Ready to dive into the captivating world of Black Sapphic Romance, where authentic representation takes center stage? In this episode of We Read Smut, Alesia sits down with author Arii, also known as Aricka Alexander, to explore her unique author journey and her commitment to crafting inclusive queer love stories. From writing about Black characters from a young age to creating an alternate reality where WNBA players receive equal pay, Arii shares the inspiration behind her beloved books and her...
Jul 09, 2025•36 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Are you drowning in a sea of "must-read" books, constantly adding to an overflowing TBR, and struggling to find a book that truly resonates with you ? In this episode of We Read Smut, I’m going to help you navigate the vast world of book recommendations and discover your perfect next read. Say goodbye to disappointing, overhyped books and hello to reads that genuinely excite you! Key Takeaways: Recognize Overhyped Books: Understand that overly hyped books may not be the best fit for your persona...
Jul 02, 2025•21 min•Season 2Ep. 1
Reading slumps can happen to even the most passionate book lovers, leaving you feeling unmotivated and disconnected from your favorite stories. In this season finale episode, podcast host Alesia dives deep into understanding reading slumps and provides practical strategies to reignite your reading passion. Key Takeaways: Recognize Common Causes of Reading Slumps Stress and burnout Information overload Life transitions Disappointment with previous reads Effective Strategies to Overcome Reading Sl...
May 07, 2025•18 min•Season 1Ep. 21
What makes historical romance more than just bodice-ripping stories? Historical romance is a genre far more complex and diverse than many readers realize. Far from being limited to Regency-era England and stereotypical duke narratives, this genre offers rich storytelling that explores complex social dynamics, personal growth, and diverse experiences across different time periods and cultures. Clare from @UnsuccessfulBookClub is a life-long bookworm with a penchant for science fiction, fantasy, a...
Apr 30, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 20
Are You Healing from Purity Culture? Purity culture can leave deep emotional scars that impact our understanding of sexuality, relationships, and self-worth. In this powerful episode, sexuality educator Lauren Elise Rogers joins us to explore how individuals can reclaim their sexual identity and find healing through the transformative power of erotic imagination. Lauren Elise Rogers is a Certified Holistic Sexuality Educator, Embodied Intimacy & Relationship Coach, and the founder of Sex Ed ...
Apr 23, 2025•51 min•Season 1Ep. 19
In the bookish space, readers tend to incorrectly categorize Black stories. It’s important that we understand the differences between genres and subgenres of Black literature. Join us for an great conversation with Aniya, known as the Well Read Pharmacist, as we break down the nuanced world of urban fiction, urban romance, Black contemporary romance, and urban erotica. Aniya, also known as The Well Read Pharmacist, is a pharmacist and avid reader from New Orleans, Louisiana. She loves escaping i...
Apr 16, 2025•29 min•Season 1Ep. 18
Why Do We Need to Reclaim the Word "Fat"? In this powerful episode of the podcast, author Leigh Carron opens up about her journey of body positivity, challenging societal norms, and writing romance novels that celebrate bodies of all sizes. Through her personal experiences and literary work, Carron demonstrates how language can be transformed from a weapon of shame to a tool of empowerment. Leigh Carron writes diverse, body-positive romance that brings the heat and the heart—because love and sex...
Apr 09, 2025•38 min•Season 1Ep. 17
Are you ready to expand your reading horizons and discover the transformative power of sapphic literature? Join host Alesia and special guest Sarah in Wanderland as they unravel the complexities of lesbophobia, celebrate queer representation, and explore the transformative power of diverse love stories. Sarah has dedicated their platform and voice to dismantling the shame and guilt that can often be associated with reading romance, and to promoting queer romance. After deconstructing from religi...
Apr 02, 2025•44 min•Season 1Ep. 16
What makes a romance novel truly captivating? Join host Alesia Galati as she sits down with bestselling author Dria Andersen to explore the vibrant world of Black paranormal romance, where love, loyalty, and supernatural excitement collide. Dria Andersen is a paranormal author and photographer who draws inspiration from stories and legends. Her passion lies in writing about Black love and exploring the diverse concept of family. In this episode, we're discussing: Writing Journey: Dria began her ...
Mar 26, 2025•28 min•Season 1Ep. 15
Fatphobia and fat shaming are so deeply entrenched in society that traditionally, only a narrow set of beauty standards were represented in romance. Luckily, more and more authors, seeing how unrealistic this is, are transforming the literary landscape by writing curvy, confident, and complex characters that more closely represent their readers. In this episode of the podcast, Alesia sits down with Aimee from Curvy Girls Read Romance as they take a deep dive into body representation in romance b...
Mar 19, 2025•46 min•Season 1Ep. 14
Romance reading is evolving, and readers are discovering wild new genres that challenge traditional storytelling. In this podcast episode, Alesia sits down with Cassie from Unfortunate Reads to explore the fascinating world of monster and sentient object romance, breaking down stereotypes and celebrating diverse reading experiences. Cassie is a sex-positive , feminist, LGBTQIA+ ally who enjoys reading every type of smutty book - from slow burn and mafia romances to straight-up gingerbread man er...
Mar 12, 2025•34 min•Season 1Ep. 13
Are you tired of the same old book reviews and looking for a fresh, authentic perspective on reading? Join host Alesia as she sits down with Lisa, known as BabeInLibrary, for an electrifying conversation that goes beyond traditional book discussions. This episode dives deep into the world of BookTube, romance reading, and the transformative power of diverse literature. Lisa is a proud bookish nerd that can be found at any time with a book in her face. She attributes her love of reading to Pizza ...
Mar 05, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 12
From grumpy sunshine to force proximity, the world of romance is filled with incredible patterns that we can't get enough of. Today, we’re talking about tropes. In this episode, we're discussing: Understanding the difference between tropes and micro-tropes and how they work together to create compelling romance stories Exploring popular trope categories, including character tropes, relationship tropes, and plot tropes My top six favorite tropes, with detailed book recommendations for each By the...
Feb 26, 2025•29 min•Season 1Ep. 11
As a devoted fan of Alexandria House's work, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to sit down with this captivating author and delve into the stories that have captivated readers. Alexandria's ability to weave complex narratives that explore the nuances of human emotion, from the most tender connections to the darkest desires, has made her one of my favorite authors. In this fund conversation, we unpack Alexandria's unexpected journey to literary success, the driving force behind her commitmen...
Feb 19, 2025•33 min•Season 1Ep. 10
Romance isn't just about happily ever afters - it's about exploring the full spectrum of the human experience, including sexuality and identity. In this episode, Alesia sits down with author Margherita Scialla to dive deep into the nuances of aromanticism, asexuality and how these identities are represented in literature. Through their insightful conversation, listeners will gain a deeper understanding of the complexities within the LGBTQIA+ community and the importance of diverse representation...
Feb 12, 2025•46 min•Season 1Ep. 9
Prepare to be swept away to magical realms and epic love stories as we dive into the enchanting world of diverse sci-fi and fantasy romance with the incredible author, Elizabeth Stephens. In this fun conversation, Alesia and Elizabeth explore the unique approaches, character dynamics, and powerful representation that make Elizabeth's books stand out in the genre. Elizabeth Stephens is an author of dark SciFi and fantasy romances, and specializes in sizzling, diverse reads starring characters of ...
Feb 05, 2025•42 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Libraries are more than just buildings filled with books - they're vibrant community hubs offering a wealth of resources and experiences. In this episode, we're joined by the book-loving duo from the Medium Lady Reads podcast, Jillian and Erin, to uncover the hidden gems and insider tips for maximizing your library experience. Jillian O'Keefe is an Instagram content strategist who helps authors and the businesses that serve them gain visibility by embracing and showing their unique story to grow...
Jan 29, 2025•50 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Do you love the enemies-to-lovers trope as much as I do? Author Ruby Rana joined us to share her unique take on this beloved romance trope, diving into the emotional depth and nuanced character dynamics that make it so captivating. Ruby Rana is an elder millennial who writes spicy, funny, and heartfelt romance about sassy brown girls. She excels in sending messages where autocorrect has gone terribly wrong. When she's not battling typos, you can find her explaining Midwestern slang to her East C...
Jan 22, 2025•46 min•Season 1Ep. 6
As readers, it's important to diversify our bookshelves and seek out stories that reflect the rich tapestry of cultures and experiences. In this episode, Alesia sits down with Carla Is Reading to discuss the significance of Latinx representation in romance novels. Carla shares her personal journey of discovering diverse authors and the importance of empathy and authenticity in literature. Carla is a plus-size Boricua who discovered her love of reading through romance novels and later delved into...
Jan 15, 2025•40 min•Season 1Ep. 5
Have you ever wondered how romance novels can tackle tough topics like trauma and healing? Today, we're diving deep into the world of trauma-informed romance with author Jack Whitney. Jack writes romantic suspense with elements of dark romance and paranormal romance, and her books offer a unique perspective on healing and finding love amidst challenging circumstances. We discuss her Rockstar series (Young Decay), where characters navigate past traumas and find solace and strength in each other. ...
Jan 08, 2025•39 min•Season 1Ep. 4
Ready to escape the everyday stresses and dive headfirst into a world of literary adventures? This week, we're joined by Lynell, the Weekend Reader, who has mastered the art of turning weekends into rejuvenating bookish retreats. Discover how she creates dedicated time for reading, balances her TBR list, and cultivates a vibrant online community around her love for books. Weekend Reader reads and reviews contemporary fiction, specifically romance but enjoys reading diversely. Additionally, Weeke...
Jan 01, 2025•40 min•Season 1Ep. 3
Ready to turn up the heat on your date nights? In this episode of We Read Smut, Alesia sits down with author Anna P. to discuss the art of crafting the perfect date night in romance novels. They explore why dates are crucial for character development and building intimacy, delve into the elements that make a date truly swoon-worthy, and share some hilarious and cringeworthy date-night disaster stories. Anna studied journalism and has a Masters in Creative Writing, and a love for music and writin...
Jan 01, 2025•34 min•Season 1Ep. 2
Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussions of addiction, overdose, and mental health that may be upsetting to some listeners. Are you ready to break free from the algorithm and discover a world of captivating stories? In this inaugural episode of We Read Smut, Alesia dives deep into the importance of diversifying your reading list. She explores why representation matters in romance, how reading diversely can broaden your horizons and challenge biases, and how to break free from the limit...
Jan 01, 2025•14 min•Season 1Ep. 1
Welcome to the "We Read Smut" podcast, a safe space for celebrating diversity and exploring all things romance! Join your host, Alesia, as she dives into the world of smutty romance books, discussing inclusive stories, self-development, and sexuality exploration. This podcast is not your typical romance book review show; it's a community for open and honest conversations about smut and the power of diverse love stories. Key Points: Celebrating Diversity: This podcast celebrates stories that show...
Dec 18, 2024•10 min
