Katee Robert is here! Robin's here! And we’re recapping The Winter King by C.L. Wilson! This special episode is dedicated to Temple member Robin's late mom, Elaine, who was a romance reader and all around badass. We wish we could've known her, but we're honored Robin came to join us to celebrate her with a delightfully bonkers book that includes an aphrodisiac, weather magic, and an ice king who demands one of the daughters of his enemy as his wife...he just isn't specific enough about which dau...
Apr 28, 2022•1 hr 37 min
We’re joined by Steffanie Holmes to recap Devil’s Day Party by C.M. Stunich! It’s our first bully romance and we didn’t expect to be so charmed by it! Be sure to also check out Steffanie’s latest, Poison Ivy (out May 5), which is the start of a brand new series for her—one you’ll especially enjoy if you were intrigued by the bully sub-genre! Our After Care recs were: Mel: Bone, Marry, Bury Podcast Steffanie: Nala's World: One Man, His Rescue Cat, and a Bike Ride Around the Globe by Dean Nicholso...
Apr 21, 2022•1 hr 20 min
Sarah Wendell joins us for Part 1 of A Lady of Rooksgrave Manor by Kathryn Moon—a book so delicious, Jenny was bouncing in her chair like an eager puppy dog. Part 2 will be available on Smart Bitches, Trashy Podcast on 4/15/22, so don't miss it! If you’re reading ahead, here are some of the books we’ll be covering in upcoming episodes: The Winter King by C.L. Wilson We’ll be back next week with Steffanie Holmes to recap Devil’s Day Party by C.M. Stunich! As always, if you’re looking for more bon...
Apr 14, 2022•1 hr 2 min
We’re joined by Sophie Jordan to recap The Worst Guy by Kate Canterbary—one of our favorite enemies-to-lovers romances of all time! It’s bonkers how fearlessly Kate pushes the characters to be mean to each other, all the while walking the tightrope of never making us hate either of them! Also—hate sex. So much exceptional hate sex. Sophie’s latest, is The Rake Gets Ravished . I’m not going to try to do it justice…instead I’ll just drop this from the blurb and let you make the right choice: No on...
Apr 07, 2022•1 hr 20 min
Juliette Cross joins us to recap Captive of the Horde King by Zoey Draven! If you’re a fan of Khal Drogo, you’ll love this one! Luna agrees to marry an alien barbarian king to save her brother and frankly, hits the jackpot. We get tail bondage, tattoos in the best places, and nipple paint as formalwear! Juliette’s latest is Parks and Provocation —an enemies-to-lovers small town romance that sounds delicious! Be sure to also check out the romance podcast she has with her niece— Smart Women Read R...
Mar 24, 2022•20 min
We’re joined by Nisha Sharma to recap The Initiation by Nikki Sloane! This book had us all questioning who gave Nikki Sloane permission to write this and the answer is that she’s exactly the kind of brave author we started the podcast to celebrate. We revel in the intrigue, sexual tension, and (ahem) the ritual it eventually builds to. We bow down before Nikki Sloane. Nisha’s latest is Dating Dr. Dil , a sexy, hilarious, clever reimagining of The Taming of the Shrew that turns it all on its head...
Mar 17, 2022•1 hr 24 min
We’re joined by author Roxie Noir to to recap Unhallowed by Jordan L. Hawk! Our After Care suggestions were: A Society of Gentlemen series by KJ Charles Morning Glory Milking Farm by C.M. Nascosta Wicked Beauty by Katee Robert If you’re reading ahead, here are some of the books we’ll be reading in upcoming episodes (though the schedule isn’t set yet): The Initiation by Nikki Sloane A Lady of Rooksgrave Manor by Kathryn Moon Captive of the Horde King by Zoey Draven The Winter King by C.L. Wilson ...
Mar 10, 2022•1 hr 46 min
We’re joined by one of our favorite BookTokers, Hillary ( @bookishhill ), to recap Love and Monsters by Raven Flanagan! Our minds were blown in the best possible way when Hillary shared her path to becoming a bonkers romance reader and the journey she’s been on for the last year! This absolute delight of a book features a human who finds herself accidentally transported to a monster world where she gets chucked into a dungeon with a demon who has many redeeming qualities for a cellmate. Not only...
Mar 03, 2022•1 hr 8 min
RM Virtues joined us to recap The Mummy! Jenny got to watch this Romancelandia favorite film for the first time and it was a delight! We fangirl over R.M., discuss why this film is in fact a tri-awakening rather than a bi-awakening, and generally flail at the magnitude of bonkers this swashbuckling romp pulls off. For proof that Jenny did in fact once wear suspenders made of bondage tape out in Vegas...or for links to the books we discussed, check the show notes on our website ! Follow RM's Webs...
Feb 24, 2022•1 hr 35 min
We’re joined by Robin Lovett to recap The Mabon Feast by C.M. Nascosta! We delve into Robin’s thoughts on bonkers books and why none of us should carry any shame about them—as well as her thoughts on author core stories. Then, we recap the delicious snack that is The Mabon Feast, a sexy romance between a socially awkward witch and a very charming (and hot) spider centaur. What exactly is sloshing with his shimmering release? It may not be what you’re thinking! Robin’s latest is the fourth book i...
Feb 17, 2022•1 hr 41 min
We’re joined by Monica Corwin to recap A Kiss of Shadows (first book in the Merry Gentry series) by Laurell K. Hamilton! Laurell K. Hamilton is one of the original queens of bonkers, an author who was pushing boundaries long before it was cool! Please be aware that in this episode we discuss content in the book that is typical of something written in the late nineties—including mention of a rape that occurs on page and sexual violence as punishment. We don’t get deep into that stuff, but mention...
Feb 10, 2022•1 hr 25 min
We’re joined by Kenya Goree-Bell to recap Her Soul to Take by Harley Laroux! It’s the first horror romance we’ve covered and we bow down before the magnificence of Harley Laroux’s kinky, sexy, slightly scary, deeply satisfying story of a human who falls for a demon! Also be sure not to miss Kenya’s brand new release, The Kronic , out now on KU! Our After Care suggestions were: - The Road to Rose Bend by Naima Simone and His Leading Lady by Jenny Nordbak - Edin by Lily Mayne -The Last Kingdom (on...
Feb 03, 2022•1 hr 32 min
We’re joined by Lillian Lark to recap Manix by Grace McGinty ! Lillian brought us an omegaverse, mpreg, warrior cat shifter book—with knotting! Whether you’re a seasoned pro or you just went on a google adventure looking up those terms, this episode should delight you. Be sure not to miss Lillian’s latest, Deceived by the Gargoyles , a monster romance which also features knotting, breeding, and multiple hot gargoyles with a curvy librarian! If you’re reading ahead, here are some of the books we’...
Jan 27, 2022•1 hr 29 min
We’re joined by Eva Moore to recap That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming! This episode is a frothy cocktail of effervescent joy and we couldn’t be more delighted with the book Eva picked to bring us back from hiatus! Be sure not to miss Eva’s brand new release, Reclaimed Dreams , which is the deeply satisfying conclusion to her Exposed Dreams series (but it can be read as a standalone)! Our Aftercare suggestions were: - Penzey’s Spices -Art Hub on Youtube and Reclaimed Drea...
Jan 20, 2022•1 hr 28 min
Happy New Year's Eve! We decided to end the year by showcasing an insightful chat with one of our Bonkers Book Club Spotlight Authors - Alexis Hall! We talk all about his upcoming release and January book club offering SOMETHING FABULOUS, what we can expect from him in the near future, the balance of creating art while navigating the expectations of an audience, wanting to be A Writer vs. wanting to Write, the confusion of celebrity in the age of niche media, and so much more! Today (Dec 31, 202...
Dec 31, 2021•48 min
We’re joined by Liz from the Make Out Already podcast to recap Sing Me to Sleep by R.M. Virtues! We discuss how Melody is into grandpa fucking and why Jenny is livid she didn’t get to read this book (which has since been rectified!). Because y’all. It’s about a sexy, protective sleep paralysis demon. I’m not telling you more than that. It’s too good to summarize. Everyone needs to go read this book immediately. The podcast Liz mentioned for Aftercare is the Get Sleepy podcast. The movie Jenny co...
Dec 02, 2021•1 hr 34 min
We recap I Married a Naga by Regine Abel with Stacey Hamel! Many of you already know and love Stacey, but for those who don't, we thought it was high time to introduce you to her beautiful brain. She's an admin of our Facebook group, The Altar of Defiant Joy , and Patron Saint of the Bonkers Romance TikTok . We've affectionately dubbed her our Adminotaur. We talked about many things, but the most important is clearly that Jenny finally got to recap a book with a motherfudging c*ck pocket! This b...
Nov 28, 2021•25 min
We're joined by Alexis Daria to recap Alien Quarantine Rescue by Robin Lovett! This was Jenny’s very first Robin Lovett book and she’s obsessed ! It starts in an all too realistic setting where the world has gone to hell after a pandemic and the heroine has been alone for five years…but very, very quickly changes to a marvelous fantasy when an alien lands in her front yard offering antibodies. Copious amounts of antibodies. We talked about how much we love romances like this when the love intere...
Nov 18, 2021•1 hr 4 min
We're joined by Adriana Herrera to recap Beyond the Highland Mist by Karen Marie Moning! We talk about why we’re Moning Maniacs, why this was the Golden Age of paranormal romance, and why falconer dirty talk is so sexy. This book has it all... time travel, a heroine fleeing a dark secret in her past, meddling fae, a murderous ex girlfriend, not one but two near death sick bed scenes, sensory deprivation, Highlander Times viagra, an accidental aphrodisiac scene, light kidnapping, and one swaggeri...
Nov 11, 2021•1 hr 39 min
We're joined by Andie J. Christopher to recap Coyote Ugly (which somehow came out 20 years ago??)! We discuss early aughts fashion, dancing on bars, and this film’s impact on our bisexual awakening—or in one of our cases, a definitive confirmation of straightness. Please enjoy the references to a Minotaur Cock Water Gun (which could only possibly be understood by Romancelandia) and Fievel Does Fleet Week! Andie just revealed the cover of her next book, Thank You, Next …and we’re obsessed with it...
Nov 04, 2021•1 hr 16 min
We're joined by Katee Robert to recap Stalked by the Kraken by Lillian Lark! We talk about why this book is the perfect soft introduction to tentacles because it gives you a taste of the possibilities without being anything extreme. We also chat about kraken stereotypes, why we’re all pervs who want certain things to happen when tentacles are at play, and what on earth Katee Robert considers bonkers—given that she’s spent the last few years teaching most of us that we’re into things we thought w...
Oct 28, 2021•26 min
We're joined by Dani Lacey to recap Soul Eater by Lily Mayne! We discuss what it’s been like watching the Ice Planet TikTok craze when Dani hosts the Ice Planet podcast . Jenny throws a full blown tantrum because Melody keeps getting to recap the books with cock pockets. We celebrate this charming, romantic, delicious, sexy AF triumph of a bonkers book that features a smoke monster and the sweetest human guy ever written. “This is maybe the hottest book I’ve read in a minute...” -Melody Aftercar...
Oct 21, 2021•1 hr 44 min
We're joined by Abby Jimenez to recap Hold by Claire Kent! Hold is set on a prison planet and opens with the lines: Find the strongest man there. Give yourself to him in return for protection. It's the only way you'll ever survive. This was Abby’s first bonkers book, so we discuss how this has opened up her reading world and the marvelous rabbit hole it’s taken her down. We discuss the moments in the book where it’s clear the author has made a ballsy choice (and she nails it!), why it can be mor...
Oct 14, 2021•1 hr 15 min
We're joined by Sarah MacLean to recap The Raven Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt! We discuss the many ways books can be bonkers (Sarah’s love of bananas books), sexy times in a sex club with a masquerade mask, how self indulgent it is to sob on the ground for hours, and the seriously good books we’ve read lately! Be sure not to miss Sarah’s brand new, super sexy, bonkers fun romance, Bombshell ! For the complete list of books we mention (with links), check out the show notes on our website! Support for...
Oct 07, 2021•1 hr 19 min
We're joined by Naima Simone to recap The Lady and the Orc by Finley Fenn! We discuss Naima and Jenny’s mutual obsession with Lord of the Rings, that time Naima accidentally showed the guy at the phone case kiosk a description of orc parts (that he’s still sitting somewhere thinking about), gloriously thick orc thighs, and why Jenny has declared Luke Arnold her sworn enemy! Be sure not to miss Naima’s stellar upcoming book, Christmas in Rose Bend that comes out October 26! For the list of books ...
Sep 30, 2021•1 hr 19 min
We’re joined by Sierra F*cking Simone to recap Ensnared by Tiffany Roberts! We discuss how bonkers books must fulfill the promise of the premise, how Jenny and Mel are consensual creeps, how Jenny is a spider kink hipster, and why this marvelous book sold a skeptical Sierra Simone on spider romance! “A real bonkers romance doesn’t just have fearlessness in the premise, but the author doesn’t shy away from the terrifying thing they signed up to write.” -Sierra Simone “The call of timidity is very...
Sep 23, 2021•1 hr 17 min
Welcome to our introductory episode! Get to know a little bit about your hosts, Jenny Nordbak and Melody Carlisle, and learn what Bonkers Romance is all about! We discuss what “bonkers” means to each of us since it’s something we’ve been asking guests. Jenny: It’s the brave decisions authors have made when they chose not to play it safe. Mel: It’s those books that make you wonder, “is this even allowed??” with absolute glee. Why we started Bonkers Romance and what we hope to accomplish with it :...
Sep 23, 2021•41 min
Coming September 23, 2021! Jenny Nordbak and Melody Carlisle are teaming up to bring you a brand new podcast that celebrates romance and the fearless creators who make the genre amazing. Every Thursday, we invite an author or creator from the romance community to recap a truly bonkers piece of romance media and discuss how it’s tropes are maximized and what they do for us. Along the way you’ll get commentary, book recs, hilarious stories, hot takes, and a unique peek into the brains of creators ...
Sep 04, 2021•3 min
