Love Letters and Books

I spoke with Lauren Biel, author of dark romance, horror romance, and Dark romantic comedies. Lauren first captivated me with her Ride or Die series, especially her book Across State Lines. Lauren is the Queen of writing “Traumances” (think trauma and romance), finding love when you least expect it, and relatable characters whose love languages are often a bit surprising. Lauren shares so much wit...

I spoke with Allie Lasky, a neurodivergent author of sports romance, for a powerful conversation about writing romance with mental-health and disability representation. We drop into Allie’s Boston Grizzlies Hockey universe with a spotlight on Defenseless (where demisexual hockey player MMC Ryan falls hard for and FMC navigating life with a chronic illness) and reader favorite Puck Me Twice (an aut...

I spoke with Lauren Summers, poet and host of the It's Only Up From Here podcast. We trace Lauren’s path from “fake poems” in childhood journals to open-mic stages in NYC. Lauren and I explore poetry, creativity, and yearning in a world that demands our time, attention, and hobbies automatically turn into a hustle. Lauren spotlights the books that shaped her (Anne Frank, Toni Morrison, bell ho...

Author Ali Roberts returns to talk about her new book, After Hours, a romcom workplace romance kicking off the Dinner Club series. We discuss her main characters: the rigid, obsessive, and completely loveable Dr. Alfie and his sunny, wickedly smart office manager, Mia. Ali and I share our favorite books and tropes of 2025 and how tropes like enemies-to-lovers, found family, terrible parents, and d...

I spoke with author KD Cureton about her viral debut, Cracked Ice, a spicy, dark hockey romance and prequel in the F*cked Up Player series. We discuss her FMC, Sydney Sinclair, who just might be my MVP FMC of 2025 due to her unhinged stalker behavior and her secretly romantic MMC, Lucian “Morningstar” Morrow, as they embark on a wildly chaotic all-nighter that sparks obsession while detonating sec...

I spoke with Lydia, a content creator I crossed paths with on TikTok and Instagram, who shares some of my favorite LORDs series theories and always shares the best book recommendations. In fact, Lydia has introduced me to some of my favorite authors of 2025. Drop into our virtual living room as we chat all things Rina Kent and Shantel Tessier, including some of our favorite books (God of War) and...

I spoke with author Bailey Hannah to discuss her latest book, At Whit’s End, book 4 in the Wells Ranch series. We’ve met our main characters in the previous books, but we’re about to fall deeply in love with Colt, a loveable, golden retriever ranch hand, and Whit, a single mom who feels that she’s both too much and yet not enough (relatable, btw). We explore the many layers of their love story and...

I spoke with Katana Collins, a USA Today bestselling author known for her grumpy-sunshine RomComs and Romances. We talk about her recent book Meet Cute or Your Money Back (ex-Navy SEALs turned matchmakers find love), why she writes HEAs, and how joy (not algorithms) guides her creative life. Katana shares about her Maple Grove small-town romance series, her holiday romcom Rebel Without a Clause, a...

I spoke with author Ali Roberts about her debut novel, The Unseen. This is a sweet, spicy, and very funny book about a reverse kidnapping romantic comedy where a fiercely responsible big-sister “accidentally on purpose” kidnaps the man who’s been quietly devoted to her for years (cue unhinged plans, scorching banter, and a hero who’s dangerous to everyone… except her). We dig into why “safe but un...

I spoke with AJ Merlin, author of some of my favorite dark romance and horror books. She’s the go-to author for readers like me who enjoy a little too much romance in their horror and a little too much horror in their romance. AJ's specialty is writing irredeemable heroes who somehow still manage to captivate their heroines (and her readers). Today we discuss some of my favorite AJ Merlin book...

I spoke with Raya Morris Edwards, the dark cowboy/country romance author of the Sovereign Mountain series, which also includes the books Sovereign, Westin, Deacon, and the soon-to-be-released Jack. Today, we’re talking about Jensen, the fourth book in the series, which launches on November 11th, 2025. Jensen centers on one of my favorite side characters from the previous books and his FMC, Della,...

I spoke with Ariel Anderson, the author behind the viral romantic tragedy Under Your Scars. We talk about love, grief, and the cost of devotion in dark romance. Ariel opens up about the making of Elena and Christian's love story and why she chose a non HEA ending, and how staying true to the story became a lifeline through devastating loss. We discus mental health, self-harm, suicide, trauma,...

I am so excited to introduce you to Juliet, your new Thursday host on Love Letters and Books with her Lavender Library episodes. In this fun kickoff, we chat friendship, found family, and why messy, imperfect main characters deserve their HEAs. We unpack the miscommunication trope, the balm of dark and “taboo” romance, and how LGBTQ+ literature, horror, and romance help us process grief, identity,...

I spoke with Summer Riley, the dark romance author of the new four-book Douglas Brothers series. Summer and I talked about creativity, community, and releasing first book in the series,The Tycoon, a sweet-but-dark billionaire antihero romance told in first-person, dual POV. Expect an obsessive Southern-gentleman MMC with a monstrous secret and a tender, bookish FMC caught in a web of charm, manipu...

I spoke with Mae Tingstrom, owner of Smitten Bookstore in Ventura, California. In this very chatty episode, we explore how Mae dreamed up a dedicated romance and women’s literature haven, complete with cozy book clubs, indie and traditional author signings, “blind dates with a book,” writing circles, tarot nights, and a calendar packed with community-forward events. We talk about the stigma surrou...

I spoke with Maggie Gates, author of raw, relatable romance books. We discussed her Griffith Brothers Cowboy Romance series, including Dust Storm, Down Pour and Fire Line, three swoony, high-heat love stories set on a Texas ranch where we meet a protective single dad, an ex–bull rider learning to live again, and a grumpy cowboy who hates change, plus the unforgettable women who match their grit. W...

I spoke with Katherine Bitner about her new book, Lucky Penny, the emotional, second-chance, small-town romance in her Hometown series (an interconnected standalone series that began with Unravel Me). Katherine takes us inside Penny’s journey of maasking pain with with upbeat enthusiasm and introduces Jesse, her former foster brother turned tattooed animal rescuer, as a dual-POV, dual-timeline lov...

I spoke with Measha Stone, a dark romance author of spicy and complex psychological thrillers such as Dolly and Marked, as well as mafia romance series, Mafia Brides and Vicious Sinners. We explored Dolly, one of my favorite reads of 2024, a psychological thriller that blends survivor healing, trauma bonding, and gloriously cathartic revenge, and how she crafts protective heroes, powerful heroines...

I spoke with Tawnya Torres, a dark romance and fantasy romance author, who writes about underrepresented characters. We discussed her latest book, A Taste of Candy, about an unhinged yet tender hacker–stalker FMC who sets her sights on Jeremy, a sweet, lonely office worker living with a chronic heart condition. We talk flipping power dynamics (soft MMC/shameless FMC), compassionate chronic-illness...

I spoke with Amanda Jones, author of the Queen City series, a dark forbidden romance series, and the Guardian series, a fantasy romance series. We dive into I Stop Somewhere Waiting for You (Maverick & Jonesie’s forbidden romance across rival gangs), how it sparked We Were Together, and the forthcoming conclusion, As Long As We Live, exploring how redemption, reinvention, and found family powe...

I spoke with K. Webster, bestselling author of over 150 books and the banned book queen of some of our favorite taboo romance books, including The Wild and The Free. Kristi opens up about writing as escapism, the fierce compassion she brings to her flawed characters, their complicated relationships, and how she navigated backlash and book bans. We discuss challenging happily-ever-afters, trusting...

I spoke with Tylor Paige, the horror-romance author of Slash or Pass from her Final Girls trilogy, her follow-up novella, Thots and Prayers, and the forthcoming novel, Good For Her. We spoke at length about Tylor’s cult-survivor slasher romances where villains stay villains, the chemistry is electric, and a goth FMC steals everyone’s heart. We explore the difference between dark romance and horror...

I spoke with Kate James, paranormal romance author, to talk shifter romance, soul-deep bonds, and writing the kind of love that feels a little bit like magic. Inspired by a real backcountry rescue, Kate’s wolf-shifter firefighter novella, Rescued by the Wolf, delivers a tender second-chance romance with fierce pack/found-family vibes and an FMC learning to find her voice. We also dive into her nos...

I sat down for a solo episode today. It's my birthday week, and so much has risen to the surface as I process this rollercoaster year. I share a heartfelt, extended dance remix, stream of consciousness love letter from me to you for anyone who needs it today. Live well and love easy. xx Casey Connect with Love Letters and Books TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lovelettersandbooks Threads: https://w...

I spoke with Raya Morris Edwards, the dark cowboy/country romance author of the Sovereign Mountain series, which includes books Sovereign, Westin, Deacon, and the soon-to-be-released Jensen and Jack. We discuss Raya’s “Yellowstone meets 50 Shades of Grey” universe, set in fictionalized rural Montana, where timeless stories and wild landscapes collide with high-spice, age-gap, and BDSM-forward love...