Nikki and Meg dig into Voicemails for Isabelle and its 2023 cousin Love Again — two films built on the same bones: someone’s dead loved one’s number gets reassigned, a total stranger becomes an accidental witness to someone else’s rawest, most unguarded grief, and instead of doing the normal human thing (saying “wrong number, so sorry for your loss”), they just... keep listening.

Nikki and Meg discuss:

• The “anti-dating app” premise — no photo, no bio, no strategically fished fish pic, just someone’s unfiltered interior life, and why that’s simultaneously the most romantic and most deeply unhinged foundation a relationship can be built on
• Why staying silent is the real betrayal here — not the wrong number, not the listening, but the choosing not to say anything while your crush becomes increasingly based on surveillance
• The redemption math: what actually has to happen for “I’ve been secretly listening to your dead sister’s voicemails for weeks” to be forgivable, and why both movies kind of chicken out on making their heroes grovel enough for it
• Sister acts, San Francisco food trucks, and why Wes might be the blandest man to ever accidentally fall in love with someone’s grief
• A grand unified theory of the wrong-number romance, tracing the DNA back through You’ve Got Mail, P.S. I Love You, and a stack of “we’ve been texting and I don’t know it’s actually you” books

If you’ve ever wanted to yell “just tell her!” at your television, this is the episode for you.

"The core romantic fantasy of this is you fall for the person before you even see their face — you're falling in love with the inner person, the unguarded you, the one that comes out when no one else is watching." — Nikki

"I witness your mess, and it doesn't turn me away." — Meg

"If you're worried about losing them when you tell them the truth, you've got bigger issues, my dude." — Nikki

Media Mentioned

Films

• Voicemails for Isabelle (Netflix) — Zoey Deutch, Nick Robinson
• Love Again (2023) — Priyanka Chopra, Sam Heughan; remake of a German film based on a novel by Sophie Kramer
• Set It Up — Zoey Deutch, Glen Powell (referenced as an earlier FDSM episode)
• You’ve Got Mail
• P.S. I Love You
• Practical Magic (+ upcoming Practical Magic 2)

Books

• Top Secret by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy
• Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade
• Queer Ways to Fall in Love series by Jax Caldner
• P.S. I Hate You by Lauren Connelly

This week’s ships:

• Top Secret by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy
• Mac’s Horribly Hellacious Ghost Town by AJ Sherwood (final book in the Mac’s Marvelous Manifestation series)
• First book in series: Brandon’s Very Merry Haunted Christmas
• Full series reading order

Nikki and Meg finally tackle the grumpy sunshine archetype after 115 episodes of somehow avoiding it, breaking down why it works, where it curdles into “just an asshole,” and why the small crack in the armour and shy smile is worth the whole build up.

Listen in for:

• Why “opposites attract” is too broad a label, and what actually separates grumpy sunshine from its cousins in the family tree (black cat/golden retriever gets its own dissection)
• The hard line between grumpy and cruel, and why a grump who punishes people for existing isn’t playing this trope anymore
• Fandom’s fingerprints all over this one, from Geralt and Jaskier to Bones and Kirk to a Zootopia fic (?) Nikki wishes she’d never gone looking for
• How the dynamic shifts (or stubbornly doesn’t) when the pairing goes queer, and the body-type stereotypes still doing a lot of quiet work underneath it

Books & Media Mentioned:

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

It Happened One Summer

A Deal with the Devil by Elizabeth Rourke

The Geek Who Saved Christmas by Annabeth Albert

Fae Quinn’s Christmas Daddy series

Peppermint Bark No Bite by Bailey Seaborn

What we’re shipping:

The Governess Affair by Courtney Milan (start of the Brothers Sinister series)

Magpie by Lucy Lennox

Nikki and Meg are back with the next chapter of Rom-Coms Through the Ages, and this week’s entries are Grease (1978) and Annie Hall (1977).

Nikki and Meg discuss:

* Why Grease is ‘50s nostalgia dipped in ‘70s cynicism and how the candy colours and hand jive are doing a lot of heavy lifting over some genuinely dark material lurking underneath

* The Woody Allen of it all: how Annie Hall uses genuinely innovative filmmaking techniques (fourth-wall breaks, non-linear narrative, walk-and-talks) to dress up a script that is, and we quote, “a complete self-indulgent, navel-gazing piece of shit”

* The Pygmalion problem that connects Grease, Annie Hall, and My Fair Lady and why all three films named after women are actually about what men want those women to become

* Why Rizzo is the character Meg wanted to be at 14 and the character she actually is at 40-something (and why Sandy’s whole arc hits differently in retrospect)

If you’ve ever wondered why your favourite ‘90s rom-com feels so warm and alive by comparison, this episode is the origin story.

Books We Mention:

* Shadows Never Lie & Shadows Never Leave by Lark Taylor

* The Prince and the Player (The Prince Pact, Book 1) by Nora Phoenix

How You Can Support The Show

Share the show with a friend or loved one!

Rate, review, and subscribe on your podcast provider of choice

Discover your romance trope and get a custom play list at https://firstdatesandsoulmates.com/quiz/

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Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

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Get Meg’s Latest Book: https://amzn.to/4altuTv

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

This week they’re breaking down what actually makes the Game Changers series work and the emotional formula underneath the fandom.

What they get into:

* The “soft, squishy boy hiding behind a stoic fuckboy facade” formula and where else you’ll find it in the wild

* Secret relationship pressure cookers from competing NHL teams to the president’s Secret Service detail (yes, really)

* The rivals-not-enemies dynamic that hits differently than enemies to lovers

* The long-distance logistics that make every reunion explosive

The formula is rivals plus yearning plus impossible logistics plus one person who has no idea how to say the thing out loud. Meg and Nikki have a reading list for every single piece of it.

Books We Recommend:

Game Changers series (Heated Rivalry) by Rachel Reid

Him / Us by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy

Puckboys series by Eden Finley and Saxon James

Zero Hour series by Amy Nicole Walker

Love Logic series by K.M. Neuhold

Bedside Manner series by C.G. Macington

Dear Plant Daddy by Shenee Howard

The Worst Best Man by Kate Canterbury

Diving in Deep by K.A. Mitchell

Gravity by Tal Bauer

Secret Service by Tal Bauer

Saddles to Sunup by Emmy Sanders

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

PS I hate you by Lauren Connelly

Mistakes were made by Meryl Pilsner

Rookie Move by Sarina Bowen

How You Can Support The Show

Share the show with a friend or loved one!

Rate, review, and subscribe on your podcast provider of choice

Discover your romance trope and get a custom play list at https://firstdatesandsoulmates.com/quiz/

Follow Us On Social:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

Email us at firstdatesandsoulmatespod@gmail.com

Share the show with a friend or loved one!

Got a Little Extra Money to Spend?

Check out our sponsorship opportunities: https://firstdatesandsoulmates.com/sponsor/

Buy our official merch on TeePublic: http://tee.pub/lic/6TtnpmFagAk

Get Meg’s Latest Book: https://amzn.to/4altuTv

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

Get a paid subscription on Substack for one month or for many months!

Get full access to First Dates & Soulmates: Romance Podcast at firstdatesandsoulmates.substack.com/subscribe

Listen in for:

* What actually fills the space in a romance when sex isn’t the payoff, and why the genre’s deep interiority makes ace stories hit so hard

* The “problem to be solved” trope they’re both done with, and what separates a great ace romance from a lazy one

* Why ace and aspec characters stay nearly invisible in mainstream media, and what that did to a whole generation figuring themselves out

* Nikki gets real about identifying as ace, dating in a small town, and why these books feel like a promise that it’s possible

The queer love continues on this show forever and ever; Pride Month just gave it a spotlight. Press play, then come tell them how you read romance.

Our Ace/Aspec Recommendations:

* Upside Down by NR Walker

* His Quiet Agent by Ada Maria Soto

* Oceans That Swim by Casey Cox

* Inevitable by Briar Prescott

* Unconventional Hearts by Emmy Sanders

* Squared Away by Annabeth Albert

* Cupid Calling by Viano Oniomoh

* The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun

* Something Fabulous by Alexis Hall

* Something Extraordinary by Alexis Hall

* Finding You by E.M. Lindsey

* Here We Go Again by Alison Cochrun

* Role Playing by Cathy Yardley

* That Kind Of Guy by Talia Hibbert

* The Mistletoe Motive by Chloe Liese

* Our Bloody Pearl by D. N. Bryn

* The Cybernetic Tea Shop by Meredith Katz

* Set the Record Straight by Hannah Bonam-Young

Other Mentions:

Sex Lives of Superheroes by Diana McCallum

The Greening of Thaddeus Grey by Jay Hogan

This week’s episode is a double feature: Bottoms (2023) and Fire Island (2022), two queer comedies with 98% and 94% on Rotten Tomatoes respectively that somehow flew under the radar until now.

Both films skip the coming-out arc entirely. Both are messy, funny, and a little absurd. And both have something genuinely sharp to say about class, hierarchy, and what queer stories are actually allowed to be.

Nikki and Meg dig into:

* Why starting with “we’re already gay” changes everything about how these films work, and what it means that queer identity isn’t the transformation arc

* How both films use social hierarchy (popular cheerleaders, wealthy gay lawyers, and Nicholas Galitzine acting like a “whiny, whiny bitch” on crutches) to ask the same question Pride and Prejudice was asking in Regency England

* The Bottoms subversion: what happens when you take Fight Club, swap in lesbians, and accidentally build a feminist empowerment movement you didn’t mean to start

* Fire Island as a queer Pride and Prejudice retelling that earns its happy-for-now ending precisely because it refuses the heteronormative template for what a romantic ending has to look like

Books & Media We Mention:

Bottoms (2023), dir. Emma Seligman, written by Rachel Sennott and Emma Seligman

Fire Island (2022), dir. Andrew Ahn, written by Joel Kim Booster

Would Recommend: Real Stories From Businesses Worth Talking About, hosted by Nikki McKnight https://theopshop.biz/wouldrecommend

What' We’re Shipping This Week:

* When You Least Expect It by Haley Cass

* The Beast Who Bought Me by Leighton Green, Clemenza Family Series Book 1

How You Can Support The Show

Share the show with a friend or loved one!

Rate, review, and subscribe on your podcast provider of choice

Discover your romance trope and get a custom play list at https://firstdatesandsoulmates.com/quiz/

Follow Us On Social:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

Email us at firstdatesandsoulmatespod@gmail.com

Share the show with a friend or loved one!

Got a Little Extra Money to Spend?

Check out our sponsorship opportunities: https://firstdatesandsoulmates.com/sponsor/

Buy our official merch on TeePublic: http://tee.pub/lic/6TtnpmFagAk

Get Meg’s Latest Book: https://amzn.to/4altuTv

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

Get a paid subscription on Substack for one month or for many months!

Get full access to First Dates & Soulmates: Romance Podcast at firstdatesandsoulmates.substack.com/subscribe

Meg and Nikki dig in with Joanna on:

* Why Joanna set A Shore Thing in the 1880s specifically and what that decade was doing to the very concept of sexual identity

* Joanna on the Courtney Milan principle: not historically ordinary, historically extraordinary

* Meg’s hot take on queer romance series where every single character is queer, and yes, she went there

* How Joanna writes pronouns for a non-binary Regency character when the language literally didn’t exist yet

Learn more about Joanna at https://www.joannalowell.com/

Joanna's books we discussed:

* The Duke Undone, Joanna’s debut novel

* A Shore Thing, the story of a Victorian botanist & transmasc artist/bike shop owner

* A Rare Find, a standalone Regency sapphic romance

* What we're shipping this week:

* When Twilight Breaks by Sarah Sundin

* Shadows Never Lie (Shadow Duet, Book 1) by Lark Taylor

* Earthly Playing Field by Radhika Singh

* nvidiosa - Argentinian TV series by Carolina Aguirre

* Matias Half-Keyboard (accessibility tool mentioned by Joanna)

This episode is brought to you by Happily Ever Indie, the romance marketing education nobody else is teaching—how readers actually find books on Amazon, what makes the platform decide to show yours, and why so much common advice doesn’t lead to sales.

What she came back with was a full day of candid conversations with authors and audiobook narrators about the genre they love, and what they think the rest of the world is finally starting to catch up on.

What came out of those conversations:

* What it actually takes to produce a romance audiobook (hint: it’s not just someone sitting in a closet reading out loud, and the bloopers are apparently a whole genre unto themselves)

* The authors who think romance’s biggest rule-breaking opportunity isn’t the happy ending or the third act conflict - it’s the friend group

* How queer romance writers are using the genre to show queer people just having regular, messy, funny, loving lives, no tragedy required

* The craft debate about third act breakups, and the authors who won’t write them

Nikki also very much wants to host a panel at this event next year, and she'd like you to know that.

Our Ships:

* Under Southern Stars by Cari Blake

* Bound to You (Genesis Bonds Book 1) by Haze Lennox

Check out some of the authors & narrators Nikki talked to:

* Olivia Carter: https://www.instagram.com/authoroliviacarter/

* Amber Elwood: https://www.instagram.com/amberelwoodauthor/

* Amy Aislin: https://www.instagram.com/amyaislin/

* Charlie Novak: https://www.instagram.com/charlienwrites/

* Jacqueline Middleton: https://www.instagram.com/jaxmiddleton_author/

* Jessie Elwyn: https://www.instagram.com/jessie_elwyn/

* Zack R: https://www.instagram.com/zackr.vo/

* Kate Hawthorne: https://www.instagram.com/kate.hawthorne/

* Keira Andrews: https://www.instagram.com/keiraandrewsauthor/

* Marie Allen: https://www.instagram.com/marieallenauthor/

* N Slater: https://www.instagram.com/authornslater/

* Vinni George: https://www.instagram.com/vinnigeorgewrites/

* Matthew Dante: https://www.instagram.com/matthew_dante_author/

Two years. 108 episodes. Top 10 search rankings for some things that will never be repeated in polite company.

Nikki and Meg are celebrating the second anniversary of First Dates and Soulmates with a full retrospective, a reveal of the show’s new direction, some extremely revealing SEO data, and a genuinely sweet conversation about why they’re still doing this.

What’s in this anniversary episode:

* The new show positioning and why niching down in belief rather than audience changed everything about how the show feels to make

* The SEO breakdown that explains how a cuck chair became their number-one traffic keyword

* Why food p*rn is a legacy Nikki has to live with

* What year three looks like and a podcast strategy built around riding cultural moments without just chasing trends

Ships this Week:

* The Island by Briar Prescott

* The Best Men by Lauren Blakely and Sarina Bowen

All eight of our romance trope & archetype frameworks:

* The FAKING IT Framework: An 8-step acronym for evaluating fake dating romance — from the Falsehood that starts the premise to the Truth that ends it. Use it to figure out whether a fake dating book has earned its real feelings. Based on episode 47: Where Absurd Meets Heartfelt: Why We Love The Fake Dating Trope.

* The Second Chance Blueprint: A 7-element framework for the most emotionally demanding trope in romance. Second chance stories open in history, not hope — and this blueprint maps what has to be present for the reunion to land. Based on episode 97: Second Chance Romance: Why We Love Getting Back Together.

* The Friendship GAMBLE Framework A 6-step acronym for friends to lovers romance, built around the central argument: the friendship isn’t the premise, it’s the wager. Use it to evaluate whether a book has actually earned the leap. Based on episode 78:zz Friends to Lovers Explained: The Comfort, Chaos, and Chemistry.

* The Identity Disco Framework: A 5-stage framework for queer awakening romance, structured around a night out that changes everything. The Identity Disco is the internal awakening that happens any time someone realizes they don’t fit the heteronormative container they were handed — and it’s not a one-night event. Based on episode 56: “I’m Coming Out”: Queer Awakenings in Romance.

* Enemies to Lovers: 5 Types and How Each Earns Its Ending: A taxonomy of the most mislabeled trope in romance — distinguishing past conflict, misunderstanding, rivalry, class, and generational enmity, with victory conditions for each type. Based on episode 7: Trope Deep Dive: Enemies to Lovers.

Brooder, Predator, Protector, Monster: The Four Faces of the Vampire Romance Hero: A four-type taxonomy of the vampire romance hero, with a historical arc showing which archetype dominated in each cultural moment — and why. Every era gets the vampire it deserves. Based on episode 73: Love at First Bite: Vampires in Romance.

Terrifying Exterior, Devoted Interior: The Unexpected Job of Monster Romance A framework for reading monster romance built around the central argument: it’s not about the monster, it’s about the process of replacing inherited fear with direct observation. Includes four axes for evaluating any monster romance regardless of how weird it gets. Based on episode 75: Monster Romance & Lily Mayne’s Soul Eater & episode 93: Morning Glory Milking Farm

The Himbo Archetype: Romance’s Most Underestimated Hero A framework for the romance hero who arrives already open — no walls, no emotional withholding, no labor required to make him palatable. Includes how to distinguish the Himbo from the Meathead, the Golden Retriever, and the Cinnamon Roll, and why the archetype rose when it did. Based on episode 106: Himbos: Romance’s Most Radical Response to Toxic Masculinity.

Their verdict? An 8 out of 10 (Meg holds out for an 8.5) with some genuine craft praise and sharp criticism for where the final episodes lost the thread.

Listen in for:

* Why Meg thinks the Justin-as-musician swap was actually the right adaptation call

* Dean’s consent speech that every person on earth should have to watch

* Where the final two episodes lost the thread and what the show needed to deliver for Garrett that it didn’t

* The adaptation choice that replaced the blackmail plot and whether it lands with Bad Hockey Dad

* Music as a character: how the show used song to do what the book couldn’t

* The internet’s circumcision discourse, which was not on anyone’s bingo card

The full frontal was unexpected. The feelings were not.

Books:

* The Deal by Elle Kennedy

* Don’t Eat Your Human Boyfriend by Lily Mayne

* Rope Me Down by N. Slater

This week, they're breaking down the himbo: the handsome, kind, not-always-the-sharpest-tool-in-the-shed hero who may actually be the most politically interesting archetype in contemporary romance.

What you'll catch in this episode:

• Why the word "bimbo" was originally Italian slang for a man and the Oxford English Dictionary's 1929 definition that will make you throw something
• The three-trait framework that actually defines a himbo — and why cutting just one of them turns him into a meathead
• What the rise of the himbo says about collective reader exhaustion with alpha heroes, billionaires, and men who need fixing
• Why he gets to be big, strong, and protective with none of the control, aggression, or emotional withholding that usually comes packaged with that
• Why the himbo's lack of sexual hangups makes him the perfect vehicle for a queer awakening arc
• The twist nobody expects: sometimes the himbo isn't the one doing the rescuing — he's the one who needs to be saved
• A very unserious ranking of the "generational himbo," from Thor to Joey Tribbiani

Nikki and Meg make the case that the himbo isn't a silly trope! He's a cultural dispatch from a moment when readers are flat-out done doing the emotional labour of fixing men, even fictional ones.

The Framework, In Short: a himbo isn't just "big and dumb" — cut any one of these three traits and the archetype falls apart. He has to be (1) physically impressive, (2) not particularly book-smart, and (3) genuinely, actively a good person. Drop the third trait and you just have a meathead. It's that third trait that's load-bearing, and it's the reason he doesn't need the redemption arc that powers so much of the genre — he shows up with his heart already open, no cracking required.

Pull Quotes:

Nikki: "Bimbo is a portmanteau... it comes from the Italian bimbo, which is a masculine word, which means little boy... it started off as an Italian term referring to a man."

Nikki: "The Oxford English Dictionary first put the word bimbo into the dictionary in 1929, where the definition was simply: a woman. Bimbo equals a woman."

Nikki: "Physically impressive... not particularly book smart... but the third part — I think this is the key point of differentiation — they have to be genuinely, actively a good human. Because if you take out being a good person, you just have physically impressive and not very smart. He's just a meathead."

Nikki: "Himbos are not dangerous. They don't need to be fixed. They don't need to be redeemed. It's like he comes — he's like Ikea furniture in a way — he's almost preassembled. He is good as is."

Nikki: "This character is mapping onto reader exhaustion — the expectation that it's the woman's job to do the work of making men emotionally functional... it was showing up in fiction and life."

Meg: "Himbos don't really have a lot of internal conflict, and that's part of what we like about them... A lot of the conflict would be interpersonal with a himbo."

Nikki: "You cannot assume everybody around you is good... the himbo may also need to be the one that gets saved."

Nikki: "I get to enjoy the aesthetics of a masculinity that I personally enjoy... but I don't have to deal with the drama that usually comes with it."

Meg: "It's the ease of partnership — you don't have to crack them open... they come in loving you. You just need to retain the loyalty of a himbo. Don't hurt the himbos."

One more thing: stick around to the end for Nikki and Meg's (extremely unserious) attempt to rank the "generational himbo" — Thor post-Ragnarok, Jason Mendoza, Kronk, Joey Tribbiani, and Colin Bridgerton all make the case.

This episode developed the Himbo Archetype Framework — First Dates & Soulmates' guide to romance's most underestimated hero, including how to distinguish the Himbo from the Meathead, the Golden Retriever, and the Cinnamon Roll.

On the word's actual (surprising) origin:

Nikki: "Bimbo is a portmanteau... it comes from the Italian bimbo, which is a masculine word, which means little boy... it started off as an Italian term referring to a man."

On the Oxford English Dictionary's 1929 entry (the one that'll make people mad):

Nikki: "The Oxford English Dictionary first put the word bimbo into the dictionary in 1929, where the definition was simply: a woman. Bimbo equals a woman."

On the himbo's defining three traits:

Nikki: "Physically impressive... not particularly book smart... but the third part, I think this is the key point of differentiation: they have to be genuinely, actively a good human. Because if you take out being a good person, you just have physically impressive and not very smart. He's just a meathead."

On why he doesn't need to be "fixed" (the thesis of the episode):

Nikki: "Himbos are not dangerous. They don't need to be fixed. They don't need to be redeemed. It's like he comes, he's like Ikea furniture in a way — he's almost preassembled. He is good as is."

On reader exhaustion as the cultural driver:

Nikki: "This character is mapping onto reader exhaustion — the expectation that it's the woman's job to do the work of making men emotionally functional... it was showing up in fiction and life."

On where the tension actually comes from, since he's not withholding:

Meg: "Himbos don't really have a lot of internal conflict, and that's part of what we like about them... A lot of the conflict would be interpersonal with a himbo."

On the twist nobody expects — sometimes he needs saving:

Nikki: "I don't know if you've noticed, you cannot assume everybody around you is good or [kind] as much as you do... the himbo may also need to be the one that gets saved."

On what they each ship most:

Nikki: "I get to enjoy the aesthetics of a masculinity that I personally enjoy... but I don't have to deal with the drama that usually comes with it."

Meg: "It's the ease of partnership — you don't have to crack them open... they come in loving you. You just need to retain the loyalty of a himbo. Don't hurt the himbos."

The Himbo Book List:

* 10 Ways to Accidentally Fall in Love by Emmy Sanders

* An Unwitting Bargain by Grae Bryan

* Muscling Through by JL Merrow

* Whit by Cora Rose

* Himbo Hitman by Saxon James

* Mr Romance by Louisa Masters

* How to Flirt With a Hellhound by Shannon Mae

* Not All Himbos Wear Capes by C. Rochelle

* Time to Shine by Rachel Reid

* Irresponsible Puckboy by Eden Finley and Saxon James

* Jacked (Gymbos 1) by KM Neuhold

* The Barkeep and the Bro by AJ Truman

* Against A Wall by Cate C. Wells

* A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas

Our Ships this week:

* Charming Puckboy by Saxon James and Eden Finley

* Bedside Manor by C. G. Mason

She joins Nikki and Meg to make the case that erotica deserves the same craft and editorial standards as the romance novels you’re already staying up too late to finish.

* Why passive voice in a sex scene is basically a crime, and the actual editorial rules Bothered Stories enforces (RIP “member” and “Johnson”)

* The argument that a sex scene is exactly like an action set piece and why both get boring fast when they stop moving the story forward

* Why curation is the antidote to “infobesity” and why that matters more than ever now that AI is flooding the market with low-quality fiction

* Nikki’s official description of Bothered Stories as “a very well-written vibrator” and why Allison is here for it

If you’ve ever skipped a cringey sex scene and thought “someone should fix this,” this episode is for you.

Find Allison and Bothered Stories at https://www.botheredstories.com

Our Ships:

* Stick Around: A Punk as Puck Novel (Legends & Fury Book 1) by EM Lindsey

* After Hours on Milagro Street by Angelina M. Lopez

How You Can Support The Show

Share the show with a friend or loved one!

Rate, review, and subscribe on your podcast provider of choice

Discover your romance trope and get a custom play list at https://firstdatesandsoulmates.com/quiz/

Follow Us On Social:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

Email us at firstdatesandsoulmatespod@gmail.com

Share the show with a friend or loved one!

Got a Little Extra Money to Spend?

Check out our sponsorship opportunities: https://firstdatesandsoulmates.com/sponsor/

Buy our official merch on TeePublic: http://tee.pub/lic/6TtnpmFagAk

Get Meg’s Latest Book: https://amzn.to/4altuTv

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

Get a paid subscription on Substack for one month or for many months!

Get full access to First Dates & Soulmates: Romance Podcast at firstdatesandsoulmates.substack.com/subscribe

She has zero regrets.

What Nikki and Meg get into:

* Why The Apartment‘s CC Baxter is the golden retriever hero of 1960s Hollywood and how he holds up against every mediocre romantic lead they’ve covered so far

* The coercion hiding in plain sight in both films — and why the collapse of the Hays Code finally let directors put it on screen

* How My Fair Lady‘s makeover arc is the blueprint for every “she just needed to be improved to be worthy of love” story that came after, from Pretty Woman to She’s All That

* The George Bernard Shaw feminist origin story that the musical completely ignored, and the Rex Harrison lore that will make you feel deeply vindicated on Julie Andrews’ behalf

* Where Eliza Doolittle’s internal life went, and why the answer says everything about women’s agency in 1960s Hollywood

One of these films is a hidden gem worth watching immediately. The other one ends with a man asking for his slippers and calling it romance. We’ll let you figure out which is which.

Our Ships:

* Moderating Love by Jax Calder

* Silvercrest U Series by Willow Dixon, Book 1: Wicked Games

What Nikki and Meg get into:

* The abduction to fated mate pipeline and how it makes the kidnapper a good person?!

* The Little Mermaid parallels of interspecies communication and intimacy

* What space romance is actually reflecting back at readers about fear, uncertainty, and the need to be unconditionally chosen

* The quiet deconstruction of othering and the idea that the “bad guys” might not be who you were told to fear

It’s a genre that looks like big tall aliens and galactic warfare on the outside.

Inside? It’s a whole conversation about empathy, communication, found family, and building the world you actually want to live in.

Our Recs:

* Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon

* The Dark Space Trilogy by Lisa Henry

* Blind Space by Marie Sexton

* The Star Marked Warrior series by Sam Burns & WM Fawkes

* I’m Not Your Pet and You’re Not My King by Fae Quin

* Prison Planet series by Emmy Chandler

* Hold by Claire Kent

* Calluvia’s Royalty series by Alessandra Hazard

* Villains in Space series by C Rochelle

* How to Train your Human Omega by Arden Fox (Covered Bonds #1)

* The Reports of Silas Killian: Beleaguered Space Station Beat Cop by AJ Sherwood (free Patreon serial): https://www.patreon.com/ajsherwood

* Amy Padilla newsletter serial: https://authoramypadilla.com/

* Grave Sight (Cursed Arcana #1) by Sheena Jolie:

* Happily Ever Indie blog series by Meg (Bailey Seaborn): https://baileyseaborn.com/happily-ever-indie/

* Meg’s Threads: https://www.threads.com/@baileyseabornauthor

Returning guest Megan Flatt (writing as AJ Claremont) is back on the pod and they’re all getting into:

* Why constraint is the actual art form and what Megan had to cut to save the cat (RIP desk scene)

* What the “two hour read” category on Amazon actually is (and why it’s basically just ex-military, bikers, and mountain men)

* How killing your darlings hits different when you’re working in a compressed format (and what Megan had to sacrifice for book three)

* When novellas work best as a reader: book slumps, book hangovers, Christmas season, and the 45-minute palate cleanser

“A novella is like packing a carry-on — everything has to fit, and everything has to do double duty. There's no 'maybe I'll wear this dress.' Every single scene has to work harder." — Megan Flatt (AKA AJ Claremont)

Our ships this week:

* Megan: Two Wrongs Don’t Make a Playwright by Bailey Seaborn

* Meg: Where We End and Begin by Jane Igharo

* Nikki: It Started with a Text by Jax Calder

Our Ships:

• Two Wrongs Don’t Make a Playwright by Bailey Seaborn
• The Runaway Duchess by Joanna Lowell
• Hot Axe (Axeford Brothers Book 2) by May Archer

To mark the occasion, Nikki pulled together a set of YouTube clip compilations covering the top rewatched romance movie scenes, the greatest TV couples of the 2010s, and the best love confessions in pop culture.

Meg, in full form, has not seen most of them.

They cover everything from the Princess Bride (perfect) to Grease (iconic but those are not high schoolers) to the When Harry Met Sally love confession (the one).

There are strong opinions about who belongs on the list and who absolutely does not — 500 Days of Summer, we’re looking at you.

Along the way, Nikki and Meg also talk about why romance matters, why women are allowed to enjoy it loudly, and why a hundred episodes in, neither of them is done.

Our Ships:

* Parallel by L. O’Rourke: https://amzn.to/3NukfI7

* Under the Surface by N.R. Walker: https://amzn.to/40Zttz3

Videos We Watched:

Top 20 Most Rewatched Scenes in Romance Movies

Best Confessions of Love

Top 10 Greatest TV Couples of the Decade

How You Can Support The Show

Discover your romance trope and get a custom play list at https://firstdatesandsoulmates.com/quiz/

Follow Us On Social:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Email us at firstdatesandsoulmatespod@gmail.com

Share the show with a friend or loved one!

Got a Little Extra Money to Spend?

Buy our official merch on TeePublic: http://tee.pub/lic/6TtnpmFagAk

Get Meg’s Latest Book: https://amzn.to/4altuTv

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

Upgrade to a paid tier on Substack

Get full access to First Dates & Soulmates: Romance Podcast at firstdatesandsoulmates.substack.com/subscribe

This episode dives into:

* The pandemic romance-novel dreams about Chris Evans-type hometown reunions to a massive dual-timeline story that became the emotional center of the entire series

* Characters who are both SO right and SO wrong at the same time

* Why Meg refuses to let characters escape hard decisions with convenient cheating plots

* Chaos gremlin side characters doing their absolute best work

* Writing a dual-timeline, dual-POV story without losing your mind

The result is a romance about timing, growth, and the idea that once someone changes you, you’re never quite the same again.

Buy Two Wrongs Don’t Make a Playwright by Bailey Seaborn: https://amzn.to/4cOlNH5

Join the Bailey Seaborn mailing list here: https://baileyseaborn.com/

Follow Bailey on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/baileyseabornauthor/

How You Can Support The Show

Discover your romance trope and get a custom play list at https://firstdatesandsoulmates.com/quiz/

Follow Us On Social:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Email us at firstdatesandsoulmatespod@gmail.com

Share the show with a friend or loved one!

Got a Little Extra Money to Spend?

Buy our official merch on TeePublic: http://tee.pub/lic/6TtnpmFagAk

Get Meg’s Latest Book: https://amzn.to/4altuTv

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

Upgrade to a paid tier on Substack

Get full access to First Dates & Soulmates: Romance Podcast at firstdatesandsoulmates.substack.com/subscribe

This episode breaks down:

* Hidden identities and the “reinvent yourself in Manhattan” fantasy

* Small-town roots vs. big-city ambition

* The ethics of not mentioning you’re still married

* Whether the reunion is romantic… or just nostalgia with humidity

The real debate: is this a sweeping second chance romance or a woman shrinking herself back into an old version to make everyone comfortable?

Ships:

* Two Wrongs Don’t Make a Playwright by Bailey Seaborn: https://amzn.to/4cP6hdX

* Blue Balling the Demon by Callie Colby: https://amzn.to/3P7WF4h

* Wings & Whispers series by Calli Colby: https://amzn.to/41516zk

This is not just “they loved each other once.” This is:

* Why shared history creates instant emotional gravity

* The “we’ve already suffered” bonding mechanism

* The rupture: it cannot be something dumb like “miscommunication and vibes”

* Time apart: did they grow, or did they just get hotter and richer?

* What proof of change actually looks like

Because sometimes it’s romantic.

And sometimes it’s just texting your ex in 4K.

This episode developed the Second Chance Blueprint — First Dates & Soulmates' framework for second chance romance and the seven elements that have to be present for a reunion to earn itself.

Our favorite second chance novels:

* Two Wrongs Don’t Make a Playwright, Bailey Seaborn: https://amzn.to/4beU0wZ

* Again the Magic, Lisa Kleypas: https://amzn.to/4b9ixTY

* Love & Other Words, Christina Lauren: https://amzn.to/4bfnDOV

* The Ex Vows, Jessica Joyce: https://amzn.to/3Pn1bvC

* Repeat, Kylie Scott: https://amzn.to/4bfo6AF

* Hot for Slayer, Aly Hazelwood: https://amzn.to/4b8uvNH

* Before I Let Go, Kennedy Ryan: https://amzn.to/4b7O3lp

Movies discussed:

* The Notebook

* The Vow

* What’s Your Number?

Also discussed (not second chance):

* Saddle to Sunup, Emmy Sanders: https://amzn.to/3Ndv6po

Ships:

Faking It and Crashing Together by AJ Claremont: https://amzn.to/4ssGrB1

Doppelbanger by WH Lockwood: https://amzn.to/4uf1I2M

How You Can Support The Show

Discover your romance trope and get a custom play list at https://firstdatesandsoulmates.com/quiz/

Follow Us On Social:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Download your copy of the 2025 book bingo card at https://bit.ly/fdsmbingo

Email us at firstdatesandsoulmatespod@gmail.com

Share the show with a friend or loved one!

Got a Little Extra Money to Spend?

Buy our official merch on TeePublic: http://tee.pub/lic/6TtnpmFagAk

Get Meg’s Latest Book: Two Wrongs Don’t Make a Playwright: https://amzn.to/4beU0wZ

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

Upgrade to a paid tier on Substack

This episode breaks down:

* The longing and insane chemistry between characters

* The jail scene we deserved vs. the legal logistics we got

* Francesca’s grief arc and why Episode 7 quietly owns the season

* How this story’s Gossip Girl (aka Lady W) is setting up future intrigue

Overall: they stuck the landing. But we have thoughts.

Media we mentioned:

* An Offer From a Gentleman (Benedict & Sophie): https://amzn.to/4bkZNCl

* When He Was Wicked (Francesca & Michael): https://amzn.to/4r1yn9b

* To Sir Philip, With Love (Eloise & Philip): https://amzn.to/4r6IXMk

* On the Way to the Wedding (Gregory & Lucinda): https://amzn.to/46Fklmp

Our Ships this week:

* Meg: Julia Quinn’s Curated Romance Book Box Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/juliaquinn/jq-editions-julia-quinns-curated-romance-book-box?ref=3ncuzi

* Nikki: The Regressor King by AJ Sherwood: https://amzn.to/4skDb

This episode explores:

* The pressure of fame on romantic relationships

* The difference between rock band chaos and boy band polish

* What happens when talent outpaces emotional maturity

* The original band dynamic (talent? yes. therapy? no.)

* How public performance magnifies private wounds

Atrous becomes a case study in musician-based romance ecosystems. Who feels safe? Who feels replaceable? Who gets to be messy? Who gets punished for it?

Rock Star Romance recommendations w/ affiliate links:

• Atrous Trilogy by NR Walker: https://amzn.to/4kOGTHd• Stage Dive Series by Kylie Scott: https://amzn.to/3ZBxklh• VIP Series by Kristen Callahan: https://amzn.to/4aTlycf• Louder Than Love by Jessica Topper: https://amzn.to/4aTlycf• Sinners on Tour by Olivia Cunning: https://amzn.to/4amlykY

Want more rock star romance? Check out episode 55 with author Jessica Topper:

How You Can Support The Show

Discover your romance trope and get a custom play list at https://firstdatesandsoulmates.com/quiz/

Follow Us On Social:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Download your copy of the 2025 book bingo card at https://bit.ly/fdsmbingo

Email us at firstdatesandsoulmatespod@gmail.com

Share the show with a friend or loved one!

Got a Little Extra Money to Spend?

Buy our official merch on TeePublic: http://tee.pub/lic/6TtnpmFagAk

Get Meg’s Latest Book: All Twerk No Play: https://amzn.to/3Ee2O9Z

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

Upgrade to a paid tier on Substack

This episode breaks down:

* Why reality TV is the perfect romance framework: fake dating, forced proximity, public vs private selves, producer interference, villain edits, and love as performance

* How romance stories let love win despite the system (something reality TV almost never manages in real life)

* Why love hitting despite the format is so satisfying

* Grand gestures that actually make sense

Reality TV romance novels mentioned:

* The Boyfriend Game by Stella Starling: https://amzn.to/3Mlm75j

* Treble Maker by Annabeth Albert: https://amzn.to/4rAKZ8F

* Winner Bakes All series by Alexis Hall: https://amzn.to/4aPUvys

* Facing Reality by Sienna Atwell: https://amzn.to/464w79H

* The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren: https://amzn.to/3MxvtLb

* Cupid Calling by Viano Oniomoh: https://amzn.to/4riWrFG

* If the Shoe Fits by Julie Murphy: https://amzn.to/4rhSrFv

* The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun: https://amzn.to/3OdGIsR

We are shipping:

* Meg: In a Rush by Kate Canterbary: https://amzn.to/40bk32U

* Nikki: This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron: https://amzn.to/4qzYAeY

How You Can Support The Show

Discover your romance trope and get a custom play list at https://firstdatesandsoulmates.com/quiz/

Follow Us On Social:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Download your copy of the 2025 book bingo card at https://bit.ly/fdsmbingo

Email us at firstdatesandsoulmatespod@gmail.com

Share the show with a friend or loved one!

Got a Little Extra Money to Spend?

Buy our official merch on TeePublic: http://tee.pub/lic/6TtnpmFagAk

Get Meg’s Latest Book: All Twerk No Play: https://amzn.to/3Ee2O9Z

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

Upgrade to a paid tier on Substack

We talk:

* Monster anatomy (briefly), consent (extensively), capitalism (of course), and why this book works far better than it has any right to.

* From Minotaur milking logistics to Violet’s deeply relatable millennial “I just need a job that pays rent” energy

* Monster romance as labor commentary (yes, really)

Plus: capitalism discourse, bodily autonomy, and why Minotaurs might be better boyfriends than most humans.

This week’s ships:

NikkI: Wet by Cambria Hebert: https://amzn.to/4qYRi5i

Meg: Mercy by Sara Cate: https://amzn.to/45QfjTP

This episode, along with episode 75: Monster Romance & Lily Mayne’s Soul Eater, developed the Monster Romance Framework — First Dates & Soulmates' analytical guide to what monster romance is actually doing, built around the argument that the romance is the process of replacing inherited fear with direct observation.

How You Can Support The Show

Discover your romance trope and get a custom play list at https://firstdatesandsoulmates.com/quiz/

Follow Us On Social:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Download your copy of the 2025 book bingo card at https://bit.ly/fdsmbingo

Email us at firstdatesandsoulmatespod@gmail.com

Share the show with a friend or loved one!

Got a Little Extra Money to Spend?

Buy our official merch on TeePublic: http://tee.pub/lic/6TtnpmFagAk

Get Meg’s Latest Book: All Twerk No Play: https://amzn.to/3Ee2O9Z

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

Upgrade to a paid tier on Substack

SO MANY SPOILERS.

Nikki and Meg break down:

* Benedict Bridgerton as a flawed hero (and why the internet needs to relax)

* Upstairs vs. downstairs storytelling (maids, money, power, respect)

* The Lady Whistledown problem now that everyone knows who she is

* Violet Bridgerton’s late-in-life desire arc (icon behaviour)

* Lady Danbury, the Queen, and choosing your own damn shoes

And be sure to come back in March for part 2 of season 4 :)

How You Can Support The Show

Discover your romance trope and get a custom play list at https://firstdatesandsoulmates.com/quiz/

Follow Us On Social:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Download your copy of the 2025 book bingo card at https://bit.ly/fdsmbingo

Email us at firstdatesandsoulmatespod@gmail.com

Share the show with a friend or loved one!

Got a Little Extra Money to Spend?

Buy our official merch on TeePublic: http://tee.pub/lic/6TtnpmFagAk

Get Meg’s Latest Book: All Twerk No Play: https://amzn.to/3Ee2O9Z

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

Upgrade to a paid tier on Substack

Listen in for:

* Cinderella romance tropes and secret identity reveals

* Sophie Beckett as a heroine with principles and punch

* Why “I’ll take care of you” isn’t romantic (or is it??)

* Violet Bridgerton as the blueprint

* Book vs show differences and Season 4 speculation

How You Can Support The Show

Discover your romance trope and get a custom play list at https://firstdatesandsoulmates.com/quiz/

Follow Us On Social:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Download your copy of the 2025 book bingo card at https://bit.ly/fdsmbingo

Email us at firstdatesandsoulmatespod@gmail.com

Share the show with a friend or loved one!

Got a Little Extra Money to Spend?

Buy our official merch on TeePublic: http://tee.pub/lic/6TtnpmFagAk

Pre-order Two Wrongs Don't Make a Playwright: https://amzn.to/4r6Vr6S

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

Upgrade to a paid tier on Substack

This episode is a full retrospective of everything that gave us tingles in 2025: books, series, tropes, authors, movies, TV, rereads, rabbit holes, and the unhinged emotional damage we willingly signed up for. Once you do something twice, it’s a tradition. Science.

In This Episode:

* Rereads, first-time reads, and “how did I end up here?” rabbit holes

* Why emotional devastation is sometimes the goal

* Romance as escapism, nervous-system regulation, and personal attack

* Books we never would’ve read without this podcast (and survived anyway)

* The joy of discovering new authors through interviews and themed episodes

And Meg & Nikki’s picks for:

* The Year of the Reread

* Unexpected Plot Twists We Did Not See Coming

* Most Bingeable Authors

* Trilogies That Emotionally Wrecked Us (Affectionate)

* Top Fantasy / Paranormal / “Why Is This Actually So Good?” Reads

* Weird Stuff We Only Read Because of the Podcast

* Favorite New-to-Us Authors

* Romance TV & Movies of the Year

* Best New Series

* Book of the Year

Want to check out our award winners? Note, these are affiliate links and we may earn a small commission on any purchases at no additional cost to you:

The Fall by Tal Bauer: https://amzn.to/3ZlBg9u

A Song for Ricki Wilde by Tia Williams: https://amzn.to/49vROSh

Pounded by Produce by GM Fairy https://amzn.to/49IR0Ix

My Date with An Ampersand by Nicole Parker https://amzn.to/4sJBeWB

Skyland by Kennedy Ryan: https://amzn.to/4qYQZXP

Friendship by Kate Canterbary https://amzn.to/3LC5Cl2

Las Leonas by Adriana Herrera https://amzn.to/49OmOf3

The Atrous series by NR Walker https://amzn.to/3NStT6T

Teachers in Love by MA Wardell https://amzn.to/45hINJX

Love & Steel by Jessica Topper https://amzn.to/3LzghwP

Matzo Ballers by Jessica Topper and Amanda Usen https://amzn.to/4jNAZ8N

The Playbook by Alexa Martin https://amzn.to/4jQiUqz

By the Bootstraps by Alexa Martin https://amzn.to/45g8hYb

Soft Launch by Olivia Carter https://amzn.to/4sVftTR

The Wages of Sin series by Neve Wilder & Onley James https://amzn.to/3LzdJyL

Secret Service by Tal Bauer: https://amzn.to/49F3fpn

The Luckless series by Cari Z: https://amzn.to/3ZltLzm

The Year of Us by EM Denning & Kate Hawthrone: https://amzn.to/4jQmz7N

The Jilted Exes’ Club series by Riley Hart https://amzn.to/3LqIjdU

Charmed Away Temp Agency series by Amy Padilla https://amzn.to/4pIPADX

Lovers of the Damned series by Colette Rivera : https://amzn.to/49uTATJ

The Brannon Boys series by Katherine McIntyre https://amzn.to/4sEPjEy

Leather & Lattes series by Katherine McIntyre https://amzn.to/4pKSxUk

Dungeons & Dating series by Katherine McIntyre https://amzn.to/49OmHA9

Raven of the Woods by Mary Calmes https://amzn.to/45F4J1Z

A Matter of Time by Mary Calmes https://amzn.to/3Nu5Gnp

Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon https://amzn.to/460xhCS

Atlantic City Most Wanted by Charity Parkerson https://amzn.to/49EsHLO

Sent to a Fantasy World and Now All the Men Want Me by Jaclyn Osborn: https://amzn.to/4qy3nhR

Adopt a Vampire by AJ Sherwood https://amzn.to/49LvDX9

Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez: https://amzn.to/49IMBoN

10 ways to accidentally fall in love by Emmy Sanders: https://amzn.to/4pIktYX

The Edge of Fate by Sheena Jolie: https://amzn.to/45jWAje

How You Can Support The Show

Discover your romance trope and get a custom play list at https://firstdatesandsoulmates.com/quiz/

Follow Us On Social:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Download your copy of the 2025 book bingo card at https://bit.ly/fdsmbingo

Email us at firstdatesandsoulmatespod@gmail.com

Share the show with a friend or loved one!

Got a Little Extra Money to Spend?

Buy our official merch on TeePublic: http://tee.pub/lic/6TtnpmFagAk

Get Meg’s Latest Book: All Twerk No Play: https://amzn.to/3Ee2O9Z

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

Upgrade to a paid tier on Substack

Get full access to First Dates & Soulmates: Romance Podcast at firstdatesandsoulmates.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, they dig into:

* Why this story feels like the romance version of a beef trifle: enjoyable, chaotic, structurally confusing

* Friends-to-lovers, long-term pining, and the danger of resetting the conflict instead of escalating it

* The When Harry Met Sally comparisons and differences in payoff

* The travel fantasy: gorgeous locations, fun moments, and being the best version of YOU while away from home

They also talk adaptation choices, missing connective tissue from the book, and why adult conversations could have solved… basically everything.

How You Can Support The Show

Discover your romance trope and get a custom play list at https://firstdatesandsoulmates.com/quiz/

Follow Us On Social:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Download your copy of the 2025 book bingo card at https://bit.ly/fdsmbingo

Email us at firstdatesandsoulmatespod@gmail.com

Share the show with a friend or loved one!

Got a Little Extra Money to Spend?

Buy our official merch on TeePublic: http://tee.pub/lic/6TtnpmFagAk

Get Meg’s Latest Book: All Twerk No Play: https://amzn.to/3Ee2O9Z

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

Upgrade to a paid tier on Substack

In this third Heated Rivalry episode, Meg & Nikki are once again joined by Andréa Jones to break down:

* Why Episodes 5 & 6 fully deserve being some of the highest rated TV episodes EVER

* The injury → hospital → cottage pipeline and what finally changes between Shane and Ilya

* That music drop, those callbacks, and the slow-burn payoff we were promised

* The “I love you” moment(s) and why language matters here

* What the show gets right that most romance adaptations don’t

* Nikki’s thoughts on finally reading the books (and why she’s FURIOUS at Montreal).

We wrap with big fandom questions, season-wide reflections, and what Heated Rivalry getting this right could mean for future romance adaptations (especially queer ones).

How You Can Support The Show

Discover your romance trope and get a custom play list at https://firstdatesandsoulmates.com/quiz/

Follow Us On Social:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Download your copy of the 2025 book bingo card at https://bit.ly/fdsmbingo

Email us at firstdatesandsoulmatespod@gmail.com

Share the show with a friend or loved one!

Got a Little Extra Money to Spend?

Buy our official merch on TeePublic: http://tee.pub/lic/6TtnpmFagAk

Get Meg’s Latest Book: All Twerk No Play: https://amzn.to/3Ee2O9Z

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

Nikki and Meg are joined by Buffalo native and Bills superfan Sara Frandina to break down Hallmark’s second NFL crossover, unpack why Buffalo was the obvious choice, and ask the real questions.

Like:

* Why is this doctor never at work?

* Why does every mystery require a receipt from 50 years ago?

* The “he falls first” trope being wasted on an oblivious heroine

* East Aurora standing in for “small-town Buffalo” (lol)

* Joe Pantoliano quietly acting circles around everyone

* Why this movie could have been 45 minutes shorter and lost nothing

If you came for holiday cheer, you’ll stay for the Bills culture, Hallmark logic, and a surprisingly deep dive into fandom economics.

How You Can Support The Show

Discover your romance trope and get a custom play list at https://firstdatesandsoulmates.com/quiz/

Follow Us On Social:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Download your copy of the 2025 book bingo card at https://bit.ly/fdsmbingo

Email us at firstdatesandsoulmatespod@gmail.com

Share the show with a friend or loved one!

Got a Little Extra Money to Spend?

Buy our official merch on TeePublic: http://tee.pub/lic/6TtnpmFagAk

Get Meg’s Latest Book: All Twerk No Play: https://amzn.to/3Ee2O9Z

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

Upgrade to a paid tier on Substack

Get full access to First Dates & Soulmates: Romance Podcast at firstdatesandsoulmates.substack.com/subscribe

This week, Meg and Nikki dig into the microtropes that make holiday romances and Hallmark movies so bingeable.

Then Meg unleashes not one but two games, including a rapid-fire “Love or Murder?” guessing round and a full-on fantasy-draft-style build-your-own holiday romance.

Yes, ornaments have traumatic backstories.

Yes, someone gets stranded on a bridge. Yes, we absolutely turn the romances into cozy murders at the end.

It’s festive. It’s chaotic. It’s extremely on brand.

If you’ve ever thought, “This movie exists solely to justify one kiss in falling snow,” this episode is for you.

Want to play along? Grab the “Write Your Own Romance” guide here: https://linktr.ee/firstdatesandsoulmates

How You Can Support The Show

Discover your romance trope and get a custom play list at https://firstdatesandsoulmates.com/quiz/

Follow Us On Social:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Download your copy of the 2025 book bingo card at https://bit.ly/fdsmbingo

Email us at firstdatesandsoulmatespod@gmail.com

Share the show with a friend or loved one!

Got a Little Extra Money to Spend?

Buy our official merch on TeePublic: http://tee.pub/lic/6TtnpmFagAk

Get Meg’s Latest Book: All Twerk No Play: https://amzn.to/3Ee2O9Z

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

They talk:

* Grumpy/sunshine as an emotional ignition device

* Forced proximity, snowstorms, and why winter beats hurricanes every time

* Alpha heroes, protective instincts, and the fine art of emotional repression

* Why tropes are not the enemy and why leaning into them works

* Checkov’s Handcuffs (yes, really)

Learn More About Our Guest:

https://norahpritchard.com/

https://www.instagram.com/norahpritchard/

How You Can Support The Show

Discover your romance trope and get a custom play list at https://firstdatesandsoulmates.com/quiz/

Follow Us On Social:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Download your copy of the 2025 book bingo card at https://bit.ly/fdsmbingo

Email us at firstdatesandsoulmatespod@gmail.com

Share the show with a friend or loved one!

Got a Little Extra Money to Spend?

Buy our official merch on TeePublic: http://tee.pub/lic/6TtnpmFagAk

Get Meg’s Latest Book: All Twerk No Play: https://amzn.to/3Ee2O9Z

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

Nikki, Meg, and Andrea are back to break down the tonal shift of Episode 3 (Hunter), the rise of Scott “Softest Boy Alive” Hunter, then spiral into Episode 4 (Rose), where the tuna melt scene detonates the emotional core of the show. First names are said. Panic ensues. Everyone suffers.

Tune in for:

• The difference between “can’t come out” and “won’t communicate”
• Why the women of this series are the best people in the room and deserve everything
• The bisexual green couch, frotting discourse, and why nobody gets Shane a ginger ale
• How the show visually tells us these idiots are in love long before they admit it
• Why the final club scene is cruel, perfect, and deeply personal

This episode contains yearning, pining, black sweatpants, and more emotional repression than a locker room in 2014.

Get the full show notes: https://firstdatesandsoulmates.com/episode/84-heated-rivalrys-hunter-rose-bonus-episode-with-andrea-jones/

Check out our two other Heated Rivalry episodes:

• Episodes 1-2, "Rookies" & "Olympians"
• Episodes 5-6. “I’ll Believe In Anything” and “The Cottage”:
• Our guide to what to read after you've binged the whole Gamechangers series

Listener discretion advised. Emotional damage guaranteed.

How You Can Support The Show

Discover your romance trope and get a custom play list at https://firstdatesandsoulmates.com/quiz/

Follow Us On Social:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Download your copy of the 2025 book bingo card at https://bit.ly/fdsmbingo

Email us at firstdatesandsoulmatespod@gmail.com

Share the show with a friend or loved one!

Got a Little Extra Money to Spend?

Buy our official merch on TeePublic: http://tee.pub/lic/6TtnpmFagAk

Get Meg’s Latest Book: All Twerk No Play: https://amzn.to/3Ee2O9Z

Expect:

* FULL SPOILERS from not only this novella, but also Peppermint Bark, All Twerk No Play, and early glimpses of Two Wrongs Don’t Make a Playwright

* An exhausted COO with a fixer complex who desperately needs a nap

* A burned-out whistleblower bartender rediscovering her confidence

* A meet-cute that is 0% drunken hookup and 100% “why are you in my bed?”

* Tinsel, feelings, unresolved grief, and Connor finally learning self-care (begrudgingly)

* Background drama from Kate, Nick, Grace, Alex, and Victoria that tees up Book 3

This episode is guaranteed to make your cinnamon-spiced holiday latte feel underdressed.

What We Cover

* How Connor went from “silent spreadsheet king” to full protagonist

* Why Hannah’s backstory flips the small-town trope on its head

* The ethics of caretaking when it becomes your entire personality

* The emotional grenade that is Connor’s grief arc (bring tissues)

* How Making Spirits Bright bridges Twerk No Play → Playwright

* Easter eggs and timeline chaos from books 1–3

* A sneak peek at early cover options and Bailey’s design choices

* Why squishy men who know the five stages of grief are superior

Making Spirits Bright Release Details

Release Date: December 5Price: $2.99Sale: 99¢ from December 11–13Where: Kindle Unlimited + Amazon purchase

Meg’s strategy corner: if you’re a KU reader, grab it there and then buy it so she gets both KU page reads and the sale. Iconic behavior.

For the bonus epilogue from Peppermint Bark + the first three chapters of Two Wrongs Don’t Make a Playwright …Visit baileyseaborn.com (or here’s the direct download link)

📣 Support the Podcast

* Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Substack

* Leave a rating & review to appease the algorithm deities

* Follow us: @firstdatesandsoulmates on TikTok, Instagram & YouTube

* Merch: TeePublic

* Take our

* Become a Substack supporter for bonus episodes & early drops

💌 What We’re Shipping This Week

Meg: Her ARC readers — the real MVPs fueling the indie romance machine.Want to join the ARC list? Email baileyseabornauthor@gmail.com or sign up for the bonus episode at baileyseaborn.com and reply to that email to let me know!

Nikki: The Thorn and the Spire by Catherine McIntyre — a dark, spicy, supernatural Beauty-and-the-Beast retelling with demons, casinos, curses, and a library scene worthy of feral screaming.

They break down:

* Why the timeline jumps feel like surprise math homework

* Shane’s micro-expressions, panic spirals, and inability to say “dildo”

* Ilya as a consent king (and whether he gets “soft” too early)

* The All-Star bench flirting, room 1221, and the pec-grab heard round the world

* The accidental cuck chair and the cursed water-balloon intimacy garments

Come for the rivalry. Stay for the lighting crimes and the hockey butts.

Learn More About Our Guest Andrea Jones (aka author Olivia Carter):

https://authoroliviacarter.com/

https://www.instagram.com/authoroliviacarter/

How You Can Support The Show

Discover your romance trope and get a custom play list at https://firstdatesandsoulmates.com/quiz/

Follow Us On Social:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Download your copy of the 2025 book bingo card at https://bit.ly/fdsmbingo

Email us at firstdatesandsoulmatespod@gmail.com

Share the show with a friend or loved one!

Got a Little Extra Money to Spend?

Buy our official merch on TeePublic: http://tee.pub/lic/6TtnpmFagAk

Get Meg’s Latest Book: All Twerk No Play: https://amzn.to/3Ee2O9Z

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

Upgrade to a paid tier on Substack

Get full access to First Dates & Soulmates: Romance Podcast at firstdatesandsoulmates.substack.com/subscribe

This year, Meg drags Nikki into Pounded by Produce: A Veggie Love Tale; a story about two hot Catholic priests, one trauma-baking heroine, and a harvest moon miracle that turns everyone into fruits and vegetables. There’s theology, there’s tomato juice, and there are questions no seminary could prepare you for.

We break down:

* Why Pounded by Produce might actually have too much plot

* How hot priests became cucumbers and tomatoes (and why they were fine with it)

* The dubious ethics of divine loopholes and vegetable consent

* VeggieTales flashbacks, Catholic guilt, and unexpected yeast infections

* The Sentient Object Romance rabbit hole: Ampersands, sweatpants, and Chuck Tingle’s entire cinematic universe

* A very serious discussion about cucumber-based UTIs and confessional booth logistics

Also featuring: Meg’s annual holiday erotica tradition, Nikki’s concern for Emily’s gynecologist, and the rise of sentient object romance as the weirdest subgenre in publishing.

Stay for the theology. Leave with more questions than God intended.

Featured in Discussion

* Peppermint Bark, No Bite by Bailey Seaborn — free this weekend on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4a3sWSo

* Pounded by Produce: A Veggie Love Tale by GM Fairy: https://amzn.to/4oeqf3H

* Back for Seconds: A Hedonist Holiday Erotica by J.L. Logosz & Vera Valentine: https://amzn.to/3LM5iQq

* Jingle Bell Mingle by Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone: https://amzn.to/3JPrusl

* Heart2Heart Anthology Vol. 8 by Multiple Authors: https://amzn.to/44nvtDa

* Sentient Object Holiday Series (multi-author collection): https://amzn.to/4pjB31w

* Ampersand, Rock, Paper, Scissors, Caps Lock, Edible Book, Gray Sweatpants

* Lesbian Cactus and My Water-Efficient Drought-Tolerant Landscaping by Chuck Tingle: https://amzn.to/43IRRqq

* My Neighbor’s 12-Foot Skeleton Gets Me Off (Also She Is a Lesbian) by Chuck Tingle: https://amzn.to/43GWLV4

* Pounded In The Butt By My Handsome Sentient Library Card Who Seems Otherworldly But In Reality Is Just A Natural Part Of The Priceless Resources Our Library System Provides by Chuck Tingle: https://amzn.to/3K3SLaw

* Pounded in the Butt by My Own Butt by Chuck Tingle: https://amzn.to/4phW5NW

* Bisexual Mothman Mailman Makes a Special Delivery in Our Butts by Chuck Tingle: https://amzn.to/43IW5hV

* Taken by My TBR by Holly Wilde: https://amzn.to/4ip58KT

* Pounded by a Pommel Horse by Sabrina Cross: https://amzn.to/4iclmXA

How You Can Support The Show

Discover your romance trope and get a custom play list at https://firstdatesandsoulmates.com/quiz/

Follow Us On Social:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Download your copy of the 2025 book bingo card at https://bit.ly/fdsmbingo

Email us at firstdatesandsoulmatespod@gmail.com

Share the show with a friend or loved one!

Got a Little Extra Money to Spend?

Buy our official merch on TeePublic: http://tee.pub/lic/6TtnpmFagAk

Get Meg’s Latest Book: All Twerk No Play: https://amzn.to/3Ee2O9Z

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

Tune in for:

* Why psychopaths in romance work only when they’re written with purpose

* The ethics of loving villains and the gray area between fantasy and morality

* Which conversations should happen in a Waffle House parking lot at 3am

* When “romantic obsession” crosses into “I could fix him” territory

* The psychology behind fan communities and what they reveal about human need for connection

It’s messy, meta, and mildly incriminating. Just how we like it.

Learn More About Our Guests:

* The Feral Fandoms Podcast

* Onley’s Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/OnleyJames

* Onley’s website: https://onleyjames.com

* The Burned Out Muse on patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheBurnedOutMuse

Books & Media Mentioned

* Necessary Evils series – Onley James

* Time Served series – Onley James

* Vitale Brothers series – Skyler Snow & Brea Alepou

* Monster series – Lily Mayne

* Vampire Chronicles – Anne Rice (Interview with the Vampire, The Vampire Lestat, Queen of the Damned)

* Fifty Shades of Grey – E.L. James

* Morning Glory Milking Farm – C.M. Nascosta

* A Court of Silver Flames (ACOTAR) – Sarah J. Maas

* Cruel Intentions

* Mads Mikkelsen’s Hannibal (NBC)

* You (Netflix)

* Killing Eve (BBC America)

* Dexter (Showtime)

* American Psycho

* Basic Instinct

* Fatal Attraction

* Khemjira (Thai BL drama)

* K-Pop Demon Hunters (animated film)

* The Untamed (Chinese BL drama)

* Life of a Showgirl (Taylor Swift Album)

* Waffle House by Jonas Brothers

* Elizabeth Taylor/Backstreet Boys mix by Lydia Getachew on SoundCloud

How You Can Support The Show

Discover your romance trope and get a custom play list at https://firstdatesandsoulmates.com/quiz/

Follow Us On Social:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Download your copy of the 2025 book bingo card at https://bit.ly/fdsmbingo

Email us at firstdatesandsoulmatespod@gmail.com

Share the show with a friend or loved one!

Got a Little Extra Money to Spend?

Buy our official merch on TeePublic: http://tee.pub/lic/6TtnpmFagAk

Get Meg’s Latest Book: All Twerk No Play: https://amzn.to/3Ee2O9Z

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

Plus, a Keanu Reeves cameo that is the ultimate rom-com chaos agent.

Books & Media Mentioned:

* Always Be My Maybe (Netflix)

* When Harry Met Sally (film)

* Set It Up (film)

* Brooklyn Nine-Nine (TV)

* New Girl (TV)

* Friends (TV)

* Mr. Blue Sky by Isla Olsen

* Code Word by N.R. Walker

* Firefly and Fool Hearts by Emmy Sanders

* Love, Rosie (film)

* A Holly Jolly Ever After Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone

* Demon’s Desire (Lovers of the Damned #3) by Colette Rivera

How You Can Support The Show

Discover your romance trope and get a custom play list at https://firstdatesandsoulmates.com/quiz/

Follow Us On Social:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Download your copy of the 2025 book bingo card at https://bit.ly/fdsmbingo

Email us at firstdatesandsoulmatespod@gmail.com

Share the show with a friend or loved one!

Got a Little Extra Money to Spend?

Buy our official merch on TeePublic: http://tee.pub/lic/6TtnpmFagAk

Get Meg’s Latest Book: All Twerk No Play: https://amzn.to/3Ee2O9Z

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

They explore:

* Why it hits us right in the feelings: the safety, the yearning, the tension, the why did it take them this long?!

* What makes this trope work in both books and TV (Monica and Chandler to When Harry Met Sally)

* Why timing, not tension, often drives the conflict

* The “best friend vs. partner” debate (and why your partner shouldn’t be your only best friend)

This episode developed the GAMBLE Framework — First Dates & Soulmates' analytical guide to friends to lovers romance, built around the argument that the friendship isn't the premise, it's the wager.

Previous Friends to Lovers episodes discussed:

Pop Culture + Book References:

* Friends

* Brooklyn 99

* Bones

* When Harry Met Sally

* Parks & Rec

* Cheers

* New Girl

* Love, Rosie

* Set It Up

* The Year of Us by Kate Hawthorne

* The Deal by Elle Kennedy

* Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren

* Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn

This week we’re shipping:

* Merciless (Park Avenue Kings Book 4) by Ella Frank and Brooke Blaine

* A Merry Little Meet Cute by Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone

Nikki’s List of Book Recs:

* Fool Heart by Emmy Sanders

* To Catch a Firefly by Emmy Sanders

* Green Light by Lark Taylor

* Mr Blue Sky by Isla Olsen

* Charlie Sunshine by Lily Morton

* Hot Head by Damon Suede

* Wilde Love by Lucy Lennox

* Hot as Heller by Lucy Lennox

* The First & Last Adventures of Kit Sawyer by SE Harmon

* Code Word by NR Walker

* A totally platonic thing by Eliot Grayson

* Romance Languages by AJ Truman

* It’s Complicated by Willow Dixon

* Merry Measure by Lily Morton

* The Quirky Vet by Casey Cox

How You Can Support The Show

Discover your romance trope and get a custom play list at https://firstdatesandsoulmates.com/quiz/

Follow Us On Social:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Download your copy of the 2025 book bingo card at https://bit.ly/fdsmbingo

Email us at firstdatesandsoulmatespod@gmail.com

Share the show with a friend or loved one!

Got a Little Extra Money to Spend?

Buy our official merch on TeePublic: http://tee.pub/lic/6TtnpmFagAk

Get Meg’s Latest Book: All Twerk No Play: https://amzn.to/3Ee2O9Z

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

Want to know your romance archetype?

Take our brand-new “What’s Your Romance Trope?” quiz at firstdatesandsoulmates.com/quiz!

In true Cosmo girl fashion, we’ll tell you whether you’re a Fake Dating Fool, a Historical Scoundrel, a Paranormal Heartthrob, or one of our other 5 signature tropes.

Your results come with a custom podcast playlist and romance recs so you can jump straight into the episodes and books that match your vibe. Live your BuzzFeed-quiz dreams at firstdatesandsoulmates.com/quiz

Books & Media Mentioned:

* Happy Place by Emily Henry: https://amzn.to/4qmUtUD

* Before We Were Strangers by Renée Carlino: https://amzn.to/42Po0we

* The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston: https://amzn.to/43ekeg7

* Ghost (film, 1990)

* The Great British Bake Off (TV)

* Falling Inn Love (film, 2019 – Christina Milian)

* Hocus Pocus (film, 1993)

* Mean Girls (film, 2004)

* Pride and Prejudice (film adaptations)

* Icebreaker by Hannah Grace: https://amzn.to/47oNYYQ

* Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston: https://amzn.to/474IZO6

* Mangos and Mistletoe by Adrianna Herrera: https://amzn.to/47ljDdK

* Something Wild and Wonderful by Anita Kelly: https://amzn.to/48ICwJM

* Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood: https://amzn.to/4oyE5Pb

* The Partner Plot by Kristina Monique: https://amzn.to/42UZdXr

* Twilight – Stephenie Meyer

* Almost Famous (film, 2000)

* Love Actually (film, 2003)

* Romeo + Juliet (film, 1996)

* Moulin Rouge! (film, 2001)

* Novel Crafter software

* Giggly Squad (podcast)

How You Can Support The Show

Follow Us On Social:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Download your copy of the 2025 book bingo card at https://bit.ly/fdsmbingo

Email us at firstdatesandsoulmatespod@gmail.com

Share the show with a friend or loved one!

Got a Little Extra Money to Spend?

Buy our official merch on TeePublic: http://tee.pub/lic/6TtnpmFagAk

Get Meg’s Latest Book: All Twerk No Play: https://amzn.to/3Ee2O9Z

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

See the whole series here (affiliate link): https://amzn.to/4ow3WqW

Featured Authors:

* Ali Hazelwood (Hot for Slayer): https://amzn.to/3L1aGyH

* Christina Lauren (Falling): https://amzn.to/4hkBzK5

* JT Geissinger (Spicy Little Curses): https://amzn.to/4qnw3ds

* Ruby Dixon (Space Vampire): https://amzn.to/4ql35en

* Katee Robert (Beautiful Nightmare): https://amzn.to/48GKt2c

* Kimberly Lemming (My Boyfriends Are All Monsters): https://amzn.to/472lrcB

Books & Media Mentioned:

* Ice Planet Barbarians & Risdaverse series – Ruby Dixon

* Bride – Ali Hazelwood

* Alien Mate for Christmas by Melody Beckett

* Shape of Water (film)

* Pacific Rim (film)

* Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)

* Practical Magic, Speed, Miss Congeniality, Leap Year (films)

* Christmas Falls shared universe series

* Breathless by Cat Wynn

* Jacked by KM Neuhold

* 10 Ways to Accidentally Fall in Love by Emmy Sanders

* Himbo Hitman by Saxon James

* Amy Nicole Walker’s Savannah Series

How You Can Support The Show

Follow Us On Social:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Download your copy of the 2025 book bingo card at https://bit.ly/fdsmbingo

Email us at firstdatesandsoulmatespod@gmail.com

Share the show with a friend or loved one!

Got a Little Extra Money to Spend?

Buy our official merch on TeePublic: http://tee.pub/lic/6TtnpmFagAk

Get Meg’s Latest Book: All Twerk No Play: https://amzn.to/3Ee2O9Z

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

This is spooky-season romance at its finest: messy, dark, but surprisingly tender.

This week they’re talking:

* The appeal of monsters as love interests

* Non-human logistics: wings, claws, and other appendages

* Found family and survival in monster romance

* Why readers want their monsters to be both terrifying and trustworthy

Books & Media Mentioned

* Soul Eater (and the Monstrous series) by Lily Mayne

* Goliaths of Wresting series by Lily Mayne

* Herculeia series (The 12 Hunks of Herculeia and Herculeia the Hero) by C. Rochelle

* Monstrous Matches series by Lillian Lark

* Leviathan Fitness series by Ashley Bennett

* Morning Glory Milking Farm by CM Nascosta

* A Soul to Keep by Opal Rain

* Instagram account @monsterlovers_bookclub

* Smokescreen (Knight & Daywalker book 1) by Sam Burns

This episode, along with episode 93 on Morning Glory Milking Farm, developed the Monster Romance Framework — First Dates & Soulmates’ analytical guide to what monster romance is actually doing, built around the argument that the romance is the process of replacing inherited fear with direct observation.

How You Can Support The Show

Follow Us On Social:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Download your copy of the 2025 book bingo card at https://bit.ly/fdsmbingo

Email us at firstdatesandsoulmatespod@gmail.com

Share the show with a friend or loved one!

Got a Little Extra Money to Spend?

Buy our official merch on TeePublic: http://tee.pub/lic/6TtnpmFagAk

Get Meg’s Latest Book: All Twerk No Play: https://amzn.to/3Ee2O9Z

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

* The curse that doesn’t really matter

* Sisterhood vs. romance — what the movie gets right (and wrong)

* Nicole Kidman as a secret comedic genius

* Midnight margaritas, lime and tequila method acting

* Why this movie is peak cozy fall aesthetic

Books/Media Referenced:

* Practical Magic (1995 novel) by Alice Hoffman

* Hocus Pocus (film)

* The Craft (film)

* Frozen (film)

* Moulin Rouge! (film)

* Reservoir Dogs (film)

* Just Go With It (film)

* NPR article: What Practical Magic Taught Me About Life, Love, and the Importance of Sisterhood (Maria Sagara, 2022)

* A Love Song for Ricky Wilde by Tia Williams

* The Wrong Paris (Netflix rom-com)

How You Can Support The Show

Follow Us On Social:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Download your copy of the 2025 book bingo card at https://bit.ly/fdsmbingo

Email us at firstdatesandsoulmatespod@gmail.com

Share the show with a friend or loved one!

Got a Little Extra Money to Spend?

Buy our official merch on TeePublic: http://tee.pub/lic/6TtnpmFagAk

Get Meg’s Latest Book: All Twerk No Play: https://amzn.to/3Ee2O9Z

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

What you’ll hear:

* Sparkly vampires that aged like milk (sorry, Edward)

* Why Alexander Skarsgård should never own pants that aren’t leather

* The four vampire archetypes: tragic baby, sexy predator, protective dad-vamp, and monster with a secret squishy center

* Nikki’s theory of “booping the tiger” as peak vampire romance energy

* Meg’s dream vampire power: orgasms on demand (yes, really)

This episode developed the Vampire Archetype Framework — First Dates & Soulmates' guide to the four faces of the vampire romance hero and the cultural history of which type dominates in each era.

Nikki’s Vampire Book List:

* Black Dagger Brotherhood series by JR Ward: https://amzn.to/4ocMd7Z

* Argeneau series by Lynsay Sands: https://amzn.to/42Kbzl2

* Anita Blake series by Laurell K Hamilton: https://amzn.to/3ICKMQW

* Twilight by Stephenie Meyer: https://amzn.to/42RsdiC

* Dark series by Christine Feehan: https://amzn.to/4nPMZXY

* A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness: https://amzn.to/4pHl9in

* Lords of Discord series (and Lords of Chaos spinoff) by Jocelynn Drake: https://amzn.to/46YWoXC

* Lark Taylor's Reckless Damned Series: https://amzn.to/4myBdjP

* Grae Bryan's Vampire's Mate series: https://amzn.to/3IM5ttH

* First Blood by Eliot Grayson: https://amzn.to/4mApaT6

* One Bite with a Vampire by Louisa Masters: https://amzn.to/485167w

* The Necromancer’s Dance by Sheena Jolie: https://amzn.to/3IEGdW8

* Bite me! You know I like it by Fae Quin: https://amzn.to/3VDEKCA

* Cronin's Key by NR Walker: https://amzn.to/3IKvM3o

* The Tribulations of Ross Young, Supernat PA by AJ Sherwood

* Fated Mates series by AJ Sherwood: https://amzn.to/42cQbop

* Bite Marks & Broken Hearts by TJ Rose: https://amzn.to/3IEGfNK

* Immortal Assassins series by Mia Monroe: https://amzn.to/4nRsomk

* Vampire Related Crimes Series by Alice Winters: https://amzn.to/474nMmf

Get affiliate links to all these books in our Vampires in Love list on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4mCZa9S

Books/Media Mentioned:

* Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer

* Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice (book and film)

* Queen of the Damned (film)

* True Blood (HBO series) and Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris

* Vampire Diaries (TV series)

* Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV series)

* Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion (book and film)

* Immortals After Dark series by Kresley Cole: https://amzn.to/42hkElb

* Casual Felonies by Kelly Fox: https://amzn.to/4pQMEX9

* Hot Blooded by Heather Guerre: https://amzn.to/46TGlKN

How You Can Support The Show

Follow Us On Social:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Download your copy of the 2025 book bingo card at https://bit.ly/fdsmbingo

Email us at firstdatesandsoulmatespod@gmail.com

Share the show with a friend or loved one!

Got a Little Extra Money to Spend?

Buy our official merch on TeePublic: http://tee.pub/lic/6TtnpmFagAk

Get Meg’s Latest Book: All Twerk No Play: https://amzn.to/3Ee2O9Z

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

Nikki and Meg dig into why these two 2015 hockey romances are still topping charts nearly a decade later, comparing fake dating vs. best-friends-to-lovers, college vs. new adult vibes, and what made both books blueprint-level sports romances.

Listen in for:

• Garrett Graham: the original “he falls first, he falls hardest” hero?
• Why hockey housing should come with a hazmat rating
• The book that made everyone fake-date a little harder
• Nikki’s ringette camp horror story: pine needles, lake baths, and trauma bonding

Books/Media Mentioned:

• The Deal by Elle Kennedy, part of the Off-Campus series
• Him by Elle Kennedy & Sarina Bowen
• Us by Elle Kennedy & Sarina Bowen
• Boyfriend Material & Husband Material by Alexis Hall
• Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews
• Heated Rivalry & The Long Game by Rachel Reid
• Puckboy series by Eden Finley & Saxon James
• Savannah universe books by Aimee Nicole Walker
• In the Game by Sloane St James, book 3 in the Lakes Hockey series

How You Can Support The Show

Follow Us On Social:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Download your copy of the 2025 book bingo card at https://bit.ly/fdsmbingo

Email us at firstdatesandsoulmatespod@gmail.com

Share the show with a friend or loved one!

Got a Little Extra Money to Spend?

Buy our official merch on TeePublic: http://tee.pub/lic/6TtnpmFagAk

Get Meg’s Latest Book: All Twerk No Play: https://amzn.to/3Ee2O9Z

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

You get She’s the Man! In this episode, Nikki and Meg break down the comedy, chaos, and charm that make this rom-com still hold up nearly 20 years later (at least for Nikki!)

Listen in for:

* The Top 5 reasons Nikki thinks She’s the Man works as a Shakespeare retelling

* Why the school setting makes the comedy sharper and the romance sweeter

* Meg’s strong opinions on the vocal choices and gender rep in this early ‘00s flick

* The rise of the 2000s teen rom-com as Shakespeare’s modern home

* Why identity swaps never stop being messy (and fun)

Books & Media We Mention

* She’s the Man (2006)

* Twelfth Night: Or What You Will (1996)

* 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

* How to Sell a Romance by Alexa Martin

* Focus Friend app

How You Can Support The Show

Follow Us On Social:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Download your copy of the 2025 book bingo card at https://bit.ly/fdsmbingo

Email us at firstdatesandsoulmatespod@gmail.com

Share the show with a friend or loved one!

Got a Little Extra Money to Spend?

Buy our official merch on TeePublic: http://tee.pub/lic/6TtnpmFagAk

Get Meg’s Latest Book: All Twerk No Play: https://amzn.to/3Ee2O9Z

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

From the messy, cozy dynamics of faculty lounges to the importance of mental health and Jewish representation in romance, Wardell shares what makes his characters so memorable.

Listen in for:

* Why parent / teacher romances feel fun, forbidden, and relatable

* M.A. Wardell’s take on writing *real* queer characters (including how there’s never enough r**ming or prep)

* The allure of the hot single parent character and why every teacher wants their kid in their class

* Why we think Matt needs to do a webinar…

About Our Guest:

Writing as M.A. Wardell, Lambda Literary Award nominee Matt writes spicy queer rom-coms.

His goal is to tell adult gay love stories with a diverse representation of flawed and damaged characters who find healing through love.

Matt loves rom-coms and has always wished for better representation, so he's writing the stories he wishes existed. The queer men in his stories are flawed and messy. Helping them find their HEA is Matt's passion.

www.mawardell.com

Check out Matt’s teacher/school series:

* Teacher of the Year

* Mistletoe and Mishigas

* Napkins and Other Distractions

* Husband of the Year (coming November 2025)

About Our Guest Host:

Writing as Olivia Carter, Andréa writes emotionally rich, high-heat MM romance with medium angst, queer joy, and a guaranteed HEA.

https://authoroliviacarter.com/

Books & Media We Mention

* Pretty Mess by Lily Morton: https://amzn.to/4pcPJjX

* Wooing the Wiccan by Louisa Masters: https://amzn.to/45XnKgx

* Monstrous audiobooks by Lily Mayne: https://amzn.to/4m7p1WU

* Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid: https://amzn.to/4ghThxf

* The Lonely Island & Seth Meyers Podcast

This episode covers:

* Why these stories can feel squicky, and when they work

* Why POV can impact the…ROI… of the story

* the difference between consensual fantasy and real-world boundaries.

* When authors navigate the trope ethically—and when they just…don’t

Nikki’s Recommendation List:

* Kissing Tolstoy by Penny Reid

* Loathed by Lagan by Nora Phoenix

* Just a Bit Twisted by Alessandra Hazard

* Disciplinary Action by Onley James

* Teach Me by Neve Wilder

* The Boy Who Loved Wicked by C.P. Harris.

* Secrets & Lies by Brooke Blaine, Ella Frank

* Full Service by Cora Rose

* Dream a Little Dream (To Love a Psycho #1) by CF White

* Kismet by Ashley James

* My (Not So) Slutty Professor (Not So University Series Book 1) by DK Sutton

* A Foot in the Door (Open Doors #3) by Vinni George

How You Can Support The Show

Follow Us On Social:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Download your copy of the 2025 book bingo card at https://bit.ly/fdsmbingo

Email us at firstdatesandsoulmatespod@gmail.com

Share the show with a friend or loved one!

Got a Little Extra Money to Spend?

Buy our official merch on TeePublic: http://tee.pub/lic/6TtnpmFagAk

Get Meg’s Latest Book: All Twerk No Play: https://amzn.to/3Ee2O9Z

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

Upgrade to a paid tier on Substack

They discuss:

* Audrey Hepburn’s strength in restraint vs. Marilyn Monroe’s comedic weaponization of sex appeal

* How both films use physical space and quiet space to build (or block) intimacy and restraint

* The role of glamor, class, and discomfort in shaping romantic tension

Books & Media We Mention:

* Roman Holiday (film)

* The Prince and the Showgirl (film)

* The Philadelphia Story

* His Girl Friday

* My Week with Marilyn

* Shroom for Improvement by Jemma Croft

* Dredge (Nintendo Switch)

Listen in as they discuss:

* Why gay hockey is such a reliable niche

* Keeping track of a sprawling cast across multiple spin-offs and shared universes

* Eden’s writing process (spoiler: chaos is embraced)

* Tropes, tension, and the line between sweet and spicy

Grab Eden’s latest release, The Office Bet at https://mybook.to/TheOfficeBet

About Our Guest:

Eden Finley didn't start writing until the age of 28. She always loved being creative and writing stories for English and Lit classes in high school but never thought she could make a career out of it. The reason she is where she is today is because of a list of 30 things she wanted to do before she was 30, one of them being 'write a book.' One turned into two and kept growing, and now she is an Amazon top 10 bestseller.

https://linktr.ee/edenfinley

https://edenfinley.com

https://www.instagram.com/finley.eden/

Books & Media We Mention:

* Fake Boyfriend series by Eden Finley

* Puckboy series (co-written with Saxon James)

* Franklin University (shared universe series)

* Calling His Bluff by Charlie Cochet

* Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood

How You Can Support The Show

Follow Us On Social:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Download your copy of the 2025 book bingo card at https://bit.ly/fdsmbingo

Email us at firstdatesandsoulmatespod@gmail.com

Share the show with a friend or loved one!

Got a Little Extra Money to Spend?

Buy our official merch on TeePublic: http://tee.pub/lic/6TtnpmFagAk

Get Meg’s Latest Book: All Twerk No Play: https://amzn.to/3Ee2O9Z

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

In this episode:

* Bull’s Boy by Kiki Clark: daddy/boy dynamics, size difference, dirty talk, and a surprising amount of genuine tenderness

* The Allure of Ruins by Mary Calmes: boss/employee tension, trauma recovery, and somehow the mafia is involved!

* Rocket Science by K.M. Neuhold: awkward genius meets the brother’s best friend, and a “teach me how to flirt” setup that turns into the real thing

* Wedding Bet by Raleigh Ruebins: childhood best friends turned fake grooms in a Vegas wedding scheme with accidental feelings

* Of Pranks and Passion by Amy Padilla : fake dating, underground MMA, and absolutely zero chill

Sprinkle in an accidental theme of protector love interests, age gaps, and emotionally repressed workaholics who need a hug (or a firm spanking) and you’ve got an episode that’ll make you blush!

How You Can Support The Show

Follow Us On Social:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Download your copy of the 2025 book bingo card at https://bit.ly/fdsmbingo

Email us at firstdatesandsoulmatespod@gmail.com

Share the show with a friend or loved one!

Got a Little Extra Money to Spend?

Buy our official merch on TeePublic: http://tee.pub/lic/6TtnpmFagAk

Get Meg’s Latest Book: All Twerk No Play: https://amzn.to/3Ee2O9Z

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

Upgrade to a paid tier on Substack

Get full access to First Dates & Soulmates: Romance Podcast at

firstdatesandsoulmates.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode:

* What is “sex pollen” and why does it come up in so many search results?

* The internet’s quiet obsession with “touch her and die” vs. “who did this to you”

* How SEO influenced the renaming of their most SEO’ed (?) episode

* The surprising fan interest in terms like “Xena Warrior Princess,” “Gundam fandom,” and “standing there menacingly”

* The ethics(?) of dinosaur romance and Amish love stories

* Meg’s nerdy delight over keyword strategy, niche categories, and the Amazon orange banner

Books & Media We Mention:

* Heartless by Elsie Silver

* Hot Head by Stella Rhys

* Tammy and the T-Rex (1994 film)

* Buffy the Vampire Slayer

* Practical Magic

* Xena: Warrior Princess

* Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005 film)

* Gundam

* Date Everything (video game where you romance household objects)

* K-Pop: Demon Hunters (Netflix animated film)

* Publisher Rocket (SEO/keyword research tool)

How You Can Support The Show

Follow Us On Social:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Download your copy of the 2025 book bingo card at https://bit.ly/fdsmbingo

Email us at firstdatesandsoulmatespod@gmail.com

Share the show with a friend or loved one!

Got a Little Extra Money to Spend?

Buy our official merch on TeePublic: http://tee.pub/lic/6TtnpmFagAk

Get Meg’s Latest Book: All Twerk No Play: https://amzn.to/3Ee2O9Z

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

There's a curse-breaking pact, a pre-date SurveyMonkey questionnaire that may be Nikki's actual love language, a devastating family reveal, and exactly the kind of quietly excellent parenting-your-siblings, paddling-a-unicorn-floaty-across-a-lake romance you didn't know you needed.

Listen in for:

• Parental trauma, lake house love, and good raccoon content
• Nikki's obvious love of pre-date questionnaires (and exit surveys)
• The emotional arc of Justin and Emma — and why they're both too competent for this trope
• Why we LOVE to see a solid "if he wanted to, he would"
• The rosebush, the Toilet King, and the forehead kiss runner that's doing more work than you think
• This week's shipping picks: a fake-dating F/F romance set at 30,000 feet, and a dark, dystopian Omegaverse serial for when you want something completely different

Get the full show notes at: http://firstdatesandsoulmates.com/abby-jimenez-just-for-the-summer

Books & Media We Mention

• Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez
• Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez (same universe — Daniel and Alexis both make an appearance)
• Good Luck Chuck (film) — the curse's cinematic predecessor
• Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert (full episode here)
• The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood (full episode here)

Our Ships This Week:

• Fly With Me by Andie Burke, an F/F fake-dating romance
• The Night Movers (Season One) by Onley James, writing as Nola Harker — Nikki's shipping pick, a dark Omegaverse serial

On the pre-date surveys:

Nikki: "This is my love language. I think I've figured out what it is and it is predate surveys."

Meg: "It is requesting your input without putting you on the spot. It is saying what is important and valuable to you that I can accommodate without making you plan anything — that is so sexy."

On the forehead kiss runner:

Meg: "He is not manipulating her, but he's working on the situation to make sure that he's leaving her wanting a little bit more. So that way she has to keep coming back to him."

On the rosebush:

Meg: "Instead of bringing her cut flowers, he brought her a rosebush."

Nikki: "The rosebush is a metaphor, Meg, for putting down roots."

On Sarah's call bringing Emma home:

Nikki: "Just imagine what it's like to be Emma, who was always waiting for someone and never trusting that they were gonna show up — to hear 'I knew you would come.' It's like, we can break generational trauma. It can happen. This is what can happen."

It's trope vs. trope, kink vs. kink, and sometimes just pure chaos (would you rather walk in on a shifter in animal form… or not know your partner was a vampire until you’re mid-bite?).

Listen in for:

* Secret pining vs. public declarations

* a great debate over mediocre or high quality stories

* Our preferences on Nick Miller or Ben Wyatt

* Nikki’s firm boundaries on Christian Grey-eque red flags

* the famous 80’s romance tropes that we would date

Books & Media We Mention:

* Games We Play series by D.J. Jamison

* House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski

* Romeo and Juliet (brief mention as not a romance)

* Nicholas Sparks books (several, not specific)

* A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas (reference to Rhysand)

* Peppermint Bark, No Bite by Bailey Seaborn (Meg’s book)

* All Twerk, No Play by Bailey Seaborn

Films/TV Shows Mentioned:

* White Chicks (2004)

* The Notebook (2004)

* 500 Days of Summer (2009)

* Say Anything (1989)

* Spider-Man (2002 – Tobey Maguire reference)

* Easy A (2010)

* Can't Buy Me Love (1987)

* Love Don't Cost a Thing (2003)

* Jeopardy (TV game show – anecdotal mention)

* Ben Wyatt – character from Parks and Recreation

* Nick Miller – character from New Girl

* Mr. Darcy – character from Pride and Prejudice

* Christian Grey – character from Fifty Shades of Grey

* 50 Shades of Grey (book and movie reference)

From beach house hookups to European cruises , they debate whether the vacation romance can survive real life, compare road trip playlists, and revisit their favorite books and movies that deliver the hot summer goods.

Listen in for:

* Tropes like friends-to-lovers-on-holiday, destination wedding mix-ups, and stranded road trip partners

* Nikki’s campaign against cruise ships, always

* A pitch for a merch line that will definitely get banned

* The emotional difference between "honeymoon with your ex’s sibling" and "strangers in Venice"

* When Meg turned into a Scottish bar singer on a dare (it worked)

* Why a grand romantic gesture at the airport is a logistical nightmare (and disrespectful to TSA lines)

Also covered: runaway grooms, coconuts and… questionable toppings

Books & Media We Mention & Recommend

* Only One Beach House by K.M. Neuhold

* Waiting for You by Cora Rose

* Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren

* People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry

* Every Summer After by Carley Fortune

* Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren

* Wild Seasons series by Christina Lauren

* Up in Flames by Eden Finley & Saxon James

* Beat Me Next Christmas by Lindy Bell

* Love on Vacation by Keira Andrews

* Cruising by Sean Ashcroft

* Married to My Best Friend by Riley Hart

* Three’s Company by NR Walker

* Up in Flames by Eden Finley and Saxon James

* Time Out by Vinni George

* Cuckoo’s Call by Lily Morton

* Thick as Thieves by Lucy Lennox

* How to Say I Do by Tal Bauer

* Gaycation in Paradise by Ariella Zoelle

* Private Charter by NR Walker

* KM Neuhold’s Palm Island series

* Snow Way In Hell by Charlie Novak

* Shore thing series by Jaclyn Osborn

* California Crush series by Mia Monroe

* Waiting for you by Cora Rose

* The Holiday (2006)

* Letters to Juliet (2010)

* How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998)

* Poseidon Adventure (1972)

* Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)

* The Philadelphia Story (1940)

* Palm Springs (2020)

* To Catch a Thief

* Love Actually

Nikki and Meg dive headfirst into the romantic comedies of the 1940s—specifically The Philadelphia Story and His Girl Friday—and come out with hot takes on censorship, fast-talking career women, and whether a second chance romance really needs to end in remarriage.

Listen in for:

* Why Hildy might be the blueprint for girlboss energy (and FABULOUS fashion)

* Tracy Lord’s perfect hair, perfect gowns… and perfectly exhausting expectations?

* The wild rules of the Hays Code (spoiler: no shared beds, no sexy smooches, and definitely no happy endings without marriage)

* A new appreciation for rotary phones, newsroom chaos, and Cary Grant's entire wardrobe

They also look at how 1940s films still echo in modern rom-coms—from Sweet Home Alabama to You've Got Mail. And yes, Nikki breaks out her inner film nerd.

Books & Media We Mention:

* His Girl Friday

* The Philadelphia Story

* It’s a Wonderful Life

* When Harry Met Sally

* Sleepless in Seattle

* You’ve Got Mail

* Shop Around the Corner

* Sweet Home Alabama

* How to Be Single

* Atonement

* Brooklyn

* Roman Holiday

* Materialists

* Gilmore Girls

* The West Wing

* The Newsroom

* I Love Lucy

* Department Q

* Read Between the Lines by Rachel Lacey

Nikki & Meg talk about:

* Her path from reader to writer (including whispering sex scenes while holding a baby)

* Navigating shame, self-doubt, and “soft launching” your author identity

* Writing characters who are soft, chaotic, anxious, neurodivergent, and joyful—and not needing to be “fixed”

* How being online (and going viral) can bring visibility and vulnerability in equal measure

Come for the book talk, stay for the rant about performative wellness, building your own penis kits, and the spiritual relevance of crop tops.

Get Your Copy of Soft Launch on Amazon and through Kindle Unlimited.

Learn More About Olivia Here:

https://authoroliviacarter.com/

https://www.instagram.com/authoroliviacarter/

https://www.amazon.com/Soft-Launch-Romance-high-heat-romance-ebook/dp/B0F2ZTH1BX

Books & Media We Mention:

* Soft Launch by Olivia Carter

* Before We Came by Sloan St. James

* Brim Over Boot by Emmy Sanders

* Finlay (Wild Edges #1) by Lark Taylor

* Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid

* Moth by Lily Mayne (Monstrous series)

* Goliaths of Wrestling series by Lily Mayne

* Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez

* All Twerk No Play and Peppermint Bark No Bite by Bailey Seaborn

In this episode, Nikki & Meg are joined by scholar and fandom queen Dr. Katie Freund to talk about the queer roots of fandom, transformative works, and the power of rewriting stories that didn’t get it right the first time.

From slash fic to spite fic, they explore how fandom creates space for identity, reclaims representation, and gives the middle finger to canon when necessary.

Listen in for:

* The queer-coded history of early fan communities

* Why fanfiction is often more inclusive than traditional media

* Canon vs. Fanon, and how queer stories survive bad endings

* The joy of seeing yourself when no one else puts you on the page

(Yes, we talk about Supernatural. No, we do not apologize.)

Books & Media We Mention:

* Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Nintendo)

* Murderbot (tv show)

* Business or Pleasure by Rachel Lynn Solomon

* Buffy the Vampire Slayer

* Supernatural

* Gundam Wing

* The 100

* Harry Potter

* Stargate SG-1 & Atlantis

* Hit the Floor

* The Boys

* Sense8

* Orange Is the New Black

* Fast & Furious franchise

* Xena: Warrior Princess

* AO3, LiveJournal, Fanfiction.net

* Podcast: It’s a Thing

How You Can Support The Show

Follow Us On Social:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Download your copy of the 2025 book bingo card at https://bit.ly/fdsmbingo

Email us at firstdatesandsoulmatespod@gmail.com

Share the show with a friend or loved one!

Got a Little Extra Money to Spend?

Buy our official merch on TeePublic: http://tee.pub/lic/6TtnpmFagAk

Get Meg’s Latest Book: All Twerk No Play: https://amzn.to/3Ee2O9Z

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

Upgrade to a paid tier on Substack

Listen in for:

* Why FF romance still doesn’t get the love it deserves

* Stereotypes vs. archetypes and how to tell the difference

* Trope differences across FF and MM romance

* And what makes sapphic stories feel distinct and powerful

With a mix of recs, reflections, and one tiny Rent rant (justice for Joanne!), this episode celebrates the full spectrum of sapphic love.

Books & Media We Mention:

* Scout and the Lavender Girl by Kelly Fox

* Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur

* Delilah Green Doesn’t Care by Ashley Herring Blake

* When You Least Expect It by Haley Cass

* The Romance Recipe by Ruby Barrett

* Mistakes Were Made by Meryl Wilsner

* The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics by Olivia Waite

* An Island Princess Starts a Scandal by Adriana Herrera

* The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

* Rent, Killing Eve, The L Word, Grey’s Anatomy

* Carol (film)

How You Can Support The Show

Follow Us On Social:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Download your copy of the 2025 book bingo card at https://bit.ly/fdsmbingo

Email us at firstdatesandsoulmatespod@gmail.com

Listen in for:

* Navigating reader expectations to balancing spice levels across her different series

* What makes a series stick (and when to wrap it up)

* Why she gravitates toward underdog characters who just need someone to believe in them

* a discussion of her latest release, Outcast, and how approaching the Foster Bro Code series was a departure from her norm.

About DJ Jamison:

DJ Jamison writes everyday characters finding extraordinary love through M/M romance pairings! Get ready for meet-cutes, followed by sparking hot hookups and deep emotional connections, before reaching the oh-so-satisfying HEA that we all want in our lives. She lives in Kansas with her husband, two sons, one snake, and newly adopted feline terrors, Andi and Daisy, one of whom helpfully walks on the keyboard at least once a day.

KoFi offers early access to WIPs, exclusive stories, signed paperbacks, swag, and more: www.ko-fi.com/ReadingDJ

Sign up for newsletter/get bonus content: geni.us/BonusReads

FB group: www.facebook.com/groups/DJandCompany

TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@author.dj.jamison

Website: ReadingDJ.com

Books & Media We Mention:

* Simon Sits on TikTok/Instagram for all the latest Tiki news

* Sent to a Fantasy World And Now All The Men Want Me by Jaclyn Osborn

* Skyland series by Kennedy Ryan

* Liar City by Allie Therin

How You Can Support The Show

Follow Us On Social:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Download your copy of the 2025 book bingo card at https://bit.ly/fdsmbingo

Email us at firstdatesandsoulmatespod@gmail.com

Share the show with a friend or loved one!

Got a Little Extra Money to Spend?

Buy our official merch on TeePublic: http://tee.pub/lic/6TtnpmFagAk

Get Meg’s Latest Book: All Twerk No Play: https://amzn.to/3Ee2O9Z

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

Upgrade to a paid tier on Substack

Get full access to First Dates & Soulmates: Romance Podcast at firstdatesandsoulmates.substack.com/subscribe

Listen in for:

• What shaped their early understandings of sexual identity and orientation
• The multiple "F's" in a framework designed for awakening…tingles…in the groiny bits…
• The Identity Disco framework, start to finish: the spark, the spiral, the shift, and the new normal
• Their favourite queer awakening romance stories involving oblivious golden retriever types
• Schitt's Creek, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and Red White & Royal Blue as coming-out case studies
• Why demisexual and ace awakening deserve more room in this conversation
• And why bisexuality deserves better storytelling

We're kicking off a full month of celebrating queerness in all its forms: awkward, evolving, and absolutely worth honouring.

This episode developed the Identity Disco Framework — First Dates & Soulmates' framework for queer awakening romance, named for the term Nikki coined mid-conversation to describe the internal awakening that happens any time someone realizes they don't fit the heteronormative container they were handed.

The framework, in short: it starts with the spark (that tingle-in-the-chesty-bits or surprise-in-the-groin-bits moment you can't quite explain), moves into the identity disco (the Googling, the spiraling, the "I put my hand on his shoulder and now I need to leave the room" phase), then hits the shift — a moment where the character finds a safe landing spot, even a temporary one — before working toward a new normal that isn't always easy, but is always earned.

Pull Quotes:

Nikki: "Coming out is not something that's just one and done... our society is extremely heteronormative. It's very straight coded everywhere. So coming out, if it is something that you do, is not — it is something that you have to continually do."

Nikki: "The term identity disco... came up, which I just thought of like a disco ball and like the different pride flags, like just kind of like flapping in the wind... that tends to be where the characters spend more of their time — they're Googling things, they're wrestling with themselves."

Nikki: "In lesbian romance, those ones do seem to start with some sort of feelings, like the tingles and the chesty bits first — it seems like it almost flips quicker to physical. And in the MM books, I've definitely seen a lot of them like, 'oh my God, I'm just so attracted and I have no idea why I have a surprise erection right now.'"

Nikki: "I think there's something wrong with me. I've never felt those things like you do... it's also not 'I'm gay' or 'I'm queer.' There's this extra layer on top of it." (on demisexual awakening)

Meg: "I think I like that the self-acceptance is often the first step in a greater cultural understanding. The moment of, oh, I am not someone who can fit into this container that society told me that I'm supposed to fit into... what else can I question?"

Nikki: "I kind of love that when they feel there's a risk and they do it anyway and they get all the fucking good rewards because of it. We'd love to see it."

In pop culture: Meg and Nikki also work through how this same arc shows up outside of romance novels — the "wine, not the label" scene in Schitt's Creek, Patrick and David's birthday moment, Rosa's two very different coming-out scenes in Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and the "I thought we were just really good friends, but—" beat in Red White & Royal Blue. Plus: why demisexual and ace awakening (Learning to Feel, Something Fabulous, Role Playing) deserve a bigger seat at this table.

Books & Media We Mention:

• Trophy Doms New York series by Kate Hawthorne
• Schitt's Creek
• Brooklyn Nine-Nine
• Red White & Royal Blue

Our Fave Coming Out/Awakening Stories:

Nikki's List:

• Fake It Till you Make Out by Isla Olsen
• Dirty Forty by Mia Monroe
• Thick as Thieves by Lucy Lennox
• Irresponsible Puckboy by Eden Finley and Saxon James
• The Wedding Date by Sean Ashcroft
• It's Complicated by Willow Dixon
• Just a Bit Wrecked by Alessandra Hazard
• 10 Ways to Accidentally Fall In Love by Emmy Sanders
• The Fly Half by Charlie Novak
• Learning to Feel by NR Walker
• Party Favors by Erin McLellen
• Red White & Royal Blue
• Honeymoon for One by Keira Andrews
• Strawberry Kisses by Charlie Novak

Meg's List:

• Tal Bauer — You & Me, Gravity, How to Say I Do, The Quarterback
• Crossroads by Riley Hart (double bi-awakening)
• Eden Finley — Fake Out, Blindsided, Fandom & Encore
• Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail by Ashley Herring Blake (FF)
• Set the Record Straight by Hannah Bonam-Young
• Emmy Sanders — Fool Hearts, 10 Ways to Accidentally
• Sara Cate — Salacious Players Club: Give Me More (MFM), Madame (FFM)
• Heated Rivalry
• Borrowing Blue by Lucy Lennox

How You Can Support The Show

Follow Us On Social:

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A librarian-turned-romance-writer, Jessica shares how her real-life concert experiences and love of music shape her stories — including her beloved Love & Steel series.

They explore:

* What makes musicians such compelling romantic leads

* Why found family dynamics hit differently in fictional bands

* The behind-the-stage drama of redemption arcs, messy characters, and their thoughts on bodyguard and manager relationships

Don’t worry, there’s enough fictional eyeliner to last you a lifetime.

About Our Guest

Jessica Topper has been in love with the beauty of the written word ever since she memorized Maurice Sendak's Chicken Soup with Rice at the age of three.

After earning a B.A. in English Literature and her Master's Degree in Library Science, Jessica went on to work as a librarian in New York City before trading in the books for bookkeeping. For seventeen years, she worked in the production office of an international touring rock band.

Jessica broke the rock romance mold with her 2013 debut novel LOUDER THAN LOVE. Her follow-up romantic comedy, DICTATORSHIP OF THE DRESS, was named one of Publishers Weekly's Best Books of 2015.

She lives in Western New York with her family - including two cats that love to walk across her keyboard.

Follow Jess:

Website: www.jessicatopper.com

Facebook - www.facebook.com/JessicaTopperAuthor

Instagram - www.instagram.com/jessicatopper/

Goodreads - www.goodreads.com/jessicatopper

BookBub - www.bookbub.com/profile/jessica-topper

Jess’s Recs:

* Under Your Spell - Laura Wood

* Charm City Rocks - Matthew Norman

* Juliet, Naked - Nick Hornby

* How to Kill a Rock Star - Tiffanie DeBartolo

* Don't Sleep with your Drummer - Jen Sincero

Meg’s Recs:

* VIP series (Idol, Managed, Fall, Exposed) by Kristen Callihan

* Stage Dive series (Lick, Play, Lead, Deep) by Kylie Scott

* Drive by Kate Stewart (but not the sequel, Reverse)

* The Happily Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez

Nikki’s Recs:

* Fallen Angels series by Ella Frank and Brook Blaine

* Fix It Up by Mary Calmes

* Code Red & Code Blue by NR Walker

* Replay series by KM Neuhold

* Famous series by Eden Finley

* GASP! by ZA Maxfield

* Caffeine Daydreams series by Lark Taylor

* Rhythm of Love series by Neve Wilder

* Jumping Jude (Made Marian book 3) by Lucy Lennox

* Starting From Series by Lane Hayes

* The Player by Lily Morton

**Check out our BRAND NEW merch**

https://www.teepublic.com/user/firstdatesandsoulmates to grab t-shirts, stickers, and more with our most loved running gags!

Get Meg’s Latest Book, All Twerk No Play: https://amzn.to/3Ee2O9Z

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Listen in for:

* The emotional support voice notes that started it all

* The differences between reading for joy vs. reading for podcasting

* Tropes they’ve come to love more (or less)

* And what’s next for Year 2!

It’s a mix of gratitude, giggles, and a few goofs — the perfect wrap-up to a year of fake dating, groiny bits, and great books.

**Check out our BRAND NEW merch**

https://www.teepublic.com/user/firstdatesandsoulmates to grab t-shirts, stickers, and more with our most loved running gags!

Get Meg’s Latest Book, All Twerk No Play: https://amzn.to/3Ee2O9Z

Follow the show on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

Follow the show on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

Follow the show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Download your copy of the 2025 book bingo card at https://bit.ly/fdsmbingo

View the full show notes on our Substack.

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Don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe!

Get full access to First Dates & Soulmates: Romance Podcast at firstdatesandsoulmates.substack.com/subscribe

Now onto the show…

In this episode, Nikki interviews co-host Meg—er, Bailey Seaborn—about her newest release “All Twerk, No Play”, the second book in the All or Nothing series and follow up to “Peppermint Bark, No Bite”.

Join them as they dig into:

* Why Victoria is a mess and a marvel—and why Cruz might be her emotional match

* The role music played in crafting pacing, scenes, and character arcs

* What makes this book different from Peppermint Bark, No Bite, and what’s next in the All or Nothing series

* The emotional payoff of writing characters who figure it out while messing it up

Plus, Nikki demands future spoilers and everyone agrees that Alex is kind of a jerk (but we love him anyway).

Get the Playlist:

Pre-Order Meg’s next book, All Twerk No Play: https://amzn.to/3Ee2O9Z releasing May 15, 2025!

Follow the show on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

Follow the show on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

Follow the show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Download your copy of the 2025 book bingo card at https://bit.ly/fdsmbingo

View the full show notes on our Substack.

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

Don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe!

Get full access to First Dates & Soulmates: Romance Podcast at firstdatesandsoulmates.substack.com/subscribe

Now onto the show…

This week on First Dates & Soulmates, we're cracking open the windows, cranking up the tension, and diving into one of the most underrated romance environments: neighbours to lovers.

Meg and Nikki break down why this setting-based trope hits so hard, especially when your neighbor just might be your next emotional disaster or love story.

Listen in for:

* Voyeurism vs. Peeping Toms (yes, there’s a difference)

* What happens when your reset space becomes the drama space

* HOA battles, casseroles, and surprise goats

* Why grumpy-sunshine works extra hard when you share a wall

* Plus: Nikki checks for Mr. Rogers fanfic and we are all horrified (then not)

Our Big List of Neighbours to Lovers Romance:

* Everything for You, Chloe Liese — Ted Lasso, and also next door neighbors

* Get a Life, Chloe Brown!

* Fall, Kristen Callihan — rockstar next door

* Home Ice, Olivia Lynd

* Next Door Nemesis, Alexa Martin

* Reckless, Elsie Silver (this is the doctor that treated Cade’s hand in heartless)

* Don’t Hex & Drive, Juliette Cross

* Pint of Contention, Susanna Nix

* Life’s Too Short, Abby Jimenez

* Queen Move, Kennedy Ryan

* Beach Read, Emily Henry

* Whiskey Chaser, Lucy Score

* The Worst Guy, Kate Canterbury

* In a Jam, Kate Canterbury

* Protecting What’s His, Tessa Bailey

* Nashville Neighborhoods series, Nikki Sloane

* Love at First, Kate Clayborne (Romeo & Juliet retelling where they live in the same apt bldg)

* Ruthless Creatures, JT Geisslinger (he’s a mafia hitman hired to kill her, moved in next door and couldn’t go through with it)

* Sweet Spot, Stella Rhys — book #2, before Hothead

* Only Santas in the Building, Alexis Daria

* Clean Sweep, Ilona Andrews??

* Neighbor from Hell series, R. L. Mathewson

* Handy, K.M. Neuhold

* Nailed KM Neuhold

* Wallbanger, Alice Clayton

* Cheap Heat, Lily Mayne

* Crossroads by Riley Hart

* Watching Him by Jennifer Cody

* Beware of Geeks Bearing Gifts by Charlie Cochet

* The Jerk Next Door by Mia Monroe

* Dad Next Door by Willow Dixon

* How the Necromancer in the Gold Vest Saved My Life by Jocelynn Drake

* Beautifully Unexpected by Lily Morton (Magnus & Laurie)

* The Neighborly Thing by Allison Temple (accidental sex toy delivery)

* Keeping It Casual by Jax Calder (everyone wants to set up the new single dad with the other gay dude)

* The Geek Who Saved Christmas by Annabeth Albert (grumpy silver fox neighbour + happy young Xmas fan)

* You Can Count On Me by Fae Quinn (single dad + man with playboy rep)

Other Media We Mention:

* Starfire by AJ Sherwood

* Betrothed to the Emperor by Kai Butler

* Iron & Works series by EM Lindsey

Pre-Order Meg’s next book, All Twerk No Play: https://amzn.to/3Ee2O9Z releasing May 15, 2025!

Follow the show on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

Follow the show on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

Follow the show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Download your copy of the 2025 book bingo card at https://bit.ly/fdsmbingo

View the full show notes on our Substack.

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

Don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe!

Get full access to First Dates & Soulmates: Romance Podcast at firstdatesandsoulmates.substack.com/subscribe

Now onto the show…

This week on First Dates and Soulmates, Nikki and Meg unpack “Hothead” by Stella Rhys—a spicy sports romance that kicks off with a bar fight, a public meltdown, and a viral paparazzi photo that leads to fake dating.

They talk about:

* When fake dating is survival, not strategy

* How power dynamics shift when one character is emotionally volatile

* Why we need more groveling from alpha heroes

* The rare joy of watching someone finally snap on video

Books & Media We Mention

* Hothead by Stella Rhys

* Heartless by Elsie Silver

* Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez

* Not That series by Isabel Murray (Not That Complicated, Not That Impossible, Not That Ridiculous)

Pre-Order Meg’s next book, All Twerk No Play: https://amzn.to/3Ee2O9Z releasing May 15, 2025!

Follow the show on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

Follow the show on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

Follow the show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Download your copy of the 2025 book bingo card at https://bit.ly/fdsmbingo

View the full show notes on our Substack.

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

Don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe!

Get full access to First Dates & Soulmates: Romance Podcast at firstdatesandsoulmates.substack.com/subscribe

Click play on this week’s episode to hear:

* Why Olive is a chronic overthinker and why Adam is a misunderstood grump (who totally has a soft side)

* How this book walks the line between swoony slow-burn and sexy payoff

* The balance of realistic vs. wildly fictional about academia

Read our written review: https://firstdatesandsoulmates.com/the-love-hypothesis-review/

Get the full show notes: https://firstdatesandsoulmates.com/the-love-hypothesis-review/

Books & Media We Mention

* The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

* Deep End by Ali Hazelwood

* Reacher (tv show)

* To Love a Psycho series by CF White (Dream a Little Dream, Kiss me Honey Honey)

* The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

* The 12 stages of sexual intimacy

Pre-Order Meg’s next book, All Twerk No Play: https://amzn.to/3Ee2O9Z releasing May 15, 2025!

Follow the show on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

Follow the show on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

Follow the show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe!

Listen in as they break down:

* What works and what stresses us the hell out

* The joys of chaos gremlin side characters

* The ethics of journalism in romance novels (looking at you, A Christmas Prince),

* and what it means when your characters start bossing you around as a writer!

Books & Media We Mention

* Fake Out, Trick Play, Deke by Eden Finley

* I Can’t Say Goodbye by Eden Finley (next-gen spinoff)

* Rebound and It’s Complicated (mid-series novellas)

* Puckboy and Mike Bravo series (Eden Finley)

* Franklin University books (Eden Finley & Saxon James)

* Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

* Calling Chaos by Grae Bryan

* A Christmas Prince (Netflix)

* Lady Whistlethreads on Substack

Pre-Order Meg’s next book, All Twerk No Play: https://amzn.to/3Ee2O9Z releasing May 15, 2025!

Follow the show on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

Follow the show on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

Follow the show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Download your copy of the 2025 book bingo card at https://bit.ly/fdsmbingo

View the full show notes on our Substack.

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

Don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe!

Get full access to First Dates & Soulmates: Romance Podcast at firstdatesandsoulmates.substack.com/subscribe

In This Episode:

* When your “Save the Cat” moment is… never

* Catherine deserved a raise, not a ring

* Hawaii as the ultimate fake dating backdrop

* How this movie failed at its own emotional payoff

* Why all rom-coms should show the reveal AND the fallout

Subscribe. Review. Come yell with us about why male protagonists never have to grovel enough.

Books & Media We Mention:

* Just Go With It (2011)

* Mr. & Mrs. Smith

* The Morning Show (Jennifer Aniston)

* Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates

* Forgetting Sarah Marshall

* Murder Mystery (Netflix series)

* Uncut Gems

* Punch-Drunk Love

* Sleepless in Seattle

* The Bachelor (Chris O’Donnell again)

* Alien Mate for Christmas (previous episode reference)

* Book Boyfriend by Claire Kingsley

* Arden Fox’s Coveted Bonds series - How to Train Your Human Omega and How to Save Your Human Invader

Follow the show on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

Follow the show on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

Follow the show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Download your copy of the 2025 book bingo card at https://bit.ly/fdsmbingo

View the full show notes on our Substack.

Order Meg’s debut novel, Peppermint Bark, No Bite (affiliate link)

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

Get full access to First Dates & Soulmates: Romance Podcast at firstdatesandsoulmates.substack.com/subscribe

Nikki may think this trope is the Chardonnay of romance (she’ll drink it if you serve it), while Meg is out here creating full frameworks while waiting in line at Disneyland.

In This Episode:

* Why so many fake dating books fall apart if the initial premise isn’t strong

* Why romantic vulnerability matters more than jellybeans

* The difference between fake dating for good vs fake dating for damage control

* The role of the designated extroverted friend and why we all need one

* When fake dating turns into real cheerleading, and why that’s hot

This episode developed the FAKING IT Framework — First Dates & Soulmates' analytical guide to fake dating romance, built around the eight structural elements every fake dating story needs.

Meg loves a third-act breakup. Nikki wants to be your fake date and your designated hype woman.

Leave a review, comment on Substack, tell us your favourite fake dating books, or ask Nikki to be your designated fake fiance so you can get that promotion!

View the full show notes at: https://firstdatesandsoulmates.com/episode/fake-dating-trope

And check out the FAKING IT Framework -- all eight elements that every great fake dating romance has: https://firstdatesandsoulmates.com/faking-it-framework/

Shop Our Fake Dating Rec List *Amazon Affiliate Links: https://amzn.to/4kCNggr

Books & Media We Mention:

* The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

* Heat Transfer by Cathryn McIntyre

* Reckless Hearts by Jax Calder

* Book Boyfriend by Claire Kingsley

* Fall Risk by Abby Jimenez

* The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

* Love Light Farms by B.K. Borison

* Not the Girl You Marry by Andie J. Christopher

* Best Man by Lily Morton

* How Not to Fall and How Not to Let Go by Emily Foster

* Honestly, I'm Totally Faking It by Amanda Gambill

* The Confetti Hitched Series by Lily Morton

* The Kings of Chaos series by Jocelynn Drake

* The Edge of Fate by Sheena Jolie

* The Duke & I, Bridgerton Book 1 by Julia Quinn

Fake Dating Movies:

* How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days

* The Proposal

* 10 Things I Hate About You

* The Bachelor (Chris O’Donnell movie)

* Purple Hearts

* The Firm

* Sleepless in Seattle

* Bridgerton

* Sex and the City

* Just Go With It

Follow the show on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

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Follow the show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Order Meg’s debut novel, Peppermint Bark, No Bite (affiliate link)

Don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe!

We discuss “Butt-Dialing the Billionaire” by Annika Martin and…

* The "specialist boy" framework: time, money, title—and how power imbalance is managed (or not).

* What readers love about billionaire books: wish fulfillment, lifestyle fantasy, and… not having to cook dinner.

* Why this book had us yelling “That’s not how phones work!” for the first 20 pages.

* A breakdown of billionaire romance structure: the transformation from emotionally stunted workaholic to romantic marshmallow.

* When the non-specialist love interest is just... already whole.

Subscribe to the podcast, rate us, leave a review, and come yell about vending machine sandwiches with us on Substack or Instagram!

Books & Media We Mention

* Butt-Dialing the Billionaire by Annika Martin

* The Billionaire Brotherhood series by Lucy Lennox

* Book Lovers by Emily Henry

* Fresh Catch by Kate Canterbary

* Honestly, I'm Totally Faking It by Amanda Gambill

* Love Light Farms by B.K. Borison

* The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

* How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (movie and its retelling: Not the Girl You Marry by Andie J. Christopher)

* Book Boyfriend by Claire Kingsley

* Reckless Hearts by Jax Calder

* Arrested Development

* The Firm

* Sleepless in Seattle

Follow the show on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

Follow the show on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

Follow the show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Download your copy of the 2025 book bingo card at https://bit.ly/fdsmbingo

View the full show notes on our Substack.

Order Meg’s debut novel, Peppermint Bark, No Bite (affiliate link)

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

Don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe!

Get full access to First Dates & Soulmates: Romance Podcast at firstdatesandsoulmates.substack.com/subscribe

This episode, Nikki and Meg discuss two classic secret identity action romance films, 1994’s True Lies & 2005’s Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

Inside this episode:

* Which spy couple actually had the healthier marriage?

* How do you balance of action, romance, and insane sexual tension WITH GASLIGHTING?

* Why do both of these movies feature the worst best friends ever (looking at you, Tom Arnold & Vince Vaughn).

* Would Nikki & Meg survive if they were secretly spies? (Spoiler: one of them definitely would not).

Books & Media We Mention:

Two Thousand Promises by Jocelynn Drake The Edge of Fate by Sheena JolieHow Not to Fall & How Not to Let Go by Emily Foster

Follow the show on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

Follow the show on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

Follow the show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Download your copy of the 2025 book bingo card at https://bit.ly/fdsmbingo

View the full show notes on our Substack.

Order Meg’s debut novel, Peppermint Bark, No Bite (affiliate link)

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

Don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe!

Get full access to First Dates & Soulmates: Romance Podcast at firstdatesandsoulmates.substack.com/subscribe

Nikki & Meg are diving deep into two secret royal books: Cordina’s Crown Jewel by Nora Roberts, and Felix & The Prince by Lucy Lennox.

Listen in as they discuss:

* What makes the “secret royalty” trope so fun? And why is it different in MF vs. MM romance?

* The pressure of public vs. private identity—is it worth it to give up your normal life for love?

* How these books handle the whole “having an heir” thing in straight vs. queer royalty stories.

* Deception & betrayal: Can love survive when one partner is literally lying about their identity?

Books & Media We MentionCordina’s Crown Jewel by Nora RobertsFelix & The Prince by Lucy Lennox. In Plain Sight (Legacy Mechanics book 3) by Willow DixonHow to Kill Men and Get Away With It by Katy Brent

Follow the show on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/

Follow the show on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates

Follow the show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstDatesSoulmates

Download your copy of the 2025 book bingo card at https://bit.ly/fdsmbingo

View the full show notes on our Substack.

Order Meg’s debut novel, Peppermint Bark, No Bite (affiliate link)

Shop our affiliate book recs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/caseboltcreative

Don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe!

Get full access to First Dates & Soulmates: Romance Podcast at firstdatesandsoulmates.substack.com/subscribe