About the Podcast
Shelf Love is a weekly podcast. It’s a book club where we talk about romance novels and how they relate to our personal lives, relationships, and the society that we live in. Each episode, my guest and I discuss a different romance novel, and also share crowdsourced contributions from other romance readers.
Shelf Love is available now! Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, or via the web player.
You can sign up for our email list so you’ll be the first to hear about new episodes when they are available. I’d also love for your to contribute to future episodes (more info here).
Thanks for stopping by!
Andrea Martucci
I’d love to hear from you! Email me at: Andrea@shelflovepodcast.com
Episodes
004: Brazen and the Beast by Sarah MacLean - guest Esme Brett
Esme Brett (Feminist Romance) and Andrea discuss Brazen and the Beast by Sarah MacLean, plus-size representation in romance novels, ladies with skillz, and introduce a new game to Romancelandia: Hot Damn/No Ma’am.
CW: Discussion of body size from 31:30 - 43:45.
003: Rebel by Beverly Jenkins - guest Bree Hill
Bree Hill (Falling For Romance) and Andrea discuss Rebel by Beverly Jenkins.
We chat about inspiring teachers, Pizza Hut’s link to many millennial’s love of reading, and heroes who give and give, and ask nothing in return.
We also learn how Bree is a recent romance novel convert (it’s never too late!) and how Hallmark holiday movies and Debbie Macomber were her gateway to the genre.
The book discussion covers historically-accurate female agency, emotionally intelligent heroes, and the gift that keeps on giving (Thanks for the pleasure, Drake!).
Stick around until the end to learn about upcoming guests and book picks, as well as this week’s featured in-person romance novel book club.
002: Jennifer Crusie, The Drinking Game - guest Amanda Diehl
Amanda Diehl (Smart Bitches, Trashy Books; NPR Books) and Andrea discuss their favorite Jennifer Crusie novels and other reader favorites.
We discuss the rampant anti-butter bias in Crusie's maternal archetypes, cute and fuzzy hitmen, the dangers of frying pans, and secretary Inception! We also learn how Andrea once trapped Amanda in her car and forced her to start reading Jennifer Crusie novels.
Is it a bingo? Is it a drinking game? Andrea shares the recurring themes she's noticed in Jennifer Crusie's oeuvre.
In Trope Town, Amanda recommends con artist and pet-centric romance novels. Andrea hopes someone writes a book full of carpenter puns.
001: Lisa Kleypas Wallflowers Throwdown - with guest Amanda Diehl
Amanda Diehl (Smart Bitches, Trashy Books; NPR Books) and Andrea duke it out to select their favorite Wallflower from Lisa Kleypas’s memorable Wallflower quartet series.
During the Wallflower Rumble, we share crowdsourced contributions from readers about their favorite characters and books.
In Trope Town, we recommend Girl Squad romance novels. (Mostly Amanda recommends, since she is the queen of book recs.) Amanda also shares the premise for a sexy spy heroine in Write This Book.
In the course of casting each book we talk about, Andrea discovers a surprising connection to her favorite GLOW actor. We also discuss the meaning of “maladjusted narcissist” and Lisa Kleypas’s amazing, long-lived career as a romance novelist.