← Fated Mates - Romance Books for Novel People
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- [00:00]
A
Well, Jennifer, World cup is everywhere. It's just a lot going on. I feel like every time I leave the house, I'm. I was in Texas this past week. I saw a bunch of faded mates, listeners. So fun, you guys. Oh, my. Now, I didn't think I had anything to say, but now I have a lot to say.
- [00:18]
B
Well, of course. That's how it goes.
- [00:20]
A
I was in Texas. Sophie Jordan's daughter was married. Congratulations to Sophie Jordan's daughter and her husband. And I was in a town called Brenham, which is between Houston and Austin. And in this little town, there is nothing to do, I was told, except for tour the ice cream factory, which my daughter did, because you don't have to ask her to tour an ice cream factory.
- [00:48]
B
I want it to sound pretty fun. Yeah.
- [00:51]
A
And she said, by the way, everybody, if you're ever in Brenham, Texas, and you go toward the. What I refer to what I think is called Blue Bell Ice Cream Factory.
- [01:00]
B
Yes.
- [01:01]
A
Then you can get special. Special flavors there that you can't get in stores, only available at the factory, including a peanut butter cup, one that she said was top notch.
- [01:11]
B
Oh, I mean, that's a good. I mean, I do love peanut butter cup.
- [01:14]
A
Anyway, while she was touring the ice cream factory, I was doing a little book event with Shayna Galen.
- [01:22]
B
So fun.
- [01:23]
A
In a little bookstore called the Book Nook in Brenham, Texas, which is adorable and so cute because, Jen, this is the first time I've ever seen this, but it's so. It's just a regular old indie bookstore. And it, you know, because it's Texas, there's quite a bit of floor space. It's not enormous, but it's bigger than your normal run of the mill, you know, New York independent bookstore. But they have their romance section broken out into regular romance romantasy and spicy romance.
- [01:58]
B
Oh, okay.
- [01:59]
A
And I was like, this is kind of interesting. Now, listen, like, I think this is a tricky. It could be tricky because spicy is like, I mean, who knows what's inside these cartoon covers?
- [02:08]
B
Oh, yeah, sure. Well, and I also think, gosh, if you're like me, my spice level is, you know, very different from other people's.
- [02:17]
A
But it was like Katie Robert and, like, Sierra Simone. Like, there were legitimately spice people who, like, were high on the spice scale, naturally. But we were there. And later, you know, Vee came back in after touring the ice cream factory, and she was there for, like, the tail end of the event. And later she said to me, mom, there was a little kid here, and he went mom, what's spicy romance? And apparently the mom said, it's romance that tastes like a lot of spicy flavor.
- [02:50]
B
What else you going to say? Right? What else are you going to say?
- [02:53]
A
Good job, Mom.
- [02:54]
B
I mean, this is like the infamous story when Little. Little Romance, who, by the way, had a birthday this week. And I was like, maybe I should start calling him New Adult Romance.
- [03:03]
A
I'm going to stick with Remember when he was little.
- [03:07]
B
I do remember when he's still Lil to me. He'll always be lil to us, right? Like the sort of, like, hilarious story where he wanted to know what Rihanna's S and M meant. And I was like, I can't tell you. And he was like, don't worry. I figured it out. I was like, you could not possibly have figured out. I mean, I was like, but go ahead. What's about to happen? He's, like, sexy and mean. And I was like, you know what?
- [03:28]
A
That is actually kind of. Right.
- [03:29]
B
Accurate.
- [03:30]
A
That is right.
- [03:30]
B
Look at how smart you are.
- [03:31]
A
Accurate. So anyway, the Brenham Book Nook is very fun. The manager of the book nook who was there and Meta said, we are the gayest place in town.
- [03:40]
B
And.
- [03:40]
A
And I support you. And I had a great time. And there were tons of magnificent firebirds who rolled in from all walks of Texas. That's great to see me. It was very funny. Cause every person who came in was like, I drove here from farther away because why are you in Brenham? And I was in Brenham because that's a nice place to get married, evidently. Oh, that's so nice. Anyway, everybody, welcome to Fated Mates. I'm Sarah Maclean. I read romance novels and I write them.
- [04:11]
B
And I'm Jennifer Prokop, romance reader and editor. I also have a new microphone, so I'm also real curious. I feel like I'm worried I'm going to be clipping, which is everybody. When you're so noisy that you basically are, like, too loud and. Or, you know, whatever. So if I sound different, it's just because of my new situation. Well, your.
- [04:34]
A
Your special. Your special mic situation. We are. We were just talking about it. If you are. You will have missed me and Sophia Benoit. But if you are in Chicago and you are listening to this episode today, on the day that we release, Jen's gonna be at Women and Children First.
- [04:52]
B
Yes. Which is a really great Chicago bookstore. And I'm really excited about it. Yes.
- [04:56]
A
With Sophie Benoit, who's been on the podcast before. So congratulations to Sophia on her release week. Her new historical is called the Very Definition of Love. And has a banger of a cover.
- [05:08]
B
Yeah, it's got a great cover and
- [05:10]
A
is a very fun book to read. And then. So that's really it. What else is going on? It's the summer.
- [05:16]
B
It's the summer. It's the summer. Well, and you know what? It's really funny because we have a topic today that we have been like, sort of. Okay, so everybody, I think we've talked about this. Like, we have sort of like a rotating list of, like, kind of things we want to do and then things
- [05:30]
A
we think would be kind of easy to do without.
- [05:33]
B
You know what I mean? Where we both have. We read so much. We just need to, like, collect our thoughts.
- [05:37]
A
If you, for example, were in Texas and didn't record the episode until the day before it came out.
- [05:44]
B
I mean, I'm not. Like, we've been going through some things, everybody, and sometimes we record in advance, and sometimes we do not. But the part that's really funny is so this topic that is like birthdays, right? Like, characters who are having birthdays, or there's like a birthday. Kind of a big. Something happens at a birthday party. And this has been on the list for a long time. I think maybe someone in the Discord suggested. I can't remember, but. Or maybe it was me. Because there's so many books where, like, someone turns 30, right, and they're going to change their life and lose your virginity. Well, yes, so we're going to talk about that in a minute. But this has been sort of on the list for, like, a really long time. And we're finally doing it. And then I was like, oh, my God, Sarah, what if everybody thinks we're doing this because it's close to July 4th and it's patriotic?
- [06:32]
A
That's not why we're doing it at all.
- [06:34]
B
And everybody. That's not why we're doing it. We plan to not talk about anything regarding any of that, including the reflecting pool, which I just know way too fucking much about at this point.
- [06:44]
A
I know, like, why I never thought I would ever know this much about that fucking thing anyway. What a time.
- [06:51]
B
So we're not gonna talk about any of that. But I did think it was, like, a ironic bit of, you know, scheduling.
- [06:59]
A
Well, now, here's the thing. So birthdays are obviously a real milestone in a normal life. Like, yeah, we spend a lot of time just, like, celebrating people's birthdays and talking about when our birthdays are. I am a. I'm a astrology person. I'm always Saying, listen, I was just a wedding this weekend. I spent a lot of time going, oh, when's your birthday? And there are two kinds of people, by the way. There are the people who. When you say, when's your birthday? They sort of, like, pull back. It's sort of like, are you trying to steal my identity? And then there are the people who are like, you know, December 12th, I'm a Sagittarius. Like, it's all one word, one sentence.
- [07:44]
B
So the reason I was joking about Little Romance is calling him New Adult Romance is because he had a birthday last week, and he was everybody. He was five weeks early, which is scary. I mean, he was fine. He, like, came home. He was, you know, he wasn't like a preemie. He was still, like six pounds, but his original due date was like, five and a half weeks after when he was really born. And he. This weekend was like, yeah, but, I mean, can you imagine me as a cancer? And I was like, no, absolutely not. Clearly.
- [08:14]
A
Born when he was supposed to. Under the prop stars, as we said.
- [08:18]
B
Clearly. Little Gemini boy, you know, little mister, Like.
- [08:22]
A
So my point is, like, we do spend a lot of time talking about birthdays in the world, but birthdays are very rare in romance. Yeah.
- [08:31]
B
And I noticed something. Okay, so let's talk about that first, and then I will tell you the thing I noticed as I searched, started to, like, sort of. Cause again, like, when you're doing something like this, it's like how to, like, cast your mind back and find the books that you've already read with this or you've heard about. Right. It's kind of like a process of, like, kind of uncovering it. And even though my original idea was there's so many books like Brazen and the Beast, Right. Where I'm about to turn a birthday that to the character means they have to change their life in some way.
- [09:07]
A
Right.
- [09:07]
B
And so I want you to talk about Brazen a little bit. I also was like, wait, why are all the birthdays from if it's a. Well, I'm sad to report, I only have, like, male, female romances. Like. Right. I only have, like, straight romances this week. They're always. It's almost always the women's birthday. I had to, like, sort of cast around for, like, it's the man's birthday.
- [09:29]
A
Yeah.
- [09:29]
B
Isn't that weird?
- [09:31]
A
Well, I mean, why celebrate men is my answer to that. Every day is a man's birthday.
- [09:39]
B
All right, I'll accept that as our reasoning and our logic. Sure.
- [09:42]
A
No, I Actually, you said that to me, and I was like, holy, Isn't that fascinating? Why isn't it ever a man's birthday? And I will tell you, I have two.
- [09:53]
B
I have one. And it's really interesting. It literally came out, though, like, last week. And I was like, oh, look at me tripping across the exact thing I needed. I will tell you why I think it is after we talk about those books.
- [10:04]
A
Yeah.
- [10:04]
B
Okay.
- [10:04]
A
So I think we. So I think there are two things going on here. One, I think birthdays are times for, like, genuine celebration, largely. And, like, there isn't a whole lot of room in a great. Certainly not in the romances that you and I like for, like, genuine celebration, like, happiness is not.
- [10:21]
B
Is, like.
- [10:22]
A
It's thin on the ground, really, in the books that we love. So I think there's that. I think also I think, like, a birthday celebration isn't entirely compelling, like, as a plot point. So I found. What I found is, you know, I'm gonna talk about 1, 2, 3, 6 books, all of which have the birthday as the plot point. Like, as the inciting incident.
- [10:51]
B
Yes. Inciting incident. And I think, like, that, to me, it's that. Because if a birthday happens in the middle of the book, it's largely, like, not really that memorable to me. And I think because often a birthday in the middle of the book is just a. Like, well, I need to put all these people in a room together to create some drama. Yes. Right.
- [11:12]
A
Like, it's a family thing.
- [11:14]
B
Right? So if I. So how am I gonna do that? Maybe the timing isn't right for a big holiday. I don't want it to read as, like, a Christmas romance. So I'm just gonna make it somebody's birthday. And then I can, like, throw all these people in a room and, like, shit's gonna happen. Right? And I think that's, like, a harder book. I'm sure I have read a hundred million of those books, but they don't really, like, ring the birthday bell in the same way for me. Because it's not like, I think, in a good birthday book, right, where the birthday is the plot.
- [11:47]
A
Right.
- [11:47]
B
Or is the thing that's happening. There's two things that are going on. One is it's someone has decided to change their life. Right. Or it's, like, a chance for some kind of reflection about, like, what it means to be at a certain point in your life. Right? So that's. And that, I think, is, like, the difference. Right? Is it a plot point versus is it really about, like, Kind of who the characters are and, like, what's going on with them.
- [12:18]
A
I also think, like, to the gender of it all. Like, the reason why we don't see birthdays as, like, male. Like, for. For at least male heroes.
- [12:30]
B
Yeah.
- [12:31]
A
Is because it doesn't matter. Age doesn't matter to men the way that it matters to women. Like, in the sociologically. Like, nobody's. Like, you could still. Charlie Chaplin had babies when he was 70.
- [12:43]
B
Yes, exactly. Exactly.
- [12:46]
A
Everybody.
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B
A quote from When Harry Met Sally.
- [12:49]
A
So it just feels like it's harder to imagine a hero kind of going, well, I'm turning 40, and now I better get my act together.
- [13:01]
B
Listen, when Mr. Reid's romance turned 40, he, like, went through it. You know what I mean? Like, they don't want to admit it, but they do. I also think I'm talking about a
- [13:12]
A
man in romance novels.
- [13:13]
B
Oh, yeah, sure. Not talking about a real man. Sure. They're masters of the universe, Sarah. They don't need to be celebrated.
- [13:19]
A
Exactly. But it's interesting because when you first said that to me, when you texted me, and you were like, why aren't there any male boys in romance? Which is often. Y'.
- [13:28]
B
All.
- [13:28]
A
Like, when. So often one of us will text the other one, and then it becomes a challenge. Like, oh, yeah, we're gonna talk about this, but let me see if I can find one. And I replied to you in all caps, and I was like, I think I have one. Because I sort of sat quietly and started, you know, going through the card catalog of my mind. And I came to Nikki Sloan's Three Little Mistakes. Because there is a moment at the kind of two thirds way through that book. We did a deep dive on this book, like, back in season two, And I honestly still think, like, this is
- [14:01]
B
one of my favorites.
- [14:02]
A
Yeah, it's a great book. Yeah, it's a great, great romance. If you like a sex club, if you like something that's high spice, if you like a little bit of an age gap. Like, there's. There's a lot about this book that really hits for me on a number of levels. It's super sexy. The hero is, like, very grown up in a intellectual way, not in a kind of just shorthanded, alpha way. The heroine is young, but not too young. She's not an ingenue. There's just a lot that I really love about this book. And as part of the plot, what I remember. Cause things are hazy. Sure. It's fine.
- [14:41]
B
There's a lot up there.
- [14:42]
A
There are a lot of books in the card catalog. And I remembered like about two thirds of the way through this book, there's a moment where they go into the sex club and it's empty and it's like his best friend and his best friend's wife and their third. And then him and the heroine kind of turns up. I think she's been invited by someone else and she realizes it's a celebration for him and she hasn't been invited to the celebration by him. Like he didn't invite her. And I, in my head I was like, maybe that. I think that was a birthday. It actually isn't a birthday. It's the 20th anniversary of him being cancer free.
- [15:26]
B
Oh, right.
- [15:27]
A
And it's interesting because, like, it's in my head it has been like sort of coded as like birthday celebration. But of course, Nikki, I mean, one of the reasons why I love this book is because you sort of. There's this like revelation late in the book that like he's been through something very traumatic and it is cancer. Right, Right. He was young, he was a teenager and then he, you know, very was lucky, had great treatment and was cured. And so he. So this like, these friends, this like very tight knit community of his celebrates him every, you know, as an anniversary every year. And I. That's interesting too, like the choice to make it about this moment in his life, that was like a triumph rather than a birthday.
- [16:22]
B
Right.
- [16:22]
A
Like it's sort of for if. And so there's something about that that I think you could probably interrogate. Like someone smarter than me could interrogate it as like for.
- [16:33]
B
Right. It's like my self made man hero
- [16:36]
A
has to be something more than just like, congratulations, you took a first bre. This week's episode of Fated Mates is sponsored by Lottie R. James, author of From Rogue to Viscount.
- [16:50]
B
All right, so we have a hidden identity romance set in the 1830s. So mysterious valet Josiah Meadows works in a like sort of grand British, you know, home, of course. And what happens is Sofia Guaro, who is like sort of penniless, is the guest in her brother in this home. And she's really feeling stifled and there's like really only one escape she has, which is sneaking out with Josiah. Right? The family valet is exploring like London's underworld. So he, Josiah himself has been drawn back into his criminal past, right. Like he's trying to be on the straight and narrow as a valet when he is forced to take one last mission, retrieve a painting from Cornwall. And Sophia essentially, like will not be left behind. So he has to resist his beguiling accomplice, all the while swearing to never return to his own aristocratic family. So this is a man torn between criminal aristocrat duty and of course, the
- [18:02]
A
beautiful Sophia Lottie singing My Song. If you love a forced proximity with a road trip, an age gap and. And a hidden identity with an only one bed sprinkled in, then From Rogue to Viscount is for you. You can get it right now in print or ebook. And if your podcasting app supports it, you can click on the chapter title to be taken to learn more. Thanks to Lottie R. James for sponsoring this week's episode.
- [18:35]
B
All right, so one of the things that I want you to talk about then, before we, like, launch into this a little bit, is are you willing? I know you hate to about your own books, but do it, girl. Talk about brazen and the beast. Because this is, right, she's like, I'm going to turn 30 and I can't be a virgin any longer.
- [18:51]
A
So this is not an uncommon plot, right?
- [18:53]
B
No, this is common.
- [18:54]
A
This is a trope I really enjoy. This is. I mean, Lisa Claypis wrote it in Suddenly youy, which is on my list. And the premise being, like, we're about to turn 30. I think Hattie, actually, it is her 29th birthday. It is the night of her 29th birthday, and she knows 30 is looming, and she. This is my book. She knows 30 is looming, and she understands that, like, there are a number. She wants to inherit the family business. And she's basically like. Her father is like, no, women don't inherit the business. Women get married. And she's like, fuck this. Like, I'm. You know, she's like, I'm not interested in that. I'm very good at the business. My idiot brother is going to inherit this business, run it into the ground. In fact, he already is running it into the ground. And I want it. And in order for me to have it, my only shot at getting it is to make myself unmarriageable, which means I need to get myself ruined.
- [19:58]
B
Ruination.
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A
Listen, I need to get myself ruined as a real Sarah MacLaine classic.
- [20:03]
B
Oh, yeah. Did we do a whole episode on ruination?
- [20:06]
A
I hope we did.
- [20:06]
B
I love. I love.
- [20:09]
A
I need to get myself ruined, right? To get these men out of my hair, which is always the subtext of my personal ruinations. And so to get these men out of her hair, she makes an appointment at a brothel run by a woman. And she does. I'm going there. I have filled out a form. I have Ordered the, you know, exact order.
- [20:37]
B
Amazing.
- [20:39]
A
And she's ready to go. She brings her carriage around. She gets into the carriage and wouldn't you know it, Jen, there is a man tied up in there very inconveniently.
- [20:54]
B
It's so great. It really is.
- [20:56]
A
And she is like, now what in the hell are you doing here? And he is like, now what in the hell am I doing here?
- [21:06]
B
That's great. It's great. It's great. And then.
- [21:12]
A
And then. I mean, what. What can there. What can you do? She kisses him and then pushes him directly out of the carriage because she has places to go. She has ordered place to order and she needs to go and pick it up. And so she pushes him out of the carriage. And then of course, he is like, just exasperated and infuriated and obsessed all at once.
- [21:37]
B
All at once.
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A
Just so happens to be related to the owner of this brothel, Lucky.
- [21:42]
B
Conveniently convenient.
- [21:44]
A
And so when he gets. When she gets there to pick up her order, wouldn't you believe they have mixed it up. They've switched out the bags. And instead of this, like, perfectly lovely, like, very gentle, sweet cinnamon roll of a man to take her virginity that night, in comes Beast.
- [22:08]
B
What a dream.
- [22:09]
A
Just wants to eat a meal.
- [22:15]
B
Listen, what else do you need to know?
- [22:16]
A
Right? Then, so. But basically.
- [22:18]
B
But.
- [22:18]
A
But Hattie. I mean, it's more than this, right? Like, Hattie has a plan for her 29th year. Of course it's the year it's going to be the year of Hattie. She has a list of things she wants to do. It's not like quite an obvious list, but it's like she was going to take control of her life and like, all these different ways. And the first one, because in her mind, she's like, this is the easiest. It's just like ripping off a band aid. Like, the other stuff is more complicated. Little does she know it's about to get real complicated. And so really, I think, like birthdays at least like when I. In this particular trope, right? Which is also the Lisa Clepus Suddenly youy Trope. And there are others where it's like, I'm turning 30. I need to lose my virginity. You know, and suddenly you. She hires an escort to come to her house. And of course, the madam she uses to hire the escort is like, no, no, she's too soft, too perfect for an escort. I'm gonna send her a man who has, like, power and privilege. And then there's this, like. It is truly one of the greatest moments I Think in historical romance where, um. Her name is Sarah. No, her name is Amanda. I'm sorry, not Sarah. Yeah, I was like, I was Sarah Craven. Her name is Amanda. And where Amanda like opens the door and she thinks this man is an escort and he thinks he's there for a business meeting. Yes. And they are very confused. Like they have this whole conversation that's cross purpose. And then he finally understands, figures it out and he's like, oh shit, I'm doing this. And then he like pretends to be an escort. And it's all great. Like, I mean it's very clapist and very terrific. But I think in this, that storyline is about the choice to transform, right? Like a character making a choice to change their lives, to change their path. And of course we see this in a million ways in romance. Right. Like romance is about changing your path. It's about proactive. Proactive people being proactive.
- [24:34]
B
And.
- [24:35]
A
And I think that's particularly true in MF romance. It's particularly true of whim of the. The heroines. Right. Like.
- [24:42]
B
Right. Which is why I think like, I, you know, as I was thinking about it, I was like, why? I think like when it's a man's birthday in a heterosexual romance. Right. Like a cishet romance. I think like often it is still the female character who is impacted by it. Right. In the two examples I have. Right. Like his it's his birthday, but she's the one who's like going through something, so. Correct. Yeah. We can talk about them in any order. You have six, I only have four.
- [25:12]
A
I already did it. I did.
- [25:14]
B
You started.
- [25:15]
A
So you go. Okay, all right. But do you have any others that. It's funny because I think, I think suddenly you loom so large for me that it feels like it's a common trope. And I don't think it's an uncommon trip. But I couldn't, I couldn't really think of another one.
- [25:33]
B
Oh, like where she's turning 30 or
- [25:35]
A
something, turning this number and therefore she's doing a thing.
- [25:40]
B
Okay. I think there is one and I haven't. I'm not gonna be able to come up with the title because we did it as an ad. Let me like talk through this. It's like a woman who's like turning 30 but her life goes sideways and she has to move back to LA and be with her sister. Yes. And I thought it was like Riley something maybe, but I don't know the title. This is one of those things, Sarah though, where like everyone listening right now is shouting at us on the radio because.
- [26:11]
A
Because there are so many.
- [26:12]
B
Okay. I've talked about this book a lot, so I think maybe I'll just start here. Cause we've also talked about Suddenly youy Before. So just like, maybe start like the familiar ones.
- [26:21]
A
So.
- [26:21]
B
In Nero by S.J. tilly, who I love. I love this book. He is, like, you know, essentially like a crime lord. And he. The way they have met is. He's, like, trying to elude the cops. And her balcony is open. Her, like, second floor balcony is open. She's literally, you all watching the wizard of Oz. And, like, he appears. He essentially, like, you know, like, climbs up her balcony and appears. And she's like, really terrified. Her name's Peyton. She's really scared, but also, like, frozen. I've been reading this book called, like, Girls Stay still or something. That's not the title of it. I'll put it in show notes about, like, how we talk about, like, fight or flight. But, like, often women, when they are in, like, scary things, will, like, freeze instead. And anyway, they, like, she.
- [27:19]
A
They kind of.
- [27:20]
B
He's really obsessed with her. She's like, different than anybody he's ever met before or whatever. And so he, like, one night she leaves the balcony open again. And he's been watching. And he understands this is like a signal. Like, it means like, she's like, opening my door to you. So he comes up, like, they. She doesn't. She loses her virginity. Like, they have great sex. And she's kind of like, okay, well, I guess that's like, what's over? And he leaves. And then like, in the next day or two, I can't remember if it's the next morning, she finds this, like, invitation to his birthday party. And it's really fancy, and it's been, like, slid under the door. And he has told her, like, I can't. You have to be secret, because if my enemies figure out who you are, like, we'll be in danger. But she kind of doesn't know what that means. She's like a coffee. She's like a barista at a local coffee shop. So anyway, Sarah, she shows up. She, like. It's like very.
- [28:16]
A
I don't know.
- [28:16]
B
I really felt really sympathetic towards this moment. She goes to, like, kind of like TJ Maxx and finds, like, a party dress and these, like, ice blue shoes that, like, are really pretty but don't quite fit, right? And she goes to this birthday party, which is, you know, to everyone else in the, like, in Minneapolis. Nero is like, the owner of, like, a. Like a security company, they don't realize, like, he's a gangster. And so it's in, like, this really fancy place, and everyone's really fancy, and at the door, they actually ask her for the invite and are kind of like, are you here alone? Most women are here. And she kind of doesn't quite understand that he's implying that most women who come in by themselves are escorts. Right. Like, clearly something is happening.
- [28:59]
A
Yep.
- [29:00]
B
And she, like, walks in and she's like, no, I'm with Nero. And the guy just kind of looks at her and lets her in because she's got the invite. And, you know, she's, like, really happy that she wanted to keep it. I mean, this is like a really. Like, this scene gets played really. Like, you're kind of like, oh, shit, what's about to happen? Well, she walks in and she sees Nero with another woman. And he. And then we, like, switch to his point of view, and he's like, this whole birthday party is such bullshit. I don't want to be here. And he's sees her, and he is furious because she's not supposed to be there. Like, now his enemies will figure out that she's there. So he ignores her and. Shit. Sarah, like, poor Peyton, like, understands that he's gonna, like, disavow her, essentially, and not recognize her. And she goes off to the bathroom and, like, tries to make her escape and goes the wrong way. And, like, then, like, you know, it's raining and she goes outside and she, likes, falls. The whole thing is I describing it. It's so painful. And I, like, love this scene, and I've read it a million times. Because in a romance, like, really all I want is for, like, people to, like, really just go through it. Yeah. And she is like, I'm gonna have to, like, leave town and find another place. Like, I will never live with this humiliation. And so she goes home and she's, like, kind of starts packing. And then it's like, what I'm. It's not like he's gonna show up, you know, like, he made it so
- [30:26]
A
clear on her balcony, like Batman once.
- [30:29]
B
And listen, Sarah, he shows up and he does, like, basically discovers that, like, someone slipped her, you know, she's like, you. Why did you invite me if you were gonna humiliate me? And he's like, wait, what are you talking about? And that's when he realizes, like, somebody already knows about Peyton. And he's basically, like, enough of your crappy little, you know, apartment. You're coming to live with me in my mansion. And you know what, you guys, it's great bugging.
- [30:53]
A
And he buys her a case of her rose smelling soap.
- [30:56]
B
And that's cause he wants her to smell that way and he wants to jerk off with it. What a time.
- [31:02]
A
We are but simple people.
- [31:04]
B
Yeah, it's great. It's great. And it's like, you know what though? It is like, like I said, like the scene is like really this like moment where things change for both of them where he's kind of like, fuck it. I'm. I am not gonna hide her away like she's my queen. My mafia queen.
- [31:21]
A
Perfect.
- [31:21]
B
The mafia Queen of Minneapolis. S.J. tilly, I love you. This week's episode of Fate Inmates is brought to you by Blue Box Press, publishers of To Catch a Sinner By Dylan Allen Writing as Lucy Wilson Tego
- [31:38]
A
Our heroine, Sin Saki is a journalist who is driven by the same need that every first generation eldest daughter is driven by. She has aimed to make her family proud. She built a career, she chose her partners with that single goal. And everything was working out fine. Until a near death experience makes the truth impossible to deny. Which is everything was not working out fine. Her relationship is on life support, her journalism career is in free fall, and the city she thought she'd conquered has chewed her up and spit her out right back to her hometown of Washington D.C. and she thinks this is a time to turn over a new leaf. No more chasing criminals. No more men who look too good to be true. Except right there on the first day back in D.C. she gets a new lead that that gives her an opportunity to resurrect her career and take down an entire black market empire. And she's invited to dinner by a very sexy, very handsome, very cool guy. She is suddenly back in her old habits. Being a journalist, skulking around and having delicious dinners with men who seem too good to be true. And just when it seems like her gamble might pay off and she might get everything that she wants, it starts to seem like the lead that she had is more of a trap and that this handsome man who she is with just might be the one who said it. This one is going to be a delicious romantic suspense and you're not going to want to miss it.
- [33:24]
B
Amazing. So if you're interested in reading To Catch a Sinner, it is available in 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 Blue Box Press and Dylan Allen, writing as Lucy Wilson Tego for sponsoring this week's episode.
- [33:45]
A
I ended up thinking about this in themes, right? So the first version was like, books where, you know, like, suddenly you. And brazen where, like, she's turning 30 and she's gotta get rid of her virginity or whatever. And then I have a separate one which is like birthdays as inciting incident, but like young birthdays.
- [34:05]
B
And then.
- [34:06]
A
But I want to talk about. I think I want to talk about Sophie Jordan's wicked in your arms next.
- [34:12]
B
Okay.
- [34:13]
A
I think this is a really clever way of handling a birthday and like, using a birthday for a very unique point of a very, unique, you know, point in the book. So this is the first in Sophie's forgotten princesses series. The conceit of the series is that, you know, there are these three daughters who are kind of accidental. They're like, lost as children from their parents. And it turns out that they are each, you know, women of birth and of noble birth, but they don't know it when they, you know, they haven't grown up that way. And each one has, like, a prince who comes to find them. It's very, like. It's a, you know, perfect, very, like, fairy.
- [35:08]
B
Fairy tale coded setup.
- [35:10]
A
So the premise of this one, and they've all been like. They're all like, you know, illegitimate children. And they all have, like, relationships to, like, unsavory characters. So in this one, this is Greer's book. And Greer is. Has an enormous. Like, her father. Her, like, the father who. Her, like, illegitimate father who is like a big scoundrel, has left her a massive. Or has given her a massive dowry. Like, she is so incredibly wealthy. And her prince, Sebastian. Sebastian, although I think it's Sebastian actually with a V. So he is headed. He is looking for a young woman to marry. He is in town from his, you know, whatever country. Who cares what it's called. And he needs a woman with a massive fortune, and then he needs to get her married and get an heir off of this girl. The issue is that he meets Greer and kind of. They instantly are, you know, sparks fly in the wrong way. Like they're hot for each other, but also they can't stand each other. And one of the big issues is that not only you, she just simply, like, not qualified in any way to be a princess because he thinks she's crass and, like, you know, sure, you know, unprincess, like, but also he is very concerned because she is old and she's like, 22. She's 28. And he initially is like, well, you know, I will marry you. And then there's this great moment where he says, how old are you? And she's sort of like, I'm not gonna. Like, you're not supposed to ask women that question. And he's like, I need to know. Like, I'm a prince and I need to know how old you are. And she says. She says, I'm 28. And he literally, like, recoils. And he's like. And she goes, what is wrong with you? You're also 28. And he's like, yeah, but I'm a man, and so it doesn't matter. And she's like, no, you're a jackass. Like, literally says that it's perfect. It's like a perfect moment where she's like, what the fuck? And he's like, well. And he's sort of so thrown off by the fact that they are the same age. And he's like, when. What day is your birthday? And she's like, I'm not telling you that.
- [37:52]
B
Like.
- [37:53]
A
And it becomes a running joke through the book, like, with the reader that, like, he's constantly trying to figure out, like, what day she was born to figure out if she is older or younger than he is. And it's like a thing that's really. Like, he is very. It is a big deal to him. And then, like, obviously they fall for each other. And then as the romance sort of like, comes to pass, and you all know, like, Sophie Jordan knows the job. The romance is really breathless and beautiful and like, like, so sexy. And then, like, you know, at the very end of the book, I'm gonna spoil it for you. Cause it's so perfectly done. It's the last chapter of the book or might even be the epilogue. And they're lying in bed and they're like, idyllic and happy. And she says, tomorrow's my birthday. And he says. He stills. And he goes, tomorrow's my birthday.
- [38:51]
B
Amazing.
- [38:51]
A
And then he says, well, what time of day were you born?
- [38:55]
B
What time were you born? Amen. Amazing. It's perfect.
- [38:59]
A
I mean, it's really, really fun. And, you know, it's just. It's a perfect. This whole series is very fairytale y. It's like it delivers all the things that historical should deliver. But then it has this, like, really lovely through line of birthday. Not as a really, like, relevant plot point, but like a charming, fun. There is a real, like, delight as a reader when it comes up. So that's wicked in youn Arms by Sophie Jordan.
- [39:29]
B
Amazing. I love it. This is the one. It literally, you guys, it just came out, like, a week ago. It's called all of Me by Tia Raine, and it is the first in a new series she's just started. Cause I think this is the first book called the Divorce Book Club series. So in this book, okay, we get the prologue is where the birthday happens. And Ella has been married to Drew for 15 years. They are. They got married when they were 22 because she was pregnant. So she's, like, 37, right? They're in their, like, late 30s. And it is his birthday, and we're in her. We're in her point of view, and she's sort of like, I've pulled together this whole event, right? Like, he said he wanted this every. You know, his family's here, friends are here. You know, this is what he said he wanted. And then, like, she sort of is, like, until, like, this morning, when all of a sudden, he's like, I don't want this. And she was kind of like, too late, buddy. We're doing it, right? So he gets up to give his birthday speech, and he sort of starts by saying, like, I didn't even want this to happen. And this is, I think, what she starts thinking, like, what a jackass. Like, and you can tell already that, like, there is a lot of tension in their marriage, right? Like, she feels. And she feels like, you know, like, the sex is a little boring and, you know, a little stale and, you know, but I do my job as his wife. I take care of our two kids, and I plan these events. And I like, yeah, he makes more money than me. She has a job or whatever. But, like, you know, this is. But, like, this is just how it is. And this motherfucker that would be her husband stands up to give his birthday speech and looks at her in front of everybody and says, I want a divorce. Yes. And I was like. And listen. And she is just, like, sitting there again, like, kind of frozen. Like, what the fuck? Because the humiliation of this moment, right? And then, like, her mom and her stepdad are, like, sort of fighting with him. And, you know, like, you know, his parents are just, like, excusing his bad behavior and. Right? And she just, like, gets up and, like, walks out. Like, she's like, I understand. Like, what he wants me to do right now is kind of cause the scene, and then everyone will see what a bitch I am. I'll be at. And he'll win by me, Bright. So she gets up and Leaves. And the person who follows her out, her name is Ella. The person who follows Ella out is Mitch. And Mitch and Ella and Drew had been friends for a really long time. They've known each other since high school. And Mitch is, like, disgusted by what's happened and sort of is like, don't worry, Ella. Like, you know, don't worry, like, you. You didn't deserve that. Like, you're always looking to sort of blame yourself, but, like, that was not okay. So that's like, the prologue, and then it picks up a year and a half later. Mitch and Ella are now neighbors, right? Ella essentially, like, the divorce has happened. She kind of fought it for a while and, you know, wanted to go to therapy or whatever, and, you know, it didn't work out. And, you know, she took the money from, like, selling their house that they lived in and has bought her own house. And Mitch, who is a contractor, has helped her, like, kind of pick out this house. And conveniently, it is right next door to him. Because Ethan, as it turns out, Sarah, Mitch has been in love with Ella ever since they were in high school, right? Of course, forever. And basically, he'd had this crush on her.
- [42:59]
A
She's been waiting for this idiot man
- [43:01]
B
to be an idiot. He cannot, like, you know, Drew is. They're distant, but Drew's still his friend. And this still, you know, feels like the Bro code. Whatever. Now, listen, I feel like 10 years ago I would have said this and been shocked at myself, but now I was really grateful for it. Okay? Her ex husband is a dirtbag, and he's terrible. And Mitch has an ex wife who is also terrible. And I feel like there was sort of a long series of time where I was like, stop making the exes terrible people. Right?
- [43:35]
A
And now, like, sometimes your ex is a terrible person.
- [43:37]
B
Sometimes your ex is a terrible person. And they both have kids. And so, like, one of the ways, one of the things they have in common is how are they managing being good parents to a terrible ex, right? Because that ex feels free to sort of badmouth them in front of the kids, but they don't want to. And so it's really this kind of beautiful story about two people who have really been into each other for a
- [44:09]
A
long time kind of trying to find
- [44:12]
B
their way through this minefield of this situation being kind of what it is. Anyway, I will admit, everybody, I have not finished this book. I probably. I started it and was kind of, like, really into it, and then we were recording, but I'm definitely going to finish it. But I was also just, like, really taken by, I don't know, like, it's messy. And I right now am kind of, like, really into any contemporary romance that delivers any kind of mess, because I just want it to be. I really want the stakes to feel high. I want the emotions to feel high. And this opening really did devastate me. Now, in terms of the, like, what the rest of the series will be. Ella's divorced book club friends. There's, like, six of these women. These will be the future heroines, obviously, kind of, like, band together and are like, we're gonna help you. We're gonna get you on the dating apps. You know what I mean? We're gonna, like, you need to get your hair done. You're not really taking care of yourself. And Ella's kind of like, I can't really afford it. And they're like, no, we're gonna. They're like, fairy godmother, book club it up, right? I love it.
- [45:18]
A
It is.
- [45:18]
B
It's great. And it's just, like, so far been a really, like, fun, but, like, really, like, messy read and listen. I love. I. I love it. I love their villainous exes and how terrible they are. That's all of Me by Tiaraine.
- [45:35]
A
This week's episode of Faded Mates is sponsored by the Undergrads Student Union by Julie Murphy.
- [45:42]
B
So Clover Walsh knows the plan, and that is getting a full ride to her dream school, conquering the school of business, and then really, like, getting herself and her mom out of this, like, paycheck to paycheck lifestyle they've been having to live. There's only one hiccup. With the first semester rapidly approaching, Clover learns that her housing grant has fallen through. But a loophole is, is that married couples can live in the dorms for the price of one student. So Clover essentially proposes to the one person she swore she'd never speak to again. That's Bennett Graves. He's heir to the Graves coffee empire. He spent his first year at Wexley having a great time, barely squeaking by in his classes, but becoming personally acquainted with all the women on campus. And he is looking forward to living off campus to, like, kind of, like, beyond the straight and narrow. So he, like, for a reason, romance reasons, owes Clover a yes. So he agrees that they should, like, live together in the storm. And this is like, they're hiding the true nature of their marriage. But playing house isn't that bad when they're sharing one bed. So what's gonna happen in this college rom com?
- [46:57]
A
Well, if you Would like to know what's gonna happen in this college rom com. You can read it right now in print, ebook or audiobook. If your podcasting app supports it. You can click on the chapter title right now to be taken to buy the book. Get your copy wherever books are sold or learn more@macmillan.com thanks so much to Julie Murphy and McMillan for sponsoring this week's episode. Okay, so the next category of romance that I want to get to is I was 18 at the time.
- [47:31]
B
I got one of those, and I
- [47:32]
A
made a big mistake, which isn't actually a big mistake in the long run. So I want to start with Naima Simone's Witness to Passion, which is kind of a romantic suspense. Like, it has a suspensy little plot that runs through it. So here's the premise. Fallon, our heroine. It begins on her birthday, and she is. I don't know how old she is. She's like a grownup. She's like a person in the world. But it is her birthday. And it literally begins with her best friend calling her and being like, happy Birthday. And she is like, I hate birthdays. And she goes through a list in this, you know, right at the very start of the book, she's like, in line for coffee. She's, you know, having this kind of chaotic day related to work. She's got to get coffee to her boss. She has to do, like, a million different things. It's her birthday. She's like, listen, my birthday has been terrible forever. Like, on my fifth birthday, my dad walked out on my sixth birthday. Or like, you know, on my sixth birthday, my mom gave my dog away. Like, there's like, this terrible list of all these, like, things that has. Have happened to her over the course of.
- [48:49]
B
Of her.
- [48:49]
A
Her life on her birthdays. And she's like, I'm done with birthdays. Like, thanks so much, but no. And then she sort of thinks to herself, and then. And she's talking to her best friend and she's like. And then in her head, she's like. And then There was the 18th birthday, which I can't even talk to you about because. Ooh. On her 18th birthday, she walked up to Shane Roark, her best friend's older brother.
- [49:14]
B
Sure.
- [49:15]
A
And planted one on him.
- [49:17]
B
Oh, no.
- [49:19]
A
And he was basically like, I don't think so. And left and joined the military.
- [49:25]
B
Like, he left so far.
- [49:26]
A
He went to war.
- [49:30]
B
He was like, baby girl, no, dang.
- [49:34]
A
He left. And so. And she's like. And this was like. I mean, just an embarrassment.
- [49:40]
B
Like, what A horror.
- [49:41]
A
She can't even think about birthdays without thinking about this.
- [49:43]
B
Oh, yeah, totally.
- [49:45]
A
So she hangs upon her. She's like, I gotta go. I gotta pick up all this coffee. She hangs upon her best friend. She gets her coffee, she heads out to her car, which is like parked around the corner from the coffee shop. And as she's like kind of fumbling to get into the car, there are gunshots behind her. She drops to the ground, like scared, turns. A man is now dead next to her on the ground.
- [50:12]
B
Oh, no.
- [50:13]
A
And she looks up and she sees the killer. Like, she sees him. And this guy walks over to her and is basically like, if you say a fucking thing, I'm going to find you and I'm going to kill you. And she's like, birthdays are the fucking worst. Right? So she. Then it cuts to three months later and like, she is the only witness to this crime. And this guy who is the head of a Boston, like, Irish gang is after her. And she needs a bodyguard, Jen, and you know it. Shane has come back from war. And he happens to be, luckily, sure, coincidentally.
- [51:12]
B
Just what else? Listen, my understanding is that's the only possible job.
- [51:16]
A
That's the next thing that happens. You come home from war, you open a security firm with all of your friends who are also all hot.
- [51:23]
B
Yeah, of course.
- [51:24]
A
And you have so much money that, like, you could just take on watching this woman 24 7.
- [51:31]
B
I mean, yeah, there's no one else can do it, Sarah.
- [51:34]
A
No, because witness protection Jen, as Shane says, is like, nonsense. They can't keep her safe, but, like, he can keep her safe in his safe house before the trial go. The whole thing goes to trial. And she's like, I really don't think you need to protect me. Even though, I mean, are you kidding me, Fallon? Like, you're literally. There are just gunmen everywhere, all over Boston looking for you. And Shane's like, I think it's best if we stay in the same house if you sleep in my bed. Although I will tell you, Jen, they don't sleep in the same bed at the beginning. And then. And they're so hot for each other. They're so. There's a scene you would very much like where he's like, sleeping on the couch and she, like, comes out with a blanket to, like, put it on him. And she's like, looking at his sleeping body and she, like, notices that he has. He is fairly well endowed. Not fairly. Everybody well endowed. And then it starts to like a classic romance moment where it starts to like, wake up while she's looking at
- [52:37]
B
it, like a periscope.
- [52:39]
A
And then. The.
- [52:46]
B
The presence of my lady. Like a periscope.
- [52:58]
A
And when she looks up it and she. He's looking at her and she's like, oh. And then later, I mean, it's Naima, right? So it's so sexy. Like, there's so much sex in this book.
- [53:11]
B
And.
- [53:12]
A
And then later, he's, like, asleep in or. No, she thinks he's asleep. And he, like, she, He. She, like, goes into his room and he's like, of course masturbating in bed. Sure. And she just watches him. Why wouldn't you?
- [53:24]
B
And then.
- [53:25]
A
And it's just great. All right.
- [53:28]
B
I don't know. Okay, I'm gonna, like, get a.
- [53:32]
A
Anyway, so that's Witness to passion, everybody.
- [53:37]
B
You're gonna have a great time.
- [53:39]
A
It's like, just for the record, every time anybody says to me, sarah, when are you gonna run for office? Is things like, like a periscope that really keep me out of the running.
- [53:52]
B
All right, I am going to talk about Birthday Girl by Penelope Douglas. Now, everybody, I'm going to tell you a birthday classic. Have you read this? Yeah, this is a birthday classic. It's also, like, I was kind of fascinated. It's been around for a while. This is the first time I read it. Jordan has just turned 19, and she is, like, living a hard life, right? Like, she grew up, you know, her mom abandoned them. Her dad is sort of the town drunk. They live in a trailer home with her stepmom. And that's, like, okay, but, like, not great. And, you know, the stepmom, though, has, like, sons and, like, just, you know, this is. Jordan is really, like, just like, I want to go to college. I want to be, like, a landscape architect. You know, she has big dreams, but, like, really cannot, like, make it happen. And part of the reason she can't make it happen is she has this, like, deadbeat boyfriend, Cole, who is also, like, 19, right? Who, like, you know, they're supposed to be, like, paying the rent and he's, like, drinking it away and all this stuff. So she works as a bartender at sort of like, the Rundown bar in her neighborhood or in her town, while her older sister, who's, like, 23, is actually, like, works at, like, a bar where she could make better money, but she would probably end up being a stripper. And Jordan just doesn't want that, Right? Like, she doesn't, like, think her sister's a bad person. But, you know, Jordan had, like, a really bad experience. Experience with a high school boyfriend who, you know, I think knocked her around a little bit. And. And. And Jordan's just like. I just can't imagine, like, getting up there. And, you know, I mean, like, just the boys that I went to high school with, like, that's all still so. Present for her. So it's her birthday. Her boyfriend's supposed to pick her up at work, but she's gotten off a little early, and he's, like, not answering his phone. Like, they had arranged that he would pick her up at. When the bar closed, but it's midnight, and so Jordan's like, well, rather than just, like, sit here because I'm not getting paid, it's a slow night, and I'm like, you know, kind of the youngest employee. I'm gonna go down the block to, like, the midnight movie theater and watch this show. And she meets this guy who is, like, older than her, but they have this, like, really fun interaction. And she shares her birthday donuts with him and, like, has, you know, snuck in some wine. And, you know, it's just like a really, like. Like, good interaction. And it's not like she's. They're flirty a little bit, but she's like, you know, I have a boyfriend, and you're older, and she's kind of like, how old is he? Like, maybe 30, you know, whatever. So she goes outside, she's gonna call the boyfriend, and this guy is like, sort of like, I'll stand here. I don't really feel great about you being out here late at night. And it turns out that this is, of course, everyone. Her boyfriend's dad.
- [56:36]
A
I mean, there are only, like, three men in this town.
- [56:39]
B
So obviously right now he's 38, right? Like, he was young when he had his son, and he owns a construction company in town. And, like, basically, like, long story short, ends up that Cole, the boyfriend, and Jordan are going to live with him. And the deal is, is he's like, you can live here rent free. I. All I'm gonna ask is that you help with, like, the chores, you help with the cooking, you help with the yard work, because that will be, like, sort of. That will help me out, and I'll be helping you out. And what happens is, is, like, Cole is, like, the deadbeat. Jordan's the one doing all the work. And so, like, she and pike, that's the dad, end up, like, sort of, like, establishing a friendship and then eventually, like, realizing they're attracted to each other. Now I realize this is not gonna Work for everybody. But it really did feel to me like a fairly interesting age gap romance in that he has, like, wisdom, but also, like, really entrenched fears. Right. Like, he's kind of like, I had a bad relationship with my son's mother. I still do. I trying to get my life together. I want Cole to, like, I mean, I'm Cole's father. I cannot actually get with Cole's girlfriend. Now, of course, what we're gonna find out is, like, Cole's been cheating on her. He, like, leaves. Jordan's gonna. Like, Jordan's like, I have to leave, too. I can't live with your dad if you're not here. But pike is like, no, you can now. Everybody. I thought that this.
- [58:10]
A
What could go wrong.
- [58:12]
B
Yeah. Now it's definitely, don't get me wrong, like, it's playing with, like, the taboo of this.
- [58:16]
A
Yeah, of course.
- [58:17]
B
But in a very romancy way. It is not like, kink. Right? Like, it's not like a Jessica book
- [58:22]
A
where you're like, no, but I do love. Listen, I'm so based. I love a. Like, dad recognizes that his son is a terrible boyfriend.
- [58:30]
B
Yes, yes.
- [58:31]
A
And is like, let me get in here and sort this out. And I think, like, the thing that
- [58:36]
B
I actually really appreciate about this book is that, like, Jordan is, like, in some ways more, you know, I mean, like, often in these books, it's kind of like both. Like, it's one way or the other. Right. Like, I'm the older one, and I have something to offer you. But, like, what is it that you. The older one, is learning from the one who's younger and still has this fresh, I don't know, kind of view of life. The future is in front of them, not constantly behind them. And I think that is what made that book really work for me. It's kind of like one of those books where you're like, am I gonna like this? And then I just read the whole thing. It was really fun. And I think, like I said, takes the idea of what it would really mean for pike to date his son's girlfriend seriously, and then takes this pretty big age gap between them seriously, so. And I think it was one of the first ones I've read where, like, this man truly is tortured. Like, he's like, I'm gonna be 51 day. He's like the Meg Ryan character, and you are going to be 29. Like, this is crazy. Like, I can't do this to you. And takes, like, sort of himself as a. Like, yes, I'm in love with this girl, but, like, she's young and I'm not, and I'm gonna ruin her life. And I ended up really, like, I ended up really liking it. So if you haven't read Birthday Girl by Penelope Douglas, I was like, oh, it's good.
- [60:02]
A
You had a nice time.
- [60:03]
B
I had a nice time.
- [60:04]
A
All right, good job.
- [60:06]
B
And I think, like I said, like, the whole idea of age, like, what age really means. Age, experience, wisdom, youth. I think this book, like, really, like, honestly engages with those at all levels.
- [60:18]
A
I think the other thing that's interesting about that and it ties in with another book that I want to talk about, which is, again, a sort of young heroine who makes mistake on her 18th birthday is responsive. The question of, like, responsibility. Like, where do loyalty and responsibility come into play when, like, some of these choices get made?
- [60:42]
B
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- [61:00]
A
So everybody, I think, knows by now if you've been listening, that I have this gummed up knee. And I will tell you. And it's getting like. It's just. It's here. It feels like it's here to stay. But every night now, I'm sort of like, okay, I get into bed and I put my THC cream on my
- [61:19]
B
knee, and then I take my gummy
- [61:21]
A
and I go right to sleep. And I felt really lovely. And Lumi Gummies is really doing me a service.
- [61:30]
B
It's the best when it comes to sleep, for sure.
- [61:32]
A
Very happy to be able to do these ads for them because it feels
- [61:38]
B
like they have really.
- [61:40]
A
They've come in in a clinch. In fact, when I was headed to Texas last week, I said to Eric, I was like, do you think I can take them on the plane? And he was like, I don't think so. You know, we were going back and forth about it, and I was like, but they come through the mail. They're free. They come through the U.S. postal Service. They must be allowed. Ultimately, I didn't try it, but, you know, I. I have.
- [62:07]
B
It's fine.
- [62:08]
A
All right, so Lumi Gummies advice, everyone.
- [62:12]
B
None of this is. We're also not doctors. We're gonna have to redo this whole ad. All right, so Lumi Gummies are Available nationwide. Go to lumigummies.com that's L U M I gummies.com and use the code faded mates for 30% off your order. Again, that's L U M I gums.com code faded mates, lumigummies.com, code faded mates. Thanks, as always, to Lumi Gummies for sponsoring this week's episode.
- [62:41]
A
Okay, so Kylie Scott, who we love here on the podcast, wrote a book called It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time. And the premise here is Adele is the heroine. And her father owns a construction business and his kind of employee slash, like, partner. Kind of closer to partner than employee. Pete is 15 years older than Adele and has been around her for much of her, like, preteen and teenage years. And she. He's always been incredibly kind to her. Like, he's really been a friend to her in a number of different, like, moments. But, like, totally appropriate. Like, not at all. Nothing appropriate or creepy at all. She, of course, is an impressionable teen. She develops a kind of, like, brutal crush on him. And on her 18th birthday, she. There's a big birthday party and, you know, and he's there because of course he is. Cause he loves her and, like, is a part of her life. And she flashes him in the hall. She drinks too much. She flashes him in the hallway, and he is like, no, like. And she is so embarrassed. I mean, like, brutally embarrassed. So embarrassed that she leaves their town in Australia and, like, moves to another place on the continent and doesn't come back for seven years. Like, it's like, I'm. I cannot.
- [64:26]
B
Yeah, well, it's horrifying.
- [64:28]
A
I mean.
- [64:28]
B
I mean, awful.
- [64:31]
A
And so seven years later, and, like, the father sees it and thinks that. Thinks that Pete has been inappropriate. And he, like, punches Pete and breaks his nose. Like, it's like a whole thing. And, I mean, it's just horrifying. So she goes off. The dad now is getting remarried, and she's been invited home for the wedding. And so Adele returns home knowing that, like, this is just gonna be a humiliating, terrible experience. She gets home and, you know, turns out her dad is marrying somebody much younger than him. Like, it's all kind of chaotic. She ends up staying with Pete because there is, like, a, you know, room situation happening, and it's just, ugh, the worst, right? And. But now she's 25, he's 40, and there is, like. And it. I mean, I think this is a really interesting version of this story because in, like, the Naima book or in, like, any of the books. Like, there are so many age gap books. Right? Like, right where, you know, I think when you think about like QB Tyler or like Jessica, like people who write, you know, who write like she turned 18 and then suddenly we were banging. Right. It's always a little bit muddy. The. Like.
- [65:59]
B
Sure.
- [66:00]
A
Like, it's like a lot of those
- [66:02]
B
books are like pure kink.
- [66:03]
A
Right. You're not reading it.
- [66:05]
B
Questionable.
- [66:05]
A
Right. But in this case, there. Kylie makes it so clear that Pete had no feelings whatsoever in that direction. He was like shocked.
- [66:17]
B
He was shocked.
- [66:18]
A
He just like, it was just. It never occurred to him that this was. That. That she would. She would feel that way, let alone like. And so now that she's back and she's 25, like, he's. Now he's like, oh, this is like a different person. And what's very cool about this book is she is a different person. Like, Kylie has sent her away to grow up. It's been seven years she hasn't been home. And I think, like, it's interesting because he gets. When. When she gets home, Pete has this, like, she has. He has a bunch of girlfriend. Like, he has a bunch of women who've been in his life. Like, he's got. He's. He's been living a life that is not, you know, he hasn't been waiting around for her. Like, there's nothing. There is nothing fantastical about this romance. This is like a romance between two people who have. Who are now grown ups. Yeah. And the birthday party and the experience of humiliation at the very beginning is again, the sort of the inciting incident. But it's not the inciting incident for their romance. It's the inciting infinite incident for Adele to take action. So it's like a little bit of a merge of like the. I'm turning 30 and I need to get my act together and the 18 year old makes a bad mistake.
- [67:39]
B
Yeah. Yeah. Okay. I have only one more. It's a birthday shot by Rilsey Adams. And this is by far like the one that is just like the sexiest. Right. This is just like a super sexy kind of like fun romance. So what this is is Shay is our heroine and she is like a famous kind of travel blogger. Right. She has kind of created this world where she gets to travel and see everything and she's right in the middle when the book opens of. I think she grew up in Antigua, I think is where the book takes place in the Caribbean. And she's doing like, kind of like Carnival and like all These different places. And, you know, and she just, like, loves it. Like, this is just like. And it's, like, really interesting. It's framed as sort of like, you know, her. This was a risk for her, right? Like, it's not just, like, something, you know, but she's really made something, like, sustainable out of something she loves. And so she's home for her birthday, her 30th birthday. So this is like, my 130th birthday book. But she doesn't want to change her life. Her life's fucking awesome. And what happens is she has decided to come home for a big 30th birthday party. And this part's really cute. She's like, what kind of party did she want? Right? Because of her connections and the sort of travel world, she could do whatever. But what she decides to do instead is basically throw a huge fucking house party. That's all gonna be like, sort of like 90s, like, house music and, you know. And so what happens is, is her brother's best friend, Kofi, comes, and Kofi has his own, like, sort of like, complicated relationship with his own parents. You know, his mom essentially got remarried when he was very young to a man who was, like, basically abusive. And the mom just, like, couldn't, like, face it. So he never really felt supported by her. So instead he spent almost all of his time at, like, Shay's house, house with her older brother. So if she's turning 30, he's like 32, 33. And the brother has made it very clear that, like, that, like, he doesn't. He never wants these two to get together. There was sort of a, like, a moment when Shay was 18 where she kind of, like, you know, was like, kind of eyeing Kofi. And Kofi was just like, I can't do this. This is my brother's, you know, my best friend. And it's not just that he's like, my best friend. He's, like, literally like my brother. Like, I grew up in this household. And her brother, I can't remember his name right now. I'm sorry, was always like, that's your sister. And Kofi's, like, in his head, like, this is not my sister, man. Like, he is super attracted to her. So anyway, Zen, a couple years ago, the brother kind of fell in love. And there was like, this point where they were all supposed to be spending time together, but the brother kept, like, leaving with his, like, hot girlfriend. And, like, so Kofi and Shay had sort of, like, developed like, a real friendship at that point. But they both kind of knew that it was forbidden. So, anyway, here it is, 30th birthday. It's like this huge party. And like, all of a sudden, like, it just feels like there's nothing to keep them from being together. And listen, they have the hottest sex in a bathroom. Like, at this party where she's just like, let's go. And she's like, yes, terrific. Let's fucking go. And they just have this. And it's like one of those things where it's like one of those delightful romances where the groundwork for the way they know each other has been so well established that, like, it's like. Instead of, like. I mean, it's like, think about, like a. I don't know, like, you know, like, it's like at the beginning of a race, like a horse race. Like, everybody's in there. Like, all the horses are in their little pens. And then, like, they open the gates, and all of a sudden it's just like, everybody's running as fast as they can. That's, like, the pace of this romance, right? Like, because once the gates are open and there's nothing to keep them from being together anymore. And, you know, like, there's like, work, like, right. With the brother. And I will say, you know, the brother's such a jackass about it, and you're kind of like, wait, what's happening? And I. Then at the end, when he finally talks about his feelings, I found it, actually. I felt really sympathetic to him where he was like, this isn't about. This isn't about me not wanting you to be together. It's my fear that if you don't stay together, I'll have to choose. Yeah, right. And it actually felt, like, very emotional. So anyway, it's. But, like, mostly everybody, if you're just like, yeah, this woman is like, I'm turning 30. I'm hot as hell. I am beautiful. I've wanted this man, and I'm finally gonna take him. And I'm gonna take him all over. Perfect. This is Birthday Shot is like a shot of sexy fun.
- [72:39]
A
Get what you deserve, ladies.
- [72:41]
B
Correct. Gauche. So, yeah, I loved it. It's really, really fun.
- [72:47]
A
My final book is the Only Man's Birthday Book. Well, if you don't count Sophie Jordan's the only Man's birthday book I could think of, which is the Viscount who Love Me, Anthony Bridgerton.
- [73:00]
B
Oh, no.
- [73:01]
A
And that's because, of course. Now, listen, I'm not gonna tell you the plot of the Viscount who Love Me. You can go Watch season two of the of Bridgerton for that.
- [73:10]
B
But my.
- [73:11]
A
But it's important here. And this is where we get back to, like, what is the point of a man's birthday?
- [73:17]
B
Yes.
- [73:18]
A
And so the existential dread of Viscount who love me is Anthony's father, Edmund died of a bee sting. It's not funny. Listen, being allergic to bees is a serious business, but he died of a bee sting when he was whatever age, 35 or whatever, 30. I don't know, some age. And Anthony is terrified that he won't live past his father's death date.
- [73:52]
B
And also, like, doesn't know how to. Right. How could I possibly be older than my father was?
- [73:58]
A
What could become of this? You know, this is why. And so there's like, the bee trust, which brings us possibly the sexiest scene Julia Quinn has ever written, which is, you know, when Kate gets stung by bee and.
- [74:11]
B
Oh. And he just loses his mind.
- [74:15]
A
Suck the venom out of her breast. Shonda Rhimes. What are we doing? We missed the. What have we done?
- [74:23]
B
I think that's when I was done with Bridgerton.
- [74:25]
A
I was like, Tierney would never. Everyone.
- [74:27]
B
Jacob Tierney. Jacob Tierney probably. You know what? I'm gonna retcon. Jacob. Jacob Tierney was probably like, listen, let me show you how it's done after this.
- [74:36]
A
Can we just get it. Wait, the fumble of the B string. Just spitballing here, but what if Ilya is allergic to bees?
- [74:46]
B
Amazing. A.
- [74:50]
A
So anyway, and then in the epilogue, and I have to assume this is like, one of those moments where, you know, I wrote an epilogue in Day of the Duchess.
- [75:03]
B
Right.
- [75:03]
A
Because Day of the Duchess has a thread of infertility or, you know, the heroine in Day of the Duchess has a stillborn child. And when I wrote the epilogue of that book and I wanted their. You know, I think I've talked about this on the podcast that, like, I went back and forth between, like, were they going to have children or were they not going to have children?
- [75:23]
B
Yeah.
- [75:23]
A
And ultimately, when I decided, like, yes, I want them to have. I wanted to use the epilogue where they have children. I had to really think through, like, how many children have they had in order for the fear to be absent to be gone.
- [75:43]
B
Yeah.
- [75:43]
A
Right. And so, you know, so whatever. I did that. And I think with Bridgerton, with the Vicon who Love me, the epilogue of this book is Anthony's birthday.
- [75:53]
B
Yeah.
- [75:54]
A
And it's his birthday because it has to be like, we have to see him.
- [76:00]
B
Yeah.
- [76:01]
A
Thrive.
- [76:02]
B
Thriving. Right, Exactly. And we have to know and in
- [76:05]
A
order, I think like, it was probably that Julia was feeling like in order for happily ever after to be believable, we need to know he clears this hump.
- [76:15]
B
Right. Right.
- [76:16]
A
And so, yeah, he does. And that is the only birthday I could think of.
- [76:20]
B
That's a great. Yeah, that's a great, great example. Perfect. Perfect. A plus, Sarah.
- [76:25]
A
Thank you very much, Professor.
- [76:29]
B
I can't grade anybody. It's the summer, so I'm just gonna keep grading you periscope up.
- [76:33]
A
A plus. Well, so that is birthdays, everybody. If it's your birthday this summer. Happy birthday. Birthday.
- [76:43]
B
Happy birthday.
- [76:44]
A
You know, we. I love a birthday. Jen. Jen doesn't love a birthday as much as I love a birthday, but I do love a birthday.
- [76:50]
B
This was a fun episode, though.
- [76:51]
A
This was a fun episode. And tell us on the. On Instagram or Blue sky or on the Discord, if you can think of other books that have birthdays in them. There must be a million that we have missed.
- [77:05]
B
Oh, so many.
- [77:07]
A
But 10 tell us, like, why the birthday is important too. I'm always interested in, like, you know, how are, how are writers out there doing stuff? So you can find us on Instagram or threadsdetamatespod or@blueskydamates.net or you can join our patreon at patreon.com fatedmates and that gives you access to the Discord, where listeners are talking about romance novels all the time. It's super fun, as I said. I was at this event in Brenham over the weekend and a bunch of fate amazers came out from the Discord. It was so fun and they all hung out and we had a great time and I gave stickers out and it was so fun. And the Discord is really, really fun. Also not to. I do also want to shout out the Discord too, because I was in Houston for like a day and a half and I asked for recommendations for fun things to do and places to eat and the Discord delivered. Man, they are amazing over there. So you can head over, like I said, to patreon.comatedmates to join and learn more and get access to the Discord. You also, if you join the Patreon, get an extra episode of Banter every month. Eric said that now we're up to 35 episodes, which is.
- [78:20]
B
It's amazing, incredible work.
- [78:23]
A
And those, those feel a little more bantery. We talk more about craft on those episodes than we do in real life episodes. But you can find them all there at the Patreon or on the Patreon. Other than that, tonight Jen is in Chicago at Women and Children first with Sophia Benoit, celebrating the very definition of love. And other than that, we are are. I'm Sarah McLean, and I'm here with my gen. My. My gen. I'm here with my friend Jen Procop, and we are fated mates. And happy birthday.
- [79:00]
B
Happy birthday to.
- [79:15]
A
Sam.