Hear us out: An awkward sex scene can actually be better than a frictionless one. Take the examples Sanj and Tyler cite from Business or Pleasure and Act Your Age, Eve Brown! Then, Riss M. Neilson shares her experiences writing chronic illness and disability and delivering romance to characters who deserve love and steam. Plus, a what-we’ve-consumed-this-month roundup ending with a wildly bad Italian accent courtesy of a rewatch of The Wedding Planner.

Sports Romance Needs New Material, Lily Herman on Formula 1, and a Listener Voicemail
32:16

Let Mary Bennet Be a Freak, Nikki Payne on Austen's Imprint on Romance, and Sense and Sensibility Double Homework
32:46

The State of Goodreads, Alexandra Romanoff on YA vs. Adult Romance, and Our Fall Romance Forecast
32:39