665. RT Rewind - February 2015 Reviews

665. RT Rewind - February 2015 Reviews

Author: Sarah Wendell May 2, 2025 Duration: 1:57:04
Smart Podcast, Trashy Books: A Romance Novel Podcast
ArtsBooksFiction

We are traveling back to February 2015 to take a look at the new releases in RT magazine, and my guest is the cover author, HelenKay Dimon, who also writes thrillers as Darby Kane.


This was VERY fun because HelenKay is an author, so she has a different perspective on the magazine, the convention, the reviews, and the way different genres have changed. We cover how HelenKay discovered romance, and how her career has evolved over the years – and of course we talk about all the books.


This is a long one because I couldn’t cut anything! I hope you enjoy it – please let me know what you think. And if you like the show, please tell a friend or Reddit or a random stranger about it.


You can find HelenKay Dimon at her website, and you can find Darby Kane at her website, too!

HelenKay is on Instagram sharing book release news, too.


We also mentioned:


And don’t forget! If you join the Patreon, you get the full PDF scan of every issue – and very few of these are available online.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


If you’ve ever felt a little defensive about loving romance novels, or just want to dive deeper into the books you can’t put down, Smart Podcast, Trashy Books: A Romance Novel Podcast is your perfect companion. Host Sarah Wendell approaches the genre with a critic’s sharp mind and a fan’s enthusiastic heart, creating conversations that are as thoughtful as they are joyful. This isn’t just author interviews, though you’ll hear brilliant voices like Ilona Andrews, Sarah J. Maas, and the wonderfully unique Chuck Tingle. The scope of the podcast is deliberately wide, bringing in reviewers, librarians, editors, and publishing professionals to examine every facet of the romance world. You’ll get honest talk about tropes and trends, the business behind the books, and why these stories resonate so powerfully with millions of readers. Regular appearances from Amanda Diehl add another layer of camaraderie and insight. Listening feels like being part of a smart, welcoming book club where no opinion is dismissed and passion is a given. It’s a celebration of a genre that dominates fiction, explored with humor, intelligence, and genuine curiosity. Whether you’re a longtime devotee or a curious newcomer, this podcast offers a rich, engaging, and deeply human look at the stories we love.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

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Smart Podcast, Trashy Books: A Romance Novel Podcast
Podcast Episodes
685. RT Rewind: August 1996 Ads & Features [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:48
It’s the 90s so the Ads and Features from the August 1996 issue of Romantic Times are a treasure trove of confusion. We’ve got:A tour of Jude Deveraux’s Grade II Listed Home in SuffolkBarbara Cartland perfumesHow should…
684. Thief of Night with Holly Black [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:42
The second book in Holly Black’s Night duology, Thief of Night, is out now, and I was so excited to talk with her about it.We start right off by talking about creepy places – like, what kind of magic comes out of Jersey?…
683. RT Rewind: August 1996 Reviews [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:24
We’re going back to August 1996 – that’s a bit of distance – to take a peek at the new releases and the book reviews in Romantic Times magazine.We’re back in the era of time travel, a scifi imprint named Avonova, and pro…
681. RT Rewind: July 2016 Ads & Features [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:40
It’s July 2016, and we’re back in the time machine to check out the ads & features from this issue of Romantic Times Magazine!We spot an SBTB friend in the letters to the editor, and we talk about romances translated int…
680. Aro and Ace YA Romance with Molly Horan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:32
Molly Horan is a YA author, playwright, and professor who is writing a dissertation on aromantic and asexual characters in YA literature. Molly also teaches classes about YA literature, so we have a LOT to talk about.Exa…
679. RT Rewind: July 2016 Reviews [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:31:14
We’re back! Amanda picked this month’s issue and so we are journeying back to July 2016!We tackle vague reviews that tell us no things.I try to coin a new portmanteau!We come up with the most unhinged romance bingo squar…
678. The Osmanification of Fiction Covers with Kayleigh Donaldson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:45
Recently, I posted a collection of cozy, mostly British mysteries that all mimic the Richard Osman Thursday Murder Club covers in just about every way.Then, Kayleigh Donaldson said she had many thoughts about them.One of…
677. Everyone is Lying to You with Jo Piazza [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:06
Jo Piazza’s new book, Everyone is Lying to You, is a trad wife influencer murder mystery out this month. I loved this book. Jo has been covering trad wives and influencers for a long, long time – she has a podcast called…
676. Exploring Atonement Sky with Nalini Singh [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:04
When I record with Nalini Singh, since she’s in New Zealand and I’m on the east coast of the US, it’s weird hours for both of us – so thank you to Nalini for speaking to me bright and early in the morning. We talk about…

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