Episodes
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Romantic Banter
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.
The Romance Spectrum: The Kiss Quotient/The Bride Test/Doc Martin
Human beings exist on a spectrum of diversity and differences, and romances that reflect that are touching my heart lately. The widest range of life experiences represented in stories can only be a good thing. Being seen and accepted, not treated as an exception, is inspiring. It's all part of the flow of life.
Intimate Worlds: You've Got Mail/Love Lettering
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.
Romantic Longing: 500 Days of Summer/La La Land
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.
Choose Your Own Trope Adventure
Most romance makes me feel warm, optimistic and hopeful. But sometimes hot and kinky is what you need. A touch of BDSM. Sex with an alien. The wild fantasies of some contemporary romances practically catch fire on the page. And sometimes non-fancy hot sex with good communication and a considerate fictional character who appeals to you does the trick. It's risk-free, shame-free pretend in this episode, in any flavor you want. Vanilla? I'm here to support it all.
Love, Sex and Romance - After 40 Edition
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.
Tardy to the Alpha Party: Fifty Shades/Crazy Rich Asians
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...
The New Ton: Bridgerton & Sanditon
Who knew that Empire-waist dresses, waistcoats, cravats and women discovering their own power could be so sexy? Well, fans of Regency romance know. It's all about the debs and the Dukes in this episode. These two shows are t...
The Comfort of Corny Romance
Nothing wrong with indulging in slightly corny and comforting romantic movies. I talk about a bunch of my favorites in this episode, chock full of cheese (the tasty romantic kind). https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.com...
A Cozy, Humorous Holiday: Little Women/The Family Stone
The March and Stone families give us the cozy, faithful and often funny holiday we all need this year. https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.com Trailers: Little Women (1933) Little Women (1949) Little Women (1994) Little ...
Grand Romantic Gestures & the Little Things
This episode is about one of my favorite romantic tropes of all time: the grand--or small but meaningful--romantic gesture. https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.com Stream NBC's Lipstick Jungle here The Age of Innocence t...
Tale of Woe: the Heartbreak and Happiness of Jane Eyre
In this episode I talk about one of the best filmed versions of the classic novel Jane Eyre: the 2011 romantic movie with Michael Fassbender and Mia Wasikowska. In my humble opinion, ahem. https://www.confessionsofaclosetroma...
Chilly, Twisted Love: Rebecca
In this episode, I talk about the classic romantic suspense novel Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier and the sexy 2020 Netflix adaptation. https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.com <p>The full Alfred Hitchcock version of Rebecca...
Can't Stop Extra: the Gutsy Rom-Com The Duchess
In this episode, I talk about the hilarious, often crude new Netflix rom-com series The Duchess starring comedian/actress/writer Katherine Ryan. https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.com <p>A lot of the material for The Du...
Come for the Suspense, Stay for the Romance: Death Comes to Pemberley & The Scapegoat
https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.com Death Comes to Pemberley trailer . Anna Maxwell Martin is one of my favorite Elizabeths, too. It's based on a book by P.D. James The Scapegoat trailer The Scapegoat book by Daphne...
Slightly Scary Romance: The Woman in White
In this episode I talk about the visually stunning 2018 miniseries The Woman in White, a creepy romantic mystery perfect for Halloween. http://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.com Where to stream The Woman in White 2018 WiW m...
Romantic Rewinds and Binges: Outlander/A Discovery of Witches
In this episode I talk about my latest binges and obsessive romance rewinds, Outlander and A Discovery of Witches, and try to answer the question: am I going nuts? http://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.com Outlander S1 trai...
Can't Stop Extra: Unrequited Love, Sherlock Style
In this extra episode, I talk about one of my favorite tiny romantic moments in the clever detective drama Sherlock. https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.com The Christmas Scene (tag says "dearest Sherlock" not "Merry Chr...
All the Words Romance/Before Sunrise, Before Sunset & Destination Wedding
In this episode, I talk about some of the wordiest rom coms ever, and why I can't get enough of these romances. Show notes at: http://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.com This clip from Destination Wedding is the scene just p...