January 27, 2025 • 47 mins
It's 2025 and we're starting the year with a Billionaire romance! Manifestation anyone?
We chose Love Redesigned by Lauren Asher. This is book 1 of the new Lakefront Billionaires series. Bridget previously read Asher's Dreamland Billionaires series and enjoyed it, so we thought we were safe choosing her new series.
HOW WRONG WE WERE!
Not only was this book marketed as a childhood enemies-to-lovers, when it is, in fact, a second-chance romance (not our cup of tea), but it was wayyyyyy too long! Like a solid 100-200 pages too long!
We get into all the details including a review of the audiobook from Shani, a plot review and deep-dive, a ranking of the main MCs, and a ranking of the sexy times!
Links to donate LA fires:
Magic Mind January offer: https://www.magicmind.com/romanceJAN
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Bridget (00:00):
Hello everyone.
(00:00):
And welcome to Romance at a Glance.
I'm your host, Bridget.
And with me is my cohost, Shani.
Hi, Shani.
Hi, Bridget.
How are you doing,
Shani (00:07):
girl?
Bridget (00:07):
I am doing very well.
I'm here with you, here with everyone.
Just having a good day.
Shani (00:14):
Me too, Bridget.
I woke up today with like half asmuch anxiety as I had yesterday.
And
Bridget (00:20):
that's
Shani (00:21):
a win.
Bridget (00:22):
That is a win.
And you know what everyone, especiallyall of our friends, family, loved ones.
Dear listeners in California, in theL. A. area we have been on Shani's
thoughts and prayers because ofall the smoke and all the badness.
Thankfully, she does not live inthe fires so that's good, but we're
definitely Keeping our thoughts outfor everyone and donating where we can.
(00:45):
And we will drop some links of placesthat you can donate that we know of that
are doing good things in the LA area.
Shani (00:51):
Yeah, that would be really great.
I'm not in the direct line ofthe actual fire, but I am in a
direct line of a ton of smoke.
And so that's affected a lot of us.
And so like I almost had to leave becauseof my asthma, but it's gotten better.
And I made like makeshift filtersand things so we're figuring it out.
So I appreciate it.
(01:11):
If you can donate, yes, please do.
Bridget said, and I appreciate y'all.
Bridget (01:16):
Yeah, and while Shani was holed up in her home, she
listened to a very long book.
It turns out I did not realizehow long it was when we chose it
and I regretted it immediately.
We read Love Redesigned byLauren Asher, book one of the
Lakefront Billionaires series.
Oh, yeah.
Oh, yeah.
It was Shani, how manyhours was it on audio?
(01:38):
Because it told me when I opened myKindle, it's going to take 10 hours and
30 minutes to read it, which I thoughtwas crazy for a contemporary romance.
Shani (01:46):
Bridget, I have to tell you right now, I completely, as soon as
I opened it up, I was like, fucked.
Fuck.
I didn't realize either and if Ihadn't realized, maybe, possibly
we would have read something else.
But it was like 15 hoursat a regular speed.
Regular person speed?
Yeah, I ended up listening to itat almost 3x just to like, for
(02:08):
time's sake, to get through it.
Yeah.
Too long.
It was too long.
It
Bridget (02:14):
didn t need to be this long.
It didn t need to be this long.
But you know what, Shani said, It s 2025.
Let s get our billionaire on.
And you know what I said?
I said yes.
Because when you get married.
Manifestation.
Manifestation.
Part A. Already married, but maybehe ll become a billionaire or I ll
find another husband to go with him.
A little pair.
A pair of hubs, I think you need a pair.
But also I feel that when abillionaire romance is done right.
(02:39):
It's wonderful.
Yes.
It's wonderful.
Because there is legitimatelynothing aside from maybe a prince.
That gives you that same completeescapism from a contemporary romance.
Because in contemporary romance, ifyou're too regular ass people, then you're
just doing regular ass people things.
But if it's a billionaire contemporaryromance, now that is high fantasy.
(03:01):
Okay.
Oh, I might buy you a private jetfor no reason type of high fantasy.
Exactly.
So it's great.
It's
Shani (03:08):
a walk in a store.
Get what you want, babe.
Get what you want,
Bridget (03:11):
babe.
This designer?
Let's just buy all the clothesthat this designer's have.
Oh, I bought you diamonds for no reason?
I'm into it.
Because they can fix almostall of your problems.
So easily if you let them, and thereforeyou should let them fix your problems.
It's not even
Shani (03:27):
it's not even walk in a store and buy what you want.
It's like the jewelers at our houseand it came with a selection for you.
No, I just bought the
Bridget (03:33):
store for you.
I bought this person for you.
Oh my god.
You guys, I think it's time to get thisshit poppin because I have thoughts.
Feelings and emotions about this bookand Shani needs to be made aware.
Let's get it poppin.
Romance at a glance, romance ata glance, romance at a glance,
(03:54):
romance at a glance, it's Romance!
Shani, I have been learningsomething called mental wealth.
Are you aware of what mental wealth is?
Because I have just learned this term.
Absolutely not
Shani (04:04):
aware it is.
I would like to be informed.
Bridget (04:06):
It is basically about investing in habits.
That help you build your resilience,your, sleep cycles, your eating rights,
your vitamins, stress management,exercise, all the good things that
you're supposed to do for yourself.
And it helps build thatresilience, that mental wealth.
So you have it to spend whenyou need more energy, etc.
Shani (04:25):
Oh, okay.
Okay.
All right.
I think I've been doing this Bridget.
I've been building my mental wealth.
I've been waking up.
I've been doing my gratitudejournal in the morning.
I take my magic mind.
Now magic mind has a nighttimesleep shot that I've been
taking for the last few nights.
And I don't know if it's the sleepshot or what, but I have been
waking up without that crushing.
(04:46):
level of anxiety that Inormally wake up with?
Bridget (04:50):
You know the one?
I don't because I don't havecrushing anxiety, but I do feel like
I like wind down a little faster.
It helps me like.
It's got like the valerian, it's gotall the things in it that you need, a
little chamomile, etc. So I feel likeit helps my mind ease its way into
sleep a little calmer, a little easier.
Which makes me fall asleep faster,which then makes me wake up
(05:11):
having had a little extra sleep.
So I feel like that's a good thing.
Shani (05:14):
Honestly, since you've been taking it, though, like you,
you've been waking up cheery and Ilike, I have missed cheery Bridget.
Okay.
I
Bridget (05:23):
also got a facial today, guys, not related, except for that it is because
it's all about mental health, taking careof yourself and my skin looks awesome.
I just wanted to just throw thatinto this whole conversation.
Magic mind is doing a Januarymental wealth challenge.
And so in 2025, you canbuild your mental resilience.
They're doing 45 percent offthe Magic Mind Bundle with
our link, which is magicmind.
(05:44):
com forward slash romancejan.
J A N, romancejan.
And you'll get 45 percent offof a bundle of the morning
shots and the nighttime shots.
So you can tie it all together andbuild your mental wealth in 2025.
I love that.
Shani, we are reading Love Redesignedby Lauren Asher, book one of the
(06:04):
Lakefront Billionaire series.
This is contemporaryromance, billionaire romance.
Let's talk a little bitabout the audiobook.
What did you think?
Shani (06:12):
I thought the audio book was fine.
I don't, I'm going on the recordnow saying I don't like double.
Shani, this is not
Bridget (06:20):
the first time.
Don't say it like it's groundbreaking.
We've done 200 episodes of this podcastand you have said this 90 times.
Okay, but I'm
Shani (06:27):
like, but let me just be more specific.
Okay.
Hit me.
Because I should say, I donot like multiple narrators.
I do not like when the guy narrates histhing and the girl narrates her thing.
Agreed.
So I don't like.
Double POV, but I can, I'll take it.
But when they switch voicesin between, I don't like it.
I just want one narrator, especiallybecause she would chime in.
(06:52):
Like it would be his, like his,chapter, but then she would talk
in his chapter and her voice.
Ah, not for me.
Yes.
It's not for
Bridget (07:00):
me.
Okay.
I agree with you.
So a lot of, obviously a lotof romance novels are dual POV.
What I didn't like is that it was.
In the I person, so there were twoPOVs, but instead of one chapter
being, she said, blah, blah, blah.
She felt yada.
And then the other chapter beinghe felt yadda or she felt yadda.
(07:22):
It was I feel this and then thenext chapter was I feel this.
So sometimes I would get confusedand I'd be like wait, who's I?
Bridget (2) (07:30):
Because when it's
Bridget (07:31):
he and she or he and he, sometimes it's, a little confusing.
But for the most part,when it's he and she.
It's easier to differentiate, likevery quickly, she sat down at her desk.
Okay, I know we're back inthe girl's point of view.
And in this one, the I and the I was like,I had to keep going back to the beginning
(07:51):
of the chapter and being like wait.
Or like trying to figure out, find asentence where Julian talked and then I
was like, okay, we must be in her pointof view then if Julian said something.
And that I found veryannoying and distracting.
The other thing which you said beforeon podcast, which I think is so
relevant to this one especially is ifyou have a single POV, then you have
(08:12):
to figure out with the character,whether that other person is genuine,
whether what they're saying is true,whether they really do love them,
whether they're a good person or a badperson, obviously in a romance novel.
We expect a happily ever after at the end.
So we assume that person has goodintentions because it's a romance novel.
But, in general, we have to figure it out.
(08:32):
We find things out with the person.
So when we find out, for instance,obviously spoiling, skipping
to the end, that he has alwaysloved her, we're surprised if
it's only in her point of view.
Because her memories of his,him, is that they were rivals.
But since we're, we've been in hisPOV, we know he's always loved her
(08:53):
because he already told us that.
And so there is no surprise,there is no aww moment, because
I already know that information.
He already told me.
She didn't find out with me.
So I think, especially in this book, therewas too much given to me by both of them.
And I think that was a problem.
Shawnee, let me tell everyonereally quick the synopsis of this
(09:15):
book before we get too far along.
And I start.
Shani (09:20):
Wait, before you do, let me just say one more thing about the
narrators that I think is funny.
Okay.
So when the narrate, itwas narrated by Noah B.
Perez and Vanessa Vasquez, and so Ihave to say, because they, because
they're speaking Spanish or they havego in and out of Spanish, it does this
like funny thing that my siblings and Ihave always made fun of as growing up.
(09:42):
Yeah.
Which is, because my dadspeaks Spanish, right?
And my mom does not.
However, my mom used to do this thingwhere, she's a she's a black woman
from Boston and she has that accent.
And then every so often she wouldsay a Spanish word and she would
be like, No, Shani, it's Shanti.
And you're like, mom.
You don't speak Spanish.
She would just say one Spanish wordthere, like with the best accent that she
(10:05):
could, and she would correct you, right?
Knowing no Spanish.
My mom does not speak Spanish.
And so sometimes in this story, becauseit was going between Because it was mostly
in English, and then it would jump intoSpanish, it would be like a very dry
English accent, and then just go intoSpanish for a minute, and it feels like,
(10:26):
The author really wants to bring theculture in, but it just sometimes was a
little jarring to me it made me giggle.
It just felt off.
Bridget (10:34):
Because they were, like, reading this sentence, and then they're like, Yes!
Shani (10:38):
Yes!
Bridget (10:38):
It's phenomenal.
Shani (10:39):
For me, it was like, I was like okay.
Bridget (10:44):
I will say reading it I didn't, it didn't feel as jarring because reading
it felt like the way that friends whoare bilingual are, where some phrases
always get said in another language.
Bridget (2) (10:56):
Yeah.
Bridget (10:57):
And so like that to me felt fine.
The one thing I will say is that becauseI can read Spanish, I was able to
read it as I was reading the English.
And at the, I don't know if they, theymust've read this out loud or something,
but at the end of each chapter,they had a little thing saying like.
Like you would go to an appendixnumber one, and then it said the
translation of whatever that was.
(11:20):
Did they just read that in the
Shani (11:22):
No, they didn't.
They just said it in Spanish.
But at
Bridget (11:26):
the end of the chapter, it didn't say anything like No.
At the end
Shani (11:29):
of the chapter, it didn't say anything like that.
And it, for me, it wouldn't have been,like, it wouldn't have been weird if
the characters had a slight accent, likeHad a little bit of an accent on it to
and I'm not saying a heavy accent, butjust like something that went from like
continental, not continental American,but like standard American English.
Yeah.
They're
Bridget (11:47):
supposed to be from Michigan.
Shani (11:48):
But it was just funny to me anyway.
Okay.
Synopsis Bridget.
Bridget (11:51):
Okay, so If I ever caught on fire, Dahlia Muniz
would fan the flames with a smile.
So when she returns to Lake Wisteria,I fully intend to avoid the interior
designer, at least until my meddlingmother exploits my savior complex.
The faster I help Dahlia fix her creativespark, the sooner she'll leave town.
But while I was busy getting rid ofDahlia, I overlooked one potential issue.
(12:12):
What if I want her to stay?
Dahlia.
People say the devil has manyfaces, but I only know one.
Julian.
My childhood rival and frenemy.
I vow to steer clear of himwhile recovering from a broken
engagement, but then the billionairemakes an irresistible offer.
Renovate a house and triple our profit.
Our temporary truce becomes compromised,so we face a year's worth of denied
attraction and mixed emotions.
Giving in to our desires isinevitable, but falling in love?
(12:34):
That wasn't part of the plan.
So it's a steamy small townromance about two family
friends turned childhood rivals.
Technically, it's a standalone, but itis going to be part of a larger series.
The second one comes out this year.
That is not the book that we read.
I want to just say realquick, that is not it.
Let me rephrase what it really is.
(12:56):
Julian, I have been in lovewith Dahlia Munoz my whole life.
Our moms are best friends.
We grew up together, but I could nevertell her I was in love with her and so I
just competed with her about everything.
And we did crazy pranks and wedid crazy school competitions,
except for that she never knewthat I was really in love with her.
So She was valedictorian because Itanked my last physics exam so that
(13:18):
I could be the salutatorian, shecould be the valedictorian, and on.
We went to college together.
Why did we go to college together?
Because I'm in love with her.
So I went to the samecollege she wanted to go to.
And we kissed and we were gonnaget together until my dad died and
I had to go home, take care of thefamily business, lost in my grief.
I said some regrettable things.
And now I've avoidedher for ten full years.
(13:39):
Dahlia, I just thought we wererivals and he was a little pain in
my booty until we went to college.
And all of a sudden I was like, Ooh, thislittle boy's grown up into a hot man.
And now I want to bang him.
So I kissed him.
At a party and it seemed likeeverything was going great till
his dad died and he went home totake care of his family business
And he said some mean things to me.
And so instead of realizing he wasgrieving I avoided him for 10 years,
(14:03):
even though our mom's best friends wehave to see each other all the time, but
now my douchebag of an ex fiancee hasbroken up with me and publicly because
I'm an HGTV star and I'm going hometo lick my wounds because now I have
depression That is the book we read.
That.
Okay?
It isn't Enemies to Lovers,which I was led to believe.
(14:24):
It is Second Chance Romance.
Bridget (2) (14:27):
Yes.
And you know how I
Bridget (14:28):
feel about Second Chance Romance, Johnny.
Okay?
I don't love it.
And I would never have chosenthis book if I knew it was going
to be Second Chance Romance.
I feel that.
Because it is so hard for me tobe into a Second Chance Romance.
It's so hard.
So few authors do it well andthey lean too much on the past.
(14:51):
And so you're not discovering.
Second chance romance only for meworks if A, the people have not seen
each other in a decade or whatever.
And so they have to learn who theperson is now because then they're
learning about a new person.
However, these people have been seeingeach other, just avoiding, but they've
been at the same house, just avoidingeach other, not talking to each other,
(15:12):
but they've been seeing each other.
Their moms are best friends.
They still get filled in by theirfamily what the other person is doing.
And and because they had that moment of,oh, we might fall in love, and then it
didn't work, and then their issues in thepresent become about her not trusting that
(15:34):
he's not going to break her heart again.
No, enemies to lovers, you'renot worried about that.
What it should have been is you're, youwere a piece of shit when we were kids and
I don't trust that you're not going to dosomething reckless and do another prank
or you're not going to be mean to me.
And then all of a sudden it'sOh wait, now he's grown into
an actual man and a good man.
And he's not pettylittle teenager anymore.
Shani (15:55):
Yeah.
Bridget (15:55):
And it wasn't.
Shani (15:56):
Okay.
So I'm with you on thesecond chance romance.
I generally do not like them forall the same reasons that you said,
and also like it never has enough,just never has enough push and pull
for me with a second chance romance.
And this one, it was,this one was interesting.
(16:18):
This book was interesting.
I I analyzed it a lot as I went because.
It's sometimes I feel likethere's a lifetime behind like
the statements I want to say.
There's just so manythreads that pull together.
But as I've been talking to youabout the fact that I want a more,
I want more maturity in my romances.
And one of the things I actually likedabout his character was that pretty
(16:38):
early on he was like, bro, I like, I loveyou and I know you're not there, but I
just got to tell you, and I was like, Iactually really liked that because people
are like, I don't want to be the first.
I don't want to be first.
And every time you read any of thosebooks, like the game or how to do
whatever, they're always like, don't givetoo much, don't whatever, and I generally
always hate that because I just want toknow I just want to know what's going on.
(17:01):
What are we doing?
I need clarity, and so I likedthat about the his character.
And I did think thatthey were able to put in.
Put some fun into the story, but I do I dowish I didn't know right away, like in his
point of view, what, what was going on.
And I do wish that Ijust wanted more pool.
(17:22):
Like I really wanted more.
Everything happened
Bridget (17:24):
way too easily.
They introduced a potentialreal estate villain.
Cause he's like a real estatemogul that never developed.
Yeah, he's just like there ina few scenes for no apparent
reason, but it never developed.
They introduced her ex fiancé as a villainbased on the fact that he's trash and
his family is the worst, and they madeher feel like shit and treated her, like,
(17:46):
all the stuff they said, I was like, ohgod, this is so real and just horrible.
And then he goes and elopeswith his childhood, whatever,
high school sweetheart.
And.
They had been, like, dating forseven years on HGTV together as a
pair redesigning houses and whatnot.
And it crushed her.
Which I'm fine with, becausesure, that would crush you.
(18:07):
But I was like, oh, maybe he'll comeback in as some sort of villain.
No, that was handled easily.
The only villain was her mind.
Because he was very upfront.
I think you are 100 percent right.
He was a 4 for me.
This book was a 2, but he was a 4.
Because he said right away, whenthey're in the hotel room, He
said right away No, I want you.
(18:28):
Oh, you know what I bustedmy nut to in the shower?
The thought of you sitting on my face.
That's a win.
That's a win in anylanguage, is what that is.
Okay?
I said he was a mixedsurprise dirty talker.
Because he's all buttoned up,and he's a quiet, shy guy.
And then as soon as he started dirtytalking, I was like here we go.
A surprise.
I would have dropped mypanties so quick, Sean.
I would have been like let mesit right on your face then.
(18:51):
If you don't need to know,we'll come over there.
Like I feel like this book annoyed me somuch because as I like there to be, if
the conflict isn't internal, which is whatyou're talking about, there's no pull.
There's a reason forthem to not be together.
Bridget (2) (19:11):
Yeah.
His
Bridget (19:12):
family and her family, best family friends, everyone would
be so happy for this to happen.
The moms have been hoping they'dget married their whole lives.
The only person who's a little worriedis his cousin slash grew up together
as a brother because he knows thatthe guy was in love with her and
it broke his heart the first time.
So he's a little worried.
Everyone else is not worried.
(19:32):
Everyone else is on board.
She fits perfectly into his business.
She's a designer.
He rebuilds houses.
They can combine their sortof expertises together.
He's a billionaire.
Obviously, that fixes almost all problems.
Except for her not trusting herself,which is the main problem of this book.
But if the main problem of this bookis that you don't trust yourself,
that book should be 250 pages.
Bridget (2) (19:53):
Because it's
Bridget (19:53):
a romance novel.
I don't need to know that youcan't get your shit together.
Let me read you a quote, you guys.
Okay, this book was 500pages or something crazy.
It was crazy.
Okay?
This is towards the very end.
Okay?
They have now been sleeping together formonths, eating dinner together every day.
She's said multiple times inthe book already oh, I I love
being taken care of by him.
(20:15):
He's oh, I know you have a praisekink that's why I tell you're a
good girl while you ride my cock,and I'm like, yes, bro, tell her.
Like, all things going great.
All things have been going great.
Her mind is getting better, she's feelingbetter about herself, yadda, okay?
She gets the opportunity to go backto San Francisco to do a new TV
show, where she's like the lead.
(20:37):
Instead of being with the old ex.He says, I'm in love with you,
I'll just move to San Francisco.
NBD.
And she's I don't really knowif that's gonna happen, okay?
He says to her, he gives herthis list that he's been keeping,
a pro con list of his life.
(20:57):
And there's one for her.
And everything is in the pro column.
The only thing in the negative columnis that she might not love him back.
Which is frankly stupid,but also romantic.
It's a romance.
And she said, you agreed to acasual relationship knowing your
feelings might never be reciprocated?
And he's yes.
And she's like, why?
He's some people are worth the risk.
(21:18):
Panty dropper.
Okay, he dropped the panties.
She knows him at this point.
We are 420 pages into the book.
She knows that his employees love him.
She knows that he takescare of his mom in the town.
She knows that he's kindto everyone around him.
She knows that you I mean,like she knows that he has.
That he doesn't want childrenand she can't have children.
She could, but that's adiscussion for another day.
(21:38):
She, or he doesn't wanthis own physical children.
He'll adopt if he wants them.
Like she knows all of thethings line up in their lives.
They love each other.
The sex is banging.
He takes care of her.
She feels happier on him.
All the things, Shani.
Yeah, all the things OK, she playsa prank on him where she like
aggressively decorates his entire office.
Does he get mad?
No, he laughs thinks it's hilarious andthen eats her out on his desk like this.
(22:02):
OK, I'm telling youreally I really love that.
It was a great scene.
All of the things the flags are sogreen It's like you're in Ireland.
Okay.
Cause the rolling hills are all green.
Okay.
And now this is after this, Shawnee.
After this, he's alreadytold her unequivocally.
I want you.
I love you.
I'm in love with you.
I want to be together forever.
Like all the things he said,all the things and his actions
(22:25):
have backed them all up, whichyou guys know is our main thing.
Are your actions andyour words in alignment?
Yes, they are.
Their life goals are in alignment.
Which you always talk about could theybe married after this book is over?
And the answer in thiscase is 100 percent yes.
Not only are they family's bestfriends, but they're a team.
They work together.
They've been working togethernow at this point for months.
Running the businessestogether, blah, blah, blah.
Shani (22:46):
They're pretty equally yoked, I feel like.
They are
Bridget (22:49):
equally yoked, yeah.
She's a badass designer.
People billionaires are calling her outof the blue to do their houses and stuff.
She has her own TV show.
She's a badass.
This is after all this, Shani, OK?
She says to him, You're reallythinking of moving to San Francisco?
And he's did the last hour give it away?
In which I did all thesenice things for you?
And then he's like, How longare you gonna fight me on this?
(23:10):
And he's literally alreadysaid to her multiple times.
I'm gonna keep showing up.
I'm gonna keep loving you.
I'm gonna stay with you.
Even if you're unsure, I'm sure.
Bridget (2) (23:20):
Yeah.
Bridget (23:21):
And she says to him, for however long it takes to convince
you this is all a big mistake.
And I was like, this dumb bitch.
What is, I was like,Shawnee, this is at page 460.
Yeah.
What is happening here?
It's too late for that.
(23:41):
We are way.
First of all, this book is toolong anyways, but also like
you make a book that long.
The flags are too green for you to stillfeel that way at the end of this book.
He should have left her andbeen like, you know what?
You'll never get over your issues.
Get the fuck out of here.
It was the craziest.
She had at this point, she hadalready been in the meeting with him.
(24:03):
Where he met with his like productionlead guy and was like, Hey, I need
you to basically take over running thecompany so I can step back and only
be here like a couple of days a weekbecause I'm moving to San Francisco.
She's in this meeting where he's planningall this, gives the guy promotion
and a raise, tells him what to do.
How many days a week?
I'm going to fly back from San Franciscotwice a month to have meetings.
(24:30):
Shani.
Bridget (2) (24:32):
Shani.
Bridget (24:32):
It was too much.
It was too much.
It was too much for me.
It was too much.
First of all, I would have DNF'd thisbook in the second chapter if I Did
not have to read this book with you.
I actually thought seriouslyabout not reading it.
So you could just tell me about it.
If the second book had beenout, I was like maybe I'll
(24:54):
let her read the first one.
I'll just read the second one and thenwe can just tell each other about it.
But the second one's not out yet.
And so I had to push through.
And when I tell you, I like ragespeed read this book so fast,
if you could, if you cut out
300 pages from this book, okay, andjust left me with cut out their entire
(25:21):
childhood, like their entire romantichistory, obviously, cause I was dumb and
just made it a quick little backstory.
I have to move home.
My ex left me.
My friend of me, he's always teased me.
We've always been at odds inour families, our best friends,
but we've always been at odds.
His mom begging him to give her somethingto do to help her out of her depression.
(25:43):
Him doing it.
Okay.
Then they have all theirlittle funny interactions.
They start banging.
The banging was good.
The sex was good.
The sex was good.
Sex was real good.
Dirty talk was great.
They start banging.
They're trying to hide it from everyone.
Everyone figures it out.
Blah, blah, blah.
And then you cut out like.
Fourteen of her, I don't believethat you're in love with bees.
(26:05):
Like a hundred pages of hersaying that, which was so dumb.
And then you wrap it up.
I thought the party where they wentand to San Francisco worked like
all that stuff was fine, but I justcouldn't show me, I couldn't, I
Shani (26:20):
could not.
I I agree, I completely agree.
So one, the book was so long and I.
also reached a moment of regret.
It was probably like, it'sprobably like chapter three.
And that's when I put it into speedmode, or I was like, I always know
(26:41):
that I probably picked the wrong bookwhen I'm procrastinating reading it.
So when I'm like, Oh, I'll start in anhour, I'll start in an hour, I'll start
in an hour, because when I pick it upand I'm engaged, I will crush that book
so fast, and and the funny part aboutthis book is that like we always talk
about a good editor could have reallyhelped this book out and made it a win.
(27:06):
Because I would have loved his character.
I would have gave him five stars.
Yes.
You know what I mean?
And the thing about her is that shecould have still had the issues that she
had like one of the things I am rightnow I'm experiencing a sort of breakup
where I broke up with my partner awhile ago, but he's just not moving out.
(27:27):
And I'm having to process likeall these feelings and stuff.
And so one, the idea of having anotherpartner is like a zero for me right now.
It's like literally no.
So I can conceptualize that she wouldcome back and be like, I'm not into having
somebody else right now, and so I can seethat being a through thread as he's trying
(27:48):
to woo her and she's just nah, I can likeprocess that she would come in and be
like, just, I'm just not about it, andI can even process that she would like,
he would declare his feelings and shewould just have a panic attack about it.
The whole if you love me and I likethat so much, I'm like, nah, I could
have just see her being like, thisis too much, like too much, too fast.
And at the beginning ofthe book, the beginning of
Bridget (28:07):
the book, Shani, which is why he says, which is why he says.
If you want it to be casual, I willtake literally anything you give me.
And she's but we can hide it, right?
And he's if that's what you want, Iwill do whatever it is you want so that
I can have whatever I can have of you.
Which is great.
Shani (28:26):
Which I think is great.
I think it's great.
So that, I would have dealtwith that in the beginning.
Page 450,
Bridget (28:31):
you better get
Shani (28:32):
the
Bridget (28:32):
fuck out of
Shani (28:32):
here.
At 450, I was like, first of all,I didn't even, I'm like, why do we
even, why are we even at this page?
This page, this book should beover at this point right now.
I think sometimes authors, Take theirpotato chip books too seriously.
I think you need toknow what book you have.
I also,
Bridget (28:51):
I also think this book is Kindle Unlimited and it was meant to be Kindle
Unlimited and You get paid by page count.
And that's
Shani (28:59):
what sucks up.
But then I don't know, maybe it's mebecause like I aggressively wouldn't want
people to think that I am, like, stupidor don't know how to write or whatever,
and maybe that's the perfectionism in me.
I wouldn't add an extra pagejust to make the page count.
And I, but I understand that peopleneed to get paid, but it's making
(29:21):
these books really draining to read.
And it's taking away the love of it.
And I wish that there's abook I wish there was a list.
That was called not like not oneextra page and it's just like people
fill it in with books in which theauthor didn't waste a word, and
I like to read for Kindle becauseI feel like it's really needed.
(29:41):
There's so many things thatI'm reading now that I'm like,
what is this fan fiction.
That's I always think it's fan fiction.
When it's the, and, but wait,now we break up and, but wait,
at the end of every chapter.
And it feels very jarring.
So anyway, this book forme, like I really loved him.
I actually, I thought the authordid really good on, on the sex
(30:02):
scenes and stuff like that.
And so it's a shame that it.
That I did that now I'm notgoing to read book two, I'm
not going to read book three.
See, you get your, you might getyour page counts on the first
book, but if you don't get rereads,then, what does that look like?
Bridget (30:17):
That's true.
Let's go into our rating, Shani.
How many little peach bootieswould you give our fair heroine?
I'd give her two.
Shani (30:24):
I was like, meh.
Meh
Bridget (30:26):
meh.
I gave her a 2 also.
And at first I was like, thinkingto myself, am I just giving her a 2
because she's depressed and anxious,which then obviously is not the most
fun headspace to be in as a reader.
But I gave her a 2 literallybecause of her arc. I think at
one point in the middle of thebook, she was like a four for me.
(30:46):
There was like a 50 page section where
I would have given her a fourif the arc had continued.
Because the arc was like, I'm gonna forcemyself to get out and get dressed and do
these things, which like, everyone at somepoint or another has forced themselves
to okay, if I want to feel happy, Ineed to get out of my house and I need
(31:07):
to put on some clothes and I need to goget a coffee or whatever is my thing.
And so I was like, all about that andher arc, and I was totally fine, like
you said, with her being like, freakedout that he was like, no, I want you.
And I was fine with her being shellshocked from her ex leaving her and and
their like, childhood past or whatever.
I was fine with all of that.
(31:29):
Up until the point where it had beenmonths of them having dinner together
every night, working together everyday, like everything's great, they're
like banging at the office, they'relike playing pranks on each other
again, like everything is going so well.
And then it felt like for no reason,the author just dragged out her and
(31:53):
just made her so And the whiny Emand I can't trust you, Em and I can't
trust you, Em and I can't trust you.
Even though he's literallyincluding her in the meeting.
Because He knows she, she has issues,so he's including her in the meeting
to show that he's serious, to showthat he is like, and she challenged
(32:15):
him a few times in that section.
I really liked her where she was like,yeah, but why aren't you woodworking?
But why haven't you say you'reover your dad's death, but you
need to like actually deal with it.
And like, why are you hiding?
You don't like, she like confronted him onsome of his shit, which I was like, good.
Yes.
That's how a partnership should work.
And then, you know what he did, Shawnee?
He was like, you're right.
(32:36):
And then he started woodworking.
And then he went into his dad's thing.
And then he invited his, andthen he asked people for help.
She was like, you neverask people for help.
He asked her for help.
He asked his little deputy for help.
He asked his mom for help.
He started doing all the thingsbecause she called him out and he
was like, oh shit, you're right.
And so then he evolved.
(32:57):
Whereas he called her out andshe was like, you're right.
And then for 150 pages did not doanything to change what she was, she
had been doing great at the beginning.
And then I was like,what slogging through it.
And I was like, you're gettingworse and worse and worse and worse
and worse and worse and worse.
And that is how she ended up at a two.
(33:18):
She started at a four, sheslid all the way to a two.
Whereas he started at afour and stayed at a four.
I thought he was, Ithought his arc was good.
I thought the dirty talk was, hecame in with golden retriever energy.
He came in he came in reserved.
And oh, but I'm obsessed with, but likequickly, like when one of the first.
(33:40):
She's like at the bar catching up withsomeone from high school and he like
does that thing where he like staresthe guy down from behind her back
and he gets all close to her back.
Do you remember that scene whereshe's wearing the red dress?
Bridget (2) (33:50):
Yeah.
Bridget (33:51):
And then he like puts his hip, like she tries to step away
and he like steps closer and he'slike staring down at her cause he
like can't resist how hot she looks.
And I'm like, yeah,that's what you should do.
Quiet and strong andsilent type fine with it.
As long as you are.
All up in my business.
Oh.
And then when you whisper in my ear.
(34:12):
That you want me to sit on your faceand then the first time she gives him a
blowjob, Shawnie, color me excited whenhe's just I'm going to shut you up right
now and this is what's going to happen.
And I was like, indeed.
Is it?
We're not shy in the bedroom, are we?
Lean over this and hold on.
(34:33):
No sweeter words have ever been spoken.
I will hold on.
I do.
For dear life, my friend.
I do love a
Shani (34:37):
leader, and a planner, and a talker.
And very controlled.
I can't.
The older I get.
Yes, he's very controlled.
The more I love somebodywho is controlled.
Because, and I don't mean controlledin that they don't access the
feelings and they don't, whatever.
It's just that they have an emotionalintelligence and a hold on what
they're presenting at whatevertime that they're presenting it.
(34:59):
And there's a time andplace for everything.
And when, and the thing is when people,when someone is regulatedly controlled,
when they speak, you have so much respect.
For what they say, and that isto me ah, and so when it's dirty,
when it's dirty talk, you'relike, you want me to bend over?
Okay.
(35:19):
What am I doing?
Where am I putting my legs?
Okay.
Bridget (35:23):
Thank you.
I love an instruction.
I love to follow instructions andI will comply with your plans.
They seem great and you're great.
Okay, Shani, I'm going to readyou a review that I found because
I thought it was so funny.
And this is from Alexandra onGoodreads, and it she said some
stuff at the beginning, but shebasically said exactly what we're
saying, which is, the story was dull.
She DNF'd.
(35:44):
She didn't finish.
Lacked flavor.
The characters were fine, but boring.
I didn't feel any chemistryand connection between them.
I think I probably would have made it tothe end if it had been 200 pages shorter.
Nearly 550 pages is crazy.
I can easily read even longer books whenI love the main characters, but I did
not even particularly like the ones here.
So I had a hard time reading it.
And Alexandra, thank you foryour service and your review.
(36:05):
Cause yes, it was way, way too long.
I will say that I did read all three ofthe dreamland billionaires, which follows
a group of brothers who are billionaires.
And I did enjoy that series from her.
There, the I don't rememberif they were just shorter.
I don't remember thembeing a bajillion pages.
(36:25):
I'm gonna look rightnow at the second one.
Okay, they were still long.
This one was 490 pages.
It was still long, but I think Ijust liked the characters better,
the story better, the world better.
And I think it just worked better.
I don't remember being like, theseare the best books I've ever read,
but I did, after reading the firstone, read the second and third ones.
So take that as you will.
Shawnee, I don't know if I wantto read another billionaire
(36:47):
romance right after this one.
Dear listeners, what book doyou want us to read next month?
You can hit us up on Instagramat romance at a glance.
Of course you can email us at podcastat romance at a glance dot com.
You can, wave a flag, dowhatever you need to do.
And we will.
Of course respond and let youknow you can go to patreon.
(37:08):
com.
You can join our patreon group for freewhere we post Like extra stuff and reviews
or you can become a paid patreon andthen you get access to exclusive content
as well So you can hit us up there.
Let us know.
What do you want us to read?
What do you think February my birth month?
What should we read in February?
Shani (37:27):
I know, it is your birth month, Bridget, I'm so excited,
I've had summary all month.
Bridget (2) (37:32):
For
Shani (37:33):
Galentine's Day.
I like a good
Bridget (37:35):
birthday week yeah, I like a whole week.
My husband's that's not a thing.
And I'm like, let's not kid ourselves.
A birthday week is appropriate.
And I would like a wholeweek celebrating me.
I want to choose whatever we'reeating every night, do things for me.
I want, Molly told me my little fiveyear old, you guys were in the car
and I was like, what are you goingto do for my birthday next month?
You're going to draw me some art, makeme a project, like what's your thing?
(37:57):
I was like, or you could talk to dad.
You guys could go buy something.
What are you going to do?
She's mom, I'm not goingto tell you what it is.
It's going to be a secret, but it'ssomething that you really like.
And I was like, oh, okay.
And then she goes, somethingthat you could get at a library.
And then she keeps going, you guys,she just keeps like the hints keep
getting more and more granular.
We're in the car for five minutes.
This all happened so fast.
(38:17):
And then finally she goes, it's a book.
We're going to buy you a book.
And I said, baby, it's a book.
Didn't he want to keep it a secret?
And she's I tried, mom,but I had to tell you.
It was the cutest thing in the world.
And yes, I will take a new book.
Thank you very much.
Shani (38:34):
First of all, I think a birthday week is really modest.
I'm a Leo.
I celebrate the whole month andanybody who tries to tell me
that I can't can go suck a dick.
The whole zodiac revolves around me.
It's just what it is.
So I think a week ismore than appropriate.
And I think that there's like, when it'sleading up to your birthday, You start
to feel it in the air, like you getthe little zingys in your body, and I
(38:57):
think like when your birthday actuallyhits, you're just so like elated for
the week when you've been celebratingfor at least, leading up to it.
So I don't care.
Anybody says you get your birthdayweek, girl, you deserve it.
You're beautiful.
You're amazing.
You're the bestest book,bestest friend I ever, did
Bridget (39:14):
have.
Okay.
Also, Shawnee.
Speaking of having a birthday monthI already booked myself a facial
as my birthday present to me andI booked my haircut so that it
coincides with my the timing of it.
I booked it in advance so it coincideswith my birthday, so by the time my
birthday comes around I'll have freshhairdo, fresh brows, facialed skin.
(39:34):
Okay, I'll spread out though, because Iwas like, I want to trickle it through.
Not, I don't want a whole day.
I want one day I get to dothis little treat, one day I
get to do this little treat.
And also, if you guys have children orchildren in your lives, I was recently
reading with my kids, and we werereading a book called The Good Egg.
Which is in a series of The BadSeed, The Big Cheese, like they're
all books, they're very funny, butalso they have like really good
(39:56):
like moral inside of the book.
It's by Jory John and Pete Oswald, andif you guys have not read it with your
kids, I highly recommend the wholeseries, and we are reading The Good Egg.
And the premise of the Good EggJohnny is that this good egg is in
a dozen eggs, and all the other eggsare bad eggs, and he's a good egg.
And so he's always trying to helpthem be better, and he's always
trying to do the right thing, be agood egg, and he does it so much that
(40:17):
he gets so stressed and anxious thatlittle cracks appear on his shell.
And so what he has to do is he hasto leave those bad eggs behind.
When he has to take care of himself,Shani, how does he take care of himself?
He reads books.
He goes on walks.
He takes baths.
He goes to the spa.
He gardens.
He does like all the things.
I love that.
All the things you're supposedto do to help yourself.
He meditates.
He exercises, he sleepsall the time, whatever.
(40:38):
And slowly over time, as you turnthe pages, his little cracks heal.
And then when his cracks heal, he goesback to his friends, and he realizes
that he doesn't have to be the goodegg, and he can have fun with them, and
he doesn't have to control their badbehavior, because he's not responsible
for it, he can take care of himself.
So reading this book, and I had alreadytold you at the beginning of the year
that my goal from January until mybirthday, February 13th, is that I'm
(41:00):
going to heal the crack heal myself.
I'm going to take, I moved into my ownbedroom so that I could sleep through
the night without getting interrupted byanyone for the whole month because having
someone who is your partner who goes tobed later than you always makes me up a
little bit, plus the kids and whatever.
I haven't been woken up in a wholeweek, Shawnee, and I feel awesome.
I've been going to bed so early.
I haven't been gettingin my bed, reading books.
(41:21):
I've already read seven books, I think,in the first 15 days of the month
because every day I just get in bed andI just read or listen to the audiobook
and then I just fall asleep at 9.
30. And by 9.
30 I've already read for two and a halfhours because I went to bed at seven.
It's great.
I've been not trying to do too much.
I've been like, January,it's cold outside.
I'll just relax.
It's okay.
I'm gonna take a bath every day.
(41:41):
I'm gonna just read some books.
I'm gonna do a little cooking,but not like crazy cooking.
Just waking up early sothere's no stress in the day.
It's been awesome.
And then I read this little bookwith the kids and I was like,
guys, this is what mom's doing.
And they're like, what do you mean?
And I was like, I'm trying to heal thecracks in myself because mom feels a
little stress a little bit too much.
And so I'm going to spendthis month healing the cracks
(42:03):
and sleep in my own bed.
I'm going to eat reallygood food, go on blogs.
They're like, read books, take baths.
And I was like, exactly.
And anyways, that's all to saythat I am a good little egg, and
by the end of, by my birthday, Iplan to have no more cracks left
Shani (42:17):
in my little shell.
I I think we're on the same, we'relike, we're right in alignment,
Bridget, cause like exactlythat is what I'm doing as well.
So when you said it, I was like, Ohmy God this is going to be great.
I, my partner is moving outand I made a wellness bar that
has all my ADHD things on it.
Like I get up in the morning and I start.
(42:37):
It's got my magic mind.
It's got all my supplements.
It's got literally everythingI need to do in the morning.
Protein, MIT, all in one station.
I don't leave it.
It even has my badass affirmation cards.
I pull a card every day like a tarot deck,and Once I do that, I just feel like I'm
starting my day much better, and I removedalmost all the sugar from my, what I
(43:00):
didn't realize I was drinking 35 grams ofsugar every morning with my maté drink.
Yeah, so I stopped doing that.
I'm just drinking like jasmine teawith no sugar in it every morning,
like green tea, and then that's it.
And And then I have a 11 minutemindfulness breathing thing that I
do every minute, every, everything.
(43:21):
And then I try to like, go to bed.
Honestly, I haven't I want itto be like, I'm in bed, right?
10 o'clock, but honestly, I've been likegetting in bed at like closer to midnight.
So that's my next step I'm liketrying to get bed a little bit
earlier and earlier I've slept.
I
Bridget (43:36):
know you have 10 12 hours multiple nights this month already Cuz
I'm like it's dark outside I turn allthe lights in my house off as soon as
the kids like I try to have as few likeLights on in the house as possible and
you will not believe how fast you goto bed when the Sun sets at 430 And all
the lights in the house are off And youdon't watch TV and you're just reading
a book, you're like fuck, it's 4 30.
(43:57):
It must be
Shani (43:57):
bedtime.
That's actually what happened last night.
I got in the bed early and I was like,okay, I'm going to finish this book.
And this book put me to sleep sohard that I had, I woke, when I
woke up, I was like, Oh my gosh.
But I'm happy for you and I thinkyou're on the right track and I'm with
(44:18):
you, Bridget I'm matching your energy.
All right.
Everyone until next time,may your books be your lover.
Shani (2) (44:24):
And your hand, your best friend.
Bye for now kids.
Thanks for hanging inwith us, romance readers.
Head over to Instagram tocontinue chatting with us.
We're super friendly.
We want to cackle with you.
You want to know what your.
Favorite sex scene was, and weneed more book recommendations.
If you wanna read along with us, goto our website, romance@aglance.com
(44:44):
to see what we're reading next,and we'll see you next podcast.
Hello everyone.
(00:00):
And welcome to Romance at a Glance.
I'm your host, Bridget.
And with me is my cohost, Shani.
Hi, Shani.
Hi, Bridget.
How are you doing,
Shani (00:07):
girl?
Bridget (00:07):
I am doing very well.
I'm here with you, here with everyone.
Just having a good day.
Shani (00:14):
Me too, Bridget.
I woke up today with like half asmuch anxiety as I had yesterday.
And
Bridget (00:20):
that's
Shani (00:21):
a win.
Bridget (00:22):
That is a win.
And you know what everyone, especiallyall of our friends, family, loved ones.
Dear listeners in California, in theL. A. area we have been on Shani's
thoughts and prayers because ofall the smoke and all the badness.
Thankfully, she does not live inthe fires so that's good, but we're
definitely Keeping our thoughts outfor everyone and donating where we can.
(00:45):
And we will drop some links of placesthat you can donate that we know of that
are doing good things in the LA area.
Shani (00:51):
Yeah, that would be really great.
I'm not in the direct line ofthe actual fire, but I am in a
direct line of a ton of smoke.
And so that's affected a lot of us.
And so like I almost had to leave becauseof my asthma, but it's gotten better.
And I made like makeshift filtersand things so we're figuring it out.
So I appreciate it.
(01:11):
If you can donate, yes, please do.
Bridget said, and I appreciate y'all.
Bridget (01:16):
Yeah, and while Shani was holed up in her home, she
listened to a very long book.
It turns out I did not realizehow long it was when we chose it
and I regretted it immediately.
We read Love Redesigned byLauren Asher, book one of the
Lakefront Billionaires series.
Oh, yeah.
Oh, yeah.
It was Shani, how manyhours was it on audio?
(01:38):
Because it told me when I opened myKindle, it's going to take 10 hours and
30 minutes to read it, which I thoughtwas crazy for a contemporary romance.
Shani (01:46):
Bridget, I have to tell you right now, I completely, as soon as
I opened it up, I was like, fucked.
Fuck.
I didn't realize either and if Ihadn't realized, maybe, possibly
we would have read something else.
But it was like 15 hoursat a regular speed.
Regular person speed?
Yeah, I ended up listening to itat almost 3x just to like, for
(02:08):
time's sake, to get through it.
Yeah.
Too long.
It was too long.
It
Bridget (02:14):
didn t need to be this long.
It didn t need to be this long.
But you know what, Shani said, It s 2025.
Let s get our billionaire on.
And you know what I said?
I said yes.
Because when you get married.
Manifestation.
Manifestation.
Part A. Already married, but maybehe ll become a billionaire or I ll
find another husband to go with him.
A little pair.
A pair of hubs, I think you need a pair.
But also I feel that when abillionaire romance is done right.
(02:39):
It's wonderful.
Yes.
It's wonderful.
Because there is legitimatelynothing aside from maybe a prince.
That gives you that same completeescapism from a contemporary romance.
Because in contemporary romance, ifyou're too regular ass people, then you're
just doing regular ass people things.
But if it's a billionaire contemporaryromance, now that is high fantasy.
(03:01):
Okay.
Oh, I might buy you a private jetfor no reason type of high fantasy.
Exactly.
So it's great.
It's
Shani (03:08):
a walk in a store.
Get what you want, babe.
Get what you want,
Bridget (03:11):
babe.
This designer?
Let's just buy all the clothesthat this designer's have.
Oh, I bought you diamonds for no reason?
I'm into it.
Because they can fix almostall of your problems.
So easily if you let them, and thereforeyou should let them fix your problems.
It's not even
Shani (03:27):
it's not even walk in a store and buy what you want.
It's like the jewelers at our houseand it came with a selection for you.
No, I just bought the
Bridget (03:33):
store for you.
I bought this person for you.
Oh my god.
You guys, I think it's time to get thisshit poppin because I have thoughts.
Feelings and emotions about this bookand Shani needs to be made aware.
Let's get it poppin.
Romance at a glance, romance ata glance, romance at a glance,
(03:54):
romance at a glance, it's Romance!
Shani, I have been learningsomething called mental wealth.
Are you aware of what mental wealth is?
Because I have just learned this term.
Absolutely not
Shani (04:04):
aware it is.
I would like to be informed.
Bridget (04:06):
It is basically about investing in habits.
That help you build your resilience,your, sleep cycles, your eating rights,
your vitamins, stress management,exercise, all the good things that
you're supposed to do for yourself.
And it helps build thatresilience, that mental wealth.
So you have it to spend whenyou need more energy, etc.
Shani (04:25):
Oh, okay.
Okay.
All right.
I think I've been doing this Bridget.
I've been building my mental wealth.
I've been waking up.
I've been doing my gratitudejournal in the morning.
I take my magic mind.
Now magic mind has a nighttimesleep shot that I've been
taking for the last few nights.
And I don't know if it's the sleepshot or what, but I have been
waking up without that crushing.
(04:46):
level of anxiety that Inormally wake up with?
Bridget (04:50):
You know the one?
I don't because I don't havecrushing anxiety, but I do feel like
I like wind down a little faster.
It helps me like.
It's got like the valerian, it's gotall the things in it that you need, a
little chamomile, etc. So I feel likeit helps my mind ease its way into
sleep a little calmer, a little easier.
Which makes me fall asleep faster,which then makes me wake up
(05:11):
having had a little extra sleep.
So I feel like that's a good thing.
Shani (05:14):
Honestly, since you've been taking it, though, like you,
you've been waking up cheery and Ilike, I have missed cheery Bridget.
Okay.
I
Bridget (05:23):
also got a facial today, guys, not related, except for that it is because
it's all about mental health, taking careof yourself and my skin looks awesome.
I just wanted to just throw thatinto this whole conversation.
Magic mind is doing a Januarymental wealth challenge.
And so in 2025, you canbuild your mental resilience.
They're doing 45 percent offthe Magic Mind Bundle with
our link, which is magicmind.
(05:44):
com forward slash romancejan.
J A N, romancejan.
And you'll get 45 percent offof a bundle of the morning
shots and the nighttime shots.
So you can tie it all together andbuild your mental wealth in 2025.
I love that.
Shani, we are reading Love Redesignedby Lauren Asher, book one of the
(06:04):
Lakefront Billionaire series.
This is contemporaryromance, billionaire romance.
Let's talk a little bitabout the audiobook.
What did you think?
Shani (06:12):
I thought the audio book was fine.
I don't, I'm going on the recordnow saying I don't like double.
Shani, this is not
Bridget (06:20):
the first time.
Don't say it like it's groundbreaking.
We've done 200 episodes of this podcastand you have said this 90 times.
Okay, but I'm
Shani (06:27):
like, but let me just be more specific.
Okay.
Hit me.
Because I should say, I donot like multiple narrators.
I do not like when the guy narrates histhing and the girl narrates her thing.
Agreed.
So I don't like.
Double POV, but I can, I'll take it.
But when they switch voicesin between, I don't like it.
I just want one narrator, especiallybecause she would chime in.
(06:52):
Like it would be his, like his,chapter, but then she would talk
in his chapter and her voice.
Ah, not for me.
Yes.
It's not for
Bridget (07:00):
me.
Okay.
I agree with you.
So a lot of, obviously a lotof romance novels are dual POV.
What I didn't like is that it was.
In the I person, so there were twoPOVs, but instead of one chapter
being, she said, blah, blah, blah.
She felt yada.
And then the other chapter beinghe felt yadda or she felt yadda.
(07:22):
It was I feel this and then thenext chapter was I feel this.
So sometimes I would get confusedand I'd be like wait, who's I?
Bridget (2) (07:30):
Because when it's
Bridget (07:31):
he and she or he and he, sometimes it's, a little confusing.
But for the most part,when it's he and she.
It's easier to differentiate, likevery quickly, she sat down at her desk.
Okay, I know we're back inthe girl's point of view.
And in this one, the I and the I was like,I had to keep going back to the beginning
(07:51):
of the chapter and being like wait.
Or like trying to figure out, find asentence where Julian talked and then I
was like, okay, we must be in her pointof view then if Julian said something.
And that I found veryannoying and distracting.
The other thing which you said beforeon podcast, which I think is so
relevant to this one especially is ifyou have a single POV, then you have
(08:12):
to figure out with the character,whether that other person is genuine,
whether what they're saying is true,whether they really do love them,
whether they're a good person or a badperson, obviously in a romance novel.
We expect a happily ever after at the end.
So we assume that person has goodintentions because it's a romance novel.
But, in general, we have to figure it out.
(08:32):
We find things out with the person.
So when we find out, for instance,obviously spoiling, skipping
to the end, that he has alwaysloved her, we're surprised if
it's only in her point of view.
Because her memories of his,him, is that they were rivals.
But since we're, we've been in hisPOV, we know he's always loved her
(08:53):
because he already told us that.
And so there is no surprise,there is no aww moment, because
I already know that information.
He already told me.
She didn't find out with me.
So I think, especially in this book, therewas too much given to me by both of them.
And I think that was a problem.
Shawnee, let me tell everyonereally quick the synopsis of this
(09:15):
book before we get too far along.
And I start.
Shani (09:20):
Wait, before you do, let me just say one more thing about the
narrators that I think is funny.
Okay.
So when the narrate, itwas narrated by Noah B.
Perez and Vanessa Vasquez, and so Ihave to say, because they, because
they're speaking Spanish or they havego in and out of Spanish, it does this
like funny thing that my siblings and Ihave always made fun of as growing up.
(09:42):
Yeah.
Which is, because my dadspeaks Spanish, right?
And my mom does not.
However, my mom used to do this thingwhere, she's a she's a black woman
from Boston and she has that accent.
And then every so often she wouldsay a Spanish word and she would
be like, No, Shani, it's Shanti.
And you're like, mom.
You don't speak Spanish.
She would just say one Spanish wordthere, like with the best accent that she
(10:05):
could, and she would correct you, right?
Knowing no Spanish.
My mom does not speak Spanish.
And so sometimes in this story, becauseit was going between Because it was mostly
in English, and then it would jump intoSpanish, it would be like a very dry
English accent, and then just go intoSpanish for a minute, and it feels like,
(10:26):
The author really wants to bring theculture in, but it just sometimes was a
little jarring to me it made me giggle.
It just felt off.
Bridget (10:34):
Because they were, like, reading this sentence, and then they're like, Yes!
Shani (10:38):
Yes!
Bridget (10:38):
It's phenomenal.
Shani (10:39):
For me, it was like, I was like okay.
Bridget (10:44):
I will say reading it I didn't, it didn't feel as jarring because reading
it felt like the way that friends whoare bilingual are, where some phrases
always get said in another language.
Bridget (2) (10:56):
Yeah.
Bridget (10:57):
And so like that to me felt fine.
The one thing I will say is that becauseI can read Spanish, I was able to
read it as I was reading the English.
And at the, I don't know if they, theymust've read this out loud or something,
but at the end of each chapter,they had a little thing saying like.
Like you would go to an appendixnumber one, and then it said the
translation of whatever that was.
(11:20):
Did they just read that in the
Shani (11:22):
No, they didn't.
They just said it in Spanish.
But at
Bridget (11:26):
the end of the chapter, it didn't say anything like No.
At the end
Shani (11:29):
of the chapter, it didn't say anything like that.
And it, for me, it wouldn't have been,like, it wouldn't have been weird if
the characters had a slight accent, likeHad a little bit of an accent on it to
and I'm not saying a heavy accent, butjust like something that went from like
continental, not continental American,but like standard American English.
Yeah.
They're
Bridget (11:47):
supposed to be from Michigan.
Shani (11:48):
But it was just funny to me anyway.
Okay.
Synopsis Bridget.
Bridget (11:51):
Okay, so If I ever caught on fire, Dahlia Muniz
would fan the flames with a smile.
So when she returns to Lake Wisteria,I fully intend to avoid the interior
designer, at least until my meddlingmother exploits my savior complex.
The faster I help Dahlia fix her creativespark, the sooner she'll leave town.
But while I was busy getting rid ofDahlia, I overlooked one potential issue.
(12:12):
What if I want her to stay?
Dahlia.
People say the devil has manyfaces, but I only know one.
Julian.
My childhood rival and frenemy.
I vow to steer clear of himwhile recovering from a broken
engagement, but then the billionairemakes an irresistible offer.
Renovate a house and triple our profit.
Our temporary truce becomes compromised,so we face a year's worth of denied
attraction and mixed emotions.
Giving in to our desires isinevitable, but falling in love?
(12:34):
That wasn't part of the plan.
So it's a steamy small townromance about two family
friends turned childhood rivals.
Technically, it's a standalone, but itis going to be part of a larger series.
The second one comes out this year.
That is not the book that we read.
I want to just say realquick, that is not it.
Let me rephrase what it really is.
(12:56):
Julian, I have been in lovewith Dahlia Munoz my whole life.
Our moms are best friends.
We grew up together, but I could nevertell her I was in love with her and so I
just competed with her about everything.
And we did crazy pranks and wedid crazy school competitions,
except for that she never knewthat I was really in love with her.
So She was valedictorian because Itanked my last physics exam so that
(13:18):
I could be the salutatorian, shecould be the valedictorian, and on.
We went to college together.
Why did we go to college together?
Because I'm in love with her.
So I went to the samecollege she wanted to go to.
And we kissed and we were gonnaget together until my dad died and
I had to go home, take care of thefamily business, lost in my grief.
I said some regrettable things.
And now I've avoidedher for ten full years.
(13:39):
Dahlia, I just thought we wererivals and he was a little pain in
my booty until we went to college.
And all of a sudden I was like, Ooh, thislittle boy's grown up into a hot man.
And now I want to bang him.
So I kissed him.
At a party and it seemed likeeverything was going great till
his dad died and he went home totake care of his family business
And he said some mean things to me.
And so instead of realizing he wasgrieving I avoided him for 10 years,
(14:03):
even though our mom's best friends wehave to see each other all the time, but
now my douchebag of an ex fiancee hasbroken up with me and publicly because
I'm an HGTV star and I'm going hometo lick my wounds because now I have
depression That is the book we read.
That.
Okay?
It isn't Enemies to Lovers,which I was led to believe.
(14:24):
It is Second Chance Romance.
Bridget (2) (14:27):
Yes.
And you know how I
Bridget (14:28):
feel about Second Chance Romance, Johnny.
Okay?
I don't love it.
And I would never have chosenthis book if I knew it was going
to be Second Chance Romance.
I feel that.
Because it is so hard for me tobe into a Second Chance Romance.
It's so hard.
So few authors do it well andthey lean too much on the past.
(14:51):
And so you're not discovering.
Second chance romance only for meworks if A, the people have not seen
each other in a decade or whatever.
And so they have to learn who theperson is now because then they're
learning about a new person.
However, these people have been seeingeach other, just avoiding, but they've
been at the same house, just avoidingeach other, not talking to each other,
(15:12):
but they've been seeing each other.
Their moms are best friends.
They still get filled in by theirfamily what the other person is doing.
And and because they had that moment of,oh, we might fall in love, and then it
didn't work, and then their issues in thepresent become about her not trusting that
(15:34):
he's not going to break her heart again.
No, enemies to lovers, you'renot worried about that.
What it should have been is you're, youwere a piece of shit when we were kids and
I don't trust that you're not going to dosomething reckless and do another prank
or you're not going to be mean to me.
And then all of a sudden it'sOh wait, now he's grown into
an actual man and a good man.
And he's not pettylittle teenager anymore.
Shani (15:55):
Yeah.
Bridget (15:55):
And it wasn't.
Shani (15:56):
Okay.
So I'm with you on thesecond chance romance.
I generally do not like them forall the same reasons that you said,
and also like it never has enough,just never has enough push and pull
for me with a second chance romance.
And this one, it was,this one was interesting.
(16:18):
This book was interesting.
I I analyzed it a lot as I went because.
It's sometimes I feel likethere's a lifetime behind like
the statements I want to say.
There's just so manythreads that pull together.
But as I've been talking to youabout the fact that I want a more,
I want more maturity in my romances.
And one of the things I actually likedabout his character was that pretty
(16:38):
early on he was like, bro, I like, I loveyou and I know you're not there, but I
just got to tell you, and I was like, Iactually really liked that because people
are like, I don't want to be the first.
I don't want to be first.
And every time you read any of thosebooks, like the game or how to do
whatever, they're always like, don't givetoo much, don't whatever, and I generally
always hate that because I just want toknow I just want to know what's going on.
(17:01):
What are we doing?
I need clarity, and so I likedthat about the his character.
And I did think thatthey were able to put in.
Put some fun into the story, but I do I dowish I didn't know right away, like in his
point of view, what, what was going on.
And I do wish that Ijust wanted more pool.
(17:22):
Like I really wanted more.
Everything happened
Bridget (17:24):
way too easily.
They introduced a potentialreal estate villain.
Cause he's like a real estatemogul that never developed.
Yeah, he's just like there ina few scenes for no apparent
reason, but it never developed.
They introduced her ex fiancé as a villainbased on the fact that he's trash and
his family is the worst, and they madeher feel like shit and treated her, like,
(17:46):
all the stuff they said, I was like, ohgod, this is so real and just horrible.
And then he goes and elopeswith his childhood, whatever,
high school sweetheart.
And.
They had been, like, dating forseven years on HGTV together as a
pair redesigning houses and whatnot.
And it crushed her.
Which I'm fine with, becausesure, that would crush you.
(18:07):
But I was like, oh, maybe he'll comeback in as some sort of villain.
No, that was handled easily.
The only villain was her mind.
Because he was very upfront.
I think you are 100 percent right.
He was a 4 for me.
This book was a 2, but he was a 4.
Because he said right away, whenthey're in the hotel room, He
said right away No, I want you.
(18:28):
Oh, you know what I bustedmy nut to in the shower?
The thought of you sitting on my face.
That's a win.
That's a win in anylanguage, is what that is.
Okay?
I said he was a mixedsurprise dirty talker.
Because he's all buttoned up,and he's a quiet, shy guy.
And then as soon as he started dirtytalking, I was like here we go.
A surprise.
I would have dropped mypanties so quick, Sean.
I would have been like let mesit right on your face then.
(18:51):
If you don't need to know,we'll come over there.
Like I feel like this book annoyed me somuch because as I like there to be, if
the conflict isn't internal, which is whatyou're talking about, there's no pull.
There's a reason forthem to not be together.
Bridget (2) (19:11):
Yeah.
His
Bridget (19:12):
family and her family, best family friends, everyone would
be so happy for this to happen.
The moms have been hoping they'dget married their whole lives.
The only person who's a little worriedis his cousin slash grew up together
as a brother because he knows thatthe guy was in love with her and
it broke his heart the first time.
So he's a little worried.
Everyone else is not worried.
(19:32):
Everyone else is on board.
She fits perfectly into his business.
She's a designer.
He rebuilds houses.
They can combine their sortof expertises together.
He's a billionaire.
Obviously, that fixes almost all problems.
Except for her not trusting herself,which is the main problem of this book.
But if the main problem of this bookis that you don't trust yourself,
that book should be 250 pages.
Bridget (2) (19:53):
Because it's
Bridget (19:53):
a romance novel.
I don't need to know that youcan't get your shit together.
Let me read you a quote, you guys.
Okay, this book was 500pages or something crazy.
It was crazy.
Okay?
This is towards the very end.
Okay?
They have now been sleeping together formonths, eating dinner together every day.
She's said multiple times inthe book already oh, I I love
being taken care of by him.
(20:15):
He's oh, I know you have a praisekink that's why I tell you're a
good girl while you ride my cock,and I'm like, yes, bro, tell her.
Like, all things going great.
All things have been going great.
Her mind is getting better, she's feelingbetter about herself, yadda, okay?
She gets the opportunity to go backto San Francisco to do a new TV
show, where she's like the lead.
(20:37):
Instead of being with the old ex.He says, I'm in love with you,
I'll just move to San Francisco.
NBD.
And she's I don't really knowif that's gonna happen, okay?
He says to her, he gives herthis list that he's been keeping,
a pro con list of his life.
(20:57):
And there's one for her.
And everything is in the pro column.
The only thing in the negative columnis that she might not love him back.
Which is frankly stupid,but also romantic.
It's a romance.
And she said, you agreed to acasual relationship knowing your
feelings might never be reciprocated?
And he's yes.
And she's like, why?
He's some people are worth the risk.
(21:18):
Panty dropper.
Okay, he dropped the panties.
She knows him at this point.
We are 420 pages into the book.
She knows that his employees love him.
She knows that he takescare of his mom in the town.
She knows that he's kindto everyone around him.
She knows that you I mean,like she knows that he has.
That he doesn't want childrenand she can't have children.
She could, but that's adiscussion for another day.
(21:38):
She, or he doesn't wanthis own physical children.
He'll adopt if he wants them.
Like she knows all of thethings line up in their lives.
They love each other.
The sex is banging.
He takes care of her.
She feels happier on him.
All the things, Shani.
Yeah, all the things OK, she playsa prank on him where she like
aggressively decorates his entire office.
Does he get mad?
No, he laughs thinks it's hilarious andthen eats her out on his desk like this.
(22:02):
OK, I'm telling youreally I really love that.
It was a great scene.
All of the things the flags are sogreen It's like you're in Ireland.
Okay.
Cause the rolling hills are all green.
Okay.
And now this is after this, Shawnee.
After this, he's alreadytold her unequivocally.
I want you.
I love you.
I'm in love with you.
I want to be together forever.
Like all the things he said,all the things and his actions
(22:25):
have backed them all up, whichyou guys know is our main thing.
Are your actions andyour words in alignment?
Yes, they are.
Their life goals are in alignment.
Which you always talk about could theybe married after this book is over?
And the answer in thiscase is 100 percent yes.
Not only are they family's bestfriends, but they're a team.
They work together.
They've been working togethernow at this point for months.
Running the businessestogether, blah, blah, blah.
Shani (22:46):
They're pretty equally yoked, I feel like.
They are
Bridget (22:49):
equally yoked, yeah.
She's a badass designer.
People billionaires are calling her outof the blue to do their houses and stuff.
She has her own TV show.
She's a badass.
This is after all this, Shani, OK?
She says to him, You're reallythinking of moving to San Francisco?
And he's did the last hour give it away?
In which I did all thesenice things for you?
And then he's like, How longare you gonna fight me on this?
(23:10):
And he's literally alreadysaid to her multiple times.
I'm gonna keep showing up.
I'm gonna keep loving you.
I'm gonna stay with you.
Even if you're unsure, I'm sure.
Bridget (2) (23:20):
Yeah.
Bridget (23:21):
And she says to him, for however long it takes to convince
you this is all a big mistake.
And I was like, this dumb bitch.
What is, I was like,Shawnee, this is at page 460.
Yeah.
What is happening here?
It's too late for that.
(23:41):
We are way.
First of all, this book is toolong anyways, but also like
you make a book that long.
The flags are too green for you to stillfeel that way at the end of this book.
He should have left her andbeen like, you know what?
You'll never get over your issues.
Get the fuck out of here.
It was the craziest.
She had at this point, she hadalready been in the meeting with him.
(24:03):
Where he met with his like productionlead guy and was like, Hey, I need
you to basically take over running thecompany so I can step back and only
be here like a couple of days a weekbecause I'm moving to San Francisco.
She's in this meeting where he's planningall this, gives the guy promotion
and a raise, tells him what to do.
How many days a week?
I'm going to fly back from San Franciscotwice a month to have meetings.
(24:30):
Shani.
Bridget (2) (24:32):
Shani.
Bridget (24:32):
It was too much.
It was too much.
It was too much for me.
It was too much.
First of all, I would have DNF'd thisbook in the second chapter if I Did
not have to read this book with you.
I actually thought seriouslyabout not reading it.
So you could just tell me about it.
If the second book had beenout, I was like maybe I'll
(24:54):
let her read the first one.
I'll just read the second one and thenwe can just tell each other about it.
But the second one's not out yet.
And so I had to push through.
And when I tell you, I like ragespeed read this book so fast,
if you could, if you cut out
300 pages from this book, okay, andjust left me with cut out their entire
(25:21):
childhood, like their entire romantichistory, obviously, cause I was dumb and
just made it a quick little backstory.
I have to move home.
My ex left me.
My friend of me, he's always teased me.
We've always been at odds inour families, our best friends,
but we've always been at odds.
His mom begging him to give her somethingto do to help her out of her depression.
(25:43):
Him doing it.
Okay.
Then they have all theirlittle funny interactions.
They start banging.
The banging was good.
The sex was good.
The sex was good.
Sex was real good.
Dirty talk was great.
They start banging.
They're trying to hide it from everyone.
Everyone figures it out.
Blah, blah, blah.
And then you cut out like.
Fourteen of her, I don't believethat you're in love with bees.
(26:05):
Like a hundred pages of hersaying that, which was so dumb.
And then you wrap it up.
I thought the party where they wentand to San Francisco worked like
all that stuff was fine, but I justcouldn't show me, I couldn't, I
Shani (26:20):
could not.
I I agree, I completely agree.
So one, the book was so long and I.
also reached a moment of regret.
It was probably like, it'sprobably like chapter three.
And that's when I put it into speedmode, or I was like, I always know
(26:41):
that I probably picked the wrong bookwhen I'm procrastinating reading it.
So when I'm like, Oh, I'll start in anhour, I'll start in an hour, I'll start
in an hour, because when I pick it upand I'm engaged, I will crush that book
so fast, and and the funny part aboutthis book is that like we always talk
about a good editor could have reallyhelped this book out and made it a win.
(27:06):
Because I would have loved his character.
I would have gave him five stars.
Yes.
You know what I mean?
And the thing about her is that shecould have still had the issues that she
had like one of the things I am rightnow I'm experiencing a sort of breakup
where I broke up with my partner awhile ago, but he's just not moving out.
(27:27):
And I'm having to process likeall these feelings and stuff.
And so one, the idea of having anotherpartner is like a zero for me right now.
It's like literally no.
So I can conceptualize that she wouldcome back and be like, I'm not into having
somebody else right now, and so I can seethat being a through thread as he's trying
(27:48):
to woo her and she's just nah, I can likeprocess that she would come in and be
like, just, I'm just not about it, andI can even process that she would like,
he would declare his feelings and shewould just have a panic attack about it.
The whole if you love me and I likethat so much, I'm like, nah, I could
have just see her being like, thisis too much, like too much, too fast.
And at the beginning ofthe book, the beginning of
Bridget (28:07):
the book, Shani, which is why he says, which is why he says.
If you want it to be casual, I willtake literally anything you give me.
And she's but we can hide it, right?
And he's if that's what you want, Iwill do whatever it is you want so that
I can have whatever I can have of you.
Which is great.
Shani (28:26):
Which I think is great.
I think it's great.
So that, I would have dealtwith that in the beginning.
Page 450,
Bridget (28:31):
you better get
Shani (28:32):
the
Bridget (28:32):
fuck out of
Shani (28:32):
here.
At 450, I was like, first of all,I didn't even, I'm like, why do we
even, why are we even at this page?
This page, this book should beover at this point right now.
I think sometimes authors, Take theirpotato chip books too seriously.
I think you need toknow what book you have.
I also,
Bridget (28:51):
I also think this book is Kindle Unlimited and it was meant to be Kindle
Unlimited and You get paid by page count.
And that's
Shani (28:59):
what sucks up.
But then I don't know, maybe it's mebecause like I aggressively wouldn't want
people to think that I am, like, stupidor don't know how to write or whatever,
and maybe that's the perfectionism in me.
I wouldn't add an extra pagejust to make the page count.
And I, but I understand that peopleneed to get paid, but it's making
(29:21):
these books really draining to read.
And it's taking away the love of it.
And I wish that there's abook I wish there was a list.
That was called not like not oneextra page and it's just like people
fill it in with books in which theauthor didn't waste a word, and
I like to read for Kindle becauseI feel like it's really needed.
(29:41):
There's so many things thatI'm reading now that I'm like,
what is this fan fiction.
That's I always think it's fan fiction.
When it's the, and, but wait,now we break up and, but wait,
at the end of every chapter.
And it feels very jarring.
So anyway, this book forme, like I really loved him.
I actually, I thought the authordid really good on, on the sex
(30:02):
scenes and stuff like that.
And so it's a shame that it.
That I did that now I'm notgoing to read book two, I'm
not going to read book three.
See, you get your, you might getyour page counts on the first
book, but if you don't get rereads,then, what does that look like?
Bridget (30:17):
That's true.
Let's go into our rating, Shani.
How many little peach bootieswould you give our fair heroine?
I'd give her two.
Shani (30:24):
I was like, meh.
Meh
Bridget (30:26):
meh.
I gave her a 2 also.
And at first I was like, thinkingto myself, am I just giving her a 2
because she's depressed and anxious,which then obviously is not the most
fun headspace to be in as a reader.
But I gave her a 2 literallybecause of her arc. I think at
one point in the middle of thebook, she was like a four for me.
(30:46):
There was like a 50 page section where
I would have given her a fourif the arc had continued.
Because the arc was like, I'm gonna forcemyself to get out and get dressed and do
these things, which like, everyone at somepoint or another has forced themselves
to okay, if I want to feel happy, Ineed to get out of my house and I need
(31:07):
to put on some clothes and I need to goget a coffee or whatever is my thing.
And so I was like, all about that andher arc, and I was totally fine, like
you said, with her being like, freakedout that he was like, no, I want you.
And I was fine with her being shellshocked from her ex leaving her and and
their like, childhood past or whatever.
I was fine with all of that.
(31:29):
Up until the point where it had beenmonths of them having dinner together
every night, working together everyday, like everything's great, they're
like banging at the office, they'relike playing pranks on each other
again, like everything is going so well.
And then it felt like for no reason,the author just dragged out her and
(31:53):
just made her so And the whiny Emand I can't trust you, Em and I can't
trust you, Em and I can't trust you.
Even though he's literallyincluding her in the meeting.
Because He knows she, she has issues,so he's including her in the meeting
to show that he's serious, to showthat he is like, and she challenged
(32:15):
him a few times in that section.
I really liked her where she was like,yeah, but why aren't you woodworking?
But why haven't you say you'reover your dad's death, but you
need to like actually deal with it.
And like, why are you hiding?
You don't like, she like confronted him onsome of his shit, which I was like, good.
Yes.
That's how a partnership should work.
And then, you know what he did, Shawnee?
He was like, you're right.
(32:36):
And then he started woodworking.
And then he went into his dad's thing.
And then he invited his, andthen he asked people for help.
She was like, you neverask people for help.
He asked her for help.
He asked his little deputy for help.
He asked his mom for help.
He started doing all the thingsbecause she called him out and he
was like, oh shit, you're right.
And so then he evolved.
(32:57):
Whereas he called her out andshe was like, you're right.
And then for 150 pages did not doanything to change what she was, she
had been doing great at the beginning.
And then I was like,what slogging through it.
And I was like, you're gettingworse and worse and worse and worse
and worse and worse and worse.
And that is how she ended up at a two.
(33:18):
She started at a four, sheslid all the way to a two.
Whereas he started at afour and stayed at a four.
I thought he was, Ithought his arc was good.
I thought the dirty talk was, hecame in with golden retriever energy.
He came in he came in reserved.
And oh, but I'm obsessed with, but likequickly, like when one of the first.
(33:40):
She's like at the bar catching up withsomeone from high school and he like
does that thing where he like staresthe guy down from behind her back
and he gets all close to her back.
Do you remember that scene whereshe's wearing the red dress?
Bridget (2) (33:50):
Yeah.
Bridget (33:51):
And then he like puts his hip, like she tries to step away
and he like steps closer and he'slike staring down at her cause he
like can't resist how hot she looks.
And I'm like, yeah,that's what you should do.
Quiet and strong andsilent type fine with it.
As long as you are.
All up in my business.
Oh.
And then when you whisper in my ear.
(34:12):
That you want me to sit on your faceand then the first time she gives him a
blowjob, Shawnie, color me excited whenhe's just I'm going to shut you up right
now and this is what's going to happen.
And I was like, indeed.
Is it?
We're not shy in the bedroom, are we?
Lean over this and hold on.
(34:33):
No sweeter words have ever been spoken.
I will hold on.
I do.
For dear life, my friend.
I do love a
Shani (34:37):
leader, and a planner, and a talker.
And very controlled.
I can't.
The older I get.
Yes, he's very controlled.
The more I love somebodywho is controlled.
Because, and I don't mean controlledin that they don't access the
feelings and they don't, whatever.
It's just that they have an emotionalintelligence and a hold on what
they're presenting at whatevertime that they're presenting it.
(34:59):
And there's a time andplace for everything.
And when, and the thing is when people,when someone is regulatedly controlled,
when they speak, you have so much respect.
For what they say, and that isto me ah, and so when it's dirty,
when it's dirty talk, you'relike, you want me to bend over?
Okay.
(35:19):
What am I doing?
Where am I putting my legs?
Okay.
Bridget (35:23):
Thank you.
I love an instruction.
I love to follow instructions andI will comply with your plans.
They seem great and you're great.
Okay, Shani, I'm going to readyou a review that I found because
I thought it was so funny.
And this is from Alexandra onGoodreads, and it she said some
stuff at the beginning, but shebasically said exactly what we're
saying, which is, the story was dull.
She DNF'd.
(35:44):
She didn't finish.
Lacked flavor.
The characters were fine, but boring.
I didn't feel any chemistryand connection between them.
I think I probably would have made it tothe end if it had been 200 pages shorter.
Nearly 550 pages is crazy.
I can easily read even longer books whenI love the main characters, but I did
not even particularly like the ones here.
So I had a hard time reading it.
And Alexandra, thank you foryour service and your review.
(36:05):
Cause yes, it was way, way too long.
I will say that I did read all three ofthe dreamland billionaires, which follows
a group of brothers who are billionaires.
And I did enjoy that series from her.
There, the I don't rememberif they were just shorter.
I don't remember thembeing a bajillion pages.
(36:25):
I'm gonna look rightnow at the second one.
Okay, they were still long.
This one was 490 pages.
It was still long, but I think Ijust liked the characters better,
the story better, the world better.
And I think it just worked better.
I don't remember being like, theseare the best books I've ever read,
but I did, after reading the firstone, read the second and third ones.
So take that as you will.
Shawnee, I don't know if I wantto read another billionaire
(36:47):
romance right after this one.
Dear listeners, what book doyou want us to read next month?
You can hit us up on Instagramat romance at a glance.
Of course you can email us at podcastat romance at a glance dot com.
You can, wave a flag, dowhatever you need to do.
And we will.
Of course respond and let youknow you can go to patreon.
(37:08):
com.
You can join our patreon group for freewhere we post Like extra stuff and reviews
or you can become a paid patreon andthen you get access to exclusive content
as well So you can hit us up there.
Let us know.
What do you want us to read?
What do you think February my birth month?
What should we read in February?
Shani (37:27):
I know, it is your birth month, Bridget, I'm so excited,
I've had summary all month.
Bridget (2) (37:32):
For
Shani (37:33):
Galentine's Day.
I like a good
Bridget (37:35):
birthday week yeah, I like a whole week.
My husband's that's not a thing.
And I'm like, let's not kid ourselves.
A birthday week is appropriate.
And I would like a wholeweek celebrating me.
I want to choose whatever we'reeating every night, do things for me.
I want, Molly told me my little fiveyear old, you guys were in the car
and I was like, what are you goingto do for my birthday next month?
You're going to draw me some art, makeme a project, like what's your thing?
(37:57):
I was like, or you could talk to dad.
You guys could go buy something.
What are you going to do?
She's mom, I'm not goingto tell you what it is.
It's going to be a secret, but it'ssomething that you really like.
And I was like, oh, okay.
And then she goes, somethingthat you could get at a library.
And then she keeps going, you guys,she just keeps like the hints keep
getting more and more granular.
We're in the car for five minutes.
This all happened so fast.
(38:17):
And then finally she goes, it's a book.
We're going to buy you a book.
And I said, baby, it's a book.
Didn't he want to keep it a secret?
And she's I tried, mom,but I had to tell you.
It was the cutest thing in the world.
And yes, I will take a new book.
Thank you very much.
Shani (38:34):
First of all, I think a birthday week is really modest.
I'm a Leo.
I celebrate the whole month andanybody who tries to tell me
that I can't can go suck a dick.
The whole zodiac revolves around me.
It's just what it is.
So I think a week ismore than appropriate.
And I think that there's like, when it'sleading up to your birthday, You start
to feel it in the air, like you getthe little zingys in your body, and I
(38:57):
think like when your birthday actuallyhits, you're just so like elated for
the week when you've been celebratingfor at least, leading up to it.
So I don't care.
Anybody says you get your birthdayweek, girl, you deserve it.
You're beautiful.
You're amazing.
You're the bestest book,bestest friend I ever, did
Bridget (39:14):
have.
Okay.
Also, Shawnee.
Speaking of having a birthday monthI already booked myself a facial
as my birthday present to me andI booked my haircut so that it
coincides with my the timing of it.
I booked it in advance so it coincideswith my birthday, so by the time my
birthday comes around I'll have freshhairdo, fresh brows, facialed skin.
(39:34):
Okay, I'll spread out though, because Iwas like, I want to trickle it through.
Not, I don't want a whole day.
I want one day I get to dothis little treat, one day I
get to do this little treat.
And also, if you guys have children orchildren in your lives, I was recently
reading with my kids, and we werereading a book called The Good Egg.
Which is in a series of The BadSeed, The Big Cheese, like they're
all books, they're very funny, butalso they have like really good
(39:56):
like moral inside of the book.
It's by Jory John and Pete Oswald, andif you guys have not read it with your
kids, I highly recommend the wholeseries, and we are reading The Good Egg.
And the premise of the Good EggJohnny is that this good egg is in
a dozen eggs, and all the other eggsare bad eggs, and he's a good egg.
And so he's always trying to helpthem be better, and he's always
trying to do the right thing, be agood egg, and he does it so much that
(40:17):
he gets so stressed and anxious thatlittle cracks appear on his shell.
And so what he has to do is he hasto leave those bad eggs behind.
When he has to take care of himself,Shani, how does he take care of himself?
He reads books.
He goes on walks.
He takes baths.
He goes to the spa.
He gardens.
He does like all the things.
I love that.
All the things you're supposedto do to help yourself.
He meditates.
He exercises, he sleepsall the time, whatever.
(40:38):
And slowly over time, as you turnthe pages, his little cracks heal.
And then when his cracks heal, he goesback to his friends, and he realizes
that he doesn't have to be the goodegg, and he can have fun with them, and
he doesn't have to control their badbehavior, because he's not responsible
for it, he can take care of himself.
So reading this book, and I had alreadytold you at the beginning of the year
that my goal from January until mybirthday, February 13th, is that I'm
(41:00):
going to heal the crack heal myself.
I'm going to take, I moved into my ownbedroom so that I could sleep through
the night without getting interrupted byanyone for the whole month because having
someone who is your partner who goes tobed later than you always makes me up a
little bit, plus the kids and whatever.
I haven't been woken up in a wholeweek, Shawnee, and I feel awesome.
I've been going to bed so early.
I haven't been gettingin my bed, reading books.
(41:21):
I've already read seven books, I think,in the first 15 days of the month
because every day I just get in bed andI just read or listen to the audiobook
and then I just fall asleep at 9.
30. And by 9.
30 I've already read for two and a halfhours because I went to bed at seven.
It's great.
I've been not trying to do too much.
I've been like, January,it's cold outside.
I'll just relax.
It's okay.
I'm gonna take a bath every day.
(41:41):
I'm gonna just read some books.
I'm gonna do a little cooking,but not like crazy cooking.
Just waking up early sothere's no stress in the day.
It's been awesome.
And then I read this little bookwith the kids and I was like,
guys, this is what mom's doing.
And they're like, what do you mean?
And I was like, I'm trying to heal thecracks in myself because mom feels a
little stress a little bit too much.
And so I'm going to spendthis month healing the cracks
(42:03):
and sleep in my own bed.
I'm going to eat reallygood food, go on blogs.
They're like, read books, take baths.
And I was like, exactly.
And anyways, that's all to saythat I am a good little egg, and
by the end of, by my birthday, Iplan to have no more cracks left
Shani (42:17):
in my little shell.
I I think we're on the same, we'relike, we're right in alignment,
Bridget, cause like exactlythat is what I'm doing as well.
So when you said it, I was like, Ohmy God this is going to be great.
I, my partner is moving outand I made a wellness bar that
has all my ADHD things on it.
Like I get up in the morning and I start.
(42:37):
It's got my magic mind.
It's got all my supplements.
It's got literally everythingI need to do in the morning.
Protein, MIT, all in one station.
I don't leave it.
It even has my badass affirmation cards.
I pull a card every day like a tarot deck,and Once I do that, I just feel like I'm
starting my day much better, and I removedalmost all the sugar from my, what I
(43:00):
didn't realize I was drinking 35 grams ofsugar every morning with my maté drink.
Yeah, so I stopped doing that.
I'm just drinking like jasmine teawith no sugar in it every morning,
like green tea, and then that's it.
And And then I have a 11 minutemindfulness breathing thing that I
do every minute, every, everything.
(43:21):
And then I try to like, go to bed.
Honestly, I haven't I want itto be like, I'm in bed, right?
10 o'clock, but honestly, I've been likegetting in bed at like closer to midnight.
So that's my next step I'm liketrying to get bed a little bit
earlier and earlier I've slept.
I
Bridget (43:36):
know you have 10 12 hours multiple nights this month already Cuz
I'm like it's dark outside I turn allthe lights in my house off as soon as
the kids like I try to have as few likeLights on in the house as possible and
you will not believe how fast you goto bed when the Sun sets at 430 And all
the lights in the house are off And youdon't watch TV and you're just reading
a book, you're like fuck, it's 4 30.
(43:57):
It must be
Shani (43:57):
bedtime.
That's actually what happened last night.
I got in the bed early and I was like,okay, I'm going to finish this book.
And this book put me to sleep sohard that I had, I woke, when I
woke up, I was like, Oh my gosh.
But I'm happy for you and I thinkyou're on the right track and I'm with
(44:18):
you, Bridget I'm matching your energy.
All right.
Everyone until next time,may your books be your lover.
Shani (2) (44:24):
And your hand, your best friend.
Bye for now kids.
Thanks for hanging inwith us, romance readers.
Head over to Instagram tocontinue chatting with us.
We're super friendly.
We want to cackle with you.
You want to know what your.
Favorite sex scene was, and weneed more book recommendations.
If you wanna read along with us, goto our website, romance@aglance.com
(44:44):
to see what we're reading next,and we'll see you next podcast.
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