Jennifer Prokop (2:52)

The Other side of Disappearing.

Sarah MacLean (2:54)

Sorry, I always Call it the art of disappearing. It's because I. Yeah, I mean Kate's basically Kressley in my head. So the other side of disappearing by Kate. So anyway, if you are still looking, if you like me, have a mother who is like, what am I going to get you for this frickin holiday that is coming? Say mom, go to this website, fatedmates.net best of and buy the box. As always, we do not take any money from this box. All proceeds go to Pocketbooks in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, a queer woman owned inclusive romance friendly bookstore and the authors themselves.

Jennifer Prokop (3:39)

Sure.

Sarah MacLean (3:39)

So that's fun.

Jennifer Prokop (3:41)

Exactly.

Sarah MacLean (3:41)

Anyway, tell the your loved ones to buy you this box or buy it for yourself or buy it for someone else or buy it and then you have 10 books to just give away.

Jennifer Prokop (3:54)

All of those options are great options.

Sarah MacLean (3:58)

You get Elizabeth Hoyt, you get Jess K. Hardy. It just goes on and on. And then save Hans for yourself.

Jennifer Prokop (4:05)

Well, that one's on Ku.

Sarah MacLean (4:07)

Exactly. You have to save.

Jennifer Prokop (4:08)

They're already snuggled up with it. They press pause and they went to read about that wild man. They'll be back. I went from in a few hours.

Sarah MacLean (4:15)

Hans to then I read Nero and then I was like, well, I'm going to take a little break. So then I moved over and I, I.

Jennifer Prokop (4:23)

You're back to oda.

Sarah MacLean (4:24)

Been with us for a long time. Know that. I don't know what was it last year?

Jennifer Prokop (4:28)

Yeah, you had like a, you went.

Sarah MacLean (4:29)

On a tear sometime last year I had a bad day and I found Odette Stone's hockey books and I just read them all like one after another after another. And then I stopped when I got to the mafia version because I was like, it's too much like hockey player into Russian mafia. And now I'm like, listen, I'm having a bad day. So I'm now reading all those adepts. I'm so, I'm so proud of myself for like being abstemious last year for really like holding back.

Jennifer Prokop (5:02)

Amazing. Anyway, that was great. Here's the other thing I will say which was really fun, which is here in Chicago, there is a local wb, the local NPR station is wbez. And I was on with Sonali Dave and Bryn Donovan was on like a, like a lunchtime show called Reset. And like that, like 20 minutes of you know, us talking is available as like a, like a clip on there, like on, you know, essentially on itunes or a podcasting app of your choosing. So I'll put that link in. I think it was really fun and it was like a fun Conversation. And I just thought, that's cool. So I was slightly famous at lunchtime here in Chicago. In Chicago.

Sarah MacLean (5:52)

Welcome, everyone, to tatumates. I'm Sarah MacLaine. I read romance novels and I write them.

Jennifer Prokop (5:58)

And I'm Jennifer Prokup, a romance reader. And. Okay, Sarah, tell them about your brilliant idea.

Sarah MacLean (6:04)

I don't remember it being my idea, but I am gonna say it is.

Jennifer Prokop (6:07)

It was her idea.

Sarah MacLean (6:08)

Everyone, y'all, we've never done this before. And it's seven seasons in. It's rare that we find something that we've never done before.

Jennifer Prokop (6:15)

We're like, we've never done this before.

Sarah MacLean (6:16)

We've never done a debuts of the year. And it feels like it's time. Like, it feels like an important piece of the puzzle. Listen, we are we. Okay, we see what's happening in discourse, romance discourse on all of the places. I know y'all want us to talk about historicals, and we're gonna. But not today. Not today. But here's the thing.

Jennifer Prokop (6:49)

Cause we're talking about debuts.

Sarah MacLean (6:51)

Cause we're talking about debuts. And the reason why we're going to talk about debuts is because part of the problem with romance right now is discoverability. We've been saying it for weeks, months, years. And the truth is that we hear more and more frequently from you guys when you tell us that we're your discoverability team. Like, we are the ones who are showing you who to read, right? And so.

Jennifer Prokop (7:19)

And what's out there?

Sarah MacLean (7:20)

Listen, part of the ecosystem of discoverability, I don't think that's right. But whatever you get it is debuts. Like, if you don't have new. If there are not new authors. Refreshing the pool.

Jennifer Prokop (7:36)

The pool.

Sarah MacLean (7:37)

Every year, that's when it starts to stagnate.

Jennifer Prokop (7:42)

Now, it's not that we obviously have never talked about debut authors before, right? Like, things rise up and, you know, there are books everyone's talking about. But we were really, like, interested in trying to see, like, broadly what was out there. Now, I want to, like, a couple caveats. This episode is going to only talk about traditionally published romance. And that is not to say that we are not interested in debut authors who are self publishing, obviously, but it's a little bit of a harder lift. It's like, there's no, like, basically, Sarah emailed the publicists at every house and was like, hey, who are you? Debuts. And then they sent us a list, and we were like, okay, send those to us. And they did. Which, bless. Thank you to everyone who participated in that very fun activity. Right But I think the. It's. That is a lot harder to do right. With. With it is with indie. Right.

Sarah MacLean (8:42)

It's.

Jennifer Prokop (8:43)

It's just. Yeah. So I think we're going to have to like, sort of think so if you are an indie author yourself or you have a, you know, you're self publishing a debut, you know, reach out to us or you know, like reply to us on, on a social media feed and like, maybe we can kick around some ideas for like how we could do a, you know, indie debuts or whatever. But.

Sarah MacLean (9:07)

Well, here's the other thing, Jen. We. I only came up with this idea like two months ago, so.

Jennifer Prokop (9:13)

Well, that's the other thing. Yes, that's true.

Sarah MacLean (9:16)

Right. So like, listen, now that we know, I really enjoyed this as an activity and so.

Jennifer Prokop (9:21)

Oh yeah, me too.

Sarah MacLean (9:22)

And now I'm like, I have a bunch of books authors who now like, I've pre ordered a bunch of second books. So I really enjoyed this as an activity. So I want to do it again next year. And next year my plan is to send that email to the publishers in January and say, please remember that at the end of the year we do a debut romance episode.

Jennifer Prokop (9:44)

Like, send us what you got for.

Sarah MacLean (9:45)

You have a debut author. Send it to me. So this is, this is us saying to you, if you are out there and planning to indie publish your first. First romance, please send it to us.

Jennifer Prokop (9:56)

Yeah, yeah.

Sarah MacLean (9:57)

Or at least let us know it exists.

Jennifer Prokop (9:59)

So anyway, like that I just like kind of caveat, like, yes, we came up. Sarah came up with this brilliant idea later, but it was a lot easier to be like, what'd you publish this year? Than have us sift through the mountain haystack. Mountainous haystack that is Kindle Unlimited.

Sarah MacLean (10:19)

I have a second thing that I think happened.

Jennifer Prokop (10:24)

Okay.

Sarah MacLean (10:25)

I think. And this is hard to do necess always, but I tried to choose only true debut authors. This is their first book. There were some romance debuts that I had on my pile that snuck in and then I like looked them up and they had a number of books in other genres.

Jennifer Prokop (10:53)

Yeah, well. And I think we're gonna mention some of those people maybe like a romance debut.

Sarah MacLean (10:58)

Right.

Jennifer Prokop (10:58)

It was like tricky. I think that's the other thing. Like what is a. Yeah, I'm very.

Sarah MacLean (11:02)

Happy to reference those.

Jennifer Prokop (11:03)

Right. What constitutes a real debut? I think the other thing that's worth saying is we were like, we don't mean it was self published in 2023 and then picked up by a trade house.

Sarah MacLean (11:15)

And that was the other thing we told the publishers don't send us something that is. Yeah, print.

Jennifer Prokop (11:20)

Yeah. So we were, you know, and we tried. I think. We tried. We tried. I think.

Sarah MacLean (11:24)

Keep it tight.

Jennifer Prokop (11:25)

It's. It's. Yeah. It's not exactly. It's not as easy as it would seem, maybe. So basically what we're gonna do is just like, run. Run through these, talk about our experience reading them. This one of the things I will say, here's. Okay, one more thing. Meanwhile, I'm like, we're done talking about the parameters. We are not. When we do the parameter. I have a parameter.

Sarah MacLean (11:48)

I know you do.

Jennifer Prokop (11:49)

Got it. Well, it is genre. It's genre.

Sarah MacLean (11:54)

That's the whole point.

Jennifer Prokop (11:55)

It's the whole point. Give me some fucking parameters. My God. Here's one other thought, or I was thinking is when we do the episodes that are like, here's what's coming in the fall, or here's what's coming in winter, which we'll do in January, we're really just sort of like, hey, this is coming. It looks good. We have not read it. We really read these books. Right. So it wasn't. So we. There are other debuts that, you know, but, like, essentially we sort of read and read and read, and then we each ended up picking, like, six or seven that we wanted to talk about that we just thought were. Not just that it was a debut, but that it was, like, a really terrific, great debut. So if, you know of a debut that we didn't mention, you know, obviously it just. For whatever reason, you know, it's not just like a list.

Sarah MacLean (12:45)

Yeah, we can't read. I mean, I had something like 30 books on my. Or 25 books on my list.

Jennifer Prokop (12:50)

Right.

Sarah MacLean (12:51)

Like, exactly. I. It was two months ago, so I did not reach all 25 of them. I did.

Jennifer Prokop (12:56)

Yeah, exactly. So I guess I just want to say that too, like, we're showing the.

Sarah MacLean (13:00)

Ones I like the best.

Jennifer Prokop (13:01)

Yeah. We're coming from the experience of, like, we. I make sure we are recommending books we really enjoyed reading.

Sarah MacLean (13:07)

Oh, right.

Jennifer Prokop (13:07)

Not just. It was a debut.

Sarah MacLean (13:09)

And FYI, there are at least two that I'm saving for a later episode.

Jennifer Prokop (13:14)

Oh, see, smart.

Sarah MacLean (13:15)

Because I have. They were. I was like, oh, that fits in the debut, but it also fits in this.

Jennifer Prokop (13:20)

It also fits somewhere.

Sarah MacLean (13:22)

So, see, we got. Listen, we have a. We have a schedule, you guys. We are performing professionals. Listen, season seven, we've really come online.

Jennifer Prokop (13:35)

Listen, lucky number seven, all of a sudden.

Sarah MacLean (13:38)

Somebody asked me a question the other day about episodes, and I was like, oh, yeah, we're doing that in February. And they were like, how impressive. And I was like, I know.

Jennifer Prokop (13:47)

You were like, we got you.

Sarah MacLean (13:48)

We are on it.

Jennifer Prokop (13:49)

I love it. What a feeling.

Sarah MacLean (13:51)

Meanwhile, we still haven't read Judith Ivory's the Proposition, which has been our read along plan for months.

Jennifer Prokop (13:57)

Well, I probably am going to be listening to the audiobook of that on my drive to the Lilly Library. I'm going to see that. I'm going to go see that romance. You know, some, a couple Chicago romance friends and I are going down to the Lily Library this weekend to see, to see it. Well, it was last weekend by the time you hear this. And you know what, that's a lot of time in the car. And I will be listening to a rat catcher.

Sarah MacLean (14:23)

Apparently you're going to make all of them listen to it too.

Jennifer Prokop (14:26)

Unfortunately, I have to drive later in the day than they are because I, I have to go to work that day sometimes I'll like play hooky. There's like the entire middle school is out at a conference practically. Like there'll be nine subs.

Sarah MacLean (14:41)

To be running the show.

Jennifer Prokop (14:43)

And if I was like, hey, guess what? I'm gonna leave and go to the romance exhibit. I'm pretty sure I would no longer have a job. So I would be at work and driving in the evening. Okay, Sarah, so you want to start?

Sarah MacLean (14:56)

Do you want me to start?

Jennifer Prokop (14:58)

I think you should start. And then we'll name check a few at the end that we have mentioned on previous episodes, maybe here and there, but that are also debuts that we enjoyed but like we're not going to really fully talk about. Otherwise we'll be here for 700 hours. This week's episode of Fated Inmates is brought to you by Lydia Lloyd, author.

Sarah MacLean (15:19)

Of when the Viscount Wanted Me Historical Remains Delivering Jen. I don't know what else to say about it. Here we have the Viscount of Tremberley. You can call him Trem, like tremendous.

Jennifer Prokop (15:31)

I will.

Sarah MacLean (15:32)

And he is sort of out having a perfectly fine time minding his own business and he overhears the drunken Earl of Hartley claim to have bedded Lady Henrietta Breminster, which is not great for anyone because Lady Henrietta happens to be Trem's best friend's little sister. So he is furious on his friend's behalf. On her behalf. How could anybody possibly besmirch this lady's reputation in such a way? And so he ends up dragging a passed out jerk earl to Bremster House to face punishment by at the hands of both Henrietta's brother and Tremors. This all checks out. Here's the problem. When he gets there, Henrietta's dressed in this, like, sexy little number. And turns out she was, in fact, indiscreet with the Earl.

Jennifer Prokop (16:27)

Henrietta, you go, girl.

Sarah MacLean (16:30)

And now Trem has made everything, like, a hell of a lot worse. Because, honestly, she might have been indiscreet with this Earl, but for her whole life, she's had a real crush on Trim, who, of course, because he's a gentleman's gentleman. Jen sure would never, never touch his best friend's little sister until she's begging for his help to get out from under the gossip that he's basically caused. And the two of them have no choice but to spend a little time in close quarters to make sure nobody tells her secrets. And what could happen there, I am.

Jennifer Prokop (17:07)

Not sure, but I am about to find out. So this is book 2 out of 3 of the Rake Chronicles. It's available print, ebook, and audio if your podcasting app supports it. You can click on the chapter title right now to be taken to buy the book. Thanks to Lydia Lloyd for sponsoring this week's episode.

Sarah MacLean (17:28)

I'm going to start with KT Hoffman's the Prospects.

Jennifer Prokop (17:31)

There you go.

Sarah MacLean (17:32)

See, I just. Literally, everybody one through six is just the stack on my desk. I just. I read all these in print.

Jennifer Prokop (17:39)

I did, too. Which I ended up.

Sarah MacLean (17:40)

I know. It was really nice. Okay, so the Prospects is one of those books that people have been talking at me about all year, and I have been like, okay, yes, I will get to it. Okay, yes, I will get to it. Adriana Herrera has been, like, yelling at me about this book for a while, so it's pretty fun. Here's a. It's a sports romance, everybody. Gene UNESCO is the first openly trans player in professional baseball, and he plays on a minor league team. He plays shortstop, and he gets. And everything's fine. He's very good. Sort of has.

Jennifer Prokop (18:26)

Oh.

Sarah MacLean (18:26)

But has always been, like, one level down from, like, the. The number one. He's always been number two.

Jennifer Prokop (18:34)

Yeah.

Sarah MacLean (18:34)

And so one level down from number one, Jen is number two, last time I checked.

Jennifer Prokop (18:38)

But I support you.

Sarah MacLean (18:39)

So, like, there's, like, when it comes time for, like, the Golden Glove, it's like Gene almost gets there, but doesn't. And he almost always loses out to his former teammate from college and current rival Louis Luis Estrada. And Luis is. He is. He plays for another team. And Jean sort of, like, dreads having to play against this man. Well, bad news Bears, everybody. The book begins, and wouldn't you know It. Luis is being traded to Jean's team. Worse than all that. Jean plays shortstop and Luis is being traded. They need a second baseman.

Jennifer Prokop (19:27)

But he.

Sarah MacLean (19:27)

Luis won the Golden Glove the year before, and so he gets traded into shortstop position and Gene has to move over to second base. And I didn't know this, but second base is, like, shameful bronze compared to shortstop. Okay, so. All right, so, like, these two, they sort of start off and, like, everything is, like, tense and awful, and they are. They are like, they cannot make a play happen. Both of them have, like, something kind of close to the yips in the sense that, like, they don't see. Literally, there is, like, a comic crash between them. Like, there's like, a pop fly, and it should be jeans, and they, like, you know, crash into each other. We've all seen this on. On the pictures and. And then, like, suddenly something happens and they start to actually, like, be able to work together. And Gene is on, like, the streak of his life, and it is amazing. And the whole. The concept of the prospect, which is the main. The sort of title of the book is there is a game that is played, and they send, like, kind of the best of the minor leagues to this game. And this is their shot at being, like, seen and picked up and, you know, brought up to majors. And I mean, basically, this book is about, like, it's rivals to lovers, and it is incredibly sexy. And it's really, like, it's very humid. Like, these two just dance around each other and there's this kind of past. There's a, like. It's this, like, complex identity thing where, like, who were they in college? Who are they now? How are they going to, you know, find. How do they work? It's a workplace romance, too, right? Like, it's. How do they work together? And then there is this, like. There's this sense of, like, are they both. They're both good at the game. And there is this. There's this prospects game that they're both brought up to. And there's kind of sense of like, well, what happens in sports when two people who both play, who play on the same team have. Have the opportunity to, like, move forward and, like, they're not going to necessarily be pulled. Pulled up by the same team. They might not both be pulled up. Like, there's this sort of push. Pull in life. There's. It's. And it's so delicious. And then also it's very much, like, steeped in this kind of. Gene is the first of his kind. Like, he is the first openly trans player in baseball. Like, he feels a responsibility to that. The world, like, feels. Feels that he holds some kind of responsibility for that. And I mean, it's just a great book. Katie Hoffman, like, clearly loves baseball. You feel? I love a baseball romance. As, you know, like, it just feels. It's just a fun read. Yay.

Jennifer Prokop (22:28)

Yeah, I loved it. Everyone loves that book.

Sarah MacLean (22:31)

It's great and they should love it.

Jennifer Prokop (22:35)

Terrific. Okay, well, since you started with a sports romance, I'm gonna go to a sports romance, which is it's Unsteady by Peyton Curran. And the thing that about this book is it's a hockey romance. It's like one of these college hockey romances which I am predisposed to like.

Sarah MacLean (22:55)

Kind of to skip.

Jennifer Prokop (22:57)

Right. These are. This is not my.

Sarah MacLean (22:58)

Sure.

Jennifer Prokop (22:59)

My cup of tea usually. And so one of the things though, that I was really drawn in by is like, I think if you're like, I. If it's well trod romance ground, I'm really interested in how it plays against type. And so the beginning of this book, Rhys Koteski, who is like the golden boy, his father was an NHL player. His parents were happily married. He's, you know, the, you know, like, everything is perfect for this kid. He's filthy rich, right? Everything. He suffers a brutal hit during a hockey game, like, and gets a really bad concussion and so much so that he is essentially like, afraid of being out on the ice again. And this happens at the end of the semester, right? And so he then, you know, goes home and like, a lot of this happens off page where like, it picks up essentially like a couple of weeks before his senior year of college is going to start. And nobody, he. He, like his parents, you know, sent him to a sports therapist and, you know, all this stuff. And. But he. He just cannot get past his PTSD almost, right. His trauma of. Of the injury and how scary it was. And. And so what happens is his dad has like, essentially like the keys. You know, he's like a rich NHL player dad to like a kind of like by the wayside community center ice rink. And Rhys is like going to sneak in, in there in the mornings before anyone's there and essentially like train himself to be on the ice again. And what he finds there instead is one of his college classmates, a girl named Sadie Brown, who is a figure skater. And she sees him having a panic attack. And she works there because her family is essentially. She's on full scholarship. She's the exact opposite. Her scholarship is tied to figure skating. She is essentially caring for her two younger siblings, two brothers, one who's 12 or 13 and one who's 5. And the thing. So anyway, what I really liked about this book was first of all, it's just like very atmospheric and moody, which I feel like you do not get in a lot of romance. The writing is very evocative of a kind of stillness for these two where everything around them is going so fast and they just want to hang on to each other. But also, I don't know how scary it is to be on the verge of adulthood and already have more on your plate than you can handle. So anyway, school starts, right. You know, he's trying to hide what's going on. He finds out like stuff about her reputation. She actually is like pretty comfortable using sex as a way of just like, like toning down her, her like anxiety and feelings. Right. Like there's all, like, there's class issues. And I just found it. I don't know, I was really impressed with this book. Like, it's definitely like angsty, moody, you know, melody, melodramatic almost at times. But I really found that I felt like it really captured that, like I said, that feeling of like being on the cusp of adulthood.

Sarah MacLean (26:32)

Yeah.

Jennifer Prokop (26:33)

And really all. And finding someone who feels the same way you do, even though you on paper, like, have nothing in common. Right. Yeah. So anyway, it's great. It's called Unsteady and I, I was, I was really impressed with this, with this debut and I think it's like one. I think it's a TikTok book based on the number of Amazon reviews. It's like one of those books everybody's probably read and heard of. But I really enjoyed reading it.

Sarah MacLean (26:58)

Okay, so I'm going to stay with sports, although I'm moving. I'm moving a slightly out of sports, so I want to go to, to Gabriela. Gay Mens is the next best fling, which we talked about in the, in a review, like a sort of overview episode. But I read it finally and I had a great time. So Marcella, who is a plus sized librarian queen, is our heroine and she is very in love with her best friend Ben, like very in love with him. And that's not great because Ben is getting married to Alice and it's gonna be rough, this whole thing because Ben and Marcella have been friends for a million years and she loves him so much and she sort of has this like fantasy that someday he'll like wake up and see her. But the reality is, is that like, now this is happening. Like, he is marrying Alice and the reason why. And so she is sort of, like, resigned to this. She goes to the engagement part. So there's an engagement party. And she goes to the engagement party and she overhears Ben's older brother Theo, who is a former NFL player, like, basically professing his love to Alice. And she's like, oh, shit, this is gonna go bad. And she sort of comes around the corner and discovers that, like, he. He's not talking to Alice. He's, like, hyping himself up.

Jennifer Prokop (28:37)

Oh, no.

Sarah MacLean (28:38)

Like, kind of himbo style to, like, tell Alice how he feels. Like basically to say, you know, I thought I could go sew my wild oats because he is a full reputation. Like, has slept with everything that moves. Has, like the. When Marcela is thinking about him, like, the. The description of him is the first time Marcel ever met Theo, he was drunk. And, like, he is now drunk again and about to do something fully awful. So she, like, throws herself on the sword and is like, you cannot do this. And he's like, no, no, but I have to. Like, this is my last chance. And she's like, motherfucker, no.

Jennifer Prokop (29:17)

You cannot do this.

Sarah MacLean (29:18)

You are going to ruin everybody's life. But there's this great moment, Jen, where she's like, but if I let him.

Jennifer Prokop (29:24)

Right, he'll ruin the wedding.

Sarah MacLean (29:26)

Yeah, he'll ruin the wedding. And I'll have my. I'll help Ben pick up the pieces, and Ben will need me. Enough. I mean, like, it's a really powerful moment that we've all sort of been in, like, where you're like, you're in a relationship. Listen. And it's not just romantic relationships that are like this. Friends are like this too, where you're like, well, I don't know that they, like, love me, love me, but they need me. And that feels like the same thing. Anyway, so she's like, no, she brings him home. She, like, puts him to sleep on his couch on her couch. And she's like, you got to dry out. Problem is there's like this big meddling family involved, and they have seen that, like, the two of them went home. And then there's this kind of sense of like, oh, shit. Now she can't explain what happened because then that'll. That'll unravel everything with Ben and Alice. So they have to fake it.

Jennifer Prokop (30:20)

Yeah, of course.

Sarah MacLean (30:22)

So they decide they're gonna fake it. And it's really, really fun. And they are. It's really. This is A book that, like, it's got. You know how we talk sometimes about debuts being like, it's clear that the person who wrote the. The writer is in love with romance.

Jennifer Prokop (30:39)

Yes.

Sarah MacLean (30:40)

And, like, they are writing. They're. They're writing the romance they just wish they could have read. You know, it feels like that. It's like. It's like this. This woman who wrote this book, Gabriela Gamez, it feels like she wanted to write a plus size girl who gets the, like, hot NFL player who, like, thought he loves someone else, but actually realizes that, like, whatever feeling he had for that other woman is now, like.

Jennifer Prokop (31:04)

Like, nothing compared to how he feels.

Sarah MacLean (31:06)

About her to, like, the, like, tsunami of feelings that he feels for her. It's really fun and, like, it will deliver that sort of very raw romance feel. Like, that's of, like, what's great about all of this works. And so it's great. And, like, you know, there's even the moment where, like, Ben kind of gets pissy with her because he's like, why would you be with my brother? And you get this sort of edge of like, is Ben jealous, like, or is he being, you know, is he just jealous because he doesn't want anybody else to have her? You know? Ugh, it was fun. This week's episode of Fated Mates is sponsored by Pippa Grant, author of the Worst Wedding Date.

Jennifer Prokop (31:54)

So Lainey agrees to be her bestie's bridesmaid, not realizing that her real job would essentially be taking care of the bride's jerk brother, Theo Monroe. And she and Theo have been butting heads since they were little kids. And she just knows, like, I just want her to have a perfect day, like, as any friend would. And so Theo, though, is a real chaos agent, right? So he shows up, he doesn't have a hotel. Somehow they have to share a hotel room. You know, he's always walking around looking very hot with his tattoos and fine, but also, like, has a litter of kittens he's hiding somewhere in the room. He keeps showing up with cookies, like, from nowhere. Like, how does he afford to be tooling around this awesome convertible? Like, what is this guy's deal? He just makes her crazy. And yet she cannot help but once they're spending all this quality time together, realizing that maybe there is more to him, that it's attraction between them, not just frustration and irritation. So there's a lot of questions she has about all of Theo's big problems and feelings. And I think, you know, no better place to let it all hang out than an island wedding.

Sarah MacLean (33:13)

If you have read Pippa Grant before, you know she really nails the romantic comedy. This one is perfect. If you love enemies to lovers, best friends, brothers, good girls and bad boys, opposites attract. Possibly a little seasoning of Himbo, but definitely a lot of seasoning of He's Got a Secret, then this book is for you. You can get the worst wedding date right now in print, ebook, audiobook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited in special podcasting apps. You can click on the chapter title right now to be taken to buy the book. Thanks to Pippa Grant for sponsoring this week's episode.

Jennifer Prokop (33:54)

I am gonna go to something with a kind of a similar vibe, I guess, which is the like, save me from myself kind of vibe, I guess. So this is the Kiss Countdown by Ed Easton and let me tell you, the hero is an astronaut. And I, I cannot believe it took me so long to read this book. Like, this book had my name written all over it. So the heroine of this book is Amari Price. And she is a like, cracker Jack, awesome event planner. But she has, and she worked for like a, an event planning company and she was fired. And so she is essentially like really like down and out. And what comes to pass is like, we're sort of getting to know her is that her parents, who really were like working class people their entire life, her dad just had as many jobs as he could to hold down the fort of their happy home, but her mom has sickle cell. And so her mom just really struggled with like, health issues her entire life. And she's final kind of well enough to do like. And dad had like, you know, they finally are kind of financially stable enough to like, have him retire and then like go on their like, big dream RV trip. And what happens is that we find out is that the reason that Amaurie lost her job was because there was a medical emergency for her mom and she basically like, dropped everything. And the wedding that she was supposed to be like, running that day was just like disaster after disaster, right? And so. But her parents don't know that that's like her, you know what I mean? Like, she's also like, so determined to finally let her parents have their happiness that she's just like, I'm going to, you know, I'm going to. They don't need to know any of this. At that same time, her kind of boyfriend, who she was with for a long time, broke up with her, kind of telling her that he didn't like, he thought she was like, Spending too much time with her mother. And she was like, you are literally a garbage human. My mother was so sick. Like what the fuck, right? So she's just like down and out in every way. And she has had like, she has like her best friend lives in the same apartment complex and they go to the same coffee shop for breakfast and they've like kind of run into this guy a couple of times. This is the hot astronaut, right? His name is Vincent Rogers.

Sarah MacLean (36:31)

Big Steve, on the episode before we're on the podcast before where I've been like, if you are out there in the world and you know an astronaut, would you just let us know? Like just let us know that you know, like you don't have to name them or anything but like just be.

Jennifer Prokop (36:43)

Like, I know a astronaut, right?

Sarah MacLean (36:45)

I feel like that's like a made up job.

Jennifer Prokop (36:48)

Well, that's what I loved about this book so much. Right?

Sarah MacLean (36:50)

No, it's amazing.

Jennifer Prokop (36:52)

So anyway, one morning her ex boyfriend is in the coffee shop with his new girlfriend.

Sarah MacLean (36:59)

Your ex boyfriend that you're dating an astronaut?

Jennifer Prokop (37:01)

No, listen, she's not dating this guy, right? She's just like spilled coughing on him once. She just spilled coffee on him once. But the ex boyfriend is there with his new girlfriend and she just like cannot stand the humiliation. And so she's like, there's Vincent. And basically as it turns out, he.

Sarah MacLean (37:18)

Does what any good romance hero would do and sure.

Jennifer Prokop (37:20)

And he's like, yeah, this is my girlfriend, I'm a nostril. It turns out that his parents have been like completely dogging him like why don't you have a girlfriend? And so it works for him too. So they basically agree to like fake date. But even it gets better. He is going to go to space, Sarah. For months. And he was. And she is essentially took her life savings to pay off her parents the her mom's medical debt. And like she just doesn't want her parents to marry at all. And so she like basically found this bill from the hospital and she's like, it was a down payment for a house. I'm just going to pay off the medical debt. And so she like essentially moves into.

Sarah MacLean (38:05)

Vincent's apartment in space.

Jennifer Prokop (38:08)

He's going to go to space.

Sarah MacLean (38:09)

He's not even on the.

Jennifer Prokop (38:13)

Listen you guys, this book is amazing.

Sarah MacLean (38:16)

Dating an astronaut sounds great.

Jennifer Prokop (38:18)

Dating an astronaut, it is terrific. It is so fun. I really, really love this book. And now, I mean I cannot even tell you how delighted I was to read this book. That's the Kiss Countdown by Eddie Easton.

Sarah MacLean (38:33)

I'M gonna read that, right?

Jennifer Prokop (38:35)

Yes, you are. It's.

Sarah MacLean (38:36)

Yes, I am.

Jennifer Prokop (38:36)

Awesome.

Sarah MacLean (38:38)

All right, let's talk about parents. You have some parents, meddling parents in that book. I'm gonna talk about some meddling parents. So I read Sunshine and Spice by Aurora Palette, and this is.

Jennifer Prokop (38:51)

I haven't even heard of this book.

Sarah MacLean (38:53)

I know.

Jennifer Prokop (38:54)

Cute.

Sarah MacLean (38:55)

Very cute. Yeah, Very cute cover. Look. Look at his little. Do you see his little face? Do you see that? He has a. He has a little. A little lip kiss on his cheek.

Jennifer Prokop (39:04)

I cannot. I love it.

Sarah MacLean (39:06)

So cute. Okay, so Naomi, our heroine, was raised by a mother. Like, she was raised. She was raised by a mother who, like, who was basically looking to get away from her past and her family and so turned her back on the Bengali culture from which she came, right? And she raised Naomi. So the mom now is like a yogi who, like, you know, gives retreats and like, lives this kind of very woo woo, mystical life. And. But raised Naomi, like, super duper, like, out of culture and, like, there. And so she just never learned any of the things about Bengali culture that she would necessarily learn if she had been in a family that, you know, valued them.

Jennifer Prokop (39:57)

A more traditional family.

Sarah MacLean (39:58)

Yeah, yeah, more traditional family. So when. But now she has started her own consulting business. And what she does is she goes into, like, businesses that are. Are, like, run down or losing money or, like, not thriving. And she helps them turn it around. She, like, helps them figure out, like, what the essence of their business is, like, what the joy of their business is, and, like, helps them rebuild. So she is really trying to get a. Make this. Make a go of this business. And so she finds herself in a position where she has a shot at a contract to Reba Rebrand, a kind of a Bengali family business that has sort of fallen into. It's just a little tired, run by an older woman who is very sort of set in her ways. And this older woman sort of brought her in for the interview thinking she was, like, tied into the culture. And Naomi realizes very quickly, like, if she doesn't figure out more about herself and her identity and her culture, she's not going to be able to make this work. Like, she's not going to get this contract. And even if she does, she won't be able to, like, succeed at it. Well, wouldn't you know, this woman also has a handsome son, Dev, and Dev has a problem, which is that this woman who is set in her ways is also set in the ways of my son. Better get married as soon as fricking possible. So she has this, like, whole plan to arrange a marriage for him, and he does not want anything to do with that.

Jennifer Prokop (41:30)

So.

Sarah MacLean (41:31)

So he realizes very fast that Naomi has a problem and he has a problem. And what if they pretended that she was his? Like, that he was basically courting her, essentially. And in exchange, he'll give her lessons in Bengali culture. Jen, when I tell you this book is. It is so lush and there's so much, like, beautiful description of, like, food. Like, you're learning along with Naomi, right? As she's sort of coming to terms with, like, growing up without, like. Without that world. Without, like, sort of always having known that there was something missing in the sense that, like, there's this great poignant moment where she explains that, like, she was in college and she joined the, like, International Students association and she went and. And like, she just felt like nobody there understood. Like, she didn't understand any of the inside jokes because her mother had raised her in a very particular way. But then, like, also she felt like kind of out of unstuck when she was with other people. With white people. Right. And so it's just this, like, really beautiful exploration of self that comes along with this, like, very hot romance where, like, because of course, they're, like, not going to do anything because it is fake, and then suddenly it's just like, they're gonna do it fricking on. And he is so great in bed. And, like, the sex is so communicative. Like, she's just like. Tells him what she. Like they just are talking the whole time about, like, what feels good and it's really sexy and great. And then, like, these two. Gosh, it's just so beautiful. It's like one of those romances, like, at their. At its best, romance is about finding ourself alongside love. And, like, that's what this book is. And it's. It was a great read.

Jennifer Prokop (43:32)

Love it. Okay. I want to jump off from that idea of, like, kind of finding yourself. So I am going to talk about But How Are youe really? By Ella Dawson.

Sarah MacLean (43:45)

Oh, by Ella Dawson, yes.

Jennifer Prokop (43:47)

Which I could have also talked about, like, I think similarly to the, like, unsteady. Right. This is a book that I. It made me feel like I was in my 20s again. Okay. And so what is in. So in this book, Charlotte is our main character.

Sarah MacLean (44:09)

She.

Jennifer Prokop (44:09)

It is her fifth year college reunion. So she's 27 and she is. And like, you know, you go back and you, like, live in the dorms for the weekend and. Right. And the The. And she loved her college experience so much. She has her like lifelong bestie, Jackie. They like met, you know, kind of first year freshman year and just like were thick as thieves the entire time. And. But Ella is like, even so Ella is like an assistant to a guy at like this like front end publishing or whatever. And he is just like the CEO. He's just a total jack wagon. And it's a real Midwestern. If you're in the Midwest right now, you know exactly what I mean. And if you aren't, I don't know how to explain it to you except he's just a total jack wagon. And what happens is he is. He was also a graduate of this college and he is going to give like the commencement address and she's there to like kind of be there with like the five year group. But she's also like on the clock for her demanding asshole boss. Right. Well, what happens is she goes back and it's really a struggle for her because she like she has this job and she can like pay her bills, but she doesn't love it. She's hoping to transfer into like sort of the art, like kind of doing project managing for the art department. Like so. So she has her eye on kind of the next job and she just doesn't feel successful compared to all of her friends. Right. You know, either they're in long term relationships or they have a house or they have a dog or. Right. And you know, so she's just like kind. She's like the silent sufferer. It's like one of my old school counselors used to say, like that is Charlotte. She's a silent sufferer. And once she gets back on campus like she's like so happy to be there. But it's also really fraught because she runs into Reese, who is like her kind of boyfriend. Senior year after she broke up with a re. Like was in like almost an abusive relationship with another guy and they broke up and she sort of drifted into this relationship with Rhys. But she was young and she couldn't really explain what happened to her. And they had like a really big kind of almost like falling out at graduation where she just like walked away from him and like never saw him again. And I think one of the things that I really loved about this book is it sometimes when you get those second chance romances, it just feels like you're not really sure why it didn't work out. Right. And they will now. But in this book you're really sure why they didn't Work out. And it's because Charlotte herself was just not ready. Yeah, right. And it really felt like. I don't know, it just really like. Just like I felt, like, unsteady, captured. That sort of like, I'm on the cusp of adulthood feeling. I felt like this captured, like, the malaise of, like, your middle 20s when you're, like, constantly just feeling like you haven't done enough and you're not sure. And like, there's all these ways in which it's rooted in the experiences you had in college and coming out of college. But it's like, how do you move past all that? And so I just thought it was. And, you know, Ella is a great writer. I really enjoyed the writing in this book. Kate uses the phrase praise prose forward for that. Right. You know, it's just like, really, really well done. There's like, a really funny part where, you know, she's constantly thinking about when they were in college, they had. I don't know if everybody's seen. There's like, this. This mood wheel, and it's like a color wheel, but it has, like, moods attached to it. And so she's doing this thing where she's constantly, like, calling people colors. And it just, like, really worked for me. And I just found. And, you know, at the end, it also felt like, I don't know, there was a way in which it was like, sort of like a cathartic, like, ending of, like, a Dawson's Creek type show too, right? Where, like, the bad guy gets his comeuppance and the good guys win. And, you know, like, it just. It really hit a lot of those buttons of, like, a perfect romance, like, her relationship with Rhys. And a big, really poignant part of it was her finally being able to tell him what she had gone through with that boyfriend before and how sorry she was for leaving him the way she did. Right. It's single point of view. I mean, Rhys himself, I think, was not as well formed to me, but. But Charlotte is such a strong character that it really, like, carried me through. And I really felt like her journey of kind of realizing, like, I need to be a better friend and I need to, like, live the life I want, not just, like, pay my bills and what does that look like? I thought it was just really. I thought it was terrific. I really loved it. So that's. But how are you really? By Ella Dawson.

Sarah MacLean (49:18)

This week's episode of Fated Mates is sponsored by Book of the Month.

Jennifer Prokop (49:22)

So, everyone, the best thing about Book of the Month is that it's going to offer you a curated selection of really fun books, books that you might not have, you know, come across your. Your eyeballs otherwise. And in this case, one of the books I selected this month is called I Might Be in Trouble by Daniel Ailman.

Sarah MacLean (49:43)

Love it.

Jennifer Prokop (49:45)

In this book. And again, I want to say, like, the, the premise just sucked me right in, right? So basically it's David Alvarez is an author and he has, like, he had it all, right, A six figure book deal, a loving boyfriend, an exciting writing career, right? His debut novel was a huge success. His second book was a total flop. And so now he's just like, really struggling. And he, you know, goes out one night, he meets a very handsome man. He brings them, they get drunk. He comes back home, wakes up the next morning, and he's a little hungover and a lot shocked to find that his one night stand has died in bed next to him. And now what would anyone do in this moment? I'm not sure, but I know what David does, which is he calls, not the cops, everyone, not 911. He calls his literary agent, Stacy, the.

Sarah MacLean (50:44)

Only person to trust.

Jennifer Prokop (50:46)

You know, this person is going to solve all your secrets.

Sarah MacLean (50:48)

I mean, they do know all your secrets. I will tell you that.

Jennifer Prokop (50:51)

Right? And so Stacy shows up and the two of them essentially decide to, like, they try to figure out what happened the night before, but then they decide to, like, hide the body and cover, you know, his tracks rather than just coming clean. But she also is encouraging him to write a book about it. And this premise I just thought was so over the top, so fun, right? And it was really curated for me. It put in front of me because of Book of the Month.

Sarah MacLean (51:19)

That's amazing. So if you too would like a curated experience outside of romance or within romance, then Book of the Month is the perfect thing for you. You can go to bookofthemonth.com right now and use the code tinsel to get your first month's book for only $5. So worth it. Worth it very much. Please be sure to tell them that Beta maid sent you. And don't forget that we're in the holiday season now. So if you have a reader in your life and you're not sure what kind of book to get them, listen, that is a very real conundrum. Book of the Month is kind of a perfect gift, a great gift because the selections are really varied and you know they're gonna be bangers. So if your podcasting app supports it, you can click on the chapter title right now to be taken to bookofthemonth.com where you can use the code tinsel to get your first month's book for only $5. And don't forget to tell them Veda mate sent you. Okay, well, so I want to go to a second chance romance. I want to talk about when I think of you by Maya Al Ariel.

Jennifer Prokop (52:32)

That's a great cover. I've seen that.

Sarah MacLean (52:33)

It's a really beautiful cover. And okay, so this book is set in against film and. And what I love about. So it's a workplace romance and it is, but it's like, really about the. It's about like the mov. The film itself. And it's kind of lovely in that way. Like, I. I love a book where the job is important and. And that's where we are. So Kalia Wilson and Danny Prescott, our hero, our heroine and our hero, know each other from. They went to college together, they went to film school together. And when they were in film school, they were both like, you know, they were. They both had like, huge dreams. And now Kalia works as a receptionist at a film studio. And what we know at the beginning of the book is that. And like, Jen, this book begins exactly where it should. You know, sometimes, like, yes, it's just this relief sometimes when you open a book and you're like, here we are. This is exactly where it should. She is behind the desk in her, like, shitty job in a film studio years after she's graduated from film school. And, like, in walks this, like, handsome man who she instantly recognizes from the past and is. She has this thought that we have all thought before, which is, I was supposed to see him again. And when I was supposed to see him again, I was also supposed to be a fucking superstar. Like, I was not supposed to be a receptionist behind this desk who in the moment is then told that there is a strange rodent like, smell coming from one of the conference rooms. And could she go check it out? Like, it is mortifying. Anyway, Danny is here. He is an up and coming director. He is young. He's like a wunderkind. He's got a movie that is guaranteed to be an Oscar contender. And, like, within literal pages, like, he has recognized, clocked who she is and offered her a job on the set. Right.

Jennifer Prokop (54:43)

Okay.

Sarah MacLean (54:43)

And basically said, you. You were supposed. You are not supposed to be back there behind that desk. You're supposed to be doing film work and I want you to come do it with me. And, like, it's pretty great. And all of a Sudden you're like, okay, what's happening? Right? Because it's. That's established right away. And then you're like, wait, what book am I reading? Jen, this book is so beautifully done. So it's okay. So it's a few things. It's a second chance love story. She, Maya, Ariel gives you this sort of the little glimpses of what's happened in the past. Like there's. There are these really deeply, deeply romantic flashbacks, like to these two together. And it is so clear that they should have been together from the beginning. And like things went wrong. They had like a one night stand that like went fully south. He. He said some stupid things, he did some stupid things, she took off. Like there are misunderstandings from the past. Like all of this stuff is just sort of this rich back. There's this rich layered backstory that you get in really beauty. It's really thoughtfully dropped through the story. And then on top of it, she uses all of these like kind of found text. Like so. And what I mean by that is there are like notes that were written years ago that are found. There are email, like, there's a, there is an email that is like one of the most romantic emails I've ever seen.

Jennifer Prokop (56:26)

You know what I think about all the time? That Meg Cabot being like, everybody likes to be a creeper on other people's relationships. And that's why we.

Sarah MacLean (56:33)

I was like, yes, listen, if you love that, that whole thing, that like real vibe. There's like pages of a script that he's, he's written the script. The script is based on his parents relationship and like how, and, and you know, the challenges of his parents relationship during a time like full of racism. And then it's so you see pages of the script. It's just so beautifully done. And so aside from like all these little like things that are dropped through the book that make it feel very fresh and exciting to read, it's also just like really bright storytelling. It's got a straight shot of conflict that makes me feel like maybe my Ariel just like read a ton of like category.

Jennifer Prokop (57:25)

Love it.

Sarah MacLean (57:26)

Growing up. Like, like some. This is a, this is an author who like in like innately knows how to like pull the string tight. You know, there are like, there are these like two studio executives who are racist and misogynistic and like they just get what's coming to them and it's terrific. And like at the hands of Kalia, who is like a really heroic, like whip smart, super savvy heroine who Just, like, needed to be free enough to, like, really, like, really show her power. She saves the day in this, like, really great way. God, I just really love it. I loved it. And it felt like a second chance romance. That felt very authentic in the sense of, like, here are two people who really, like, missed the connection back in, like, when they weren't ready. Like, the reason, you know, how you said, like, you don't really understand why they didn't get together. These two didn't get together because they were dingbats and they weren't ready. You know, sure. They were kids, right? Smart and savvy and ready and, like, grown up. And it's. It was great.

Jennifer Prokop (58:36)

I love it.

Sarah MacLean (58:37)

It was great. And I cannot wait for her next book. You will love that book.

Jennifer Prokop (58:42)

Yeah, it looks great. Okay, I'm gonna talk about a book that has similar, I think, in some ways, set up, except instead of a movie, it is Broadway. And that book is called Showmance by Chad Boulin. I'm sorry, I don't know how I was like, oh, I should look how to say his name. And I did not. Sorry, everybody. Sorry, Chad. Okay, first of all, what I'm going to say about this book is this book, to me, like, you know how everything's a rom com? This book is literally actually a rom com. Right? It is.

Sarah MacLean (59:11)

All right.

Jennifer Prokop (59:12)

So fudgeing funny. And basically the book starts and our. Our. Our narrator and our main character is Noah. He is his. It is opening night of his Broadway musical based on King Lear in space. And basically it's like the cast party afterwards. And you know, the way this works is you like, kind of party until the reviews come out, and then you, you know, you just hope for the best. And he is there with his boyfriend, who is also his agent. And I keep wanting to call this guy Colin, but I. I think his name is something else because he doesn't really matter that much.

Sarah MacLean (59:55)

Okay.

Jennifer Prokop (59:55)

So anyway, I mean, he does. Chase. Sorry, Chase. The reviews are not only not good, Sarah, they are show closing reviews. Yeah, they are. Your show was open for one night.

Sarah MacLean (60:09)

And now, yes, it's a musical that King Larry and space.

Jennifer Prokop (60:13)

So as though, like, as literally the worst review from the terrible New York Times critic who Noah's like, this woman hates me comes in. He gets a phone call from his mother back in Plainview, Illinois, which is like closer to St. Louis than Chicago, that his father is in the hospital and he's had, like a heart attack or something. And so Chase and Noah, like, go to this small town And Chase is kind of like, you know what? This is actually going to be good for you. You should not be in Manhattan right now. And then they get there and the whole thing is just like a fucking kick. Like, it really is the closest I have ever gotten to, like, I'm reading a Hallmark movie, okay? A deeply funny Hallmark movie, okay? So they get to this little tiny town, and it turns out that Chase has told the, like, Plainview Community Players, which is like, the theater that Noah discovered that he loved the theater and not that they're going to, like, put on his show. And he is, like, humiliated. He's like, what are you talking about? Like, first of all, like, no, I'm humiliated. It closed on Broadway. And these people, you know what I mean? He's just kind of. Honestly kind of a brat about it. And his mother is like, noah, like, these people have loved you your entire life. They're the ones who, like, gave you your love of the theater. This is like your high school English teacher. And here's the part, though, that is like, honestly. So Chase goes back to Manhattan, and one of the other problems for him is, like, his dad's okay. He comes back. But one of the workers on, like, the family farm is Luke. And Luke was essentially like his arch nemesis in high school. Luke and his friends constantly teased him. A lot of it was really homophobic in Noah's memory. Like, they called him Shakespeare instead of Shakespeare. Right? Like, just awful stuff. And what happens is he's like, how can you have let my high school bully, like, work for dad and be like, dad's like, buddy, right? So, I mean, like, Noah is just, like, really struggling with all this. Yeah, right. And of course it comes to pass that, you know, Luke is like, you're not really remembering, right. Like, don't you remember how I shut that down? Don't you remember how it just stopped one day? But, you know, Noah was just so anxious to get out of that town that he kind of, like, didn't let himself remember things. Right. Anyway, here's the part that. About this book that was so over the top charming. I, like, literally cannot, couldn't. I could not get enough of it. And this is, I think, the rom com part of it. It turns out that this group of community players has some really smart feedback for Noah about this King Lear in space thing. At one point, one guy's like, why are Goneril and Regan Rop. But you know what I mean? And I don't. Sarah, I've got to tell you, I now eventually, like, it turns out Chase goes back to Manhattan and cheats on him with somebody else, and they have this terrible breakup, and he gets with Luke, right? And the. The romance part of this, to me, was, like, really easy. Like, not, like, sure. It's like Noah's kind of coming to terms with this town that made him and really understanding, like, the true heart of what he's been trying to write as opposed to, like, the things he was trying to write for Broadway versus, like, the things he really feels in his heart. I have to tell you, I would give this book literally to anyone and be like, you're about to have the greatest three hours of your life.

Sarah MacLean (64:06)

Just read this fucking book.

Jennifer Prokop (64:07)

It is so funny. I loved it. It is so fun. And if anyone listening has not. I mean, this guy, I think, writes, like, he wrote a Broadway show called the Prom, I think. So this is, like, a guy who also writes on Broadway. Like, it felt so real. If this is not a Hallmark movie at this time next year, I just feel that everyone is doing it wrong. This. This book was so fun. I completely loved it, and I just. I was, like, really moved by it. Like, I just thought it was really great. And, like, he has this, like, really, like, heart to heart with his dad. I mean, the whole thing is a terrific.

Sarah MacLean (64:54)

Cool.

Jennifer Prokop (64:54)

I loved it. Showmance by Chad. That.

Sarah MacLean (64:59)

That's cool.

Jennifer Prokop (64:59)

I don't know your last name, Chad, but you're the real one.

Sarah MacLean (65:04)

All right, so I want to talk about Rebecca Fobian's the Lovers, which is a tarot romance. So, Jen, you know, I was like, I'm in.

Jennifer Prokop (65:19)

I thought you said terror. And I was like, no. And then you said tarot.

Sarah MacLean (65:23)

Tarot. I said tarot. Like, the cards.

Jennifer Prokop (65:26)

I got you.

Sarah MacLean (65:27)

Okay, so Kit is our. Is one of our heroines, or there are two heroines in this one. Kit and Julia. Kit is a professional tarot card reader. And, like, what a job. What is referred to as a mystic influencer. So you get it.

Jennifer Prokop (65:44)

It's like, I love it already.

Sarah MacLean (65:46)

Right? So she is. But she takes this very, like, she is serious. Like, the cards never lie. And I should say. I should preface this with, if you are in any way interested in tarot, this is the romance for you. Because she literally does, like, full readings in this book. Like, the cards are relevant throughout the book, and it's actually really fun.

Jennifer Prokop (66:09)

But.

Sarah MacLean (66:10)

So she has had a really rough time of it. She's had a recent breakup. Her parents have been recently divorced, and she has been offered. There's, like, another mystic influencer who. Who is getting married in Joshua Tree, obviously. And so. And is like, I want you.

Jennifer Prokop (66:35)

I wish you'd have made me guess. I would have been like, Yosemite in.

Sarah MacLean (66:39)

Joshua Tree, outside of Los Angeles in Joshua Tree. And she basically is like, I want you to come to the wedding, and I want you to be like my mystic, like, tarot card reader at the wedding. Which, like, how did I not think about this? If I had, Eric would not have married me. But the point is. So she gets there, and there's like a cast of a thousand, like, all of the. All of the people. I mean, this is. These are. There are like, a collection of bridesmaids, a collection of groomsmen, families, like, mystics, the whole nine. And a wedding planner, Julia, who just so happens to be Kit's high school crush. They, like, knew each other in high school. And, like, there's a little bit of, like, a misunderstanding about, or a miscommunication about what happened in high school. Like, you know, they were sort of, like, into each other, but not really. They didn't really. Nothing really happened. And it was just messy. It was like a messy, heartbreaking, emotional, teenage angstiness. Anyway, they get there and they recognize each other. Like, they're. I mean, they know who each other are. But Julia's got a whole separate problem because she's, like, a complete control freak. She agreed to wedding plan this wedding, and her ex is in the bridal party. So, like, oh, mess. But what's really great about this book is it is so a couple things. First of all, I want to talk about structure or style, because the chapters in this book are, like, at the most, like, five pages long.

Jennifer Prokop (68:23)

Like, oh, okay. They are.

Sarah MacLean (68:24)

It is incredibly fast paced. There is. You know, they're very tight, the chapters, and it feels. And so, like, the whole sense is like, you're just like, you're rushing through this weekend, like, through all of the chaos that comes from, like, a destination wedding. But then, like, with this added layer of, like, complete entertainment of, like, these kind of wackos all just, like, vibing through Joshua Tree toward this wedding. And then on top of it, there is this sense of, like. Because of how, like, vibey the wedding is, it's really difficult for Julia, the wedding planner, to, like, maintain control of the whole thing. So there's this hilarious moment where, like, the bachelor party, the, like, groomsman and the groom, like, all get absolutely, like, off their rocker drunk and, like, sleep it off in, like, this, like, kind of massive tent structure. And they go so. And in the morning, like, Julia needs them to get up and, like, get. Get going, like, get their. They're. They have a plan. She has a plan to keep these men on. And, like, these men are not awakening, waking up. And so Kit is like, well, why don't we, like, turn on the sirens on our phone and see if that wakes them up? And it doesn't. And then she's like, well, I dare, like, when they have this memory of high school. And she's like, why don't you turn the hose on them? And so Julia, like, literally turns the hose on this, like, group of drunken. Like this, like, bacchanal of, like, passed out men in this tent in Joshua Tree. And it's very funny because the two. It becomes this sort of sense of like, it's the two of them against the world. Like they are each other's buddy in this. And then there's this. But threaded through the whole thing is this really lovely sense. There's this great moment where the bride, at the end of the wedding, she asks Kit to do a tarot reading for her. And Kit pulls, like. She pulls the 10 of cups, which is like a card of, like, abundance and, like, happiness and contentment and family. And she's like. And she lays it on the table and she says, like, it's not luck, it's fate. And there's this beautiful. I had this moment where I was like, God, there's. There is. That's such a romance way of being of, like, talking about it. It's such a romance theme. Like, it's not luck that we find each other in. It's fate. Like, happiness isn't luck. It's fate. It's all just written in the stars. And I just had a lot of joy reading this book. Like, it. It's very.

Jennifer Prokop (71:21)

Yes.

Sarah MacLean (71:22)

It's romantic. And there. It's like. There are lovely romance moments, but there's also just sort of a. It's like a broader, bigger book in the sense of, like. It just made me think. It made me feel like. It made me feel. Yeah, yeah, There you go.

Jennifer Prokop (71:39)

That's the job.

Sarah MacLean (71:40)

Yeah, that's the job. So I really loved it. And if. And if you. It also has this. I'm gonna show you. It has these, like, great. These like, beautiful illustrations.

Jennifer Prokop (71:49)

Almost like tarot illustrations.

Sarah MacLean (71:51)

Yeah. I mean, not all the way through, but it's just. It's.

Jennifer Prokop (71:54)

It's just so.

Sarah MacLean (71:55)

It. It's a book that feels like it. They took a lot of care with it.

Jennifer Prokop (72:00)

I love it. The COVID you Know, it's so funny because I've seen the COVID before, right? And now I'm like, oh, it looks like the card. I'm so dumb.

Sarah MacLean (72:07)

Yeah. But, like, in Joshua Tree, I mean, obviously it's beautiful.

Jennifer Prokop (72:13)

Okay, so I am going to talk about, like, a similar. Like, weddings play a big part in it. And this book is say youy'll Be Mine by Naina Kumar. And in this book, this also is, like, really after my heart. Meghna is a middle school, like, English teacher. Like, and what she really loves, though, is, like, theater. And she. You know, it starts. She's so. She's sort of like, you know, she's, again, she's, like, working a job. She doesn't love her job. And so basically what happened is in. In college, she had this best friend named Seth, and they were, like, writing partners and, like, just, like, clicked on every level. And then, like, at one point, they, like, dated for a few months. And then he was like, okay, we're done with that now. And she really, like, isn't quite sure why, but she's sort of so agreeable that she couldn't quite figure it out. And I think one of the things that's really interesting is I think it's really a smooth trick. And I think Ella Dawson does it a bit, and I think even Etta Easton does it a bit. But for sure here too, where you. You as the reader, like, through the narration, see the things that, like, the characters cannot. And so she and Seth are still, like, really close. But it turns out that, like, he's totally using her as, like, free copy editor and free writing service, and. You know what I mean? And, like, she's like. Doesn't even kind of know what's going on. Well, he calls her up and tells her that he's getting married. And she is just, like, floored. Like, she kind of really was thinking that at some point they would get back together. You know, I mean, she just. Then she's like, so angry at herself that she essentially tells her parents who. Even though they there, they were like, a love match. So they were not looking to arrange a marriage for her. But her mom is kind of like, do you want me to introduce you to somebody? Kind of like, I don't know, just like, floating it, like, a little bit. Like that thing where your mom. Where you're just like, I'm just gonna throw that out there. And, you know, I'm not trying to pressure you. And she's shocked when Meghna is like, like, yes, actually, I do. And I was like, oh, okay. And so literally like the next week she gets, you know, called home. This is in Dallas. And she's introduced to, to, to Kartik. And the thing about him is that he, his parents, his mom, he essentially has been really bugging him to arrange like a match for him. And he finally was kind of like, fine, you can, you can try and set me up with people for a year thinking that it's going to be like once a month. But no, his mom is invested and she's got him doing like 2 a days practically, right? And so. But he loves his mom and all.

Sarah MacLean (75:15)

Of the chamber, but make it dating.

Jennifer Prokop (75:17)

Yeah, exactly. I mean, pretty much, right? And it's so funny though, because so what happens is like, he is like an old hand at, like, how these things go, right? Like, you come in and you meet the family and then like, the parents are like, kind of. Even though they're like in their 20s or whatever, like, you know, there's like a protocol, right? Give them permission to sort of like go do something in the kitchen or whatever, and then they're supposed to talk. And she's like, okay. So, like, and she, like, isn't following the protocol. And he's like, what is going on right now? And she's like, yeah, you're my first. This is the first time. And he was like, wait, what? Because he of course, is doing two a day. And so he's just like, taken with her, but of course can't admit it. So he goes back to New York. And then you realize that, like, his parents, he loves his mother, but his father, there is some sort of, like, really deep seated, like, tension between them that is oppositional, even, like, it's, it's combative. And part of the reason we now know that he can't say no to his mom or like, slow down, is that, like, he knows his dad will give him a hard time about it. So he basically is like, well, I'm engaged to Magna, right? And so he like, gives her this like, panicky phone call.

Sarah MacLean (76:31)

Get off my back.

Jennifer Prokop (76:32)

Right? Like, essentially. And she's like, wait, you did what? But then he says, like, I can go to things with you and you can go to things with me, and you can just tell your parents that we, like, are dating for a longer time, but because my family is more traditional, we're gonna call it an engagement. And she realizes, like, oh, I can take him with me to Seth's wedding, right? And then I won't look like a, like a fool I forgot to mention that Seth asked her to be his best man. Right. And so she's just like, I can't do this. Then what? I mean, it's just. I love this book. It's great. Like, it's also, like, I don't know, like, her best. Her lifelong best friend is also about, like, kind of in the process of getting married. And the first event they go to as a couple is her. Her friend's engagement party. And she goes off looking for her friend and finds her kissing her brother. Like, Meghna's brother. Right. And so she's like, wait, they've betrayed me? And, like, how long's this been going on? And, you know, and it's so. It's just like she feels, I think, really alone. And then through these, like, organized things, they've agreed to. To go with each other. Like, right. She. He comes to Dallas for this event, and she's gonna go to New York and meet. Meet at his boss's retirement party, and they're gonna go to Miami for Seth's wedding. You really get the sense of, like, how through these, like, dates they've agreed on these times to spend together, they really get to know each other. It is. It is, you know, one of those reads where you're, like, sitting down and reading, and all of a sudden you're, like, 100 pages in. That's how this book was for me. Just like, a nice, smooth ride.

Sarah MacLean (78:14)

Nice.

Jennifer Prokop (78:14)

So that is. Say you'll be mine by Naina Kumar.

Sarah MacLean (78:23)

Okay. I want to talk about. I want to talk about family and responsibility.

Jennifer Prokop (78:30)

Oh, that'll be perfect for my last one.

Sarah MacLean (78:32)

All right, good. So I want to talk about Sarah Chamberlain's the Slowest Burn, which is about Ellie and Kieran. Ellie keeps her life very. She runs a tight ship. She is a ghost writer for cookbooks. And what that means is. So chefs don't write their own cookbooks.

Jennifer Prokop (78:54)

Because chefs are chefs busy chefing. Yeah.

Sarah MacLean (78:57)

And also they have no idea how to cook. Like, they know how to chef. And so they're. It's like a pinch of this, a thing of that, like. Like squeeze of that. You know, this doesn't taste right.

Jennifer Prokop (79:09)

Add this.

Sarah MacLean (79:10)

Like, it's a. It's a. It's alchemy. Right. And so most chefs. Most chefs have a. Have cookbook writers who are ghostwriters who just come in and, like, do the job. That's her job. And she has kind of a dream of writing her own cookbook eventually. And. But. But for now, this is her job. And she needs it because she was widowed three years ago and she continues to live in the home where her. With her in laws and she is really deeply, she feels deeply responsible to them. Like there is her, her mother in law will never recover from this, this loss and there is just a real sense of like her husband died and now Ellie is responsible for them. Right? Like responsible for their happiness which is impossible to achieve but also like their well being and she couldn't possibly leave them because it would, you know, destroy them. And so like she has a very sort of small universe life but she gets an opportunity to write a cookbook for essentially like a guy who became like he might have won a Top Chef like competition and he's got a restaurant and he is, they, you know, he's got a publishing deal and he want, they want him to write a cookbook. Kieran has, he's like this cracker like fire brand of a, of a chef. He's clever and funny and quick witted. He has, he's. He has like severe ADHD which is making it very difficult for Ellie to, to write a cookbook for him. Like he won't stop. He is like in a constant, in constant movement. He doesn't want to sit down and talk about a cookbook. He doesn't want to have anything to do with like, like the minutia of the cookbook or the like steady. The steadiness required to write a cookbook. And she is like I cannot follow you around a kitchen. They are complete opposites who like the moment. I mean this, this is a pure for Sarah moment. The moment they start to like actually talk about food, start to realize like there are little sparks between them. So they fall for. It's called the Slowest Burn. It is an incredibly slow burn, this romance.

Jennifer Prokop (81:48)

Well with that title you would think so. Sure.

Sarah MacLean (81:49)

I mean promise of the premise but there is a really and so like basically like they start working together, they start spending more time together. They become really intense. They become really into each other and like it starts to become very clear that these two are perfect for each other in like a million different ways. But Ellie still has this like is so beholden to her in laws and to like that life that she had and the life that she thought she was going to have before her husband died. Right. And it has one of Jen's favorite microtropes in it where like there is a dinner where they all. He goes and he meets the in love and like it all comes to a head in this like really powerful emotional Moment between like her mother in law and her and Kieran, like, kind of stepping in, but like knowing that it's not his place. That like, whatever is happening here is too complex for like, him to walk in on, but wanting her to know that he sees what Ellie really wants and like, like wants to help her get there and will support her and believes in her. And it's just a book. It's a book about two people who would not be perfect for anybody but each other. And it's a book where about two people who like, truly end up seeing each other and wanting each other in like a really deep, like a, like on a bone deep level.

Jennifer Prokop (83:27)

I love it.

Sarah MacLean (83:29)

Yeah, it's lovely.

Jennifer Prokop (83:31)

Okay, so I am going to talk about the Spy and I by Tiana Smith. Of course I got the spy book because I like a spy book.

Sarah MacLean (83:41)

Nice.

Jennifer Prokop (83:42)

This, to me was like a really breezy, fun read. And I feel like there's like two different kinds of spy books. Okay. So there's like the super intense, intricately plotted, you know what I mean? Like, I don't know, John Lecar or whatever vibe. And then there's like just like beautiful people blow things up. And that's what this one was. And it really. I don't feel like it was like, this is one of those romances where like, it does what it does really well. It's not like revolutionizing anything. It's just taking like, kind of spy tropes and like, just really delivering us the goods. And so. And it also, at the beginning, I think a big hook for me was it reminded me a lot of a really great old movie called Sneakers.

Sarah MacLean (84:28)

Oh, I love that movie.

Jennifer Prokop (84:31)

Right? That movie is great. And in that movie, their job is like, they're a bunch of like, ex CIA or whatever spies is. They like, break into, like, kind of like hack companies, like, essentially to see where the weaknesses are, right? So it's like a company is like, here, tell us where our weaknesses are by trying to break in.

Sarah MacLean (84:51)

Right?

Jennifer Prokop (84:52)

And that's what our main character does. Um, her name is Dove Barkley and she is essentially a hacker. And so it starts off with like, her hacking. And you're like, ooh, what's she doing? Well, it turns out that she's like, you know, been hired by this company. I think it's a friend of hers who owns it or works there to like, kind of see where their cyber security is lacking. And as she's like, wrapping up this job, she gets a call from her sister and like, they're going to meet for drinks later. And, like, you know, and it turns out that her sister is just, like, super extroverted. And Dove is, like, like, really introverted, Far more comfortable with, you know, like, her computer and, you know, like, all these, like, you know, ones and zeros than she is with people. But she does have to stop on the way. Like, she has, like, a afternoon appointment with a reporter who is, you know, doing this. Some big, you know, some, you know, a big article. And, like, essentially, Dove is, like, one of his people he's talking to, and she has this great conversation with him, and then she's gonna go, like, meet her sister at this bar. Well, when she gets there, she has a very strange interaction with, like, someone who comes up to her and tries to give her a strange suitcase. And then there's, like, gunmen in the restaurant. So she, like, runs out. And, of course, who is there waiting on a sexy motorcycle, but the reporter. Perfect. Who, of course, a reporter on a motorcycle.

Sarah MacLean (86:17)

Right.

Jennifer Prokop (86:17)

He's not a reporter, Sarah. His name is Mendez, and he is her sister's partner. And they are spies. And, of course, she had no idea. Right. And her sister is missing.

Sarah MacLean (86:27)

No notes, of course.

Jennifer Prokop (86:29)

Right. I mean, like, you know exactly where this is going. Her sister's missing.

Sarah MacLean (86:32)

They have to work together.

Jennifer Prokop (86:33)

They have to work together. Dove has to pretend to be on a motorcycle. Right? Yes, of course. Right. Get on a. Right. Because, see, listen, you intuitively understand. You're picking up exactly what this book is putting down.

Sarah MacLean (86:51)

I think this is one of those things. Like, all these debuts were so fun to read because they really were. Like, the first one, you poured everything you love into that book.

Jennifer Prokop (87:00)

That's right. That's exactly right. And so, you know, it has all of the, like, wacky spy hijinks and costumes and, like, getting on planes and, you know, I mean, yes, it was great. I really, really enjoyed reading it. Again, like, super fun, you know, it's not like. It's, like, super heavy, like, you know, bad guy that they are after. His name is Holt, and, you know, he's got some sort of information that his sister, you know, her sister has been trying to get a hold of and, you know, yada, yada. So basically, I loved it. And the second book, which is called Mr. Nice Spy, is also out, and I am super excited to read that. As soon as this one is, you know, as soon as we're practically off this. This episode, I'm gonna go read the next one. So that's called the Spy and I by Tiana Smith. It's got a great cover. It's really fun.

Sarah MacLean (87:57)

Well, we talked about, we wanted to just do a little, a little name checking. Yeah, I wanna, I feel like I should point out that Rules for Ghosting, which is in the Best of the Year, which I put on the Best of the Year list and is in the Best of the Year box from Pocketbooks. Again, you can go to fatedmates.net bestof and order that book. That box. Shelley J. Shore's Rules for Ghosting is a debut and it is in that box. I liked it so much that I put it on the list. Yulene Kang, who was on the app, is on the on the podcast much earlier in the year, had her debut out this year. That's called how to End a Love Story. Nora Dalia, who wrote Pickup, which was on our over 40 episode, also writes literary fiction under the name Nora Zelvanski. But that's a debut romance. And then Isabel Kamal, whose Temple of Persephone I talked about earlier in the year. This is a historical and also a debut and self published. That one's self published.

Jennifer Prokop (89:07)

Published. Okay. I have to, I want to just remind you of two other ones I really liked this year. Both of these I think we talked about on the like Fall Reads episode, but I had not read them at that point. One is I'll have what He's Having by Adib Khoram. This is the first adult romance from a very well known YA author who wrote Darius the Great is not okay. In this book we have a guy who's studying to be sommelier falling in love with a guy who's like inherited his family's restaurant or his actually not inherited. Like his parents want to retire but he cannot let the restaurant go because he, he it's like the only Iranian restaurant in town. And he just really feels really strongly like if, if, if this restaurant does not stay in business then I like the community will lose something. It is super hot, super sexy but basically like like he knows everything about cooking but nothing about running a restaurant. And David knows a lot about running restaurants because he's a, you know, practicing to be a sommelier and just like really aware of like kind of how that world. So they like kind of agree to work together and have a lot of fun sexy times while they're doing it. And then the other one I really liked was oh Best Hex Ever by Nadia El Fasi. This one had elements of several of the ones we talked about earlier in this book. Dina is a kitchen witch. She has a coffee shop and she can essentially, like, just, like. It's not even really spell work. It's just, like, magic. Right? Like, infuse, like, the things she's cooking or the food she's preparing. And. But this is. This part was really clever. The hex is when she was young, like, you know, young, in her 20s or college, she had a girlfriend who she essentially, like, was so afraid of losing that she cast, like, a spell on. And this woman was furious and had some magic of her own without really realizing it, and basically was like, I'm so angry at you. I hope that you feel the way I feel. Right. And in doing so, essentially hexed Dina without really knowing it. And so all of her, like, love affairs have kind of ended in disaster. And so one day, Scott Mason walks in. He's working at the British Museum. He's a curator. And he, like, a. Some kind of charm falls off the wall and, like, breaks. And she's like, oh, it's going to be bad luck. But I think it's going to be that he breaks this hex. And it turns out that his best friend and her best friend are getting married. But they, like, these two have never met. Met before because he's always been away, like, traveling and, like, learning his trade. Sure. And so they. It's, like, really cute. Like, they're going on the train together to, like, the same small town, and her cat escapes from her bag and goes running. And he finds the cat, who, of course, is like, I love this human.

Sarah MacLean (92:13)

And she just.

Jennifer Prokop (92:14)

Everything is, like, bringing them back together. So it is, again, just, like, a really fun, terrific romance. Like, very low conflict. Right. It just feels like, you know, the conflict is what's going to happen with this hex. But they're both, like, super into each other, and it's, like, real sexy and fun. So that's. Best hex ever by Nadia Alfasi.

Sarah MacLean (92:35)

Love it. I didn't describe mine, but I put them in earlier episodes.

Jennifer Prokop (92:40)

Yes. Sorry, I didn't. Because I think we were just like, this book is out, right? Yeah.

Sarah MacLean (92:45)

Yep. Well, it was a real delight.

Jennifer Prokop (92:49)

It was a delight. I really had fun with it.

Sarah MacLean (92:51)

And I mean, I. I've said it already, but it's. These books are full of things people love in romance. Y'all love the stuff you wrote in your debut romance novel, and so we all love them, too.

Jennifer Prokop (93:02)

Yeah, it was really fun. These were really fun.

Sarah MacLean (93:05)

But this is also where I get on my little soapbox and I tell you all who are listening, like, this is an important episode. It's an episode where you can really change a life and a career by some of these books by buying the books that sounded good and reading them. Nothing is more precarious than a debut career. You know, people need to read the books to know that they love the authors. So support your local debut romance novelists. You know, if you here's another, another list that you can give that person who wants to buy you something in December. And and we hope you'll you'll check them all out. As a reminder, we are putting buy links on all of our on on the page, on the the Show Notes page that take you to a local independent bookstore. Now is the time of year that local independent bookstores need, you know, as much of our support as possible. But appreciating that they need a little more lead time than others. It's probably worth purchasing if you, if you're going to buy any of these books as gifts in advance of Christmas or Hanukkah, probably want to order them as soon as possible. But we are trying very hard to support local independent bookstores because we know historically they have been community centers and important places where people stamp out fascism. So not to find a point on.

Jennifer Prokop (94:34)

Things, but embrace joy stamping out fascism. You know, same energy. They go together like peanut butter and jelly.

Sarah MacLean (94:44)

Exactly. Is that it? Don't forget to buy the box from pocketbooks. Fadedmates.netbestof I'm Sarah McLean. I'm here with my friend Jen Procop. We are fated mates. You can listen to us every Wednesday in your ear holes on your podcasting app that whatever it is that you choose. You can also find us on Instagram @fademates, pod on threads, aytamatespod on blueskyatedmates. And don't forget to go check out Show Notes. They're on Show Notes at the show notes@fadedmates.net the show notes will give you all of the books that we've talked about. Jen puts them there directly in order. You don't even have to worry. They just go.

Jennifer Prokop (95:28)

You could be like which one was after that astronaut book?

Sarah MacLean (95:30)

And you'll find it and you'll find it anyway. It's coming up on the holiday season. We're loving you for staying with us. We're grateful for you and we hope that you're having a warm and lovely December.