Fated Mates – Romance Books for Novel People

Episode: "Between Seasons Palate Cleanser: Fated Mates Live St. Louis!"

Hosts: Sarah MacLean & Jen Prokop
Special Guest: Kate Claiborne
Date: September 3, 2025

Overview

This energetic live episode of Fated Mates, recorded in St. Louis, serves as a celebratory between-seasons palate cleanser. Sarah MacLean and Jen Prokop—joined by author Kate Claiborne—lead a room full of romance fans through laughter, icebreakers, Midwest culture lessons, in-depth book talk (including a sneak peek into Sarah’s new novel, Storms), and audience Q&A. The podcast maintains its signature sense of community, genre appreciation, and witty banter, offering both heart and hilarity to longtime listeners and newcomers alike.

Episode Highlights & Key Discussion Points

1. Setting the Scene & Community Energy

• The episode was recorded live in the Midwest, with a room full of Fated Mates listeners, some attending for the first time (“Raise your hands again. We like that. Oh, yay.” [05:09])
• Hosts express excitement at navigating Midwest culture: discussions of local museums, gas station ice cream, and Midwest traditions create inclusive, lively energy.

2. Icebreaker: Childhood Fashion Disasters

• Each host shares embarrassing stories, setting a tone of vulnerability and humor.
  • Sarah: Describes sneaking a flannel-swathed yearbook portrait in tribute to Kurt Cobain against her English mother's wishes.
    “I snuck the photo into the yearbook instead of the photo my mother had approved... Kurt Cobain.” [10:35]
  • Jen: Recalls a home perm gone wrong as a sixth grader with infamously straight hair.
  • Kate: Blames her dad's school drop-off fashion choices in her youth.

3. Favorite “Small Moments” in Romance Novels

• The discussion pivots to memorable micro-scenes that stick with readers, both read and written:
  • Jen: Cites a Susan Elizabeth Phillips scene with a rock-star dad and his daughter’s cardboard guitar (“He goes into the bathroom and puts his head in his hand because he has done wrong, and he knows it.” [22:41])
  • Sarah: Recounts a Judith McNaught Christmas novella where heartbreak and healing are symbolized in candle-frosted windows.
  • Kate: Highlights animal symbolism—especially a dog reunion in Flowers from the Storm—for conveying emotional truths.

4. Behind-the-Scenes: Sarah MacLean's New Novel, "Storms"

• Plot Overview: A dysfunctional billionaire family is forced together on a private Rhode Island island after their father’s death. The protagonist, Alice, reconnects with a mysterious stranger—who turns out to be in charge of the high-stakes inheritance game the siblings must play.
  • “The story of a dysfunctional family, the children of a billionaire who dies in a freak billionaire accident... They are all summoned home to a private island...” [38:40]
• Romance Focus: The “handsome man” (Jack)—competent, exasperated, tattooed, manages the family’s fate.
  • “He is very big. He belongs in the American Giants Museum.” [42:30]
• Sibling Dynamics: Alice’s complex relationships with Greta (perfect oldest), Sam (obnoxious eldest son), and Emily ("flighty" youngest) are discussed, highlighting family themes alongside romance.

5. Midwest Culture Crash Course & Audience Participation

• The hosts challenge Sarah (a Rhode Island/New York native) to invent a “Midwest Romance Hero,” prompting spirited audience interplay:
  • Lawn care preferences (riding vs mulching mower)
  • Best place to watch a storm (“The porch...We would have also taken garage.” [53:26])
  • Local sayings (“Knee high by the 4th of July” on corn height)
  • State rivalries and Midwestern politeness at four-way stops
  • Favorite superstores (strong love for Menards and its jingle)
  • Potluck etiquette (debate over Jello vs potato salad)
  • Regional sports team trivia lightning round (Chiefs, Buckeyes, Badgers, etc.)

6. "Would Derek Craven" Game

• The hosts play their recurring game evaluating Lisa Kleypas’s iconic romance hero, Derek Craven, in hypothetical modern scenarios. Notable moments:
  • Would Derek Craven try a Slip ‘n Slide?
    “Absolutely not. No way.” [1:43:47 – Jen]
  • Would Derek Craven listen to Taylor Swift?
    “He’d be passively listening...but he’d buy the best seats for Lydia and her friends.” [1:44:39 – Sarah; audience: “Reputation is Craven’s album!”]
  • Derek and spreadsheets, houseplants, Lasik for his partner, his use of password managers (“All passwords would be ‘Sarah123...’”), movie theaters vs. streaming, and Beyoncé fandom are debated to comic effect.

7. Q&A: Audience and Genre Insights

• Book recommendations for specific tropes, e.g., “a rake who is bad in bed the first time” (see: Call Me Irresistible by Susan Elizabeth Phillips; Business or Pleasure by Rachel Lynn Solomon).
• Thoughtful discussion on the genre’s “trope-ification” in both marketing and writing.
  • “We talk so deeply about a trope… none of which are the same...But yes, I do think that way.” [2:09:30 – Jen]
• Authors share tropes they long to write (“amnesia,” “marriage in trouble,” “Cyrano”) but are waiting for the right idea.
• Topics range from cowboy romance (Kate’s love for "men who do chores"), to Sarah’s process in “moving beyond” straight romance with Storms without abandoning historicals.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On the Power of Small Moments:

• “I think I read it and thought, this is what books should do. They should make you feel like this.” — Kate, on Flowers from the Storm [27:10]

Family Dynamics in "Storms":

• “You can’t tell siblings the truth. Then it becomes weaponized. Maybe that's just my family.” — Sarah [49:38]

Midwest Crash Course:

• “How high is the corn? Knee high by the 4th of July.” — Audience group chant [1:01:35]
• “Listen here, pal.” — On what a Midwestern hero says before a fistfight [1:11:54]

Would Derek Craven… Listen to Taylor Swift?

• “He made those bracelets, privately gets emotional at this song, ‘Delicate.’” — Sarah [1:44:57]

On Tropes in Romance Marketing:

• “When Susan [Elizabeth Phillips] was writing, fake dating was plot, and right now, fake dating is not plot. … We're backing into the trope.” — Sarah [2:12:46]

On the Community:

• “Fated Mates Live is always one of my favorite. It is my favorite night of the year every year. And this year especially, because I get to celebrate this new book with you.” — Sarah [2:21:18]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00 – 02:00 | Show intro, producer note (Eric)
• 02:04 – 05:20 | Welcome, Midwest banter, audience roll call
• 10:00 – 19:30 | Icebreaker: Biggest childhood fashion disaster
• 20:00 – 33:10 | Favorite micro-moments in romance novels
• 38:40 – 56:00 | Deep dive into Storms—plot, characters, family themes
• 56:00 – 1:20:00 | Midwest culture quiz, regional traditions, audience participation
• 1:33:00 – 1:46:00 | Would Derek Craven... game
• 1:57:00 – 2:17:00 | Audience Q&A: tropes, recommendations, writing process
• 2:21:00 – END | Closing gratitude, wrap up

Episode Tone and Takeaway

The hosts’ rapport and sense of fun permeate the episode, making even regional inside jokes accessible through playful teasing and explanation. Community, inclusivity, and genre love anchor every conversation. The live format pushes the energy higher, with Sarah and Jen’s encouragement toward newcomers and their deep affection for the romance genre’s history, possibility, and people. Whether you’re a Fated Mates regular or a first-time listener, this episode delivers laughter, insight, and a heartfelt celebration of romance, readers, and the cultures—Midwest or otherwise—that shape stories.

Listen If You Love

• Smart, funny banter about romance books and genre culture
• Live podcast audience energy
• Behind-the-scenes author process stories
• Romance recommendations (both classic and new)
• Feeling like you’re among friends who love to read