Episodes

  • Exodus by Kate Stewart, Soldier Up, Buttercup, Pt 2

    Exodus by Kate Stewart, Soldier Up, Buttercup, Pt 2
    Jul 15 2026
    SPOILER WARNING Heads up, confessors, this is a SPOILER-HEAVY episode. We are finishing Exodus by Kate Stewart, Book 2 of the Ravenhood Trilogy, and nothing is safe. If you have not read Flock or Exodus, save this episode and come back after Kate Stewart has emotionally destroyed you, too. The Book Title: Exodus Series: Book 2 of the Ravenhood Trilogy Author: Kate Stewart Spice / Heat: Angry, possessive, emotional, and occasionally in need of a safe word Tropes: Secret society, forbidden romance, possessive hero, revenge, betrayal, grief, second chances, morally gray men, and trauma recovery The Confession Welcome back to the feral little sister of Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads. In Part 2, Cecilia is officially done with everyone’s shit. Tires are slashed, a garage is burning, bags are packed, and she is finally fighting back. Then Dominic walks through the door holding a gun, and the entire story changes. We unpack Dominic’s devastating sacrifice, Cecilia fleeing Triple Falls covered in blood, and the six years she spends trying—and failing—to move on. When she returns, Cecilia is older, stronger, wealthier, and no longer willing to quietly accept Tobias King’s secretive bullshit. She forces him to face her, claims her place in the company, and begins taking back the power everyone stripped away. We also dig into Sean moving on, Tobias losing control, the truth about Dominic’s parents, Cecilia’s mother’s role in the tragedy, and Tobias building his revenge around the wrong person. Under all the sex, grief, violence, and chaos, this episode is about trauma, unfinished love, consent, power, forgiveness, and the difference between moving forward and actually healing. Keywords: Exodus by Kate Stewart, Ravenhood Trilogy, Exodus spoilers, Tobias King, Dominic King, Cecilia Horner, Sean Roberts, dark romance podcast, spicy book podcast, BookTok romance, morally gray romance, secret society romance, Paperback Confessions The Pour Pair this episode with bourbon, whiskey, dark red wine, or something French and dangerously smooth. You may want to keep the bottle nearby because Dominic’s final scene still hurts. Just the Tip In Just the Tip, we ask whether Exodus is truly spicy or whether the emotional trauma simply makes everything feel hotter. Cecilia and Tobias bring angry sex, possessiveness, power struggles, and chemistry that refuses to die. Tobias also brings several moments that had us questioning consent, boundaries, and why nobody in Triple Falls has heard of healthy communication. On our Halos to Handcuffs scale, the handcuffs are present—but somebody needs to find the key, establish a safe word, and call a therapist. What We Get Into Cecilia goes full Carrie Underwood on the Ravenhood’s tiresDominic sacrifices himself to save CeciliaHis heartbreaking final momentsCecilia, escaping Triple Falls, covered in bloodThe six-year time jump and her almost-marriage to ColinThe connection between the Flock prologue and ExodusSean is marrying Tessa and starting a familyCecilia is returning stronger and demanding her power backTobias is secretly trying to buy Roman’s companyWhy can't Tobias control the grown-up CeciliaColin versus TobiasWhich host would each chooseThe truth about Dominic’s parentsCecilia’s mother is allowing Roman to carry the blameAngry sex and questionable consentSean is restoring Dominic’s CamaroThe raven necklace mysteryWhy this book needs a safe word and group therapy Favorite Chaos Moments Dirty Skittles: “Soldier up, buttercup. Get the fuck out of here.” Nacho: “The heart or the clitoris?” G-Rex: “I need some more of that Frenchman dick.” Nacho: “He maintains dick energy.” G-Rex: “The book needs a safe word more than they needed group therapy.” Our Rating We highly recommend Exodus, but you absolutely need to read Flock first. G-Rex gives the spice 17 Hail Marys and four Our Fathers, plus a recommendation that Tobias check himself into sex therapy. Nacho keeps the spice at PG-13, but gives Kate Stewart goddess-level credit for creating an emotional roller coaster filled with unforgettable characters. Dirty Skittles also finds the spice surprisingly mild because the grief and emotional destruction overpower nearly everything else. Collectively, we agree that Exodus is darker, heavier, and more emotionally brutal than Flock. We loved it. We hated parts of it. We wanted to throw it across the room. And naturally, we kept reading. Subscribe, Rate & Review Subscribe so you never miss an episode of Paperback Confessions, and rate and review us wherever you listen. Every review helps more confessors find our messy little book club. Visit www.paperbackconfessions.com for episodes, bookish chaos, and everything else we probably should not be saying into microphones. Coming Up Next We have officially survived Exodus. Barely. Next, we are heading into The Finish Line, the final book in the Ravenhood Trilogy. Who reaches the...
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    50 mins
  • Exodus by Kate Stewart, The Frenchman Enters the Chat, Pt 1

    Exodus by Kate Stewart, The Frenchman Enters the Chat, Pt 1
    Jul 8 2026
    SPOILER WARNING Heads up, confessors, this is a SPOILER-HEAVY episode. We are deep into Exodus by Kate Stewart, Book 2 of the Ravenhood Trilogy, and we are not holding shit back. If you have not read Flock or Exodus and want to go in blind, save this episode and come back when you are emotionally prepared. The Book Title: ExodusSeries: Book 2 of the Ravenhood TrilogyAuthor: Kate StewartSpice / Heat: Hot, angry, possessive, and emotionally complicatedTropes: Secret society, enemies-to-lovers energy, forbidden romance, possessive hero, age gap tension, betrayal, revenge plot, morally gray men, emotional damage, and one very exhausted Cecilia The Confession Welcome back to the feral little sister of Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads. In Part 1 of our Exodus discussion, Dirty Skittles, Nacho, and G-Rex return to Triple Falls, where the secrets are bigger, the stakes are messier, and Tobias King officially enters the chat. If Flock was the temptation, Exodus is the consequence. We talk about Cecilia’s heartbreak after Sean and Dominic disappear, Tobias showing up with full mafia suit energy, and why this man is somehow scary, sexy, possessive, and a walking red flag all at once. This episode gets into the angry sex, the questionable consent moments, the garden scene, Sean and Dominic’s audacity, Cecilia finally standing up for herself, the Ravenhood tattoos, and the theories that made us question who is really pulling the strings. Under all the spice and chaos, we also dig into abandonment, loneliness, betrayal, self-worth, manipulation, possessiveness, and what happens when someone is expected to wait forever with no answers. Exodus Part 1 is messy, spicy, emotionally brutal, and full of men who need therapy, honesty, and maybe a group timeout. Keywords: Exodus by Kate Stewart, Ravenhood Trilogy, Kate Stewart Exodus, Exodus spoilers, Ravenhood spoilers, Tobias King, The Frenchman, The Wolf, Cecilia Horner, Sean and Dominic, dark romance podcast, spicy book podcast, romance book podcast, BookTok romance, morally gray romance, secret society romance, Paperback Confessions The Pour This episode pairs well with something dark, strong, and a little dangerous. Think whiskey, bourbon, red wine, or whatever drink helps you survive Tobias walking into the story like he owns the whole damn room. Just the Tip In our spicy segment, Just the Tip, we get into the rage-filled, emotionally messy, and very complicated chemistry between Cecilia and Tobias. This is not soft romance. This is angry sex, power plays, possessive energy, and a whole lot of “that was hot, but should we be concerned?” On our Halos to Handcuffs spice scale, this one is definitely leaning toward handcuffs, but not without a serious conversation about consent, control, and red flags that only work in the book world. What We Get Into Tobias King, the Frenchman, and his full mafia energyCecilia’s heartbreak after Sean and Dominic disappearWhy does waiting almost a year change how we see Cecilia’s choicesTobias is forcing his way into Cecilia’s lifeAngry sex, possessiveness, and questionable consentSean and Dominic are coming back with way too much audacityThe garden scene and Cecilia finally standing up for herselfThe raven necklace, the tattoos, and who may be behind themDirty Skittles’ French doors theoryWhy Exodus feels heavier, darker, and more emotionally brutal than Flock Favorite Chaos Moments Dirty Skittles: “If Flock was the temptation, Exodus is the consequence.” Nacho: “No, go read the book and then listen to the other one.” G-Rex: “He’s kind of a scary motherfucker.” Nacho: “Such a dick.” G-Rex: “Just be fucking honest. Like, it’s so fucking shady.” Dirty Skittles: “Fuckery is afoot.” Our Rating We do not fully land on ratings in Part 1, because Exodus is still actively emotionally assaulting us. But this much is clear: Book 2 is darker, hotter, messier, and way more emotionally damaging than we were prepared for. Kate Stewart knew exactly what she was doing, and once again, we walked right into the trap. Subscribe, Rate & Review If you had as much fun spiraling with us as we did, please subscribe so you never miss an episode. Then rate and review us wherever you listen. Every review helps more confessors find their way to our messy little book club, and honestly, it makes our whole damn week. Coming Up Next We are not done with Exodus. Part 2 is coming, and based on where this conversation is headed, the emotional damage is only getting worse. #PaperbackConfessions #Exodus #Ravenhood #KateStewart #DarkRomance #SpicyBooks #BookTok #Bookstagram #RomanceBooks #TobiasKing #TheFrenchman #TheWolf #RavenhoodTrilogy #SmutMasters #BookPodcast #RomancePodcast #SpicyReads #BookClub #ReadToEscape #BookishPodcast #MorallyGrayMen #SecretSocietyRomance Where to Find Us Website: https://www.paperbackconfessions.com Instagram: @paperback_confessions Paperback Confessions is the feral sister...
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    42 mins
  • Flock by Kate Stewart, Our First Confession, Pt 2

    Flock by Kate Stewart, Our First Confession, Pt 2
    Jul 1 2026
    SPOILER WARNING Heads up, confessors — this is a SPOILER-HEAVY episode. We are deep into Flock by Kate Stewart, and Part 2 does not hold back. If you have not read the book and want to go in blind, save this episode and come back when you are emotionally prepared. Otherwise, pour a drink, settle in, and turn the page with us. The Book Title: FlockSeries: Book 1 of the Ravenhood TrilogyAuthor: Kate StewartSpice / Heat: PG-13 by smut master standards, but Chapter 25 is absolutely doing the mostTropes: Why-choose / multiple love interests, forbidden romance, enemies-to-lovers energy, secret society, small-town secrets, emotional damage, slow burn, age-gap tension, and one very complicated first-person narrator The Confession Welcome back to the feral little sister of Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads. In Part 2 of our very first Paperback Confessions episode, Dirty Skittles, Nacho, and G-Rex return to finish unpacking Flock by Kate Stewart, and let’s just say… things get messy fast. This episode is full of theories, chaos, questionable logistics, and emotional damage. We talk about the infamous lake scene, the floaty-versus-dock debate, and why Chapter 25 had us rereading, rewinding, and wondering how three people made that scene work when Leo could not even fit on the Titanic door. We also dig into Cecilia’s relationships with Sean and Dominic, the sunny-days-and-rainy-days dynamic, the Ravenhood secrets, and the moment everything starts to feel much bigger than a spicy summer romance. There is the garage scene that made us furious, the reveal that Cecilia may have been “the secret” all along, and that cliffhanger with the Frenchman that made us want to throw a Kindle across the room. Under all the spice and ridiculousness, we also get into the deeper stuff: loneliness, self-worth, manipulation, chosen family, red flags, consent, power, and what happens when a young woman with very little support gets pulled into a world she does not fully understand. Part 2 is chaotic, funny, spicy, emotional, and honestly a little rude — just like the ending of Flock. Keywords: Flock by Kate Stewart, Ravenhood Trilogy, Kate Stewart Flock, Flock book discussion, Flock spoilers, Ravenhood spoilers, dark romance podcast, spicy book podcast, romance book podcast, why-choose romance, Sean and Dominic, Cecilia Flock, Ravenhood theories, Exodus Kate Stewart, BookTok romance, spicy books, smutty book club, spoiler-heavy book podcast, Paperback Confessions The Pour This episode pairs well with whiskey, something smoky, or whatever drink helps you survive Chapter 25 and that ending. Last week, we poured a Dominic-inspired Smoky Old-Fashioned, and honestly, that still feels right. Dark, complicated, intense, and probably a little dangerous. Just the Tip In our spicy segment, Just the Tip, we talk about the hottest scene in the book — and yes, we are absolutely talking about the lake scene. Was it a raft? A floating dock? A giant lake air mattress? A water bed with main-character energy? We may never know. What we do know is that Cecilia, Sean, and Dominic somehow made it work, and we had thoughts. A lot of thoughts. On our Halos to Handcuffs spice scale, G-Rex gave the scene a full handcuffs rating because sometimes a book scene is hot enough to make you go back and read it more than once. No shame. That is literally why we are here. What We Get Into The lake scene, Chapter 25, and the great floaty-versus-dock debateWhy three people could make that scene work when Leo still could not fit on the Titanic doorDominic, Sean, Cecilia, and the emotional logistics of a throupleSunny days with Sean and rainy days with DominicThe condom conversation and why the lake scene raised some questionsDominic buying Cecilia romance books and turning reading into foreplayThe Ravenhood tattoos, the secrecy, and Cecilia realizing something much bigger is happeningThe garage scene and why it felt emotionally brutalWhy Cecilia being “the secret” changes the whole storyThe Wolf, the Frenchman, and that cliffhanger endingWhy Exodus is already messing with our headsCecilia’s loneliness and why her choices are more complicated than they first appearOur unpopular opinions, plot-hole questions, and predictions for the rest of the trilogy Favorite Chaos Moments Dirty Skittles: “Dad, if you’re listening, now is the time to fast forward.” Dirty Skittles: “Why couldn’t we get Leo on that raft in the ocean, but Cecilia, Sean, and Dominic somehow manage to have a threesome floating in a river?” G-Rex: “I’m 62 years old. I don’t have time for edging.” G-Rex: “Cecilia’s not stupid. She’s just young, lonely, and under-informed.” Nacho: “I would be following my dick.” Our Rating G-Rex rated Flock a 4.5 based on the spice and the emotional chaos. Nacho and Dirty Skittles agreed that the book is absolutely worth the read, even if the spice level depends on where you are in your own smut-reading ...
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    46 mins
  • Flock by Kate Stewart, Our First Confession, Pt 1

    Flock by Kate Stewart, Our First Confession, Pt 1
    Jun 24 2026

    SPOILER WARNING: Heads up, confessors — this is a SPOILER-HEAVY episode. We go all the way in on Flock. If you haven't read it and want to go in blind, bookmark this page and come back. Otherwise, pour a drink and turn the page with us.

    The Book

    • Title: Flock (Book 1 of the Ravenhood Trilogy)
    • Author: Kate Stewart
    • Spice / Heat: PG-13 by smut master standards — your gateway drug intro to dark romance
    • Tropes: Why-choose / multiple love interests, enemies-to-lovers, slow burn, first-person (possibly unreliable) narrator, small-town secrets, forbidden romance

    The Confession

    Welcome to the feral little sister of Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads. In our very first episode EVER, your messy-best-friend smut masters — Dirty Skittles, Nacho, and G-Rex — crack open Flock, the book that started it all. We meet Cecilia, the wallflower with a "masochistic romantic heart," and the two very different men circling her: Sean, the granola-anarchy golden retriever, and Dominic, the black-cat-energy Frenchman who turns their hatred into a contact sport. We talk red flags, self-worth, the parts of Cecilia that made us want to shake her and see ourselves at 19, and why escaping into these books is its own kind of self-care. Part 1 of 2 — the rest of the chaos is coming.

    The Pour

    This episode's cocktail: a Smoky Old-Fashioned, themed after Dominic. ("My tongue feels like it's made of honey, which is kind of sexy, right?")

    What We Get Into

    • Cecilia's opening line, "I grew up sick,” and what it does to your heart
    • The unnamed mother (intentional? we think so) and "Sir" vs. "Roman"
    • Sean's phone rule, the smashed watch, and the red-flag/green-flag debate
    • Dominic, the puppet master, and "violence makes me hard"
    • Carrot cake. That's it. That's the scene.
    • Three women, three points of view, zero professionals — and why that's the point

    Subscribe, Rate & Review

    If you had as much fun as we did, do us a solid — subscribe so you never miss an episode, then rate and review wherever you listen. Every review helps more confessors find their way to our messy little book club, and honestly, it makes our whole week.

    Where to Find Us

    • Website: https://www.paperbackconfessions.com
    • Instagram: @paperback_confessions

    Stay tuned for Part 2 — the rest of the chaos, confessions, and spoilers.

    Hashtags

    #PaperbackConfessions #Flock #Ravenhood #KateStewart #DarkRomance #SpicyBooks #BookTok #Bookstagram #RomanceBooks #WhyChooseRomance #EnemiesToLovers #SmutMasters #BookPodcast #RomancePodcast #SpicyReads #BookClub #ReadToEscape #BookishPodcast #RomanceReaders #SlowBurn

    Where to Find Us

    Website: https://www.paperbackconfessions.com

    Instagram: @paperback_confessions

    Paperback Confessions is the feral sister podcast to the award-winning Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads, where we normalize conversations about mental health through honest stories, laughter, and real connection.

    Discover more at: https://goesoninourheads.net
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    45 mins