If you’re a historical romance person, all I need to say is: Sarah MacLean is here, and she is answering all the questions. If you’re not a historical romance person, I’ll spell it out a little more: Sarah MacLean is one of the most popular writers of historical romance today — and she’s also the cohost of the incredibly popular podcast Fated Mates. She’s a very good pod conversationalist, which is one of many reasons we wanted to have her on the show (that and I knew it would make Melody faint if she said yes). We talk about how the conventions and constrictions of the historical genre allow for feminist play and provocation, how historicals handle virginity, why author’s first books are so often the most compelling, and so, SO much more. If you’re a longtime fan (of the genre, of Sarah), you’re going to absolutely love this; if not, we’ve got so many recommendations for starting points. I hope you enjoy this one as much as we enjoyed recording it!Show Notes:If you don’t already: listen to Sarah MacLean’s ridiculously good podcast Fated Mates, co-hosted with romance critic Jen ProkopFollow Sarah on InstagramPre-order These Summer Storms here and read more about it here (Melody got an ARC and can attest that it’s a great time!!)I also appreciate how Sarah’s website divides up all her mini-series in a way that I can track them clearly; we talk at length about The Bareknuckle Bastards series (I like #2 the best) and A Scot in the Dark (that’s the one about revenge porn)Sarah mentions The Heroine’s Journey by Gail CarrigerThis is our best attempt at collecting all the recommended books!Lorraine Heath, The Earl Takes All (this is the monkey twin one!!)Meredith Duran, The Duke of the Shadows (a first novel)Erin Langston, The Finest Print (about a judge’s daughter and a printmaker)Joanna Shupe, A Notorious Vow (bad bad family) and The Duke Gets Even (Comstock laws!)Adriana Herrera, A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke (the one with an abortion doctor!)Myah Ariel, When I Think of You (a debut with interesting structure, featuring former film school classmates)Louisa Darling, Don’t Let Your Dukes Grow Up to Be Scoundrels and Where Have All the Scoundrels Gone? (features a heroine who has had great sex in the past)Judith Ivory, The Proposition (reverse Pygmalion)Mark your calendars for next year’s Derek Craven Day!We’re currently looking for your questions for future episodes about:WTF is going on with contemporary/everyday men’s fashion (will Dockers make a comeback? How should we think about the business casual fleece/puffer vest? What’s going on with swimwear? HATS? I’m so excited for this one, with the great Jason Diamond)Dark Academia (as in, the literary genre)How cookbooks get made (we’re interviewing a cookbook author and their editor)Van/Skoolie/RV LifePlastic Surgery and Body Modification (with Arabelle Sicardi)PERIODS with Kate Helen Downey, host of CrampedSpiritual care for non-religious people (as in: is there a way we can think about spiritual care even for people who aren’t religious? IS THIS POSSIBLE? Take this wherever you want!)Anything you need advice or want musings on for the AAA segment. You can ask about anything, it’s literally the name of the segment!As always, you can submit them (and ideas for future eps) hereFor today’s discussion: What’s the historical romance that’s stuck with you, and how do you think of it in the context of all Sarah brings up here? Or: why can’t you get into historical romances?