These Romance Tropes Make Us SWEAT

Summary

House of Maher: "These Romance Tropes Make Us SWEAT" - Detailed Summary

Episode Release Date: April 22, 2025
Presented by Samsung Galaxy
Hosts: Ilona Maher, Olivia Maher, Adrianna “Dre Baby” Maher

---

1. Welcome and Personal Banter (00:00 – 01:38)

The episode kicks off with the Maher sisters engaging in their trademark playful banter. Ilona mentions accidentally ruining the plot of "ACOTAR" (A Court of Thorns and Roses) by revealing spoilers, leading Olivia to jest, “We're horrible people” ([00:26]). They set a cozy tone, inviting listeners to “slip into your comfies” and enjoy the conversation, highlighting their deep bond as sisters and avid readers.

Notable Quote:

• Ilona: “We just literally ruined the plot of ACOTAR for one of our producers.” ([00:05])

2. Makeup and Appearance Chat (01:38 – 08:44)

The sisters delve into a light-hearted discussion about makeup and personal appearances. They joke about their similar voices and looks, playfully challenging each other’s makeup skills. Ilona shares her makeup routine, revealing she uses "a full face of concealer as foundation," which surprises Adrianna, who initially thought Ilona had a makeup artist.

Notable Quote:

• Adriana: “I fully thought you had a makeup artist.” ([02:17])

3. Event Recap: Girl Dinner Pajama Party (09:38 – 19:20)

Olivia reminisces about hosting a “girl dinner party” in collaboration with Paula’s Choice and Instagram Meta. The event featured women from Los Angeles enjoying a “Womanhood. Girlhood evening” while dressed in fancy silky pajamas. They describe the elegant attire, delicious food, and vibrant atmosphere, emphasizing the supportive and empowering environment.

Notable Quotes:

• Olivia: “We hosted a girl dinner party with Paula's Choice and Instagram Meta. It was great... We all wore fancy silky PJs and feathers and long sleeves.” ([10:09])
• Adriana: “I had a blast... It was very much so... just connecting and people talking.” ([16:36])

4. Highlights from Hong Kong Trip (18:00 – 20:14)

The sisters share anecdotes from their recent trip to Hong Kong, highlighting the business-class flights with Cathay Pacific, the serene mornings, and the vibrant culture. Ilona mentions being able to “open your phone with my face” post-makeup application, adding humor to the conversation. They reminisce about watching the HSBC Hong Kong Sevens and exploring local restaurants, portraying Hong Kong as a beautiful and peaceful city.

Notable Quotes:

• Olivia: “It was very clean. It was so busy, but it was yet quiet. It was quite peaceful.” ([19:26])
• Adriana: “I had to take off my cardigan... I was holding my purse in front of my crotch the entire walk.” ([10:48])

5. Main Topic: Ranking Romance Tropes (21:29 – 53:50)

The core of the episode revolves around the sisters engaging in a fun and insightful game to rank various romance tropes from 1 to 10. The rules are straightforward: each trope is revealed one by one, and the hosts assign a rating without seeing what's coming next, ensuring unbiased rankings.

a. Opposites Attract (22:24 – 23:38)

The trope involves partners with contrasting personalities, such as a type A individual pairing with someone chaotic. They reference "10 Things I Hate About You" and "The Notebook," ultimately rating it a solid 7.

Notable Quotes:

• Olivia: “I love the Notebook. When clips of that come up... I'm locked in.” ([22:49])
• Adriana: “I think seven's a solid.” ([23:37])

b. Love Triangle (22:15 – 29:46)

Discussions include famous examples like "Twilight" and "Hunger Games." The sisters express mixed feelings, debating the cliché nature of love triangles but acknowledging their popularity. They finalize a ranking of 4.

Notable Quotes:

• Alona: “I think I'm hoping there's real good ones.” ([33:40])
• Adriana: “I think we got to keep the bottom ones kind of open.” ([36:25])

c. Second Chance Romance (29:53 – 36:30)

Focusing on rekindling past relationships, they cite "Sweet Home Alabama" and "The Notebook." While Ilona appreciates the emotional depth, she expresses a preference for fresh connections over revisiting old flames. They assign this trope an 8.

Notable Quotes:

• Adriana: “I think it's a little weird.” ([34:19])
• Olivia: “Rekindling something from the past and maybe getting it right this time.” ([34:22])

d. Slow Burn (36:27 – 43:42)

The sisters admire the gradual development of romance seen in books like "Red, White & Royal Blue" and "Crescent City." They emphasize the satisfaction of a well-built relationship over immediate declarations of love, rating it a 3.

Notable Quotes:

• Olivia: “There's the one moment on the roof too where they're like... nothing happens.” ([37:43])
• Alona: “It's a slow burn where the tension builds painfully over time.” ([36:27])

e. Rescuer and Rescued (41:05 – 43:45)

Discussing scenarios where one character saves another, they reference "Tangled" and "City of Bones." While appreciating the dynamic of strength and protection, they critique instances where female characters appear too weak, ultimately rating it a 10.

Notable Quotes:

• Olivia: “I want her to find love. I want her to be that strong, as strong as we are, and still find love.” ([43:10])
• Adriana: “I want it to be a boss-ass...” ([42:23])

f. Fake Relationship (45:35 – 51:15)

Exploring pretended romantic relationships that evolve into genuine love, they mention "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" and "The Wedding Date." Ilona enjoys the charm and unpredictability of this trope, giving it a strong rating of 2.

Notable Quotes:

• Olivia: “They pretend to fake date and then they actually really love each other.” ([50:42])
• Adriana: “A lot of Kindle Unlimited fake relationship stuff.” ([49:58])

g. Secret Billionaire (45:00 – 47:20)

Analyzing the allure and complications of secret wealthy characters hidden behind regular facades, they reference "Crazy Rich Asians." While intrigued by the dynamics, they find faults in the ethical implications and assign it a mid-range score of 5.

Notable Quotes:

• Olivia: “She's dating this guy and they've fallen in love and he's normal and he... he has so much money.” ([46:34])
• Adriana: “He stole your brows.” ([45:47])

6. Final Thoughts and Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Plug (53:00 – 53:50)

Concluding the ranking game, the sisters reflect on the diverse romance tropes discussed. They seamlessly integrate a promotion for the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, emphasizing its AI features that assist in daily tasks, mirroring their efficient and dynamic lifestyles. Ilona highlights how the phone helps her manage her busy schedule without missing a beat.

Notable Quotes:

• Ilona: “S25 Ultra just handles it so I can focus on actually living my life.” ([21:14])
• Olivia: “Chat Assist looks for me. I could just focus on what I want to say and I let Chat Assist handle the rest.” ([40:35])

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Conclusion

In this engaging episode of "House of Maher," Ilona, Olivia, and Adrianna Maher blend personal anecdotes with a lively discussion on romance tropes, offering listeners both entertainment and relatable insights. Their chemistry and candid conversations create an inviting atmosphere, making the podcast a delightful listen for fans and newcomers alike.

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Highlighted Quotes with Timestamps:

• Ilona: “We just literally ruined the plot of ACOTAR for one of our producers.” ([00:05])
• Adriana: “I fully thought you had a makeup artist.” ([02:17])
• Olivia: “We hosted a girl dinner party with Paula's Choice and Instagram Meta...” ([10:09])
• Olivia: “I love the Notebook. When clips of that come up... I'm locked in.” ([22:49])
• Olivia: “Their characters are very strong, but I also want them to find love.” ([43:10])
• Ilona: “S25 Ultra just handles it so I can focus on actually living my life.” ([21:14])

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Stay tuned for more heartfelt conversations and lively discussions every Tuesday on "House of Maher," brought to you by Wave Originals and presented by Samsung Galaxy.

Transcript

[Alona]

Are you all still recording? Guys, we just. We just literally ruined the plot of.

[Olivia]

Acotar for one of our. Our. Our producers.

[Alona]

Ladies back there.

[Olivia]

Oh, my gosh.

[Adriana]

Right there.

[Alona]

She just read the first one on the plane. Oh, we are the worst together in three words. You probably would have figured that out, but dang, can I say. Oh, my gosh.

[Adriana]

I knew immediately what was happening.

[Olivia]

We're horrible people.

[Alona]

Oh, that's toug. Welcome back to House of Mar A Wave original presented by the new Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. Slip into your comfies, grab a cup of coffee. The WI fi password is only one bed, all uppercase. I'm Alona.

[Olivia]

And I'm your other host, Olivia.

[Adriana]

And I'm the last host, Adriana.

[Olivia]

Thanks for joining us back here on our couch. We've spent hours on end together in libraries, bookstores, reading together in our living room on. You know, we just. We're big readers. We like being together. So thanks for coming back to our house to hang out with us a little bit more and see whatever we get into this time.

[Alona]

And you may notice if you're watching this on YouTube, if you're not, we'll describe it in depth for you. Like asmr. We've. We've switched around the. The room. We're trying it out a little bit. We've put the couch in a different place. And to be honest, this is because I believe my good side is the.

[Olivia]

Right side of my face, and you're allowed to believe that.

[Alona]

And I think I look better that way. So I made them switch it for a little bit.

[Adriana]

Women supporting women. We can invert the set.

[Olivia]

We'll invert a room for your good side.

[Alona]

Thank you so much. I appreciate that. We might. We're gonna switch it back again. We're just trying some things out.

[Olivia]

And it's funny because we were like, no, you look beautiful. And she's like, which one? We know we're beautiful on all sides. You know that we're beautiful on all sides, but you can have a favorite side for sure. And we're like, no, you look great. She's like, I don't think so.

[Alona]

Fine. But I just. I think there is something about it that, you know, we all have it. Like, I like the way my hair parts right inside my hair parts on. Makes me feel be pretty.

[Olivia]

It's beautiful. Gorgeous. She's also been killing her makeup game, guys.

[Alona]

Do you see how pretty she looks?

[Olivia]

She can't. She literally can't keep getting away with this. I did this myself, which is Incredible.

[Alona]

It's a full face of concealer, too.

[Olivia]

Also, Adrona. It's all concealer.

[Alona]

It's all concealer that I use as foundation.

[Adriana]

Girl, I fully thought you had a makeup artist.

[Olivia]

No.

[Adriana]

Dancing with the Stars day. I was like, that is the blending and just the coverage. I was like, I don't think Alona.

[Olivia]

She's contouring too.

[Alona]

I'm trying to contour. I bought a browser.

[Olivia]

I don't know who you are anymore. No. And she's doing her brows because she on the side. Not too behind your back. She was like, alona needs to work on her brows. She's kicked it up.

[Adriana]

I told her.

[Olivia]

Oh, you did?

[Adriana]

Yeah. I told you to brush out your brows.

[Alona]

Yeah, she tells me to brush out my brows. But I went and bought another brow stick because I stole yours. But my brows are lighter than yours.

[Olivia]

Yeah.

[Alona]

So I had.

[Olivia]

Where's that stick? I'd love that pack.

[Alona]

I don't know, girl. It's been used and used and abused.

[Olivia]

Using.

[Alona]

Abused. One thing also, we've. We've been getting comments that we sound so alike.

[Adriana]

Like, you two sound alike.

[Alona]

Sound alike. Okay, everyone who's listening, Guess who's talking in three, two, one.

[Olivia]

Hey, y'all.

[Adriana]

Okay, that doesn't even sound like you.

[Alona]

Not even. She talks.

[Adriana]

That.

[Alona]

That's Olivia.

[Adriana]

I think you guys gotta start saying, like, a walkie talkie. Like, Olivia, out.

[Alona]

This is Alona speaking. Out.

[Olivia]

Copy. Out.

[Adriana]

Out.

[Alona]

Could you imagine? We'll try to do better. But we've been told all our lives that we do sound very similar.

[Olivia]

Like, we laugh.

[Alona]

Same laughs. If sometimes we're on the phone and, like, nobody can get it right, so.

[Adriana]

Or when our laughs sync up and like, the hahaha at the same time.

[Olivia]

Like harmonizing, but with a laugh. We've done that a lot. Or like, answering. Remember answering the home phone. And like, an elderly Dutch aunt would be like, oh, Minika. And start ripping away in Dutch. And I'd be like, I'll stop you right there. She's down the hall.

[Alona]

Everyone, let's answer the phone. How we had to. Okay.

[Olivia]

This is how our parents taught us to answer the home telephone growing up. It's called the landline team.

[Alona]

Ready? Ring, ring, ring, ring.

[Adriana]

My resident.

[Olivia]

How am I going to help you?

[Alona]

That's how we'd have to answer everything. I don't know. Like, my friends and I'm like, how may help you? They're, like, alone.

[Olivia]

Which it does work if like. Like, spam callers are calling you. They think they're calling a residential address, but it's actually like you get the more house.

[Adriana]

Business.

[Olivia]

Get like a business tone. Yeah. Behind it, like family business. Reach the front desk. Even though we say mar Residence, how may I help you?

[Alona]

I know. Has that worked for you?

[Olivia]

I can't believe you have no decorum and say, can I help you?

[Adriana]

Maybe it was just the pressure of having to do it on camera.

[Olivia]

Please.

[Alona]

Probably you've practiced a lot. Though our voices sound similar, we've also. I think people have been picking up if you're watching that we all look alike in certain ways. Like we all have the same features of one another.

[Olivia]

Yep. I've gotten a comment that I look like both Ilona and Adriana in a different way, but that they don't look like each other.

[Adriana]

And I've gotten that Ilona looks like Olivia and I, but we don't look alike. I always get that we look like. Someone asked recently, I've been getting a lot. Are you guys twins?

[Olivia]

I just got that again yesterday.

[Adriana]

I was like, do I look five years older than I am, or does she look five years younger? Longer, because it just kind of feels like a slap in the face. If it's.

[Olivia]

Tell us in the comments.

[Alona]

Who's the prettiest? Who's the prettiest? I'm just kidding.

[Olivia]

No more complimenting her makeup.

[Alona]

I will say you guys have similar. I think I have different face structure than the both of you.

[Olivia]

We have very similar eyebrows and eye setups. Have you noticed that?

[Alona]

Oh, like, see brows?

[Olivia]

Yeah, I guess.

[Adriana]

Structure wise, I think eyes.

[Olivia]

She just dressed the hell out of my eyebrows. Did you guys see that?

[Alona]

You know, you got great eyebrows. Cloth. La Jona's been working on eyebrow game eyebrows. Really?

[Adriana]

No.

[Olivia]

I love my eyebrows. Those distant cousins? I don't think so.

[Adriana]

No. I had an ipod touch back in the day in middle school, and Olivia took a selfie on it one time with a little peace sign. Threw it up as my home screen, and it was my home screen for like a year. And then a year later, I found out that my best friend thought it was a selfie of myself the entire time.

[Olivia]

Oh, no.

[Adriana]

To which I was like, why didn't you call me out if you thought I made my home screen a selfie of me?

[Olivia]

Can I actually talk about that? People that have photos of themselves as their home screen. Can we go a little bit deeper there, please? Sure. What are your thoughts?

[Adriana]

I think it's a little weird.

[Olivia]

Really?

[Adriana]

It's almost like walking into Alona's bedroom and seeing all the fan art of her covering her walls.

[Alona]

It's weird for you guys. Sorry. I love myself.

[Olivia]

Right? That's what I'm. That's what I'm thinking.

[Alona]

It's like, sorry, you got to love.

[Olivia]

You at the end of the day. And if it's a picture of you on your home screen that's doing it, like, okay, good on you.

[Adriana]

Maybe it's like looking in a mirror and like, what do they call it when you're, like, talking and giving yourself, like, pep talk? It's like an affirmation seeing yourself, like, maybe your hottest. And you're like, that's me.

[Alona]

I like it. I like it. One time or actually a couple times, I've been able to open your phone with my face.

[Olivia]

That's been freaky. Yeah, it's been real freaky.

[Adriana]

That makes me.

[Olivia]

Mind you. Back to her makeup.

[Adriana]

Can't do it.

[Olivia]

Back to her makeup. Her phone. Didn't recognize her. This.

[Alona]

That was weird. I couldn't pay for something. My phone. When I was like, am I too pretty right now? Is my phone not seeing? I tried it. I had to use my passcode. That was weird. We've never seen. It was the contour forever. Nice try. Nice try.

[Olivia]

You thief. Who's this? Olivia. Get her out of here.

[Alona]

Olivia has a beautiful nose. John, you also have a beautiful nose. I've just always noticed. Olivia has a very little petite nose.

[Olivia]

Thank you so much.

[Adriana]

And your ears.

[Olivia]

I have teeny, tiny ears. Go ahead and get a close up.

[Alona]

Can we get it? Can we zoom in on the ears?

[Adriana]

You can wiggle them too.

[Olivia]

I can wiggle them.

[Alona]

Wow. I have massive earlobe things.

[Olivia]

I am single. So can we zoom in here?

[Alona]

We get it.

[Olivia]

Let me see.

[Alona]

Zoom in on my earlobes.

[Olivia]

Oh, she's got. She's got one of those really detached, loopy things.

[Alona]

Yeah.

[Adriana]

Adriana, I. I don't know if I've ever looked at my ears like that.

[Olivia]

Quite narrow ones. If someone held them too close to your head for a sec.

[Adriana]

Starting that.

[Alona]

Rumor, what else would we say is similar that we all share?

[Adriana]

Alona and I, we have kind of similar eyes. Yours are a little brighter, though, but color.

[Alona]

I color.

[Adriana]

Yeah, I color.

[Alona]

I color with a similar. She is brown.

[Olivia]

We get it.

[Alona]

They're kind of cool.

[Olivia]

Cool. Alona's got gorgeous, glorious lips. And that's why she gets lipstick deals and locks and amazing hair.

[Adriana]

Olivia and I always get the thin hair, like, called not compliments. Kind of backhand and be like, your hair's so thin and Fun.

[Olivia]

Alona's is so thick and luscious and so great.

[Adriana]

Get her in a shampoo commercial.

[Olivia]

Yeah. And then we get. Oh, you have your grandmother's hair.

[Alona]

Right?

[Olivia]

And that's not. Not a compliment, but it's just different genetics.

[Adriana]

Do you ever worry about balding?

[Alona]

Okay, okay.

[Adriana]

I do, I do. I think it's coming for me one day.

[Olivia]

You think?

[Adriana]

I think my hair. When I get old, I think my hair is going to be even. Fine.

[Alona]

We're knocking on wood. If you're listening.

[Adriana]

If you're.

[Olivia]

If you're only listening.

[Adriana]

I found my first white hair.

[Alona]

You good, dude?

[Adriana]

Because sometimes I have, like, blonder hairs. And I was like, is it blonde? And then I plucked it, of course. And I was like, looking at it, and I put it up against like a black bag and it definitely started a little, like, blonder up here, then made distinct change to white.

[Alona]

26 changes. You, man, you're about to turn 25.

[Adriana]

So.

[Alona]

Well, you're. I mean, you're almost 26.

[Olivia]

Almost 26.

[Alona]

Yeah.

[Olivia]

I've got one white hair that's hanging on right here, but I kind of love her.

[Adriana]

You got about five, actually.

[Olivia]

What? You've.

[Alona]

You've counted.

[Adriana]

You've got a few up there.

[Olivia]

That is so messed up. Adrona.

[Alona]

She's pretty much 40 coming for me today.

[Olivia]

Okay, that's the thing. Our dad, when I was like 27, he was like, oh, Olivia, the oldest, she's about 30.

[Alona]

I was like, oh, whoa, that math. Hate math.

[Olivia]

That wouldn't hurt, like. But I guess I've just always meant to be this age. That's it.

[Alona]

Well, let's get into it.

[Olivia]

Let's get into last night. Let's touch some grass and talk about real life.

[Alona]

Coming up on today's episode of House of Mar. We're talking Hong Kong, our girl dinner pajama party, and doing a huge ranking of our all time favorite romance tropes. We're also spoiling the acotar books for our production team. But not for you.

[Olivia]

Fear not.

[Alona]

Not for you. So stay tuned.

[Olivia]

We hosted a girl dinner party with Paula's Choice and Instagram Meta. And we invited a bunch of fabulous women from LA and just had a Womanhood. Girlhood evening.

[Alona]

Yeah.

[Olivia]

Fabulous. It was great. But we all wore fancy silky PJs and feathers and long sleeves alone. It looked incredible in this. You slayed.

[Adriana]

Insert a photo here.

[Alona]

Stop it.

[Olivia]

Insert photo.

[Adriana]

You're in this little, like, dress number with a robe that was like white, silky flower detail.

[Alona]

I got out of my Uber, and some guy came to, like, you know, help me out. And I was like, please, sir, look away. My little lady parts there.

[Olivia]

Aud. Recently, her je or zipper jeans broke. Busted open.

[Adriana]

I had two pairs of jeans break within a week.

[Olivia]

Yeah, she's down.

[Alona]

That's what we saying. She took. Gotta fit a lot in them jeans.

[Olivia]

They gotta put in work. But she had this little purse, so she carried it like this.

[Adriana]

Well, in front of her broken zipper. The stadium in Hong Kong, which we'll get to. First, I had to take off my cardigan, wrapped it around. But then we were walking to the taxi, it was so cold. So I just put my cardigan back on and I held my purse in front of my crotch the entire walk. And then Olivia and I were at a restaurant and I was like, why am I feeling the seat so much? Why is there so much skin to skin? A rip right on the butt. It was huge, actually.

[Olivia]

Did you feel it when you sat down?

[Adriana]

I think it grew when I sat down. Like, I think, you know, like, just like the way my body moved, like, ripped it open.

[Alona]

Literally busting out in them jeans.

[Olivia]

Literally. The tight. What is it?

[Alona]

Oh, my gosh.

[Olivia]

She sat down. The aftershock. That could be me. Yeah, just quit. That is me.

[Alona]

What?

[Olivia]

Alias.

[Alona]

You gotta stop. Dude, you've been filling out some pants too, recently.

[Olivia]

No, I've been catching. No, you have been catching my reflection.

[Alona]

Sometimes 100%. She walks by a store window and she's like, wait a second.

[Olivia]

It's like, why am I so caked up?

[Alona]

Are y'all seeing this?

[Olivia]

What the hell?

[Alona]

Maybe it's because you haven't been doing your pilates.

[Olivia]

You're just for my walks. I've been doing big walks because there's not a thing you can walk your ass off, I think, to, like, literally do it.

[Alona]

But the girl dinner event was super fun. Sorry about that, guys. We had tons of dirty martinis. Delicious, I will say.

[Olivia]

Yep. And at my one request, they were so. Paula's choice and Meta were so fantastic to work with and organize this. And, like, they consulted me on the menu and what be served. My big thing was, like, I'm loving everything, but where the pickles at? I need way more pickles involved in this day.

[Alona]

Can you cure? You curated pretty much the girl dinner meal. What did you go for?

[Olivia]

So we were. It was at the West Hollywood edition. So, like, they also did the food. And so we went with classically, you know, Caesar salad, kind of french fries vibes. There were little things of French fries around. You could do a Caesar salad. There was also various dips in crudite because that feels very girl dinner. There's also little sliders. Got to get some protein in there.

[Alona]

Those were good, too.

[Olivia]

Those were yummy. They were really yummy. Which sometimes I'm. I get suspicious of food that's being, like, passed around or maybe sitting a little bit longer because it's naturally going to get cold if people aren't touching it. But it was still good.

[Alona]

I had that burger probably four hours after it was made and.

[Olivia]

Delicious.

[Alona]

And it's still pretty good.

[Olivia]

Delicious. And there's little grilled cheeses with those tomato soups, the tomatoes.

[Adriana]

I started just shooting it.

[Alona]

Yeah, it was good, right?

[Olivia]

It was really good. And then we had the Dirty Mar. Teeny Bar Knee Slapper. And we had little garnishes with a little sticks that said girl dinner on them. And then other. That had olives and the other sticks had cornichon pickles on it. Yeah. So it was delicious. And they were dirty.

[Alona]

And they were real dirty.

[Adriana]

I didn't have any. I don't. I don't like that.

[Alona]

What did you drink?

[Adriana]

Cosmos. On Cosmos. And they ran out of cranberry juice by the end of the night. Because everyone was having cosmos too.

[Olivia]

Right.

[Adriana]

I think they had sex in the city on. On one of the TVs. And I think that was kind of inspiring everyone. Yeah, let's talk about how every TV had the best movie or show on.

[Olivia]

Yeah, it was. The other thing is, we wanted. So everyone came in PJs. So it was cozy girl time. And then we had fun girly movies on the three different screens in this cool room. So it was like Legally Blonde, pride and prejudice, 13 going on 30. All those kind of just iconic numbers.

[Alona]

I do have a problem, though. Like, when I'm in bars and there's a TV on, I. I'm like a little kid watching Ms. Rachel. I can't tune away.

[Olivia]

Someone's trying to talk to me, and I'm like, huh?

[Alona]

I'm watching, like, curling. Something I never watched. I just. I'm zoned in, so I was watching those as well.

[Olivia]

God forbid there's subtitles.

[Alona]

Oh, God.

[Olivia]

Locked and loaded.

[Alona]

I had about I7 to 8 of those drinks, though.

[Olivia]

Okay.

[Alona]

And I was fine. So what do we think the ratio was? No, I. I really was okay. And then I had a glass of wine. Then I had champagne.

[Olivia]

Damn.

[Alona]

So were they not that strong, were you?

[Olivia]

No, that was straight up vodka. Someone. I was drinking a dirty martini and someone was like, oh, is it, like, strong? I was like, well, it's all vodka pretty much. Maybe it was good.

[Alona]

It was a good amount of the. The pickle juice, though, or the olive juice in there. Yeah, I think so. It'd be that darker.

[Olivia]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Alona]

But it was at this beautiful hotel. We had a great view of Los Angeles. All the girls were so pretty. We talked about how, as we were getting ready for it, you know, they talk about online, like, dressing for the male gaze. G A, Z E. Yeah. Oh, thank you for clarifying. G A Z E. I was like, why? I don't dress for the male gaze. I do it for, you know, the.

[Olivia]

The ladies.

[Alona]

We thought it was as interesting as, like, I don't. I think that we dress for ourselves.

[Olivia]

Yeah.

[Alona]

I also don't know if there's really anything bad at times for dressing for the male gaze if you are also trying to attract the male gays in some way. So I'm all for it. But I think that last night we were dressing for the female gaze.

[Olivia]

Yeah.

[Alona]

And we. I was like. I was like, totally. I was like, put on a push up. Get him out.

[Olivia]

Yep.

[Alona]

And I wore this tiny little, you know, dress. And I wore this because, like, I think one thing about women, like, we're saying we love to hype each other. We love to feel good around each other because we're gonna make each other feel good and we're gonna compliment each other. And, like, it was just this room full of like, oh, my God, you look so. Looks so hot. I mean, one girl was in this beautiful, like, robe with. Is it called chiffon?

[Olivia]

Maybe the kind of thing that, like, you just killed your rich husband. Oh, it wasn't.

[Adriana]

You're going down a staircase and it's following you.

[Alona]

Yeah.

[Olivia]

Like that kind of a thing. Like. Oh, and everyone. Yeah. Was able to put their own twist on the outfit. Some. Some people somehow made a PJ set look like business casual.

[Alona]

Yeah.

[Olivia]

It was so cool. So it was a combination of women in sports and women in content creation and just, Just so fabulous. It was so cool to meet new people as well and bring them here to this space. Did you have fun?

[Adriana]

I had a blast. It was your guys event. I was just there in the background, and I was just having. Because I didn't have any responsibilities. I could hop to all the different stations, make a little charm bracelet, talk to everyone. I was loving it.

[Olivia]

Yeah.

[Adriana]

I didn't even look at my phone. I think I had three pictures from the entire night.

[Alona]

Oh, my God.

[Adriana]

Sorry. Meta and Paula's choice. I tried my best to post.

[Olivia]

She's just so in tune.

[Adriana]

I'm just. I was so in the moment. Actually. I had a blast. I didn't want the night to end. Like, just. I was a little nervous going into it. Of like, you hear sometimes about like these events like this, and I'm like, what if everyone's kind of cold and they're just there to take some pictures? Then leave. But no, everyone was so into it.

[Olivia]

That's true.

[Adriana]

And I just had amazing conversations.

[Olivia]

Yeah. It wasn't like a fake. Like, well, let's make a video and then I'll never talk to you again. It was very much so. Yeah, there were some pictures being taken and content being made, but it was more like just connecting and people talking and. Yeah, it was just wonderful to watch women do that and to feel safe in a. In a space like that. And what Alona's kind of speaking to on the way you dress. I just saw this. This tweet about, oh, you. You dress for men. You dress for men. It's like, yeah, but have you seen a women dress when they know no men will be there? My tits were hiked up to the gods, like, you know what I'm saying? Like, to feel comfortable and happy and just be able to express ourselves in our bodies is so exciting. So anybody else want to host a party with us?

[Alona]

We are available.

[Olivia]

We loved it.

[Adriana]

We can do margaritas.

[Alona]

Wow. Our name really fits with stuff.

[Olivia]

Yeah.

[Adriana]

Marjitos.

[Alona]

That's a stretch.

[Olivia]

But yeah, we'll keep working.

[Alona]

There's. There's options.

[Olivia]

There's some out there.

[Adriana]

Mar. Scalmule.

[Olivia]

Okay.

[Alona]

And that's it. Someone take the mic from her.

[Adriana]

That's.

[Alona]

You're done. You're cut off. But you guys actually just came back from Hong Kong. Yes.

[Olivia]

Oh my God.

[Adriana]

It was a blast and a half. It was the right way to do Hong Kong. So we went with Cathay Pacific and they flew us business class, which was their first time.

[Alona]

They were. They were excited.

[Olivia]

First time in business. Okay. Actually, maybe not my first ish time business, but first time in a lie down because one time Alona gave me her seat when I was violently ill on a flight and you let me sit. It was just a short connecting flight. San Francisco.

[Alona]

Barely, girl.

[Olivia]

Yeah, that doesn't count. It was just like a big chair.

[Alona]

I'm a saint.

[Olivia]

No, you are so nice. It was a. It was a 40 minute flight.

[Alona]

Yeah.

[Olivia]

Finally.

[Adriana]

It was food poisoning. Nothing contagious.

[Olivia]

Yes, yes. Food Poisoning. Exactly. But yeah, first lie down, Lie back, Lie flat.

[Adriana]

Lie. Lie flat, lie back.

[Olivia]

Lit business class seats.

[Adriana]

Absolutely. I slept eight out of the 16 hours of that flight. Incredible. It allowed us to like hit the ground running right when we landed. Cuz we landed at like 7am but.

[Olivia]

Then Hong Kong itself, we went there for the cafe/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, which you've played in. We got to watch that. We went to various Hong Kong restaurants with cafe. We stayed in a cool hotel called the East Hong Kong and we. I never been there. That was your first time in Asia? Yeah.

[Adriana]

New continent for me, unlocked a new continent and I need to go back.

[Olivia]

Yeah. It was just a cool city. It was very clean. It was so busy, but it was yet quiet. It was quite peaceful. It was very interesting.

[Adriana]

Olivia and I were walking around in the morning when we landed and it was like people were headed to work and it was so quiet. I was like, in New York City, there would be like 5,000 horns going off and everyone's yelling into a phone. No, everyone was just like on a lovely stroll to their office.

[Olivia]

Right. Lots of people, but quiet and peaceful. It was really cool. And it was in a brand new stadium. We got to see the USA rugby girlies. Got to watch them play and see them, which was really special. All the way around the world like that. What an experience.

[Adriana]

It was incredible. And I was so fun to do it with Olivia. We haven't had like a. An us trip since Orlando.

[Olivia]

Oh my God.

[Adriana]

And that was fun. We went to a theme park. We. It was to watch Ilona play in Tokyo because we couldn't go. And it was just we're having a time of our lives bopping around and I knew that Hong Kong could be like that. Just the time of our lives bopping around and we did trip, sister trip.

[Olivia]

So yeah, that's us. It was good.

[Alona]

My teammates are absolutely amazing people. They have to be on it every day. And honestly, my Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is on it too. I could do so much with this phone without bouncing between a million apps. Like when I'm planning a dinner with friends, I just say find the Italian restaurant nearby and text it to Olivia and Adriana and boom, done. If I need my phone to look at my rugby team schedule and add it to my calendar, I just tell.

[Olivia]

It it need to send a quick summary of a meeting. S25 Ultra can do that too. With transcript assist, I can record a meeting, create a transcript with useful notes and click summary. Boom. I have a summary with keywords it even helps with messaging. Using Chat Assist, I can tell it provides suggestions to make this email sound even more professional. I don't have to spend time looking for typos myself. Chat Assist looks for me. I could just focus on what I want to say and I let Chat Assist handle the rest.

[Alona]

No more app jumping, copy pasting or forgetting what I was doing mid task. S25 Ultra just handles it it so I can focus on actually living my life. Basically S25 Ultra works as hard as my teammates and that's saying something.

[Adriana]

Disclaimer Compatible with select apps. Requires Google Gemini Account results may vary based on input. Check responses for accuracy. Galaxy AI features by Samsung are free through 2025 and require Samsung account login Note Due to the nature of AI, results and quality may vary each time.

[Alona]

At the girl dinner event, we watched rom coms on the flight. You probably watched some rom com while you were gone. I spent one day watching all rom.

[Adriana]

Coms back to back to back.

[Alona]

4 movies back to back rom com. So that's a big part of is it our. Our life, our culture, our passion, our family culture. Our family culture. But we have always used it as something to talk about. We think that it brings us joy to watch and so we feel like we have a lot of knowledge. So yes, go grab a steaming cup of tea. We. We're Earl Grey people. Right?

[Olivia]

Earl Grey.

[Alona]

It's a little bergamot in there, a.

[Olivia]

Little bit of honey, a little bit of.

[Alona]

And let's get into some of the best romance tropes. From sweet to steamy. O wow.

[Adriana]

Okay, let's rank them in.

[Olivia]

Let's rank them. A romance trope will be revealed to us and we need to rank it from 1 to 10. But once it's in a position, we can't move it.

[Adriana]

Blind ranking.

[Olivia]

Blind ranking. We don't know what's coming next is our game.

[Alona]

So maybe I. I'll have to move something.

[Olivia]

No. Because what if I.

[Alona]

It's a one bed thing and then.

[Olivia]

There'S a triangle thing and I get messed up. Up. Nope.

[Alona]

Fine.

[Olivia]

Be strong. Come on.

[Alona]

Fine.

[Olivia]

Here we go.

[Adriana]

First one is opposites attract. She's type A. He's chaos. Or vice versa. He was a punk. She did ballet. What more can I say?

[Alona]

Wow.

[Adriana]

And we're talking 10 things I hate about you. Or like the Notebook. Ooh.

[Alona]

Right.

[Olivia]

I love the Notebook. When clips of that come up on when I'm scrolling. I'm sad. I'm watching. I'm locked in. I love the Notebook.

[Alona]

A great One of these. Actually a German movie called Isien Aussie. Oh, you guys. Great one. Wow. That one is about. He's a boxer and she's a rich girl and she wants her parents to give her more stuff, so she pretends to date the. It's pretend dating on here. Oh, my gosh. Okay, wait. I don't even know anymore. Okay, I do like it. I like it when they're different. Like, I like when he's like the bad villain and she's like the grumpy sunshine.

[Olivia]

Grumpy sunshine? He hates everyone but her.

[Adriana]

I'm gonna be so honest. It's not my favorite favorite, I wouldn't say. Yeah, I think it's kind of middle of the road. Maybe middle. Lower Seven our minds.

[Alona]

I think seven's a solid.

[Adriana]

Okay.

[Olivia]

Sevens feels good.

[Adriana]

Stick with seven.

[Alona]

I think we got some good ones coming up.

[Olivia]

I'm so excited. Actually, can I just say, one time I got a Snapchat from Adriana with her reading a book and she goes, probably some kind of unlimited. You know, one of those type of books. She's so nervous and she went in the thing she wrote. They just got to the end. And there's more than one bed. I am sick to my stomach.

[Alona]

That has to be a trope.

[Olivia]

Sick to my.

[Alona]

Sick to my stomach.

[Adriana]

But then she gets nightmares in the middle night.

[Olivia]

God, that's good.

[Adriana]

God, I'm going to start writing for.

[Olivia]

I am touch starved. Okay, let's see. Marriage of convenience. Tying the knot for practical reasons. But soon enough, things start getting very impractical.

[Adriana]

Love, love, love, love, love.

[Olivia]

The Proposal from Blood and Ash.

[Alona]

What a book From Blood and Ash is a really fun. What do you call Roman, but oh, also new adult. So young adult books are like. You're fun. Oh, they kissed, they held hands. New adult books, they get freaky. It gets a little. It gets a little steamy. New adult is like from Blood and Ash. Everyone's reading Throne of Glass, Iron Wings of Iron Flame.

[Olivia]

Iron Flame, Wings of something from new adult into. What would you just call that adult? Like when you get to House of Silver Flames or whatever.

[Alona]

Is that all. Not all new? I would say it's all new.

[Adriana]

Well, the first one.

[Olivia]

Nesta's book, you're right.

[Adriana]

Maybe with actually all the killing from the beginning. I do agree that it's new at all. Let's not. That can also make something older.

[Olivia]

Violence.

[Alona]

Is marriage of convenience different than pretend pretend dating. Pretend dating? Because I love a pretend dating.

[Adriana]

I think that's different.

[Alona]

It's different okay. Is it different? Marriage of convenience.

[Olivia]

What else is a marriage of convenience? Oh, I just read. Never mind.

[Alona]

Tell us.

[Olivia]

The Werewolf and Vampire 1 by Ali Hazelwood.

[Adriana]

Oh, Bride.

[Olivia]

Bride. That was marriage or convenience? I'm not gonna spoil it. I won't spoil it.

[Alona]

I'm not thinking too highly of marriage of convenience.

[Olivia]

You would rank fake dating over marriage of convenience?

[Alona]

I love a fake dating.

[Olivia]

What is the. But what's the difference?

[Adriana]

Opposite.

[Alona]

What if we're. There's just so many that you can think of that, like, are good. What's a movie with, like. Like, she. She needs a. A guy to go to her sister's wedding with. I'm getting. There's so many. I have so many things up in my head right now.

[Olivia]

Okay.

[Alona]

Marriage of convenience.

[Olivia]

Where are we ranking this? You don't really like it.

[Alona]

I don't mind. I don't mind.

[Olivia]

Do you like it more than opposites attract?

[Alona]

Oh, I think I do like it more than opposites attract. Yeah.

[Olivia]

Six or five? Do you like it enough for it to be a five?

[Adriana]

There's just so much out there.

[Alona]

Six.

[Olivia]

Six. Keeping it safe. We're playing it safe if there's a pregnancy trope on here.

[Alona]

Safe number 10, forbidden love. They're not supposed to be together. Vampire Academy.

[Olivia]

Acotar. She's human. He's Faye. In the beginning.

[Adriana]

Okay.

[Alona]

With the Vampire Academy. And that is a tough one. So she is a student and he is her trainer.

[Adriana]

That makes me uncomfortable.

[Olivia]

But a hot, sexy vampire Russian trainer.

[Alona]

So.

[Adriana]

And he's strong.

[Alona]

See where things get muddled there? Where it's Titanic. Forbidden love.

[Olivia]

Isn't that opposites, too? I guess that's. No, that's forbidden.

[Alona]

No, that's. I think for more forbidden. Yeah. Okay.

[Olivia]

Forbidden love is fun. Of course.

[Alona]

I. Is that like Romeo and Juliet kind of thing? Even though Vampire Academy is my favorite thing.

[Olivia]

But is that forbidden, though?

[Alona]

What?

[Olivia]

They are both vampires, though.

[Alona]

But no, like, teacher student dynamic.

[Adriana]

That I don't like. I'm not a big forbidden love. I'm more of like. What were you just saying about.

[Alona]

I, like, hate the hate one where they don't like each other.

[Adriana]

Oh, enemies. I'm more like enemies to lovers than forbidden.

[Olivia]

Okay.

[Alona]

I almost want to give it an 8 or 9.

[Olivia]

Shape of water is interesting. Did you watch that movie?

[Alona]

I Did you like that?

[Olivia]

That. The eggs? Yeah, the eggs.

[Adriana]

I haven't watched it.

[Alona]

What's the eggs one? What. What is she.

[Olivia]

She's like, feed some eggs. I don't know. And they fall.

[Alona]

Oh, yes, yes, yes. That was.

[Olivia]

That's like the hyper simplified version of.

[Alona]

That movie is Beauty and the Beast or Forbidden Love with Beauty and the Beast. I do too.

[Adriana]

That one where he's a dragon.

[Alona]

I Am dragon.

[Olivia]

What do you guys know about I am Dragon?

[Adriana]

Dragon.

[Olivia]

What do you know about I am Dragon? What country is that from? Is that a Russian movie?

[Alona]

Russian movie.

[Olivia]

Pretty.

[Alona]

Honestly. Pretty good animation. Oh yeah. It's like a forbidden love type, but I. I still am going lower with forbidden love.

[Adriana]

Yeah. Because that's still. That could be enemies to lovers almost, I think.

[Alona]

Enemies. Lovers. Better. Yeah.

[Adriana]

Yeah.

[Alona]

Enemies.

[Olivia]

Yeah.

[Adriana]

Okay. I say for forbidden love.

[Olivia]

Or do you want to go nine? Save eight for something.

[Adriana]

Okay. I like that.

[Alona]

Nine.

[Adriana]

Wait, guys. Because if there's a bully romance on here, we've gotten up here. A bully romance.

[Olivia]

Oh, like, like, like someone's the bully. Yeah.

[Adriana]

That could still be like enemies to lovers, I guess. But that's.

[Olivia]

That's kind of enemies.

[Adriana]

Everyone's like, it's a bully romance book.

[Olivia]

And I'm like, no jail. It's a bully romance with a pregnancy trope.

[Alona]

Exactly. I want. Let's get some more ladies in there. Bullying.

[Olivia]

Yeah.

[Alona]

Bring ladies back.

[Olivia]

Yeah. Real ladies.

[Alona]

Bul a craft we need to get back into.

[Olivia]

Bullying works well.

[Alona]

Okay, next one.

[Adriana]

Next up we have love triangle. Two heads are better than one. We have Twilight, of course. Edward, Jacob. Hunger Games. Gail PETA. The summer I turn pretty. The brothers and challengers.

[Alona]

I raise you Acotar.

[Olivia]

Yeah. Love triangle. Love triangle somewhere. But is it much of a love triangle? Because once she's. When she's with one, she's with one. And then when she goes to, she's not ever thinking about ever again.

[Alona]

So we're saying a triangle is like entertaining both at the same time.

[Olivia]

Yeah. Like think Hunger or think Twilight.

[Alona]

All right. Okay.

[Olivia]

Kind Hunger Games too.

[Alona]

Hunger Games.

[Adriana]

Do you guys want to tell everyone what team you were on?

[Alona]

I'm never surefully. I think I was team Jacob though.

[Adriana]

I was team Jacob just because I liked him more than Edward.

[Alona]

Like looks wise.

[Olivia]

I liked him looks wise. But having read the books, there's something about Edward and just like that all encompassing. Just like love. I think if you read the mics. Yeah. 14 to 15 year old brain couldn't even believe.

[Alona]

Yeah.

[Olivia]

Okay. Hungry Ames. Ew. Gail. That's gotta be Even in the veil. He. Yeah. Even the books. He.

[Adriana]

My young mind though. Watching the movies, I was like, Gail's hotter. So I got a picture on twice and I was just going based on.

[Alona]

Looks shallow this summer. I turned pretty. I only watched a little bit of that.

[Olivia]

I haven't watched that yet.

[Alona]

Get into it. What's another like weird watching teenagers doing their thing.

[Olivia]

We just watched that. That movie Fallen. That was a love triangle.

[Alona]

That's a good one.

[Olivia]

That's a love triangle.

[Alona]

I think I do like it when two. Two men are interested. I don't ones so I might rank this higher.

[Adriana]

What are you thinking?

[Olivia]

What about in quick thing movies where it's like two like the Notebook. Right. Like her love from her high school year or teenage years. And then her new love, James Marsden, who's also like a great guy. It's like, what do they do Those situations where there's two great options. Like Enchanted. Like his new woman who's not a fairy tale princess from a manhole in the ground. So pretty successful. Awesome woman.

[Alona]

Right?

[Adriana]

That's not even really just like a.

[Alona]

Love I think about like what But Enchanted.

[Olivia]

Enchanted.

[Alona]

You're gonna go for the crazy girl who you found trying to get through a billboard instead of credit score lawyer woman. That's crazy work.

[Olivia]

I think about the.

[Alona]

Even as a kid, I think I was like, that's not adding up to me. Yeah, I don't think that's right.

[Olivia]

No, the only one that you know is okay with is a parent trap. Not. Not the. The step. Almost stepmom who's a. And 26 years old in that she's supposedly 26 years old.

[Adriana]

Hope for me crazy.

[Olivia]

Different times time.

[Alona]

I'm ranking love triangle pretty high.

[Adriana]

I think.

[Alona]

I also used to read some books about it. I would go five.

[Adriana]

Yeah, five.

[Olivia]

You want to talk love triangle? Sorry. Wings. The book where she's like a fairy. She's like a plant.

[Alona]

Oh, don't I know it.

[Adriana]

And there's her finger and SAP comes.

[Olivia]

Out and she's literally like photosynthesizing like that.

[Alona]

And then she goes underwater with the boy, maybe wait. And she's able to help him breathe because she produces oxygen.

[Olivia]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So there's her. Her friend in like human world. And then there's like the fairy guy that visits her in the woods.

[Alona]

I gotta read that again.

[Olivia]

So good. Dude, it's. It's on my bookshelf. Oh, that book I've reread so many times.

[Alona]

Really?

[Olivia]

Yeah, Wings. And there's more of them too. But that one is.

[Alona]

I have to reread it.

[Olivia]

Wings is a classic sort of like swat. Like a fairy lore changeling swapped in baby. So it's like a human parents that received a like a fairy baby. But didn't really know it. They might have lost their baby or something like that. They got a fairy baby but raised it as human. And she didn't know it, but she was always a little different. A little more pale, but, like, super pretty, of course. And in class one day, like, they're. They're pricking. They're doing, like, you know, looking for your blood type, but she doesn't have blood come out. It's SAP, as Adriana says. And we find out that she, like, is photosynthesizing the way a plant does because she's a fairy, and she's not, like, running like a normal person. And then she's part of this fairy world in the trees behind her house, and this really cute fairy boy comes to visit.

[Alona]

I'm reading right when we get back.

[Olivia]

It's so, so good. It's so freaking good. But are we. How. What are we ranking love triangle? 5.

[Adriana]

5.

[Olivia]

Really? You don't want to go higher with that one?

[Adriana]

No.

[Alona]

What do you mean higher?

[Olivia]

Like a four, Like a three or a four? We love Twilight Hunger Games.

[Adriana]

Like, but I'm not reading Hunger Games because of the romance.

[Olivia]

Right, right.

[Adriana]

I. I say five or four.

[Olivia]

I don't want to go playing it too safe. Like.

[Alona]

No, I think I'm hoping there's real good ones.

[Olivia]

Okay. All right. I. I believe it. Okay, let's go.

[Adriana]

Or do you want to do four?

[Alona]

Let's switch up.

[Adriana]

Go four.

[Olivia]

Four. Final answer up next is second chance romance. Rekindling something from the past and maybe getting it right this time. Adriana, you've had a strong reaction to this. I love you. All right, we got, as examples, sweet home Alabama, the Bone season, and the Notebook again.

[Alona]

The Notebook has a lot of tropes in there.

[Olivia]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think that's why it's so successful. Right opposite. You had quite a. Yeah. Quite a reaction there.

[Adriana]

Can you talk us through graveling that usually they have to go through. Through. Because I kind of like it when one of them messed up, you know?

[Olivia]

Okay.

[Adriana]

And then just, like, years later, they find each other again, and the spark is still there, so they have to grovel a little bit. I love it.

[Olivia]

Okay.

[Alona]

Sometimes I don't like it because I want to know. I want it to be, like, fresh, like, they just met each other, and I can go through it with them.

[Olivia]

Yeah.

[Alona]

So second chance. Like, if I'm reading a book, oh, well, they've already met before in the past. Then I'm like, what happened?

[Olivia]

Yeah.

[Alona]

What happened on that night? And then it takes me back to that night seven years ago, and I'm like, what happened?

[Olivia]

Yeah.

[Alona]

So that would be my only thing with that.

[Adriana]

That. Okay.

[Olivia]

I. Yeah. I'm not, like, high. I'm not, like. It's not high in my list. What's the. I love. Is it Emily Henry and one of her books?

[Alona]

Emily Henry does a lot of that.

[Olivia]

She does a lot of that. But one of her ones, that's about, like, a lake house. Can you look that one up?

[Alona]

Oh, I love that one.

[Olivia]

Emily Henry's Happy Place. That's a. They were soul mates. And basically this. You know, I will say this is miscommunication trope, though. And I hate a miscommunication trope because, like, do me a favor. Just talk to each other, and they were perfect for each other, and then, like, had, like, a weird, weird, random breakup, and then they have to go and pretend that they're still together at this, like, lake house with their friends and sort of rekindle. And I was like, just talk to each other. Like, why were you second. Why is there a second chance here if you could have just communicated in the first place? Do you know what I'm talking about?

[Alona]

Why were you talking about two beach houses? Were you talking about two beaches?

[Olivia]

No, I said they go to a beach house.

[Alona]

Okay. Because she loves beach houses. Emily Henry.

[Olivia]

Yeah, she does.

[Alona]

There's, like, another one where they're in two beach houses.

[Olivia]

Yeah.

[Alona]

And I think they're both editors. And then, like, he did something. And I think that was also a recon. A second chance.

[Olivia]

So I don't know. I don't. I'm not big on it. Johnny, you would have strong reaction, though.

[Alona]

So where do we put this?

[Adriana]

We've kind of already filled up the middle section.

[Olivia]

I know, but now we have five available.

[Alona]

Or nine and ten, I think.

[Olivia]

Five, nine, ten, and one.

[Adriana]

Two top ones. I could do five or Is that too high for you guys?

[Olivia]

Okay, we're split on this.

[Alona]

So I'm not the biggest of second chance romance, but I also don't know if it's not a nine. This is what I'm saying. This is hard.

[Olivia]

This is not a nine.

[Adriana]

Fine. We can.

[Olivia]

It's not a nine, but it's also not a five. It's also not a five.

[Adriana]

I think we got to keep the bottom ones kind of open.

[Alona]

These really got to be good. Okay.

[Olivia]

I'm nervous.

[Alona]

Gave it an eight. Give it an eight.

[Adriana]

Okay, we'll do eight.

[Olivia]

Give it an eight.

[Adriana]

Keeping number 10 open for pregnancy trope.

[Olivia]

And Miscommunication.

[Alona]

Slow burn. The tension builds painfully over time. Red, white and royal blue. Leap year. The wall of Winnipeg. And me.

[Adriana]

Me.

[Alona]

I will say, may I? Crescent City. Yes. A great slow burn.

[Olivia]

A crawling burn.

[Alona]

A crawling Crescent City is again by the author who does Acotar as well. So it's a new adult book. So it has the opportunity to get pretty saucy. Has the opportunity to get saucy. But it.

[Olivia]

It's a.

[Alona]

Actually a very good story. That first book is a great story and it's really fun and out there. And it's like she's a hot half.

[Olivia]

Breed.

[Alona]

Fairy fae and a human. She's hot. She's ginger and there's technology. Doesn't take any, but she doesn't give a frick. Then she is partnered with this kind of like a fallen angel type, right? Fallen angel in there. And they're scouting out to try to find what's happening with the murder who burned it. And they have to partner together. And the tension's there the whole time. Oh my gosh. And then all we get is one little couch scene. And even then it was nothing.

[Olivia]

And you say thank you. Like you're not even mad that that's all you get. Because the slow burn is that freaking delicious.

[Alona]

No, for sure.

[Olivia]

There's the one moment on the roof too where they're like. And then nothing happens.

[Alona]

So it's a big book too. It's a big book and you barely get. And I'm like, okay, I just saw.

[Olivia]

A TikTok being like. You know when I was saying, like, it can't be that serious. It's that serious. Like having it be that big, it's that serious. That book, it's so, so freaking good.

[Alona]

I think I do like Slow Burn.

[Adriana]

I love it. The wall of Winnipeg in me. I love. What's her name? Like Mariana Zapata. She is an artiste with slow burn. I've read so many of her books.

[Alona]

Really?

[Adriana]

A lot of them are sports books.

[Alona]

Is this a hockey book as well?

[Olivia]

No, I don't think she does hockey, Peg. Hockey.

[Alona]

No.

[Adriana]

There's ice skating. That's from Lukov with Love.

[Olivia]

Huh?

[Adriana]

I thought you read that.

[Olivia]

Say it again.

[Adriana]

From Lukov with love.

[Alona]

From Lukov with love.

[Adriana]

They're ice skaters, right? And this is kind of like they don't maybe almost not enemies to love or maybe a little bit. They just like don't like each other at first, but they have to partner together and there's just so much tension. And I love it.

[Olivia]

Okay.

[Adriana]

I reread a lot of her books actually.

[Olivia]

There's something so satisfying about a slow Burn because when you get to the. To what? You know, like I've read a book where a friend recommended it to me and there was a sex scene like two pages in. I was. Was like, whoa.

[Alona]

Like there's no gratifying.

[Olivia]

There's nothing. There's no payoff for that. You didn't work for it. You know, you gotta. You gotta work for a little bit. You gotta, you gotta put your time in to really enjoy when something does happen. It's like watching a Korean drama where they brush hands.

[Adriana]

Oh my gosh.360 camera around them.

[Alona]

Oh, they stop.

[Olivia]

The rose petals are falling or whatever, the cherry blossoms. That's. That's slow burn. I love a slow burn.

[Alona]

But also like with a slow burn, if you mess me up with a fade to black out of slow.

[Olivia]

Speak on it. Speak on it.

[Alona]

I'll burn that book.

[Adriana]

I didn't spend all this time for nothing.

[Alona]

Yeah, I want to be in there in the room with him.

[Olivia]

I want to be in your walls. I want to be in the walls. They're in the walls.

[Alona]

These characters that I've now fallen in love with. So that was Slow Burn. Slow burn. Where are we placing that?

[Olivia]

I mean we seem to really like Slow burn. I think I can go like a three.

[Alona]

Three.

[Adriana]

Yeah.

[Olivia]

Yeah, love.

[Alona]

We leave one for pregnancy. I'm all right with a slow moon. My schedule packed. My patience for unnecessary phone tasks non existent. That's why I love my Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. It actually does things for me.

[Olivia]

Instead of searching for a place to eat, I just say find an Italian restaurant nearby and text it to my friends Sarah and Abby. It's so relatable relaxing to know that our plans for the evening are just handled.

[Adriana]

If I'm juggling way too much and need a quick summary of my emails, my phone just tells me what I need to know. I don't always have time to stop and text people or look stuff up. So I just say what I need and my phone handles it.

[Olivia]

It even helps with messaging. Using chat assist, I can tell it provide suggestions to make this text sound more conversational. I also don't have to spend time looking for typos myself. I just focus on what I want to say and I let chat assist take it away.

[Alona]

Honestly, S25 Ultra does so much. It allows me to focus on being present in the moment. Moment. It gives more time for the things I care the most about. Like my sisters and my team. I would like to personally thank S25 Ultra for working as hard as I do. When I'm running around with a million things to do, it's nice to know that my phone can help free me up to focus on the things that really matter.

[Adriana]

Compatible select apps requires Google Gemini Account results may vary based on input. Check responses for accuracy. Google and Gemini are trademarks of Google llc. Okay, next up, we have Rescuer and Rescued Tangled City of Bones, The Lost City. Although is anyone really getting rescued in the Lost City?

[Alona]

Literally, I just watched that movie again. That was one of my four movies.

[Adriana]

I loved that movie.

[Alona]

I like it, too. I think it's fun.

[Olivia]

Adriana has laughed the hardest I've ever heard her laugh recently watching that movie.

[Alona]

Right.

[Olivia]

The Lost City. City, Bones. Is that Immortal Instruments?

[Alona]

I think so.

[Olivia]

Right? The first one.

[Adriana]

So another.

[Olivia]

So another one. Another sibling romance.

[Alona]

Ew.

[Olivia]

Another fake sibling romance. Okay.

[Alona]

I don't know if I'm too into this one.

[Adriana]

It's not my favor.

[Alona]

I don't mind it. But I love reading books where it's more like a badass lady character doing her thing.

[Olivia]

Yeah.

[Adriana]

I kind of.

[Olivia]

And they save each other.

[Alona]

Okay.

[Olivia]

Beautiful.

[Alona]

I. I like it when it's like, it is. You know, he's really powerful, and he's obsessed with her, and he's going to save her with anything. But I don't like it too much when the. The female character is, like, too weak or something like that or blah, blah, blah. I like her to be a little bit, like, shaver shelf type.

[Adriana]

And I hear you because I also like that, like, I want it to be a boss ass.

[Olivia]

Yeah.

[Adriana]

And there's so many, like, so much discourse online now of, like, sometimes I just want to be saved. Like, I don't want to hear about, like, a powerful. Like, I want to hear about more, like a dainty, like, a Snow white thing. I hear you guys. Not me, though, right? I don't want to read that. Like, whenever it's. I'm reading a book, and the. It feels like the woman never knows how to do anything or, like, how to help herself. And I'm like, what the.

[Olivia]

Stand up.

[Adriana]

Stand up for yourself.

[Alona]

Yeah.

[Adriana]

So I don't really like it.

[Olivia]

Reese Witherspoon, she gave a speech, and part of it, she was like, I was getting all of these scripts where all the woman said was, what are we gonna do now? And she's like, what woman do you know has ever said, what are we gonna do now? Women always have the plan, and the next Thing involved. It's like, period. Rhys, she's like, look out for it. You'll hear it everywhere now. So I also.

[Alona]

But I do it, but with, like.

[Olivia]

The Snow White thing. I do want a strong female, for sure. But I also want her to find. Find love. I want her to be that strong, as strong as we are, and still find love. And. And a happy ending. And maybe she saves herself. But also, you can use a little bit of help, because with Tangled, she had already made the decision to change her life.

[Alona]

Yeah.

[Olivia]

He just showed up and she grabbed the opportunity.

[Alona]

Right.

[Olivia]

So there. I say she rescued herself.

[Alona]

No, no. Hate to those who want a strong somebody to come save him as well. I could use one of them now.

[Olivia]

That's what I'm saying, man. I want to find love, too.

[Alona]

If a big boy busted in here, help save me from YouTube.

[Olivia]

Yep. What the hell do we do?

[Alona]

So I also. I do like that in some ways. Like, even though, I mean, we're all. But I'm like, very strong woman. I'm a very strong woman. Very independent woman. There are those times when I like to feel, like, not tiny, but, like, taken care of, protected. Because I'm like. I'm just so. You know. And then I have a man in my grandfather, tiny. Thank you for helping me shave and please, you know, so I think there's that balance and it's okay to like that. To feel that way. Like, if that's what you and that person are on the same page of feeling that way. Like, there's no. You know, I'm independent, but girl likes to be taken care of.

[Olivia]

I'm stressed now. Where are we putting this?

[Alona]

I could honestly go with five. With ten on this.

[Adriana]

I could go ten.

[Olivia]

I'll go ten.

[Alona]

Ten.

[Olivia]

When. When the woman. I mean, when would wear. When. When the. Speak up. When the female character is too, like, in needing of being saved or, like, dainty or whatever. I'm like, all right, let's wrap it up.

[Adriana]

Dnf aen Ash River, Galathinius. She did that all herself.

[Alona]

What y'all know about what y'all know? Oh, my. She did that all herself.

[Olivia]

That was all up here.

[Adriana]

She was 10, 10,000 steps ahead.

[Olivia]

For real. No. I'll cry. Cut that out. Spoiler.

[Alona]

If you haven't read those books yet, go read it. Yeah, you should have read it by now. It's been viral for years.

[Olivia]

Yeah, go read it. Get after it for real.

[Alona]

So you can be in on these conversations and understand.

[Olivia]

Yeah.

[Alona]

You're missing out key info.

[Olivia]

Yeah. Which really? I'm chiller about revealing stuff with Acotar, but throwing a glass, I think people should really experience. I don't want to reveal too much there.

[Alona]

Okay, you know, next one we have.

[Olivia]

Oh my gosh.

[Alona]

1, 2 and 5 ranking 1, 2.

[Olivia]

And 5 are left to rank. Oh no, here we go. I'll read this one.

[Alona]

Secret.

[Olivia]

Like secret billionaire secret.

[Alona]

I don't even need to be secret. I love them.

[Olivia]

Just billionaires, boys club, crazy rich Asians.

[Alona]

Okay, I will say it. I read a lot of billionaire romances. I do.

[Olivia]

I would love to be with someone and they reveal that I'm like shit build.

[Alona]

I would love that.

[Olivia]

That's cool with me. I think with the secret billionaire trope, I think a good example is crazy rich Asians. She's dating this guy and they've fallen in love and he's normal and he. She's a professor, right? And he does something seemingly normal. And then he gets invited to his essentially brother, brother best friend's wedding in Singapore. And they get there and oh my God, he has so much money, his family is low dead. And she's just learning this for the first time, but she fell in love with him as not the loaded guy. So I think that's a classic but.

[Alona]

Also a little interesting.

[Adriana]

I'd be a little going to keep.

[Alona]

That from her for you've been together for a year, ready to marry her and you're going to keep that from her.

[Adriana]

And obviously she's going to find out once you take her to Singapore. Like why you should warn her. Why aren't you, like, why are you letting her find out for herself through other people?

[Alona]

And then in that movie, the, the friends were really terrible to her when she went on that the girls, the girls leave like the dead fish in her bed. And he was like, chill about it.

[Olivia]

Yeah.

[Alona]

And then she, my man better be raging.

[Olivia]

She forgave him. Way too easy. Way too easy for that half ass response. But speaking of that, where's book? Where's Movie two? Where's movie number two?

[Alona]

Are they ever gonna make that?

[Olivia]

Don't care.

[Adriana]

It's such a perfect movie. When I'm like, would the sequel live up?

[Alona]

I. Probably not, but still good. I do love secret Billionaire, but I think it's five.

[Adriana]

I think it's five. Two.

[Olivia]

Okay.

[Adriana]

I don't think I read it.

[Alona]

If there are any secret billionaires.

[Adriana]

Hit a girl up.

[Alona]

Hit. Hit some girls up.

[Adriana]

But also, how did you get your money?

[Olivia]

Yeah. Was it ethical?

[Adriana]

Yeah. Probably not.

[Olivia]

Probably not. Should we make it 10, then. No, no, we are five.

[Alona]

Okay. Five.

[Olivia]

Okay.

[Alona]

Here we go.

[Olivia]

And we still love hers. They can't stand each other, but they can't stay away.

[Adriana]

God, these are good.

[Olivia]

Acotar, you've got mail. When Harry met Sally, you've got mail.

[Adriana]

He fully put her into unemployment, though.

[Olivia]

No, I don't know. Yeah, I don't really mess with that one.

[Alona]

Actar's great love that I can't believe. And iron. Why do I. Why do I not know the name of this book? Fourth Wake, Fourth Wave. That was kind of Enemies to lovers. Absolutely right. There's. I feel like there's always kind of little envy.

[Olivia]

But then, you know, in real life.

[Alona]

It'S just not really a realistic trope. No.

[Olivia]

And they do the real life ones. Like Ali Hazelwood will write an Enemies to lover.

[Alona]

Not bad.

[Olivia]

Yeah. Where it's kind of like. Okay. A bit of a stretch, but. Okay.

[Alona]

Yeah.

[Olivia]

Doesn't really make sense. But you saw the thing that was like. If you like enemies to lovers so much, you. You just are in love with the idea that someone could see you at your worst and see all of your faults and still love you despite it. Like, see you as the enemy and then still love you despite it. Like, wow.

[Alona]

Okay, Interesting.

[Olivia]

In spite of. Yeah, but like, love it. Right? It's another good example.

[Alona]

There's so many. I mean, even from Blood and Ash is kind of second book.

[Olivia]

Yeah.

[Adriana]

A lot of fantasy is. You could even say a lot of fantasies.

[Alona]

Enemies to lovers.

[Adriana]

Throne of Glass.

[Olivia]

So many times, actually.

[Alona]

He punched her in the face.

[Olivia]

Yeah. Yeah, yeah. He said that maybe it would have.

[Alona]

Been better if you died.

[Olivia]

Yeah.

[Alona]

Yeah.

[Adriana]

I recently reread that.

[Alona]

Pride and Prejudice. Enemies to Lovers.

[Adriana]

Were they enemies or did she just not like.

[Alona]

Well, he didn't like her from the. Remember he had comments. I'd say it's enemies to lovers.

[Olivia]

To lovers.

[Adriana]

Emma. Well, because they get. They don't like each other for a minute. You're too much, like, in everyone's business.

[Alona]

I'm. I'm going number one. Enemies. Lovers.

[Olivia]

I'm.

[Adriana]

Yeah. Number one. Let's do it.

[Olivia]

I'm nervous of what's happening next.

[Alona]

So.

[Olivia]

Yeah, we can't make whatever's happening next second. Oh, gosh. Here we go. Number one. Here we go. Last one. Ilona. Read it.

[Alona]

Yeah. Yeah. Yup. Fake relationship. They're only pretending until it's not pretend anymore. To all the boys I've loved before. How to lose a guy in 10 days. The wedding date. There's a lot of them. And I love it. Izzy and Aussie is also a fake relationship one.

[Olivia]

Oh yeah.

[Alona]

Where they pretend to be dating. So the.

[Adriana]

And I love that A lot of Kindle Unlimited.

[Alona]

A lot of Kindle Unlimited fake relationship stuff.

[Adriana]

But to all the boys I loved before is. Was such a moment in time. I just remember like in college, all of us getting together for a sleepover and just watching it. And then we rewatched it like a week later and it was just so well done. And it was just like such a good feeling.

[Alona]

I gotta watch that one again because haven't they made like three other movies?

[Adriana]

Yeah, and I didn't.

[Alona]

Yeah, they've made like movies. At least two others, I think.

[Adriana]

Yeah.

[Olivia]

I thought it was.

[Alona]

What are you talking about?

[Olivia]

A good book.

[Alona]

One is funny story, Emily Henry, where, yes, she.

[Adriana]

They.

[Alona]

She gets dumped pretty much before her wedding by her fiance who. That goes with his like, childhood best friend. And so then the child best friend had to dump her boyfriend and she need the. Our protagonist had to find a place to live.

[Olivia]

Live.

[Alona]

Turns out I'm trying to connect. Turns out there's a room open in his apartment. So then they. She moves in there. And then they're like, oh, well, let's make him jealous. And they make him jealous by pretending to fake date.

[Olivia]

But then they actually really love each other. Emily Henry loves a protagonist that's a book nerd. She loves a book nerd.

[Alona]

She loves a librarian in that, huh?

[Olivia]

Yep. She's a librarian in that one.

[Alona]

Or like an editor. She's an editor.

[Olivia]

Yeah. Writer. Yeah. Bookstore owners. All that. All that jazz. Agent.

[Alona]

Book agent.

[Olivia]

That's fake dating. And then they end up falling in love. Love. So, yeah. Number two.

[Alona]

I love it. I think we did great. I'm giving figure number two. We killed that.

[Olivia]

We killed that. I was really nervous all the way.

[Adriana]

Through because if we had saved a spot for pregnancy. We keep talking, we would have messed up.

[Alona]

Let's all. Let's just go over what it is.

[Olivia]

Yeah. Pregnancy trope.

[Alona]

Pregnancy trope. Surprise.

[Adriana]

Pregnancy.

[Alona]

Surprise. Pregnancy trope. A lot of times they have a one night stand and then she gets pregnant and then it's like.

[Olivia]

Or she wakes up feeling sick and you're like, God, she's vomiting. God. No. Boring. I want to see other stuff.

[Adriana]

Because then it overtakes the entire plot of where you thought it was gonna go, and all of a sudden it's like, no, it's about to be about this.

[Olivia]

Yeah.

[Adriana]

And I feel like it's a. Sometimes it feels like a cop out to Truly developing like the characters in the relationship.

[Olivia]

The love is then directed at this child and that bringing them together instead of them as people. The only time it was okay, Breaking Dawn. That's the only time.

[Alona]

Is that a pregnancy trope?

[Olivia]

She gets pregnant. So kinda. And it's a surprise. They're on the island on their honeymoon because the baby is developing so rapidly. Being a vampire and she's like eating chicken out of the trash. So wow.

[Adriana]

And I will say it's different than like. Because sometimes I do read a book where it's he doesn't know that she got pregnant and maybe it was like a miss. Like it was a one night stand and then she didn't get his like contact information. And so then I love the reveal when he was like, okay, so if.

[Olivia]

This guy sucks for years old.

[Adriana]

No, it sucks. And then like he's usually so heartbroken that he wasn't there for it.

[Olivia]

Yeah, awful trope.

[Adriana]

Well, no, this one isn't a surprise one. This is.

[Olivia]

It's like.

[Adriana]

Because it's the entire book of like. Then they of course fall in love and he becomes the dad.

[Olivia]

Of course. I hate miscommunication. Like I said, as someone who over communicates, just do that.

[Alona]

Right.

[Adriana]

Because again, it's like the right person.

[Olivia]

You can't say the wrong thing. I don't. I don't know. Maybe.

[Alona]

Do you believe that?

[Olivia]

I don't know. Kind of.

[Alona]

If it's the right person, you can't say the wrong thing.

[Olivia]

Yeah, no, I guess you can say the wrong thing but like to the right person, you'll be able to work through it. I guess. I don't know. I could expand upon that one myself.

[Adriana]

No, because I've been sitting here feeling very bad about my 5 white hair comment to you. So you can say the wrong thing.

[Olivia]

But I don't judge you for it. It was funny.

[Adriana]

I was like, I gotta tell them to cut that.

[Olivia]

I feel like, no, she's fine. No, that's fine. That's funny. Like that's not the wrong thing.

[Alona]

She's practically 50 years old.

[Adriana]

Thanks so much for coming over to the House of Mar a Wave original presented by the new Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. Be sure to watch and subscribe on YouTube and listen wherever you get your podcasts.

[Olivia]

Plus, follow the show on social media at House of Mar for clips and BTS content.

[Alona]

Bye. See you soon.

[Olivia]

Come back, get your shoes on. Go.