BookTrib is proud to present to our readers the Nerdy Romantics Podcast, currently airing its “Who Gets an HEA” miniseries.
Romance and women’s fiction author Y. M. Nelson discusses the nerdy — superheroes, sci-fi and fantasy, and nerdy pop culture; and the romantic — romance novels, romantic movies, and romance tropes she loves. From reviews of books, TV and movies, to interviews with authors, see who does which romance and nerdy pop culture tropes the best.
“Who Gets a HEA” is a Nerdy Romantics Podcast miniseries that showcases romances with marginalized heroes and heroines. Much mainstream romance consists of twenty- or thirty-something, physically fit or modelesque white characters finding love. Sometimes there are stereotypical images of people of color, differently-abled or LGBTQIA+ characters. Most of the time, these groups don’t get much representation at all. In this series, Nerdy Romantics features books that get it right (and talk about some that make a good effort).
In this week’s episode, Y.M. and guest hosts Jen, Marcie and Staci talk about Black representation in the romance genre. Scroll down to listen to the episode, but first, check out these highlights.
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Photo credit: Andrea Scher
While We Were Dating and Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory (The Wedding Date books 6 and 4)
In While We Were Dating, marketing exec Ben Stephens and award-winning actress Anna Gardiner get together on the set of a commercial Ben’s company pitched to a tech company where Anna has been hired as talent. In Royal Holiday, forty-something Vivian Forest visits England over the Christmas holiday and meets Malcolm Hudson, one of the secretaries for the Royal Family.
In this episode: Y. M. talks about why we need to see more representations of Black people taking care of their mental health and more mature couples falling in love…
Photo credit: Katana Photography
Real Men Knit by Kwana Jackson
Book 1 of the series brings together Jessie and Kerry as they deal with the death of Mama Strong, Jessie’s mother and owner of a yarn shop where Kerry works.
In this episode: Jen talks foster kids, knitting and crochet, and the one scene that warmed her heart…
A Cowboy to Remember and If the Boot Fits by Rebekah Weatherspoon (Cowboys of California, Books 1-2)
Zach Pleasant and once true love and reality star chef Evie Buchanan reconnect after Evie has had an accident that has left her with amnesia in A Cowboy to Remember. Younger brother Sam Pleasant is on a search to find the woman he’s dubbed as “Ms. Cha-Cha” after a memorable night winning an Oscar and being with her. When Ms. Cha-Cha — Amanda Queen — realizes she’s taken the wrong swag bag, the one with Sam’s Oscar in it, she’s thrust back into his orbit, and into the struggle of hiding her job as a lowly assistant from the A-lister.
In this episode: Hear us extol the virtues of fractured fairy tales and beg Netflix for more Black cowboys!
Photo credit: Greg Anthony
Forbidden by Beverly Jenkins (Old West Book 1)
Eddy Carmichael’s been robbed and left for dead in the Nevada desert, damaging her dream of moving to California to start her own restaurant. Rhine Fontaine spots her and saves her from near death. Their attraction is palpable, but Eddy refuses to be a mistress because Rhine is white. Or is he?
In this episode: Staci and Y. M. were hesitant about this one. Listen to why we were and why Marcie says no one should be…
The Heart series and The Gems and Gents series by Iris Bolling
Follow the evolution of the Heart family, navigating through the world of politics, and the gems and gents of the Lassiter family as they find, struggle with, and ultimately keep love.
In this episode: Marcie delves into why both series are for everyone, not just romance readers…
LISTEN TO THE EPISODE HERE
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