The Historical Romance Review

In this milestone episode, Amy and Sarah review the controversial romance that sparked this entire podcast: Ali Hazelwood's The Love Hypothesis. From its humble origins as Reylo fan-fiction, to its status as a BookTok phenomenon, this genre-defining book is absolutely packed: fake-dating, niche nerdy banter, one fateful pair of expired contact lenses, and a series of horrendous HR violations. If you've ever had a crush on a brooding professor, or survived your grad program by eating free sandwiches at the faculty social, then this is the romance for you!Grab a cuppa (or a a pumpkin spice latte) and get comfy, we have much to discuss.#romancebooks #romance #fiction #alihazelwood #thelovehypothesis #adamandolive #womeninSTEM #academicromance #books #booktok #tiktok #kindle #kindlereader #reading #fakedating #alliestolovers #adamcarlsen #reylo #kylorenFollow us on Instagram @historicalromancereview and TikTok @historicalromancereviewWatch us on YouTube @HistoricalRomanceReviewCredits: The Historical Romance Review is written, recorded and produced in Meanjin/Brisbane, on the unceded land of the Yugarabul, Yuggera, Jagera and Turrbal peoples.Editing: Sarah BrainCover art and branding: Sarah Brain and Amy WayOriginal artwork: Caitlin Adams @caitlin_a_artOriginal theme music: Jonny Barahona @jonnyenvivoSound support and video equipment: Zac CostaRecording equipment: Hamish Powell hamishpowell.com @hamishpowellfilmThank you to everyone who continues to support this project with their expertise and enthusiasm

In this State of the Field episode, Amy and Sarah start a new miniseries on the unconventional and ungovernable world of fanfiction. What is fanfiction and how does it differ from just another adaptation? Why do people write fanfiction and where do they publish it? Can fanfiction ever go mainstream? And how do authors feel about it: a contributor to canon, free publicity, or a copyright nuisance? #romancebooks #romance #fiction #smut #stateofthefield #fanfiction #AO3 #archiveofourown #wattpad #fanfic #farmtotable #dramione #shipping #books #booktok #tiktok #kindle #kindlereader #reading #bookreview #50shadesofgrey #thelovehypothesis Follow us on Instagram @historicalromancereviewFollow us on TikTok @historicalromancereviewWatch us on YouTube @HistoricalRomanceReviewCredits: The Historical Romance Review is written, recorded and produced in Meanjin/Brisbane, on the unceded land of the Yugarabul, Yuggera, Jagera and Turrbal peoples.Editing: Sarah BrainCover art and branding: Sarah Brain and Amy WayOriginal artwork: Caitlin Adams @caitlin_a_artOriginal theme music: Jonny Barahona @jonnyenvivoSound support and film equipment: Zac CostaRecording equipment: John BoardThank you to everyone who continues to support this project with their expertise and enthusiasm.

In this episode, Amy and Sarah are back in the Regency-era but with Julia Quinn's The Duke and I, things are a whole lot steamier. If you loved the Netflix series or are generally a fan of more dialogue than plot, then this is the fake-dating romance for you: it's got duels at dawn, hot gossip, more siblings than you can count, and very questionable sex education. Grab a cuppa (or a snifter of brandy) and get comfy, we have much to discuss.#romancebooks #romance #fiction #historicalfiction #bridgerton #bridgertonseries #juliaquinn #periodromance #regencyromance #books #booktok #tiktok #kindle #kindlereader #reading #fakedating #friendstolovers #daphneandsimonFollow us on Instagram @historicalromancereview and TikTok @historicalromancereviewWatch us on YouTube @HistoricalRomanceReviewCredits: The Historical Romance Review is written, recorded and produced in Meanjin/Brisbane, on the unceded land of the Yugarabul, Yuggera, Jagera and Turrbal peoples.Editing: Sarah BrainCover art and branding: Sarah Brain and Amy WayOriginal artwork: Caitlin Adams @caitlin_a_artOriginal theme music: Jonny Barahona @jonnyenvivoSound support and video equipment: Zac CostaRecording equipment: John BoardThank you to everyone who continues to support this project with their expertise and enthusiasm

In this State of the Field episode, Amy and Sarah discuss the sudden increase in book-to-screen romance adaptations. The rom-com might be dead, but the 2020s are full of filmic fancasts of your favourite romance fiction. How can you judge a good adaptation from a bad one? How similar to the original should a movie or tv version be? Is it fair for fans to cry when they have their hearts broken? And should we be striving for accuracy or authenticity when reshaping a story for a new audience?#romancebooks #romance #fiction #smut #stateofthefield #filmadaptation #tvadaptation #pagetoscreen #romancemovies #romancefilm #books #booktok #tiktok #kindle #kindlereader #reading #bookreview #heatedrivalry #thesummeriturnedpretty #offcampusFollow us on Instagram @historicalromancereviewFollow us on TikTok @historicalromancereviewWatch us on YouTube @HistoricalRomanceReviewCredits: The Historical Romance Review is written, recorded and produced in Meanjin/Brisbane, on the unceded land of the Yugarabul, Yuggera, Jagera and Turrbal peoples.Editing: Sarah BrainCover art and branding: Sarah Brain and Amy WayOriginal artwork: Caitlin Adams @caitlin_a_artOriginal theme music: Jonny Barahona @jonnyenvivoSound support and film equipment: Zac CostaRecording equipment: John BoardThank you to everyone who continues to support this project with their expertise and enthusiasm.

In this episode, Amy and Sarah step back in time to another historic romance, Jane Austen's debut novel, Sense and Sensibility. Published in 1811, this masterpiece of character has everything the modern romance reader could dream of: a sudden change in fortune, an auspicious ankle sprain, at least one hefty age gap, and enough main character energy to put you in an early grave. Grab a cuppa (or some calming lavender drops) and get comfy, we have much to discuss.#romancebooks #romance #fiction #historicalfiction #janeausten #senseandsensibility #austenlover #books #booktok #tiktok #kindle #kindlereader #reading #classics #colonelbrandon #elinorandmarianne #agegap #forbiddenromanceFollow us on Instagram @historicalromancereview and TikTok @historicalromancereviewWatch us on YouTube @HistoricalRomanceReviewCredits: The Historical Romance Review is written, recorded and produced in Meanjin/Brisbane, on the unceded land of the Yugarabul, Yuggera, Jagera and Turrbal peoples.Editing: Sarah BrainCover art and branding: Sarah Brain and Amy WayOriginal artwork: Caitlin Adams @caitlin_a_artOriginal theme music: Jonny Barahona @jonnyenvivoSound support and video equipment: Zac CostaRecording equipment: John BoardThank you to everyone who continues to support this project with their expertise and enthusiasm

In this State of the Field episode, Amy and Sarah discuss and rank the MMCs from the books they've reviewed to date. Could you actually date Ilya Rozanov in real life, or is he just a one-night fantasy? Can the sweet sensitivity of Bo Durand beat the oyster-shucking sensation that is Felix Clark? Does Emily Henry just write contemporary versions of Mr Darcy? And who will win out as the ultimate book boyfriend?#romancebooks #romance #fiction #smut #stateofthefield #bookboyfriend #bracketgame #MMC #books #booktok #tiktok #kindle #kindlereader #reading #bookreview #heatedrivalryFollow us on Instagram @historicalromancereviewFollow us on TikTok @historicalromancereviewWatch us on YouTube @HistoricalRomanceReviewCredits: The Historical Romance Review is written, recorded and produced in Meanjin/Brisbane, on the unceded land of the Yugarabul, Yuggera, Jagera and Turrbal peoples.Editing: Sarah BrainCover art and branding: Sarah Brain and Amy WayOriginal artwork: Caitlin Adams @caitlin_a_artOriginal theme music: Jonny Barahona @jonnyenvivoSound support: Zac CostaRecording equipment: John BoardThank you to everyone who continues to support this project with their expertise and enthusiasm.

In this episode, Amy and Sarah travel to the idyllic Prince Edward Island for some forbidden romance in Carley Fortune's beloved This Summer Will Be Different. If you've ever dreamed of being Anne of Green Gables, eating your body weight in oysters, meeting a very well-read MMC, or secretly sleeping with your best friend's brother, then this is the steamy summer romance for you. Grab a cuppa (or a whiskey and some peanuts) and get comfy, we have much to discuss.#romancebooks #romance #fiction #carleyfortune #thissummerwillbedifferent #summerromance #bestfriendsbrother #forbiddenlove #felixandlucy #anneofgreengables #books #booktok #tiktok #kindle #kindlereader #readingFollow us on Instagram @historicalromancereview and TikTok @historicalromancereviewWatch us on YouTube @HistoricalRomanceReviewCredits: The Historical Romance Review is written, recorded and produced in Meanjin/Brisbane, on the unceded land of the Yugarabul, Yuggera, Jagera and Turrbal peoples.Editing: Sarah BrainCover art and branding: Sarah Brain and Amy WayOriginal artwork: Caitlin Adams @caitlin_a_artOriginal theme music: Jonny Barahona @jonnyenvivoSound support and video equipment: Zac CostaRecording equipment: John BoardThank you to everyone who continues to support this project with their expertise and enthusiasm.

In this State of the Field episode, Amy and Sarah discuss TROPES: the good, the bad and the ugly. And this time, they're joined by long-time friend-of-the-pod Shania Bowa. Why is romance fiction always marketed with tropes? Where did they come from? Have publishers gone too far? Are we being trope-i-fied out of our minds? And do we think tropes will ever not be relevant to romance fiction?#romancebooks #romance #fiction #smut #stateofthefield #books #booktok #tiktok #kindle #kindlereader #reading #tropes #enemiestolovers #friendstolovers #brothersbestfriend #bestfriendsbrother #agegap #soulmates #rivalstoloversFollow us on Instagram @historicalromancereviewFollow us on TikTok @historicalromancereviewWatch us on YouTube @HistoricalRomanceReviewCredits: The Historical Romance Review is written, recorded and produced in Meanjin/Brisbane, on the unceded land of the Yugarabul, Yuggera, Jagera and Turrbal peoples.Editing: Sarah BrainCover art and branding: Sarah Brain and Amy WayOriginal artwork: Caitlin Adams @caitlin_a_artOriginal theme music: Jonny Barahona @jonnyenvivoSound support, camera equipment: Zac CostaRecording equipment: John BoardThank you to everyone who continues to support this project with their expertise and enthusiasm.

In this episode, Amy and Sarah encounter their first surprise pregnancy trope in Hannah Bonam-Young's Out On A Limb. Don't let this controversial narrative-device put you off. If you like witty banter, disability representation, pirate costumes and some Peeta-Katniss vibes, then this tender and wholesome lovers-to-friends-to-lovers is the book for you. Grab a cuppa (or a virgin cocktail of your choice) and get comfy, we have much to discuss.#romancebooks #romance #fiction #hannahbonamyoung #disabilityromance #disabilityconscious #limbdifference #onenightstand #pregnancytrope #unexpectedpregnancy #boandwin #friendstolovers #friendswithbenefits #books #booktok #tiktok #kindle #kindlereader #readingFollow us on Instagram @historicalromancereview and TikTok @historicalromancereviewWatch us on YouTube @HistoricalRomanceReviewCredits: The Historical Romance Review is written, recorded and produced in Meanjin/Brisbane, on the unceded land of the Yugarabul, Yuggera, Jagera and Turrbal peoples.Editing: Sarah BrainCover art and branding: Sarah Brain and Amy WayOriginal artwork: Caitlin Adams @caitlin_a_artOriginal theme music: Jonny Barahona @jonnyenvivoSound support and video equipment: Zac CostaRecording equipment: John BoardThank you to everyone who continues to support this project with their expertise and enthusiasm.

In this State of the Field episode, Amy and Sarah discuss the sub-genre-phenomenon that is sports romance. Why do so many readers get their kicks from sports' romance? Is it just an easy formula to create MMCs that are rich, fit and famous? Where are all the female athletes?! And why does reading (or watching) a heated sports romance often translate into real-world fandom?#romancebooks #romance #fiction #smut #stateofthefield #books #booktok #tiktok #kindle #kindlereader #reading #sportsromance #bookreview #heatedrivalry #formulaone #F1Follow us on Instagram @historicalromancereviewFollow us on TikTok @historicalromancereviewWatch us on YouTube @HistoricalRomanceReviewCredits: The Historical Romance Review is written, recorded and produced in Meanjin/Brisbane, on the unceded land of the Yugarabul, Yuggera, Jagera and Turrbal peoples.Editing: Sarah BrainCover art and branding: Sarah Brain and Amy WayOriginal artwork: Caitlin Adams @caitlin_a_artOriginal theme music: Jonny Barahona @jonnyenvivoSound support: Zac CostaRecording equipment: John BoardThank you to everyone who continues to support this project with their expertise and enthusiasm.