Ambar Cordova on Creating Diverse Small Town Romance Artwork

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.

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Trope Breakdowns: We dissect the best (and hottest) tropes in the genre.
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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.

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We Read Smut: Bookish Conversations for Romance Readers

Ambar Cordova on Creating Diverse Small Town Romance

August 27, 2025 • WeReadSmut • Season 2 • Episode 8

0:00 | 50:29

Have you ever dreamed of a small town where every love story feels fresh, emotional, and perfectly real? Today on We Read Smut, we're joined by Ambar Cordova, who masterfully crafts these worlds in her small town multicultural romances. Join us as Ambar shares her incredible journey from avid reader to a romance author who writes relatable, messy, and realistic love stories with happy endings.

Ambar Cordova is a romance author of heartfelt multicultural stories. With a focus on raw, emotional storytelling, she creates relatable worlds with flawed characters that feel real. She grew up in the Dominican Republic and brings the diversity as inspiration to her stories. Ambar writes books that readers not only escape into, but also find themselves in. Her debut series, Baker Oaks, features a cozy small town in Florida showing multicultural stories that bring butterflies and sometimes tears to her readers. When Ambar is not writing she’s teaching, spending time with her family and reading. Ambar enjoys boat rides, traveling, and spending time outside.

In this episode, we're discussing:

From Reader to Author: Ambar's journey began with a COVID-19 book swap, which led her to discover the joy of romance novels and their guaranteed happy endings.
The Power of Lived Experience: Ambar's books are a reflection of her personal experiences, from growing up in the Dominican Republic to living in a small town in Florida. She believes that good character development can make anyone feel seen in a story, regardless of their background.
Reclaiming the Small Town Trope: Ambar challenges the stereotypical depiction of small towns in romance by creating progressive, diverse, and realistic communities like her fictional Baker Oaks.
Celebrating Imperfect Characters: Ambar is confident in writing "messy" and emotional characters that may frustrate readers but are always true to themselves. She embraces the miscommunication trope, believing it adds depth and realism to her stories.

Feeling seen in a story is a powerful thing, and Ambar's work is a testament to the healing power of romance. We're so excited to see her bring more diverse, messy, and wonderfully emotional stories to life.

CONNECT WITH AMBAR CORDOVA:

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BOOKS/AUTHORS MENTIONED:

Baker Oaks Series

Running list of books mentioned (Doc)

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This podcast was produced by Galati Media.
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