Chapter 9: Window Shopping part 2

Join us in this week's episode to discuss part 2 of Window Shopping by Tessa Bailey. In this episode we talk about everything from public sex to the horror of matching robes. Please send us book recs and follow us on our socials @theRPHpodcast https://linktr.ee/raunchypowerhour

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Welcome to Brongy Power Hour, a book club for discussing romance from the erotic to

(00:16):
the erroneous. As always, this is an explicit podcast and contains strong language, adult
themes and sexual content. If you are sensitive to these things, we urge you calmly but sincerely
to turn off your radio now. This month we are reading Window Shopping by Tessa Bailey.
This is part two of Window Shopping. This podcast will contain spoilers of the entire
book. If you want to read along with us, stop listening now. It's okay. We'll wait for you

(00:41):
to come back. This is our concluding episode of Window Shopping. If you haven't, please
go listen to part one. Yes, we'll wait again. This book doesn't contain any content warnings,
so you haven't been warned. I'm your producer, Ashlyn. Hi, I'm the mom kissing Santa, Sydney.
And I'm the little cookies that Santa ate up like nom nom nom at the end of the street.

(01:09):
Let's get ready to get eggnoggy. Hey Sydney. I know I don't. I got a Christian asked. I
didn't know you smoked too bad today, but what's up? I'm vaping. Don't you know the

(01:32):
truth? Nope, couldn't tell. This is a mango pod. Sorry, I'm so asleep, Debrad. Okay. I
have a question for you. Okay. What do you think about the concept of doing the deed

(01:54):
in a forbidden location? Not like public sex, but like in a place like your office or like
in a public restroom. What's the vibe? See, you said public restroom. I'm like, oh, that's
disgusting because that's just gross. That one. I don't know why, but it kind of turns

(02:22):
me off personally. Like specifically those two places. I have discussed in the past that
a more forbidden place has like been a turn on in the past. But I think the reason those
other, like those two specific examples gross me out is because like you are like, I would

(02:46):
still argue it's in public because like you're in places where you are highly likely that
another person will interact within that space while you're doing such thing. And like other
people aren't consenting to your sexual imagination. But if we're talking specifically about this,

(03:16):
the CEO's office, like the office on the top floor and he's got like locks on the door
and he can like lower the shades then. And he tells his assistant to hold his calls for
the next hour and then like has to sleep. It's really hot. I'm telling you. I'm telling

(03:37):
you. That I don't mind personally. The public
restroom I think is the thing that grossed me out. So no public restroom, but CEO office.
That's like sexed out. Ready for sex? Kind of hot.
Follow-up question because we are on the same page here thus far.

(03:58):
Yes. Windows or no windows in the CEO office?
If they can be blacked out so no one can see what's going on. I think this is where we
diverge or from like if we're in a high rise, no one can see. That's OK. OK. Listen, high

(04:19):
rise, but wall to wall window. Well, if no one can see, then I'd be OK with it. But like
I want a Delta Airlines. What do you mean by Delta Airlines? What do you mean by Delta
Airlines? I want an airplane to pass by and then you

(04:43):
have to wonder whether or not they can see from the distance and height they're at.
See I went down a different much darker idea when you said Delta Airlines and then mentioned
the height of a tower. So we're just going to continue. Yeah, that is that is unfortunately
where I went. So hi guys. Welcome back to Windows Shopping. Tessa Bailey and Raunchy

(05:05):
Power Hour. I hate us. Anyway, so this is part two of Windows Shopping by Tessa Bailey.
And we are going from chapter nine all the way to the end of the book. Lauren, would
you like to give us a quick synopsis for anyone who just needs a quick?
Oh, this is your quiz. This is the quiz I'm going to have you take. Make sure you remember

(05:29):
the first part every time this happens. OK, I know. And I do it like every time. I know.
I'm just going to do the broad strokes of like what the proxmox. Just need some quick
reminders. Main character, Stellish Mint. She recently has been released from a period
of incarceration. She's sort of adapting to society and apparently her dream in life is

(05:52):
to become like a professional window dresser, which is basically where you like create displays
and adverts like within like storefront windows type thing. When she bumps into a man named
Aiden Cook, who happens to be a young general manager slash owner type thing of Vivat, which
is like this like luxury kind of higher like higher end Macy's is what we're guessing.

(06:15):
Basically, you know, they have a conversation. He determines that, hey, she's pretty good
at this thing. You should send your application. She does worried about the whole criminal
record thing, but he kind of has the hotspots. And so he like is kind of looking for application,
decides to interview her, insists on hiring her on a trial basis to see if she fits with
the company. She performs well overall. But while they're working, even in the first couple

(06:37):
of days, there's tensions brewing between her and this man, Aiden. And they have a lot
of inappropriate flirtings and discussions about whether or not they should be making
this relationship official by signing an H.R. love contract. Aiden's all for it as a rule
follower. Stella's not really because there's obviously a lot involved in this power dynamic.
And also, of course, her criminal record, she doesn't want anything bad to happen or

(06:58):
to get out about that. There's sort of a will they won't they? Except it's switching POV.
So we both know they're attracted to each other, but there's just something getting
in the way. And instead, they just spend multiple chapters sort of flirting, discussing each
other's tragic past. She, for example, the reason she was incarcerated was because she
was an accomplice in an armed robbery at a restaurant and also got charged with attempted

(07:20):
manslaughter with her friend, Nicole, who is still in prison at this time or getting released.
It's got a gray area and is apparently a bad influence on her because she was rough and
like stick guilt tripper and yeah. And then Aiden is like Mr. Goody two shoes because
he's got some family issues. He his grandparents, who previously sort of like had a hand in

(07:42):
the ownership of the store, just like really hard asses and they're like rich snobs and
blah, blah, blah, blah. It's a lot of issues. And somewhere in the middle of it, they finger
bang each other. And that's kind of where we left off. Yeah. Actually, he just finger
bangs her and then he's like, then we're going to go we're going to go someplace else. Meet
me downstairs. So yeah, now we're on chapter nine, where Stella does like a quick bye to

(08:11):
everybody at like the company cocktail hour, which by the way, Aiden apparently never shows
up to but then suddenly shows up because you know, Stella is going to be there and I'm
like, if HR didn't already think these two were banging, this would be a huge indicator.
But like, like we like I said, in the group chat in which Lauren also referenced in the

(08:35):
first part of this book, where I said this book, this is this book is a walking HR violation.
Anyway, Stella goes upstairs. Aiden is waiting for her to get into his car and they go back
to her apartment. And what's really interesting is I really didn't write down much of what

(09:02):
happened in this ninth chapter. And it's really the first chapter where we're supposed to
like, we're starting to get into the hot and steamy things. Honestly. It just like I felt
like it didn't matter. Yeah, clearly it didn't matter to me because the only note I wrote

(09:24):
was audiobook reader pronounces chasm like chasm. Yeah, I love that for you. Yeah. Yeah.
Yes, Ashlyn. I just wanted to share that my only note for this chapter, it's two sentences.
They leave the bar and borderline have sex in the car on the way to her apartment. Literally,
what was the point of this chapter is exactly what I wrote. Exactly. Exactly. I am actually

(09:48):
along the same lines because I literally wrote honestly skimmed skimmed most of it because
it feels like we're going through every minute. Like, and I kind of get it because this is
only taking place within a matter of days. As a reminder, listeners, this book takes
place within. Oh my God. Oh my God. It's between the 12 days of Christmas. Have you ever fallen

(10:19):
head over heels in love with your corporate employer within 12 days? And I want that played
over the Home Depot. Violations three missed calls to. To ex convicts. And a corporate
man in a bow tie. I love that for us. That's amazing. Yeah, but it takes place within two

(10:48):
weeks. So I just kind of feel like we're stuck within every like single minute within
this book between those 14 days. And I'm just like, dear. This book will not end. Like this
is. It just feels kind of painful. Like. Yeah, it takes place in a matter of days. And literally

(11:12):
here's here's my synopsis for this chapter. They drive. It ends up about family and how
they kind of resent him for saving the vaunt because he bought basically a major portion
of the vaunt to save it from bankruptcy when it was right about to get bankrupt. And then
basically he says like positivity is his shield and then they make out and they're like making

(11:37):
out real hot in the car. And again, there's no sex and then they're at her apartment.
Yeah. It's really it's really is like in those fanfics that you read were like young authors
feel the need to like tell every single scene that happens. It's just getting from point

(12:00):
A to point B, which you can just be like, and then they arrived. You know what I mean?
Exactly. Exactly. Like this whole section could have been cut out. And I understand
that this was pre her like publishing this book with. Penguin. Like when this was originally

(12:21):
published, but like I want to know if it's in the version that she has published with
them now. Who's to say? Who's to say? Anyway, chapter 11 chapter 10. Guys, he says panties
and I can't stop thinking of that stupid man from November 9th. Ben Kessler. We keep getting

(12:46):
stuck like whenever I read panties now in a book, I'm just like having flashbacks to
November 9th. You want me to tell you how he said it on the audiobook? Yeah. Panties.
Of course he did. Panties. At one point, he like says something about like wanting to

(13:12):
elope with her because she like says something hot and I'm like, dude. You haven't you just
made out with her for the first time. Like cool your horses. Like there are so many red
flags. Aiden is just a walking red flag with a savior complex. And I see Kisie's potential

(13:33):
in this wounded bird for that. Oh my God. But yeah, so basically they kind of like show
up in her apartment and he has like a lot of guilt going into this like sexual experience
with Stella. Like multiple points like where he sees like her badge on the floor and it's
like this was her first day as a fully employed Vivant employee. So he's just like, like,

(13:58):
oh, that makes me feel bad. Then he mentions how like, oh, this like we should have come
back to my place because like this is my employees home. Like multiple things like you can tell
he's just feeling guilty. So then he kind of like he fully goes down on her, which I
would consider sex. I don't like I want to talk about this. Yes. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay.

(14:21):
Because I mean, like, yeah, like, I'm so glad you brought that up, because in this whole
chapter, his whole thing of like guilt creeping up is all about like, I can't have sex with
an employee. You just fingered her. Yeah. And even though it's never said explicitly

(14:42):
to me, I also got that same vibe of like, it's not sex until it's like penile penetration,
which you're still being physically inappropriate with an employee if you were performing oral
sex or fingering of any kind. Literally all of the of the comments that they've been making

(15:03):
and how he's like, I want to bring you to bed. I want to like do you rough like that
is, that is a sexual act.
It's been the one borderline like convincing her to do this. Not that she's like resistant,
but like, she kind of feels a little less sure she's not really initiating it nearly
as much as he has been. And then all of a sudden get cold feet when he already has performed

(15:27):
acts on her twice. Okay. Okay. And then on the next chapter, spoiler alert, she feels
bad because she feels like she led him on. I'm like, you didn't do anything. And he never
like says anything to her explicitly about that of like, no, it was me, I should be responsible
for this. Blah, blah, blah.

(15:48):
Because he is in the higher position. Figuratively and physically. Like, in the point of employee.
Yeah, like he Yeah, yeah, yeah. But I 100% agree. I just it felt weird because I was
like, dude, you're still doing sexual acts. And she's had like a physical reaction and

(16:12):
orgasm twice. That is sex. Even if like she didn't come to orgasm, what you are doing
and the acts that you are doing are sex. They are sexual. So that felt so weird. And then
he just wimps out at the last second and decides to not, I guess, quote unquote, go all the

(16:37):
way. And that's the same thing to her about it. He just leaves. He's just like, I'm sorry.
He puts his dick back and then he leaves. What was that for? What was the purpose of
this chapter? How awful would you feel in her shoes? Oh my god. You would feel so used,

(17:00):
wouldn't you? I would. Like, even though I was the one that like, technically got the
better end of the deal, I would feel cheap. I would feel like something's wrong with me.
I'm like, why are you not wanting to complete? That's like the best word I can come up come

(17:21):
up with. Yeah, like the act. Like, why aren't you wanting to also like find pleasure as
well? Like what's going on here? Like, I would feel so mixed signals. I'd be like, yeah,
like me. Do you not like what is going on? I feel like for me, it would very much come
off as like, OK, this this big CEO type guy who probably never has trouble getting women

(17:48):
unlike how he claims to, you know, all this kind of things. He's attractive. He's powerful.
He's rich, whatever really likes the thrill of the chase. He got here. He got what he
wanted. I've given it to him and now he's done. That's what I feel like to me. And that's
exactly what it also would make me feel like. I wouldn't have the same feeling Stella has,

(18:13):
which is like, I forced him into it. I'd be like. I would just feel so betrayed. Yeah,
it would make me uncomfortable. You know what it would be? It would make me feel super uncomfortable
going back into work, which she literally expresses, but then that's the factor of how
she's uncomfortable going into work and wanting to avoid him, which is like the whole issue

(18:36):
with this whole damn book is what are the implications if things don't work out? Like
this is a reality is if things do not work out romantically. She's fucked. Yeah. Yeah.
Like what? Like she can't do anything and he's fine because he can avoid the ground

(19:00):
floor. They've got like secret elevators and stuff. He doesn't have to be on the ground
floor and be visual, but she does. I think I just wish that they had given Stella like
a direct supervisor. You know what I mean? Like someone that could manage her more directly
and that, yeah, he's technically her boss, but it's more on like a intangible level of

(19:21):
like everybody's boss. Who is her boss other than Aiden? We are never told. Exactly. That's
me. And all this feels like, you know what? Now that I'm thinking about it, was she just
given an upper management position? Because if she's in direct contact with basically
the general manager, also slash CEO slash owner of the company, that's like upper management

(19:44):
level position. Not him inventing a position just for, they lie that there's a window dresser
job opening and he's like, you know. Honestly, I a hundred percent thought he would, he just
came up with the job just so he could see her again. I thought that was the direction
we were going. Okay. Going into chapter 11. This is actually, I got extremely uncomfortable

(20:10):
with this chapter. And we'll, I'll go into kind of why I think, because I think it was
just more of a me thing. Oh, hi scooter. Sorry. My cat scooter is meowing. She's telling me,
mom, stop reading these awful books. I beg of you. So yeah, it's the next day. Stella's

(20:33):
signing some HR papers. And yeah. Oh wait, I'm trying to remember exactly what happens.
Yeah. So anyway, Stella is an official full time employee. She's like filling out the

(20:56):
paperwork thinking about how uncomfortable things are with Aiden and things get awkward.
Mickey hands are a letter to like the company Christmas party and they're like super awkward.
And it's just like, this is literally the nightmare and the whole reason why this, like
I would understand why this carried out for like a couple of chapters. And then this was

(21:19):
kind of like the rising action, but it like literally this resolves with the chapter.
And I'm like, yeah, yeah. Anyway. So yeah, we're filling out the paperwork and then suddenly
Stella gets a phone call from Nicole and where Nicole is incarcerated. And this whole thing

(21:49):
with Nicole, like the whole backstory and like the whole thing made me extremely uncomfortable.
And I, so I'll kind of go into why I think I'm uncomfortable, but Lauren, I wanted to
know kind of how you felt kind of going throughout this section and the whole Nicole B plot line

(22:10):
kind of going on.
Yeah. I mean, I, so I don't have as explicit experience with someone like Nicole in my life
in terms of like directly being like, oh, like I don't have anyone else. You're supposed
to show up for me or like, oh, I was really hoping that you would send me money for parole

(22:35):
and like what have you, right? Like I've never had someone be that direct about it, but I
have had situations in my life where I've had to cut people off who very much did sort
of inadvertently occupy that space of like, I'm going to take, take, take, take, take,
take, take, because you are my only source of emotional and like physical comfort.

(22:57):
And even if that's like an unconscious thing, right? I don't want to point fingers to anyone
in my life and be like, you did this on purpose, right? But for me, reading this in a very
like exaggerated, like in your face form of like, I, you know, you owe me this and guilt
trip that and whatever. Sorry. I just punched my mind. I was getting heated. I think it

(23:23):
also made me a little uncomfortable. I think I think I don't know if this was from my own
experience or because of just like empathy for Stella, but it was an uncomfortable thing
to read in which if that is what Tessa Bailey was trying to evoke, then she did successfully.
And it's hard having to watch Stella go through that who just admittedly doesn't really have

(23:46):
much say in the situation slash hasn't really developed that independence yet. Yeah. Yeah.
I think what made me uncomfortable is one, it is revealed that Nicole is being released
due to good being good, which again, I just go here. I don't know everything about the

(24:08):
law. Ashlyn, yes. So listeners, just so you know, we record these back to back. In our
break, I spent a significant amount of time researching the Connecticut state law for
attempted manslaughter. I couldn't really find anything about attempted manslaughter.
However, the minimum sentencing for manslaughter, the first degree manslaughter is 10 years

(24:34):
without chance for parole or reduced time. So I'm guessing it can't be four and a four
years and a half. Like, yeah, she gets out months after Stella who got reduced time,
which is crazy. I spent so long thinking about that. So I, so I'll bring this up first. This
whole thing of how the subplot of both Nicole and Stella being incarcerated, it's just very

(25:00):
poorly researched. Again, so this is when Stella starts having a panic attack, like
if Nicole's going to come find her, like while she's on parole. So from what I understand
about our legal system and specifically in states, when you're on parole, you are not
allowed to leave the state in which the crime is committed or wherever you live, whatever.

(25:25):
So but I do, I believe, and I know you can't leave the country or anything anyway, but
I know like, I understand that Stella may even having a panic attack when she thinks
this, but she's like, Oh my God, Nicole's going to come find me. But that's just not
how parole works. And that's not how, like all of these things that we're bringing up

(25:50):
is just not how our justice system works particularly. And you know what? Again, I'm not an expert.
Do not quote me on all this. Do not take any legal advice or know any advice or knowledge
about the justice system from me, please. But it just really bothered me because it
just felt like it was just so poorly researched and just like shoot in because I literally

(26:16):
because I think it made me so uncomfortable because I don't understand why in so many
romances authors feel the need to add like this dark past or like dark plot points to
like add quote unquote, like interesting characteristics to their main character. Because we've had
this twice. Like I'm thinking of another example, which is the mister where that where Alicia,

(26:42):
the main character in that book, she has a lot of trauma from being within a presumably
mentally abusive household and then human trafficked. Like that is, that's some serious
trauma. But in both cases of this of like incarceration due to almost manslaughter and

(27:05):
then also armed robbery and then with Alicia like the same thing with being human trafficked,
like it just feels so shoe hoarding and just not the place, the appropriate place to have
these conversations. And the mister you could argue is more of like a, I guess you could
argue it's a dark romance. I really wouldn't say that. But especially in window shopping,

(27:30):
like this is not the appropriate place to shoe hoard in like this quote unquote, like
dark backstory and that paw point into this character. And the other thing that made me
uncomfortable is how and I think this is a me thing. Here's the me thing. I didn't like

(27:50):
Stella's relationship with Nicole. Obviously it's meant to be portrayed as toxic and Nicole
was very manipulative, kind of just a vampire, like an energy vampire in general. And I think
it just reminds me of like bad influences I had as like, you know, young teenager, all

(28:12):
of that. Just later in the book, Stella still calls her her best friend. And I'm like, girlfriend,
she convinced you to do armed robbery. I wouldn't call her your best friend anymore. Besties

(28:39):
for the rest. Besties for the resties, you know that? But it just like this whole B plot
just felt so unnecessary. And just, you know, Nicole is the henchman from the mister who
randomly come in and beat up Alicia. Like she's that B plot. Yeah, I think that's honestly

(29:00):
why I kept comparing this book to the mister so much because to me, they felt like echoes
of the exact same thing. Like I feel like if you stripped all of like the fluff and
like the actual like setting and premise and everything, and you're like, oh my god, skeleton,
it's the exact same. It's the exact same thing. Because the mister is also an employee and
boss. Yep. And a rich power imbalance and literally just you take out some of these

(29:27):
qualities and literally you can just place it in a different book. Wow. Wow, wow, wow,
wow, wow. Which I suppose on one hand, that is the definition of a trope, right? You you
take a trope and you you add dressing and whatever to shape. But you can take out the
traumatic past for our for our for the female main character and then it'd be different.

(29:48):
No, for sure. But I think the reason why this to me almost feels like a bad comparison to
the mister, like we don't really say that favorably, because it does that whole like
you said of like shoving in this B plot of like, I think it's okay, personally, this
is just me as a reader to have a character with a dark past and maybe if you're writing

(30:09):
about something that you never experienced, at least as you do your due diligence and
research and blah, blah, blah. I think there's a way to do that very evocative. Yes. This
felt like, hmm, I need tension. I need something to happen. Let's do this. And it almost feels
like trains. We have this train that we've been following since the beginning of the

(30:31):
novel on on flat A and then all of a sudden, boom, bullet train B comes hurtling into the
final act and you're like, what the fuck are you doing? Like, where did this come from?
Yeah, it just feels so shoot hoard in and just done. It's just very poor writing. And
I think that's what made me so uncomfortable. Throughout the rest, whenever Nicole is brought

(30:52):
up, it just feels like such poor writing and poor mishandling of what could have been a
good subplot. But it just feels like plot for plot sake. Yeah. But I also think I may
have just been a little triggered by bad choices in my past. But moving on, that's not what

(31:17):
we're talking about anymore. Now we have chapter 12. And guys, guess what? Stella is wearing
color now. She's wearing a green top. So she's she's not emo anymore. She's so happy. Also,
what I found interesting was this was the first chapter where it repeated. Where it

(31:43):
was Stella in Chapter 11. And then Chapter 12, it was beginning Stella again. And that
like broke up our pattern. So I found that kind of jarring. I was like, oh, that's weird,
because I was ready to jump into Aiden. Anyway, there is a reason. But she's not emo anymore.
I wrote in. So now this is what HR steps in. Because basically, Stella is at work. She's

(32:07):
working on her window. Jordan comes in, they're chatting. Jordan opens up a little bit about
Seamus, and all of that, and how she's like, like, I like him, but he needs like, he needs
like, I don't want to be his mom. And all of this. And I had an ex fiance who I was
older, and he made me feel bad about doing that. But being older and all that. And being

(32:34):
like, live your life girlfriend. And Jordan's like, Yeah, this girl gives good advice. Anyway,
HR comes busting into the window and go, that's her officers. Because HR is accusing Stella
of stealing two pairs of earrings. For no, well, not for no reason. But it is for a wrong

(32:55):
reason. It's because Stella obviously has a record. And she believes that Stella has
stolen the earrings. So Jordan's like, I'm gonna go get Aiden. And I was surprised that
Stella didn't wasn't like, No, don't get him. I'll get myself out of this. Like trying to
convince herself again. Anyway, halfway through the chapter. Now we're in Aiden's perspective.

(33:21):
He's upstairs, doing his thing hanging out. He's like talking to Leland about something.
I don't remember. Anyway, Jordan comes running in. And he's like, what's happened? And she's
like, Stella. And he's like, he literally drops everything. He literally drops everything

(33:41):
and like runs downstairs. He's like pissed. Because he because he's being accused of stealing
these pairs of earrings. This is a long Ash chapter two. Like, yeah, well. But I found
it so weird. He wasn't notified about this HR issue. Like someone stealing earrings,

(34:07):
like I feel like he would have known but that's just they do they do talk about that. Like
in this. Yeah, they do. Yeah. But I thought that was weird when he first didn't know.
Oh, he was talking to Leland because Edna and Hank are coming. Edna's coming to New

(34:27):
York for the employee Christmas party. Yay, we love company Christmas parties. It's okay.
Yeah, so he runs downstairs. I did write I ran out of tabs, but Vavon is an HR nightmare.
Because even the head of HR bust down into the very public where there are customers

(34:53):
and other employees and goes, that one officer, she has a criminal record. I literally wrote
down I was like, I'm pretty sure that end of itself as an HR violation. Like announcing
someone's like status. Yes, that's that's an HR violation. And I was like, this is the
head of HR. Yeah. But basically, they take Stella into a back room, quote unquote, Edens

(35:16):
like running in, he's like trying to get her out. And then Graham Graham and dad and daddy
are just like, huh, we knew something was wrong. But basically, apparently HR lady was
like, I don't know why she was doing inventory. But she was doing inventory. And there were
two pairs of earrings that were missing. And they assume Stella took them because Stella's

(35:37):
been staying late and she has a record. So instead of calling Aiden, she calls the grandfather,
not the grant, the grant, Graham Graham and dad, and tells them what happens. And they're
like, we knew something weird was going on. And then Aiden basically loses his temper
at his family, which he should have done a long time ago, because they are assholes.

(36:00):
And he reveals he goes, well, actually, we don't have to hold the board meetings anymore.
Because remember, I hold 60%, which means I only do it to like, we could become like
closer as a family. I'm like, this isn't I mean, I know your family is a lost cause.
But dude, this is not how you should set those boundaries with them a long time ago. And

(36:23):
also, dude, you need board meetings, like, like actual board meetings. How's this company
float? Oh, my god, it's so bad. Um, but basically, he also fires the HR lady. Yeah. Which I'm
like, I don't know if New York is a just cause state. But I feel like, again, it's another

(37:00):
HR violation to fire her. No. Well, I'm saying that because he's doing it. Because she like
acted and retorted against somebody he's like, romantically interested in, you know.
Well, it's not a right to work state, which means they do have to provide like, why you

(37:24):
were fired. Yeah, he doesn't. He's just like, you can stay until the end of the new year.
Yeah, yeah. Again, he's gonna get sued.
There's so many instances in which this man is going to get sued. But he basically tells
Jordan to go grab all of the employees on the current floor. And Graham Graham's like,

(37:46):
hey, don't do that. Or isn't the place is full? Because you know, it's three days before
Christmas. He's like, I don't care. Go get them. And they all cut like all of them. And
I'm like, isn't it's a big department store? That everyone gets into the tiny, tiny HR
room.
How long did it take to have the Avengers assemble?
Oh, my god. So long. And also, if I were like, I've worked retail, and I've worked in places

(38:14):
where things get extremely busy at certain times of year. If our boss randomly went,
I need everyone in the back room right now. I'd be like, why? Like everything is in chaos
already. Do you want us like this is absolutely insane. Um, so yeah, like basically. Oh, my

(38:38):
god. So yeah, everyone comes in and he's like, hey, I won't punish anybody if like, but did
someone like see some earrings like we need like I know stuff can be misplaced because
you know, it's Christmas. And a girl confesses that she didn't steal them. She had like put
them away that this guy could come back and buy them later. And like she wasn't meant

(39:01):
to do that. But she apologized. And he's like, you know what, it's okay. Because you know,
you're trying to help out a man getting like touch with his sweetheart. And I was like,
oh my god. So I find the earrings, everything's fine. He tells his family basically to fuck
off. And Stella, by the way, throughout this whole thing is like silent is just like staring

(39:22):
at him like, like, oh my god, he's like the man in my dreams. And then just to rub it
in this HR woman's face. So it goes, actually, there is one more thing she could do before
she leaves. Which is, um, I want to sign the love contract with and I'm like, now, now

(39:46):
is the time to do this. In front of everybody. You've just confessed that you are gonna bone
the boss.
In her, I think like Aiden asked her like, why like what changed your mind and she and
she's
you cheer the

(40:08):
hers is so stupid because she says like, quote, I don't want you to like I don't want to be
saved. I don't need you to save me. And he's like, then why are you signing this contract
or whatever? And she's like, because you're giving me a chance early. You see me for who
I am. I was like, potato potato bitch.
Like, what do you do?

(40:30):
Like everyone, like literally in front of everyone. You are showing favoritism, like his obvious
favoritism towards you.
If I was Jordan, I would quit on the spot.
I literally ran out of blue tabs marking this part of the book because I'm just like, this

(40:52):
is an HR nightmare. Like, this man is going to get sued like so fast.
I know.
How does what does Kali P think of this by the way, Kali P is Lauren's cat.
What do you think of this?
She's looking herself. She's trying to cleanse herself of this book.
Yeah, you know what? Me too, Kali, me too. Anyway, chapter 14, we do the very sexy thing

(41:18):
that is filing paperwork.
So they filed some paperwork and oh no, 13. Sorry. I skipped ahead by accident. That's
my bad.
We're trying to rush to the end so we can stop talking about this.
I'm trying so hard, but guys, you won't believe it. It gets worse from here somehow.

(41:44):
Somehow there's a shit ton of plot left to go through.
And yeah, don't know how that happens.
But yeah, they do the very sexy thing that is fill out some paperwork.
I literally wrote down, do you want to know the synopsis of this chapter that I wrote?
It is.
What?

(42:05):
It's five words.
They signed the contract and bang, that's all I wrote.
Because it's true.
Because it's true.
Yeah, so they signed the contract, they go up to his office and they're like holding
hands and everyone's like staring and I'm like, I don't understand why. And then he

(42:26):
kicks out Leland and Leland's like, la dee da dee da, my boss is gonna bone.
I hate it.
They lock them to her and then they have sex.
First in his main office and then for some reason they go into the filing closet.
And I think it's because it's meant to be more quiet, but I feel like if you're having

(42:51):
sex on metal filing cabinets, that would be louder.
Yeah.
Yeah.
But I just want to bring up some other points that I wrote in the synopsis of chapter 13.
The ick I felt when I read the line put me in all the way in.

(43:19):
I cannot describe just the eye roll I had after reading that line.
Yeah, it's funny that you bring that up because I was also about to share the quotes that
I shared with you all because that was from this chapter in our group chat.
These are out of context listener.
Well not really because you know the context, but just know these come in quick succession

(43:40):
of each other.
Just like Dela does.
As we correct the walls of his office, my organ leaping in my rib cage and then quote,
this is from Aiden, I've been dying to have that pussy go off for me.
Like a gun?
Like a gun?
This chapter was a mess.

(44:04):
This was a mess.
And after those quotes that you just read the word, I did want to note that I did ask
the question, who talks this much during sex?
Because there was a lot of dialogue for very vanilla sex.

(44:26):
I feel like there's other more important actions happening rather than corny dialogue.
I'm just out of words for words.
I know, oh my god.

(44:46):
And then we get chapter 14, where they finally go back to Aiden's apartment because you know,
you got to bang more.
More sex.
Yeah.
They do have more sex, but not until the next morning.
But yeah, they go back to his apartment and you know, they get more deep and Dela talks
about Nicole and like how uncomfortable she is with their relationship.

(45:12):
And he like talks about how he loves her or something or like he wants to say that.
And I say, I swear if they say I love you before date three, hey, spoiler alert, they
say I love you before the third date.
It's also like four days, correct?

(45:33):
They've known each other for less than two, for maybe a little over two weeks.
Yeah.
I just, I don't understand.
And then Aiden starts, like they're talking about how his apartment is decorated and all

(45:53):
of that.
And he like says something along the lines of, I'm an old fashioned guy, like because
the apartment, Stella's like, oh, this kind of looks like if Dawn Draper were like a good
guy, like decorated in that way.
And I just went old.
I did write old fashioned where, but then Lauren had just sent the, it was like pussy

(46:20):
something, like pop off.
Was it something, what?
It was from the previous chapter.
I'm sorry.
I'm tired.
Was it the, I'm awaiting for your pussy to go off for me?
Yes.
And you're like, look at gun, because I did write down, sir, because I take it, if you

(46:41):
say old fashioned, you mean Republican.
True.
That's just how I read it.
But this is also, as we said, published in January of 2021.
So I did write, sir, where were you January 6th of 2021?
At the NRA meeting.
Yeah, he was doing something.

(47:03):
But yeah, he's just like, oh yeah, I'm an old fashioned guy.
And I was like, where?
You literally haven't proven any point to me that you are quote unquote old fashioned.
No, you're not blue collar.
You're not old fashioned.
Like in what, like, like in what way are you these things other than you have a Southern

(47:24):
accent?
Old money.
Southern accent.
But it's not like he even picked up the Southern accent from his daddy.
He picked it up from Aunt Edna.
I won't do things right with you.
Yeah.
I won't do things right with you.
And then Stella's like, I'm the farthest thing from old fashioned.

(47:47):
Again, in what way you have not shown me in what way you are the farthest thing from old
fashioned, do you want to know what I would say the farthest thing from old fashioned
is, is like her literally being like, like protesting capitalism and actually being pro
the Chernobyl penguin display at the front and being like, that sucks because look, it's

(48:13):
like child labor and capitalism ruining our environment and consumerism.
But no, she.
I mean, I'll give her credit where it's due.
She literally does wear old fashioned.
That's like 2013 Tumblr.
So that's what she means.
And I'll give her that.
Hey, she was incarcerated when she was like, what?

(48:34):
16, I think is when she said is that when she went to prison or was she like 20 something?
She said she went from being a teen to a young adult while incarcerated.
I don't know.
I don't think they ever give the age, but I was like, she dresses like a teenager.
That's that.
That's actually, you know what?
I have a feeling that was not done intentionally.

(48:58):
That's very smart.
Tessa Bailey.
Good job.
It was smart.
It was smart.
Oh yeah.
And then also we mentioned how this was the.
Lauren, this was the line about the BF and boss, the boyfriend and boss thing.

(49:18):
That's right.
I sent that in chat words.
Call me boyfriend, not boss.
And I just went.
And when at one point did we have a conversation that you two are officially boyfriend girlfriend?
I guess the love contract.
Guess I said that's that's our blood oath.

(49:40):
That's yeah.
But like, remember that comment that we read in the first part of this podcast where the
user on story graph kind of talked about how there's like no communication between the
characters.
This was the point in which I felt that I was like, there's just nothing like we are
just assuming we're in a relationship and like.

(50:04):
That's just not how things work.
It's just not how it works.
No ma'am.
Anyway, they talk into the night.
Stella wakes up and Aiden's house.
She's making breakfast.
She gets horny.
They have sex.
Yep, I think that's it.
So we're just going to go with what I've written down.

(50:35):
Now we get to chapter 15.
Sleigh bells ringing, which is the beginning of the two most infuriating chapters.
I know within this entire book, I know listeners, you think that I was getting heated before,
but oh, just wait till you listen to these next two.

(50:59):
So we get a bit of a time skip.
It's four days later.
It's Christmas Eve.
You know that magical, magical time.
And apparently it's an online challenge called the Vavante challenge because Stella, you
know, did such a good job with the window.

(51:20):
And I'm just like, that's, that's just not how internet challenges work.
No, no, no.
It's just.
And Stella also didn't do anything with like the internet.
Like she has no anyway.
That's just not how it works.
No.
But we're in Aiden's point of view and he's like walking around the store and like things

(51:43):
are going crazy because you know, like I said, Christmas Eve, so people are doing lots of
gifts.
At one point he's walking past the ring section and I just went, dude, don't do it.
I was like, why are you thinking?
I just literally wrote, he wants to propose.
You just apparently became official.

(52:08):
He's old fashioned.
You got to marry her so we can pump out 20 kids for her biological clout.
They both suck at communicating.
Like they are awful.
Like any, like there's what?
Obviously there's no communication because they're just banging all the time.

(52:28):
They don't have, they don't have time to do anything communication.
They don't know how to do that.
They talk a lot during sex and it's about nothing important.
Yeah.
Um, but Aiden doesn't like listen to Stella like at all when she's just like, Hey man,
you got to slow down.
You got to give me a little bit of space, but like space in the sense of like, I'm still

(52:53):
trying to figure things out.
Cause remember I went to prison.
I just got out.
I'm still trying to get used to the, just the world and how it is.
And he's like, Oh, well, if you've known someone for a little over two weeks, yeah, you know

(53:25):
little about them.
And if they, and if this means they do know everything about each other, they're about
as like deep as a kiddie pool.
That's all there is to know.
I know.
I know.
Like, you know what?
Actually you know what I'm thinking of?
Hmm.
Why the fuck did she want to be a window dresser in the first place?

(53:47):
I don't know.
Exactly.
I don't know.
Like we get no, we have no motivation for why she wanted that in the first place.
Anyway, anyway, anyway, going off topic.
The worse, the worse this is, the more I think about it.
And you know what?
It's probably the same thing that happened in the mind of, uh, Miss Bailey.

(54:09):
Anyway, I agree.
Um, so he's like walking around and then he sees Stella who's trying on this satin green
dress, which apparently, uh, really like is very flattering on her, especially on the
plumps of her, of her tits, which is a literal line from the actually, Hey, Ashlyn add that

(54:34):
to a horrible anatomy, please.
Plumps of her tits.
Plumps of her tits.
But yeah, Aiden's like, Oh my God, she's so hot.
Uh, and Jordan's like, Ooh, like come take, like, we need to.
We need your opinion kind of thing.
And Aiden's like, I mean, yeah, she looks hot.
Uh, but Stella wants to like buy it herself.

(54:55):
Cause you know, it'd be her first paycheck, which is about to drop, which is like important
to her.
Um, and you know what?
I honestly respect that he doesn't like try to push that.
And then, and then listeners, we get the obligatory third act in the bromance.

(55:17):
Fight slash breakup kind of thing for no goddamn reason because Nicole calls again and that's
texted Stella and Stella shuts down for no reason.
And she's like, I need space.
And Aiden's like, are we breaking up?

(55:42):
Question Aiden, are we even together in the first place?
Second question, Aiden, this isn't about you.
That's not a question.
Third question, Aiden, get your head out of your ass, stop dating your employee and maybe
figure out what the fuck is wrong.
I wanted, I wanted to gut him like a fish.
I just, I think what pissed me off the most is like literally this literally the last

(56:11):
three chapters from chapters 15 to 16 could have been cut.
To the upper law, we could have cut it.
She could she could have taken her phone.
He goes, what's wrong?
Can't say no phone and go read the text.
Read the text.
Yeah, she didn't have to say anything.
And she was just like, I space.
I need space.
I need to go be in a way that's unproductive to this conversation.

(56:36):
And then Aiden like is so Aiden's like, okay, I'll give you space.
Like she just leaves.
She just leaves work.
I'm like, bitch, it's Christmas Eve.
Get your ass on the floor.

(56:57):
This isn't your smoke break.
Come on.
Come on, girlfriend.
Come on, Miss Bailey.
Miss Bailey, you shouldn't.
This, this is.
This is bad.
Like we literally did not need these last two chapters.
And it just pissed me off that it just felt like we had to squeeze in that one last little

(57:20):
that little trope.
And then this last little chapter right before she goes to the Christmas party, which literally
makes this intro.
Literally, this whole book is the miscommunication trope.
This is whole book.
Hmm.
You taste that?
That's bile in my throat.
Yeah, exactly.
Exactly.
Chapter 16.

(57:40):
I want to say real quick, Stella's parents are bad at being parents because they literally
give her address, dental call.
What the fuck?
They said, hey, ex-best friend that got her child arrested and involved in a life of like
petty crimes and almost got an innocent restaurant owner shot and dead.

(58:05):
Here's where she is.
Even though we don't want to talk about her.
By the way, there's been an entire subplot about Stella being like anxious about not
to call her parents, which.
Yeah.
I wish we had touched on it because like that was actually a kind of valid and not like

(58:26):
that was actually a good point of tension, but we're just talking about the bad points.
It literally it was meaningless anyway.
Like legitimately, it was mentioned once or twice and then just like never anywhere with
it.
Well, it got into the epilogue anyway.
Yeah.
But her parents are bad at being parents because Nicole shows up at Stella's house, which really

(58:46):
isn't her house.
It's her uncle's place that he hasn't lived out and she's renting out.
Anyway, Stella shows up and like she's very uncomfortable around Nicole.
I would be obviously she lets Nicole in and they have like this.
It's just it's such a weird exchange and it's such a weird point to put this in the book.

(59:12):
Like this is like readers, we have less than 20 pages in this book.
This is such a weird point to suddenly drop like right at like this is meant to be like
the end of the book.
And basically, Stella and Nicole have kind of a conversation and Nicole gets into her
usual like, oh, I guess your life is better because you were always lucky and like being

(59:37):
vindictive of being a bitch.
And Stella's like, stop.
I'm going to set a boundary and and guess what?
Look, we can still be best friends, but we need to live separate lives.
And I'm a different person now.
And like you need to stop being so like sad for yourself and like just get your shit together.

(01:00:00):
Like that's that kind of sums up what Stella says, honestly.
And then Nicole's like, yeah, OK.
And then they like cry.
So like I'm so emotional because I'm just my best friend.
And I literally I don't understand.
Why are we letting this toxic person back in our life?

(01:00:23):
Because it's not that she exhibited like a flaw, because I do agree, like friendships
need boundaries.
Not everybody's perfect.
There are things that you need to do and address if you want to continue a healthy friendship.
This is not a character flaw.
This is I have guilt tripped you for years and I continue to do it because it is a behavior

(01:00:48):
that has been continually reinforced.
I literally convinced you to do illicit activities with me that caught you arresting for years
stolen off your life.
Like there's no boundary that is set here.
The only boundary is we are not friends anymore.
That is the boundary or it just continues to be the toxic nature that it is.

(01:01:12):
There's no change in a conversation.
Basically they're like, oh, we're still best friends.
We just have to live separate lives.
And I'm like, yeah, literally, literally that is not a boundary.
You're just letting her come back into your life.
She's shown no growth.
And you know what?
I would get if.

(01:01:34):
If this is kind of like Stella is like still struggling with having a backbone, you know,
letting someone toxic come back into her life, letting like having like conflicted feelings
because you do have conflicted feelings, especially when you care about someone that much and
they've caused that much pain.

(01:01:56):
But this is not like the girl boss moment of like I'm standing on ground and I'm setting
a boundary that Tessa Bailey probably thought it was like that's it's not it.
Like there was no point in this and there was no point in the third act breakup because
literally Stella's then like, oh, I gotta go.
I have a Christmas party to attend basically.

(01:02:18):
And then we're back in Aiden's perspective at the Christmas party for like five pages.
Nothing happens.
Stella doesn't show up.
And then suddenly she's there and she's just wearing a robe because a couple of chapters
ago she had asked Aiden what his dream Christmas would be.

(01:02:39):
They said it would be having a whole family wearing matching robes.
And guess what?
And guess what?
She shows up with a matching robe.
Is she wearing the sand dress underneath?
Don't know.
It never gets spoken about again.

(01:03:00):
Um.
Yeah.
And, uh, they say I love you.
Of course.
Of course.
Of course.
Of course.
Also, and Edna's there.
Just thought of the guys now.
Jordan and Seamus and whatever.
And Leland.

(01:03:20):
All those people at the Christmas party.
And now we're into the epilogue.
Yay.
It's been a, it's been a year.
Like literally every other epilogue we've ever read.
I think I've decided through this podcast alone that I hate epilogues to romantics.

(01:03:41):
They never end well for me.
I'm always disappointed.
Well, there's just no need.
I want to read my own story.
Yeah.
I'm like, that's fine.
Um, also, I love, this is just a prime example of tell don't show.
Um, so like I said, it's been a year because literally within the first page, Sela goes

(01:04:06):
to my steadfast boyfriend of one year.
You can just say, um, I wake up to Aiden next to me, right?
Yeah, exactly.
Or like, just be like, Aiden and I, Aiden and I have been together for a year.
Um, what a great time.
Yada yada and so forth.

(01:04:26):
Like that would have been better than just, you know, it's just such weird wording to
say I've been with him for a year.
No.
Yeah.
It's just a season, um, but we're going home to Stella's parents' house.
Um, and they park on the side of the road cause Stella's beginning to like panic cause
you know, she hasn't talked to her parents cause you know, general anxiety cause yeah,

(01:04:50):
she's been through a lot.
Um, Aiden calms her down and then literally we, I knew this was going to happen.
I mean, it always happens within the epilogue of any of these books, but Aiden like leans
down and kisses her hand and he has to avoid basically the ginormous rock that he put on
her hand.
It's a surprise they're engaged.

(01:05:11):
Of course they are like who's surprised at this point.
So they get hot and heavy for each other and they're like, Oh, we should go back to the
hotel.
It's like just down the road.
But anyway, they have to be at her parents' house anyway.
So they're like, uh, maybe on the way back we'll like bang in the hotel and I'm like
in the motel and I'm just like, I.
Are y'all that horny for each other?

(01:05:35):
Okay, whatever.
Um, so then they get to her parents' house and they like open the door and everything's
kind of tiny bit awkward.
And then Aiden jumps into a random story about Aunt Edna and Uncle Hank.
And so it's like, yeah, he's quirky that way.
Don't you guys love him?

(01:05:57):
And then they like run up and hug her and she sees her window displays like in the background
like proudly displayed.
Apparently Aiden's been sending them photos.
They walk in and then we get the most like vomit inducing line, which is I'm matching
robes love you.

(01:06:21):
And I'm the counselor want to set fire to this book.
If that is not a millennialism, I don't know what is.
I would break out with someone on this.
No, if someone said that to me, I'd be like, what the fuck?
Why are we saying this?
Like real people do not talk this way.

(01:06:41):
You know, they talk to each other in a baby voice.
Oh, 100%.
Oh, 100%.
Oh my God.
I actually want to ask you a question really quick based on this epilogue and what we know
of their relationship.
I'm inspired by at newly Nova, who's a tick tock book creator.
I love them.
I do too.

(01:07:02):
I know what you're about to ask and I need you to know it was one of my questions.
Yeah I'm looking at our profile now.
She's incredible.
We follow her.
Shout out to you if you ever see this.
Shout out.
She is amazing.
I love her.
I know we're currently doing she's currently doing a series on like, you know, romance

(01:07:23):
couples like on a like a bed chart that she sort of like arbitrarily made.
Like do you think they'll stay together and like what the vibe of the relationship is?
I want to pose that question to you.
Do do we think they get married and stay together?
Um, yes.
Only because Stella feels a financial obligation to stay with Aiden because you know, he actually

(01:07:44):
owns the fucking company.
What a read.
Yeah.
Um, I feel like that too because she feels indebted to him no matter how much Tessa Bailey
is trying to say like, uh, like Stella shouldn't feel indebted to him and all of that.
Like she feels obligated to he literally gave her her job because he wanted to bang her.

(01:08:11):
I'm going to say something really controversial.
Go ahead.
Do you think that you think they're not going to make it?
I think they will, but it's going to be a very hateful marriage because I feel like
one or both parties will cheat on each other.
Yes.
I, I'm leaning more towards Stella actually, because I'm thinking that once she does learn

(01:08:31):
to sort of readjust to life, she grows a backbone, her own personality, her own interests.
Maybe she's not a window dresser at the VaVaunt for forever, which I would hope not for her
sake.
I think she's going to learn that the, the person she was when she first fell in love
with Aiden is going to is no longer there, like she's a very different, much more grown
individual and that Aiden savior complex is a little bit like oppressive.

(01:08:55):
And so I think she is going to either like, I've probably realized she can't leave the
marriage, probably walk out on it.
I'm not quite sold on if he would cheat on her.
It's a little less convincing to me, but I do think the easiness of what she fell for
her and the excitement enticed by like sexual attraction for the most part could be a contender
there as well.
See, see, I almost think it would almost go in the opposite direction and that she would

(01:09:20):
become more like a little more Stockholm syndrome-y and kind of conform more into his interests
and stuff.
Even though he's like, stylified their apartment as they keep saying, and it's more like slowly
morphing her into what he wants and needs as a partner.

(01:09:45):
Yeah.
That's probably the more likely outcome.
I think I'm just hopeful for a world in which she grows a spine.
See?
Yeah, but she didn't grow one in the first, she never had one in the first place.
If with everything we've learned from her relationship with Nicole.
Yeah.

(01:10:07):
Press and Pistachio, a real one.
Yeah.
She got a dick-matized and now runs a corporate consumerist empire.
Yeah.
Well, hey guys, guess what?
That's the end of window shopping by Tessa Bailey.
Woo.
Woo.
Ask them.
Do you have questions?
What if I just said no?

(01:10:28):
Just no questions.
If you said no, I do have a question.
Oh my gosh.
Okay.
So my first question is not well thought out.
And it is asking you guys to put forth deep, deep thinking this late.

(01:10:52):
I'm so sorry.
So frequently in these books, the guy has a moment right before they have sex where
he's like, I can't do this for his various good guy reasons.
Does making it to the point of borderline having sex with someone and then deciding
that this, like, I can't do this.
Like, does that, does this still justify like their moral cause?

(01:11:16):
Because that happens in a bunch of books that we've read.
It doesn't because you've already started committing sexual acts with this other person.
You've already gone down the rabbit hole.
Just do the thing already.
Like it doesn't show that he's a good guy.
It doesn't show his morality.

(01:11:36):
Yes, he can feel bad about it.
And like, yes, he can like question it.
But I hate the trope of like, he's hesitant and he doesn't know.
And they like keep getting into it.
And then he like stops.
It's annoying at this point.
My thing is that they've done nothing but talk about wanting to fuck each other this

(01:11:56):
entire time.
And so there's all this buildup.
And then it's not the temptation.
Wait, let's save this for a later chapter and leave the readers in suspense moment that
I think Miss Bailey thinks it is.
I think it's just let's drag this shit on a little longer.
So actually, this is going to be such a dorky comparison.

(01:12:19):
And I hope my musical theater nerds out there understand when I say this.
So in musicals, there are certain ways that you kind of go through a show emotionally.
When you're just like having normal dialogue, you speak.
When emotions start to get higher, you sing.

(01:12:41):
And when emotions escalate to like this big huge point, you start to dance.
That's kind of like how emotions and things kind of flow throughout musicals.
So for example, when you place a musical not in original stage format, like say on television,

(01:13:03):
when you do those things where you do the acting, the singing, and then dancing, or
you will do the acting and then singing, and then you go to an ad break, for example.
Instead of what I think producers think they're doing, which is like, oh, adding anticipation,
you're actually killing the movement and the emotion of the scene and the story, which

(01:13:26):
is exactly what is happening here.
And why I think I'm sick of it is because it's an unnecessary stopping point, where
it's just like moments past where they're past the space of no return.
And just because he hasn't penetrated her doesn't mean they've already had sexual acts.

(01:13:48):
Exactly.
Exactly.
I was going to build off of this would have been a lot more effective if this is before
the first kiss and yes, or before he finger bent.
Exactly to me, I think of first kiss is enough like, okay, we haven't crossed that physical
boundary yet, and like that can very easily and innocently almost build that suspense.

(01:14:12):
But after you've had two sex scenes, minus penetration, but there's there's sex scenes,
right?
Even if you've had two sex scenes, the first kiss, so many conversations about the getting
it, it loses its appeal.
And it just becomes a hindrance and an excuse to like add on pages, I think, and like trying
to give the main character like daps and it's yeah.

(01:14:34):
Here's the romance book version of the musical format.
You get like kissing first kiss that's like a little bit of flirty banter.
Then you get into kissing do first kiss some kisses, then you get into the foreplay.
And then after that, that's your dancing.

(01:14:58):
Like that is the when emotions are at their peak.
Yeah.
Damn, I guess Aiden hasn't seen many musicals.
No, I know.
Do you think that this book is a Christmas book?

(01:15:23):
The only ho ho ho that I felt during reading this book was ho ho horny.
And even then, it was like, yeah, no.
To me, it didn't feel Christmasy at all.
That's just what I'll say.

(01:15:44):
It just mentioned Christmas.
I didn't feel any of like the holiday spirit really, honestly.
Like I was I kind of looked forward to it because I wanted it to be like more holiday
eats.
Yes, I wanted a Hallmark movie and we didn't get that.
Like really, the only thing that made me feel like it was more Christmasy is when he made

(01:16:05):
hot cocoa.
And that's not even inherently Christmasy.
It just felt like he does this all year round.
This is just his normal thing.
Like if we saw him outside of the Christmas season, maybe I'd feel differently.
That's an incorrect.

(01:16:30):
Based on this book, would you read something else by Tessa?
I thought about this before we recorded.
I actually say yes, because there's some context to this.
When looking through the Amazon reviews and doing my research on Tessa Bailey, a lot of the reviews that like had read her work before have all across the board said, this is not her best.

(01:16:59):
To me, that indicates there is.
And just like looking around everyone, like I mentioned earlier, seems to be really fond
of Hook, Line and Sinker.
It happened one summer.
Like those are titles I see thrown around a lot.
And I think I would be interested to read what is considered her best just to determine
if I think there truly is like this was just sort of a middle of the road for her.

(01:17:22):
And statistically speaking, she's pumped out fifty five books.
My hope is that there's going to be some variability in the quality and that we just happen to pick
kind of something that's on the lower end.
And that seems to be a universal agreement, both among first time readers of hers and
folks who have read a little more.
But not to say that I'm ready to pick up another Tessa Bailey anytime soon.

(01:17:45):
I think I definitely quite a few palate cleansers between.
But I would be open to it.
This is so funny because.
I will be a hater.
This is this is my era.
This is this is my reputation era.
I will read one for the podcast, but I will not probably pursue this author outside of

(01:18:09):
this podcast.
And while, yes, I agree that like.
If this is based off of the reviews and other people and what they're saying is like, yes,
like this is not her best work.
The reason I'm so hesitant is because even though, yes, this may not be her best work.
This is a book that is meant to be.

(01:18:31):
You said she started in 2013.
This was eight years into her writing career.
She should know better.
Like she should be writing better.
Like that's all I'm going to say.
And like.
I don't know.
Maybe I'm just being cynical.
Maybe I'm just in a grumpy mood.
I may just be a little little sour puss.

(01:18:53):
Maybe a little bit of a great.
A little bit of a.
It's nice being the good cop back top a little bit.
You just say I'm being a little bit of a grinch right now.
But I just.
So I really don't know if I would read something like this again.

(01:19:16):
And this may just be because I'm just really not a fan of her writing style of what I've
seen.
And I have actually read a snippet of I believe it was hook line and sinker was I think the
one you mentioned.
So I've read a portion of that.

(01:19:37):
And I just I really don't enjoy her writing style.
And that just may be me.
But I just I don't know.
I would be willing to try something out for this podcast.
But I think the reason I am like more hesitant with Tessa Bailey over like say an author
which I know I don't enjoy the writing style.

(01:19:59):
I know like all that like calling Hoover, for example, calling Hoover's is so absurdist
in a way in which it almost takes on that comical value.
Like you can almost feel like.
I almost feel like Colin Hoover doesn't even take herself seriously, especially some of

(01:20:26):
the out of pocket things she has said in her books.
But I feel like Tessa Bailey maybe takes herself too seriously.
Yeah.
And again, maybe I'm just being a grinch.
If you got try and convince me, try and try and convince me otherwise.
But I feel like I just I enjoy more absurdist things when they're absurd just for absurd

(01:20:52):
sake rather than something where it's poorly written.
Things don't make sense.
And yeah.
I will say as a closing comment to that, to add on to that, I've noticed with all the
books and novellas that we've read across the podcast, the ones I have the most fun
with are the ones that are absurdist bad.

(01:21:13):
It's the it's the Jets head.
It's the you know what I mean?
It's the books that are so awful, all you can tell the author did not take it seriously.
And maybe it's shit.
But like everybody involved had a little bit of fun.
And yes, I think like you said, you touched on that.
I think this was intended to be serious.

(01:21:34):
And I think it's OK.
But that disappoints me a lot more reading an OK book disappoints me a lot more than
reading something that's so off the wall and hinge back.
That's why I had so much damn fun with November 9.
And I was like, give me another book.
Yeah, exactly.
I'm like, you know what?
I could I could definitely read another one because like I had fun reading it because

(01:21:54):
I was like, I get to talk about this random ass shit with my friends and be like, what
the fuck did I just read rather with this book?
I'm like.
I don't even understand the purpose of why this is written.
Yeah.
So I think what that sounds like is that we need to read more violent monster with our

(01:22:15):
sin and.
Please.
Sorry, this is just my propaganda.
Oh, my God.
So what would you guys rate the book out of five?

(01:22:35):
So I didn't give it a one.
Yeah, I gave it a two.
Because it was just so mid.
It just like it doesn't deserve any higher.
I'm not going to I'm not going to recommend it to people.
I don't want to read it again.

(01:22:57):
I had fun reading it knowing I was going to talk about it with you guys.
Mm hmm.
Like that's truly my final thoughts on it.
Because like just the whole book is very predictable and poorly categorized.
And it was funny in ways it wasn't meant to be funny.

(01:23:20):
Yeah.
I want to say and you can fact check me on this if you want.
I want to say I gave the mystery in two point five, something like that.
That sounds familiar.
Mm hmm.
Regardless, whatever I rated, the mystery is the exact same of what I will rate this,
because in my mind, I don't want to.
I don't think it deserves to be below the mystery, but I also don't necessarily think

(01:23:41):
it deserves to be above it because of how similarly skeletal they are and how reminiscent
they were of each other for me.
It's just that one was a lot longer and a lot more like drab.
And then this is a lot shorter, but a lot less like absurdist in the sense of like I
didn't even have fun poking fun at like the whole, oh, my God, why is she in a trunk of

(01:24:04):
a car like kind of stuff?
Right.
Yeah.
So exactly.
I will agree.
I will say the same thing.
I'm trying to remember what I did read the mystery.
I'm trying to see if I have notes on that.
I do not because I started taking notes after one last stop.
Yes, I have pulled up.

(01:24:29):
So Sydney, you you gave the mystery.
Or out of five.
Fuck like a duck.
Oh, I'm sorry.
OK.
Oh, sorry.
My email sound went off of my headphones.
Lauren, you gave the mystery one out of five rich bitch apartments by the Thames.

(01:24:53):
True.
You both give it a one.
Yeah, well, I will.
OK, I hate to say this, which is probably why we're blocked.
Yeah, probably.
Yeah, that's true.
Whoopsie doopsie.
Because if.

(01:25:14):
If I'm going based off of the system I have now, the mystery like my rating system I have
now, I would say the mystery is a two.
So it would be the same at.
Yeah.
Like literally same line as window shopping.
I think so, too.
I will agree.
Yeah.
But the two is because more for the mystery is more because what the fuck did we just

(01:25:38):
read?
And I would be scared to share it with other people.
And I will not share that I read this book outside of this podcast.
But damn, did I have a good time while I read it?
Well, I didn't.
It was painful.
I take that back.
It was fun recording the episode with you guys.
Yes.
I would just like to tell our listeners at home that we did read or we did read Erotic

(01:26:03):
encounters with the Mothman higher than Windowshopping by Jessa Bailey.
I just thought I just looked that to be known.
Oh, yeah, we did do that.
We did do that.
Well, that was good.
That life.
If you get if you get a quote unquote lesbian threesome with the Mothman.

(01:26:24):
I made one of my friends read it.
I rated that like a four for a reason.
Yeah, exactly.
Because it was a fun time anyway.
Well, that is all for our view.
Oh.
OK, I'm going to keep going.

(01:26:45):
No, sorry.
I was trying to figure out we did give them off and we could walk out of four.
Yeah, it was fun.
And I would tell people.
I'm ready to go, all right, you're fine.
All right.
Here's the beginning of the end of the end credits of the end of the end done.

(01:27:10):
Well, that is it for us.
Thank you for listening to part two of our full review of Windowshopping by Tessa Bailey.
If you haven't listened to the first episode, I really don't know why you're listening to
the end of this one here.
But hey, go listen to that one or go listen to some of our other reviews we have, like

(01:27:34):
ones we've mentioned here.
We've got the Mr. We've got sexual encounters with Mothman and quite a few others.
So you should go listen to those and you can listen to those on Spotify, Apple Podcasts
and honestly kind of listen to podcasts.
And go follow us on social media at the RPH podcast on Instagram, TikTok and a bunch of

(01:28:00):
other places.
We've got X, previously known as Twitter.
You can go on there.
We've got Twitch, but nothing's uploaded there.
We've got a YouTube.
Go follow us on there and please like interact with us.
Tell us what you think.
Give us book recommendations.
Give us fan fiction recommendations.
And yeah, had a good time tonight and we are signing off and you know what?

(01:28:25):
We'll see you later, you sexy Santas.
Hey guys, it's your favorite producer friend.
Happy holidays.
We will see you guys probably the third week of January because we're going to take a little
break to hang out with our families.
Yay.
I have no idea what will be up in January.

(01:28:45):
It'll be a surprise for us and you.
Thank you for tuning into this episode of the Raunchy Power Hour.
Find us on Instagram and Twitter at the RPH podcast.
Send us book recs to our email, raunchypowerhour at gmail.com or at the link in our bio on
any of our socials.
As always, stay raunchy.