The Tightrope: An Introduction

The Tightrope: An Introduction

Author: Katee Robert, Melody Carlisle, & Jenny Nordbak September 23, 2021 Duration: 41:25

Welcome to our introductory episode! Get to know a little bit about your hosts, Jenny Nordbak and Melody Carlisle, and learn what Bonkers Romance is all about!

We discuss what “bonkers” means to each of us since it’s something we’ve been asking guests.

  • Jenny: It’s the brave decisions authors have made when they chose not to play it safe.
  • Mel: It’s those books that make you wonder, “is this even allowed??” with absolute glee.

Why we started Bonkers Romance and what we hope to accomplish with it:

  • Celebrate those brave choices authors have made and pulled off
  • To choose joy
  • To encourage readers to come down the rabbit hole with us

The format of each episode:

  • We recap a bonkers book chosen by the guest to exemplify what they consider bonkers
  • One of the hosts in each episode hasn’t read the book to make it more accessible for readers who may not have read the book yet.
  • Along the way, we’ll have tangents, book recs, funny stories, and more!
  • The last episode of every month will only be for our Temple members, but a free preview will be available publicly!

We’re eager to build a community and are excited to hear input, suggestions, book recs, guest recs, and bonkers descriptions in books you stumble upon! You can find us on social media or use the form on our website. We’re particularly looking for bonkers book recs that are inclusive, with a focus on queer rep and books written by authors from marginalized groups.

What is The Temple of Defiant Joy?

We’ve created a members page that functions similarly to Patreon, but gives us more control and flexibility. On there, we have bonus episodes, temple-only episodes, video of our regular episodes, bonus author interviews, Bonkers Romance Book Club, and more! We want it to feel like your community, so if you have ideas, we’d love to hear them! You can check it out HERE!

What is Bonkers Romance Book Club?

All members of The Temple at the Joy Bringer tier or higher will be part of the BRBC, our monthly digital book box subscription. Each month, members will receive two ebooks we’ve handpicked for the community. They’ll usually be advanced copies before the books are even available to the public! Check it out HERE!

Our upcoming episode list is available now on our social platforms, so come follow us on Instagram or Twitter—or join our new Facebook group!

Episode 2: Spider Shibari with Sierra Simone is available now, so don’t miss it!

Support for this episode provided by:

THE TEMPLE OF DEFIANT JOY! Join us in The Temple for bonus episodes, video of our public episodes, access to the Bonkers Romance Book Club, and much more! Membership at the Joy Bringer Tier or higher includes advanced copies of our September BRBC books: Mama’s Boy by Avery Flynn and His Leading Lady by Jenny Nordbak!

Mentioned in


Every Thursday, Katee Robert, Melody Carlisle, and Jenny Nordbak gather to celebrate the wonderfully over-the-top side of the genre they love. Their Bonkers Romance podcast is a deep dive into a truly wild piece of romance media each week, from novels to films and beyond. The conversation isn't about critique, but about joyful analysis-they break down how the story’s tropes are cranked to the maximum and explore why those exaggerated elements work so effectively to deliver a satisfying, often cathartic, experience. Listening feels like pulling up a chair with insightful friends who also happen to be deeply embedded in Romancelandia. You’ll hear their unfiltered commentary, passionate hot takes, and genuinely hilarious personal stories sparked by the week’s selection. The hosts frequently welcome favorite authors and personalities, offering a unique peek into how creators think about the craft and fun of romance. Naturally, you’ll come away with a ton of book recommendations, but more than that, this podcast provides a refreshingly enthusiastic and thoughtful space that reminds you why these stories resonate so powerfully. It’s a weekly dose of analysis, laughter, and pure appreciation for the genre’s most delightfully extra offerings.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 58

Bonkers Romance
Podcast Episodes
Aphrodisiacs and Avalanches with Katee Robert [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:36:42
Katee Robert is here! Robin's here! And we’re recapping The Winter King by C.L. Wilson! This special episode is dedicated to Temple member Robin's late mom, Elaine, who was a romance reader and all around badass. We wish…
All Aboard the F*ck Bus with Steffanie Holmes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:20:21
We’re joined by Steffanie Holmes to recap Devil’s Day Party by C.M. Stunich! It’s our first bully romance and we didn’t expect to be so charmed by it!Be sure to also check out Steffanie’s latest, Poison Ivy (out May 5),…
No Shame with Sarah Wendell [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:55
Sarah Wendell joins us for Part 1 of A Lady of Rooksgrave Manor by Kathryn Moon—a book so delicious, Jenny was bouncing in her chair like an eager puppy dog. Part 2 will be available on Smart Bitches, Trashy Podcast on 4…
Hate Sex with Sophie Jordan! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:20:16
We’re joined by Sophie Jordan to recap The Worst Guy by Kate Canterbary—one of our favorite enemies-to-lovers romances of all time! It’s bonkers how fearlessly Kate pushes the characters to be mean to each other, all the…
Nipple Paint as Formalwear with Juliette Cross [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:46
Juliette Cross joins us to recap Captive of the Horde King by Zoey Draven!If you’re a fan of Khal Drogo, you’ll love this one! Luna agrees to marry an alien barbarian king to save her brother and frankly, hits the jackpo…
Initiating Melody with Nisha Sharma [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:24:23
We’re joined by Nisha Sharma to recap The Initiation by Nikki Sloane!This book had us all questioning who gave Nikki Sloane permission to write this and the answer is that she’s exactly the kind of brave author we starte…
Sweet Intrigue Boys with Roxie Noir! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:46:01
We’re joined by author Roxie Noir to to recap Unhallowed by Jordan L. Hawk!Our After Care suggestions were:A Society of Gentlemen series by KJ CharlesMorning Glory Milking Farm by C.M. NascostaWicked Beauty by Katee Robe…
As Thick As Your Forearm with @BookishHill [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:36
We’re joined by one of our favorite BookTokers, Hillary (@bookishhill), to recap Love and Monsters by Raven Flanagan! Our minds were blown in the best possible way when Hillary shared her path to becoming a bonkers roman…
A Trisexual Awakening with R.M. Virtues [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:35:17
RM Virtues joined us to recap The Mummy! Jenny got to watch this Romancelandia favorite film for the first time and it was a delight!We fangirl over R.M., discuss why this film is in fact a tri-awakening rather than a bi…
Sloshing with His Shimmering Release with Robin Lovett! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:40:56
We’re joined by Robin Lovett to recap The Mabon Feast by C.M. Nascosta!We delve into Robin’s thoughts on bonkers books and why none of us should carry any shame about them—as well as her thoughts on author core stories.…