Latest Episodes
Heroines: Creating Identity in Romance
Sep 18, 2023What makes a heroine in romance, a genre invested in exploring how can women be happy in culture? Is the genre a place where heroines create integrated identities that reject binaries of what society tells them to be? Dr. Jayashree Kamble discusses her latest book on romance scholarship, Creating Identity: The Popular Romance Heroine's Journey to Selfhood and Self-Presentation. Shelf Love listeners can use “UShelfLove” to get 35% off the book at Indiana University Press, from now until November 2, 2023.
Four romance reading friends embark on a romance history reading project, based on a BookRiot list, and in this episode, two of them — Leigh Kramer and Hannah Hearts romance — have Flames on the Sides of their Face when talking about the Flame and The Flower by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss. To keep things interesting, we talk less about the book itself and more about questions of reader reception and the relationship between the 1972 text and the romance texts that followed. Have we come a long way, baby, or are we still wallowing in the same whirlpool of sludgey emotions?
Romance Scholars After Hours
Jul 20, 2023What happens when 35 romance scholars walk into a bar, after hours at the IASPR 2023 Romance Revitalised conference? They share their favorite romance scholarship, and why!
Romance isn’t for everyone
Jun 15, 2023The fabulous foursome (Morgan & Isabeau from Whoa!mance, Dame Jodie Slaughter, Andrea Martucci from Shelf Love) get meta textual as we reflect on our meta podcasting project on Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas. What’s this episode about? Take a guess from this collection of possible episode titles: - Panopticon Alert: Meta Reflections on Dreaming of You - The Internet Killed Romance - Whoa! That’s Some Weird Romance - Our Current Romance Panopticon - Alienating Persons in Romance - Love Us or Hate Us - Here We Are Now, Offend Us - Did you enjoy this podcast? Be sure to listen to episode 140 and 141 before diving into the meta-ness and meta-mess of this text.
Latest Blog Posts
Shelf Love Guest Open Call: Researching Popular Romance Fiction
May 26, 2023Throw your hat in the ring to share your area of expertise with Shelf Love listeners.
Romancelandia Holiday Fairies 2022
Dec 10, 2022A mutual aid effort for the Romancelandia community to support anyone in the community who could use help with purchasing gifts for themselves or loved ones this holiday season.
Dame Jodie Slaughter Virtual & River Cruise Events!
Jul 13, 2021Exclusive Jodie Slaughter (romance author, Shelf Love guest extraordinaire) events with Shelf Love and Copper Dog Books this August, 2021. Virtual & In Person (Essex, MA)!
Pop Culture Association 2021 Presentation: Romance Reader Stereotypes: Will Bridgerton Change Popular Perceptions About Romance Novels?
Jun 27, 2021Watch my PCA 2021 presentation about Romance Reader Stereotypes!
Reviews
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Enjoyed it!
I just started getting back into listening to podcasts and Shelf Love is definitely one I'm looking forward to hear some more of! The host is wonderful and does a great job! Worth every minute!
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Smart sexy fun
Shelf Love is both the most interesting and thoughtful podcast devoted to the romance genre and one of the best book podcasts out there bar none. Host Andrea Martucci is great --intellectually curious, enthusiastic and open--but she really excels at choosing her guests and letting them run with their area of expertise. Highly, highly recommend.
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐A great listen
I love reading romance but don't have many people to discuss these books with. The podcast does a great job of directly addressing how novels engage with the 'isms (racism etc) and discussing the characters and writing.
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Amazing and insightful
One of the most insightful romance review podcasts I've ever come across.
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐One of my fave romance podcasts
This is a great listen. I love the conversation that Andrea has with her guests about the books and how they reflect different parts of the genre AND how they relate to real life.
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Engaging, thoughtful interviews
I love how this podcast is thinking about romance - fantastic range of interviews and topics.
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Worth Every Second!
So smart and funny. I love the host. Can't wait to read all the upcoming books and contribute to the conversation.
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Such a delight!
These ladies have such a great rapport and clearly have a lot of love for each other, their subject matter and books in general. For fans of "Smart Podcast, Trashy Books" and "Heaving Bosoms" podcasts, and romance in general.
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Another Romance Podcast? Yes!
I didn't think I needed to add another romance podcast to the array of excellent ones I already subscribe to. Turns out I was wrong. Get it!
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Fascinating dive into the unknown
As a non-romance book reader I was skeptical at first, but found the podcast totally engrossing. Well researched, well recorded, well produced, and completely entertaining. The guests are smart, funny and bring different perspectives helping to keep the format fresh. Even as a person with little interest in Romance Literature this has earned a subscription.
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Love for Shelf Love
I'm an avid romance reader and somehow have not managed to listen to any romance related podcasts. Shelf love is my first and fast became my favorite. Andrea Martucci (the host) has funny, thought provoking and all around good discussions on a particular novel...I love that Andrea sources from the listeners too via insta, Twitter, and email. Give it a listen. Oh and you might find that you talk and laugh along with the podcast like I do.
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Smart, funny, and sincere
Andrea and her guests' love for romance novels is infectious. I don't read them, but now I want to! Whereas some people despair that they have to turn off their feminism when they turn on the TV, this podcast shows how the pleasures of genre fiction can harmonize with the pleasures (or should I say "turn ons") of criticism.