Shelf Love Podcast
@shelflove.bsky.social
A podcast & Substack about romance novels, and how they reflect, explore, challenge, and shape desire. Host: Andrea Martucci (she/her) #romancebks #romancereader
https://linktr.ee/shelflovepodcast
https://linktr.ee/shelflovepodcast
The benefit of not being by financially tied to the romance industry is that I will absolutely say something when I see something. #romancelandia
This is about the 831 Stories puff piece in the NYT. (I should have known better.) Several romance scholars were interviewed (myself included)…not that you could tell, given the complete lack of substance.
Hrm, wonder why this was left out? Maybe because it doesn’t align with 831’s narrative?
Hrm, wonder why this was left out? Maybe because it doesn’t align with 831’s narrative?
November 13, 2025 at 11:54 PM
The benefit of not being by financially tied to the romance industry is that I will absolutely say something when I see something. #romancelandia
I don’t think I’ll do interviews about romance with “journalists” anymore.
The same boring shit about romance gets published over and over because any viewpoint that doesn’t validate the romance stereotype or “romance is different now and bigger than ever!” narrative is excluded. #romancelandia
The same boring shit about romance gets published over and over because any viewpoint that doesn’t validate the romance stereotype or “romance is different now and bigger than ever!” narrative is excluded. #romancelandia
November 13, 2025 at 10:43 PM
I don’t think I’ll do interviews about romance with “journalists” anymore.
The same boring shit about romance gets published over and over because any viewpoint that doesn’t validate the romance stereotype or “romance is different now and bigger than ever!” narrative is excluded. #romancelandia
The same boring shit about romance gets published over and over because any viewpoint that doesn’t validate the romance stereotype or “romance is different now and bigger than ever!” narrative is excluded. #romancelandia
Reposted by Shelf Love Podcast
This call may be of interest to our readers!
Come and study with me! Call for doctoral proposals in the field of Romance and/or Erotica at Falmouth University: www.falmouth.ac.uk/research/phd...
Romance and/or Erotica
This Research & Knowledge Exchange Doctoral Project brief summarises our priority areas of research interest under the heading of: Romance and/or Erotica
www.falmouth.ac.uk
November 7, 2025 at 9:05 PM
This call may be of interest to our readers!
Sooo fanfic phenomenon "Manacled" by SenLinYu was transformed into a trad pub book: "Alchemised." Join @fangirljeanne.bsky.social & I for a critical discussion on the ramifications of turning #fanfic into published romantasy.
shelflovepodcast.com/episodes/sea...
#romancelandia #romancebks
shelflovepodcast.com/episodes/sea...
#romancelandia #romancebks
Alchemised: Capitalizing Fanfic | Shelf Love Podcast
Fangirl Jeanne, fanfic elder, is back to revisit the fan fiction formerly known as “Manacled,” now traditionally published as “Alchemised” by SenLinYu. Three years after our initial discussion about M...
shelflovepodcast.com
November 4, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Sooo fanfic phenomenon "Manacled" by SenLinYu was transformed into a trad pub book: "Alchemised." Join @fangirljeanne.bsky.social & I for a critical discussion on the ramifications of turning #fanfic into published romantasy.
shelflovepodcast.com/episodes/sea...
#romancelandia #romancebks
shelflovepodcast.com/episodes/sea...
#romancelandia #romancebks
Reposted by Shelf Love Podcast
Well that’s a nice wake up surprise! This piece I wrote for @zocalopublicsquare.bsky.social is a finalist for a Los Angeles Press Club National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Award! www.zocalopublicsquare.org/romance-genr...
Happily Ever After Is for Everyone | Essay
The romance genre has a single set-in-stone rule: The main characters of the story will end up happily in a relationship. The HEA (Happily Ever After) or the HFN (Happy for Now) is the expectation of ...
www.zocalopublicsquare.org
November 4, 2025 at 11:47 AM
Well that’s a nice wake up surprise! This piece I wrote for @zocalopublicsquare.bsky.social is a finalist for a Los Angeles Press Club National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Award! www.zocalopublicsquare.org/romance-genr...
Oh no, now @smutreport.com put zombies removing appendages to facilitate creative intimate moments into my brain…. And the only part I hate is that I WILL be thinking about it.
overcast.fm/+ABBEh76UzvA
overcast.fm/+ABBEh76UzvA
Monster Mash Redux — The Smut Report Podcast
We’re revisiting Monster Romance (read about the first time we did so here [https://smutreport.com/monster-mash-smashdown/])! Buddy reads: Maneater by Emily Antoinette [https://amzn.to/4oPD6Kx] Ready ...
overcast.fm
November 3, 2025 at 10:06 PM
Oh no, now @smutreport.com put zombies removing appendages to facilitate creative intimate moments into my brain…. And the only part I hate is that I WILL be thinking about it.
overcast.fm/+ABBEh76UzvA
overcast.fm/+ABBEh76UzvA
Anyone work in book publishing PR who would be interested in doing an informational interview with a PR student I’m mentoring? She’s a romance reader!
She’s ready to hear the real story on what it’s like to work in the industry as she figures out her career path.
#romancelandia
She’s ready to hear the real story on what it’s like to work in the industry as she figures out her career path.
#romancelandia
October 22, 2025 at 11:55 PM
Anyone work in book publishing PR who would be interested in doing an informational interview with a PR student I’m mentoring? She’s a romance reader!
She’s ready to hear the real story on what it’s like to work in the industry as she figures out her career path.
#romancelandia
She’s ready to hear the real story on what it’s like to work in the industry as she figures out her career path.
#romancelandia
I find no pleasure in being right: the heroine absolutely can’t come to terms with him owning a BDSM sex club, but nothing about her characterization or behavior explains that stance.
And even worse: book ends with a cliffhanger and it’s like…4 books.
I am worse off having read this book.
And even worse: book ends with a cliffhanger and it’s like…4 books.
I am worse off having read this book.
I’m reading a romance that I’m pretty sure is just contemporary but I feel like some of the intense attraction and vagueness could only be explained by “he’s a secret vampire” or “she lost her memory and they used to be lovers!” But it’s probably just that his hotel is a bdsm club…
#romancelandia
#romancelandia
October 18, 2025 at 7:56 PM
I find no pleasure in being right: the heroine absolutely can’t come to terms with him owning a BDSM sex club, but nothing about her characterization or behavior explains that stance.
And even worse: book ends with a cliffhanger and it’s like…4 books.
I am worse off having read this book.
And even worse: book ends with a cliffhanger and it’s like…4 books.
I am worse off having read this book.
I’m reading a romance that I’m pretty sure is just contemporary but I feel like some of the intense attraction and vagueness could only be explained by “he’s a secret vampire” or “she lost her memory and they used to be lovers!” But it’s probably just that his hotel is a bdsm club…
#romancelandia
#romancelandia
October 18, 2025 at 5:02 PM
I’m reading a romance that I’m pretty sure is just contemporary but I feel like some of the intense attraction and vagueness could only be explained by “he’s a secret vampire” or “she lost her memory and they used to be lovers!” But it’s probably just that his hotel is a bdsm club…
#romancelandia
#romancelandia
Reposted by Shelf Love Podcast
There's still time! JPRS is still accepting reviews of recent YA scholarship for our special issue on YA series romance. See our Padlet for more details: padlet.com/bookreviews/...
#RomanceResearch @jprstudies.bsky.social @iaspr.bsky.social
#RomanceResearch @jprstudies.bsky.social @iaspr.bsky.social
October 15, 2025 at 11:35 AM
There's still time! JPRS is still accepting reviews of recent YA scholarship for our special issue on YA series romance. See our Padlet for more details: padlet.com/bookreviews/...
#RomanceResearch @jprstudies.bsky.social @iaspr.bsky.social
#RomanceResearch @jprstudies.bsky.social @iaspr.bsky.social
Reposted by Shelf Love Podcast
Ooh, really like the idea of the neo-Gothic in here.
How has Lisa Kleypas ret-conned her characters for modern readers, or the idea of what modern readers want? Tehyah Carver shares revisions made to Kleypas's Wallflower series and the project of rehabilitating villains like Sebastian St. Vincent. #romancebks
shelflovepodcast.com/episodes/sea...
shelflovepodcast.com/episodes/sea...
October 15, 2025 at 12:03 AM
Ooh, really like the idea of the neo-Gothic in here.
How has Lisa Kleypas ret-conned her characters for modern readers, or the idea of what modern readers want? Tehyah Carver shares revisions made to Kleypas's Wallflower series and the project of rehabilitating villains like Sebastian St. Vincent. #romancebks
shelflovepodcast.com/episodes/sea...
shelflovepodcast.com/episodes/sea...
October 14, 2025 at 5:05 PM
How has Lisa Kleypas ret-conned her characters for modern readers, or the idea of what modern readers want? Tehyah Carver shares revisions made to Kleypas's Wallflower series and the project of rehabilitating villains like Sebastian St. Vincent. #romancebks
shelflovepodcast.com/episodes/sea...
shelflovepodcast.com/episodes/sea...
Me, whenever I see someone claiming romance novels in general are rotting brains/suspect/a problem/addictive because of the (too much) sex:
#Romancebks
shelflovepodcast.substack.com/p/why-did-li...
#Romancebks
shelflovepodcast.substack.com/p/why-did-li...
October 13, 2025 at 11:27 PM
Me, whenever I see someone claiming romance novels in general are rotting brains/suspect/a problem/addictive because of the (too much) sex:
#Romancebks
shelflovepodcast.substack.com/p/why-did-li...
#Romancebks
shelflovepodcast.substack.com/p/why-did-li...
I really wish more people would cite their sources. Either there is none, it’s not a credible source, or the conclusion has been misrepresented like, 90% of the time.
This is true in general, but as I am ostensibly a romance podcaster/essayist/scholar, I specifically mean in romance discourse.
This is true in general, but as I am ostensibly a romance podcaster/essayist/scholar, I specifically mean in romance discourse.
October 12, 2025 at 12:55 AM
I really wish more people would cite their sources. Either there is none, it’s not a credible source, or the conclusion has been misrepresented like, 90% of the time.
This is true in general, but as I am ostensibly a romance podcaster/essayist/scholar, I specifically mean in romance discourse.
This is true in general, but as I am ostensibly a romance podcaster/essayist/scholar, I specifically mean in romance discourse.
Can’t help thinking about how the Swift-E disk horse is so similar to romance disk horse around problematic favorite authors and books.
You can like something AND acknowledge its issues…
People who criticize something you like aren’t HURTING YOU.
Just saying.
#romancelandia
You can like something AND acknowledge its issues…
People who criticize something you like aren’t HURTING YOU.
Just saying.
#romancelandia
October 9, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Can’t help thinking about how the Swift-E disk horse is so similar to romance disk horse around problematic favorite authors and books.
You can like something AND acknowledge its issues…
People who criticize something you like aren’t HURTING YOU.
Just saying.
#romancelandia
You can like something AND acknowledge its issues…
People who criticize something you like aren’t HURTING YOU.
Just saying.
#romancelandia
What a magical night in a London speakeasy!
Throwback pics to when by chance we were in London at the same time and I met @shelflove.bsky.social in person. 🫶🏾
October 3, 2025 at 3:04 PM
What a magical night in a London speakeasy!
Reposted by Shelf Love Podcast
@shelflove.bsky.social tricked me into listening to philosophy and ENJOYING it. Pretty fucked if you ask me! Anyway, I’m 2/3 through Andrea & Jodie’s extremely ~exploratory~ episode: DOMINATE YOUR DESIRE (below) and it’s really good. Recommend it strongly. Would cannibalize again!
Have you dominated your desires into submission yet & figured out how to only fantasize about the things that align with your values? Me neither.
Join me & Jodie Slaughter as we discuss navigating romance community in the personal panopticon of late-stage capitalism.
#romancebks #romancereader
Join me & Jodie Slaughter as we discuss navigating romance community in the personal panopticon of late-stage capitalism.
#romancebks #romancereader
October 2, 2025 at 4:29 PM
@shelflove.bsky.social tricked me into listening to philosophy and ENJOYING it. Pretty fucked if you ask me! Anyway, I’m 2/3 through Andrea & Jodie’s extremely ~exploratory~ episode: DOMINATE YOUR DESIRE (below) and it’s really good. Recommend it strongly. Would cannibalize again!
Why are people drawn to scary media?
Do romance readers like dark romance and bodice rippers because they're morbidly curious!?
@morbidpsych.bsky.social shares his research on horror fans & insights from his new book, Morbidly Curious!
#romancebks #horror
shelflovepodcast.com/episodes/sea...
Do romance readers like dark romance and bodice rippers because they're morbidly curious!?
@morbidpsych.bsky.social shares his research on horror fans & insights from his new book, Morbidly Curious!
#romancebks #horror
shelflovepodcast.com/episodes/sea...
Morbid Curiosity Meets Romance with Dr. Coltan Scrivner | Shelf Love Podcast
Are readers of dark romance or bodice rippers more morbidly curious than those who read sweet romcoms? Is the allure of horror and scary romance similar. Dr. Coltan Scrivner joins Shelf Love to discus...
shelflovepodcast.com
September 30, 2025 at 6:49 PM
Why are people drawn to scary media?
Do romance readers like dark romance and bodice rippers because they're morbidly curious!?
@morbidpsych.bsky.social shares his research on horror fans & insights from his new book, Morbidly Curious!
#romancebks #horror
shelflovepodcast.com/episodes/sea...
Do romance readers like dark romance and bodice rippers because they're morbidly curious!?
@morbidpsych.bsky.social shares his research on horror fans & insights from his new book, Morbidly Curious!
#romancebks #horror
shelflovepodcast.com/episodes/sea...
Is it true that 1 in 5 adult fiction print book sales are romance novels? Sure! But let’s put that into perspective… #romancebks
open.substack.com/pub/shelflov...
open.substack.com/pub/shelflov...
Putting Romance Book Sales Data in Perspective
Is it true that 1 in 5 fiction books sold are romance?
open.substack.com
September 28, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Is it true that 1 in 5 adult fiction print book sales are romance novels? Sure! But let’s put that into perspective… #romancebks
open.substack.com/pub/shelflov...
open.substack.com/pub/shelflov...
No matter how much money romance books net for publishers, it’s a drop in the bucket of what the entire corporate parent makes.
They will easily drop imprints with any sexual or “deviant” content so fast & double their investment in political memoirs, tradwife cookbooks & religious books.
They will easily drop imprints with any sexual or “deviant” content so fast & double their investment in political memoirs, tradwife cookbooks & religious books.
Publishing is a capitalist enterprise. Don’t forget it. It’s not a bastion of creativity and art that is exempt from the same exploitative and biased systemic forces that drive capitalism writ large.
The dynamics are amplified bc it’s not just about profit: it’s about what (& who) gets a platform.
The dynamics are amplified bc it’s not just about profit: it’s about what (& who) gets a platform.
September 28, 2025 at 3:54 PM
No matter how much money romance books net for publishers, it’s a drop in the bucket of what the entire corporate parent makes.
They will easily drop imprints with any sexual or “deviant” content so fast & double their investment in political memoirs, tradwife cookbooks & religious books.
They will easily drop imprints with any sexual or “deviant” content so fast & double their investment in political memoirs, tradwife cookbooks & religious books.
Publishing is a capitalist enterprise. Don’t forget it. It’s not a bastion of creativity and art that is exempt from the same exploitative and biased systemic forces that drive capitalism writ large.
The dynamics are amplified bc it’s not just about profit: it’s about what (& who) gets a platform.
The dynamics are amplified bc it’s not just about profit: it’s about what (& who) gets a platform.
September 28, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Publishing is a capitalist enterprise. Don’t forget it. It’s not a bastion of creativity and art that is exempt from the same exploitative and biased systemic forces that drive capitalism writ large.
The dynamics are amplified bc it’s not just about profit: it’s about what (& who) gets a platform.
The dynamics are amplified bc it’s not just about profit: it’s about what (& who) gets a platform.
Don’t be like the author who emailed their media outreach template to me without filling out the fill-in the blank sections.
I understand the need to templatize outreach but I’ve only ever invited people to come on the podcast when the email was so specific it was ACTUALLY personalized.
#romancebks
I understand the need to templatize outreach but I’ve only ever invited people to come on the podcast when the email was so specific it was ACTUALLY personalized.
#romancebks
September 26, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Don’t be like the author who emailed their media outreach template to me without filling out the fill-in the blank sections.
I understand the need to templatize outreach but I’ve only ever invited people to come on the podcast when the email was so specific it was ACTUALLY personalized.
#romancebks
I understand the need to templatize outreach but I’ve only ever invited people to come on the podcast when the email was so specific it was ACTUALLY personalized.
#romancebks
Have you dominated your desires into submission yet & figured out how to only fantasize about the things that align with your values? Me neither.
Join me & Jodie Slaughter as we discuss navigating romance community in the personal panopticon of late-stage capitalism.
#romancebks #romancereader
Join me & Jodie Slaughter as we discuss navigating romance community in the personal panopticon of late-stage capitalism.
#romancebks #romancereader
September 24, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Have you dominated your desires into submission yet & figured out how to only fantasize about the things that align with your values? Me neither.
Join me & Jodie Slaughter as we discuss navigating romance community in the personal panopticon of late-stage capitalism.
#romancebks #romancereader
Join me & Jodie Slaughter as we discuss navigating romance community in the personal panopticon of late-stage capitalism.
#romancebks #romancereader
Does anyone have any recommendations for romance novels that include a high school reunion? I was hit by nostalgia when I realized I missed my 20th. (Ok I wasn’t going to go even if I knew about it before hand…)
September 23, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Does anyone have any recommendations for romance novels that include a high school reunion? I was hit by nostalgia when I realized I missed my 20th. (Ok I wasn’t going to go even if I knew about it before hand…)
Reposted by Shelf Love Podcast
#Romamcelandia #BlackRomance #SmallTownRomamce
Need a quick read this weekend? "Omar & Cherie Finally get Married" is in Kindle Unlimited. Check out this sweet, sassy, and sexy novella. 🫶🏾
www.amazon.in/Omar-Cherie-...
#BlackRomance #OlderCouple
Need a quick read this weekend? "Omar & Cherie Finally get Married" is in Kindle Unlimited. Check out this sweet, sassy, and sexy novella. 🫶🏾
www.amazon.in/Omar-Cherie-...
#BlackRomance #OlderCouple
September 19, 2025 at 11:11 PM
#Romamcelandia #BlackRomance #SmallTownRomamce
Need a quick read this weekend? "Omar & Cherie Finally get Married" is in Kindle Unlimited. Check out this sweet, sassy, and sexy novella. 🫶🏾
www.amazon.in/Omar-Cherie-...
#BlackRomance #OlderCouple
Need a quick read this weekend? "Omar & Cherie Finally get Married" is in Kindle Unlimited. Check out this sweet, sassy, and sexy novella. 🫶🏾
www.amazon.in/Omar-Cherie-...
#BlackRomance #OlderCouple