Reading Under the Covers: A Romance Novel Podcast

Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet (1996) turned 30 this month, and I'm convinced it turned a whole generation of millennial girls into romance readers. The fish tank, the soundtrack, Leo screaming at the sky. It was the whole package.I've been blogging about romance books since 2011, so I went back to the movie that started it for a lot of us. The aquarium scene and fated mates, the soundtrack as our first book playlist, why Leo spent the late 90s dying for love in Romeo + Juliet and Titanic, what Shakespeare in Love did with the same story, and how all of it grew into Twilight, paranormal romance and romantasy.Romantasy books that feel like Shakespeare, sorted by play: https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/romantasy-shakespeare/The written version of this video: https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/romeo-and-juliet-1996/What stayed with you most? Leo, the soundtrack, the fish tank, or the whole thing at once?Chapters00:00 Why It Hit So Hard00:59 Teen Life in 199601:42 Baz Luhrmann Aesthetic03:20 The Fish Tank Moment04:33 Fated Mates Origins05:30 Soundtrack as Romance06:46 BookTok Then and Now07:06 Watching It at 4008:32 Leo and the Yearning Hero09:44 Titanic and Doomed Love10:47 Shakespeare in Love Era12:15 From Shakespeare to Romantasy13:35 Why We Read Romance Anyway14:00 Wrap Up and Comments✨ Loved the episode?Follow Reading Under the Covers wherever you listen and leave a quick review. It helps more romance readers find us (and lets me know what you’re loving). 💕💌 Talk to Me:Got a rec, trope request, or hot take? → Drop me a voice message.☕ Support the Show:Enjoyed hanging out? Leave us a tip. Even a dollar keeps the mics on and the coffee flowing.📚 Stay Connected:Blog: reviews, book lists, and seasonal reading inspo.YouTube: book chats, reading lifestyle and recs.Newsletter: join our insider for the latest updates.💖 This episode may contain affiliate links. We earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting the show!

Publishers once said no one wanted vampires. Then a writer they’d dropped came back with Dark Lover, and the Black Dagger Brotherhood changed vampire romance. I went down a rabbit hole on how we got from “vampires are dead as a genre” to one of the biggest paranormal romance series ever.In this episode of Reading Under the Covers, a romance podcast:- the vampire romance that came before J.R. Ward, from Barnabas Collins to Silhouette Shadows- the Insider’s Guide stories about Dark Lover’s three-book deal and the call 21 days after release- the rules Ward rewrote for her vampires- whether Dark Lover was actually revolutionary📖 Read the full story on the blog:https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/j-r-ward-vampire-romance/🦇 The history of vampire romance before Dark Lover: https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/history-of-vampire-romance/🗡️ Black Dagger Brotherhood reading order: https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/black-dagger-brotherhood-series-guide/📚 Books like the Black Dagger Brotherhood: https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/books-like-black-dagger-brotherhood/🩸 When did we start romanticizing vampires? https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/romanticizing-vampires/📜 Dark Lover’s chapter in The Oxford History of the Novel in English: https://academic.oup.com/book/56332/chapter/445459557Books mentioned:Dark Lover by J.R. Ward: https://on.ltk.com/+v1JERuWkti4GVEEJUJgGMAThe Black Dagger Brotherhood 20th Anniversary Insider’s Guide: https://on.ltk.com/+FPQF1x-YbLJX8mOyg-oYwwWhat was your first vampire romance? Tell me in the comments.Timestamps00:00 Nobody Wanted Vampires01:26 Origins of Vampire Crushes02:59 Early Vampire Romance Roots04:38 Publishers Said No05:53 Enter J.R. Ward06:46 Dark Lover’s Breakthrough08:42 The Rules Ward Rewrote10:49 A Modern Worldbuilding Shift13:19 Was It Revolutionary?14:41 Fandom and the Genre Ripple16:23 Legacy and Where to Start17:17 Final Thoughts✨ Loved the episode?Follow Reading Under the Covers wherever you listen and leave a quick review. It helps more romance readers find us (and lets me know what you’re loving). 💕💌 Talk to Me:Got a rec, trope request, or hot take? → Drop me a voice message.☕ Support the Show:Enjoyed hanging out? Leave us a tip. Even a dollar keeps the mics on and the coffee flowing.📚 Stay Connected:Blog: reviews, book lists, and seasonal reading inspo.YouTube: book chats, reading lifestyle and recs.Newsletter: join our insider for the latest updates.💖 This episode may contain affiliate links. We earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting the show!

In 1988, Lisa Kleypas wrote a hero who pulls a girl out of a frozen river and decides, while she's still dripping wet, that she belongs to him. In this episode of Reading Under the Covers, a romance novel podcast, Becky from Too Stupid to Live joins me for our Ripped & Ravished book club discussion of Love Come to Me, one of Kleypas's earliest historical romances, written years before the Wallflowers, the Ravenels and Derek Craven.We talk about the Civil War backdrop the book glosses over, a fiancé and an ex who never add real tension, the miscommunication that one conversation would have fixed, the forced seduction scene, and why there always has to be another woman as the villain. We also get into what it does well: a hero who stops and admits when he's wrong, a heroine who's allowed to want things, and why this might be the safest bodice ripper we've read this year. Our final ratings, and whether you should start your Lisa Kleypas journey here, are at the end.Read the full discussion and review: https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/love-come-to-me-review/Next up, we're closing out the year with Vivid by Beverly Jenkins. Join the Ripped & Ravished book club emails to read along and be the first to hear the 2027 picks: https://underthecovers.myflodesk.com/ripped-ravishedCatch up on every book we've discussed this year: https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/bodice-ripper-book-club/Follow Becky:Too Stupid to Live on Substack: https://tstlpodcast.substack.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tstlpodcastChapters00:00 Preview: the stalker reveal00:24 Book club setup and the premise01:46 First impressions and early Kleypas expectations05:33 Pacing problems09:20 No real central conflict11:11 The Civil War backdrop15:12 Tacked on antagonists and a darker forced marriage18:08 Lucy's naivety and the miscommunication24:10 An ending with no grovel28:29 Forced seduction, virginity and naivety32:46 The father problem35:06 Chemistry, best scenes and a safer 80s romance38:25 Women's pleasure on the page42:17 The other woman as the villain48:40 Kleypas then vs now53:29 Ratings, recommendations and watching authors grow59:08 Wrap up and next read✨ Loved the episode?Follow Reading Under the Covers wherever you listen and leave a quick review. It helps more romance readers find us (and lets me know what you’re loving). 💕💌 Talk to Me:Got a rec, trope request, or hot take? → Drop me a voice message.☕ Support the Show:Enjoyed hanging out? Leave us a tip. Even a dollar keeps the mics on and the coffee flowing.📚 Stay Connected:Blog: reviews, book lists, and seasonal reading inspo.YouTube: book chats, reading lifestyle and recs.Newsletter: join our insider for the latest updates.💖 This episode may contain affiliate links. We earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting the show!

Curious about historical romance but not sure where to start? This episode of Reading Under the Covers, a romance novel podcast, is your crash course. I break the genre down by the kind of reader you are: whether you came in through the Bridgerton show or the books, you're looking for modern romance, you want to get out of the ballroom, you love a genre mashup, or you're a dark romance girly looking for a historical that still pushes your comfort zone. I also cover the classics every historical romance reader should know, plus a quick guide to the eras and types of historical romance so you know what to look for next.Books mentioned:You're the Problem, It's You by Emma R. AlbanAna María and the Fox by Liana De la RosaDuke's Got Mail by Samara ParishThe Scoundrel and the Siren by Christy CarlyleA Caribbean Heiress in Paris by Adriana HerreraThe Wallflowers series by Lisa KleypasQueen of Lombard Street by Lisa KleypasSpindle Cove series by Tessa DareDuke of My Heart by Kelly BowenScandal of the Summer by Alexandra VastiThe Last Lady B by Eloisa JamesVivid by Beverly JenkinsThe Austen Affair by Madeline BellIn Bed with a Highlander by Maya BanksA Stitch in Time by Kelley ArmstrongFirelight by Kristen CallihanKiss of Steel by Bec McMasterAngelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match by Sally ThorneMaiden Lane series by Elizabeth HoytVictorian Rebels series by Kerrigan ByrneSea of Ruin by Pam GodwinRough Surrender by Cari SilverwoodLord of Scoundrels by Loretta ChaseThe Bride by Julie GarwoodThe Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by Jennifer AshleyNine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLeanTranscendence by Shay SavageThe Rogue of Fifth Avenue by Joanna ShupeAn Extraordinary Union by Alyssa ColeSherry ThomasRead Vivid with us for book club in November and December: https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/bodice-ripper-book-club/READ MORE ON THE BLOGWhat is a bodice ripper? How to read vintage romance: https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/read-vintage-bodice-rippers/Our all-time favorite Highlander romances: https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/must-read-highlander-romances/15 diverse historical romances to add to your TBR: https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/diverse-historical-romances/Historical romantic comedies to make you smile: https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/historical-romantic-comedy/Historical romances set outside of England: https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/historical-romances-set-outside-of-england/✨ Loved the episode?Follow Reading Under the Covers wherever you listen and leave a quick review. It helps more romance readers find us (and lets me know what you’re loving). 💕💌 Talk to Me:Got a rec, trope request, or hot take? → Drop me a voice message.☕ Support the Show:Enjoyed hanging out? Leave us a tip. Even a dollar keeps the mics on and the coffee flowing.📚 Stay Connected:Blog: reviews, book lists, and seasonal reading inspo.YouTube: book chats, reading lifestyle and recs.Newsletter: join our insider for the latest updates.💖 This episode may contain affiliate links. We earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting the show!

Everyone is packing an analog bag right now, but the supplies add up fast, and sometimes the bag just ends up sitting in the corner. So I turned my iPad into mine.In this episode of Reading Under the Covers, a romance novel podcast, I talk about how trying to break my doomscrolling habit back in February sent me down a cozy games rabbit hole, why hobby stacking with audiobooks changed how I read, and how I set up my iPad so work, social media, and YouTube can't follow me there. Then I share the free apps I use for every analog hobby: coloring, diamond art, brain games, puzzles, cozy games, reading, and catching up on blogs without relying on the algorithm.You don't need a Switch, a new e-reader, or a pile of supplies. If you already have an iPad or any tablet, you already have the bag.Apps I mention:Coloring: Happy Color, Lake, InfiniDiamond art: DazzlyBrain games: CubeAway, Screwdom 3D, Word Search, Magic Sort, Yarn Fever, Bus Traffic Fever, ClueSearch, Meowdoku, Hidden CityPuzzles: Jigsaw PuzzlesCozy games: Good Coffee Great Coffee, Good Pizza Great Pizza, Heartopia, CatMartApple Arcade: Hello Kitty Island Adventure, Disney Dreamlight Valley, Wylde FlowersReading: Kindle, Libby, NetGalley, Audible, Libro.fmRead it later: Instapaper, FeedlyPlanning and notes: Goodnotes, NotionAlso on my iPad: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Procreate, PinterestRead more on the blog:Cozy iPad games: https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/cozy-ipad-games/Hobby stacking with audiobooks: https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/hobby-stacking-audiobooks/Using your iPad as an e-reader: https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/ipad-mini-as-an-e-reader/✨ Loved the episode?Follow Reading Under the Covers wherever you listen and leave a quick review. It helps more romance readers find us (and lets me know what you’re loving). 💕💌 Talk to Me:Got a rec, trope request, or hot take? → Drop me a voice message.☕ Support the Show:Enjoyed hanging out? Leave us a tip. Even a dollar keeps the mics on and the coffee flowing.📚 Stay Connected:Blog: reviews, book lists, and seasonal reading inspo.YouTube: book chats, reading lifestyle and recs.Newsletter: join our insider for the latest updates.💖 This episode may contain affiliate links. We earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting the show!

For years I had historical romance filed under "mom's romance novels." Then in May 2011 I read Secrets of a Summer Night by Lisa Kleypas, and historical romance became the genre I reach for when I need comfort.In this episode of Reading Under the Covers, a romance novel podcast, I'm telling you how one book (and my blog co-founders, who would not stop recommending Lisa Kleypas) turned me from a historical romance skeptic into a lifelong fan. We're chatting about the Wallflowers series, why historical romance is where it's at if you're craving yearning, the clinch covers I used to judge and now collect, and Lisa Kleypas's first new book in five years, The Queen of Lombard Street.Grab a drink and come sit for a bookish brunch with me. Then tell me in the comments: what was your gateway historical romance?📚 BOOKS MENTIONED Secrets of a Summer Night by Lisa Kleypas (Wallflowers #1)It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas (Wallflowers #2)Scandal in Spring by Lisa Kleypas (Wallflowers #4)The Queen of Lombard Street by Lisa KleypasLove Come to Me by Lisa KleypasThe Luna Sisters series by Liana De La Rosa🎧 I listened to Secrets of a Summer Night on audio, narrated by Rosalyn Landor, and she did a fabulous job.🔗 LINKSMy Queen of Lombard Street review: coming soonWhy we hid our romance covers (the cover shame video): https://youtu.be/yLhUnGTa0FgRipped & Ravished book club discussion of Love Come to Me: https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/bodice-ripper-book-club/⏱️ CHAPTERS00:00 Why I thought historical romance wasn't for me04:38 The book that changed everything06:25 Secrets of a Summer Night (spoiler-free)11:01 Why historical romance became my comfort genre14:37 From judging clinch covers to collecting them16:30 Lisa Kleypas's new release17:32 Where I'd tell you to start17:54 What was your gateway historical romance?👀 WATCH NEXT:- What to Read After Bridgerton Season 4: https://youtu.be/os_IuXcpe0Q- What would Jane Austen Read? Her Modern TBR: https://youtu.be/IWAhj0aLhpo✨ Loved the episode?Follow Reading Under the Covers wherever you listen and leave a quick review. It helps more romance readers find us (and lets me know what you’re loving). 💕💌 Talk to Me:Got a rec, trope request, or hot take? → Drop me a voice message.☕ Support the Show:Enjoyed hanging out? Leave us a tip. Even a dollar keeps the mics on and the coffee flowing.📚 Stay Connected:Blog: reviews, book lists, and seasonal reading inspo.YouTube: book chats, reading lifestyle and recs.Newsletter: join our insider for the latest updates.💖 This episode may contain affiliate links. We earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting the show!

When did the vampire stop being the thing that eats you and become the guy who'd die before he let anything touch you? I went looking for that answer and it happened much earlier than I expected. It was us.My answer to a TikTok I can't stop thinking about: the monsters we love come out of whatever makes us feel safe. This is how the vampire got there.If you want to make a whole vampire month (or season) out of this, I put together a free Vampire Personal Curriculum with required reading, a watchlist, games, free resources on vampire folklore and more:https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/vampire-personal-curriculum/LINKS FROM THIS VIDEO- My friend Victoria's series on the bookish scandals of classic authors (Polidori included): https://www.youtube.com/@bibliolifestyle- Why the paranormal alpha is making a comeback: https://youtu.be/AaTGtoc8EmU- Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles in reading order: https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/vampire-chronicles-reading-order/- My original Vampire Academy movie review: https://archive.underthecoversbookblog.com/movie-review-vampire-academy/- My thoughts on The Vampire Lestat season 3: https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/vampire-lestat-season-3/Timestamps00:00 What the monster we love says about us01:05 Stage one: Before he was hot. Folklore to Dracula02:47 1931: Lugosi's fan mail03:54 The four stages04:28 Anne Rice and falling for him anyway08:55 Stage two: restraint (Angel, Edward, Stefan)11:03 Stage three: the partner (Anita, Sookie, Cat and Bones)14:18 Stage four: the protector (Black Dagger Brotherhood)16:37 Why the 2000s made the vampire so popular18:09 The boom cools off, then BookTok brings him back21:32 The Vampire Personal CurriculumBOOKS AND SHOWS IN THIS VIDEOShop the whole reading list on LTK:https://liketk.it/6oTfx(This is an affiliate link, which means I receive a small commission at no cost to you.)The Vampyre by John PolidoriDracula by Bram Stoker (and the new audiobook narrated by Jonathan Bailey)Dracula (1931), Bela LugosiInterview with the Vampire by Anne Rice, the 1994 film by the same name and Queen of the Damned (2002), plus the new AMC show from 2022John Carpenter's Vampires (1998)Buffy the Vampire Slayer and AngelTwilight by Stephenie Meyer and the 2008 filmThe Vampire Diaries by L.J. Smith and the TV seriesAnita Blake by Laurell K. HamiltonVampire Huntress Legend by L.A. BanksUnderworld movie franchiseSookie Stackhouse by Charlaine Harris and True BloodNight Huntress by Jeaniene FrostJaz Parks by Jennifer RardinUndead and Unwed by MaryJanice DavidsonBlack Dagger Brotherhood by J.R. WardArgeneau Vampires by Lynsay SandsImmortals After Dark by Kresley ColeMidnight Breed by Lara AdrianEternal Hunger by Laura WrightBonded by Blood by Laurie LondonVampire Academy (2014 film) and book seriesDracula Untold (2014)From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. ArmentroutA Bargain of Blood by Vasilisa Drake✨ Loved the episode?Follow Reading Under the Covers wherever you listen and leave a quick review. It helps more romance readers find us (and lets me know what you’re loving). 💕💌 Talk to Me:Got a rec, trope request, or hot take? → Drop me a voice message.☕ Support the Show:Enjoyed hanging out? Leave us a tip. Even a dollar keeps the mics on and the coffee flowing.📚 Stay Connected:Blog: reviews, book lists, and seasonal reading inspo.YouTube: book chats, reading lifestyle and recs.Newsletter: join our insider for the latest updates.💖 This episode may contain affiliate links. We earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting the show!

I sat down to talk about a 1995 alien romance and ended up in a six and a half year lawsuit. In today's episode of Reading Under the Covers, a romance novel podcast, we are diving into Knight of a Trillion Stars by Dara Joy. Our July/August Ripped & Ravished Book Club book.Three words: Highlanders in SpaceBut then I got curious about what happened to Dara Joy, a bestselling author who simply disappeared for twenty years. That turned into a whole rabbit hole including a contract lawsuit, an argument about whether a book counted as science fiction or romance, a self-publishing attempt that went wrong. And the book at the centre of that scandal sent me looking for where all the dominant women were in 2000s romance.This episode covers an author's litigation and business history. Everything is sourced and linked below, and I've quoted both sides in their own words.Timestamps00:00 The Rabbit Hole00:53 Book Club Housekeeping01:41 Meet the Alien Knight03:02 Sci-Fi Con Fish Out of Water05:18 Rating and Red Flags07:11 Writing Style Surprise09:04 Suzanne's Review, and the Spice11:41 Series Talk: Rejar13:14 Where Is Dara Joy?14:02 The Dorchester Lawsuit Timeline19:05 The Self-Publishing PayPal Mess21:33 The Ritual of Proof Twist25:53 Femdom Market Deep Dive31:52 Power Dynamics Takeaways34:01 Wrap Up and Next PickBooks MentionedKnight of a Trillion Stars by Dara Joy (1995), Matrix of Destiny #1Rejar by Dara Joy (1997), Matrix of Destiny #2Ritual of Proof by Dara Joy (2001)Holding the Cards by Joey W. Hill (2002), Nature of Desire #1Natural Law by Joey W. Hill (2004), Nature of Desire #2The Vampire Queen's Servant by Joey W. Hill (2007), Vampire Queen #1Truly Helpless by Joey W. Hill (2017), Nature of Desire #10A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux (1989)From the blogKnight of a Trillion Stars review, including Suzanne's original 2011 review: https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/knight-of-a-trillion-stars-review/Rejar review: https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/rejar-by-dara-joy-review/Ripped & Ravished Book Club: https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/bodice-ripper-book-club/How to Read Vintage Bodice Rippers Without Gaslighting Yourself: https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/read-vintage-bodice-rippers/A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux review: https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/a-knight-in-shining-armor-by-jude-deveraux/My review of The Vampire Queen's Servant by Joey W. Hill: https://archive.underthecoversbookblog.com/the-vampire-queens-servant-by-joey-w-hill/Jennifer's review of Truly Helpless by Joey W. Hill, quoted in this episode: https://archive.underthecoversbookblog.com/truly-helpless-by-joey-w-hill-2/SourcesEverything in this episode is sourced. Here is where it all came from.ON THE DORCHESTER DISPUTEDorchester Publishing's public statement, 10 February 2005, archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20070208005519/http://www.dorchesterpub.com/DorchSpecialFeatures.cfmDara Joy's own 2005 statement, quoted in Maya Reynolds, "Another Cautionary Tale," April 2007. The original page on her website has since been deleted and is not archived: https://mayareynoldswriter.blogspot.com/2007/04/another-cautionary-tale.htmlDear Author, "Authors Behaving Badly: Dara Joy," July 2006. The most detailed contemporary account of the litigation and the self-publishing complaints: https://dearauthor.wordpress.com/2006/07/03/authors-behaving-badly-episode-1-dara-joy/Dara Joy, "Great news from Dara Joy," 1 February 2008, announcing the settlement: https://officialdarajoy.com/2008/02/01/great-news-from-dara-joy/Dara Joy's official site and current self-published catalogue: https://officialdarajoy.com/ON RITUAL OF PROOFAll About Romance review: https://allaboutromance.com/book-review/ritual-of-proof/Mrs Giggles review, April 2002: https://mrsgiggles.com/ritual-of-proof-by-dara-joy/Beauty in Ruins review, October 2024: https://sallybend.wordpress.com/2024/10/05/book-review-ritual-of-proof-by-dara-joy-sff-romance/ON ELLORA'S CAVE AND BDSM ROMANCESmart Bitches Trashy Books, "Interview with the Folks from Ellora's Cave," 2006: https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/stuffwelike/interview_with_the_folks_from_elloras_cave/Sarah S. G. Frantz, "The History of BDSM Fiction and Romance," in Fifty Writers on Fifty Shades of Grey (2012), via the Romance Scholarship Database: https://rsdb.vivanco.me.uk/bibliography/history-bdsm-fiction-and-romanceJoey W. Hill's Nature of Desire series, publication history and book descriptions: https://storywitch.com/series-nod/Join the Book ClubRipped & Ravished is our vintage romance readalong. One book every two months, and a podcast discussion for each one.September and October is Love Come to Me by Lisa Kleypas. She has a new book out in October, Queen of Lombard Street, her first in five years, so it felt like the right moment to go all the way back to where she started.Join the Ripped & Ravished email track and you'll get the pick, the discussion link, and a bit of context every two months: https://underthecovers.myflodesk.com/ripped-ravishedAnd reply to those emails. Genuinely. Reader replies have changed how I've read these books more than once.✨ Loved the episode?Follow Reading Under the Covers wherever you listen and leave a quick review. It helps more romance readers find us (and lets me know what you’re loving). 💕💌 Talk to Me:Got a rec, trope request, or hot take? → Drop me a voice message.☕ Support the Show:Enjoyed hanging out? Leave us a tip. Even a dollar keeps the mics on and the coffee flowing.📚 Stay Connected:Blog: reviews, book lists, and seasonal reading inspo.YouTube: book chats, reading lifestyle and recs.Newsletter: join our insider for the latest updates.💖 This episode may contain affiliate links. We earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting the show!

June 2026 was my best reading month in years: 22 books, nearly 8,000 pages, and a full-blown C-drama obsession that reshaped everything I picked up. This is Reading Under the Covers, a romance novel podcast, and today's my June reading wrap-up: every book and the show that started my new binge.It began with Pursuit of Jade on Netflix. I fell hard, that man yearns like nobody's business, and once the show had me, I went looking for books that felt the same way. Pull up a chair, this is a long one.Timestamps00:00 Intro00:57 StoryGraph Reading Stats 01:48 C Drama Obsession Begins 02:30 Pursuit of Jade Recap 06:07 More C Dramas to Watch 07:56 Back to the Books 08:05 Regency Pirate Rom Com 09:45 Paris Poly Romance 10:46 Immortality Lyrical Fantasy 12:21 True Crime Thriller 13:47 MM Urban Fantasy Romance 17:02 Small Town Suspense Romance 18:52 Rival Wizards Rom Com 20:26 Magical Vet Academia 22:59 Villain Love Triangle 24:47 Classic Time Travel Romance 26:58 Cozy Quest Romantasy 28:38 Wildcat Dark Stalkers 31:39 Space Mystery Romance 33:11 Grumpy Sunshine Foodie 34:49 Assassin Gothic Dark Romance 37:15 Chinese Mythology YA 38:21 Fake Dating Mooncakes 39:35 Cinderella Inspired Fantasy 41:24 Wrestling Rival Romance 43:43 Gothic Fantasy Yearning 45:47 Death God Fantasy Quest 47:36 Pride and Prejudice Korea 49:16 Wrap Up and CommunityLinksShop the books from this episode: [LTK LINK — shop the books]Read along & catch up on the blog:Summer 2026 Reading Challenge → https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/summer-2026-reading-challenge/July 2026 Book Releases → https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/july-2026-book-releases/Summer 2026 Romance Releases → https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/summer-2026-romance-releases/Summer 2026 Mystery Releases → https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/summer-2026-mystery-releases/Queer Summer 2026 Book Releases → https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/queer-summer-2026-book-releases/Want the full discussion of A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux? We covered it in two Ripped & Ravished Book Club episodes with Becky from Too Stupid To Live → https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/a-knight-in-shining-armor-by-jude-deveraux/✨ Loved the episode?Follow Reading Under the Covers wherever you listen and leave a quick review. It helps more romance readers find us (and lets me know what you’re loving). 💕💌 Talk to Me:Got a rec, trope request, or hot take? → Drop me a voice message.☕ Support the Show:Enjoyed hanging out? Leave us a tip. Even a dollar keeps the mics on and the coffee flowing.📚 Stay Connected:Blog: reviews, book lists, and seasonal reading inspo.YouTube: book chats, reading lifestyle and recs.Newsletter: join our insider for the latest updates.💖 This episode may contain affiliate links. We earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting the show!

There's a book on your nightstand right now with a bookmark stuck about forty pages in. You already know you're not going to finish it and you feel a little guilty about it. That's the summer reading slump. And the way out isn't waiting for the mood to come back. It's a challenge... the fun, low-pressure kind.In this episode of Reading Under the Covers, a romance novel podcast, I break down the Heatwave Cup: the summer edition of Under the Covers' year-long Romanceopoly reading challenge, built for exactly the reader who's stuck. Four books, three months, no spreadsheet, no bingo board. A challenge you can technically win by reading less.I walk through all four prompts with picks straight from the Discord community plus my own summer TBR for it. The complete rec lists for every prompt, the free printable challenge cards, and the StoryGraph tracker all live on the blog.Whether you're playing the full Romanceopoly challenge or you just want your bookmark unstuck, this is your mid-year reading reset for your reading life. Come tell us which prompt you're starting with.Chapters:00:00 The Summer Reading Slump00:55 Heatwave Cup: What It Is01:51 Rules, Dates & Tracking02:52 Prompt 1: Rift Run04:19 Prompt 2: Cursebreaker Clash05:23 Prompt 3: Double Faulted Desires06:41 Prompt 4: Enchanted Rally07:32 Wrap-Up & How to JoinLinks:Full challenge, all community recs, Storygraph & free printables: https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/summer-2026-reading-challenge/Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/JfHWVdYz5URead with us on Fable: https://utcbookblog.com/CX9IoUCheck out Romanceopoly: https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/reading-challenge✨ Loved the episode?Follow Reading Under the Covers wherever you listen and leave a quick review. It helps more romance readers find us (and lets me know what you’re loving). 💕💌 Talk to Me:Got a rec, trope request, or hot take? → Drop me a voice message.☕ Support the Show:Enjoyed hanging out? Leave us a tip. Even a dollar keeps the mics on and the coffee flowing.📚 Stay Connected:Blog: reviews, book lists, and seasonal reading inspo.YouTube: book chats, reading lifestyle and recs.Newsletter: join our insider for the latest updates.💖 This episode may contain affiliate links. We earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting the show!