S07.02 Fall 2024 New Releases

S07.02 Fall 2024 New Releases

Author: Fated Mates September 18, 2024 Duration: 2:01:54

Everything is new and crisp in the fall, as F. Scott Fitzgerald likes to say, and the romance novels are no different! We're starting to think about cozy fall reads under warm blankets with cider and pumpkin spice...and we're talking today about our massive autumn TBR piles! There’s something here for everyone — chefs, witches, sexy anthologies, vampires, sports, dragons, hot air balloons and, of course, dukes.

If you also love romance, maybe you want to join our Patreon, where you get another episode from us each month, and access to the incredible readers and listeners and brilliant people on the Fated Mates discord! Support us and learn more at fatedmates.net/patreon.

Our first read along of Season 7 will be Molly O'Keefe's Everything I Left Unsaid duology, selected by Jen which despite the first book being a cliffhanger should not surprise you because she contains multitudes. The second book is The Truth About Him. Read them both and get ready for Jen to talk to you for hours. You will thank us.

Also! We're back on the phonebanking train this election season! Join us on Saturdays between now and Election Day to phonebank with fellow romance lovers, Jen, Sarah, and special guests who will knock your socks off! Learn more and register at fatedmates.net/fatedstates. If phonebanking isn't your thing, we're also raising money for downticket house and senate races, because state legislatures may not be sexy, but they sure hold all the power. Learn more, and give what you can at fatedmates.net/givingcircle.

The Books

Contemporary 


Romantasy


Romantic Suspense


The Notes


The Sponsors

  • Aethon Books, publishers of KW Foster's A Curse of Breath and Blood, available in print or ebook.
  • Blue Box Press, publishers of J Kenner's Craved By You, available in print, ebook, and audiobook from Amazon.
  • Meghan Quinn, author of Bridesmaid Undercover, available in print or ebook or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.
  • Lumi Labs, creators of Lumi Gummies. Go to Lumigummies.com and use code FATED50 for free gummies with a limited time $50 off coupon, or use code FATEDMATES for 30% off.


Co-hosted by bestselling author Sarah MacLean and critic Jen Prokop, Fated Mates-Romance Books for Novel People digs into the genre with a blend of scholarly enthusiasm and pure fandom. This isn't just a book club; it's a deep, weekly examination of why romance novels work, how they mirror and challenge our world, and why they are often dismissed despite their massive cultural impact. The conversation is always grounded in the text itself, often through structured read-alongs of seminal works, where Sarah and Jen unpack character motivations, tropes, and narrative structure with the detail they deserve. You'll hear lively discussions that treat the genre seriously-analyzing its function as a subversive force and a powerful tool against patriarchal norms-while never losing the joy and sheer fun of a good love story. The tone is inclusive, insightful, and famously without kink-shaming, creating a space where appreciation and critical analysis coexist. Tune into this podcast for a dialogue that celebrates complexity, champions the reader's experience, and consistently argues for the intellectual and emotional heft of romance fiction.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Fated Mates - Romance Books for Novel People
Podcast Episodes
S08.31: Trailblazer Ruby Dixon [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:46:02
This season, we’re expanding our traditional Trailblazer series to include the romance writers who are trailblazing today. Our first guest on this branch of the legend tree is Ruby Dixon, author of the Ice Planet Barbari…
S08.30: Irredeemable Characters: Morality Chain Redux [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:30:12
By request, we’re talking about the characters who have been exiled from family, from community, and from themselves—the irredeemable characters in romance. This is Morality Chain all over again. We’re talking about char…
S08.29: Jen & Sarah Answer Your Burning Questions [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:24:32
As always when we’re together, today we’re answering listener questions! In here, we’re recommending sex lessons books, motorcycle romance, books set in Toronto, Ohio and more — we’re also talking about the evolution of…
S08.28: Spring 2026 Preview [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:37:38
It’s time to fill those TBR piles again! April means the start of Spring and also another quarterly upcoming romance episode! We’re talking about romances hitting shelves and ereaders during April, May & June 2026! Wheth…
S08.27: Romance Baby: Not the Secret Kind [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:37:58
It never fails to surprise us when we realize we’ve never talked about a really classic trope even now…eight years in. This week, we’re talking about kids in romance—which we’ve somehow never done before?! We’re covering…
S08.26: Ballet and Opera in Romance [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:38:54
Someone said something real stupid, and that means we get to hit back in the best way possible — with romance recommendations! Today we’re talking about the Opera and the Ballet in Romance! We’re talking about historical…
S08.25: Heated Rivalry Read-Alikes with Christopher Rice [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:44:08
Calling all Loons! You’ve heated and reheated the rivalry, and now it’s time for us to talk about what you should read between now and Season 2. We’re joined by friend and fave of the pod, Christopher Rice, who writes m/…
S08.24: Sincerely, Your Inconvenient Wife by Julia Wolf [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:41:55
Things are looking very wild out here in the real world so you deserve a deep dive on a book by an author with a big backlist and we are here to give you just that! Today's episode is on Sincerely, Your Inconvenient Wife…
S08.23: The Chemise Protects You From Boning: Romance Wardrobe [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:28:20
Continuing our series on Romance Vibes, we’re talking about Romance Wardrobe this week! We’re talking corsets and chemises, falls and Hessian boots, Armani suits and underpants that rip right off. We also get to the bott…
S08.22: Chart Topping Songs and Their Perfect Romance Novel Pairings [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01:02
Our old pal Billy Shakes told us that music is the food of love, and we’re taking that to heart this week! By request from Eric (who’s never requested anything before), we’re looking at songs that charted in February ove…