Plot Trysts

This sexy newsletter novella was the perfect transition from fall to Christmas aka Thanksgiving.

We both like low-stress couples, but this book took it to an extreme. It had its moments, but we needed more.

Sometimes what you need is a well written and sexy good time.

Katherine Grant continues to tackle themes we're not used to seeing in Romance. While this book achieves what we think it set out to do, it was also authentically a series of awkward conversations and events between burgeoning adults and an honest look at society's ills.

This book leans into romance novel tropes in all the right ways, and was sexier than we were expecting (which is a very good thing).

This innovative take on lovers from different classes is very very sexy. The wider plot confused us a bit, but we liked the main couple enough to make up for it.

We're joined by Sherry Thomas to discuss Beast, by Judith Ivory. We talk author inspiration, interconnected literary worlds, and much, much more. Thank you, Sherry!

We love the Palace of Rogues. That is all.

The last book in the London Steampunk series wraps up all the loose ends in a way we didn't always totally understand, but with main couple this perfect we found it quite easy to hand wave the plot away and enjoy the flirting.

In my mind I now live in steampunk London and I'm just waiting on a newly promoted cop whose mom was killed by basically jack the ripper to save me from myself. Plot took a backseat to romance in this one, but let's be real, we don't hate that.

Laine and Meg like honorable men who go bad for the right reasons, decadent costumes, and nuanced world views. This book has all of those things, so this episode was a lot of us fangirling over Sir Jasper. We're not sorry.

This book is world building with a side of romance. Some of it really works and some of it was really boring, but we're still intrigued by the series.

What would Halloween be without vampires? This take is a bit different, with vampirism presented as a progressive disease limited to the highest ranks in society. When a mortal woman needs protection, she turns to the ruler of the underworld who happens to be a vampire. Sexy, fun, and intriguing, we were able to look past the flaws and enjoy this one.

We wrap up this adorable series with Ben and Eleanora and we were both thoroughly charmed.

Our version of spooky season continues with "Mated to My Ex." We usually like Kate Prior's social commentary, but she goes a different route with this one. Laine is grossed out, but Laine has insufficient exposure to wolf stuff.

We were completely charmed by this contemporary vampire rom-com. I know! Who am I?

We start off spooky season with Laine cackling like a witch with glee at how absurd this book is.

This book makes you FEEL how precarious the characters' lives are (credit to Meg). Apparently it's less steamy than her usual fare, but it's definitely doing something new. That thing is just kinda stressful for Laine.

I cannot get the name of this book right for the life of me, but it's so good I need to figure it out.

Alex and Meg wrap up this series with a bang!

Meg and Laine try a new author, though this book was too short for us to draw any conclusions. If you've seen this book advertised as steamy, that is incorrect.

Ok look. We can't stay on topic to save our lives and we end up talking more about our platonic ideal of a romance novel. In short: this book is good. We want there to be a way to understand what open door means to each author so we have reasonable expectations.

Meg has fond feelings about this 90s-tastic Kleypas, and Laine read it for the first time. It brought us both joy, just in different ways.

Meg and Alex are joined by Sarah Wendell to discuss the final book in the Vorkosigan Saga.

This book is... a lot. It handled a difficult subject in a compelling way but left us wanting more from the characters. The main couple really works, but this book didn't feel like an escape.