Fated Mates - A Romance Novel Podcast

By: Fated Mates
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  • Summary

  • The most listened to romance novel podcast, Fated Mates is co-hosted by bestselling author Sarah MacLean and romance critic Jen Prokop. Weekly episodes include romance novel read-alongs and lively discussions of the work of the genre, highlighting the romance novel as a powerful tool in fighting the patriarchy…with absolutely no kink shaming.
    Copyright 2025 Fated Mates
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Episodes
  • 07.21: Meet My Vibe Criteria: V.E. Schwab on writing, obsession, and romance outside of Romance

    07.21: Meet My Vibe Criteria: V.E. Schwab on writing, obsession, and romance outside of Romance
    Feb 4 2025
    We're mixing it up today with a fabulous special guest! The brilliant V.E. Schwab joins us for a far-reaching chat about writing romance outside of romance novels™️, about the difference between obsession and love, about the way we can't help but ship characters who will never get together, and about writing in general...and how we tackle character, conflict, and power in storytelling. We had a great time, and you will, too. If you want more Fated Mates in your life, please join our Patreon, which comes with an extremely busy and fun Discord community! Join other magnificent firebirds to hang out, talk romance, and be cool together in a private group full of excellent people. Learn more at patreon.com.Our next read along is Julie Anne Long's What I Did For a Duke, available in print, ebook, and audio at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.Enter the Macmillan Audio sweepstakes to win one of five free audiobook copies of Emma Lord's The Rival. The BooksBury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. SchwabThe Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. SchwabVicious and Vengeful by V.E. SchwabA Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. SchwabThe Fragile Threads of Power by V.E. SchwabThis is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max GladstoneThe Ministry of Time by Kaliane BradleyBabel by RF KuangThe Midnight Line by Lee ChildSix of Crows by Leigh BardugoWhen Among Crows by Veronica Roth A Heart of Blood and Ashes by Milla VaneChaos by Constance FayMurderbot Diaries by Martha WellsThe NotesWelcome V.E. Schwab to the podcast! You can check out her podcast about writing called No Write Way, and you can click her to
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    1 hr and 37 mins
  • A Taste of Craven

    A Taste of Craven
    Feb 4 2025

    It's February 4th, the most important romance holiday in February: Derek Craven Day! We're celebrating this year with a little reminiscing of the past years' episodes, and a close reading of the first chapter of that classic, Lisa Kleypas's Dreaming of You.

    Read Dreaming of You at: Bookshop, Amazon, B&N, Kobo, Apple Books, or wherever you get your books.

    Learn more about the holiday, and the man who inspired it, and listen to past Derek Craven Day episodes on the Fated Mates website.

    If you want more discussion of Derek Craven in your life, please join our Patreon, which comes with an extremely busy and fun Discord community! Join other magnificent firebirds to hang out, talk romance, and be cool together in a private group full of excellent people. Learn more at patreon.com.
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    23 mins
  • S07.20 Tarot, Astrology, and Psychics in Romance

    S07.20 Tarot, Astrology, and Psychics in Romance
    Jan 27 2025
    We'll be honest, we don't know what the heck is going on, either. If we could find someone or something to make all this chaos make sense, we'd be very very happy. And so, we're reading books this week about people and things that make sense of chaos--that realign the universe. It's tarot, astrology and psychics this week!If you want more Fated Mates in your life, please join our Patreon, which comes with an extremely busy and fun Discord community! Join other magnificent firebirds to hang out, talk romance, and be cool together in a private group full of excellent people. Learn more at patreon.com.Our next read along is Julie Anne Long's What I Did For a Duke, available in print, ebook and audio at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.Enter the Macmillan Audio sweepstakes to win one of five free audiobook copies of Jenny Elder Moke's She Doesn't Have a Clue.The BooksTemperance by Cassia Leo Queen of Wands by Suzanne HallidayFive of Cups by TriciaWolf Outsider by Cora BrentThe Lovers by Rebekah FaubianIn on the Action by Elle DiazThe Arcana Chronicles by Kresley ColeLord Lightning by Jenny BrownLunar Love Laura Kung JessenSeducing The Colonel’s Daughter by Amy AndrewsWritten in the Stars by Alexandria BellefleurThe Kismat Connection by Ananya DevarajanBaron by Joanna ShupeThe Wicked Deeds of Daniel Mackenzie by Jennifer AshleyProof by Seduction by Courtney MilanSensing Danger by Wendy VellaCarolina Moon by Nora RobertsThe Third Circle By Amanda QuickThe...
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    1 hr and 37 mins

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Profile Image for jid679

Your new book bffs

Tldr: Do you delight in female friendship and banter? Do you despise the patriarchy but love sexy, well-written books? Put these two ladies in your ear holes this instant.
Romance recommendations meets intersectional feminism. Turns out I'm trash for this.

I don't know where I would be without Fated Mates.
I started listening in fall 2018 when Kresley Cole wrote about it in her newsletter before going AWOL. I was elated. Here were these books, which I'd read for years, and there was no one IRL I could talk to about them! Enter two, highly intelligent, articulate fan girls who were dissecting each book? Yes. Please.
The first season was an excellent ushering into the world of romance. In fall 2018 I moved from Missouri to Utah. It was a tough move and the cultural differences are intense. These two bantered and talked about my all-time favorite books and for an hour every week, I started to feel a little less alone.
At first, I came just for Kresley. When I ran out of Kresley episodes (it happened fast as this was still 2018), I became curious about the interstitials. I'd never read much romance outside of SJ Maas, Kresley Cole, and JR Ward, so I wasn't sure what to expect. But I'm so glad I took that plunge. I love Sarah's books, and I have yet to read a bad recommendation from both Jen and Sarah. I even loved all the contemporaries I've read!
The second and third seasons have been a deep dive into romance as a genre and all the ways it intersects with race and gender and sexuality and history. I've learned so much I feel like I've taken a course on gender studies. Jen and Sarah have helped me develop a deeper understanding of patriarchy. It didn't make me "woke," but my eyes are certainly wider today than they were 3 years ago. My reading is certainly more diverse. I understand historicals in a way I never did before.
Currently settling in for the night with my latest recommendation. Love these ladies and my wonderful new life in the romance community.

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Profile Image for darci Hoesley

So Much Fun!

I love the series Immortals After Dark and listening to you ladies chat about it is so much fun! It feels like the ultimate girls night I've always dreamed of! if you ever need a fan on your show then I'm your girl! I could talk IAD anytime! Thanks for all that you do!

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Profile Image for Elaine Stevens

Fabulous Interview

This was my introduction to this podcast and I sincerely look forward to listening to more. really well done.

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Profile Image for H. Truehart

The BEST!

I love this podcast. Sure it's a Romance Novel podcast but it's also history, politics, and a dozen other subjects. I love the differing perspectives and how much I learn when I listen. It's one of my happy places.

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Profile Image for CK

Talk romance with these 2 characters

I have been listening to Fated Mates since season 1. Romance lovers discussing books and themes in all their steamy glory.

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Profile Image for jrg0hr1

My TBR pile keeps growing

Thank you for the smart conversation about a topic i love. Sarah and Jen are hilarious, intelligent and so knowledgeable about the different genres. I found my tribe.

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