RTM SPECIAL: Merry Smutmas, and Happy Hoe-lidays!

The last Jedi, the legendary Luke Skywalker, has been found and he’s not at all what Rey expected. He's a recluse, haunted by the failures of his past and determined not to reconnect with the force. Rey, desperate for answers and fearing her new abilities, is forced to seek answers from the most unlikely person in the whole galaxy; her nemesis Kylo Ren. The two of them realize that something is connecting them; a powerful force willing them to talk to each other. And soon, they're confronted with the truth that maybe they aren’t as different from each other as they originally thought. Our ever-loving Reylo hearts finally get to talk about the movie that birthed many, many reylos circa 2017 and we also reminisce on just how horny The Last Jedi actually is…Rian Johnson, you knew EXACTLY what you were doing. Trigger warning: mentions of death, suicide, rape, assault, gaslighting, grooming, abuse, neglect, and child abandonment Movie of the week: Star Wars: The Last Jedi, directed by Rian Johnson, 2017 Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

There has been an awakening, have you felt it? That's right, RTM is dedicating a whole mini series to Reylo! Seff and Marge have loved this ship and these characters for a very long time, but can they finally convert S, too, and awaken her to this romance's potential? A voyage to a galaxy far, far away might do the trick but how many stops will it take to get there and achieve what is seemingly impossible? Well, let's see what surprises this first stop brings our way… TRIGGER WARNINGS: Patricide, villain apologists left unsupervised, mind control, mind control again but in a sexy font, villain apologists being thirsty for 2 hours, glove kink may be activated, inappropriate use of the force, blatant disregard of all plot points that don't involve Rey and Kylo/Ben, trio what trio?, 2015 tin foil hat nonsense but it's actually 2022, torture & kidnapping, FinnPoe deserved better, blatant mentions of lightsabers as phallic-like objects, we are not star wars experts nor do we want to be so keep your bad takes and opinions to yourself, proud Reylos: we stay winning, 'You Know I Can Take Whatever I Want' is kinda hot actually, mentions of Ben Solo's death (but no one's ever really gone.) Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Spoilers! We either love ‘em or we hate ‘em. Today, we discuss all things related to spoilers: Have we ever been spoiled? Do we purposely look out for spoilers? And then the worst question of all…have we ever accidentally spoiled someone else? Also, this episode contains an announcement for the next mini series that we'll be posting on the Podcast, starting next week! So keep an ear out for that! Books mentioned : Mafia Mistress by Mila Finelli Season of the Sun by Catherine Coulter Indebted series by Pepper Winters Love Me With Lies by Tarryn Fisher The Fine Print by Lauren Asher Triggers: mentions of death, forced marriage, post Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker grief and sadness, mention of emotional distress and suicidal thoughts. Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

The third horseman, Famine, has arrived and he is ending humanity with a vengeance. Ana is tasked with seducing Famine only for him to order her death mere seconds later. Ana lives through the ordeal, with a newfound desire to kill the man whom she once saved years ago. Join us for a discussion about the power of love and how the strength of compassion may be enough to overcome the horrors of inhumanity. Trigger warning: mentions of prostitution, violent massacres, loss of humanity, sacrifice of loved ones, abuse, rape, and death. Book of the week: Famine by Laura Thalassa Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Oh how the plot thickens, dear listener! It would appear that the Ton's most eligible bachelor, Viscount Anthony Bridgerton, has indeed proposed…but to the wrong sister! What will the Ton think of such a scandal?! This author certainly has an opinion or two to share on the matter. Will Anthony Bridgerton delude himself into taking this engagement all the way to "I do", or will the forces of love intervene before he finds himself forever trapped in an unthinkable fate, married to a woman he does not desire, and pining for the one he cannot have? (This episode focuses on episodes 5-8.) Trigger warning: mentions of familial duty, death, childbirth, trauma, loss of a parent, societal expectations, inability to grieve, social duty, toxic masculinity, and loss of a spouse. Beware of spoilers! We talk about the book, THE VISCOUNT WHO LOVED ME by Julia Quinn and the TV show, Bridgerton in great detail. Media of the week: Bridgerton, created by Chris Van Dusen, 2020-present Book mentioned: The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

The London Ton is positively abuzz! Indeed, dear listener, it would seem another social season is upon us, promising many sizzling stares across ballrooms and illicit affairs of the heart. Rumor has it that we are to be joined by newcomers this year, the Sharma sisters, who, too, come in search of husbands of nobility. Only, Miss Kate Sharma is not looking for a husband for herself but rather for her young sister, the Diamond of the season. More shocking still, this author has it on good authority that the eldest Bridgerton offspring, Viscount Anthony Bridgerton, is rather eager to secure a match with the youngest Sharma sister, Miss Edwina. So why is it that he seems to only have eyes for the eldest sister? This author may have a scandal to share sooner, rather than later after all… (This episode focuses on episodes 1-4.) Trigger warning: mentions of familial duty, death, childbirth, trauma, loss of a parent, societal expectations, inability to grief, social duty, and loss of a spouse. Beware of spoilers! We talk about the book, THE VISCOUNT WHO LOVED ME by Julia Quinn and the TV show, Bridgerton in great detail. Media of the week: Bridgerton, created by Chris Van Dusen, 2020-present Book mentioned: The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

This week is all about monsters! We discuss the Big Feels Anthology, a collection of monster romance stories that are definitely going to activate your size kink! From satyrs, to demons, orcs, yeti, aliens and tree giants, this episode is sure to contain something for everyone! Join us! Triggers: mentions of immense size difference, gender inequality, control of women, and death. Book of the week: Big Feels: A Monster Romance Anthology Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

This week we watch another monster romance, Tim Burton's Corpse Bride! We meet Victor who, after running into the woods to escape a failed proposal he wasn't really enthused about to begin with, finds himself married to a living corpse. Emily, was murdered on the eve of her own wedding by the horrible man who'd promise to love and cherish her. Ever since, she's been biding her time, waiting to be relieved from her curse and married at last…And that's exactly what Victor unknowingly did. Thrown together in a flurry of confusion and joy, the two of them straddle the worlds of the living and the dead as they try to figure out where, and with whom, they truly belong… Media of the week: Corpse Bride, directed by Tim Burton, 2005 Media mentioned: The Nightmare Before Christmas, directed by Tim Burton, 1993 Frankenweenie, directed by Tim Burton, 2012 Marry Me, directed by Kat Coiro, 2022 Books mentioned: Keturah and Lord Death by Martine Leavitt A Wallflower Christmas by Lisa Kleypas Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

This week on Romancing the Monsters, we’re talking about all the things we've been loving in the first few weeks of the year! We talk dramione and reylo fanfics, alien anatomy (it's not a CUAC without some weird anatomy, right?!), and a whooooole lot of toxic relationships... Yeah, we've entered our messy, chaotic romance era, folks. But, of course, do not be scared, we also talk about ranchers, angels, and there’s even a mention of a Turkish show and for once, it's not Seff! GASP! Oh, and you didn’t think M would forget her beloved monsters now, did you?! TRIGGER WARNINGS: mentions of rape, child rape, incest, abuse, sex slavery, human trafficking, pregnancy, post-war PTSD, adultry, bullying, minors having sex, forced surrogacy, mysogyny, toxic relationships, bullying, and murder. Mentioned by M: - Feather & Celestial by Olivia Wildenstein - The Auction by Lovesbitca8 - Wicked Dreams, Wicked Games and Wicked Promises by S. Massery - Big Feels Anthology - Possessed By the Alien King by Krista Luna - The Demon Next Door by Chace Verity - Yuri & the Yeti by Daphne Green - Bound in Stone by Stephanie Simpson - Grinch & Guile by A.M. Kore - All Yours by Vicky Walklate Mentioned by Seff: -Taken by the Horde King by Zoey Draven -Twisted Hate by Ana Huang -1883, created by Taylor Sheridan, 2021-present -Redeeming Love, directed by D.J. Caruso, 2022 -Munro by Kresley Cole -Death by Laura Thalassa -The Heartbreak Prince by diasterisms Mentioned by S: -Breath Mints/Battle Scars by Onyx & Elm -Manacled by SenLinYu -Amends by TheLashJedi -Nothing Good Happens After 2AM by LovesBitca8 -Hercai, directed by Cem Karcı, Benal Tairi, Baris Yoş, Ali İlhan, 2019-2021 -Stand Still by Peachy_V Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.

Let's talk about tropes, baby! What are the tropes we love and think should be more popular in romance novels? What are the tropes we (not so secretly) hate? Well, today's the day we reveal it all! Join us for an hour of laughs, recommendations and an anatomy lesson or two. Triggers: mentions of cheating, pregnancy, and breeding. Books mentioned: Ghosted J.M. Darhower Carter & Leah by R.J. Lewis The Tyrant Alpha’s Rejected Mate by Cate C. Wells Broken by the Horde King by Zoey Draven MacRieve by Kresley Cole Dreams of a Dark Warrior by Kresley Cole Kiss of a Demon King by Kresley Cole Whitney, My Love by Judith McNaught Taken by the Horde King by Zoey Draven The Bonds That Tie series by J. Bree Pack Darling Part 1, Part 2 by Lola Rock This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi Morning Glory Milking Farm by C.M. Nascosta Arrows Through Archers by Nash Summers The Bronze Horseman by Paulina Simmons Media mentioned: Eternal Love, Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms, directed by Lam Yuk-fan, Yu Cuihua, Ren Haitao, 2017 Find us: E-mail—[email protected] Twitter—@theRTMpod Instagram—@romancingthemonsterspodcast TikTok—@Romancingthemonsterspod Find M: Instagram & Twitter—@foesandlovers Find S: Instagram & Twitter—@butthisbook Find Seff: Instagram & Twitter—@prosewithwoes Romancing the Monsters is a podcast that looks at the monster within: the shadow keeping the characters away from true and absolute happiness. This monster can be a prejudice, fear, insecurity, trauma and so on. We believe that romance novels are as much about one's personal journey as they are about finding love. After all, love makes us vulnerable and forces us to bare our monsters to another.