Reading Under the Covers: A Romance Novel Podcast

There's a book on your nightstand right now with a bookmark stuck about forty pages in. You already know you're not going to finish it and you feel a little guilty about it. That's the summer reading slump. And the way out isn't waiting for the mood to come back. It's a challenge... the fun, low-pressure kind. In this episode of Reading Under the Covers, a romance novel podcast, I break down the H...

"She didn't need the knight. She became the knight." In this episode of Reading Under the Covers, a romance novel podcast, Francesca and returning guest Becky (Too Stupid To Live) close out their two-part Ripped & Ravished Book Club discussion of A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux, the 1989 classic that was the May/June bodice ripper pick. This is Part 2, covering chapter 19 through th...

Twenty-five years ago, Jacqueline Carey published Kushiel's Dart and changed what epic fantasy could do. To mark the anniversary, I sat down with her to talk about how she built the world of Terre d'Ange, why she wrote a heroine who is both a feminist icon and a divinely ordained masochist, and what she wants you to do when the first hundred pages feel like a lot. This conversation also kicks off...

In this episode of Reading Under the Covers, a romance novel podcast, Francesca is joined by Becky from the Too Stupid To Live podcast for part one of the Ripped & Ravished Book Club discussion of A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux, chapters 1 through 18. It's a reread for Francesca and a first read for Becky, so you get both seats at the table: the comfort of a book that imprinted yea...

In this episode of Reading Under the Covers, a romance novel podcast, I walk you through everything I read in May 2026: eleven books, two five-star reads, and a lot of summer-ready picks that go beyond what BookTok is talking about. There's dark Hollywood romcom with revenge, a Paris fake-dating soccer romance ahead of the World Cup, a Loch Ness Monster shifter, a cozy vampire murder mystery with...

If Interview with the Vampire broke you, these 6 books are what to read next before Season 3 (The Vampire Lestat) premieres June 7 on AMC+. Each book hits a different part of what makes ITV so consuming: - toxic immortal romance & gaslighting - sapphic gothic atmosphere, opulence, and the cost of survival - Victorian shadows, obsession, and the feeling of being watched - queer longing, vampire...

Paranormal romance, fantasy romance, romantasy, urban fantasy. What's actually the difference? In this episode of Reading Under the Covers, a romance novel podcast, I'm breaking down the four categories that cover all of speculative romance fiction and giving you the three questions that sort any book correctly every time. No more guessing. No more conflicting labels. Just a map that works. Is ACO...

I binged all 8 episodes of Off Campus on Amazon Prime in one sitting and I have a lot to say about it. I didn't re-read the book first on purpose and I think you shouldn't either. Today on Reading Under the Covers, a romance novel podcast, I'm talking about the Off Campus and Heated Rivalry comparison that needs to die, the chemistry hierarchy (Dean and Allie are running away with this thing, sorr...

We’re going back to Briar, and yes, Garrett Graham is still a problem. In this episode of Reading Under the Covers, a romance novel podcast, I’m ranking the books in Elle Kennedy’s Off-Campus universe from my least favorite to my absolute favorite. That includes the original Off-Campus series , the Briar U spinoff, and the next generation books connected to the original couples. I first read The D...

April was… a month. I only managed to read 11 books, but when I did pick something up, I flew through it so we’re calling that a win. In this April reading wrap up, I’m chatting through my StoryGraph stats, the genres I actually reached for, and all the books I read this month, including cozy paranormal mystery, vampire romance, dark romantasy, historical romance, a popcorn thriller, sports romanc...

We're back at Reading Under the Covers, a romance novel podcast, with the second and final discussion of Tender Is the Storm by Johanna Lindsey for the Ripped & Ravished Book Club . This episode covers chapters 22 through the end , and honestly? Things get wild. Francesca is joined again by Becky from Too Stupid to Live to talk through the reveals, the missing emotional beats, the secret twins...

In this episode of Reading Under the Covers , a romance novel podcast, Francesca is joined again by Becky from Too Stupid to Live for the first half of the Ripped & Ravished Book Club discussion of Tender Is the Storm by Johanna Lindsey . We’re covering chapters 1–21, and yes, we have to start with that cover. The nudity. The perspective. The grocery store checkout line questions. The pearls w...

In this episode of Reading Under the Covers , a romance novel podcast, we’re going down the full romance history rabbit hole and talking about the clinch cover: where it started, why it took over, why it disappeared, and why I think it’s making a comeback. From Fabio accidentally discovering he was on romance covers in a Miami club, to Avon, Playboy Press, Elaine Duillo, and the unapologetic visib...

I've been a Kindle girl for years. But then I spent three months sneaking around with a Kobo Libra Color and honestly? I'm not going back. This is my full, honest breakdown of what it's actually like to switch from Kindle to Kobo: the ecosystem shock, the color screen glow-up, the annotation situation, and whether the Kindle Paperwhite can even compete anymore. I also tried the Kindle Colorsoft be...

Time to unpack everything we read in March on Reading Under the Covers, a romance novel podcast. In this LIVE March Reading Wrap Up, we’re chatting: – Every book we finished this month – New favorite reads we’re low‑key obsessed with – Reading regrets and DNFs – How our reading mood is shifting going into April Check out my full reading wrap up for March on the blog: https://www.underthecoversbook...

25 spring books for romance readers 🌸 Come join the Romanceopoly Spring Event — 4 prompts, 3 months, and you can use the same book for multiple prompts. No yearly challenge required, everyone is welcome! Our Discord and Fable communities brought SO many incredible recs across hockey romance, magical realism, time travel, and cozy fantasy, plus my personal TBR pick for each prompt. 📚 PROMPTS: ⭐...

We’re wrapping up our first Ripped & Ravished Book Club read: The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss, one of the most foundational (and most debated) romance novels of all time. In this episode, Francesca (Under the Covers Book Blog) and Becky (Too Stupid to Live Podcast) are joined by special guest Kate Baxter / Amanda Bonilla , who first read Woodiwiss as a teenager and reread The...

Can you really tell if a book is worth reading from the very first lines? In this episode of Reading Under the Covers Podcast , we put that question to the test with a chaotic, fun, and surprisingly revealing game of Hooked or Hard Pass . We each brought a stack of books, read the opening lines out loud without showing the cover or revealing the title, and decided on the spot whether we were intri...

If your fantasy romance TBR is starting to feel like the same few books over and over again, this episode is for you. In this episode of Reading Under the Covers, a romance novel podcast, Francesca shares five fantasy romances that helped pull her out of a reading rut and gave her some standout picks for the Romanceopoly 2026 reading challenge - Fantasy Theory prompts. Expect slow burns, fae, magi...

Is the new Netflix Pride & Prejudice remake going to ruin our lives, or is it exactly what we need? Let's talk about it! ☕️📖 In this Reading Under the Covers, a romance novel podcast, we are sharing a Novel Hour live show replay. In this LIVE reaction, we’re breaking down the first teaser for the new series. From debating the sensory details of that roof scene and whether the casting capture...

In today's episode of Reading Under the Covers, a romance novel podcast, let's get into the biggest book adaptation of the month. Bridgerton Season 4 completely broke me and I have thoughts 😭 We're talking Benedict, Sophie, the masquerade, the drama and then I'm giving you 5 romance books that hit the exact same tropes so you know what to read next. ⚠️ Full spoilers for Bridgerton Season 4 Parts...

In this episode of Reading Under the Covers, a romance novel podcast, we have our latest Novel Hour replay with our February Reading Wrap Up. Watch the video: https://youtube.com/live/GK5m1XRbjQ4?feature=share We’ll chat: Every book we finished this month (quick, honest thoughts) New 5‑star favorites to add to your TBR Disappointing reads and DNFs (and why they didn’t work) How our reading tastes...

We made it. In this episode of Reading Under the Covers, a romance novel podcast, we are coming to the end of the first Ripped & Ravished Book Club, Francesca (Under the Covers Book Blog) and Becky (Too Stupid to Live Podcast) cover Chapters 9-10 of The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss, and the last two chapters feel like the book suddenly swerves into an entirely different genre...

In this episode of Reading Under the Covers, a romance novel podcast, we are back with our Novel Hour live show book club! Today, we’re discussing Whispers of the Lake by Shanora Williams. Watch the video: https://youtube.com/live/bFwI98TXRcs We’ll chat: • first impressions and expectations • characters and messy decisions • the twists and ending (full spoilers) • if we’d recommend it and to who •...

Episode 4 of Ripped & Ravished Book Club is here! In this episode of Reading Under the Covers, a romance novel podcast, Francesca (Under the Covers Book Blog) and Becky (Too Stupid to Live Podcast) dive into Chapters 7-8 of The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss and we are officially in the "so close to the end… please give us something" zone. These chapters bring big plot movement...