“NOT STAR-CROSSED”
This week Sarah Jean hosts the podcast with guest Suzanne as we conclude our February “fake relationships” theme with an exploration of Queer Romance
EP 124 HOST
> SARAH JEAN (she/her) From the woods of Massachusetts, Sarah Jean has been reading queer romance for 12 years. She runs a queer book club called Rainbow Readers of Massachusetts (https://www.facebook.com/rainbowreadersmass/) that celebrates queer lives, joy, and empowerment through genre fiction. When not reading or listening to books Sarah is plotting her queer historical romances, cuddling with her cats, and planning her next adventure. Follow Sarah on Twitter @queer_reader
EP 124 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
EP 124 DISCUSSION
> Title: Gemini Keeps Capricorn (Signs of Love #3)
Author: Anyta Sunday
Relation to theme: Fake engagement
Representation: Queer MCs, Japanese-American MC, white MC
Content Warnings: none identified
Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36423306-gemini-keeps-capricorn
> Sarah Jean is a big fan of the entire Signs of Love series
Link: https://www.goodreads.com/series/195005-signs-of-love
> Title: The Husband Gambit
Author: L.A. Witt
Relation to theme: Marriage of convenience
Representation: Queer MCs
Content Warnings: abusive parent, homophobia, poverty
Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42610128-the-husband-gambit
> Sarah Jean mentions another fake relationship romance Three Stupid Weddings which is written under the name Ann Gallagher, an alter-ego of L.A. Witt
Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41070264-three-stupid-weddings
> Title: Faux Ho Ho (Little Village)
Author: Nathan Burgione
Relation to theme: Fake dating
Representation: Queer author, queer MCs
Content Warnings: manipulative family/emotionally abusive
Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49199375-faux-ho-ho
> Sarah Jean professes her love for Burgoine’s writing style, and we previously recommended his other Little Village holiday romance Handmade Holidays in RBP ep #116
Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36492203-handmade-holidays
> Title: Candy Hearts (So Over the Holidays #2)
Author: Erin McLellan
Relation to theme: Fake dating
Representation: Queer MCs
Content Warnings: past manipulative relationships
Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50170971-candy-hearts
> As mentioned, the previous book in this series is Stocking Stuffers which is set during Christmas
Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48385513-stocking-stuffers
> Title: Just For Show
Author: Jae
Relation to theme: Fake dating
Representation: Queer MCs
Content warnings: Some of the food discussion might be triggering to people who’ve dealt with eating disorders, Lana has PTSD from a car accident and ongoing pain and scars
Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37789281-just-for-show
> Sarah Jean mentions the concept of a lavender marriage or when two consenting adults agree to a heterosexual marriage in order to obscure one or both partner’s true sexuality and is often connected to the Hollywood era under the Hays code (1934-1968)–real life Hollywood examples include Rudolph Valentino (pre-code), Barbara Stanwyck, and Rock Hudson
Link: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-latin-lover-and-his-enemies-119968944/
Link: https://www.bitchmedia.org/article/cover-story/how-hollywood-closeted-queerness-capital
> Suzanne mentions Behind These Doors by Jude Lucens a polyam romance set in Edwardian London (it was also edited by K.J. Charles!)
Link: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/40190173
> Still need to track down the lavender marriage book Anna C was reading
Link: tbd
> Suzanne refers to A Gentleman’s Position by K.J. Charles from the excellent Society of Gentlemen Series
Link: https://www.goodreads.com/series/151032-society-of-gentlemen
> Title: To See the Sun
Author: Kelly Jensen
Relation to theme: Mail-order-spouse/partner
Representation: Queer MCs
Content Warnings: murder, past death, colonization of a space rock, mentions of drug use(i think), child neglect in past, escaping violence
Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39901160-to-see-the-sun
> Title: The High King’s Golden Tongue (Tales of the High Court #1)
Author: Megan Derr
Relation to theme: Marriage of convenience
Representation: Queer MCs, queer author
Content Warnings: abuse/torture, kidnapping, poltical manverouing, past death of spouse
Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25902535-the-high-king-s-golden-tongue
> Title: The Queen of Ieflaria (Tales of Inthya #1)
Author: Effie Calvin
Relation to theme: Marriage of convenience
Representation: Queer MCs
Content Warnings: violence
Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39011062-the-queen-of-ieflaria
> Title: The Wolf and the Sparrow
Author: Isabelle Adler
Relation to theme: Marriage of convenience
Representation: Queer MCs
Content Warnings: death of parent in battle, torture, violence
Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48668316-the-wolf-and-the-sparrow
> Title: Hot Dog Girl
Author: Jennifer Dugan
Relation to theme: Fake dating
Representation: Queer MCs
Content Warnings: past death of family member
Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35843729-hot-dog-girl
> Sarah Jean mentions reading Sword Dance by A.J. Demas which contains a fake relationship
Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/47195212-sword-dance
> You can find Suzanne’s monthly TBR at Love in Panels
Link: http://www.loveinpanels.com/prose/february-2020-tbr
Link: http://www.loveinpanels.com/prose/january-2020-tbr
> Which favorite #QueerRomance fake relationships did we miss? Let us know on Twitter or Instagram @RomBkPod
Happy Reading!
EP 124 MUSIC CREDIT
Music: “Lift Off” by Jahzzar
From the Free Music Archive
CC BY-SA 3.0
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