Whoa!mance: Romance and Ourselves

Our time in S------ is coming to a close, but St. John is not letting Jane go without a bang and one orgasmic head pat. But you know what speaks louder than orgasmic head pats? The voice of true love, that's what! Join us as we reflect on our time away from Rochester, the bad feeling bleeding through the presence of Empire in the text, and that this part of the book may be the part that matters th...

Gang, we're starting to think St. John doesn't REALLY see Jane as a sister? This chapter, Christmas occurs for two seconds and then Jane enters into an emotionally wrought new language practice with her first cousin cum benefactee, St. John. And things escalate when St. John invites her to join him in a colonialist, racist project. To say the least... Join us as we unpack how Jane Eyre continues t...

We return to sweltering, medieval Spain for la segunda parte of our discussion on "The Flesh and the Devil" by Teresa Denys. And the climate is not the only thing making us sweat...join us as we turn over the sexiest and the weirdest parts of this book. Are gloves the sexiest accessory? Is this the greatest title of any romance novel ever? Are you more willing to accept something for having things...

Isabeau and Morgan return to an almost forgotten realm in Whoa!mance, but one that still remains familiar - THE BODICE RIPPER. And not bodice ripper as in "their boobs are so big it is ripping the bodice". But somehow, the experience of reading Denys is very, very different. And the reasons why feel as elusive as a copy of the book itself. Can a long book still have brevity? Is "bodice ripping" so...

Remember how St. John ripped that piece of Jane's drawing and then acted like nothing happened? Well spread some bird seed, it is time for those chickens to come home to roost! On a stormy, snowy eve St. John visits Jane and reveals all. Is it a deus ex machina? *Shrug*. Is it fun? *vigorously nods*.

Get a soda pop the size of a tot and a slightly smaller barrel'o'popcorn because yr grls are going to La Cinema with friend-of-the-show Andrea from Shelf Love! We are following up our live Tweet watch along of She-Devil (1989, dir. Susan Seidelman)with in-depth discussion of the film. Who is the titular "SHEEEE Devil"? Is vengeance against a patriarchal wrong necessarily a feminist practice? Why E...

Excuse me, but - you can't look at that likeness like that. At least not in here. In front of...us. In this little house, with Jane standing right. there. I mean, get yourself together St. John. Oh my. Oh my goodness. You can't just jump into...you know...kneeling on an ottoman. Join us as we try to keep it together while reading Chapter 32 of Jane Eyre.

WARNING: This week's episode may give you whiplash, looking back on '21 and forward to '22 so quick! Yr grls look back on their stack as a whole and as individual books and experiences - what was the weirdest read of 2021? The sexiest? The suprisiest? The biggest WHOA and the lowest NO? And what did we learn? And what can we do with it moving forward? Bring your novelty "2022" glitter glasses and...

Jane has a new life and a new job and is generally whelmed. St. John has a crush and crushes a tuft of daisies. Yr grl Morgan struggles to read in the present tense. Join us, won't you, for this lovely lazy river ride through the novel.

Yr Grls are wrapping up the festive season with a read that had us tugging at our cable knit turtlenecks. In "Twelve Drummers" Angelina M. Lopez introduces us to a jewel thief who gets much more than she (or the security guard she's been oBsEErViNNg) bargained for in a sleepy museum in middle America. About twelve more...actually. Where is the line between a steamy romance and an erotic romance? C...

In chapter 30 of Jane Eyre, Isabeau reads Jane reading St. John. And guess what? St. John goes on a long diatribe about St. John.

This week, yr grls discuss the show's first Hanukkah story from an anthology of shorts titled "Eight Kisses: Eight All-New Tales of Holiday Romance". Specifically we are back in bonnie Scotland for "A Highlander for Hanukkah" by Lori Ann Bailey (who also edited the anthology!) Shoshana likes James, and James likes Shoshana even though she's Jewish and he's Catholic. But then a series of B'n'E's st...

Jane makes new friends. One of them has a Roman-esque profile and dreamy eyes. Another one has an offensive, phonetically written accent.

Secrets, secrets are no fun. But THE Secret? By Julie Garwood? Well… Judith leaves her dysfunctional behind in England to use her DIY doula skills to help her friend deliver a baby in the highlands. You know what they have in the highlands, don’t you? That’s right - HIGHLANDERS. Big, hunky, aloof-yet-communicative, laird-y ones named Ian. Does the context a book was published in really matter? Is...

For Chapter 28, Isabeau's melodic tones sweep us away to the beautiful Northern English countryside where Jane learns it is a hard knock life outside the walls of Thornfield, as well. But in a whole different way.

Whoa!mance is once again donning their trench coats and magnifying glasses to bring you the only romance novel-specific crime conversations on the web. This time around, Morgan takes Isabeau on a journey to one of the dreariest corners - FAMILY COURT - via one of the most sparkling highways - CELEBRITY. Danielle Steel.......'s husband sued two writers from People Magazine to keep adoption records...

Good word, but that boy can talk! In Chapter 27 Rochester wants Jane to know a few things, and then a few more. And then a few more. Join us as Jane confronts, at least internally, Rochester. TW: Sexual assault, abuse

Baby, yr grls are HOWLING for (and about) "Mating the Huntress" by Talia Hibbert this Halloween. Chastity feels anything but chaste around local werewolf/fated mate/homeschooled-only-child Luke. The only problem? She comes from a family of huntresses--as in werewolf huntresses! What's Halloween's whole deal? Are white people really ignorant about race, or is it just all getting channeled into meta...

This week yr girls are keeping it short’n’sweet as carrots with A MAN OF TASTE by SHIRA GLASSMAN. Milly the Vampire decides to treat herself and make herself a snack of a snack (wink). Little does she know she just found the everlasting gobstopper of boyfriends/dinners. Can women consume anything without it being a moral conundrum? Is camp essential to vampire horror? Why is romance so good at gen...

Halloween isn't all about spookies, sometimes it is about parties. This week, yr grls explore the latter with PUMPKIN POUNDER by LAURA LOVELY. Titular Daisy pursues her preference for those with the MC1R gene into a rom-com cum softcore Halloween evening with a guy from Ireland. But guess what? He's different from the other pumpkins she's pounded, and her passion for pounding pumpkins could just b...

Awoooooooooooo-tmespheric season is upon us, and this week yr grls are bundling up in the wooly caress of FOR THE WOLF by HANNAH WHITTEN. Red was born to be a sacrifice to the enigmatic Wolf in the Woods, bound long before her time by a curse that is a lot like a marriage. But it turns out, he's more puppy than predator. And the woods aren't quite the bloodsucking borderlands they appear. But that...

It's a livin' thing. This week, yr grls conclude their discussion Georgette Heyer's seminal novel of VENETIA! This time we get into the sexiest part, the weirdest part, and the final verdict on whether or not we Whoa! or No! Venny. We may not stroke your ego, but we will get you in your feels. Is the romance vibe, on the whole, more Georgette or Jane? Who is the Emma in your friend group? If you c...

It has been a long time coming, so we hope you don't mind if we stay awhile. This week, yr grls embark on two part discussion of VENETIA by Lioness in her Field GEORGETTE HEYER. In an English country village (alleged) nonpareil Venetia meets an infamous rake and...well you know how this goes. Georgette Heyer basically wrote the song after all. A return to the canon means a return to the big questi...

Venetia PartUNO by Whoa!mance: Romance, Feminism, and Ourselves

We return just in time for a wedding. Time: Rushed. Location: Church near the packed carriage, literally at your house. Mood: Sometimes it is hard to tell if you're excited or scared, you know? Guests: Unexpected. Join us as we pick back up right where we left off with Chapter 26 of Jane Eyre. If you enjoy this show, please let your friends know! If you're concerned about a pal's new love interest...