Confessions of a Closet Romantic
Welcome to Confessions of a Closet Romantic, a sweet and sexy show highlighting the smartest, most engaging romantic stories on the big and small screen — sometimes books— that share a common takeaway. I'm a writer, former film student and book reviewer who has loved romance forever — those hopeful, heartwarming and dramatic stories about sex, romance, connection and love. I've always felt shamed for loving this genre, but not anymore! Every two weeks, I'll be your ridiculously enthusiastic, gushing, affectionate companion as we explore a diverse range of sexy, compelling love stories. Romance lovers, never feel shame, and never watch alone! Join me!
Episodes
In Halloween season, I like my frights and scares with a cozy dose of relationship drama and romance, plus a bit of breathing space for pondering, or a belly laugh. These movies and shows are full of atmosphere and creepy vibes, sometimes humor and often a bit of sexiness and romance, for that perfect scary blend.
CW: plenty of cussing and described gore
(Thanks to www.FesliyanStudios.com for the spooky intro/ou...
To honor the late Dolly Parton and her embodiment of kindness and authenticity, I'm revisiting some favorite actresses and favorite performances in some favorite romcoms. I think all of these women have something in common with Dolly: they pick roles where they can be real, and show intelligence, warmth, vulnerability and kindness. Those are the qualities I most admire in others and it's the reason why I enjoy their...
Deep loyalty, love, and devotion – even beyond reason – is a familiar romance trope. But right now I'm loving this trope applied to female friendships and relationships in action-packed stories about fearless women in dangerous jobs or pinned down by bad choices. Brave and sometimes foolish, they're backed by a ride-or-die chum who knows where the bodies are buried and where to get the best diner pancake...
(This episode contains spoilers).
I only have a few more episodes to go, but this series so far is refreshing, delightful and vicariously quite healing. As a middle child, Mary Bennet has never been the star or even costar of any Pride and Prejudice adaptation, rather an outcast and object of ridicule. But in this reimagining of the story, Mary finally emerges as swan from her oppressive existence at Longbourn, becom...
(This episode contains spoilers)
I have been in the worst romance novel slump for ages, but Bridgerton Season 4 has restored that glorious, lush fantasy feeling from all of my favorite romance books. We know the destination of romantic tropes, but we don't know how each journey is going to go, which is part of the fun. Luckily, the Bridgerton production team knows at this point just how to spin a romantic story to st...
Life continues to throw a lot at me (I'm sure we can all relate) but I did get to take another road trip to the mountains with my sweetie. We were road tested on a few issues including broken down rental cars and hotel accessibility and I started thinking about what you learn about yourself when you travel. That inspired a new episode (coming soon) about romantic movies featuring characters who leave home to explore...
I survived a bad winter storm that knocked out my heat and electricity for almost a week, so it's good to be back!
Speaking of drama, Wuthering Heights is one of my favorite books of all time, so I've been following the crazy anticipation for the Emerald Fennell film adaptation of the story that just opened this weekend. Adapting beloved classic stories for the screen isn't easy – filmmakers will never manage t...
I'm back from a long break and what a phenomenal show and movie to come back to. I've certainly had a lot of experience with frenemies in my life, and participated in perplexing, frustrating romances where I bickered, bantered and got annoyed regularly, yet couldn't stay away. These stories embody that frenemies to lovers trope perfectly, so if you crave delayed gratification, casual betrayals and slow burning...
I don't often read or watch sci-fi stories, but add in a romance and I'm there. I have a specific kink for stories about human-robot love, android love, any kind of machinery that takes on human characteristics and can hug. Forbidden Planet is my jam, I, Robot and RoboCop freak me out a bit, but movies that ask questions about our essential humanity by transferring our ideal characteristics – and our flaws and...
(Life continues to kick my behind, so I'll be releasing episodes every few weeks or so through the rest of the year. Follow me on your favorite podcast app so you don't miss a thing. As always, thanks for listening!)
Season 2 of Nobody Wants This was just released on Netflix, and it's different show runners, but equally heartwarming, sexy, touching and hilarious – if not more so. I'm only a third of the way thr...
(Had a great time on my road trip, got back – and I've been sick ever since. This year has been one endless struggle bus ride, and there's room for more, so hop on :)
Materialists seems to be a polarizing movie that isn't quite a romcom, isn't quite a straight up romantic drama, while ending happily, making it one of the most interesting hybrid stories I've seen in a while. Dakota Johnson is incredible as Lucy,...
(I'm going on another road trip with my sweetie, traveling parts of historic Route 66, so I'll see you towards the end of the month!)
Taylor Swift just announced her fairytale engagement (which was obvious after they appeared on that recent New Heights podcast episode — have two people ever looked more in love?!) so it seemed like the perfect time to replay the episode I recorded a while back with one of my fav...
This is the year that we're saying goodbye (for now?) to some beloved big and small screen friends. Call it parasocial, call it learning through art, but tuning into these characters and their fictional ups and downs made me feel like I belonged to their charmed worlds in New York City and London, and lives full of fabulous fashion, awesome apartments, cool jobs, chosen family, hot romances — and plenty of dra...
I found these poignant movies on a search for something else, and couldn't take my eyes off either one — they are stunners. Lyrical direction and pacing, spare soundtracks and understated, nuanced performances float gentle light layers of meaning into every scene in each of these stories. They're soulful, profound at times, revealing the struggles and authentic moments of connection in these women's lives.
I've been thinking for a long time about the gendered sociocultural accusation of "too much" that's often directed towards women's behavior, especially how they love and connect to others, and how often this theme appears in romantic stories. This episode is the first in a little series I have planned, talking about female characters in romances who are shamed for being "too much," especially in costume dramas and 1...
(I'm taking a short break in the next couple of weeks for a road trip with my sweetie. I'll be back soon!)
My journey from a strict religious upbringing to discovering I'm mildly kinky in the right settings, and with the right partner, was quite the revelation. These fascinating, complex stories explore women also discovering their secret desires, vulnerabilities and sexual thrills through consensual BDSM kink. The m...
This episode from a few years ago is one of my most popular, and since life has been kicking my behind lately, I thought it was a good time to take a breather and forget it all by getting kinky. It's also the episode that best represents my growth as a partner, person and podcaster, all thanks to producing and hosting this show.
I'm working on a new episode about kink and kinky romance inspired by the Nicole Ki...
One of my favorite romantic tropes in all the world is chosen or found family. Rock bands, the military, college besties, your work husband and siblings, your little clique in high school, your beloved pets past and present—if they choose you and you choose them, they're family. If you had a less than ideal upbringing, stories like these full of emotional complexity along with acceptance, loyalty and love, are...
After losing my sweet senior dog this week, I find myself mired in waves of grief, but in between, also feeling grateful for love: human, animal, loving relationships in all of their forms and however they come into our lives. The love of an animal is a very special experience, and my heart goes out to other pet guardians who may be experiencing anticipatory grief of their own.
If you enjoyed this epi...
It's hard to describe how sexy, funny yet heartbreaking this mini series is. Based on real-life best friends Molly and Nikki, who created a podcast about Molly's sexual adventures while in hospice, it's one woman's story of healing, emotional fulfillment and discovering who she is as a romantic and sexual being. It's also a comical, heartfelt, life-affirming look at the deep bonds and love shared between female frie...
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