Fated Mates - Romance Books for Novel People Podcast By Fated Mates cover art

Fated Mates - Romance Books for Novel People

Fated Mates - Romance Books for Novel People

By: Fated Mates
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The most listened to romance novel podcast, Fated Mates is co-hosted by bestselling author Sarah MacLean and romance critic Jen Prokop. Weekly episodes include romance novel read-alongs and lively discussions of the work of the genre, highlighting the romance novel as a powerful tool in fighting the patriarchy…with absolutely no kink shaming.Copyright 2026 Fated Mates Art Literary History & Criticism Social Sciences
Episodes
  • S08.29: Jen & Sarah Answer Your Burning Questions

    S08.29: Jen & Sarah Answer Your Burning Questions
    Apr 8 2026

    As always when we’re together, today we’re answering listener questions! In here, we’re recommending sex lessons books, motorcycle romance, books set in Toronto, Ohio and more — we’re also talking about the evolution of the trade paperback, how Jen edits, when Duchess is coming, and if we have favorite dinosaurs. It’s a full service episode for you, our faves.

    If you have more burning questions for us, you can find us in the Ask Jen & Sarah channel on the Fated Mates Discord, which is accessible to our Patreon subscribers. By joining the Patreon, you meet other Fated Mates listeners and get an extra monthly episode from us. Support us and learn more at fatedmates.net/patreon.

    Our next read along is The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie by Jennifer Ashley. Get it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.

    The Rest
    • For even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net
    • If you wish you had six more days in a week of people talking about romance, may we suggest joining our Patreon? Aside from an additional episode every month you get access to our Discord, where other romance readers are talking about books they love (and many other things!) all the time. It’s so fun! Learn more about the Patreon and go join those cool people who love romance as much as you do at patreon.com/fatedmates.
    • Beyond your favorite podcast app, you can find us on Instagram, Threads, Blue Sky, Tumblr, and probably some other places, too, if you look hard enough.
    • If you've never listened to our Stop Book Banning episode, there's no better time than now.

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    1 hr and 25 mins
  • S08.28: Spring 2026 Preview

    S08.28: Spring 2026 Preview
    Apr 1 2026
    It’s time to fill those TBR piles again! April means the start of Spring and also another quarterly upcoming romance episode! We’re talking about romances hitting shelves and ereaders during April, May & June 2026! Whether historical, paranormal, contemporary or Romantasy, we’ve got something for everyone in fifty or so recs across every single genre. As a reminder, we haven’t read most of these, but we have big plans!If you want more recommendations and more people with whom you can discuss 2026 romance novels, maybe you want to join our Patreon? You get an extra monthly episode from us and access to the incredible readers and brilliant people on the Fated Mates Discord! Support us and learn more at fatedmates.net/patreon.Our next read along is The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie by Jennifer Ashley. Get it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.AUTHORS: Do you have a book coming out in 2026 that you’d like to make sure we know about? Or, are you a debut romance author who’d like to make sure we know about your debut? Fill out the forms here:2026/2027 Upcoming Romance Novels2026 Debut Romance NovelsSponsorsLavinia K. Darcy, author of Return to Kingscote, available in print or ebook. Get it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, or wherever you get your books.Metaltail Press, publishers of SE McPherson’s A Villain’s Hope, available in print or ebook. Get it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.Neyha Liu, author of Midnight at Soulfield, available in print or ebook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.The RestFor even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net If you wish you had six more days in a week of people talking about romance, may we suggest joining our Patreon? Aside from an additional episode every month you get access to our Discord, where other romance readers are talking about books they love (and many other things!) all the time. It’s so fun! Learn more about the Patreon and go join those cool people who love romance as much as you do at patreon.com/fatedmates. Beyond your favorite podcast app, you can find us on Instagram, Threads, Blue Sky, Tumblr, and probably some other places, too, if you look hard enough. If you've never listened to our Stop Book Banning episode, there's no better time than now.
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    1 hr and 38 mins
  • S08.27: Romance Baby: Not the Secret Kind

    S08.27: Romance Baby: Not the Secret Kind
    Mar 25 2026
    It never fails to surprise us when we realize we’ve never talked about a really classic trope even now…eight years in. This week, we’re talking about kids in romance—which we’ve somehow never done before?! We’re covering Romance Babies, Romance Kids, and Single Parents in Romance — but so sorry to the Secret Baby lovers out there, that one deserves its own episode (someday). We’re talking babies, toddlers and teens, the appeal of the single parent romance novel, and that one Erin St. Claire book that Sarah can’t get out of her head.If you want more Fated Mates in your life, or you want to talk more about Romance Babies/Kids, please join our Patreon, which comes with an extremely busy and fun Discord community! Join other magnificent firebirds to hang out, talk romance, and be cool together in a private group full of excellent people. Learn more at patreon.com.Our next read along is The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie by Jennifer Ashley. Get it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.NotesThe Silhouette Intimate Moments line eventually turned into Harlequin Romantic Suspense. Erin St. Claire is one of Sandra Brown’s many pen names.Wet nurses have been around for a very long time, baby bottles not so much. I say this only because Sarah said “Bottle service” and that’s something different.Red ink has been around for a long time, actually. So maybe that’s how Sophie had access to it during the Regency?So there’s not a whole lot of evidence that birthmarks are hereditary. Shocking, I know.SponsorsThe Romantasy Letters, a new kind of romantic fantasy storytelling, delivered right to your door twice monthly. Use the code FATED to get 20% off your year's subscription. Learn more at RomantasyLetters.com.LJ Andrews, author of Heir of Twisted Lies, available in print or ebook. Get it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, or wherever you get your books.Neyha Liu, author of Midnight at Soulfield, available in print or ebook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.Lucy Score, author of Mistakes Were Made, available in print, ebook or audiobook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited. Get it wherever you get your books.The RestFor even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net If you wish you had six more days in a week of people talking about romance, may we suggest joining our Patreon? Aside from an additional episode every month you get access to our Discord, where other romance readers are talking about books they love (and many other things!) all the time. It’s so fun! Learn more about the Patreon and go join those cool people who love romance as much as you do at patreon.com/fatedmates. Beyond your favorite podcast app, you can find us on Instagram, Threads, Blue Sky, Tumblr, and probably some other places, too, if you look hard enough. If you've never listened to our Stop Book Banning episode, there's no better time than now.
    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 38 mins
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Tldr: Do you delight in female friendship and banter? Do you despise the patriarchy but love sexy, well-written books? Put these two ladies in your ear holes this instant.
Romance recommendations meets intersectional feminism. Turns out I'm trash for this.

I don't know where I would be without Fated Mates.
I started listening in fall 2018 when Kresley Cole wrote about it in her newsletter before going AWOL. I was elated. Here were these books, which I'd read for years, and there was no one IRL I could talk to about them! Enter two, highly intelligent, articulate fan girls who were dissecting each book? Yes. Please.
The first season was an excellent ushering into the world of romance. In fall 2018 I moved from Missouri to Utah. It was a tough move and the cultural differences are intense. These two bantered and talked about my all-time favorite books and for an hour every week, I started to feel a little less alone.
At first, I came just for Kresley. When I ran out of Kresley episodes (it happened fast as this was still 2018), I became curious about the interstitials. I'd never read much romance outside of SJ Maas, Kresley Cole, and JR Ward, so I wasn't sure what to expect. But I'm so glad I took that plunge. I love Sarah's books, and I have yet to read a bad recommendation from both Jen and Sarah. I even loved all the contemporaries I've read!
The second and third seasons have been a deep dive into romance as a genre and all the ways it intersects with race and gender and sexuality and history. I've learned so much I feel like I've taken a course on gender studies. Jen and Sarah have helped me develop a deeper understanding of patriarchy. It didn't make me "woke," but my eyes are certainly wider today than they were 3 years ago. My reading is certainly more diverse. I understand historicals in a way I never did before.
Currently settling in for the night with my latest recommendation. Love these ladies and my wonderful new life in the romance community.

Your new book bffs

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This was my introduction to this podcast and I sincerely look forward to listening to more. really well done.

Fabulous Interview

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I love this podcast. Sure it's a Romance Novel podcast but it's also history, politics, and a dozen other subjects. I love the differing perspectives and how much I learn when I listen. It's one of my happy places.

The BEST!

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I have been listening to Fated Mates since season 1. Romance lovers discussing books and themes in all their steamy glory.

Talk romance with these 2 characters

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Thank you for the smart conversation about a topic i love. Sarah and Jen are hilarious, intelligent and so knowledgeable about the different genres. I found my tribe.

My TBR pile keeps growing

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