Sarah picked this week’s read without having read it recently, and she shockingly doesn’t regret it! We’re talking Johanna Lindsey’s Gentle Rogue—arguably one of the most beloved texts of the genre, complete with a reformed pirate and a heroine who is having absolutely none of his nonsense. We’ll talk about heroines who are sex positive, about obvious references to the slave trade that are problematic and somehow utterly glossed over, archetypal brothers, and about the shocking lack of plot in this book (which we don’t mind a bit).

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In two weeks, we’re going back to paranormal with the first book in JR Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series, Dark Lover. It’s a whole ride. Strap in. Get it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Kobo or your local indie (it’s currently only $2.99 in ebook!).

Show Notes

• Jen's the romance correspondent for Kirkus, and she recently wrote about Fabio who appeared on the original cover of Gentle Rogue. Also, this piece by Kelly Faircloth about romance covers is amazing.
• When Sarah dreamed of Amy Schumer, I wonder if it was anything like this?
• 7th grade is awful for everyone.
• Voldemort and his horcruxes.
• The Magic of You is all about Georgie's brother Warren.
• Here's some basic information about slavery in Jamaica and sugar plantations in particular. And the Slave Voyages site is an amazing and well-researched online archive you should also check out, which includes a searchable database of transatlantic boats and the numbers of enslaved people on board each ship.
• Although we didn't mention it the podcast, if you're reading romances where white people have weddings, parties, or balls on plantations...that's terrible.
• The Georgian, the Regency, the Victorian.
• In real life, billionaires are always a problem.
• For your consideration: a goodreads list of ugly duckling romances.
• A thread from EE Ottoman about why pants are not the problem... or the answer.
• We love Jen Porter.
• Lord of Scoundrels will definitely be making an appearnce in season 2.
• Sometimes we don't know if it's better to get bangs or just deal with our feelings.
• Why are there so many YA love triangles?
• The Bridgertons, in case you don't know.
• Jen thinks James Malory is a Mary Sue.
• Coming up in two weeks, Dark Lover by J. R. Ward.
• An official Romancelandia poll on the best emjoi for pegging. I don't even know what to say.

The Rest

• For even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net/episodes/2019/10/7/s025-gentle-rogue
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• If you've never listened to our Stop Book Banning episode, there's no better time than now.