Movie Episodes

My favorite costume dramas of last year are back with sophomore seasons, and they're the slowest of slowburns. Will Charlotte get over the loss of Sidney and finally find someone in Sanditon who appreciates her? Will Anthony Bridgerton marry for love or family? I've thrown in one of my favorite slowburn screen romances, inspired by the love of poet John Keats for artist Fanny Brawne. This is slow but incendiary love — the opposite of instalove, but sexy and romantic all the same. (CW: film clip...

I'm really starting to feel that cultural and romantic invisibility cloak that covers women of a certain age. Luckily, there are a few aspirational, sometimes inspiring TV shows and movies that feature people over the age of 40 romancing each other and getting it on — even if it seems that you need to have a beautiful face, well-placed wrinkles and a near-perfect body to deserve the same.
CW: talk of anti-body positivity and toxic Hollywood and cultural beauty standards.

A distilled, potent, curated, intensely romantic relationship might not always be possible in life, but it's certainly a staple of classic and modern romantic stories. The exquisite romances in today's episode happen through love letters, physical disguise, and boyfriends for the night--or the moment. They're sexy, passionate and all about the heart's deepest desires that emerge only when love is in disguise.

This former literary snob confesses that — at least right now — I prefer watching Austen to reading Austen. I need streamlined, quick banter, a snappy pace. Luckily, there are a ton of adaptations, retellings and inspired by Austen books and films to last quite a while. Vanessa King, author of A Certain Appeal, the Pride and Prejudice-inspired story set at a New York burlesque club, stops by to talk about why she decided to modernize Austen. And listener Mariah joins me to explore the 2005 Pride and Prejudice with its subtle updates to the classic story. Grab a cozy throw and pull up a chair. How do you take your tea?

The lessons keep on coming! In this final episode in my miniseries on what I've learned from romance, I encounter...monster erotica. I'm tardy to the party, so giggle along with me as I explore my "first-won't-be-last" monster fucking romance, and listen to an excerpt from an erotic monster story--full of tentacle sex--by guest author VB Beringer.

My year of reading romances has modeled so many good things for me, especially stories with the family of choice trope. We're not all lucky enough to be raised in an emotionally healthy family, so reading about how loving, supportive people show up for the people they care about can be a healing experience. https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.com Lauren is a fellow member of the Heaving Bosoms podcast Facebook page, and we share a love of many of the same romances. She was so much fun to ta...

'Tis the season for my much-loved, annual classic holiday movie marathon. For me, film is richer in B&W, and you can't beat classic holiday movies for stirring inspirational monologues and heartwarming affection, love and romance. (CW: for a few mentions of suicide). https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.com Music in this episode: Jazzy Bells by Dee Yan-Key is used courtesy of a Creative Commons license from the Free Music Archives. The sleigh bells sound effect is courtesy of a Creative Comm...

I've made some surprising discoveries about myself while reading romances this year. The wave of positivity, love, respect and acceptance for all sorts of fictional characters in these stories has encouraged me to love and accept myself, and even discover new aspects of my sexuality.

It's the Anglophile edition of the podcast, where I claim to "not be into royalty all that much," and then immediately prove myself wrong. Fake kingdoms in mountainous areas of Europe, fake royalty who always seem to speak with a British accent, commoners lifted from their humdrum, working-class lives as a metaphoric crown is placed on their heads: I might giggle uncontrollably over the contrivances, but I'll watch and read it all.

My current fantasy bedroom is full of steam & kink. I'm in the mood, people, so let's read-aloud from some of the hottest, kinkiest romances I've ever read! It's hard to find this level of heat, consent, care AND happy-ever-after on screen, but romance writers have got you covered.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Banter is the best kind of romantic conversation, full of wit and emotional tension, leaving clues for us about how the couple really feels about each other. The best banter strip teases for our brain. It's verbal foreplay for the hot action to come. It's all about the juicy, sexy romantic banter in this episode.

Some of my favorite romantic stories create intimate worlds where true, vulnerable, heartfelt things can be said--and done. Sometimes it takes half the story to get there, sometimes it takes most of the story, but it's always worth the wait for that magic moment when characters finally bare their hearts.

Unrequited love, "the timing's wrong" coupling, enemies to friends, friends to lovers, and then sometimes back to friends. What are these relationships about? Does chemistry even need a category? Some unforgettable romantic movies pin down that bittersweet, undeniable connection.

I've been having fun reading a ton of contemporary romances featuring buff young things getting it on. But it's time to get real: which means ageless love, with plenty of imperfection, wisdom and fun thrown in. It's romance full of humor, honesty, acceptance and kindness. The sexiest combo I know.

It's all about the alpha male today. Because he likes it that way, and dammit, makes me like it too. Plus, nobody ties a sexier Windsor knot than Jamie Dornan as Christian Grey. https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.com Is it hot in here? The official, and super steamy, Fifty Shades of Grey trailer. And then, it gets Fifty Shades Darker. Crazy Rich Asians trailer. The Romcomathon podcast episode on Crazy Rich Asians.