Fated Mates - A Romance Novel Podcast
Episode: S07:19 Back in Time with Harlequin Blaze
Release Date: January 21, 2025
Hosts: Sarah MacLean (Host/Author) & Jen Prokop (Romance Critic)

Introduction and Announcements

[00:00] Sarah MacLean:
Sarah opens the episode with announcements, promoting her upcoming "Start Your Romance Today" class scheduled for February 23rd. She emphasizes that it's a beginner-level class covering all aspects of writing a romance novel. Additionally, Sarah provides a content warning for the week’s episode, which delves into romance novels from the early 2000s, noting that societal awareness was different back then.

[01:35] Jennifer Prokop:
Jen engages in a brief light-hearted exchange about social media frustrations, highlighting the transient nature of platforms like TikTok and Instagram.

Opening Game: Literary Character Association

[03:01] Sarah MacLean:
To kick off the episode, Sarah introduces a game inspired by an Instagram video by @and.dot.some. She challenges Jen to name three literary characters—past, present, and future selves—which serves as an icebreaker and sets a playful tone for the episode.

Notable Quotes:

• Sarah: “This is a personality game. It's a party trick. It's good at a... I bet it's good on a date or at a dinner party.” [05:07]
• Jen: “The ashes of the world are down around me, Sarah. But I found my lady love.” [05:16]

Deep Dive into Harlequin Blaze

[06:12] Sarah MacLean:
Sarah officially welcomes listeners to the episode, announcing that it’s dedicated entirely to Harlequin Blaze—a category romance line from Harlequin. She expresses nostalgia and excitement to explore Blaze's history and impact on the romance genre.

[07:15] Jennifer Prokop:
Jen provides a historical overview of Harlequin, detailing its various lines and how each served different romance sub-genres. She explains that Harlequin Blaze was introduced in August 2001 as an extension of their Temptation line, which had been gaining popularity due to its sexier content.

Notable Quotes:

• Jen: “Harlequin introduced the Blaze. Now, I think it was actually, from what I can tell, probably like an outcropping of another line where they had, like, blazing hot.” [09:37]
• Sarah: “These were people who are like, games. This is fun.” [31:01]

Significance of Harlequin Blaze in Romance History

[10:36] Jennifer Prokop:
Jen discusses the proliferation of Harlequin Blaze books, explaining how readers would subscribe to receive multiple Blaze novels monthly via mail. This subscription model fostered a dedicated readership and allowed Harlequin to cater effectively to the market's demand for more sexually explicit romance novels.

[12:15] Jennifer Prokop:
She reflects on how, before digital platforms like Kindle Unlimited, Harlequin Blaze represented a pivotal shift towards sex-positive storytelling in romance, empowering heroines to embrace their sexuality unapologetically.

Notable Quotes:

• Sarah: “Harlequin's market has sort of been eaten for lunch by KU.” [11:50]
• Jen: “These were people who are like, games. This is fun.” [31:01]

Diversity and Segregation in Harlequin Lines

[22:40] Jennifer Prokop:
Jen highlights a significant issue with Harlequin Blaze—its lack of diversity. The Blaze line predominantly featured white characters, paralleling Harlequin's Kymani Romance line, which was exclusively for Black authors from 2006 to 2019. This segregation underscored the publishing industry's racial divides during that era.

[23:56] Sarah MacLean:
Sarah agrees, noting that Black authors had limited opportunities outside dedicated lines like Kymani, reflecting broader societal segregation.

Notable Quotes:

• Jen: “This was a segregated line, and not just... if you were black, like, there was no space for you outside of Kimani for many of those years.” [23:56]
• Sarah: “We've heard this from the trailblazers... it wasn't just the line.” [23:56]

Comparative Analysis: Harlequin Blaze vs. Contemporary Romance

[27:24] Sarah MacLean:
Sarah emphasizes the importance of understanding romance's history, especially with lines like Blaze that championed sex positivity. She laments that modern romance lines have lost this overt celebration of female sexuality and empowerment.

[33:00] Jennifer Prokop:
Jen concurs, expressing sadness over the regression in romance novels' portrayal of women's sexuality. She contrasts Blaze's empowered heroines with current trends where sexual experiences often lack depth and agency.

[36:14] Jennifer Prokop:
Jen critiques the current state of romance, where character development often trumps plot, leading to narratives that are less engaging and sex-positive compared to Blaze’s offerings.

Notable Quotes:

• Sarah: “Romance is reflective. It is a mirror of what is happening.” [27:24]
• Jen: “This is, like, the first one. I was really excited to read it.” [87:52]

In-Depth Book Discussions

1. "Let's Call a Truce" by Amy Buchanan (Sponsored Segment)

[15:20] Jennifer Prokop:
Jen reviews "Let's Call a Truce," highlighting its enemies-to-lovers trope between Juliana Ryan and Ben Thomas. The audiobook narration by Charlotte North is praised for effectively conveying Juliana's inner turmoil and fantasies.

[17:16] Sarah MacLean:
Sarah complements the review, encouraging listeners to explore the audiobook.

Notable Quotes:

• Jen: “Charlotte North does a great job capturing both Juliana's inner angst, but also her kind of dreamy fantasy life.” [16:39]

2. "His Girl Hollywood" by Maureen Lee Lenker (Sponsored Segment)

[36:53] Jennifer Prokop:
Jen summarizes "His Girl Hollywood," describing the rekindling romance between Arlene Morgan and Don Lazzarini amidst Hollywood's glamor and mob-related turmoil.

[38:38] Sarah MacLean:
Sarah praises the book's blend of historical setting and romance tropes like forced proximity and enemies-to-lovers.

Notable Quotes:

• Jen: “They are clashing constantly. He's trying to keep his secrets, she's trying to not unpack old wounds.” [37:05]
• Sarah: “It's the perfect title… but no. A reporter and an undercover philatelist.” [81:37]

3. "Just Watch Me" by Julie Leto

[40:06] Sarah MacLean:
Sarah discusses "Just Watch Me," detailing the plot of a private investigator accidentally wiring the wrong house and developing a complex relationship with the unintended target.

[43:17] Jen:
Jen praises the book for its unique plot twists and character development, mentioning its departure from typical romance narratives.

Notable Quotes:

• Jen: “It feels like nothing I've literally ever read before in a romance.” [43:52]
• Sarah: “She doesn't know who she is for 85% of this book.” [59:00]

4. "A Bloomy Head" by J. Winifred Butterworth (Sponsored Segment)

[60:30] Jennifer Prokop:
Jen reviews "A Bloomy Head," a Regency murder mystery intertwining romance and suspense as Kate Easting teams up with Dr. Thomas Holyoake to solve a family-related murder.

[62:44] Sarah MacLean:
Sarah lauds the book’s seamless integration of murder mystery elements with a heartfelt romance.

Notable Quotes:

• Jen: “This has like all of the great elements of a murder mystery, a really beautiful romance.” [62:44]

5. "Hot Island Nights" by Sarah Mayberry

[87:54] Jennifer Prokop:
Jen delves into "Hot Island Nights," exploring the tumultuous relationship between Martin and Elizabeth, who seeks her true identity after discovering unsettling truths about her past.

[88:00] Sarah MacLean:
Sarah is impressed by the book’s handling of themes like self-discovery and empowered sexuality.

Notable Quotes:

• Jen: “This was extraordinary. It was so playful and so fun.” [46:43]
• Sarah: “The sex itself was just, in a lot of these books, really playful.” [30:54]

Reflection on Harlequin Blaze’s Legacy

[93:14] Jennifer Prokop:
Jen reflects on how Harlequin Blaze offered a sanctuary of sex-positive and empowered narratives, contrasting sharply with today’s romance novels, which she feels lack this vibrancy and affirmation of female sexuality.

[94:32] Sarah MacLean:
Sarah echoes Jen’s sentiments, emphasizing romance's role in combating negative perceptions of sex and advocating for a more overt celebration of female agency and pleasure in relationships.

Notable Quotes:

• Jen: “It feels like were in a generation of romance where character is a placeholder for plot.” [35:27]
• Sarah: “You don't have to... like, if you're not feeling rewarded by your relationship, don't.” [72:15]

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

[97:29] Sarah MacLean:
Sarah concludes by emphasizing the importance of remembering and studying lines like Harlequin Blaze to understand romance's evolution and advocate for more sex-positive and empowered storytelling in the genre.

[99:01] Narrator Clip:
The episode wraps up with a narrated excerpt from Macmillan Audio’s audiobook “Let’s Call a Truce,” providing a teaser for the next sponsored segment.

Closing Remarks:

• Sarah and Jen encourage listeners to provide feedback, express interest in exploring other old category lines, and promote their social media channels and Patreon for additional content.
• They also highlight an upcoming live conversation in New York about Rebecca Romney’s collection and her book "Jane Austen's Bookshelf."

Key Takeaways

1. Harlequin Blaze’s Impact:

   • Introduced in 2001, Harlequin Blaze was pivotal in promoting sex-positive, empowered female heroines within the romance genre.
   • Blaze’s success highlighted a market demand for more explicit and character-driven romance narratives.

2. Diversity Issues:

   • Despite Blaze’s progressive stance on female sexuality, the line was predominantly white, reflecting broader racial segregation within publishing.
   • Harlequin’s Kymani Romance line catered exclusively to Black authors, further emphasizing industry divides.

3. Evolution of Romance Narratives:

   • The episode underscores a lamentable shift from character and sex-positive plots in lines like Blaze to contemporary romance novels that often prioritize character over plot and lack overt sexual affirmation.
   • Hosts advocate for a return to or reinvigoration of sex-positive narratives to empower readers and combat societal stigmas around female sexuality.

4. Book Analyses:

   • Detailed discussions of various Harlequin Blaze titles illustrate the line’s commitment to engaging plots intertwined with empowered, sexually confident heroines.
   • The hosts highlight both the strengths and problematic aspects of these novels, reflecting on how societal norms have evolved since their publication.

5. Call to Action:

   • Listeners are encouraged to explore and preserve the history of romance lines like Harlequin Blaze.
   • The hosts seek to foster a community that values and advocates for progressive, empowered storytelling within the romance genre.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Sarah MacLean:
  “If you have been waiting for my start your romance today class to run, now's your chance to join it.” [00:00]

• Jennifer Prokop:
  “Harlequin introduces the Blaze. Now, I think it was actually, from what I can tell, probably like an outcropping of another line where they had, like, blazing hot.” [09:37]

• Sarah MacLean:
  “Romance is reflective. It is a mirror of what is happening.” [27:24]

• Jennifer Prokop:
  “This was a segregated line, and not just... if you were black, like, there was no space for you outside of Kimani for many of those years.” [23:56]

• Sarah MacLean:
  “These were people who are like, games. This is fun.” [31:01]

• Jennifer Prokop:
  “It feels like nothing I've literally ever read before in a romance.” [43:52]

• Jen & Sarah:
  Engage in playful banter about social media, life events, and appreciation for featured books.

Final Notes

This episode of Fated Mates serves as both a nostalgic trip back to Harlequin Blaze's influential era and a critical examination of how the romance genre has evolved since. Hosts Sarah MacLean and Jen Prokop not only celebrate the empowering narratives Blaze offered but also highlight the industry's ongoing challenges with diversity and the need for continued advocacy for sex-positive storytelling in romance novels.

Listeners are encouraged to engage with the hosts through social media, Patreon, and upcoming live events to further explore and support progressive narratives within the romance genre.