I spoke with Ambar Cordova, author of the Baker Oaks series, a series of interconnected stand-alone stories about interracial and multicultural small-town romances. In this episode, we talk about our love for very human, flawed characters, tender partnerships, the many variations of intimacy and vulnerability in our lives, and why representation of body diversity, chronic illness, and neurodivergent/mental health experiences in romance can be both healing and wildly swoony. Ambar also opens up about boundaries, content notes, and how fiction can nudge us toward self-acceptance without shame. Ambar also discusses her next book, The Hope Once Lost ( available Feb 25, 2026), about a single-mom, grief-to-joy romance that closes the Baker Oaks series, as well as her Patreon-only serialized rom-com on the way.

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I spoke with Ellie Mack, author of Kiss Me Thrice, a New York City ballet romance that takes us on a journey of ambition, artistry, and first love. This book offers a compassionate exploration of OCD, self-sabotage, and the power of letting the present rewrite the stories we tell about our past. Ellie will be your new favorite author if you crave immersive writing, passionate, emotionally intelligent characters, and intimacy grounded in care, communication, and growth. Ellie and I also share our experiences in the world of New York City ballet, including its discipline, creativity, stress, and beauty. Ballet girlies and book lovers, this episode is for you!

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I spoke with Lauren Biel, author of dark romance, horror romance, and Dark romantic comedies. Lauren first captivated me with her Ride or Die series, especially her book Across State Lines. Lauren is the Queen of writing “Traumances” (think trauma and romance), finding love when you least expect it, and relatable characters whose love languages are often a bit surprising. Lauren shares so much with us in this episode, from discussions about mental health to grounding yourself in authenticity to the sometimes necessary and always transformative experience of failure and seeing where it leads you.

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