Welcome to Reading Under the Covers, a romance novel podcast where we chat, fangirl, and maybe even swoon over our latest reads. I'm Francesca from Under the Covers Book Blog, and today I’m joined by historical romance legend Eloisa James to talk about her newest release, Hardly a Gentleman — and so much more.

This episode is for you if you love:

• Grumpy Scottish heroes who fish naked in streams 🐟
• Proper heroines on the run who just want to read in peace 📚
• Accidental marriage? Yep.
• He falls first? Oh, absolutely.

We’re diving into:

• How Hardly a Gentleman fits into the Accidental Brides series
• The hilarious (and kilty) setup for this romance
• Why pirates are hard to write these days 😅
• The evolution of romance over the decades: from bodice rippers to booktok
• Whether stepbacks might be making a comeback (Eloisa has thoughts — and art)
• Balancing academia and writing bestsellers
• And why romance is a radical, joyful act of resistance

We also talk about the misogyny still embedded in how romance is viewed and why that makes stories like these matter even more. Plus, Eloisa shares her current reads and what’s coming next (spoiler: haunted abbeys and secret rock star dads).

📚 Books Mentioned:

– Hardly a Gentleman (all about her current release)

– A Kiss at Midnight, When Beauty Tamed the Beast (tropes she loves in her backlist titles)

– Viscount in Love (how the heroine has a piece of her life experience)

– Wilde in Love, Too Wilde to Wed (cover inspiration)

Eloisa's recommendations:

– Earl Crush by Alexandra Vasti

– There's Something About Mira by Sonali Dev (available on Kindle Unlimited)

– Small Bomb at Dimperley by Lissa Evans

– I Captured the Castle by Dodie Smith

🔗 Resources Mentioned:

– Substack series on the Evolution of Romance

–

If you love vampires that smolder, weather witches who flirt, and dragons hiding in the bayou, this episode is for you!

Today on Reading Under the Covers, we're heading to one of the most magical and mysterious paranormal hotspots: New Orleans. 🌙✨

I'm sharing five paranormal romances that each bring a different kind of NOLA magic—from second chance vampire love stories to zombie survival romances, dragon shifters in the bayou, and everything in between.

📚 Books Mentioned:

• Enticed by Blood by Laurie London
• Summer Heat by Jaci Burton
• Run by Gillian Zane (available on Kindle Unlimited)
• How to Date Your Dragon by Molly Harper
• Night Pleasures by Sherrilyn Kenyon (available on Kindle Unlimited)

📝 Looking for even more New Orleans-set reads? Check out the blog:

• Voodoo and Marie Laveau Books
• Paranormal Romance Books Set in New Orleans
• Urban Fantasy Books Set in New Orleans
• Mystery Books Set in New Orleans
• Romantic Suspense Books Set in New Orleans
• Contemporary Romance Books Set in New Orleans
• Cozy Mysteries Set in New Orleans

✨ If you loved this episode, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review! It helps more romance readers find us, and I always love hearing what books you’re excited about. See you next time! 💕

These notes contain affiliate links. That means we receive a small commission at no cost to you from any purchases you make through these links.

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It’s time to get cozy with some claws, tentacles, and tusks—because for this week’s Romanceopoly prompt, we’re exploring monster romance! In this episode of Reading Under the Covers, a romance novel podcast, I’m sharing five spicy, swoony, and emotionally-charged monster romance recs that are perfect for the Krampus Night prompt on the Amber Heights (Fall) section of your Romanceopoly board.

Whether you’re new to the monster romance genre or already obsessed, these picks bring a little bit of everything: fated mates, forbidden love, quirky sci-fi, and primal bonds. Here’s what we’re covering:

Books Mentioned:

1. Guarded by the Kraken by Cassie Alexander

Trope: Grumpy/sunshine, forced telepathic bond, bodyguard romance

Vibes: Tentacled hero, deep-sea danger, emotional healing

Get the book

2. Lessons with the Mothman by Kathryn Moon

Trope: Reverse grumpy/sunshine, academic research, monster/human pairing

Vibes: Playful, emotionally awkward hero, monster softboi energy

Get the book

3. Bull Moon Rising by Ruby Dixon

Trope: Marriage of convenience, hidden identity, rut tension

Vibes: Fantasy adventure, magical artifacts, cinnamon roll minotaur husband

Get the book

4. Ensnared by Tiffany Roberts

Trope: Fated mates, survival, primal possession

Vibes: Jungle setting, spider alien, darker themes, intense bond

Get the book

5. I Think I’m in Love with an Alien by Ann Aguirre

Trope: Nerdy girl meets alien, convention romance, opposites attract

Vibes: Adorkable, sci-fi rom-com, quirky and fun with hidden depth

Get the book

• What Is Monster Romance? Beginner’s Guide
• Best Monster Romance Books to Read Right Now
• Romanceopoly Reading Challenge Info & Board

What’s your favorite monster romance? Have you read any of these or are they going on your TBR?

Visit the Blog: https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/

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We’re diving into the romance books releasing this week—April 21 through April 27—including fake engagements, wolf shifters, summer healing, and small-town chaos. Plus, debut author Noel Stark joins us to talk about her new Hollywood rom-com Love, Camera, Action, her real experiences directing in the TV industry, and how that inspired the book’s steamy behind-the-scenes romance.

🧡 Books Featured This Week:

• A Wallflower’s Guide to Viscounts and Vice by Manda Collins
• https://rstyle.me/+KH2re7WlYvYsX5ahJqLpvg
• Fiona and the Fixer by Vanessa Vale
• https://rstyle.me/+DOGJt0_eOv_eWJq_dD85sg
• The Summer That Shaped Us by Lori Wilde
• https://rstyle.me/+F4OGtfjmja2OguRr-n62dQ
• Crescent Kingdom by Tessa Hale
• https://rstyle.me/+qsHfZqhpzwfN-RagNnp2dA

🎬 Author Spotlight:

Stick around for debut author Noel Stark, as she shares the inspiration behind Love, Camera, Action—a grumpy/sunshine, enemies to lovers workplace romance set in the world of TV production—and opens up about her own experiences navigating sexism in Hollywood.

📘 Grab the book: https://rstyle.me/+JKUt_B0OJhMn0vqnTxC-9Q

✨ Want more releases?

Paid Substack members get exclusive access to the Book Vault, a searchable monthly database of 150+ upcoming books across romance, fantasy, thrillers, cozy mysteries, and more.

https://www.underthecoverscommunity.com/p/book-vault

✨ If you loved this episode, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review! It helps more romance readers find us, and I always love hearing what books you’re excited about. See you next time! 💕

These notes contain affiliate links. That means we receive a small commission at no cost to you from any purchases you make through these links.

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Welcome to another Trope Talk episode of Reading Under the Covers, the romance podcast where we fangirl and maybe even swoon over our favorite reads. I'm Francesca from Under the Covers Book Blog, and today we’re diving deep into the fated mates romance trope—the kind of love story that’s soul-deep, magically bonded, and often completely out of the characters’ control.

In this episode, we’re talking:

• What exactly is the fated mates trope?
• Why readers love it (and when it gets problematic)
• Popular fated mates sub-tropes like rejected mates, multiple mates, enemies-to-lovers, and dark/obsessive bonds
• Book recommendations broken down by subgenre—fantasy romance, paranormal romance, and sci-fi romance

🖤 Some of the books I talk about:

• Rabid by Ivy Asher and Raven Kennedy: https://rstyle.me/+IdjSVnaDwZPcCbGfPhNSBA
• Power of Five by Alex Lidell: https://rstyle.me/+HMqwOlMixqE-bR7_TPIB2g
• Ruthless Demon King by Nikki St. Crowe: https://rstyle.me/+2OcUrvpT7e4BDUqr0ToTsg
• Nightshade by Keri Lake: https://rstyle.me/+I69oVW6VJfJ75NUgjTzZYw
• Court of Ravens and Ruin by Eliza Raine: https://rstyle.me/+3fwEf5kdfFqPrT8matnP9Q
• Radiance by Grace Draven: https://rstyle.me/+B6PJyYHNimBTbduHiOXqAw
• A Ruin of Roses by K.F. Breene: https://rstyle.me/+bcElxuaSYjMW3-BGX26TgQ
• The Last True Vampire by Kate Baxter: https://rstyle.me/+RMrYvgs163C1mbshlfo-7g
• The Darkest Night by Gena Showalter: https://rstyle.me/+DcPJozNwYNtWVJPsAPdKFg
• A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole: https://rstyle.me/+2lg-2ri6GccCAOxQat7gHQ
• Saving Askara by J.M. Link: https://rstyle.me/+kkmsv2fqjUdrAMBnxzXLgg
• Broken by the Horde King by Zoey Draven: https://rstyle.me/+ATGVvd82u3esWGUDvwzbGg
• I Married a Lizard Man by Regine Abel: https://rstyle.me/+d2XrhKjSOGvFA6UXHVNODA

💫 Want even more fated mates book recs?

Check the blog for my full breakdown of 9 popular sub-tropes and even more must-reads: https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/fated-mates-sub-tropes/

More fated mates books:

Sci fi romance: https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/fated-mates-sci-fi-romance/

Reverse harem:

We’re kicking off the Love on Location series with one of the coziest settings in romance: the farm. Whether you love grumpy farmers, marriage of convenience, or a good old-fashioned small town meddling committee—this episode has something for every mood reader.

Perfect for the Blooming Acres Farm prompt in the Romanceopoly Reading Challenge, these five romance recs range from Vermont apple orchards to a rose valley in Provence, and feature all the slow burn, forced proximity, second chances, and emotionally constipated heroes we can’t get enough of.

📚 Books mentioned in this episode:

• In a Jam by Kate Canterbary (Kindle Unlimited): Grab this book on Amazon
• Bittersweet by Sarina Bowen (True North #1): Grab this book on Amazon
• No More Secrets by Lucy Score (Blue Moon #1, Kindle Unlimited): Grab this book on Amazon
• Preston’s Honor by Mia Sheridan (Kindle Unlimited): Grab this book on Amazon
• Once Upon a Rose by Laura Florand (La Vie en Roses #1): Grab this book on Amazon

🔗 For even more farmer romance recs, visit the blog post:

https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/farmer-romance-books/

🔍 Want access to our Book Release Database and exclusive bonus content? Become a paid Substack member and unlock the Book Vault: https://www.underthecoverscommunity.com/p/book-vault

✨ If you loved this episode, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review! It helps more romance readers find us, and I always love hearing what books you’re excited about. See you next time! 💕

These notes contain affiliate links. That means we receive a small commission at no cost to you from any purchases you make through these links.

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Ready to complete the Blooming Acres Farm prompt in Romanceopoly 2025? In this episode of Reading Under the Covers, I’m sharing 5 cowboy and farmer romance books that bring big rural romance energy — from soft grumpy farmers to tattooed cowboys and even a chaotic alien rancher.

These books are perfect for anyone looking to check off the farm square with something emotionally satisfying (or totally unhinged in the best way). I’m also including a retro 1980s cowboy romance that ties into my new Once Upon a Genre series on Substack — a decade-by-decade look at how romance has evolved.

📚 BOOKS MENTIONED:

• Nuts by Alice Clayton
• Branded as Trouble by Lorelei James
• A Thorn in the Saddle by Rebekah Weatherspoon
• Married to an Alien Cowboy by Ursa Dax
• Tender is the Storm by Johanna Lindsey

🧭 Learn more about the Romanceopoly reading challenge

Want more farmer romances? Click here

Want a deep dive into the evolution of the romance genre? Start from the beginning! The 1970's birth of modern romance

✨ If you loved this episode, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review! It helps more romance readers find us, and I always love hearing what books you’re excited about. See you next time! 💕

These notes contain affiliate links. That means we receive a small commission at no cost to you from any purchases you make through these links.

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Email: Send your inquiries and feedback to...

The alpha hero didn’t start in the 1980s… but that’s where he became a formula. In this episode of Reading Under the Covers, we’re going back to the era of power suits, jet-setting billionaires, emotionally constipated cowboys, and heroines who took no nonsense.

Let’s break down:

• What made the 1980s alpha hero so unforgettable
• How category romance (Harlequin, Silhouette, Loveswept) dominated the spinner racks
• The rise of power couple dynamics: boss/secretary, arranged marriages, and age-gap drama
• The legacy of editor Vivian Stephens and the launch of Loveswept
• The evolution of the alpha — from the ‘90s to today's cinnamon roll heroes

✨ This episode is part of my Substack series, Once Upon a Genre.

We’re walking through the history of romance decade by decade.

Catch up on The 1970s: The Birth of Modern Romance, and subscribe to get this Friday’s 1980s deep dive.

• Whitney, My Love by Judith McNaught
• The Boss’s Virgin by Charlotte Lamb
• Tempest in Eden by Sandra Brown
• Breakfast in Bed by Sandra Brown
• Calhoun by Diana Palmer
• Tender is the Storm by Johanna Lindsey

🎧 Don’t forget to follow the podcast, leave a rating if you’re enjoying the series, and let me know:

Do you still love the alpha hero? Or are you more into the soft, supportive cinnamon rolls of today?

Happy reading — and see you under the covers. 💖

✨ If you loved this episode, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review! It helps more romance readers find us, and I always love hearing what books you’re excited about. See you next time! 💕

These notes contain affiliate links. That means we receive a small commission at no cost to you from any purchases you make through these links.

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