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Your Mom's Romance Shelf: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Alli Mowrey
What happened to the romance books your mom read before BookTok existed? Welcome to Your Mom’s Romance Shelf, where we revisit the romance novels that shaped the genre from the 1970s through the early 2000s—and ask the question: do they still hold up today? Hosted by romance creator Alli Mowrey, each episode digs into the books, authors, tropes, and cultural moments that helped build modern romance. From Judith McNaught and Johanna Lindsey to Linda Howard and Susan Elizabeth Phillips, we’re revisiting the classics, talking about what made them so influential, and taking a very honest look at what has (and hasn’t) aged well. Along the way, Alli talks with authors, booksellers, editors, publishers, academics, and lifelong romance readers about the books that shaped the genre we love today. Nostalgia, romance history, questionable heroes, iconic heroines, and plenty of “did we really think this was romantic?” moments included.
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- 1 weeks ago52 min
Susan Elizabeth Phillips on Sports Romance, Alpha Heroes, Epic Grovels & the Evolution of Romance
On this episode of Your Mom’s Romance Shelf, I’m joined by Susan Elizabeth Phillips, New York Times bestseller, RWA Hall of Fame member, and the Queen of Romantic Comedy. Susan has been writing romance for more than 40 years, and her Chicago Stars series is widely credited with launching sports romance.We talk about why Kiss an Angel has one of the best grovels of all time, what it was like to read bodice rippers in the ’70s as someone raised in the ’50s, and how The Flame and the Flower was pulled off a slush pile and changed the genre forever. Susan also shares how the Chicago Stars series happened completely by accident, the unwritten “rule” that once kept athletes out of romance, and why she thinks the NFL owes her an award.Chapters00:00 Cold open00:27 Welcome and introducing Susan Elizabeth Phillips01:59 A Cincinnati connection and sports romance fandom04:09 How Susan started writing romance05:35 Kiss an Angel and the art of the grovel08:38 Why alpha heroes are harder to write today10:35 “A book about your marriage would be kinda boring”11:50 Nuance and flawed heroes in older romance12:56 Bodice rippers, the 1950s, and “good girls didn’t”14:16 Bodice rippers and the rise of the feminist movement17:20 How The Flame and the Flower was pulled off the slush pile18:34 Sweet Savage Love and the missing grovel20:22 Before bodice rippers: Victoria Holt, Phyllis Whitney, and more21:12 Alli’s nostalgia reading list and Susan’s recommendations23:25 Rewriting Risen Glory as Just Imagine24:11 Reading older romances in historical context25:42 Sandra Brown’s “way of getting even”27:09 LaVyrle Spencer and Laura Kinsale29:18 Pacing and point of view, then and now30:06 Why romance history matters31:31 Why we reach for romance in hard times32:21 How the Chicago Stars series happened by accident36:17 Strong heroines ahead of their time38:14 Writing secondary love stories40:47 Will the Chicago Stars kids get their own books?41:55 Sports romance today and Susan as its pioneer43:35 The “rule” against sports romance and why the NFL owes Susan an award44:47 Golf romance: Fancy Pants and Lady Be Good46:38 What Susan is reading now48:06 What Alli is reading now50:47 The one older romance everyone should readLearn more about the podcast: https://www.allireadstoomuch.com/podcastFollow Alli:Instagram: @allireadstoomuch · TikTok: @allireadstoomuch · YouTube: @allireadstoomuchWebsite: https://allireadstoomuch.com/Follow Susan Elizabeth Phillips:Website: susanelizabethphillips.comInstagram: @sepauthorFacebook: Susan Elizabeth PhillipsJoin the Your Mom’s Romance Shelf book club on Fable: https://fable.co/club/you-moms-romance-shelf-with-allison-mowrey-402199741406?club_type=free
- 3 weeks ago58 min
Romance, Sexism & the Books That Shaped the Genre with Jodi McAlister
Why has romance been dismissed for so long—and what can the books of the past tell us about the genre today?In the first episode of Your Mom’s Romance Shelf, I’m joined by romance author and scholar Jodi McAlister to talk about the history and evolution of romance, from bodice rippers and bonkbusters to dark romance and the books that shaped the genre.We talk about sexism and the stigma around romance, why older romances were so wildly popular, how the genre has changed, and what we can learn from the books readers loved decades ago.Learn more about the podcast:allireadstoomuch.com/podcastFollow Alli:Instagram · TikTok · YouTube · FacebookFollow Jodi McAllister:Instagram · TikTokJoin theYour Mom’s Romance Shelf book club:Fable Book ClubBooks Mentioned in the Podcast:Jodi McAllisterAn Academic Affair — Jodi McAlister — AmazonA Study in Sparkling — Jodi McAlister — AmazonBooks Discussed & RecommendedWelcome to Temptation — Jennifer Crusie — AmazonThe Flame and the Flower — Kathleen Woodiwiss — AmazonScruples — Judith Krantz — AmazonHollywood Wives — Jackie Collins — AmazonLady Boss — Jackie Collins — AmazonParadise — Judith McNaught — AmazonBet Me — Jennifer Crusie — AmazonLovelight Farms — B.K. Borison — AmazonDevil in Winter — Lisa Kleypas
- 4 weeks ago0 min
Introducing Your Mom’s Romance Shelf: A Nostalgic Romance Book Podcast
What can the romance novels women have loved for generations tell us about us? Welcome to Your Mom’s Romance Shelf, a new podcast exploring the books, authors, fantasies, and cultural conversations behind the romance genre. New episodes coming soon
About Your Mom's Romance Shelf
What happened to the romance books your mom read before BookTok existed? Welcome to Your Mom’s Romance Shelf, where we revisit the romance novels that shaped the genre from the 1970s through the early 2000s—and ask the question: do they still hold up today? Hosted by romance creator Alli Mowrey, each episode digs into the books, authors, tropes, and cultural moments that helped build modern romance. From Judith McNaught and Johanna Lindsey to Linda Howard and Susan Elizabeth Phillips, we’re revisiting the classics, talking about what made them so influential, and taking a very honest look at what has (and hasn’t) aged well. Along the way, Alli talks with authors, booksellers, editors, publishers, academics, and lifelong romance readers about the books that shaped the genre we love today. Nostalgia, romance history, questionable heroes, iconic heroines, and plenty of “did we really think this was romantic?” moments included.
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