The Troped Podcast

It’s time for the ultimate Windy City man showdown! Tara and Kyra rank their favorite male leads from Liz Tomforde’s Windy City sports romance serie. From Xander ( Mile High ) and Ryan Shay ( The Right Move ) to Kai Rhodes ( Play Along ), Isaiah Rhodes ( Caught Up ), and Rio ( Rewind It Back ). Expect hot takes, questionable sports knowledge, and a very serious debate over which Windy City guy des...

Why are we obsessed with fictional men who would be an absolute nightmare in real life? In this episode of The Troped Podcast, we’re talking about the toxic traits we happily accept in romance books, but would run away from in real life. All the red flags that somehow turn green when they’re fictional. 00:38 Why Fiction Gets a Pass 01:29 Smirks and Micro Attitude 03:17 Possessive and Controlling 0...

Tara and Kyra love cowboys, so we thought we knew what we were getting into… and then these books completely took us by surprise. Tara and Kyra were NOT prepared for Cowboy Casual and Small Town Smokeshow by Holly Renee. Tune in as we talk about the cowboy series that threw us right off the bull. 01:22 Cowboy Casual Breakdown 04:35 Hunter Hype Smoke Show 06:36 Tropes Small Town Magic 08:12 Why Cow...

Sports romance is a hot button topic in romance right now! Between Liz Tomforde's books and Heated Rivalry/Off Campus on the screens, Tara (who's never dated an athlete) asks Kyra all the probing questions of what sports romance gets right and what it gets wrong in real life. 01:05 Kyra Dating Resume 02:05 Why Athletes Attract 03:44 Smart Athlete Myth 05:10 Cheaters And Temptation 07:02 Sp...

We're back with Trope Hot Takes Vol. 2, debating the romance tropes readers love, hate, and can’t agree on. From billionaire romance and holiday vs. summer romances to forbidden romance, the one-bed trope, “who did this to you,” and “touch her and die,” Tara and Kyra unpack what makes these popular romance book tropes so irresistible and when they cross the line. 00:43 Billionaire Romance Deba...

In our first guest episode, Tara and Kyra sit down with Briarwick Candles founder Kate Glass to discuss how she built a successful bookish candle business from scratch, transforming beloved romance books and fantasy novels into bestselling literary-inspired candles. Kate shares how Briarwick grew from a kitchen-counter hobby into an international brand, the challenges of scaling a small business d...

Tara is back from her latest book retreat in Montana! She and Kyra dive into what really happens at reading and writing retreats, whether they’re actually worth the investment, and why having a dedicated space to read, write, and connect with other women can be so transformative. If you’ve ever wondered whether a book retreat belongs on your bucket list, this episode is for you. 00:34 Montana Trip...

Is Tropesick by Lauren Okie worth adding to your TBR? In this 100% spoiler-free review, Tara and Kyra dive into one of the most meta romance novels they’ve read, where characters are literally writing romance tropes while living them in real life. We discuss the book’s fan-favorite tropes—including forced proximity, grumpy/sunshine, brother’s best friend, girl next door, and second-chance romance—...

Tara and Kyra talk about Elsie Silver’s Chestnut Springs gold buckle book, Reckless , ahead of the upcoming release of Fever Dream, diving into spoilers and why Theo Silva stands out as a top book boyfriend.  00:05 Why Reckless Now 00:57 Winter the Ice Queen 01:48 Theo Silva Appeal 02:15 Single Dad Fantasy 03:09 Respect and Protection 04:01 Real Life Theo Energy 05:20 Boundaries and Consent 06:43 ...

This is the first episode of the Read It Through Me series! The concept is simple: Tara walks through the book, and Kyra reacts, having never read it. We are kicking it off with Kiss of the Basilisk: A Split Or Swallow Novel by Lindsay Straube. If you want to experience every shock and plot twist right along with Kyra, this is the series for you. Warning: full spoilers in this episode! 00:00 Podca...

On Trope Hot Takes, Tara and Kyra are defending and dragging popular romance tropes. No trope is safe! We're talking forced proximity, enemies-to-lovers, single dads, age gaps, and third-act breakups. 00:00 Podcast Intro Setup 01:18 Forced Proximity Debate 04:39 Coffee Order Microtrope 07:14 Asshole Enemies Lovers 12:27 Single Parent Supremacy 14:49 Single Dads Fix Him 15:59 Age Gap Needs Perk...

Tara and Kyra are unpacking Navessa Allen’s viral TikTok sensation, Lights Out . We’re giving you a full spoiler deep dive into the "dark" aesthetics everyone is talking about and why this specific brand of spice is so addictive. From the ethics of consent in dark romance to the specific kinks that we didn't know we had, we’re breaking down the heavy trigger warnings and the psycholo...

Tara and Kyra spill the tea and discuss Bridgerton season four! They talk through everything from the “messy reality” of Sophie and Benedict’s romance to the power of Asian representation through Kate and Sophie, and hopes for diversity becoming the norm. 00:00 Regency Era Intro 00:26 Mistress Dilemma 01:27 Society Stakes 03:19 Nepo Baby Tangent 04:54 One Night With Benedict 06:33 Virginity Scene...

[SPOILER FREE] Tara and Kira discuss why Abby Jimenez’s Part of Your World is an ideal “gateway” romance and a top TBR pick, from its age-gap, small-town/big-city setup to its humor and relatable emotional stakes.  00:00 Welcome and Book Pick 00:29 How Kira Found Abby 01:13 Audiobook Crush Zachary 02:04 Gateway Spice Levels 04:01 Tropes and Daniel Intro 04:33 Why Abby Works 06:26 Carpenter Talk an...

Welcome to the Troped Podcast: Celebrating Romance, Community, and Connection. 00:00 - Introduction to the Troped Podcast 00:19 - Tara's Journey into Romance 00:38 - Purpose of the Podcast 01:21 - Initial Hesitations and Community Building 02:17 - Different Perspectives on Books 03:18 - The Power of Tropes 05:25 - Personal Experiences with Romance Books 08:09 - Judgment and Acceptance in Romance R...