Reading Under the Covers: A Romance Novel Podcast

In this episode of Reading Under the Covers, a romance novel podcast, we are back with our Novel Hour live show book club! Today, we’re discussing Whispers of the Lake by Shanora Williams.
Watch the video: https://youtube.com/live/bFwI98TXRcs
We’ll chat:
• first impressions and expectations
• characters and messy decisions
• the twists and ending (full spoilers)
• if we’d recommend it and to who
• books like recommendations and more
Books Mentioned:
Whispers of the Lake
The Wife Before
Beautiful Broken Love
Mayhem and the Mortal
Join us live Thursdays at 12pm Eastern for spoiler-filled book club discussion, chat reactions, cozy community reading time, bookish news, TBRs, wrap-ups, and more!
All the book clubs and readalongs you can do with us: https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/romance-book-club/
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Episode 4 of Ripped & Ravished Book Club is here! In this episode of Reading Under the Covers, a romance novel podcast, Francesca (Under the Covers Book Blog) and Becky (Too Stupid to Live Podcast) dive into Chapters 7-8 of The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss and we are officially in the "so close to the end… please give us something" zone.
These chapters bring big plot movement (hello, baby arrives) and yet somehow we're still drowning in domestic detail: baths, clothes, embroidery, household management, and a hero who keeps inching toward emotional growth… until he opens his mouth and resets the progress. We talk about how the book is crystal clear about his feelings, while Heather's inner life stays frustratingly out of reach, and why that makes the romance feel oddly hollow even as they're technically building a life together.
We also get into: the hot-and-cold communication spiral, Jeff's increasingly confusing role, George's surprising moment of remorse, and why certain "dramatic" beats feel like random drive by tension instead of true relationship stakes. Plus, we're still waiting for the book's legendary "female pleasure" reputation to show up on page (Becky is keeping score).
Catch up here (and watch the video of this episode): https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/the-flame-and-the-flower-review/
Content warnings: This episode discusses rape/non-consent (referenced), coercion, pregnancy/childbirth, misogyny, and controlling dynamics. Please take care of yourself.
Next up: Our final episode on this book discussion covers Chapters 9-10 and we want your thoughts before we wrap. Reply with where you're at: first-time reader vs reread, what's shifted for you, and whether the ending delivers the passion (and yes… the probing).
Timestamps
00:00 Probing and Passion Tease
00:14 Podcast Intro and Book Club
01:20 Chapters Seven and Eight Setup
01:58 Baths and Missing Chemistry
03:04 Hot and Cold Communication
04:59 Moving In and Blowups
07:23 Hattie the Wise Stereotype
09:40 Jeffs Forced Kiss and Vibes
10:48 George Confession Overheard
12:16 Brandon in New York Growth
17:18 Louise Debts and Power
21:51 Heather Changes and Birth POV
27:06 Her POV Missing
28:02 Becoming Mrs Birmingham
30:00 No Context for Competence
32:13 Shell of a Heroine
33:17 Stagnant Brandon Arc
36:08 Where Is the Heat
38:32 Yearning and Real Stakes
40:12 Side Characters and Style
43:35 Plot Finally Moves
49:08 Baths Without Purpose
50:57 One Bath That Works
51:57 Wrap Up and Next Read
Links to join the book club + resources
Ripped & Ravished Book Club hub:
https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/bodice-ripper-book-club/
Sign up for the book club newsletter:
https://underthecovers.myflodesk.com/ripped-ravished
Kathleen E. Woodiwiss Author Guide:
https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/kathleen-e-woodiwiss-author-guide/
Romance Evolution through the Decades (1970s):

In this episode of Reading Under the Covers, a romance novel podcast, we are so excited because J.R. WARD IS HERE. And she finally answers the question I have been asking:
Is Crown of War and Shadow secretly the BDB origin story? 👀
Watch the interview: https://youtu.be/tHIoFpn7LMs
In this 56-minute deep dive, we're talking:
✨ Her brand new Kingdoms of the Compass series (slow-burn romantasy, demons, badlands and found family vibes)
✨ How Crown of War and Shadow is different from Black Dagger Brotherhood (think "D&D meets LOTR")
✨ BDB origin story easter eggs in the new series (yes… she really does confirm it)
✨ BDB Season 2 scoop: how dark it gets, Rhage's Beast, and what's coming next
✨ Merc & Sorrel's character vibes, why Sorrel is first-person only, and how hard this book was to draft
✨ Four-book plan, IMAX-scale creature battles, and the spider scene from hell
✨ Which BDB brother would die in this world (Ward refuses… mostly)
✨ Passionflix creative control, cast reunion teases, and what comes after the Romantasy boom
If you love Black Dagger Brotherhood, paranormals, or you're hunting for your next big romantasy obsession after ACOTAR, you're in the right place. 💜
Tell us in the comments: Are you reading Crown of War and Shadow? And wha't your favorite J.R. Ward book?
Timestamps:
00:00 J.R. Ward teases the new series + BDB Season 2 scoop
00:25 What Crown of War and Shadow is about (slow-burn romantasy setup)
01:19 "D&D meets LOTR": How Kingdoms of the Compass differs from BDB
03:29 Meet Merc & Sorrel: 3-word character vibes
04:05 Why first-person Sorrel only (and why drafting was a nightmare)
05:33 Retrofitting a 20-year-old idea + keeping the big secrets hidden
08:00 The four-book plan, backstory dreams & the spider scene from hell
09:32 Writing IMAX-scale creature battles & cinematic action
12:38 Which BDB brother would die in this world? (Ward refuses… mostly)
13:53 Are there BDB origin story easter eggs in the new series?
15:31 Merc's protective energy: Supportive hero vs. alpha power plays
18:11 BDB crossover party game: Who Merc fights, befriends & lives with
24:08 Passionflix BDB TV series: Creative control, Rhage's Beast & Season 2 build
28:20 Is Season 2 lighter? Ward says "absolutely not" (setting up Season 3)
29:36 Why horses keep appearing in her books
30:35 From Cape Cod to Leaping Hearts: Writing what you know
33:46 Romance influences: Johanna Lindsey, Elizabeth Lowell & medieval inspo
35:57 Why men read her romance: Boundaries, grit and voice
40:53 Alpha heroes then vs now: Decency, loyalty and moral compasses
44:15 What she's reading (and why she rarely reads): ACOTAR, Lore of the Wilds & more
48:31 What comes after Romantasy? Trends, vampires, paranormals & historicals
53:12 Crown of War and Shadow updates: "Different" reviews, gratitude & KU access
55:20 Wrap-up
Grab your copy of Crown of War and Shadow: https://rstyle.me/+_Qy4c7F3Bp236GkKuWhxzA
Resources on the blog:
J.R. Ward Reading Guide: https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/a-beginners-guide-to-j-r-ward-reading-order/
Black Dagger Brotherhood Series Guide:

Romance is always at the center of publishing… and this week, it’s chaos. We’re unpacking the New York Times headline "The New Fabio Is Claude" and the growing wave of AI-generated romance, plus the real issue nobody wants to say out loud: authors publicly denouncing AI while secretly using it. Then we pivot into pop culture (Super Bowl + Winter Olympics reactions)… and finally get into what you actually came for: our February Book Haul book mail, and upcoming book club picks.
Watch the video: https://youtube.com/live/B1Td-hIZEMY
In This Episode
The NYT "New Fabio Is Claude" headline, and what it signals about romance publishing right now
The ethics + reader trust problem: denouncing AI publicly, using it privately
"Are readers getting duped?" + how AI content is showing up in categories and charts
Super Bowl recap + the "overlooked/undervalued" underdog
Winter Olympics opening ceremony thoughts
Then: February Book Haul time!

Books Mentioned / Featured
Author deep dive / book mail moment
One Summer in Savannah by Terah Shelton Harris
Where the Wildflowers Grow by Terah Shelton Harris
Long After We’re Gone by Terah Shelton Harris

Book Club Picks
Next week’s discussion: Whispers of the Lake by Shanora Williams
March read-ahead: Rules for Ruin by Mimi Matthews

Classics mention
William Golding (classic lit shoutout)

Special Editions
Hidden Legacy series by Ilona Andrews

New Release
Crown of War and Shadow by J.R. Ward

Listener Question
Where do you land on AI in romance: transparent use with clear labeling, or no AI in the writing process at all? And did you pick up anything good in February.
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction and Today’s Agenda
00:13 AI in Romance Publishing: Controversies and Insights
01:56 Debate on AI's Role in Writing
12:24 Super Bowl Recap and Highlights
16:18 Winter Olympics: Highlights and Opinions
21:17 February Book Haul: Exciting New Reads
24:03 Exploring William Golding's Lesser-Known Works
27:15 Special Editions from the Arcane Society
30:41 Terah Shelton Harris: A Contemporary Favorite
33:16 Upcoming Book Club Reads
35:13 TV Shows and...

In this episode of Reading Under the Covers, a romance novel podcast, we go back into our Ripped and Ravished Book Club discussion of The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss. Today we dive into Chapter 5 & 6 of the book. If you missed the previous chapter discussions, go back and listen to those first.
Catch up here (and watch the video of this episode): https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/the-flame-and-the-flower-review/
What we cover
Why Chapters 5-6 feel long (pacing + details)
"Grooming as intimacy": clothes, baths, and what comfort means in this era
The no-touching choice: space without sex (and why that helps the story)
Heather's naiveté and why it's grating and revealing
The boat sequence: rules, danger, and shifting responsibility onto women
Fever/hallucinations as the first real window into Heather's trauma
"Was the bathtub kindness… or manipulation?" (modern baggage vs author intent)
The "pants for women" scene: accidentally hilarious historical innovation
The slow burn problem: we're halfway in...where’s the emotional interiority?
Louise's dockside meltdown: melodrama returns and we're kind of grateful
Speculation corner: is the brother getting a spinoff romance in our heads?

Content warnings
This episode includes discussion of: rape/non-consent, coercion, pregnancy, illness/fever, controlling dynamics, misogyny, and historical sexual double standards. Please take care of yourself.
Timestamps
00:15 Welcome + What We're Covering (Ch. 5-6) & Book Club Context
01:46 These Chapters Feel Long: Pacing, Details, and the Slow Transition
03:33 Dresses, Naivete, and Losing Sight of Heather's Character
07:43 No Touching Allowed: Withholding Intimacy & Marriage Expectations
09:51 Historical Accuracy vs Modern Palatability (and Bridgerton Comparisons)
11:57 The Grooming Episode: Baths as Comfort, Symbol, and Suspicion
14:21 Reading With Today's Lens: Triggers, Rereads, and 1972 vs Now
17:40 On the Boat: Rules, "Milk" Moment, and Heather's Naivete Peaks
21:51 Missing Inner Monologue: Emotional Distance & Birmingham's (Non)Remorse
25:26 Brother Appears: Twin Vibes, Louise, and a Possible Book-Two Setup
28:27 Back to the Boat: Seasickness Bonding & Heather's Buried Trauma
31:46 Custom-Made Long Johns: The Comedy of 'Pants for a Lady'
33:32 Was the Fever a Plot Shortcut? Skipping the Real Relationship Work
35:00 Slow Burn Whiplash & 'Probing the Depths of Her Womanhood'
39:03 Missing Inner Monologue: What Was Heather Thinking at the Dock?
41:50 Louisa Arrives: Campy Soap-Opera Drama Turns Up to 11
42:44 Side-Plot Brainstorming: The Brother Romance & Bucket-of-Goo Comeuppance
51:50 Poison Tea Panic & Pregnancy Anxiety in 1799
53:17 Final Verdict on Chapters 5-6 + What's Next (Ch. 7-8)
Listener...