Sept. 9, 2021
Dear Darling: the Romance of Letters & Messages
There's nothing more intimate than a letter, card, text or message written for your eyes only. The epistolary novel has been popular for centuries, and romantic stories using this device can feel like the best kind of eavesdropping.
Aug. 26, 2021
The Sweet, Sexy Cinnamon Roll
The sweet, sexy romantic cinnamon roll: there's no better hero in all of Romancelandia. Let's explore this gooey hearted, tender fictional confection and why this character brings all the feels.
Aug. 12, 2021
Love in Unexpected Places: Her/City of Angels/ Tangled Wires
Intimacy and love can be found in the most unexpected places. In sci-fi and fantasy-tinged romance, that means online, offline, synthetic or organic, from a lab, with creatures on earth or heaven above. Open hearts find love everywhere.
July 29, 2021
Bodyguard Romance: The Bodyguard/Girl Gone Viral/Dangerous Beauty
Sometimes all I want in this world is strong arms around me, someone who has my back, and a soft place to fall. That's when I pull out a good bodyguard romance. Nothing in the world makes me feel safer than these stories. They've got me dreaming of an avenger, a 24/7 personal protection officer of my very own.
July 15, 2021
Romantic Capers: Murder Mystery/The Lovebirds/Date Night
There's nothing like the bubbly fun, clever banter and twisty plots of a romantic caper movie*. It's just the thing when you crave romance and sexy flirting in beautiful settings, plus a dash of gentle mystery and mild suspense. *Episode contains spoilers. Lots.
July 1, 2021
Romantic Recycling: When Harry Met Sally/Groundhog Day
Many contemporary romances are based on, or inspired by, rom-com movies. Turns out recycling romance is good for the narrative arc--and heart as well.
June 17, 2021
The Romance of Rock
Music romances and seduces listeners, sometimes gently and sometimes with a rough, dirty, driving, relentless hot beat. That kind of romance rocks, and its rockstars are sex on legs.
June 3, 2021
Sex Positivity: Easy/The Overnight/The Intimacy Experiment
I crave more sex- and age-positivity, a wider range of human sexuality and relationship, in the romantic TV shows and movies that I watch now. Romance novels have always done a great job at representing shame-free sexuality, desire, and fantasy. But the Netflix series Easy and the movie The Overnight also get it right.
May 20, 2021
Sporty Romance
Romances about people at the height of their physical prowess in pro sports finding love with a partner who matches their wit and talents is a bit unfair to us mere mortals. But I'll live vicariously through these stories all day long.
May 6, 2021
Romantic Belonging
Found family, partners, true-blue friends: it's all about the groups of people who claim us, warm our hearts, and have our backs no matter what, who help us feel that we belong.