Fated Mates - Romance Books for Novel People

It’s demons and death and decorative gourd season, and we’re talking about all of them, along with sewer monsters and twelve-foot tall skeletons and a vampire or two! If you’re looking for a Halloween read, we’ve got you this week with a little something for everyone. This is the next in a long line of spooky reads episodes, so when you’re done with this one, head over and listen to the rest (a list of them is in show notes!)Fated States, our democratic phonebanking initiative wraps up this weekend—we’ll be calling Michigan to get out the vote for Abdul El-Sayed ! There will be games, prizes and special guests! Learn more and register to phone bank with us at fatedmates.net/fatedstates.If you’d like to come over and talk about Halloween reads with us, please join us on the Fated Mates Discord, where you’ll find a few thousand other listeners who love talking about these books we love. Join the Fated Mates patreon to get access, and You also get one extra episode a month from us!!BooksThe Demon’s Curvy Angel by Brill HarperDecorative Gourd Season by DL WhiteNo Bones About It by Cassandra ElizzabethA Date with Death by Kelly CreaghWhat Happens at Nightfall by Lauren WilligFangbanger by Sophia TraversDemons and Diplomacy by Megan FramptonThe Romance Revival by Christina LaurenJenny Will Eat You Now by Gillian DanielsDie For Me by Shirlene Obuobi NotesIt’s (finally) Scorpio season!We’re talking about Michigan and Maps, which is just our regular brand of off topic nonsense and has nothing to do with this episode. South Detroit is actually Canada, and the Model T was invented by Henry Ford in Michigan, and that’s why all the American car companies were headquartered in Detroit.Sarah says you can just watch the end of Ted Lasso for Roy and Keely.Luckily, Brill Harper has rereleased Demon’s Curvy Mate on all platforms after we did email, that’s just how hard we are willing to work for you! But you should still get aBrooklyn Public Library card if you want.It’s Decorative Gourd Season, Motherfuckers is a classic from McSweeney’s.Turns out a lot of classroom skeletons are real, and some schools found out and had funerals for their own Mr. Bones-Jangles. That’s a reference to famous dancer Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, and if you’ve never watched his stair dance from 1932, you should.If you’re looking for more Halloween reads, listen to our past episodes on: Spooky Stuff, Romance Demons, Devils, Ghosts, Morticians, and the Dead, Manimals!, Monsters, Witchy Romance, and Why Horror.SponsorsThe Nightstand App, a book tracking app for readers. Visit nightstand-app.com/fatedmates for your 7-day free trial, and use the code FATED MATES for 30% off your annual subscription.Maria Vale, author of Molly Molloy and the Angel of Death, available in print, ebook, audiobook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.Lucy Score author of The Dead Guy Next Door, the first in the Riley Thorn series, available in print, ebook and audiobook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle+.The RestFor even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net/episodes/2026/10/26/0908-halloween-grab-bag If you wish you had six more days in a week of people talking about romance, may we suggest joining our Patreon? Aside from an additional episode every month you get access to our Discord, where other romance readers are talking about books they love (and many other things!) all the time. It’s so fun! Learn more about the Patreon and go join those cool people who love romance as much as you do at patreon.com/fatedmates. Beyond your favorite podcast app, you can find us on Instagram, Threads, Blue Sky, Tumblr, and probably some other places, too, if you look hard enough. If you've never listened to our Stop Book Banning episode, there's no better time than now. 00:00 Scorpio Season03:32 Fated Maps14:20 AD: MOLLY MALLOY AND THE ANGEL OF DEATH16:40 The Demon’s Curvy Angel26:15 Decorative Gord Season31:22 AD: NIGHTSTAND33:25 No Bones About It40:35 A Date with Death48:41 AD: THE DEAD GUY NEXT DOOR50:23 What Happens at Nightfall56:07...

Early voting is happening in most states, with the remaining few coming online in the next few days. Enjoy this Season six episode on the way to or from the polls.The RestFor even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net/episodes/2023/10/24/s0607-happy-halloween-devils-in-romance-novels If you wish you had six more days in a week of people talking about romance, may we suggest joining our Patreon? Aside from an additional episode every month you get access to our Discord, where other romance readers are talking about books they love (and many other things!) all the time. It’s so fun! Learn more about the Patreon and go join those cool people who love romance as much as you do at patreon.com/fatedmates. Beyond your favorite podcast app, you can find us on Instagram, Threads, Blue Sky, Tumblr, and probably some other places, too, if you look hard enough. If you've never listened to our Stop Book Banning episode, there's no better time than now.

We’re talking about the mythmakers again this week with a chat about romance’s sister genre, horror! We’re joined by NEA fellow, Bram Stoker Award winner and bestselling horror writer Stephen Graham Jones, and librarian and horror expert Becky Spratford. We talk about Stephen’s lifelong love of horror, the way horror reflects the world, the rules of horror and how romance and horror are actually two sides of the same coin. Happy spooky season, book lovers.Fated States, our democratic phonebanking initiative continues this week—we’ll be calling Tennessee to get out the vote for Justin Pearson in the Tennessee 9th, and into Montana to get out the vote for Sam Forstag, candidate in the Montana 1st! There will be games, prizes and special guests! Learn more and register to phone bank with us at fatedmates.net/fatedstates.If you’d like to come over and talk about horror with us, please join us on the Fated Mates Discord, where you’ll find a few thousand other listeners who love talking about these books we love. Join the Fated Mates patreon to get access, and You also get one extra episode a month from us!!Horror Fiction, Film, and Television Mentioned in This EpisodeThe Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham JonesOff the Reservation by Stephen Graham JonesWhy I Love Horror by Becky Spratford Mongrels by Stephen Graham JonesFlowers in the Attic by VC AndrewsThe Howling (1981)The Wolfen by Whitley StrieberWhere the Sidewalk Ends by Shel SilversteinA Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)Heart Eyes (2025) I was a Teenage Slasher by Stephen Graham JonesThe Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham JonesThe Indian Lake Trilogy by Stephen Graham JonesWidow’s Bay (2026)Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke by Eric LaRoccaOur Cut of Salt by Deena HelmAngel Down by Daniel KrausThe Grip of It by Jac JemcMexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-GarciaJapanese Gothic by Kylie Lee BarkerScream (1996)Sinners (2025)Horror for Weenies by Emily C. HughesThe Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson Frankenstein by Mary ShelleyHeadlights by CJ LeedeThis Movie Doesn’t End the Way We Want by Hailey PiperKiss, Slay, Replay by Rachel HarrisonThe Reformatory by Tananarive DueThe Devil Takes You Home by Gabino IglesiasMy Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady HendrixWitchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady HendrixSponsorsAvon Books, publishers of Emily Rath’s Devour Me, available in print, ebook and audiobook, at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, wherever you get your books, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.Piper Rayne, author of Chasing Smoke, available in print, ebook, audiobook at Barnes & Noble, wherever you get your books, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.Meghan Quinn, author of Christmas Staycation, available in print, ebook or audiobook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble or wherever you get your books.Penguin Young Readers & Berkley XO, publishers of Charlotte B. Plumb’s Reap & Sow, available now in print, ebook or audiobook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.The RestFor even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net/episodes/2026/10/19/horror-with-stephen-graham-jones-and If you wish you had six more days in a week of people talking about romance, may we suggest joining our Patreon? Aside from an additional episode every month you get access to our Discord, where other romance readers are talking about books they love (and many other things!) all the time. It’s so fun! Learn more about the Patreon and go join those cool people who love romance as much as you do at patreon.com/fatedmates. Beyond your favorite podcast app, you can find us on Instagram, Threads,

This one is very meta (complimentary): Fated Mates (the duo) explains Fated Mates (the trope) on Fated Mates (the podcast). We can’t believe all these years in, we’ve never talked fated mates! We’re rectifying that right now with a collection of paranormal romances (and a few that aren’t) that are going to give you a lot of joy. We talk about demons and vampires and alpha’s and ice planet barbarians, star-crossed lovers and soulmates and what it really takes to convince a reader you’re fated.Fated States, our democratic phonebanking initiative continues this week—we’ll be calling Texas to get out the vote for James Talarico and democrats up and down the ticket! There will be games, prizes and special guests! Learn more and register to phone bank with us at fatedmates.net/fatedstates.If you’d like to come over and talk about your favorite fated mates romances (or your favorite fated mates podcast), please join us on the Fated Mates Discord, where you’ll find a few thousand other listeners who love talking about these books we love. Join the Fated Mates patreon to get access, and You also get one extra episode a month from us!BooksDemon from the Dark by Kresley ColeWicked Abyss by Kresley ColeRejected by Jaymin Eve The Tyrant Alpha’s Rejected Mate by Cate WellsIce Planet Barbarians series by Ruby DixonClaimed by The Orc King by Roxy TaylorThe Warlord Wants Forever by Kresley ColeMacRieve by Kresley ColeHot Blooded by Heather GuerrePack Darling by Lola DarlingFeral Warriors series by Pamela PalmerThe Mane Event by Shelley LaurenstonDaring and the Duke by Sarah MacLeanThe Soulmate Equation by Christina LaurenWhiteout by Adriana AndersBet Me by Jennifer CrusieNotesCheck out our website, especially the list of DRM audiobooks.Our first road trip romance interstitial was one that was really important to our evolutions (before we figured out the season numbering protocol!)This list of fated mates book on goodreads has nearly THIRTY THOUSAND TITLES, so good luck to you and I don’t actually know how that’s possible.It’s a portal fantasy!The way you know that Jen doesn’t read Omegaverse is the way she OVER AND OVER AGAIN say that Lilah in Pack Darling was a beta, but I think she was an omega. Sorry! What we do know is that no one in the book was a wolf, and honestly, that’s kind of a win for us?What is The Cut (or Vulture, or NYMag) going to say about romance this week?Of all the gin joints in all the world…Will Liz Lemon end up with Wesley Snipes, her future husband?SponsorsAvon Books, publishers of Joanna Shupe’s The Gilded Rose, available in print, ebook and audiobook, at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, or wherever you get your books.Elle Kennedy, author of Bad Idea, preorder now in print, ebook or audiobook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo or wherever you get your books.Attic Wall Books, publishers of Isobel Lynn’s Godhunter, available now in print, ebook or audiobook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.The RestFor even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net/episdoes/2026/10/12/0906-fated-mates If you wish you had six more days in a week of people talking about romance, may we suggest joining our Patreon? Aside from an additional episode every month you get access to our Discord, where other romance readers are talking about books they love (and many other things!) all the time. It’s so fun! Learn more about the Patreon and go join those cool people who love romance as much as you do at patreon.com/fatedmates. Beyond your favorite podcast app, you can find us on Instagram, Threads, Blue Sky, Tumblr, and probably some other places, too, if you look hard enough. If you've never listened to our Stop Book Banning episode, there's no better time than now. 00:00 BDE Bantr03:00 Fated Mates (the podcast) Lore14:57 How to Choose & How it Works25:04 Demon from the Dark29:04 AD: GODHUNTER31:10 Wicked Abyss37:21 Rejected42:33 The Tyrant’s Alpha Rejected Me46:51 AD: THE GILDED ROSE49:20 Old School Suffering53:21 Ice Planet Barbarians57:21 Claimed by the Orc King1:00:00

We’re talking about romance with baking and sweet treats today! This is one of romance’s most common Romance Jobs, and we’re getting to the bottom of the appeal of the bakery in romance. Why do we love it when one character makes masterful desserts? What is so compelling about characters who know their way around the oven? We’ve got historicals, reality tv competitions, magic baking and menage — a little something for everyone this week!Stay tuned at the end of the episode for a chat with Leah Greenberg, the co-Founder and co-Executive Director of Indivisible, our Fated States phonebanking partner! Fated States, our democratic phonebanking initiative continues this week! We’ll be calling Georgia to get out the vote for Jon Ossoff, Keisha Lance Bottoms, and democrats up and down the ticket! There will be games, prizes and special guests! Learn more and register to phone bank with us at fatedmates.net/fatedstates.If you’d like to come over and talk about your favorite romance bakers, please join us on the Fated Mates Discord, where you’ll find a few thousand other listeners who love talking about these books we love. Join the Fated Mates patreon to get access, and You also get one extra episode a month from us!BooksMarrying Winterborne by Lisa KleypasHow the Dukes Stole ChristmasLike Water for Chocolate by Laura EsquivelThe Glass Kitchen by Linda Francis LeeFake It Til You Bake It by Jamie Wesley A Legend in the Baking by Jamie WesleyBattle Royale by Lucy ParkerSweethand by NG PeltierLips Like Sugar by Jess HardyCraving It All by Kati WildeTart by Lauren DaneThe Remaking of Corbin Wale by Roan ParrishDelectable Desire by Farrah RochonDelicious Destiny by Yarrah St. JohnNotesWe’re discussing slang this week: a hilarious explanation of BDE at wikihow, check out urban dictionary for DTF, a fun new online site I just discovered called GenZ decoded turnt, and although the WNBA’s Washington Mystics Young Heaux nickname was covered in the New York Times, by far the funniest official usage of it was during the televised broadcast of a Mystics v. Storm game.The Cupcake Guys is a bakery owned by former football players, and it was also a reality TV show.We’ve mentioned them a million times, so they aren’t in the photo array, but the two books with baristas that Jen mentioned are Lick by Kylie Scott and Nero by SJ Tilly. The book with a femdomme is Candy by Torrance Sené.Learn more about Indivisible and find a local Indivisible chapter to help at Indivisible.org. Join us for phonebanking every weekend between now and Election Day at fatedmates.net/fatedstates.SponsorsRachel Grant, author of False Flag, available in print, ebook and audiobook, at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, or wherever you get your books.Tierney Page, author of Lyrics of Summer, available in print, ebook or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited.LJ Andrews, author of The Stolen Crown preorder now in print, ebook or audiobook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.The RestFor even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net/episodes/2026/10/5/0905-sweet-treats-bakeries-amp-coffee-shops-in-romance If you wish you had six more days in a week of people talking about romance, may we suggest joining our Patreon? Aside from an additional episode every month you get access to our Discord, where other romance readers are talking about books they love (and many other things!) all the time. It’s so fun! Learn more about the Patreon and go join those cool people who love romance as much as you do at patreon.com/fatedmates. Beyond your favorite podcast app, you can find us on Instagram, Threads, Blue Sky, Tumblr, and probably some other places, too, if you look hard enough. If you've never listened to our Stop Book Banning episode, there's no better time than now. 00:00 Intro02:38 Bantr (We Love You Baby Girl!)14:24 Eric, the DRM King17:36 AD: THE STOLEN CROWN19:17 Sweet Treats26:58 Fake It Till You Bake It & A Legend in the Baking33:23 AD: FALSE FLAG35:41 Battle Royale42:02 Sweethand47:20 AD: LYRICS OF SUMMER49:04 The Luxury of Sweetness53:49 Lips like Sugar1:01:22 Craving It All1:07:10 Tart1:17:33 The Remaking of Corbin Wale1:20:57 The Draysons: Sprinkled with Love1:24:57 Baristas1:28:00 Wrapping Up1:30:38 Indivisible