Call Me When They Kiss
Call Me When They Kiss is a romance-focused podcast hosted by Isa and Sydney, who set out to find and discuss the best romance movies and books. New episodes arrive every Friday and center on romantic films, both new releases and classics. On the last Monday of each month, the hosts release a bonus episode dedicated to reviewing a romance book.
Episodes
Paranormal Pilots | The Vampire Diaries, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Teen Wolf, & Charmed
The Vampire Diaries, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Charmed, Teen Wolf… which was YOUR show growing up? Believe it or not, Isa had never seen a single second of any of these shows, so of course we had to change that! This week, we watched the pilot episodes of all four series and share our official rankings.Before diving in, we also chat about the latest episode of DWTS, the upcoming Sense and Sensibil
Ghost (1990) | A Romantic Movie for Spooky Season
If you’re looking for the perfect movie to kick off spooky season, look no further! This week, we’re chatting about Ghost, starring Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, and Whoopi Goldberg. It’s equal parts funny, sexy, bizarre, and suspenseful...and somehow, it all works. The film was a major critical and commercial success, earning several Oscar nominations and wins.In true Call Me When They Kiss fashion
Bonus Book Episode | A Fortnight to Forever & Author Interview with Alycia E. Anderson
After a long hiatus, we are FINALLY reviewing another romantasy!In "A Fortnight to Forever" by Alycia E. Anderson, Quinn has been cursed by a jealous prince to sleep for 100 years at a time; she is awoken once a century for only two weeks, during which she must find someone to aid on a quest. Only true love can break the curse - but two weeks has never been enough time to fall in love...
The Love Hypothesis | The Highly Anticipated Ali Hazelwood Adaptation
At long last, The Love Hypothesis has arrived! After months of Lili Reinhart doing the absolute MOST to hype us up for this movie, we have finally seen it with our own eyes. Despite being lukewarm fans of the book, we were super excited for this movie, and thankfully, it did not disappoint. We hope you enjoy our full review, including a thorough breakdown of THAT scene. Before we dive into the mov
Imagine Me & You Review + Pop Culture Updates | SLOMW, DWTS, and Practical Magic 2
On this week’s episode, we review Imagine Me & You, and it just might be the cozy fall rom-com you’ve been looking for!Imagine Me & You is a sapphic romance with the perfect blend of British humor, emotional impact, and a tender love story. But there’s just one problem… it starts with a wedding. Is the “cheating trope” a deal breaker for you??Join our convo and hear all of our unfiltered t
Moulin Rouge! | Another Romantic Musical Review
This week on Call Me When They Kiss, we are celebrating Sydney's 30th birthday by reviewing Moulin Rouge! This iconic film by Baz Luhrman was nominated for a whopping EIGHT Oscars. Sydney shares her thoughts on her first time experiencing the movie, we decide where it falls in our ranking of favorite musicals, and we toy with the idea of turning Twilight into a jukebox musical. Before we dive
Finding Emily | The Best Rom-Com of 2026
Not only is Finding Emily a 5-star romance, but it is also the best rom-com of 2026! If you haven't seen it yet, consider this your sign to drop what you're doing and go and see it (except don't forget to come back to this episode when you're done). We've been skeptical of British rom-coms in the past, but we loved so much about this movie -- including the fact that it was writ
Jen Deluca: Author of Well Met - A Cozy Ren Faire Romance | Bonus Book Review and Author Interview
This month, we read “Well Met” by Jen Deluca — a cozy, enemies-to-lovers contemporary romance set at a small-town Renaissance fair. What makes this episode extra special though is that Jen joined us! It was such a pleasure to chat with her and discuss everything from her journey to becoming a full-time writer to the inspiration behind the Well Met series and why she believes happily-ever-afters ar
Grease, Hairspray, & High School Musical | Movie Musical Review - Triple Feature!
Welcome back to Call Me When They Kiss and thank you for joining us for our FIRST EVER TRIPLE FEATURE!Today we are reviewing three iconic masterpieces: Grease (1978), Hairspray (2007), and High School Musical (2006). Not only do we review each movie, but we also do a tier ranking of all the songs from all three movies!! (Ok and yes, Isa did forget to include "There Are Worse Things I Could Do
My Brilliant Career | Netflix's New Period Romance Series + ACOTAR 6 & 7 News
If you're a fan of Bridgerton or steamy historical romances, then you NEED to watch My Brilliant Career. This brand new Netflix series is based on a semi-autobiographical 1901 Australian novel, so the setting and style are a little different, but the vibes are vibingggg and honestly...we enjoyed it even more than the last two seasons of Bridgerton! Before we dive into our thoughts on the show
One Night Only | Rom-Com, Sex-Com, or Satire?
Welcome back to Call Me When They Kiss! Today we are reviewing a romantic comedy that got a theatrical release, which is always exciting! But is it actually a romantic comedy?? Let us know what you think.One Night Only stars Callum Turner and Monica Barbaro in a dystopian United States where premarital sex has been outlawed for all but one night a year. They race across New York City, both trying
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days | Is It the Greatest Rom-Com of All Time?
Is How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days the greatest rom-com of all time? You'll have to listen to find out! This week, we're FINALLY reviewing the iconic classic.From Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson's chemistry and steamy moments to the ridiculous shenanigans and storytelling choices, we break down what makes How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days work, even 20 years later.And of course, we couldn&
Rye Lane | A Recent Romcom You May Have Missed
Happy Friday and welcome back to another episode of Call Me When They Kiss! Today we are reviewing a more recent romcom, but not a brand new release. Rye Lane (starring David Jonsson, the new Black Panther) came out in 2023, and is available to watch on Hulu/Disney+.This movie is similar to Before Sunrise in the sense that it is mostly walking and talking, but it is definitely more of a comedy. Ya
Phoebe Berman's Gonna Lose It | Bonus Book Episode | Reviewing Brooke Averick's Debut Novel on Romance and Anxiety
This week, we're getting *vulnerable* while reviewing Brooke Averick's debut novel, Phoebe Berman's Gonna Lose It."Meet Phoebe Berman: despite being a hopeless romantic, she’s about to be a thirty-year-old virgin. With one month before her milestone birthday, she's determined to finally lose it...if her own anxiety doesn’t slow her down. Because is it possible to find true lov
Heartstopper Forever | Reviewing Another Netflix Romance
Happy Friday and welcome back to another episode of Call Me When They Kiss! Today we are reviewing Heartstopper Forever, another Netflix original rom-com. We also continue our discussion from last week of Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey" now that we've both seen it. If you have been a long-time fan of Heartstopper, we'd love to hear your thoughts on the movie! We really enjoyed the show, and whil
The Shop Around The Corner & You've Got Mail | A Classic Rom-Com and the Classic Rom-Com It Inspired
This week is for the classic rom-com lovers! We're reviewing The Shop Around the Corner (1940), one of the highest rated romantic comedies of all time, alongside the film it inspired, You've Got Mail (1998).We explore how romantic comedies have evolved over the last several decades, and how some of the oldest influenced our favorite rom-coms from the '90s, 2000s, and even today. Which one did we p
40 Dates and 40 Nights | This Has Got to Be AI, Right?!
Welcome back to Call Me When They Kiss! Today we are reviewing a new release starring Bailee Madison and Joel Courtney, "40 Dates and 40 Nights" (available to rent!).This movie left us scratching our heads. It had all the elements of a classic RomCom, but they felt shoehorned in there, almost as if someone had given ChatGPT a list of tropes and asked it to write a movie... hmmm.... Let u
Love Island Movie Night, Normal People, Elle & Ali Hazelwood Adaptations | Romance TV & Movies
This week’s episode is a little different! Due to some technical difficulties, the second half of our original episode (you know…the part where we actually talked about the movie we watched…) didn’t save, so we’re switching things up with a “what we’ve been watching lately — romance edition”, instead of our usual movie review.Love Island is still consuming our every waking thought, and we HAVE to
Love Island Season 8 Casa Amor Recoupling Recap | Bonus BONUS Episode
Surprise! We accidentally talked about Love Island for too long when we sat down to record our monthly book review episode. So we're releasing the discussion as a separate episode. We hope you enjoy our debrief on the Casa Amor recoupling. If you're watching Love Island, give us all your hot takes in the comments!Keywords:Casa amor, love island, love island USA, recoupling, Bryce and trinity, KC,
Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid and Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall | Bonus Book Episode
Welcome to our Pride Month double feature! We read two books this month: Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid and Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall. If you're looking for a cute, cozy MLM story, Boyfriend Material is the perfect choice. This book was witty and charming, and even has two sequels if you can't get enough. What could be better than two hot British guys fake dating each other?!If
Voicemails for Isabelle | Maybe RomComs Really Are So Back
Welcome back to Call Me When They Kiss!Today we reviewed another Netflix Original, which as we all know, could be very hit or miss. We were certainly apprehensive after Office Romance. We went into Voicemails for Isabelle with medium expectations, and were pleasantly surprised by how much we loved it! This RomCom had heart, humor, and a hot, steamy make-out -- a simple formula that for some reason
Every Year After/Every Summer After | Our Review, Emily Henry Updates, and Love Island Recap
This week, we’re reviewing the new romance series, Every Year After, based on Every Summer After by Carley Fortune. With the series coming out on Prime following the success of The Summer I Turned Pretty and Off Campus, we had high hopes, but ultimately, we were left disappointed.BUT before we share all of our candid thoughts, we have to talk about THAT behind-the-scenes photo from Beach Read, Emi
Office Romance | Is It a Classic Rom-Com or Raunchy Comedy?
This week, we watched Office Romance, Netflix’s latest “romantic comedy” starring Jennifer Lopez and Brett Goldstein. Brett, who also co-wrote the film, set out to "make an old-school rom-com" ... but did he actually accomplish his goal? We let you know what we think.Before we dive into the movie, we kick things off with our Week 1 recap of Love Island USA, because there, OF COURSE, ther
But I'm a Cheerleader & The Broken Hearts Club | Pride Month Double Feature ft. Rachel!
We're kicking off Pride Month by sharing our thoughts on TWO rom-coms, AND we're joined by a very special guest! Rachel (aka our lesbian liaison) is one of my dearest friends, and we loved hearing her unique perspective.We start our episode in classic CMWTK fashion by discussing Rachel's celebrity crushes and a cheerleader edition of kiss/marry/kill. And then we start our discussion on
Roman Holiday | Reviewing Our Oldest RomCom Yet!
Today we went back in time to a classic movie that would become the blueprint for many romcoms to come! This was Audrey Hepburn's first major American film, and there's no question whether she deserves her icon status after seeing how charming and wonderful she is in Roman Holiday. We also loved Gregory Peck and will be searching for some TikTok edits of him immediately.Some other topics w
Seven Days in June by Tia Williams | Bonus Book Episode + Bookish News
For May’s bonus book episode, we're excited to share all our thoughts on Seven Days in June by Tia Williams. But first, we discuss the latest book and TV adaptation news. Then we give a brief synopsis (spoiler warning!), before talking through what we loved most, as well as what strayed from our personal preferences. We were also excited to learn that this book is currently being adapted into
Off Campus | Reviewing the Latest Sports Romance Adaptation
Off Campus is the MOST WATCHED show on Amazon Prime Video, and we understand why! Is it a little bit cringey at times? Well, sure, it’s a show about college students. But honestly, that makes it feel more realistic because *we* were cringey in college too. And more importantly, it’s sexy, fun, and surprisingly thoughtful in the way it handles its heavier themes.We start off by sharing some of the
Brokeback Mountain featuring Our First Guests!
Today is a very special episode because we have our first ever guests joining us! Parker Martin and Kylan Merrill (AKA, the Gay Correspondents of CMWTK) are here to talk about Brokeback Mountain, the "gay cowboy movie" that did what very few queer movies had ever done before it: enter the mainstream.This was the first time either Sydney or I had ever seen the movie, and we were blown awa
The Devil Wears Prada 2 | Is It As Iconic As The First?!
Today we review the much-anticipated sequel, The Devil Wears Prada 2! Surprisingly, (or unsurprisingly?) Isa had never even seen the first one, so obviously she had to remedy that. As with all sequels, there were things to love and things that fell flat. The magic of the first one couldn't quite be recaptured. But of course we had a fabulous time seeing another girl movie in the theaters.In this e
10 Things I Hate About You | And Everything We Love About The Movie (Our Fave Rom Com!)
This episode is *extra* special because it’s Isa’s BIRTHDAY EPISODE! And to celebrate, we’re reviewing THE BEST ROM-COM OF ALL TIME.10 Things I Hate About You is iconic for all the right reasons. The cultural impact. The humor. Heath. Ledger. We discuss the movie’s Shakespearean origins, the best and worst characters, its themes that were so ahead of their time, and everything in between.Our ratin
The Night We Met by Abby Jimenez | Bonus Book Review
This month we read the newest release from one of our favorite contemporary romance authors, Abby Jimenez! "The Night We Met" is a sloooowww burn, which is actually what we prefer. We were skeptical though when Abby announced that it involved the FMC getting together with her "boyfriend's best friend." However, we were pleasantly surprised by how well the story was executed
Some Kind Of Wonderful | Romantic Storytelling in the 80's + Pop Culture Updates
This week we're throwing it back to the 1980s with a lesser-known John Hughes movie, 'Some Kind of Wonderful'. Watts is the ultimate cool girl, Amanda Jones "is sex", and Keith...well he's just plain dumb. But we root for him because we root for Watts. We'll get into that on the pod...From script vs storytelling, to themes and characters, we discuss how it all impacts
You, Me, & Tuscany | RomComs Are So Back!
Feeling blessed because we just watched a romcom at the movie theater! You, Me, and Tuscany was a romcom through-and-through, and it hit all of its marks in the cutest, most nostalgic ways. We talk through everything from the chemistry between Halle Bailey and Rege-Jean Page, to the crazy shenanigans that ensue in front of the beautiful backdrop that is Italy. One thing we're passionate about
Love Story | Our Thoughts On The Show, The Kennedys, and Carolyn Bessette
Is Ryan Murphy's "Love Story" worth watching? Is the story of JFK Jr and Carolyn Bassette even a love story? Or simply a tragedy? We answer all of these questions in this weeks episode of CMWTK.While the show wasn't our favorite, we were SO fascinated by the story. Using history and gossip from the 1990s, we try to make sense of it all and discuss the media frenzy around them, th
Warm Bodies Review + Book/Movie/Reality TV News
Ok look....... we didn't love Warm Bodies, and you can tell from the episode that we wanted to talk about anything BUT the movie. If you're dying to hear our takes on Warm Bodies, skip to the last 30 minutes. But if you want to hear our opinions on literally everything else under the sun, start from the beginning and stick around!Here's a list of topics we cover:Abby Jimenez's new book, "The Night
Vision in White by Nora Roberts | Bonus Book Review
In this bonus book episode, we discuss Nora Roberts and her impact on the romance genre (she's written over 250 books!), and we share our thoughts on her contemporary romance novel, Vision in White. Some other topics we touch on include:Nora Roberts' career and impact on romance literatureIn-depth review of 'Vision in White' and its themesThe evolution of the romance genre and Nora
Hannah Montana: The Movie and The Last Song | Review + Disney Channel Debates
It’s the 20th anniversary of Hannah Montana, so you already know we had to do a special Miley Cyrus episode…in Hannah and Lola wigs, of course!We kick things off with a little reality TV catch-up because these SLOMW women don’t rest. We’re sharing our thoughts on the future of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, The Bachelorette, and reality TV in general.Then we get into the heart of the episode wi
Far and Away | Our Thoughts on the Western Romance Film
In this episode, we’re diving deep into The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, Tom Cruise and his Scientology background, and an Irish cult classic ’90s western romance… Far and Away.We start with the latest SLOMW news, unpacking the ethics of reality TV and its storytelling choices, as well as what makes it so controversial, and at times, sad.Then, before we dive deep into Far and Away, we chat about
SJM Book News + Rosaline Movie Review | Romance in the Renaissance Era
In this episode, we’re catching up on everything that’s been on our minds lately. From movie and book discussions to fandom theories and the state of romance in pop culture. We start with the discourse around Sarah J. Maas. From unhinged fan theories to unrealistic expectations, we share all our thoughts on her recent appearance on Call Her Daddy and what it might mean for upcoming books, adaptati
Bridgerton Part 3 | Review of Season 4, Episodes 5-8
Do Sophie and Benedict get their happily ever after? Of course! And we were sat for all the twists and turns. In this episode, we share our thoughts on Bridgerton Season 4, Part 2 and break it all down. From the biggest and best moments, character arcs, and storytelling choices to what could’ve been done better and what left us wanting more—we don’t hold anything back.Of course, it wouldn’t CMWTK
Sandokan | Reviewing the New Pirate Romance Series
Sandokan is giving us everything we didn’t know we needed: a pirate prince with a heart of gold, a slow-burning grand romance, dramatic standoffs, and yes… an epic theme song ("Sandokan!" 🎶).If our thoughts can't convince you to watch the show, then just look at Can Yaman...are you convinced yet?*This episode contains spoilers* -- We dive into what makes the series work so well, such
Say Yes to the Marquess & the Regency Romance Genre | Bonus Book Review
It’s time for another bonus book episode! This month, we’re doing a deep dive into the Regency romance genre, and Say Yes to the Marquess by Tessa Dare.We kick it off by catching up on the latest in book and adaptation news, starting with Abby Jimenez’s upcoming book, The Night We Met, and the BIG casting announcement for Emily Henry’s next film adaptation, Beach Read.And thennnn we dive into Say
Wuthering Heights | Reviewing Emerald Fennell's 2026 Adaptation
Last week we watched Emerald Fennell’s "Wuthering Heights"...and yes, we have a LOT of thoughts.
We talk through the casting choices of Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, the artistic direction, and why adapting this story always feels like such a bold, yet risky move. What makes a good adaptation? And why do we keep coming back to this one in particular?
We unpack Emerald Fennell’s crea
Crazy Stupid Love | Our Valentine's Day Movie Review
It’s our Valentine’s Day episode, and what better way to celebrate love, no matter how crazy or stupid it can be, than with Crazy, Stupid, Love? In this episode, we dive into this messy, funny, and surprisingly thoughtful rom-com and unpack why it is considered one of the most iconic of the 2010s. We get into the chaotic character dynamics, THE plot twist, what this film says about love at differe
Bridgerton Part 2 | Season 4, Episodes 3 & 4
In this episode of Call Me When They Kiss, we unpack all our thoughts and feelings on Bridgerton Season 4, Episodes 3 and 4. Some scenes had us swooning and glued to the screen, while others left us feeling frustrated and confused. Benedict and Sophie’s relationship shifts and grows a LOT over these two episodes, and we chat about the complexities of their societal roles and what exactly is keepin
Bridgerton Part 1 | Season 4, Episodes 1 & 2
Is Benedict still a notorious rake? Or is he ready to settle down? In this episode of Call Me When They Kiss, we discuss the first two episodes of Bridgerton Season 4, and we are already LOVING Sophie and this season's fresh twist on the classic Cinderella story. We share some of our most unhinged show theories and predictions, and look back at past seasons -- what worked, what didn’t, which c
The Knight and The Moth and the Romantasy Genre | Bonus Book Review
Welcome to our second bonus book episode! Last month we explored the contemporary romance genre, but this month we’re tackling the romantasy genre with a review of The Knight in the Moth. We talk through what we liked, what we wished there had been more of, and why the book ultimately landed as “it was good, but fine” rather than “we loved it!!!". But it wouldn’t be a Call Me When They Kiss episod
Notting Hill | Our Unfiltered Thoughts + Heated Rivalry Review
Dirty Dancing was our first 5-star movie, so we were very excited to follow it up with the iconic ’90s rom-com Notting Hill…Imagine our surprise when it turned out to be our first 1-star movie! In this episode of Call Me When They Kiss, we give our fully unfiltered review of the film and share some wild behind-the-scenes tea. BUT not before showing some love to HBO Max’s new hit, Heated Rivalry.Wh
Dirty Dancing | Our First 5-Star Romance Movie
In this episode of Call Me When They Kiss, we’re giving our full film review on Dirty Dancing -- Our first 5-star movie on the podcast! And it may be our most unhinged episode yet. There will be laughing. There will be tears. This one is for our emotionally vulnerable girlies. From iconic lines and dance scenes, to the film's *perfect* soundtrack, we share what worked and what surprised us, as
People We Meet on Vacation | Did the Movie Live Up to Our Expectations?
The time has finally come ✨🎬 One of our most anticipated watches of the year...People We Meet on Vacation! In this episode, we’re sharing our first reactions, our takes on the characters and their relationships, and how the film compares to other iconic rom-coms. We celebrate the moments that had us laughing out loud, and the phenomenal cast, while also being open about where we wished the emotion
When Harry Met Sally | Reviewing the Iconic Romantic Comedy
This week on Call Me When They Kiss, we’re talking about an iconic romantic comedy that shaped the genre for decades: When Harry Met Sally. If you haven’t seen it yet, don’t worry, we break down the full plot so you can still follow along and join the conversation. We dive deep into the film’s themes, cultural impact, what made us laugh out loud, why it continues to resonate ... and whether Billy
People We Meet on Vacation | Bonus Book Review
It’s here! Our first-ever bonus book episode! This month, we chose Emily Henry’s People We Meet on Vacation, and we just had to with the movie releasing in 11 days.We kick things off with some official and unofficial book world news, including rumored casting for Book Lovers, fan casting for Happy Place, and Abby Jimenez’s narrator hints that had us SO ready for the official announcement.Then we b
Eternity | Are Rom-Com Movies Back?
Are rom-coms "so back"? This week, we watched Eternity to find out. Eternity follows Joan (Elizabeth Olsen) and Larry (Miles Teller), who have been married for 65 years before passing away just a week apart. When Joan arrives in the afterlife, she’s faced with an impossible choice: spend eternity with Larry, or reunite with her first husband, Luke (Callum Turner), a love she lost too so
A Merry Little Ex-mas & A Very Jonas Christmas Movie | Holiday Romance Movies
In this episode, we’re getting cozy in our Christmas pjs and reviewing two recently released holiday romances🎄🎬 We kick things off with Merry Little Xmas, breaking down its characters, themes, and the goofiness of it all. And then we dive into A Very Jonas Christmas Movie. What was it like to watch the Jonas Brothers play fictionalized versions of themselves in a *musical* movie with a million cel
Before Sunrise | Our Review of the Timeless Romance
This week on Call Me When They Kiss, we review Before Sunrise. Neither of us had seen the 1995 classic, but the 100% on Rotten Tomatoes convinced us to give it a shot. We had to see for ourselves if it deserved the hype.Spoiler: it absolutely does. This is a Certified Timeless Romance from CMWTK.We begin with a recap of what we've been watching and reading recently, with a mini Wicked: For Goo
Introducing Call Me When They Kiss
Welcome for the very first time ever to Call Me When They Kiss 💋 In this introductory episode, we’ll introduce ourselves, explain the format of our podcast, and share some of our favorite things across the romance genre. From our most loved books and movies, to a game of “Kiss Marry Kill”, this episode will give you a feel for who we are and the stories that defined our love for the genre.
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