S02.08: Competence & Careers in Romance

Today, we’re talking jobs in romance novels—why we love them, when we hate them, what’s the proper work/smooch balance, and what we mean when we say “competence porn.” This is a far reaching, many-rec episode that involves discussion of billionaires, of wealth, of power, of what Sarah means when she says heroes have to be kings, no matter what. We’ll also try to get to the bottom of what an Enterprise Holding, LTD is. Nah, that’s a lie, because who cares?! Oh, and stay tuned for Sarah’s treatise on the importance of local journalism.

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Next week, we’re taking you to blasphemy town! Or are we?! The read is Sarah’s pick, Sierra Simone’s Priest, which is an erotic romance in first-person hero POV, featuring a priest and an exotic dancer (NB: She is not Catholic). If sex in church is your concern, maybe skip this one, but also know that there’s a lot fo religious allegory in here that is fascinating and brilliant. Content warning for discussion of the Catholic Church and sexual abuse. Get it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Kobo or your local indie.

Show Notes

• Jen said fossils are boring. It wasn't a good look.
• Defining competence porn.
• Christian Grey at work.
• Despite when Jen said, most sex toys are not made out of neoprene. And please be cautious about the sex toys you buy.
• Imposter syndrome is the worst for everyone but these guys.
• Job versus career versus vocation.
• The Joanna Shupe book about the architect is actually called A Scandalous Deal.
• If you do want to read books about fossils, Amanda Quick and Tessa Dare have them. Eloisa James does not. Manda Collins does. Sarah MacLean does not.
• What's wrong with "Not Like Other Girls."
• What's a bluestocking?
• Doogie Howser was a doctor, not an astrophysicist.
• How to avoid the "What do you do" question.
• The recent Supreme Court case about the rights of queer people to work.
• Sarah mentioned an article about how Americans haven't gotten a raise in 40 years, and Jen mentioned the struggle to stay in the middle class.
• Lori Lightfoot won the Chicago mayor's election, but here's the story about her background and why Black Lives Matter activists are worried.
• The thing Jen made into a job: writing about romance for Kirkus.
• High School Musical 2 had the "I need a college scholarship" plot.
• Roseanne and class on television.
• Jen really hated This is 40.
• Are you in Chicago? Come to Jen's romance book club at 57th Street Books or at Love's Sweet Arrow.
• Divorce has profoundly negative impact on women's financial security.
• Sarah mentioned a twitter thread about mothers telling their daughter's to have separate money and why women get jewelry as wedding gifts.
• All women work, even if they don't have a job outside the home.
• An overwhelming majority of American school teachers are white women.
• You should read Catch and Kill if you can, but the story about how it impacted Ronan Farrow's relationship is also interesting.
• Subscribe to your local newspaper!
• This week, caller Samantha from Kuala Lumpur recommends Spellbound by Nora Roberts.
• Next up is Priest from Sierra Simone.

The Rest

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