Fated Mates – RERUN: Spooky Stuff! Halloween Romance

Date: October 31, 2025
Hosts: Sarah MacLean & Jennifer Prokop

Episode Overview

In this special Halloween rerun, Sarah and Jen dive deep into spooky stuff and Halloween-themed romance novels. The conversation is lively, irreverent, and filled with personal anecdotes, sidetracks about witches in the zeitgeist (from Tom Brady’s marriage woes to viral salad dressings), musings on the boundaries of paranormal romance, and a parade of book recommendations for every Halloween mood—from light, witchy rom-coms to steamier (and clearly marked) kink-laden tales, and even genuine horror-leaning romance.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Halloween and “Spooky Stuff” as a Romance Trope

[01:22–05:06]

• The hosts clarify: this is their first dedicated Halloween episode though they’ve covered paranormal romance before.
• Discussion on why witches feel “spooky” while creatures like vampires and demons don’t always, touching on questions of mortality, magic, and the role of the patriarchy.
• Quote:

  “Are witches paranormal? … I think the answer is no. … Is it because they’re humans?” —Sarah [03:49] “Is it because of the patriarchy?” —Jen [03:59]

2. Witches & Seasonality in Romance

[05:39–06:49]

• The “big wave” of witch romances made them feel seasonal, linked to the autumn/pumpkin spice moment in publishing.
• Quote:

  “It was like pumpkin spice season plus witches.” —Jen [06:08]

• Despite strong autumn branding, witch romances are published all year.

3. Witches in Pop Culture: Tom Brady & Olivia Wilde

[06:49–11:42]

• Social media phenomena like “Witch TikTok” are discussed.
• Examples: Tom Brady crediting his wife’s “witchcraft” practices, and the Olivia Wilde/Jason Sudeikis salad dressing incident, interpreted as modern witchery.
• Quote:

  “Salad dressing is a … euphemism for a f*cking potion, Jen.” —Sarah [11:03]

• These stories are used to show witches (and witchcraft) are “in the air,” reflecting real-world obsessions with the supernatural.

4. Lighthearted Halloween Picks: Witchy Romances

[13:22–17:26]

• Sarah recommends:
  • The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling (Rachel Hawkins) — quintessential, witty witch rom-com. [13:22–16:27]

    “It begins with the line ‘never mix vodka and witchcraft,’ which I think is a solid piece of advice.” —Sarah [13:46]

  • The sequel: The Kiss Curse also mentioned.
• Jen adds:
  • What the Hex by Alexis Daria (Audible/Kindle original)
  • Stay a Spell series by Juliette Cross (Wolf Gone Wild, Always Practice Safe Hex, Resting Witch Face)

    “I appreciate very much leaning so hard right into Halloween.” —Jen [17:20]

5. The Steamier Side: KU and Kink Unlimited

[19:37–27:52]

• Jen’s pick:
  • Blood Moon by Gillian Graves — a novella involving a witch and a vampire with rivals-to-lovers/one-night-stand hijinks.

    “It’s 100 pages and they probably have sex seven times. And it was great.” —Jen [21:57]

• Sarah’s pick:
  • Charming Your Dad by Sarah Blue — involves a witch, an ex-boyfriend’s demon father, and heavy daddy kink; content warnings advised.

    “She’s basically like, fine, I’m a witch … I’m gonna fuck your dad. … What she doesn’t realize is that his dad is a demon ...” —Sarah [24:35]

  • Discussion about Kindle Unlimited basically being “Kink Unlimited” for the self-published erotic romance world.

6. Unconventional Paranormal: Demons and Incubi

[27:52–34:48]

• Jen’s pick:
  • Demon Lover by Heather Guerrero — a sweet, creative, and very explicit incubus romance that cleverly plays with dream-visitations and consent.

    “Her need for an orgasm has called him and he has to give her an orgasm. That’s how he gets pleasure ...” —Jen [29:12] “She’s like, ‘Listen, give me those horns.’”—Sarah [29:22]

  • The discussion observes that 'spooky' in romance often deals with themes of loneliness and belonging, not just the supernatural.

7. Haunted Houses and Actual Spookiness

[36:44–48:48]

• Sarah recommends:
  • I’ll Come Back for You by Charish Reid — a truly haunted B&B romance with a strong heroine (39) and a second-chance romance, with genuinely chilling (but not gory) ghostly elements.

    “The conflict of this book is, except there’s a ghost haunting this bed and breakfast, and it wants Whitney dead.” —Sarah [42:20]

• Jen’s pick:
  • Spirit of Second Chances by Synithia Williams — less frightening, heartfelt romance about a haunted house being put up for sale, the local ghost-hunting reality show, and town history. Suitable for those wanting “spooky” but not “scary.”

8. Revisiting a Paranormal Classic

[47:16–48:48]

• Discussion of Dark Needs at Night’s Edge by Kresley Cole (from the Immortals After Dark series) — recommended as a one-off for haunted house-lovers, even outside the larger series.

  “The hero is a blood drunk addict vampire … whose brothers buy the house and chain him to a radiator in it, not knowing it’s haunted by the most beautiful ghost.” —Sarah [48:25] “If you’ve never read an IAD book … we recommend reading this one. You can read it out of order.” —Sarah [48:34]

9. Fantasy with Heart and Letters

[49:05–54:43]

• Jen recommends:
  • The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen — a fantasy romance with zombie creatures, undertakers, magical penpals, enemies-to-lovers tension, and a surprisingly tender core.

    “He just addresses [a letter] to 'dear friend' … and these two become magical pen pals without knowing they are writing to each other.” —Jen [52:13]

  • Sarah echoes the appeal and compares it to India Holton’s Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels.

10. The Romance Genre & Death: Contemporary Trends

[54:43–59:36]

• Reflects on the surge of grief and death as themes in contemporary romance, tying this to the collective pandemic experience.

  “It just goes back to what we've always talked about, which is romance is the genre that reflects the world. … It doesn't surprise me that these books are all doing this thing.” —Sarah [56:04]

  • Mentions:
    • Angelica Frankenstein Makes Her Match by Sally Thorne
    • The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston
    • Mrs. Nash's Ashes by Sarah Adler (forthcoming at time of recording).

11. YA Witchy Read

[60:22–61:39]

• Sarah recommends Zoraida Córdova’s Brooklyn Brujas trilogy for YA-leaning readers or those wanting magical, coming-of-age stories with romantic subplots.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “Those monsters are not spooky. Those orcs, their cum tastes like peppermint.” —Sarah [01:56]
• “I think we just all need to admit that KU really just stands for Kink Unlimited.” —Jen [23:17]
• “You’re talking to the podcast that, like, spent many times we counted blood blow jobs [and] lost limbs.” —Jen [27:28]
• “For a thing that happens to literally all of us … we’re not great at unpacking it or talking about it or, like, looking at it head on.” —Sarah [59:13]

Timestamps for Key Book Recs and Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |--------------|-------------------------------------------------------------| | 13:22 | Sarah: The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling | | 16:27 | Jen: What the Hex by Alexis Daria | | 17:26 | Jen: Stay a Spell series by Juliette Cross | | 19:37 | Jen: Blood Moon by Gillian Graves (hot witch/vampire novella)| | 23:17 | Sarah: Charming Your Dad by Sarah Blue (demon daddy kink) | | 27:52 | Jen: Demon Lover by Heather Guerrero (incubus romance) | | 36:44 | Sarah: I’ll Come Back for You by Charish Reid (haunted B&B)| | 43:28 | Jen: Spirit of Second Chances by Synithia Williams (haunted house)| | 47:16 | Sarah: Dark Needs at Night’s Edge by Kresley Cole | | 49:05 | Jen: The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen | | 60:22 | Sarah: Brooklyn Brujas trilogy by Zoraida Córdoba (YA) |

Tone and Takeaways

• Irreverent, cheeky, and deeply knowledgeable, Sarah and Jen blend literary criticism with humor (“blood blow jobs,” “Kink Unlimited”), personal stories, and an open embrace of both the wholesome and the weird in romance.
• The episode reassures listeners: whatever your Halloween mood—funny witches, brooding ghosts, raunchy demons, lonely incubi, or cozy haunted houses—there’s a romance novel waiting.
• Content warnings: The hosts always flag stories with potentially sensitive material, urging listeners to check warnings especially for erotic and horror-tinged picks.

Final Thoughts

The episode ends with the hosts wishing listeners a happy Halloween, no matter how they celebrate (“Have a fun, innocent, sweet Halloween if that's your vibe. Or a fun, sexy Halloween if that's your vibe.” [63:08])—and, of course, a reminder that they’re witches, at least for tonight.

Useful for listeners who want:

• Smart, hilarious commentary on Halloween and paranormal romance
• A curated list of the best witchy, spooky, and sexy romance reads
• Insights into genre trends and the intersection of real world anxieties and romance fiction
• Book recommendations for every level of “spooky” — from “adorable small-town witches” to “horned dream demons” to “actual haunted houses”
• Quick orientation on where to start if you want to dabble in the genre