This week Ana hosts the podcast with guests Aarya and Suzanne as we introduce our September “Back to School” theme with a discussion of education in romance
EP 101 HOST
> ANA COQUI (she/her) A lifelong genre reader, Ana grew up reading fantasy, sci-fi & mystery novels in Puerto Rico, before finally wandering into the romance section of the library in search of HEA’s after bawling through one too many dystopian novels. When she is not reading, knitting, writing about romance for Love in Panels or running #RomBkLove on Twitter as @anacoqui, Ana is a school librarian
EP 101 GUESTS
> SUZANNE KROHN (she/her) is a book nerd from New England who runs the site Love in Panels, which is dedicated to inclusive coverage of romance comics and romance novels. She also reviews for Shelf Awareness and can usually be found around the internet @loveinpanels
> AARYA MARSDEN (she/her) is an Indian-American immigrant in her early 20s, but she’s been reading romance for over a decade now. She has an inexplicable love for werewolves, writes for Smart Bitches, Trashy Books, and can be found @aaryamarsden on Twitter
EP 101 DISCUSSION
> New Adult fiction refers to an emerging genre focused on protagonists between the ages of 18 and 30 and their life experiences. In other words, it’s older than Young Adult fiction, but younger than most mainstream fiction
> Girl, Have You Read is a great website (http://girlhaveyouread.com/) and podcast devoted to centering #BlackLove. You can follow them on Twitter and Instagram @GirlHaveYouRead
> Title: Getting Schooled
Author: Christina C. Jones
Relation to theme: Student MC, Teacher MC
Representation: Black author, Black MCs, Veteran MC
Content Warnings: Amputee veteran (no PTSD), heroine does have PTSD from car accident, parental death/grief, grad student/TA relationship (both are older)
Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28526138-getting-schooled
> Title: Stripped
Author: Zoey Castille
Relation to theme: Teacher MC
Representation: Latinx author, Latinx MC
Content Warnings: Stalking
Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33009919-stripped
> Title: Night Hawk
Author: Beverly Jenkins
Relation to theme: Aspiring teacher MC
Representation: Black author, Black MC, Black/Native American MC
Content Warnings: Racism, stalking, kidnapping, past trauma: sexual assault
Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12182154-night-hawk
> Title: Rebel
Author: Beverly Jenkins
Relation to theme: Teacher MC
Representation: Black author, Black MCs
Content Warnings: Racism, white supremacy, burglary, assault, arson
Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38135735-rebel
> When Aarya says Rebel is set “post-Reconstruction” she means “post-Civil War” during Reconstruction
> Title: Well Met
Author: Jen DeLuca
Relation to theme: Teacher MC
Representation: White, cishet
Content Warnings: Crappy ex, death of a sibling, grief
Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43189874-well-met
> Title: Teach Me
Author: Olivia Dade
Relation to theme: Teacher MC
Representation: Fat MC, White, cishet
Content Warnings: Harassment, past trauma: emotional abuse, fatphobia
Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44648234-teach-me
> Title: Her Perfect Affair
Author: Priscilla Oliveras
Relation to theme: Teacher MC
Representation: Latinx author, Latinx MC
Content Warnings: Past trauma: death of a parent, abandonment
Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35638804-her-perfect-affair
> Title: Best of Luck
Author: Kate Clayborn
Relation to theme: Student MC
Representation: MC with chronic illness, MC with anxiety and panic attacks, White, cishet
Content Warnings: Past parental neglect, poverty, ableism, chronic illness, anxiety, panic attacks
Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39109499-best-of-luck
> Title: The Bride Test
Author: Helen Hoang
Relation to theme: Student MC
Representation: Asian author, neuro-divergent author, Asian MCs, neuro-divergent MC
Content Warnings: Ableism, neuro-divergent MC, poverty
Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39338454-the-bride-test
> Title: A Matter of Disagreement
Author: E.E. Ottoman
Relation to theme: Scholar MC
Representation: Trans author, Trans MC
Content Warnings: Trans MC
Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20445481-a-matter-of-disagreement
> Title: Hold Me
Author: Courtney Milan
Relation to theme: University setting, student and (NOT her) prof/researcher
Representation: Asian author, bi MC, trans MC, Southeast Asian MC, Latinx MC
Content Warnings: Past transphobia, sexism
Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24348034-hold-me
> Title: A Princess in Theory
Author: Alyssa Cole
Relation to theme: Student MC
Representation: Black author, Black MCs
Content Warnings: Past trauma: deceased parents, foster system neglect/abuse, attempted poisoning
Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35271238-a-princess-in-theory
> Title: Beginner’s Luck
Author: Kate Clayborn
Relation to theme: Scholar/University Lab Assistant MC
Representation: White, cishet
Content Warnings: Past parental neglect, poverty
Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35717661-beginner-s-luck
> The Psy-Changeling Series is a paranormal romance series written by author Nalini Singh https://www.goodreads.com/series/41454-psy-changeling
> Title: American Panda
Author: Gloria Chao
Relation to theme: Student MC
Representation: Asian author, Asian MCs
Content Warnings: Strained parental relationship, racism
Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35297380-american-panda
> Title: I Love You So Mochi
Author: Sarah Kuhn
Relation to theme: Student MC
Representation: Asian author, Asian MCs
Content Warnings: Strained parent-grandparent relationship, strained parent-MC relationship
Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39828159-i-love-you-so-mochi
> Title: Pride
Author: Ibi Zoboi
Relation to theme: Student MC
Representation: Black/Haitian author, Afro-Latino MC, Black MC
Content Warnings: Gentrification, classism, past trauma: harassment (Secondary Character)
Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35068632-pride
> Title: His for the Holidays (from the anthology Reindeer Games)
Author: HelenKay Dimon
Relation to theme: Student MC, Teacher MC
Representation: Queer MCs
Content Warnings: Teacher-student (but years later and not his student)
Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41569938-reindeer-games
Note: This ebook is currently unavailable for purchase
> Title: Spacer’s Cinderella
Author: Adria Rose
Relation to theme: Student MC
Representation: White, cishet
Content Warnings: boss employee, unequal power dynamics, threats to family
Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42776227-spacer-s-cinderella
> Title: Off the Ice
Authors: Avon Gale & Piper Vaughn
Relation to theme: Student MC, Teacher MC
Representation: Queer author, Latinx author, Queer MCs, Latinx MC
Content Warnings: Coming out but not forced
Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35482402-off-the-ice
> Which #InclusiveRomance favorites of yours did we miss? Let us know on Twitter or Instagram @RomBkPod
Happy Reading!
EP 101 MUSIC CREDIT
Music: “Lift Off” by Jahzzar
From the Free Music Archive
CC BY-SA 3.0
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS
Recent Comments