Fated Mates - Romance Books for Novel People

This one is very meta (complimentary): Fated Mates (the duo) explains Fated Mates (the trope) on Fated Mates (the podcast). We can’t believe all these years in, we’ve never talked fated mates! We’re rectifying that right now with a collection of paranormal romances (and a few that aren’t) that are going to give you a lot of joy. We talk about demons and vampires and alpha’s and ice planet barbarians, star-crossed lovers and soulmates and what it really takes to convince a reader you’re fated.Fated States, our democratic phonebanking initiative continues this week—we’ll be calling Texas to get out the vote for James Talarico and democrats up and down the ticket! There will be games, prizes and special guests! Learn more and register to phone bank with us at fatedmates.net/fatedstates.If you’d like to come over and talk about your favorite fated mates romances (or your favorite fated mates podcast), please join us on the Fated Mates Discord, where you’ll find a few thousand other listeners who love talking about these books we love. Join the Fated Mates patreon to get access, and You also get one extra episode a month from us!BooksDemon from the Dark by Kresley ColeWicked Abyss by Kresley ColeRejected by Jaymin Eve The Tyrant Alpha’s Rejected Mate by Cate WellsIce Planet Barbarians series by Ruby DixonClaimed by The Orc King by Roxy TaylorThe Warlord Wants Forever by Kresley ColeMacRieve by Kresley ColeHot Blooded by Heather GuerrePack Darling by Lola DarlingFeral Warriors series by Pamela PalmerThe Mane Event by Shelley LaurenstonDaring and the Duke by Sarah MacLeanThe Soulmate Equation by Christina LaurenWhiteout by Adriana AndersBet Me by Jennifer CrusieNotesCheck out our website, especially the list of DRM audiobooks.Our first road trip romance interstitial was one that was really important to our evolutions (before we figured out the season numbering protocol!)This list of fated mates book on goodreads has nearly THIRTY THOUSAND TITLES, so good luck to you and I don’t actually know how that’s possible.It’s a portal fantasy!The way you know that Jen doesn’t read Omegaverse is the way she OVER AND OVER AGAIN say that Lilah in Pack Darling was a beta, but I think she was an omega. Sorry! What we do know is that no one in the book was a wolf, and honestly, that’s kind of a win for us?What is The Cut (or Vulture, or NYMag) going to say about romance this week?Of all the gin joints in all the world…Will Liz Lemon end up with Wesley Snipes, her future husband?SponsorsAvon Books, publishers of Joanna Shupe’s The Gilded Rose, available in print, ebook and audiobook, at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, or wherever you get your books.Elle Kennedy, author of Bad Idea, preorder now in print, ebook or audiobook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo or wherever you get your books.Attic Wall Books, publishers of Isobel Lynn’s Godhunter, available now in print, ebook or audiobook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.The RestFor even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net/episdoes/2026/10/12/0906-fated-mates If you wish you had six more days in a week of people talking about romance, may we suggest joining our Patreon? Aside from an additional episode every month you get access to our Discord, where other romance readers are talking about books they love (and many other things!) all the time. It’s so fun! Learn more about the Patreon and go join those cool people who love romance as much as you do at patreon.com/fatedmates. Beyond your favorite podcast app, you can find us on Instagram, Threads, Blue Sky, Tumblr, and probably some other places, too, if you look hard enough. If you've never listened to our Stop Book Banning episode, there's no better time than now. 00:00 BDE Bantr03:00 Fated Mates (the podcast) Lore14:57 How to Choose & How it Works25:04 Demon from the Dark29:04 AD: GODHUNTER31:10 Wicked Abyss37:21 Rejected42:33 The Tyrant’s Alpha Rejected Me46:51 AD: THE GILDED ROSE49:20 Old School Suffering53:21 Ice Planet Barbarians57:21 Claimed by the Orc King1:00:00

We’re talking about romance with baking and sweet treats today! This is one of romance’s most common Romance Jobs, and we’re getting to the bottom of the appeal of the bakery in romance. Why do we love it when one character makes masterful desserts? What is so compelling about characters who know their way around the oven? We’ve got historicals, reality tv competitions, magic baking and menage — a little something for everyone this week!Stay tuned at the end of the episode for a chat with Leah Greenberg, the co-Founder and co-Executive Director of Indivisible, our Fated States phonebanking partner! Fated States, our democratic phonebanking initiative continues this week! We’ll be calling Georgia to get out the vote for Jon Ossoff, Keisha Lance Bottoms, and democrats up and down the ticket! There will be games, prizes and special guests! Learn more and register to phone bank with us at fatedmates.net/fatedstates.If you’d like to come over and talk about your favorite romance bakers, please join us on the Fated Mates Discord, where you’ll find a few thousand other listeners who love talking about these books we love. Join the Fated Mates patreon to get access, and You also get one extra episode a month from us!BooksMarrying Winterborne by Lisa KleypasHow the Dukes Stole ChristmasLike Water for Chocolate by Laura EsquivelThe Glass Kitchen by Linda Francis LeeFake It Til You Bake It by Jamie Wesley A Legend in the Baking by Jamie WesleyBattle Royale by Lucy ParkerSweethand by NG PeltierLips Like Sugar by Jess HardyCraving It All by Kati WildeTart by Lauren DaneThe Remaking of Corbin Wale by Roan ParrishDelectable Desire by Farrah RochonDelicious Destiny by Yarrah St. JohnNotesWe’re discussing slang this week: a hilarious explanation of BDE at wikihow, check out urban dictionary for DTF, a fun new online site I just discovered called GenZ decoded turnt, and although the WNBA’s Washington Mystics Young Heaux nickname was covered in the New York Times, by far the funniest official usage of it was during the televised broadcast of a Mystics v. Storm game.The Cupcake Guys is a bakery owned by former football players, and it was also a reality TV show.We’ve mentioned them a million times, so they aren’t in the photo array, but the two books with baristas that Jen mentioned are Lick by Kylie Scott and Nero by SJ Tilly. The book with a femdomme is Candy by Torrance Sené.Learn more about Indivisible and find a local Indivisible chapter to help at Indivisible.org. Join us for phonebanking every weekend between now and Election Day at fatedmates.net/fatedstates.SponsorsRachel Grant, author of False Flag, available in print, ebook and audiobook, at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, or wherever you get your books.Tierney Page, author of Lyrics of Summer, available in print, ebook or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.LJ Andrews, author of The Stolen Crown preorder now in print, ebook or audiobook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.The RestFor even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net/episodes/2026/10/5/0905-sweet-treats-bakeries-amp-coffee-shops-in-romance If you wish you had six more days in a week of people talking about romance, may we suggest joining our Patreon? Aside from an additional episode every month you get access to our Discord, where other romance readers are talking about books they love (and many other things!) all the time. It’s so fun! Learn more about the Patreon and go join those cool people who love romance as much as you do at patreon.com/fatedmates. Beyond your favorite podcast app, you can find us on Instagram, Threads, Blue Sky, Tumblr, and probably some other places, too, if you look hard enough. If you've never listened to our Stop Book Banning episode, there's no better time than now. 00:00 Intro02:38 Bantr (We Love You Baby Girl!)14:24 Eric, the DRM King17:36 AD: THE STOLEN CROWN19:17 Sweet Treats26:58 Fake It Till You Bake It & A Legend in the Baking33:23 AD: FALSE FLAG35:41 Battle Royale42:02 Sweethand47:20 AD: LYRICS OF SUMMER49:04 The Luxury of Sweetness53:49 Lips like Sugar1:01:22 Craving It All1:07:10 Tart1:17:33 The Remaking of Corbin Wale1:20:57 The Draysons: Sprinkled with Love1:24:57 Baristas1:28:00 Wrapping Up1:30:38 Indivisible

It’s discoverabilibuddy time! We're dropping our Fall 2026 reads, in which we talk about an outrageous number of romance novels coming out in October, November and December. As a reminder, we have not necessarily read all these books, but they are on our TBRs — time to pour yourself a cup of something warm, get into a cozy sweater, and start adding to yours!If you’d like to come over and talk about your most anticipated fall romances, please join us on the Fated Mates Discord, where you’ll find a few thousand other listeners who love talking about these books we love. You also get one extra episode a month from us!Fated States, our democratic phonebanking initiative continues this week! We’ll be calling Ohio (Jen’s hometown) to get out the vote for Sherrod Brown and democrats up and down the ticket! There will be games, prizes and special guests! Learn more and register to phone bank with us at fatedmates.net/fatedstates.BooksSeptember ReleasesJenny Will Eat You Now by Gillian DanielsThe Invisible Roommate by Timothy JanovskyOctober ReleasesTo Vivian With Love Anthology False Flag by Rachel GrantThe Lost Guardian by Natalia HernandezVengefully Matched by Audrey Goldberg RuoffThe Encore Effect by Cara DionGilded Rose by Joanna ShupeEngineering a Love Story by Kathleen ReidySuccubus by Kate FoxThe Fall Fix Up by Karmen LeeBrown-Eyed Earl by Jenny HolidayHexes Go Well with Tequila by LeAnna EhrsamBad Words by Ríoghnach RobinsonWritten in Starlight by Sloan BrooksOnce in a Timeline by Iman Hariri-KiaThe Ruby Ghost by June CalvinWhat Happens at Nightfall by Lauren WilligNovember ReleasesThe Love Operation by Melissa CollinsCut to the Ending by Maria MillageHow to Hate a Prince by Jozette Allah-MensahSunflower Season by Danica NavaThe Monster Hunter’s Librarian by Lauren ConnellyYou, Me, and the Conspiracy by Emma BarryThunderstuck by Lissa LaylandHow to Court a Countess by Emma-Claire SundayThe Drakon King by Terry J Benton-WalkerEngaged to the Enemy by Lucy SmokeTwo Can Play that Game by Zakiya JamalFor the Love of K-Dramas by Lyla LeeMatch of Fate by Annabelle StehlCrash Into You by Simone SoltaniThe Best Revenge by Amy Carol ReevesMy Neighbor, The Assassin by Michelle HeardDecember ReleasesA Shy Heiress to Redeem Him by Parker J ColeLovestruck by Andi EpimoniFalling for Evil by Celia AaronJust In Time by Emily Wibberly and Austin Siegemund-BrokaCold Redemption by Nalini SinghTriple Threat by Katie ChandlerTil Quest Do Us Part by Ivelisee HousemanGreek’s Dirty Little Secret by Dani CollinsOff Season by Frankie CaraccioloVillain Edit by Rosie DananZahra, Unapologetic by Mina ZafriLightning and Thunder by Sara RaachAlmost Perfect by Nicole SnowThe Lost Ones by Mia SheridanOne Step Closer by Laura PavlovVows and Vendettas by Trilini PucciSponsorsLittle, Brown & Company, publishers of Elin Hilderbrand & Shelby Cunningham’s The Thoroughbreds, available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, or wherever you get your books.Madison Score, author of Wild About You, available in print, ebook or audiobook at Amazon.Emily W. Andersen, author of The Midnight Book Club series. Available in print or ebook at at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, or wherever you get your...

As they say on the Discord, this year’s theme is…Themes! This week, we’re talking about hammers, nails, drills, pipes and more — literal characters who are wielding literal (and metaphorical) tools! We’re hopping in the wayback machine to talk about books from the 00s and early 10s, on a continuum of content from “oh this has a whole plot” to “here’s a great one-handed read.” We’ve got plumbers, blacksmiths, contractors and a sentient screwdriver…there is literally something here for everyone.If you’d like to come over and talk about romances, with or without tools (jk, they all have tools), please join us on the Fated Mates Discord, where you’ll find a few thousand other listeners who love talking about these books we love. You also get one extra episode a month from us!Fated States, our democratic phonebanking initiative begins this week! We’ll be calling Texas to get out the vote for James Talarico and Gina Hinojosa! There will be games, prizes and special guests! Learn more and register to phone bank with us at fatedmates.net/fatedstates.BooksRoller Girl by Vanessa North The Scoundrel Falls Hard by Sophie JordanUnder Construction by Kate ColeLaying Pipe by Kiki ClarkThe Carpenter by Ramona GrayEntwined by Kristen CallihanCaulky by KM Neuhold Hard Time by Cara McKennaKate’s Crew by Jane RylonLaid by Brill HarperScrewed by CD ReissNotesThis Saturday, we’re calling Texas to get out the vote for James Talarico and Gina Hinojosa at 1pm eastern time! Learn more and register to phone bank with us at fatedmates.net/fatedstates.Some books about unions and unionizing: Make Room for Love by Darcy Liao, and the 1984 Harlequin American Romance was The Third Time by Rebecca Flanders. Our listener Sylvia suggested two others: Don’t Forget to Smile by Katherine Gillis Seidel and Here Be Dragons by Jenny Redford. These titles are also in the photo array above!We did have an episode about renovation romance with Nikki Payne back in season 6 and one on quick and dirty reads back in season 2.Unfortunately, it seems Entwined by Kristen Callihan is no longer available for sale. Sorry, everyone!Samhain and Elora’s Cave were two early erotic romance publishers that closed and we’ve lost a lot of information about these publishers and their backlist of titles and authors.SponsorsLucy Score, author of The Dead Guy Next Door, the first in the Riley Thorn series, available in print, ebook and audiobook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.HarperCollins, publisher of A.T. Qureshi’s Rider of Dragons, available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, or wherever you get your books.MJ Hastings’s Firstborn, available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, or wherever you get your books.LJ Andrews, author of The Stolen Crown preorder now in print, ebook or audiobook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.The RestFor even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net/episodes/2026/9/21/s0903-carpenters-plumbers-and-other-metaphorical-romance-jobs If you wish you had six more days in a week of people talking about romance, may we suggest joining our Patreon? Aside from an additional episode every month you get access to our Discord, where other romance readers are talking about books they love (and many other things!) all the time. It’s so fun! Learn more about the Patreon and go join those cool people who love romance as much as you do at patreon.com/fatedmates. Beyond your favorite podcast app, you can find us on Instagram, Threads, Blue Sky, Tumblr, and probably some other places, too, if you look hard enough. If you've never listened to our Stop Book Banning episode, there's no better time than now. 00:00 Bantr07:25 People with Tools15:47 AD: THE STOLEN CROWN17:30 Organizing Principles20:44 Roller Girl27:38 The Scoundrel Falls Hard32:05 AD: FIRST BORN33:58 Under Construction48:14 AD: RIDER OF DRAGONS49:49 The Carpenter55:43 Entwined1:01:51 AD: THE DEAD GUY NEXT DOOR1:03:58 Caulky1:12:12 Hard Time1:19:47 Kate’s Crew1:27:17 Blue Collar Bad Boys1:34:23 Screwed1:42:11 Wrapping Up