Welcome back to the Reading Under the Covers Podcast!

Today’s episode is a replay of our Novel Hour live show from YouTube, where Francesca and Victoria celebrated Father’s Day with literary dad recs, single dad historical romances, and a roundup of this week’s new book releases. We also chatted about what we’re watching and gave our thoughts on some big upcoming book-to-screen adaptations (Heated Rivalry, anyone?).

Whether you’re here for the romance, the thrillers, or the pop culture news—this episode has a little of everything.

⏱ Time Stamps:

00:00 – Intro

01:08 – Books to Gift Dad & Single Dad Historical Romances

11:17 – What We're Watching (Animal Kingdom chat)

15:30 – New June 2025 Book Releases

25:36 – Adaptation News: Heated Rivalry & Divine Rivals

📚 Mentioned Blog Posts & Links:

– Full list of June 2025 Book Releases: https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/june-2025-book-releases/

– KU Romance Picks for June 2025: https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/june-2025-kindle-unlimited-romance/

– Mystery Releases: https://www.mysterylandia.com/june-2025-mystery-book-releases/

– Chat about Realm of Thieves: https://youtu.be/4ORTJGUJlas

💡 Want more curated release picks?

→ Get access to the Book Vault: https://www.underthecoverscommunity.com/p/book-vault

✨ If you loved this episode, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review! It helps more romance readers find us, and I always love hearing what books you’re excited about. See you next time! 💕

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In this episode of Reading Under the Covers, I’m bringing you a replay of our Novel Hour live show all about summer reading vibes—complete with romance book recs, cozy mysteries, juicy thrillers, and even a multiverse salon love story. We also unpack some major bookish drama, from Sophie Lark’s mafia romances getting canceled in Ukraine to the controversy around James Frey’s new release and AI in publishing.

Here’s what you’ll find in this episode:

Summer Romance Recs from the 2025 Summer Reading Guide

Enemies to Lovers in Belize, Fake Husbands at Marriage Camp, Christmas in July Sapphic Rom-Coms

Cozy Mysteries, Multiverse Hair Salons & Emotional Literary Reads

What We’re Watching: From Netflix’s Sirens to Bravo’s Nepo Baby Chaos

New Romance, Mystery, Thriller, & YA Book Releases

Bookish News: Sophie Lark’s Brutal Prince banned + the James Frey & AI scandal

Plus: The ongoing debate on AI narration & what it means for authors and readers

Books Mentioned:

– Kakigori Summer by Emily Itami

– A Far Better Thing by H.G. Parry

– A Murder for Miss Hortense by Mel Pennant

– Till Summer Do Us Part by Meghan Quinn

– Destination Weddings and Other Disasters by M.C. Vaughan

– Holly Jolly July by Lindsay Maple

– Bargains with Benefits by Jillian Witt

– Worth Fighting For by Jesse Q. Sutanto

– I'll Pretend You're Mine by Tashie Bhuiyan

– Bald-Faced Liar by Victoria Helen Stone

– A Most Unlikely Lady by Darcy McGuire

– Flashlight by Susan Choi

– Cat Fight by Kit Conway

– The Friendship Fling by Georgia Stone

– The Expat Affair by Kimberly Belle

– Cosmic Love at the Multiverse Hair Salon by Annie Mare

Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro

02:16 – Victoria’s Summer Read Picks

07:02 – Francesca’s Summer Kindle Unlimited Picks

12:53 – What We’re Watching (Netflix’s Sirens, Final Destination, Bravo’s NYC Next Gen)

23:39 – New Book Releases (Romance, Mystery, YA, Fantasy)

34:43 – Sophie Lark Mafia Romance Canceled in Ukraine

40:29 – James Frey BOTM Scandal & AI in Publishing

Sources Referenced:

– RT:

In this episode of Reading Under the Covers, a romance novel podcast, we’re back with a stacked lineup of June 2025 new releases across romance, fantasy, cozy mystery, and thrillers. If you’re a mood reader, there’s definitely something here for you—whether it’s a cozy Fae inn, a sexy second chance on a cruise ship, or a couple hiding literal dead bodies in their marriage.

Books featured in this episode include:

• Friends to lovers + cruise ship forced proximity
• A chaotic dark romance with masked voyeur vibes
• A cinnamon roll alien at Space Con
• Jane Austen sleuths solving murder
• And a thriller where a psychiatrist and a homicide detective are lying… a lot

👇 Books Mentioned

• Never Been Shipped by Alicia Thompson
• Caught Up by Navessa Allen
• Writing Mr. Wrong by Kelley Armstrong
• The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club by Gloria Chao
• Look Before You Leap by Virginia Heath
• I Think I'm In Love With an Alien by Ann Aguirre
• Release Me by K.A. Tucker
• Bargains With Benefits by Jillian Witt
• The Rushworth Family Plot by Claudia Gray
• Whispers of the Lake by Shanora Williams
• A Happy Marriage by A.R. Torre

📚 Want more curated release lists?

• June 2025 Mystery Book Releases
• June 2025 Romance & Fantasy Releases
• June 2025 Kindle Unlimited Romance

✨ If you loved this episode, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review! It helps more romance readers find us, and I always love hearing what books you’re excited about. See you next time! 💕

These notes contain affiliate links. That means we receive a small commission at no cost to you from any purchases you make through these links.

Visit the Blog: https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/

Stay Connected:

• BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/utcbookblog.bsky.social
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/underthecoversbookblog
• Facebook:...

Ready to fall for a grumpy Highlander... across timelines? 👀

In this episode of Reading Under the Covers, I’m sharing 5 time travel romance books that absolutely deserve more hype. These are the hidden gems you may not have heard of—but they bring everything from fake marriage plots and haunted manor houses to hockey players lost in Regency England and Austen-themed chaos. If you love stories with a little magic, a little mayhem, and a lot of swoon... this list is for you.

Whether you’re in the mood for gothic ghost vibes or a romance that starts with falling into a loch (literally), this episode is packed with recs that aren’t overhyped—but should be.

This episode was originally recorded as a YouTube video, but I added a podcast-only intro and outro just for you. If you’d rather watch it with visuals or grab all the links, head over here:

Watch on YouTube

Read the blog post with more time travel secs

Puck & Prejudice by Lia Riley

Hockey goalie meets Regency England + fake marriage

Buy on Amazon

Sinful Scot by Julie Johnstone & Cecelia Mecca

Billionaire falls into medieval Scotland, full of clan politics & steam

Buy on Amazon

A Stitch in Time by Kelley Armstrong

Gothic ghost romance with slow burn and second chances

Buy on Amazon

The Austen Affair by Madeline Bell

Enemies-to-lovers actors fall into a Jane Austen-inspired timeline

Buy on Amazon

Falling for the Highlander by Emma Prince

Sister falls into a loch... and into the arms of a brooding Laird

Buy on Amazon

Want more?

More Time Travel Romance Books on the Blog

My Highlander Hero Tier Ranking Video

More Highlander Romance Recs

This episode of Reading Under the Covers, a romance novel podcast, is giving major book club energy. I’m joined by my longtime bookish BFF Amanda (we’ve been fangirling together since 2012!) for a cozy catch-up on everything she’s been reading and loving lately.

💬 Her obsession with cheating tropes

🐺 What to read if you loved Fourth Wing

💻 A steamy cam couple romance series that’s actually hilarious

🧛‍♂️ Unfiltered thoughts on the Black Dagger Brotherhood adaptation

📚 Her top three brothers

🧠 How we really feel about romantasy vs fantasy romance

🌌 Most anticipated reads for the rest of 2025

So grab your coffee (or wine) and come hang out with us!

• Traitor by Himera Ink
• Dire Bound by Sable Sorensen
• Christmas in Coconut Creek by Karissa Kinword
• For Pleasure or Worse by Karissa Kinword
• Realm of Thieves by Karina Halle
• Broken Souls and Bones by LJ Andrews
• Wildest Dreams by Kristen Ashley
• Wild Side by Elsie Silver
• Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
• Alchemised by SenLinYu

📺 Watch the full video on YouTube

Bookish Chat with Amanda – Watch Here

📸 Follow Amanda on TikTok:

@amandacxyz123

✨ If you loved this episode, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review! It helps more romance readers find us, and I always love hearing what books you’re excited about. See you next time! 💕

These notes contain affiliate links. That means we receive a small commission at no cost to you from any purchases you make through these links.

Visit the Blog: https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/

Stay Connected:

• BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/utcbookblog.bsky.social
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/underthecoversbookblog
• Facebook:

In this episode of Reading Under the Covers, a romance novel podcast, we are sharing our Novel Hour live show replay for this week.

This week on Novel Hour, Francesca and Victoria are back with a packed episode:

• Book recommendations with anxiety and mental health representation across genres
• The week’s hottest new romance releases (from superhero fake dating to cozy mysteries and fantasy finales)
• Bookish news + a whole lot of gossip 👀 including a spicy convo on that BookToker who showed up 30 days ago and already has a 2-book fantasy deal with Atria Books AU (and yes, we have theories)

Romance Picks:

• The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang
• First Love, Take Two by Sajni Patel
• Yes & I Love You by Roni Loren

Literary Picks:

• Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter
• Small Joys by Elvin James Mensah
• God Bless You, Otis Spunkmeyer by Joseph Earl Thomas

• All Superheroes Need PR by Elizabeth Stephens
• A Game of Monsters by Ben Alderson
• Love in Focus by Lyla Lee
• The Mysterious Lord Millcroft by Virginia Heath
• Cloudy With a Chance of Bad Decisions by Fae Quinn
• Storybook Ending by Moria McDonald
• The Busybody Book Club by Freya Sampson
• Along Came Amor by Alexis Daria
• It’s a Love Story by Annabel Monaghan
• Mansion Beach by Meg Mitchell Moore

We unpack the indie-to-traditional publishing pipeline, the rise of fantasy academy stories, and whether publishers are chasing trends or manufacturing them (hint: maybe both).

Featured titles and authors mentioned:

• Dire Bound – TikTok commentary...

Get ready for a behind-the-scenes deep dive into the evolution of the romance genre with Erin Galloway, publicity director at Berkley. We’re talking everything from the rise of alpha-holes and billionaire heroes in the 2010s, to the explosion of rom-coms, monster clinch covers, and the TikTok takeover. Erin shares how reader behavior, media coverage, and marketing trends have shifted—and what’s coming next.

We also fangirl over iconic books, the power of cover design, and the wild ride of getting romance media attention in mainstream outlets like The Today Show and People magazine. If you’ve ever wondered how books get buzz—or just want your TBR to explode—this episode is for you.

📚 Mentioned books and series:

Classic & Influential Romance:

• Lord of the Fading Lands by C.L. Wilson
• Dark Prince by Christine Feehan

Notable 2010s Trends (Erotic/Billionaire/Alpha):

• Bared to You (Crossfire series) by Sylvia Day
• Rush (Breathless series) by Maya Banks
• The Perfect Play (Play by Play series) by Jaci Burton
• The Submissive by Tara Sue Me
• Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James

Upcoming / Current Berkley Releases:

• Willing Prey by Allie Oleander
• Princess of Blood by Sarah Hawley
• By the Horns by Ruby Dixon
• Love Is a War Song by Danica Nava
• ZomRomCom by Olivia Dade
• Boots Beneath Her Bed by Taylor Esposito (Spring 2026)

Recent Releases Erin’s Excited About:

• Flirting Lessons by Jasmine Guillory (her first sapphic romance)
• Servant of the Earth by Sarah Hawley (book 1 in the romantasy series)
• The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava (already out)

Series/Authors Mentioned:

• Ice Planet Barbarians series by Ruby Dixon
• Anne Bishop (foundational romantasy...