Creator Spotlight: Kate Glass, Founder of Briarwick Candles

Creator Spotlight: Kate Glass, Founder of Briarwick Candles

In our first guest episode, Tara and Kyra sit down with Briarwick Candles founder Kate Glass to discuss how she built a successful bookish candle business from scratch, transforming beloved romance books and fantasy novels into bestselling literary-inspired candles. Kate shares how Briarwick grew from a kitchen-counter hobby into an international brand, the challenges of scaling a small business during the pandemic, the inspiration behind her bestselling book boyfriend candles, hilarious scent-testing fails, ethical licensing with indie authors, and why community has been the foundation of Briarwick’s success. * 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro * 01:51 Favorite Trope Fake Dating * 02:45 First Candle and Etsy Launch * 04:54 From Hobby to Global Brand * 05:57 Scaling Up During COVID * 06:32 First Warehouse and Quitting Job * 08:34 Turning Books Into Scents * 10:17 Aspirational Romance Candles * 11:31 Scent Testing and Epic Fails * 12:11 Testing New Scents * 12:31 Top Candle Picks * 12:47 Fan Fiction Citrus Scale * 14:24 Handling Bookish Opinions * 15:18 Reading Slumps and Formats * 16:24 Indie Author Spotlight * 19:29 Scaling Beyond the Kitchen * 21:10 Community as Advice

Reading & Writing Retreats: Are They Worth the Hype?

Tara is back from her latest book retreat in Montana! She and Kyra dive into what really happens at reading and writing retreats, whether they’re actually worth the investment, and why having a dedicated space to read, write, and connect with other women can be so transformative. If you’ve ever wondered whether a book retreat belongs on your bucket list, this episode is for you. * 00:34 Montana Trip Recap * 02:39 What Is a Book Retreat * 04:22 Why Adults Need Villages * 05:49 Readers vs Social Hobbies * 08:02 Surprise You Barely Read * 09:22 Hosts Make the Retreat * 10:22 Pick Your Perfect Niche * 12:02 Cowboy Retreat Daydreams * 16:08 Romance Is About Girlhood * 17:39 Wrap Up and Goodbye

More Than Just Tropes: Tropesick by Lauren Okie [Spoiler Free]

Is Tropesick by Lauren Okie worth adding to your TBR? In this 100% spoiler-free review, Tara and Kyra dive into one of the most meta romance novels they’ve read, where characters are literally writing romance tropes while living them in real life. We discuss the book’s fan-favorite tropes—including forced proximity, grumpy/sunshine, brother’s best friend, girl next door, and second-chance romance—and why this story completely changed our minds about second-chance romances. We also explore the novel’s thoughtful approach to substance abuse and recovery, its witty banter, emotional depth, and the subtle touch of magical realism that makes the story feel uniquely special. * 00:00 Welcome and Spoiler Free * 00:29 First Impressions and Cover Tropes * 02:07 Second Chance Done Right * 04:14 Addiction and Healing Themes * 06:54 Meta Romance and Magical Touch * 09:42 Favorite Tropes and Girl Next Door * 12:19 Writing Tropes While Living Them * 13:29 Romance Versus Literary Fiction * 16:58 Pets in Romance and Final Thoughts * 18:48 Wrap Up and Recommendation

Book Talk: Reckless by Elsie Silver

Tara and Kyra talk about Elsie Silver’s Chestnut Springs gold buckle book, Reckless, ahead of the upcoming release of Fever Dream, diving into spoilers and why Theo Silva stands out as a top book boyfriend.  * 00:05 Why Reckless Now * 00:57 Winter the Ice Queen * 01:48 Theo Silva Appeal * 02:15 Single Dad Fantasy * 03:09 Respect and Protection * 04:01 Real Life Theo Energy * 05:20 Boundaries and Consent * 06:43 Winter Self Worth Arc * 08:22 Is Theo Too Perfect * 09:39 Naming the Tropes * 10:46 One Night Stand Mystery * 11:08 One Night Stand Debate * 11:25 Gym Scene Jealousy * 13:09 Enemies to Lovers Banter * 13:59 Winter and Summer Arc * 16:07 Theo Text Flirting * 17:29 Panic Attack and Paternity * 19:13 Next Book Hype

Read It Through Me: Kiss of the Basilisk - Kyra's Blind Reaction

This is the first episode of the Read It Through Me series! The concept is simple: Tara walks through the book, and Kyra reacts, having never read it. We are kicking it off with Kiss of the Basilisk: A Split Or Swallow Novel by Lindsay Straube. If you want to experience every shock and plot twist right along with Kyra, this is the series for you. Warning: full spoilers in this episode! * 00:00 Podcast Welcome * 01:31 Erotica Surprise * 01:54 Defining Erotica * 02:36 Spice Overload * 03:25 Spoiler Setup * 03:36 Meet Temperance * 04:10 Snake War Lore * 04:49 Seduction Training * 05:55 Cassin the Mentor * 07:36 Magic Toy Twist * 09:00 Love Triangle Heat * 10:37 Carriage Scene Shock * 11:31 Choosing the Prince * 12:16 Snake Politics Tease * 12:51 Necklace Proposal Politics * 14:29 Jealous Mind Speak Twist * 15:10 Half Snake Heritage Reveal * 15:50 Quiver Marriage Sex Trial * 18:03 Public Proof Scene Fallout * 20:39 Who She Ends Up With * 21:29 Dark Scene Warnings * 22:19 Bonus Threesome Chapter * 22:46 Should You Read It * 23:59 Final Thoughts Sign Off