Fated Mates S08.16: 2026 Winter Romance Preview

January 7, 2026 — Hosts: Sarah MacLean and Jen Prokop

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A lively, wide-ranging preview of upcoming romance releases for Winter 2026.
Sarah MacLean and Jen Prokop share dozens of anticipated romance titles for January, February, and March across a variety of tropes and subgenres (including sports romance, queer and polyam romance, historicals, romcoms, romantasy, and more). They provide context, personal excitement, and commentary to help listeners discover new reads and trends. The episode opens with a spirited discussion about the Quinn audio erotica app, the intersection of erotica and romance, and how discoverability is shifting in the romance genre.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Quinn Audio Erotica and the Evolution of Romance Consumption

00:09–16:35

• What is Quinn?
  An audio erotica app, notable for attracting big acting names (Andrew Scott, Manny Jacinto, and others) to narrate sexy, second-person stories.
• Why is it successful?
  Most subscribers are young women (80% are female, 70% under 30), interested in erotica “through the female gaze” and accessible, brief audio shorts.
  • Sarah: "What’s really fascinating about this is I think it intersects with fic, and I think it intersects with the popularity of short erotic romance on KU that we’ve sort of lost." [11:51]
• Self-insert and second-person narrative:
  The trend towards immersive, “you are the character” storytelling, but also the differences among listeners (Jen bows out—self-insert doesn’t work for everyone).
• Legal/Ethical Moment:
  A viral piracy incident where Quinn’s lawyers directly responded to a user planning to share pirated audio—a “very stern romance daddy kind of moment.”
  • Sarah: "No, my panties flew right off." [16:37]
• Romance as Resistance & Access:
  Discussion of the double standard in media: violence is considered more appropriate for young viewers than consensual sex.
  • Jen: "We watch [Criminal Minds] together... strangled, raped, and stabbed... but now I feel like if we can watch that together, we can watch two people having sex because they're horny and in love." [03:14]

2. Winter 2026 Romance Preview: Trends & Title Picks (January – March)

19:25–118:17

Discoverability & Curation

• Why previews matter:
  Both hosts highlight how hard it’s getting to keep up with what’s releasing, especially indie or fast-publishing authors. This episode is intended as a useful resource for readers struggling with discoverability (lists, trends, and direct recommendations).
  • Jen: "This is like a discoverability kind of thing for us, right? What is coming out? What are we looking for? What are we interested in?" [19:27]

Notable January Releases & Recommendations

21:03–54:00

• Champagne Taste on a Bad Boy Budget by Zuri Day: Rivals-to-lovers in a struggling restaurant workplace romance.
• Drive Me Crazy by Lizzie Dent: F1 racing, female team principal, estranged childhood crush.
• Silver and Blood by Jesse Mihalik: Romantasy with late-blooming magical powers and Beauty & the Beast vibes.
• A Scandal Changes Everything by Josie Johns: Scandalized heroine leads a feminist revolution; charming investigator hero.
• Dom Calm by Adriana Anders: Kinky club romance meets workplace enemies-to-lovers.
  • Sarah: "This is the only person I would trust to write a book called that." [29:28]
• The Lust Crusade by Joe Segura: Adventure romcom blending Indiana Jones and brother’s best friend tropes.
• Wish I May by Hannah Murray: Polyamorous queer small-town romance involving a married couple and wishful heroine.

... (The hosts continue listing and describing an expansive array of anticipated books in all subgenres and tropes through the month.)

Trends within Winter 2026 Titles

• Sports Romances: F1, NFL, MMA, hockey, and professional wrestling all featured heavily (“justifiable face-punching” trend noted by Sarah).
• Queer & Polyam Representation: Notable growth in queer, poly, and gender-diverse romances.
• Time Travel & Reincarnation: Multiple books highlight reincarnation, soulmates across lifetimes, and time travel (Sarah predicts “time travel is coming in hot”).
  • Jen: "My other prediction for this year is... we’re about to see time travel—time slip, time magic, etc." [65:28]
• Celebrity/Normie Romances: Many titles involve everyday people entangled with the rich/famous.
• Fake Relationships/Gimmick Romances: Fake fiancés, marriages of convenience, and tropes galore—sometimes with signature twists.
• Monster & Cosy Fantasy Romance: Noted through the Steamy Bookworms book box and several lighter, magical stories.

Jump to February & March Highlights

54:04–118:05

• Falling for the Rabbi by Jennifer Wilk: Category romance involving a rabbi and a bookstore.
• Subatomic Love by Shannon Kirk: Nuclear disaster, literal reincarnation, destiny-crossed physicists.
  • Jen: "Is this a nuclear romance? Friends, it fucking is." [63:49]
• Regency & Victorian Innovations: Time-travel swaps, regency/cosplay hybrids, and queer takes on the genre.
• Pirates and Vikings: Multiple swashbuckling and fur-draped historicals.
• Convenient Wife Conditions by Rebecca Hunter: Upends the fake marriage trope to "no touch = I’m out."
  • Sarah: “Let me tell you how Rebecca Hunter is going to tackle this... she discovers he has no intention of ever touching her because this is fake... when Katarina discovers this, she’s in the fucking wind.” [113:10]
• Mia Sosa’s The Starter X: A genius contemporary fake-ex-girlfriend-for-hire setup.
• Queer romcoms, personal bodyguards, monster romance boxes, cozy witch stories, and rom-com mysteries all offer breadth.
• Time-travel, second-chance, and musical or Hollywood settings: Additional sub-trends.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Sarah (on audiobooks and the "one-handed listen"):
  "If you’re a Quinn subscriber, you could be on your morning walk listening to filthy shit—and no one at the pond has any idea!" [12:01]

• Jen (on sexual taboo and violence in media):
  "You guys, they can watch porn on their phones. I need everybody to calm down." [03:57]

• Sarah (on piracy and copyright):
  "Don’t worry if you’re not a Quinn subscriber, don’t buy it, don’t subscribe. I’m gonna download the audio and then post it here for free... Don’t pirate shit." [15:52–16:07]

• Jen (on discoverability):
  "This is like a discoverability kind of thing for us, right? Like, what is coming out? What are we looking for? What are we interested in?" [19:27]

• Sarah (on her most anticipated):
  "I love Odette Stone so much... Wild Russian Storm. I know he’s gonna hate feelings, and I just can’t wait." [56:04]

• Jen (on her "dumpster" glee for time travel and nuclear disaster romance):
  "I literally could not be happier. I know I’m just climbing into a dumpster immediately after recording today, but I’m excited." [64:53]

• Sarah (on the scale of the preview and romance’s abundance):
  "48 books for the first three months of the year... you won’t be able to read more than that." [118:02]

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Topic / Segment | |---|---| | 00:09–16:35 | Discussion on Quinn, audio erotica, cultural shifts, and legal/ethical moments | | 19:25–54:00 | January 2026 Title Recommendations (numerous detailed blurbs) | | 54:00–88:10 | February 2026 Title Recommendations & Trends | | 88:21–118:05 | March 2026 Title Recommendations & Wrap-Up | | 118:30–120:13 | Outro—show notes, listener engagement, and community call-outs |

Useful For

Anyone seeking a rich, entertaining, and in-depth preview of winter 2026’s romance books, with extra insight into industry trends and fandom culture.

• Expect candid banter, a fast-paced relay of releases, and unfiltered excitement for all things romance.
• Check show notes and the podcast website for a visual “photo array” of all titles mentioned.

Final Note

Sarah and Jen’s banter, enthusiasm, and combined expertise make this episode not just a list of books, but a vibrant, thoughtful conversation about where the romance genre is heading and how readers find their new obsessions. Listeners are encouraged to check the show notes for all book covers and to interact with the Fated Mates crew on social media with their 2026 picks or recommendations, especially from indie authors.