Fated Mates – S08.12: Fantastic Romance Series

Podcast Date: December 3, 2025
Hosts: Sarah MacLean & Jennifer Prokop

Episode Overview

This episode is a cozy, freewheeling discussion between romance author Sarah MacLean and critic Jen Prokop about the joys of digging into fantastic romance series, especially as the holidays approach. They share their favorite series for immersive reading, debate the merits of reading order, and highlight how interconnected worlds—be it through sprawling family trees, shared universes, or tightly knit trilogies—delight genre readers. The tone is warm, bantering, and filled with recommendations and thoughtful musings about the state of romance publishing, fandom, and reading.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Social Media & Squirrels (00:00–05:30)

• The episode opens with Sarah sharing an anecdote about squirrels predicting a snowy winter, which flows into a discussion of her struggles with social media addiction. Sarah describes her phone's app limits and her husband Eric’s intervention for her Instagram and Threads usage.
  • Quote: “I really feel like social media is ruining my life. Like, I feel like everybody's life.” – Sarah (01:02)

TV Adaptations, "Heated Rivalry," and Fidelity to Source Material (05:54–14:56)

• Jen recounts finally watching the Heated Rivalry show (based on Rachel Reid's books), praising its casting, chemistry, and “romancy” moments—especially Shane’s post-hook-up vulnerability.
  • Quote: “There is a great scene in the first episode...it’s a real classic romance moment because you can see every single thought on his face.” – Jen (08:05)
• The hosts discuss the importance of showrunners and producers who love the book they're adapting and how this care translates into better TV.
  • Quote: “If you have your project optioned by somebody who loves your book, it is going to just be a better production.” – Sarah (11:04)
• They mention other recent romance adaptations, such as Savvy Sheldon Feels Good as Hell and I Wish You All the Best, and express excitement for the upcoming People We Meet on Vacation adaptation.

Book Boxes, Independent Bookstores, and Holiday Reading (16:02–21:05)

• Sarah highlights Fated Mates’ “Best of 2025” book box in partnership with Pocketbooks, emphasizing supporting indie booksellers and the joy of holiday gifting/hoarding good reads.
  • Quote: “Every penny you put into a small business is a penny that does not go into Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk’s pocket.” – Sarah (19:08)

The Joy of Series Binge-Reading (21:05–41:39)

The Power of Plunging Into a Series

• Both hosts extol the happiness of discovering a long, engrossing series over holiday downtime:
  • “The best feeling I think I can think of is the feeling when you finish a book and you immediately open your e-reader and buy the next book.” – Sarah (21:22)

Kresley Cole’s Impact

• Sarah and Jen share their gateway binge experiences with Kresley Cole’s Immortals After Dark and Game Maker series, highlighting their appeal to both new and seasoned romance readers.
  • Quote: “Every one of them is about finding your fated mate...and you’re gonna have a delicious time.” – Sarah (24:03)

Changing Attitudes and Entry Points

• They discuss how tastes shift (“now that I've read more primal playbooks, [the series] was not a big deal”) and why romance doesn’t need strict adherence to reading order.
  • “Most romance series you can read in any order you want...trust in the romance product.” – Jen (41:40)

The Audio Experience

• Jen praises Kate Daniels by Ilona Andrews, especially the full-cast, “movie-in-your-mind” Graphic Audio versions, which reinvigorated her experience of an old favorite.
  • Quote: “It was great, you know, again, this is more of a paran instead of like straight paranormal...but the evolution of Kate and Curran’s romance, like, their romance is really strong.” – Jen (30:34)

Universe Building & Family Trees

• Sarah celebrates Beverly Jenkins’ interconnected historical-and-contemporary world, linking characters across eras and series, bolstered by an elaborate fan-made chart.
  • Quote: “There is this sense of, like, the enduring power of love through all of her books.” – Sarah (36:07)
• The pleasure of surprise character appearances (“putting together: ‘Oh my God, Tempest’s male main character is the brother to the female main character in Wild Rain’”) is highlighted.

Gatekeeping and Access

• Both hosts caution against series gatekeeping, especially where out-of-print or financially inaccessible, and reinforce that romance is meant to be welcoming.
  • Quote: “I get very defensive about it – most romance series can be read in any order. It’s fine.” – Jen (45:01)

Shorter Series, Category Books, and Kindle Unlimited Treasures (48:09–55:59)

Unfinished Business & Go-To Authors

• Jen discusses her mountain of incomplete series, spotlighting Theodora Taylor’s Irish Shifters as a binge-worthy, satisfying choice.
• Sarah recommends London Hale’s steamy Temperance Falls books for “one-handed reading”—quick, tropey, interconnected novellas ideal for a ‘read all day’ spree.

Category Romance

• The hosts encourage listeners to fall down the category rabbit hole: Reese Ryan, Amanda Cinelli, Naima Simone, and Lucy Morris (for Viking historicals) are suggested.
• They cite the value of buying bulk lots of category books on eBay for an endless supply of quick reads.

The Allure of Loosely Connected Standalones (62:13–65:57)

• Jen highlights Farah Heron’s Toronto-set novels, which function more as a shared universe than a strict series. Heron is praised for fresh, unmissable yearly releases, such as A Little Holiday Fling.

Mega-Series and Fandom: Ruby Dixon & "Ice Planet Barbarians" (67:49–74:33)

• The runaway success and pure fun of Ruby Dixon’s Ice Planet Barbarians is spotlighted. Sarah reflects on its addictive, campy quality and how series like this deliver “all dopamine, no downtime.”
  • Quote: “You are gonna tear through these books...it’s just fun.” – Sarah (71:17)
• Camp and maximalist feelings are defended as essential elements of romance.

Yearning, Angst & New Adult Feels (74:33–79:36)

• Jen recommends Peyton Corinne’s hockey romance Undone series for readers wanting deep yearning and emotional angst reminiscent of old-school romance, but in a contemporary, college athlete package.
  • “If you’re just like, I want to wallow in angst...sometimes I just want to lay in bed and wallow in people’s feelings of not being good enough, not just for each other, but for the world.” – Jen (78:48)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On reading order:
  “If you trust in the romance product—and I do—please know that for the most part, most romance series you can read in any order you want.” – Jen (41:40)

• On nostalgia:
  “You know what I miss, though? I miss Romantic Times Magazine...It is a huge loss. The loss of that magazine.” – Sarah (84:21)

• On category romance:
  “Categories are so fun, too, because you can do what Jen and I do, which is go on eBay, buy yourself like a box of 12 for three and a half dollars, and then have a great time.” – Sarah (82:23)

• On the enduring fun of romance:
  “We are forgetting...the best thing about romance heroes is that they know they are a camp...the campiness of romance is part of what scratches that really primitive itch for me as a reader.” – Sarah (72:07)

Recommendations by Subgenre and Theme

Paranormal/Fantasy

• Kresley Cole’s Immortals After Dark (monster mash, deep POV, fated mates galore)
• Ilona Andrews’s Kate Daniels (urban fantasy; audio recommended)
• Theodora Taylor’s Irish Shifters (shifter romance, wolves–>bears–>dragons)

Contemporary/Hockey/Rom-Com

• Rachel Reid’s Game Changers (especially Heated Rivalry)
• Peyton Corinne’s Undone series (angsty college hockey)
• Farah Heron’s Toronto books (Jana Goes Wild, A Little Holiday Fling)

Interconnected Universes/Historical Family Sagas

• Beverly Jenkins’s historicals & Blessings series (multi-era, tied by family and setting)
• Lorraine Heath’s Scoundrels of St. James (Oliver Twist–esque kids turned peers)
• Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton
• Stephanie Laurens’s Cynsters
• Julianne Long’s Pennyroyal Green

Steamy/Quick/Erotica

• London Hale’s Temperance Falls series (10 super-tropey novellas)
• Elizabeth Roby’s “A Few Good Books” series

Category/Shorter Series

• Amanda Cinelli’s billionaire brother mini-series
• Reese Ryan’s Savannah Royals
• Lucy Morris’s Viking Harlequins
• Naima Simone’s Harlequin Desire books

Mega-Series Phenomena

• Ruby Dixon’s Ice Planet Barbarians (sci-fi, blue aliens, “all dopamine, no downtime”)
• J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood (vampire-mythos epic; new Insider’s Guide)

Meta, Fandom, and Community (84:20–end)

• Sarah laments the loss of Romantic Times magazine as a centralized source for recommendations (“now it’s a million Substacks you gotta subscribe to…”).
• They encourage joining the Fated Mates Discord for community, rec lists, and best-of-the-year polls—a gathering spot for lost Twitter romance fandom (86:09).

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Social Media & Opening Banter: 00:00–05:30
• TV Adaptations & Fidelity: 05:54–14:56
• Book Box & Indie Stores: 16:02–21:05
• Immersive Series Reading Joy: 21:05–41:39
• Gatekeeping vs. Free-for-all Reading: 40:39–46:03
• Short/Erotic Series & KU Gems: 48:09–55:59
• Historical Series & Universe Building: 55:59–65:57
• Ice Planet Barbarians & Fun: 67:49–74:33
• Angst/New Adult Hockey Series: 74:33–79:36
• Category Series Love: 80:13–84:18
• Nostalgia for RT & Community: 84:20–end

Closing Tone

The episode is festive and encouraging, urging listeners to indulge in the comfort of a good series (long or short, high angst or campy fun), support indie bookshops, and connect with other genre lovers in community spaces. Sarah and Jen’s camaraderie and honesty shine, making this a perfect “cozy up with a stack of books” listen—filled with recs, validation, and laughter for romance fans new and old.

For a complete list of recommended titles and series, see the show notes and the Fated Mates website.