Romance ME Podcast

In this very special bonus episode, we discuss Em's story outlines for this year's National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) project and tips for NaNoWriMo Newbies. 
This is part of a short series of bonus episodes where we invite you to NaNo with Us!
Follow Us on Twitter and interact with us! We'd love to answer any questions about NaNo, the writing process, or our podcast.

In this very special bonus episode, we discuss our plans for National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), Em's past experiences with NaNo, and her writing process. 
This is part of a short series of bonus episodes where we invite you to NaNo with Us!
Follow Us on Twitter and interact with us! We'd love to answer any questions about NaNo, the writing process, or our podcast.

In this episode, we discuss Tin by Candace Robinson and Amber R. Duell. 
A decade after Dorothy melted a witch, she must once again travel the much changed yellow brick road to save her friends and herself. However, Tin is now a stone-hearted assassin with the assignment to bring Dorothy to Lion for nefarious reasons. As Dorothy and her Tinman travel the land, will they discover there is no feeling like that of true love?

In this episode, we discuss Tears of Tess by Pepper Winters. 
While on a romantic anniversary trip with her vanilla boyfriend, Tess still feels like something is missing from her seemingly perfect life. While trying to ignore the absence of a certain je ne sais quoi and appreciate what she has, she is abducted and sold to a mysterious man who may be able to fulfill her long-wished, unspoken fantasies, if she can fulfill his.
Content warning: Sex trafficking, sex slavery, rape, sexual violence, nonconsensual acts, abuse, and assault. There are multiple scenes where the hero harms the heroine.
Note from Erika: Apologies, we forgot the "rate the antagonists" segment for this episode. However, it's probably safe to say, everyone was an antagonist in this story to some degree. 

In this episode, we discuss Rafe: A Buff Male Nanny by Rebekah Weatherspoon.
Unexpectedly deserted by her live-in nanny, single mother Dr. Sloan Copeland needs someone, hopefully more reliable, to watch her precocious daughters. She hires Rafe Whitcomb, tattooed, bearded, and highly recommended. They have immediate chemistry and begin developing a romantic relationship.

In this episode, we discuss The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai.
When former linebacker Samson re-enters entrepreneur Rhiannon’s life after previously ghosting her, she must decide whether he deserves a second chance.

In this episode, we discuss Across a Moonlit Sea by Marsha Canham.
Pirate Simon Dante must decide if there is honor among thieves when he and the remainder of his crew are offered rescue after being left for dead on the wide open seas. Pilot Beau Spence doesn’t trust Dante after he repeatedly threatens to harm her (imagine that). 
Can these two suspicious seafarers put their cynicism aside to find love… and booty?
Content warning: Threats of rape and castration.

In this episode, we discuss The Roommate by Rosie Danon.
Professional academic and carefully boring Clara moves across the country to win the affections of a man who isn’t interested. Uninterested Man has better places to be, but thoughtfully leaves her a replacement roommate. His name is Josh; he’s a professional porn performer.
Will self-described prude Clara be brave enough to follow her own dreams as she helps Josh realize his?

In this episode, we discuss An Extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole.
Elle Burns is a former slave with an eidetic memory working for Lincoln’s Loyal League during the Civil War when she meets fellow undercover agent, Malcolm McCall.
Pretending to be sympathetic to the Southern cause, Pinkerton Detective Malcolm uses his jovial charm and develops a “friendship” with a Confederate Senator’s family to help achieve Northern victories and Elle keeps up her subterfuge of mute slavery to gain otherwise inaccessible intel.
While she spies and he lies, they consider forming a union of their own. But, can she trust him?
Content warning: Slavery, discussion and threats of rape.

Today we’ll be discussing Pitifully Ugly by Robin Alexander.
Displeased with her life and with wine in hand, Shannon impulsively creates a dating profile to prove she can manage her own love life, thank you very much. While enduring romantic misadventures, she makes a connection with “Newbie,” a shy woman who is unwilling to meet in person, except, maybe, they have already met.

In this episode, we discuss His Human Assistant by Michele Mills.
While working for the Intergalactic Business Bureau, Avery Klein needs somewhere, anywhere, to hide after her secret cover is blown.
Hannibal Hellstone is a businessman in need of an assistant and Avery takes the assignment. While they are mutually attracted to each other, Hannibal has sworn to never fall in love again.
Avery didn’t know she was looking for a place to call home, but being welcomed into Hannibal’s family feels right. Can she convince Hannibal to give love another chance?
Content Warning: Mentions of suicide, drug abuse, and domestic violence.

In this episode, we discuss The Code for Love and Heartbreak by Jillian Cantor.
Emma is co-president of the high school coding club along with her friend and academic rival George. As co-presidents, it is their responsibility to come up with a project idea and Emma’s idea to make a match-making app is popular with everyone but George.
The club moves forward with the matching app and it seems to be working, at first. However, Emma can’t figure out the code for that ineffable quality of love that the happy couples around her describe.

In this episode, we discuss Real Men Knit by Kwana Jackson.
After his mother unexpectedly passes away, Jesse is determined to keep her knitting shop open, in spite of his brothers’ doubts that he can be successful. His childhood friend Kerry agrees to help him with learning to run the business, despite her lifelong crush on him.
As they work together to save the shop, they discover that their shared past and current passions are strong and lasting.

In this episode, we discuss Sustained by Emma Chase.
Jake is a criminal defense lawyer and he’s good at his job. He likes to live a “complication free life” and it’s been working out for him until he meets Chelsea. Chelsea’s life is anything but uncomplicated. She’s the legal guardian of her six nieces and nephews and she has no support network until Jake steps in.
Soon, Jake is living the family life, even though he’s always told himself that’s what he never wanted. Being with Chelsea and the kids feels right, but Jake isn’t sure he knows how to be the man Chelsea deserves.

In this episode, we discuss Mr. Perfect by Linda Howard.
On their regular girls’ night out, Jaine and her friends create a list for what would make a man Mr. Perfect. Although it was meant to be a private bit of fun, the list gets shared around at work, and then it spreads to the news. While many think the list is funny, some people are offended, maybe even offended enough to kill.
When one of her friends is murdered, Jaine turns to her next door neighbor, police detective Sam, for help. Sparks fly as they work together to figure out who the killer is and stop them.
Content warning: Child abuse, murder.

In this episode, we discuss Love is a Rogue by Lenora Bell.
Lady Beatrice longs for the freedom of spinsterhood, when she will finally be allowed to work on her etymological dictionary and enjoy a life of solitude. She just has to get through one more London season as a wallflower before she can begin her life. Unfortunately, she keeps running into Stamford Wright, a handsome carpenter with a rogue’s reputation.
Although they are divided by social status, Ford and Beatrice become close friends and soon, even more. Beatrice now has a different dream, but can she cross the boundaries society has set for her in order to be truly free?

In this episode, we discuss Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall. 
Luc is tangentially famous as the son of two rock stars from the 80s. Ever since his estranged father has made a comeback, Luc has been uncomfortably in the public eye. When a picture showing him in a bad light is released, Luc has to clean up his image in order to keep his job. To do that, he needs to find a nice, normal boyfriend. 
Oliver, a vegetarian lawyer, is the perfect man for the job, and he agrees to be Luc’s fake boyfriend for a time. But, as they spend more time together, the lines between real and fake begin to blur.

In this episode, we discuss A Bollywood Affair by Sonali Dev.
Mili has been married since she was a child in India, but she doesn’t remember the groom. She’s spent the last twenty years learning how to be the best possible wife she can be while she waits for her husband to finally come back and claim her.
Samir is a famous Bollywood director, and the brother of Mili’s husband. He travels to Michigan to find Mili and convince her to officially annul her marriage to his older brother. Mili is nothing like what he expected, and Samir ends up wanting more from her than her signature.
Content warning: Child marriage and child abuse.

In this episode, we discuss Love Hacked by Penny Reid.
Sandra is looking for a stable, long term relationship. She takes all her first dates to the same restaurant and every date ends the same way. The guy starts crying.
One night, after Sandra’s newest date leaves in tears, Alex the waiter and Sandra share a passionate kiss. Alex is hot and obviously Mr. Wrong, but Sandra decides to enjoy a fling for once.
Alex is smart, secretive, and complicated. As Sandra begins to develop feelings for Alex, she realizes that maybe Mr. Wrong is perfect for her after all.

In this episode, we discuss Can’t Fix Cupid by Raven Kennedy.
Trix Valentine is a cupid whose powers don’t work. She hasn’t been meeting her love match quotas, and may get popped out of existence if she can’t manage to fix herself. In a last ditch effort to do just that, she ends up partially human.
Warren is a savvy businessman who refuses to fall in love. Unfortunately for him, Trix has decided that he needs her help. And she will do anything to help him... and hopefully help herself in the process.

In this episode, we discuss The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang.
Stella has high-functioning autism, loves math, and is a brilliant and successful econometrician. She’s less successful at romance, so she decides to hire an escort to help her improve her skills. Michael, the escort she hires, can’t believe Stella is bad at sex, but he agrees to conduct a series of “lessons.”
Immediately attracted to each other, the partnership starts to feel more like a real relationship. But, both Stella and Michael are hiding something. When the secrets come out, will love still be the logical conclusion?

In this episode, we discuss Kristin Ashley's Fantasyland series as a whole.
In this series, there are two parallel worlds--our world and Fantasyland. Almost everyone in our world has a twin in Fantasyland, although, while these twins look exactly alike, they are often very different from each other. There are five books in this series, and each book involves a character from our world being transported to Fantasyland and finding “love across worlds.”
Content warning: These books contain dubious consent, rape, sexual violence, abuse (including emotional, domestic, and violent child abuse), abuse survivorship, child loss, and slavery. There are several scenes where the hero is violent toward the heroine, including rape.

In this episode, we discuss Midnight Soul by Kristen Ashley.
Franka Drakkar has secrets, and to make everyone keep their distance, she wears a mask of cruelty. Noc Hawthorne, an undercover cop from our world, was transported to Fantasyland to help save it from evil. While there, he meets Franka. In a moment of vulnerability, her mask slips, and Noc sees her for who she really is. Noc wants Franka to come home with him, and promises her an adventure beyond her dreams. After a lifetime of keeping everyone at a distance, is Franka prepared to let Noc into her heart?
Content warning: Abuse survivorship, including violent child abuse.
Join us for a special bonus episode next week, when we discuss the Fantasyland series as a whole!

In this episode, we discuss Broken Dove by Kristen Ashley.
Apollo is still grieving the tragic loss of his wife, Ilsa, when he learns there is a parallel world where everyone in his world has a “twin.” He arranges for the twin of his wife to be brought to his world, hoping that, in this way, he can have his wife again.
Ilsa is on the run from her abusive husband, Apollo’s twin. When she is brought to Apollo’s world, she isn’t what he expected. And, Ilsa doesn’t want to be a constant reminder of what he lost. However, evil is on the horizon and Apollo must keep Ilsa close to keep her safe.
Content warning: This book has scenes depicting domestic violence, emotional abuse, and child loss.