We Read Smut: Bookish Conversations for Romance Readers
Finally, a home for the spice you love and the representation you deserve. We Read Smut, hosted by Alesia, builds a judgment-free zone for readers who crave spicy plots and substance. We celebrate high-heat stories and inclusive casts. If you want open-door romance that features every body, you found the right show.
What to expect:
- Trope Breakdowns: We dissect the best (and hottest) tropes in the genre.
- Author Interviews: Hear the story behind the spice from your favorite creators.
- Shelf Help: Expert guidance to help you conquer your TBR pile.
- Inclusive Stories: We prioritize representative leads and diverse voices.
Whether you're a seasoned smut reader or just dipping your toes into the genre, this podcast is for you. We leave the shame at the door and celebrate the power of a well-written romance.
Join the Circle: Want personalized book picks and a private chat with Alesia? Join the After Dark Circle on Substack. Supporters get full access to every post and our private community of romance fans.
Connect with us: Follow @WeReadSmut on Instagram and use the hashtag #WeReadSmut to share your current read.
Episodes
71 episodes
Aya Winter on How Trend Readership Is Ruining Character Arcs and Reader Expectations
Trend readership is a fascinating topic, especially when readers enter a new genre without understanding the underlying character arcs or structural conventions. This week, I am sitting down with multi-genre indie author Aya Winter to break dow...
Gabriella Gamez on Librarians in Love, Brother’s Best Friend, and Latinx Character Dynamics
Let's talk about the absolute chaos demon that these librarians' love lives are. This week, I am sitting down with Gabriella Gamez to talk all about her Librarians in Love series. We dive into her books The Next Best Fling,
Melanated Reader on Mobilizing One Million Readers for Black Literature and Fighting Post-Literacy
What started as a simple vision to mobilize the bookish community has turned into an entire movement aiming to pull one million people together to read books by Black authors. In this special bonus episode, I am sitting down with Crystal, the f...
Katie Duggan on Giving Marginalized Characters the Spicy Happily-Ever-Afters They Deserve
Who says that romance is only for able-bodied or thin characters? In this episode, Northern Virginia romance author Katie Duggan joins the microphone to look at how we can take regular contemporary romance tropes and subvert them to center fat,...
Alyssa on Stories & Spoilers, Sapphic Romance, and Book Reviews
If you read across genres and love picking apart the deeper mechanics of a story, this conversation is for you. This week, I am sitting down with Alyssa, the brilliant host of the Stories & Spoilers podcast. As a self-proclaimed mo...
Regina Black on Soap Opera Romance Tropes and Writing Authentic Character Choices
How much do your childhood experiences or the way you were raised dictate the choices you make as an adult? This week, I am sitting down with the incredible Regina Black, author of The Art of Scandal and her latest paperback release, <...
How to Find Bookish Friends and Romance Community Outside Social Media
Making new friends as an adult is notoriously difficult, and when your primary hobby is reading high-heat romance novels, it can feel even harder to find your people. As an introvert who gets overstimulated quickly, the thought of trying to bui...
Organizing My Physical & Digital Library as a Mood Reader
Organizing your bookshelves or Kindle starting to feel chaotic? In this Season 3 finale, I’m taking you behind the scenes of how I organize my physical and digital romance library without making it a full-time job.We’re talking sapphic s...
Adrienne Thurman on Finding Yourself at Every Phase of Life and Don’t Tell Me How It Ends
Reconnecting with your creative identity after a massive life shift is challenging, especially when that shift is motherhood. Today, I am talking with debut author Adrienne Thurman about her new contemporary rom-com, Don't Tell Me How It En...
Swati Hegde on Love Beyond Reasonable Doubt and Second Chance Romance
Second chance romance has been testing my boundaries lately. After years of avoiding the trope, I am finally seeing the appeal of a hard-earned reunion. Today, I sit down with Swati Hegde to discuss her new book, Love Beyond Reasonable Doubt. W...
Marina Hill on Subverting the Billionaire Trope in Romance
The billionaire trope is a staple in romance, but what happens when the hero decides he doesn't actually want the money? Today, I’m talking with Marina Hill about her journey from writing fanfiction to crafting intricate stories that challenge ...
Fat Girl Smut on Early Release (IYKYK) and Fat Positive Romance
Everyone deserves to see themselves reflected in every single trope and microtrope. Today, I am joined by Meg of Fat Girl Smut to examine the radical joy of seeing larger bodies in romance and the specific humor of the coming early microtrope. ...
Charish Reid on The Realities of Academia & Writing Across Genres
I am always curious about how authors take their real-world expertise and use it to craft stories that make us feel seen. This week, I chat with Charish Reid, an author who navigated the world of academia as an adjunct instructor before making ...
Babe in Library on Second Chance Recs You’ll Actually Love
Second Chance Romance usually gets a meh from me. I am a fool me once, shame on you type of reader, so reruns in romance rarely make my list. But today, Lisa from Babe in Library joins the podcast to flip the script on its head. She shares why ...
10+ Autistic Rep Romance Recommendations: Shifting the Narrative on Neurodivergence
In honor of Autism Acceptance Month, I am sharing a curated list of books that feature authentic autistic representation. This episode is deeply personal. I share the story of my son’s diagnosis and how that journey led to my own realization th...
L.M. Bennett on Flipping the Script on Earned Happily Ever Afters
I am always curious about how my favorite authors take tropes I sometimes struggle with and make them absolutely delicious. In this episode, I chatted with L.M. Bennett, the author behind some of the most soulful and beautifully complicated Bla...
Danielle Allen on The Shift From Indie to Traditional Book Deals
Does the romance industry still fear fat Black women on book covers? USA Today Bestselling author Danielle Allen joins the podcast to discuss her transition from a prolific indie career to traditional publishing with Bramble. She explains why h...
.png)
The Curvy Literary on Curating Your Algorithm to Find Plus-Size Romance
What happens when you realize the romance novels you love don’t feature characters who look like you? Keshia, the creator behind The Curvy Literary, joins the podcast to share how she reclaimed her reading life by centering plus-size heroines. ...
Diverse Rivals to Lovers: Sapphic, BIPOC, and Plus-Size Rep
There is something absolutely delicious about rivals to lovers, and I am not talking about enemies to lovers. While the two often get lumped together, a true rivalry focuses on competition and the drive for success. Whether it is a workplace pr...
Sabina Nordqvist on The Power of Own Voices in Spoonie Romance
In this episode, Sabina Nordqvist shares her journey as a disabled author, discussing the importance of authentic disability representation, the impact of internalized ableism, and how to create meaningful characters with lived experiences. We ...
The Cure for Book Amnesia: Why We Forget What We Read with Lisa Zawrotny
Have you ever opened a book only for your tracking app to tell you that you’ve already read it? This week on We Read Smut, Alesia is joined by productivity coach and host of the Positively Living podcast, Lisa Zawrotny, to discuss book...
.png)
Deanna Grey on Finding Her Voice in New Adult Romance
What do you do when your corporate job feels like a dead end during a global pandemic? You bet on yourself. This week on We Read Smut, Alesia sits down with Deanna Grey, the author of Outdrawn and the Mendell Hawks series, to ...
.png)
Shelbey Monae on Deconstructing Literary Excellence + Healing Through Smut
Are you reading for the heart, the mind, or the coochie? This week on We Read Smut, Alesia is joined by Shelbey Monae, the powerhouse behind Shelbey and the Book Club and co-host of The League of Extraordinary Readers podcast....
How to Get Romance Books for Free or Low Cost
Does the book haul culture of social media make you feel like your shelves (or your wallet) aren't enough? While curated, exclusive hardcovers are beautiful, romance is for everyone, regardless of your budget. This week on We Read Smut, Alesia ...
Nikki Clarke on Black Women in Speculative Romance
Why settle for a boring reality when you can have a Space Daddy who is actually obsessed with you? This week on We Read Smut, Alesia sits down with MFA poet and speculative fiction author Nikki Clarke to discuss her mission to center Black wome...
