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We Read Smut: Bookish Conversations for Romance Readers

We Read Smut: Bookish Conversations for Romance Readers

We Read Smut 64 Episodes Jul 3, 2026

We Read Smut is a podcast hosted by Alesia that creates a judgment-free space for romance readers who love spicy plots and inclusive stories. The show features trope breakdowns, author interviews, and expert guidance to help listeners conquer their TBR piles. It prioritizes representative leads and diverse voices, celebrating the power of well-written romance. Listeners can join the After Dark Circle on Substack for personalized book picks and a private community.

Episodes

How to Find Bookish Friends and Romance Community Outside Social Media Jul 3, 2026 881 Making new friends as an adult is notoriously difficult, and when your primary hobby is reading high-heat romance novels, it can feel even harder to find your people. As an introvert who gets overstimulated quickly, the thought of trying to build a community through endless social media scrolling can feel exhausting. In this solo season premiere, I am breaking down easy, low-pressure ways to find
Organizing My Physical & Digital Library as a Mood Reader May 29, 2026 1065 Organizing your bookshelves or Kindle starting to feel chaotic? In this Season 3 finale, I’m taking you behind the scenes of how I organize my physical and digital romance library without making it a full-time job.We’re talking sapphic shelves, BIPOC-only shelves, signed books, Kindle collections, Handy Library, StoryGraph, and how it all works together so I stop double-buying books and always kno
Adrienne Thurman on Finding Yourself at Every Phase of Life and Don’t Tell Me How It Ends May 22, 2026 1984 Reconnecting with your creative identity after a massive life shift is challenging, especially when that shift is motherhood. Today, I am talking with debut author Adrienne Thurman about her new contemporary rom-com, Don't Tell Me How It Ends. We have an incredibly honest conversation regarding the isolation of the first year of parenting, processing postpartum depression, and how navigating
Swati Hegde on Love Beyond Reasonable Doubt and Second Chance Romance May 15, 2026 2715 Second chance romance has been testing my boundaries lately. After years of avoiding the trope, I am finally seeing the appeal of a hard-earned reunion. Today, I sit down with Swati Hegde to discuss her new book, Love Beyond Reasonable Doubt. We explore the sharp tension of the courtroom, the massive differences between the Indian and US legal systems, and the importance of writing neurodivergent
Marina Hill on Subverting the Billionaire Trope in Romance May 8, 2026 2322 The billionaire trope is a staple in romance, but what happens when the hero decides he doesn't actually want the money? Today, I’m talking with Marina Hill about her journey from writing fanfiction to crafting intricate stories that challenge genre standards. We discuss the anti-billionaire lead in Royal Pain, the vital importance of representing undiagnosed chronic pain, and why the enemies
Fat Girl Smut on Early Release (IYKYK) and Fat Positive Romance May 1, 2026 3517 Everyone deserves to see themselves reflected in every single trope and microtrope. Today, I am joined by Meg of Fat Girl Smut to examine the radical joy of seeing larger bodies in romance and the specific humor of the coming early microtrope. We talk about the empathy gap, why erotica is a necessary space for healing, and how to find beauty in your own body exactly as it is right now.Key Takeaway
Charish Reid on The Realities of Academia & Writing Across Genres Apr 24, 2026 2632 I am always curious about how authors take their real-world expertise and use it to craft stories that make us feel seen. This week, I chat with Charish Reid, an author who navigated the world of academia as an adjunct instructor before making her mark in both contemporary and paranormal romance. We discuss her book Mickey Chambers Shakes It Up, the importance of showing rather than telling chroni
Babe in Library on Second Chance Recs You’ll Actually Love Apr 17, 2026 3196 Second Chance Romance usually gets a meh from me. I am a fool me once, shame on you type of reader, so reruns in romance rarely make my list. But today, Lisa from Babe in Library joins the podcast to flip the script on its head. She shares why this trope sits at the top of her favorites and how it offers a unique sense of safety. We also announce a big project coming this September for the We Read
10+ Autistic Rep Romance Recommendations: Shifting the Narrative on Neurodivergence Apr 10, 2026 713 In honor of Autism Acceptance Month, I am sharing a curated list of books that feature authentic autistic representation. This episode is deeply personal. I share the story of my son’s diagnosis and how that journey led to my own realization that I am likely on the spectrum as well. We talk about the power of teach me romances, why grumpy female leads are a breath of fresh air, and how these autho
L.M. Bennett on Flipping the Script on Earned Happily Ever Afters Apr 3, 2026 1755 I am always curious about how my favorite authors take tropes I sometimes struggle with and make them absolutely delicious. In this episode, I chatted with L.M. Bennett, the author behind some of the most soulful and beautifully complicated Black Sapphic romances on my shelf. We dive into her journey from writing Matlock-inspired courtroom dramas as a kid to centering Black queer women who are all
Danielle Allen on The Shift From Indie to Traditional Book Deals Mar 27, 2026 2184 Does the romance industry still fear fat Black women on book covers? USA Today Bestselling author Danielle Allen joins the podcast to discuss her transition from a prolific indie career to traditional publishing with Bramble. She explains why her stories center fat Black joy rather than the struggle of a body type. We examine how her background as a life coach helps her characters move from mere e
The Curvy Literary on Curating Your Algorithm to Find Plus-Size Romance Mar 20, 2026 2494 What happens when you realize the romance novels you love don’t feature characters who look like you? Keshia, the creator behind The Curvy Literary, joins the podcast to share how she reclaimed her reading life by centering plus-size heroines. She explains how she intentionally trained social media algorithms to serve her the representation she craved and why she launched a podcast to explore the

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