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Lumberjacks, lobster fishermen and dirty wood jokes take center stage as Nicole and Meghan continue June's Great Outdoors theme with two romances proving love can flourish in even the most remote corners of the map.

First up, Nicole reviews The Catch by Amy Lea. What begins as a disastrous work trip to Nova Scotia quickly spirals into a fake engagement with a local fisherman after an accident leaves the hero injured. Nicole shares why this small-town romance won her over, from the believable communication between the main characters to a family Settlers of Catan showdown that earned major bonus points. The ladies also discuss character growth, redemption arcs and whether readers should leave reviews for books they never finished.

Then Meghan reviews Wood You Marry Me? by Daphne Elliot, a marriage-of-convenience romance set in the small town of Lovewell, Maine. Between lumberjack competitions, family drama, health challenges and a surprisingly sweet slow-burn romance, this one offered unexpected depth. Plus, no discussion would be complete without mentioning Clive the moose, who may have become one of the most memorable side characters of the season.

Along the way, Nicole learns about erotic blueprints, Meghan weighs in on DNF culture and both hosts discuss the fabulous opportunities for wood-related jokes in romance novels.

Book & Beverage Pairings

Nicole: The Catch by Amy Lea with a Dark & Dirty Screech Cocktail

Meghan: Wood You Marry Me? by Daphne Elliot with The Moscow Moose

Whether you're team fake engagement, team marriage of convenience or just here for the moose content, grab your favorite beverage and join the bookish biddies for another adventure in the great outdoors.

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Credits:
Theme Music Created by Adam Wroblewski
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June's "Great Outdoors" theme is officially underway and the bookish biddies are heading into the mountains with two romances delivering adventure, emotional depth and some surprisingly thoughtful conversations about mental health.

Meghan reviews Highest Point by Kels and Denise Stone, a grumpy sunshine romance set in Alaska featuring a struggling ballet dancer, a traumatized mountain climber and a wilderness competition with a $20,000 prize. Between Clementine's debt spiral, Alec's climbing trauma and one unforgettable grandma who deserves her own book, this one was exactly the palate cleanser Meghan needed after a rough month of reading.

Meanwhile, Nicole heads to the Blue Ridge Mountains with Southern Seducer by Jessica Peterson. This friends-to-lovers romance follows retired NFL linebacker "Beau" Beauregard and his college best friend, Annabel, as they navigate postpartum depression, possible CTE concerns and years of unresolved feelings. The result is a romance full of heart, healing and some very relatable conversations about motherhood, anxiety and learning the difference between feeling full and feeling whole.

Along the way, the ladies discuss Daddy Montgomery CPR moments, Prince Albert piercings, an $8 million pirate porno, postpartum realities and why grandmothers continue to be some of the best side characters in romance.

Book & Beverage Pairings

Highest Point by Kels and Denise Stone with a K2 Cocktail

Southern Seducer by Jessica Peterson with Daycation Gold by Highland Brewing Company

So grab a drink, hit the trail and join the bookish biddies for the first stop on this summer's Great Outdoors adventure.

Support the show

Our The Ripped Bodice Affiliate Link: https://www.therippedbodice.com/aff/romanceontherockspodcast_26867
(the best way to get your smut while supporting a fabulous women-owned business and our podcast!)

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Facebook ... https://www.facebook.com/romanceontherockspodcast
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Credits:
Theme Music Created by Adam Wroblewski
Main Art by PersonalisePortrait

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In Season 3 Episode 11: Meg’s Got a Mother of a Book, the bookish biddies wrap up their “Mothers of Romance” month with two wildly different historical romances — one delightful Scottish murder mystery romance and one rage-inducing classic that sparks one of the most passionate discussions in Romance on the Rocks history.

Nicole reviews The Bride by Julie Garwood, a 1989 historical Scottish romance featuring enemies-to-lovers tension, marriage of convenience, witty banter and a murder mystery woven through the Highlands. Jamie Jamison may have a terrible sense of direction, but she quickly becomes one of Nicole’s favorite historical romance heroines thanks to her intelligence, strength and dagger-throwing abilities.

Meanwhile, Meghan tackles The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss — sometimes considered the novel that launched modern romance publishing as we know it. What follows is less a review and more a full-scale reckoning with outdated romance tropes, sexual violence in vintage romance novels, and the way generations of readers were taught to mistake manipulation and abuse for love.

Along the way, Nicole and Meghan discuss:

• The evolution of romance novels from the 1970s to today
• Why modern readers expect communication and consent
• Gorgeous historical world-building versus harmful content
• Why decolletage suddenly appears in every book

The episode also previews June’s theme, “The Great Outdoors,” featuring:

Highest Point by Kels and Denise Stone

Southern Seducer by Jessica Peterson

Grab a drink, avoid the rapey historical dukes, and join the bookish biddies for one of their most unfiltered episodes yet.

Meghan's Book & Beverage: The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss with Sangria

Nicole's Book & Beverage: The Bride by Julie Garwood with The Highland Vow

Support the show

Our The Ripped Bodice Affiliate Link: https://www.therippedbodice.com/aff/romanceontherockspodcast_26867
(the best way to get your smut while supporting a fabulous women-owned business and our podcast!)

Follow us on our socials:
Facebook ... https://www.facebook.com/romanceontherockspodcast
Instagram ... https:/www.instagram.com/romanceontherockspodcast
Pinterest ... https:/www.pinterest.com/romanceontherockspodcast

Credits:
Theme Music Created by Adam Wroblewski
Main Art by PersonalisePortrait