touch her. I can't even look at her because.
- [74:19]
Jennifer Prokop
Like, everything will break.
- [74:20]
Sarah MacLean
I want her so badly. Right. I'll break. So he's having cards, and he puts a house on the table. His wife, ironically, like, his wife's estate. So, like, he. He puts the house into the pot, and he folds. And he loses.
- [74:36]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah.
- [74:36]
Sarah MacLean
And he. But he has. Of course, we all know, like, he's didn't really lose, Right.
- [74:41]
Jennifer Prokop
I mean, one of the funniest things about this scene is, like, how there's, like, these moments where it's like, the maids were gonna be so pissed the next morning because the smoke is hanging in everything. It's just like, disgusting in this room. Right? It's just like, men. And then everyone, like, can't believe that Harry not only won beat Moncrief, nobody ever beats him, but, like, won this house. And Harry doesn't have a house. And like, oh, my God, how lucky. Right?
- [75:07]
Sarah MacLean
You idiot. Everybody's an idiot.
- [75:10]
Jennifer Prokop
Everyone's an idiot.
- [75:11]
Sarah MacLean
So the next morning, he's gone, the house party's over. She's like, what the fuck?
- [75:16]
Jennifer Prokop
Like, he left. He left.
- [75:19]
Sarah MacLean
And then Harry's like, hey, I have something to ask you.
- [75:22]
Jennifer Prokop
You. What?
- [75:22]
Sarah MacLean
A. And he proposes. And she says yes. It was because she can't.
- [75:32]
Jennifer Prokop
Sure. She's like, this is what I wanted.
- [75:35]
Sarah MacLean
I. I guess I'm gonna say yes.
- [75:38]
Jennifer Prokop
But then she's like, something feels kind of wrong. Yeah.
- [75:42]
Sarah MacLean
And he tells him. And then Harry, bless his heart for telling the truth, is like, Isn't it it funny.
- [75:49]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah.
- [75:51]
Sarah MacLean
He tells him the story and then he says, and then I flipped his cards over and he won.
- [75:56]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah. Like.
- [75:57]
Sarah MacLean
And she's like, this, this. And she storms out and she's so livid. And wait, before we get to that scene, I said sacrifice. Right?
- [76:09]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah.
- [76:11]
Sarah MacLean
Moncrief in this moment, right. Like, through the whole book, through his whole life, like the uns.
- [76:18]
Jennifer Prokop
The.
- [76:18]
Sarah MacLean
The one truth he holds to is like, he is in many ways above everyone. Right?
- [76:25]
Jennifer Prokop
Right.
- [76:26]
Sarah MacLean
Like, he is more mature. He is wealthier. He is the duke who gets to decide what he says goes. So in this moment where he is. Yes, of course, sacrificing Genevieve on the. Like, for her own happiness.
- [76:42]
Jennifer Prokop
Right.
- [76:43]
Sarah MacLean
Perceived happiness. He also has to. For this book to work the way that it does, Julianne Long had to bring him down to a place where he also behaved with immaturity.
- [76:57]
Jennifer Prokop
Can I tell you how many times the phrase. They were like, it rained all night. It rained hard. They were in the mud. It was muddy. Everyone was muddy. There was mud everywhere. Like. Like, yeah. And it's clearly cuz. It's like he's down in there with it too.
- [77:12]
Sarah MacLean
All of them now he's down in the mark. And you. Now he has to do something immature enough that it tees up Genevieve to be the grown person who has had enough of this man and the way that he has nearly ruined them both.
- [77:32]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah.
- [77:33]
Sarah MacLean
And so she storms the out of that house and goes to his home.
- [77:40]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah. Well, and before this happens, I mean, like, she says yes to Harry, and he's like. He wants to kiss her, and he's like, it's gonna be gentle. And she's like, okay, but I like it a little rough.
- [77:51]
Sarah MacLean
I don't want that.
- [77:52]
Jennifer Prokop
Right? And then he gives her flowers, and it's like. He's like, they're the kinds you. You. You'll. You like. And it's like wildflowers he's chosen. And meanwhile, she has been embroidering these like. Like dramatic, like, flower scapes. And it's only Moncrief who understands. And so, like, this is the thing where, like, she just. It's. Everything is wrong. It's like, here, I got the thing I wanted, and everything is wrong, but.
- [78:16]
Sarah MacLean
Also, like, rightfully so pissed for a man who is supposedly so grown and so adult and knows everything. Like. Like this man would behave in such a way and ruin both of our lives. What? On the altar of being smarter than everyone else. Ugh. Disgusting. She heads off, and she goes to find him, and she is just.
- [78:42]
Jennifer Prokop
I mean, and everyone's outraged because no.
- [78:45]
Sarah MacLean
One'S ever seen Genevieve have emotion, correct?
- [78:48]
Jennifer Prokop
Right.
- [78:48]
Sarah MacLean
You know, I thought you were gonna mention this about the Harry scene when you were describing, like, the scene with him and Alex. But, like, when Alex says, like, what kind of man are you? The first thing Harry says back is like, I had to know. She never shows emotion, right? And he's like, she's been a hellcat in my bed for four nights. Like, what do you mean she doesn't show emotion? So off she goes to happily ever after.
- [79:14]
Jennifer Prokop
I. I think I know the answer to this. But she. Once she figures out what. What he's done, right, she remembers what he'd said about. The greatest pleasure in my life was making sure my wife was safe and happy. And she realizes, right? Like, she realizes he made it possible for Harry to propose for her. He'd given her everything he thought she wanted because he loved her, and it was all he could do for her because he thought that she loved Harry. And so she's like this idiot, and she likes. Storms off, right? And the thing that is really astounding about this moment is, like, the hope with which I found Alex, like, really hoping. In fact, if I give her everything she wants, maybe she will actually realize it's not what she wanted at all and will come to me, right? You know, it's like. And Henny says. And then when she finally shows up, right, and she's just like.
- [80:21]
Sarah MacLean
She.
- [80:22]
Jennifer Prokop
Look Yelling at him, right where he says, it wasn't meant to hurt you or Harry. But tell me, how would you have ever seen it otherwise? And isn't it better to know?
- [80:34]
Sarah MacLean
Yeah, I mean, yeah, sure. I. I mean, like, this is one of those situations, right? Sure. I can read it both ways. Because, yes, of course it is better to know, but also, you're a idiot. Like, course she did know. She basically went to him and was like, could it be us? And he was like, I guess it could be like, what an. And I mean, what I love about it is that Julianne Long really is. It does seem like what she's doing is that her. She's threading that, like, perfect romance needle where, like, the hero has to like, a hero of this level of, like, you know, competence and arrogance has got to find a place where he is not competent and, you know, has no.
- [81:18]
Jennifer Prokop
Right to arrogance and might lose. Right. It might be. Yeah. This is an interesting title to me, what I Did for a duke.
- [81:27]
Sarah MacLean
Yeah, I have thought about that too. And my bet, My wager on this is that it's actually not her title. Okay, why did you. Do you think that it does relate? Because I don't actually.
- [81:38]
Jennifer Prokop
I think that's what I really found my. Myself really thinking about, which is like, what if we were to ask, like, Genevieve. Right. Like, clearly that's like, what I did for Duke is Genevieve. Right. And, like, what would she say is the answer to that? Right.
- [81:56]
Sarah MacLean
I don't feel like she does very much for him.
- [81:58]
Jennifer Prokop
Right.
- [81:59]
Sarah MacLean
I think it's the reverse. Right.
- [82:01]
Jennifer Prokop
And I don't spend a lot of time thinking about titles necessarily, but I did feel myself. I did find myself wondering or thinking a lot about, like, this is a really interesting title for this book because maybe that is actually the part that's funny about it. What I did for Duke, nothing. He did everything for me. Right. Yeah.
- [82:22]
Sarah MacLean
I mean, I do think. I think actually what's interesting about this whole series is when you look at the titles, there comes a point where I think she got. She was able to title the book she wanted the way she wanted. It gets nine. Book nine in the series is between the Devil and Ian Eversea, which I think is a great title.
- [82:44]
Jennifer Prokop
Great title.
- [82:46]
Sarah MacLean
And then the last book is the Legend of Lyon Redmond. So I think, like, there are a couple that she probably sure knew she wanted. I love the title. A Notorious Countess Confesses. I actually love that book. And.
- [83:08]
Jennifer Prokop
Yeah, I'm about to go back.
- [83:09]
Sarah MacLean
To that's because she's a countess and he It's a vicar, but he. It's the vicar.
- [83:13]
Jennifer Prokop
Oh, the vicar.
- [83:14]
Sarah MacLean
And a great book.
- [83:16]
Jennifer Prokop
I'm about to go back to the beginning and read these. I was delighted by this book.
- [83:21]
Sarah MacLean
I just downloaded, in fact, the first one, Amazing Perils of Pleasure. Anyway, listen, these books are bangers.
- [83:32]
Jennifer Prokop
That whole idea of, like, I think I know how this book is going to be and then what it really takes to.
- [83:39]
Sarah MacLean
Yeah.
- [83:40]
Jennifer Prokop
Turn the tables on the reader. Right. And the characters as well. And I think, like, this is one of the. Listen, there's nothing better than a perfectly executed trope. Right. Like, but the fact that she figures it out and then they still fall in love. Anyway, is Chef's Kiss.
- [84:00]
Sarah MacLean
Big fan.
- [84:02]
Jennifer Prokop
Huge.
- [84:03]
Sarah MacLean
Let us know how you feel about. I mean, God, I just love a romance novel.
- [84:09]
Jennifer Prokop
What a shocker. Sarah. I love that. Seven and a half seasons and you're like, yeah, these are great, by the way, everybody.
- [84:20]
Sarah MacLean
Yeah, I just. If you've. Have you ever read a romance novel, everybody? They're super fun. This is a great series because you can. There are 11 books in it, so enjoy yourselves, everyone. Have a great time. It's gonna be the best. And eventually will. The big question is, will those Redmonds and Everseas ever see eye to eye?
- [84:45]
Jennifer Prokop
They all fall in love with each other and are, you know, having grandbabies? No.
- [84:48]
Sarah MacLean
What's really fascinating, Jen, is they don't all fall in love with each other. Some of them fall in love with each other. Ten books are other people marrying into this chaos and just a constant slow march toward Olivia and Lion. By the way, lion, great romance novel. Name only available to historicals. Don't do that in Contemporaries, but. But so fun in historicals. Thanks for listening, Everybody. I'm Sarah McLean. I'm here with my friend Jen Prokop. We are fated mates. You can find us every Wednesday wherever you listen to podcasts. If you'd like to see our show notes, you can do that@faded mates.net where you can just click on show notes, see every book we talk about in every episode and. And also find the information on whatever we've been talking about when we banter. You can also find us online at bluesky, Threads and Instagram. And what else? Oh, and if you really love romance novels too, and would like to learn more about them or read more about them or talk to other people who also love them, you can join our patreon@betamates.net Patreon don't forget to join me on March 31st at Astoria Bookshop with TJ Alexander and Joanna Lowell. I will be moderating conversation between them for Trans Day of Visibility about transness in romance novels. What else? You got anything going on?
- [86:23]
Jennifer Prokop
Don't talk to me. I'll be reading books.
- [86:25]
Sarah MacLean
Don't talk to Jen. All right. We love you guys. Have fun.
- [86:29]
Jennifer Prokop
Bye.