From meetcute to rock bottom to grand gesture, Karina and Clare ride the highs and lows of classic and contemporary romantic comedies; and share insights from behind the scenes as authors of rom-coms.
Presented by:
Clare Fletcher, author of Love Match, 2023 & Five Bush Weddings, 2022, Penguin
Karina May, author of Never Ever Forever, 2023 & Duck a l’Orange for Breakfast, 2023, Pan Macmillan
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From meetcute to rock bottom to grand gesture, Karina and Clare ride the highs and lows of classic and contemporary romantic comedies; and share insights from behind the scenes as authors of rom-coms.
Presented by:
Clare Fletcher, author of Love Match, 2023 & Five Bush Weddings, 2022, Penguin
Karina May, author of Never Ever Forever, 2023 & Duck a l’Orange for Breakfast, 2023, Pan Macmillan
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Subscribe to our Substack for full, linked shownotes: https://thatromcompod.substack.com/
Guest: @amalmdawad or her website
If you’d like to make a donation, Amal recommends the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund or Medecins Sans Frontieres.
Courting Samira, Amal Awad (2011)
This is How You Get Better, Amal Awad (2015)
The Things We See in the Light, Amal Awad (2021)
Our conversation with Saman Shad (who released her new novel The Sex Lives of Married Women earlier this year):
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/set-ups-with-saman-shad/id1703734806?i=1000651936624
https://thatromcompod.substack.com/p/episode-16-set-ups-with-saman-shad
Bitter & Sweet, Amal Awad (2023)
Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert (2007)
Beyond Veiled Clichés: The Real Lives of Arab Women, Amal Awad
Mostly Martha (2002, available to rent on Prime)
No Reservations (2007, Stan)
Blessed Are The Cheesemakers, Sarah-Kate Lynch (2001, Penguin)
By Bread Alone, Sarah-Kate Lynch (2003, Penguin)
Recorded on Gadigal land. | Editing: Joshua Broadbent, Marker Creative Co. | @thatromcompod
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Guest: @lauracarterauthor
Catch A Falling Star, Laura Carter
Lick, Kylie Scott
Daisy Jones & the Six, Taylor Jenkins Reid
Deep Cuts, Holly Brickley
Sing You Home, Jodi Picoult
The Lost Love Song, Minnie Darke
Love is a War Song, Danica Nava
Never Been Shipped, Alicia Thompson
August Lane, Regina Black | The Critical Heart
Here Comes The Ex, Portia MacIntosh
Back in the Saddle, Maggie Eckersley
Rock My World, Camilla Isley
Romance is Dead, Katie Bohn
Head First, Claire Kershaw
Say You’ll Remember Me, Abby Jimenez
Isn't It Nice We Both Hate the Same Things, Jessica Seaborn
Recorded on Gadigal land. | Editing: Joshua Broadbent, Marker Creative Co. | @thatromcompod
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Guest: @hollybrunnbauer / website / No Shelf Control / The Write Track
What Did I Miss?, Holly Brunnbauer (2025, HarperCollins)
The Debut Crew 2025 (The Write Reads)
It’s Been A Pleasure Noni Blake, Claire Christian
Claire Christian on The First Time podcast
Someone Else’s Bucket List, Amy Matthews
Emergency Exit Only, Michelle Upton
Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert / Stan
Salty, Spiced, and a Little Bit Nice, Cynthia Timoti
Midnight Gate, S.K. Stapar
Big Feelings, Amy Lovat
Starry Eyed, Katharine Pollock
Recorded on Gadigal land. | Editing: Joshua Broadbent, Marker Creative Co. | @thatromcompod
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Guest: Jessica Stanley (@DailyDoseOfJess / Read. Look. Think.
Consider Yourself Kissed / A Great Hope, Jessica Stanley
The Line of Beauty, Alan Hollinghurst
American Wife / Romantic Comedy, Curtis Sittenfeld
One Day /You Are Here, David Nicholls
Cleopatra and Frankenstein, Coco Mellors
Big Feelings / Mistakes and Other Lovers, Amy Lovat
Less, Andrew Sean Greer
Sorrow and Bliss, Meg Mason
Rise and Shine / Love and Other Puzzles, Kimberley Allsopp
Alicia Thompson on miscommunication
Happiness Forever, Adelaide Faith
Margot’s Got Money Troubles, Rufi Thorpe
Careless People, Sarah Wynne Williams
Recorded on Gadigal land. | Editing: Joshua Broadbent, Marker Creative Co. | @thatromcompod
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Guest: @chloeraeberry / @booktokbookclub / The Berry Agency
Throne of Glass series, Sarah J Maas (Bloomsbury)
Mountain Men Matchmaker series, Amy Daws (HarperCollins)
‘Search LibGen, the Pirated-Books Database That Meta Used to Train AI’
ASA Guidelines for authors on AI
“‘Sign our own death warrant’: Australian writers angry after Melbourne publisher asks them to sign AI agreements” Guardian Australia
@staceymcewanbooks
Signs of Damage, Diana Reid
‘Which Celebrity Book Club Could (Actually) Change Your Life?’ Emily Gould
Immortal, Sue Lynn Tan
Out on a Limb, Hannah Bonam-Young
Sipsworth, Simon van Booy
Seven Brides for Beau McBride, Amy Barry
What Did I Miss?, Holly Brunbauer
Recorded on Gadigal land. | Editing: Joshua Broadbent, Marker Creative Co. | @thatromcompod
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Guest: @jodimccalister
An Academic Affair, Jodi McAlister
Cover Story, Mhairi McFarlane
Marry Me Juliet series, Jodi McAlister
The Love Contract, Steph Vizard
The Devil in Winter, Lisa Kleypas
The Hating Game, Sally Thorne
The Paradise Problem, Roomies, Christina Lauren
My Big Fat Fake Marriage, Charlotte Stein
Seven Brides for Beau McBride, Amy Barry
Tempest, Beverly Jenkins
The Convenient Marriage, Georgette Heyer
When a Scot Ties the Knot, Tessa Dare
First Comes Marriage, Mary Balogh
To Seduce a Sinner, Elizabeth Hoyt
The Geographer’s Map to Romance, India Holton
In The Long Run, Emma Mugglestone
Mother Tongue, Naima Brown
Recorded on Gadigal land. | Editing: Joshua Broadbent, Marker Creative Co. | @thatromcompod
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Guest: Mhairi McFarlane (Follow Mhairi on Instagram @mhairimcf)
Cover Story, Mhairi McFarlane (2025, HarperCollins)
You Had Me At Hello, Mhairi McFarlane (2012, HarperCollins)
Romantic Comedy, Curtis Sittenfeld (2023, Penguin)
I Never Met You, Mhairi McFarlane (2019, HarperCollins)
Slow Horses (2022-24, Apple TV+)
Lucy Prebble on Culture Amp podcast
How To Lose A Guy in 10 Days (2003, Stan)
Spy (2015, Netflix)
Here’s Looking At You, Mhairi McFarlane (2013, HarperCollins)
Out Of Sight (1998, Binge)
The Hating Game, Sally Thorne (2016, Hachette)
Last Night, Mhairi McFarlane (2021, HarperCollins)
Mad About You, Mhairi McFarlane (2022, HarperCollins)
Who’s That Girl, Mhairi McFarlane (2016, HarperCollins)
You Belong With Me, Mhairi McFarlane (2024, HarperCollins)
Recorded on Gadigal land. | Editing: Joshua Broadbent, Marker Creative Co. | @thatromcompod
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Guest: @allyblakebooks
Dating Deal with the Italian, Ally Blake
@five_bush_weddings movie updates
Lick (2024, Passionflix) / Blussh Romance Festival / Kylie Scott’s novel
Addition (2024) / Addition, Toni Jordan (2008)
The Family Next Door / Sally Hepworth’s 2018 novel
McBrides of Montana series, Amy Barry
The Winning Formula, Cara Veloce (Audible Original)
Not Here To Make Friends, Jodi McAlister
The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin, Alison Goodman
What Did I Miss?, Holly Brunnbauer
Love Overdue, Ally Berg & Michelle Kalus
How to Write Academy / How to Watch Movies Like a Writer podcast
Recorded on Gadigal land. | Editing: Joshua Broadbent, Marker Creative Co. | @thatromcompod
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Guest: @NinaKenwood
Love From Scratch, Amy Hutton
The Wedding People, Alison Espach
Yellowface, Rebecca F Kuang
Romantic Comedy, Curtis Sittenfeld
The Book Ninja, Ali Berg & Michelle Kalus
The Other Bridget, Rachael Johns
Fangirl, Rainbow Rowell
Seven Days in June, Tia Williams
Consider Yourself Kissed, Jessica Stanley
Writers and Lovers, Lily King
The Close Up, Pip Drysdale
The Good Sister, Sally Hepworth
An Academic Affair, Jodi McAlister
An Onslaught Of Light, Natasha Rai
The Woman In The Waves, Camille Booker
Three Days in June, Anne Tyler
Recorded on Gadigal land. | Editing: Joshua Broadbent, Marker Creative Co. | @thatromcompod
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Guest: @StephEVizard or her website
The Love Contract, Steph Vizard
An Academic Affair, Jodi McAlister
Special Delivery, Leesa Ronald
How to be Second Best, Without Further Ado, Jessica Dettmann
The Idea Of You, Robinne Lee / Prime
The Last Love Note, Emma Grey
Things Will Calm Down Soon, Zoe Foster Blake
Grace Under Pressure, Tori Haschka
Inconceivable by Alexandra Collier
Talking At Night, Claire Daverley
Prep, Show Don’t Tell, Curtis Sittenfeld
The Private Island, Ali Lowe
Recorded on Gadigal land | Editing: Joshua Broadbent, Marker Creative Co. | @thatromcompod
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The Woman in The Waves, Camille Booker
August Blue, Deborah Levy
The Last Illusion of Paige White, Vanessa McCauseland
That Island Feeling & Duck a l’Orange for Breakfast Karina May
Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy The Official Podcast
The Last Love Note, Emma Grey
Pictures of You, Emma Grey
Everything I Know About Love, Dolly Alderton
Left On Tenth, Delia Ephron https://leftontenthbroadway.com/
No Hard Feelings, Genevieve Novak
More or Less Maddy, Lisa Genova
Out On A Limb, Hannah Bonam-Young
An Academic Affair, Jodi McAlister
Recorded on Gadigal land. | Editing: Joshua Broadbent, Marker Creative Co. | @thatromcompod
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That Island Feeling, Karina May
Karina’s upcoming events: https://linktr.ee/karinamaywrite
Here We Go Again, Alison Cochrun
The Pairing, Casey McQuiston
The Last Illusion of Paige White, Vanessa McCauseland
The Cazalet Chronicles, Elizabeth Jane Howard
The Woman in The Waves, Camille Booker
Summer in the City, Alex Aster
All Fours, Miranda July
Consider Yourself Kissed, Jessica Stanley
You Are Here, David Nicholls
Special Delivery, Leesa Ronald
Pictures of You, Emma Grey
Table For One, Emma Gannon
Best, First and Last, Amy Matthews
Haunted Hearts, Amy Hutton
Cover Story, Mhairi McFarlane
Lights, Camera, Love, Natalie Murray
My Hot Housemate, Susannah Hardy
Recorded on Gadigal land. | Editing: Joshua Broadbent, Marker Creative Co. | @thatromcompod
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The Merry Gentlemen (2024, Netflix)
Georgia Moore posts about xmas movies @georgiamoorewriter (here’s her xmas movies highlight)
Our Little Secret (2024, Netflix)
Hot Frosty (2024, Netflix)
‘Netflix and Lifetime Ask: What if Christmas Movies Were Sexy?’ (New York Times piece includes the interview with Dustin Milligan recommended via friend of the pod, Amy Hutton)
Meet Me Next Christmas (2024, Netflix)
Recorded on Gadigal land. | Editing: Joshua Broadbent, Marker Creative Co. | @thatromcompod
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Guest: Amy Andrews @AmyAndrewsBooks, Facebook, website or Substack.
Warnings: Spicy language + Rivals spoilers ~15 min in
Rivals (Disney+)
‘Horniness, hedonism and hope: why Rivals makes me surprisingly nostalgic’ (Guardian)
Breaking the Ice, Amy Andrews
Breaking All the Rules, Amy Andrews
Look What You Made Me Do, Amy Andrews
A Family Affair (Netflix)
Lonely Planet (Netflix)
The Idea of You (Prime)
The Younger Man, Zoe Foster Blake
Green Dot, Madeleine Gray
Mistakes Were Made, Meryl Wilsner
Girl Falling, Hayley Scrivener
Australian Gospel, Lech Blaine
Things Will Calm Down Soon, Zoe Foster Blake
Bananapants, Penny Reid
Recorded on Gadigal land. | Editing: Joshua Broadbent, Marker Creative Co. | @thatromcompod
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Guest: Gabrielle Tozer (@gabrielletozer)
Before We Met, Gabrielle Tozer
To Stir With Love, Kate Mildenhall
Chicken Shop Date - Amelia Dimoldenberg & Andrew Garfield
The Unexpected Mess Of It All, Gabrielle Tozer
One Day, David Nicholls
Can’t Say It Went To Plan, Gabrielle Tozer
Heartstopper, Alice Oseman / Netflix
Looking for Alibrandi, Melina Marchetta
The Hitwoman's Guide to Reducing Household Debt, Mark Mupotsa-Russell
The Wedding People, Alison Espach
Rapture, Emily Maguire
Things Will Calm Down Soon, Zoe Foster Blake
The Sitter, Angela O’Keefe
Recorded on Gadigal land. | Editing: Joshua Broadbent, Marker Creative Co. | @thatromcompod
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Guest: Seth AKA @dramakingbooks / TikTok
Love, Just In, Natalie Murray
Beach Read, People We Meet on Vacation, Book Lovers, Happy Place, Funny Story, Great Big Beautiful Life, Emily Henry
How to End a Love Story, Yulin Kuang
‘How to Write a Good Sex Scene’ (The Cut)
That Island Feeling, Karina May
‘Which Emily Henry Books Are Becoming Movies?’
A Novel Love Story, Ash Poston
A Love Like The Sun, Riss M Neilson
Out On A Limb, Hannah Bonham Young
You and I Rewritten, Chip Pons
The Prospects, KT Hoffmann
Here We Go Again, Alison Cochrun
Seven Days In June, Tia Williams
Recorded on Gadigal land. | Editing: Joshua Broadbent, Marker Creative Co. | @thatromcompod
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Guest: Amy Barry (@amybarryauthor / @amytmatthews_author)
Kit McBride Gets a Wife, Amy Barry (Simon & Schuster, 2024)
Marrying Off Morgan McBride, Amy Barry (Simon & Schuster, 2024)
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954)
Calamity Jane (1953)
Young Guns (1988, Stan)
Tess LeSue (Amy’s earlier romance author alter ego)
Done & Dusted, Lyla Sage (2023, Hachette)
Flawless, Elsie Silver (2023, Hachette)
Love on Campus podcast
Cowboy Carter, Beyonce
‘Cowboy Phase’ by Lily O’Brien in Kill Your Darlings
Anne of Green Gables, Lucy Maud Montgomery (1908)
Darry Fraser (Australian historical/colonial romance author)
Best, First and Last, Amy T Matthews (March 2025, Simon & Schuster)
That Island Feeling, Karina May (Dec 31 2024, Pan Macmillan)
Recorded on Gadigal land. | Editing: Joshua Broadbent, Marker Creative Co. | @thatromcompod
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Writes4Women RWA Conference Round Up
Tenderly I Am Devoured, Lyndall Clipstone
‘Romance Novels Are Literature’, Casey McQuiston, TIME Magazine
The Paradise Problem, The Unhoneymooners, Beautiful Player, The True Love Experiment, Christina Lauren
The Hating Game, Sally Thorne
The Book Ninja, While You Were Reading, Fancy Meeting You Here, Ali Berg & Michelle Kalus
The Glass House, Graeme Simsion & Anne Buist
Stuck Up And Stupid, Angourie & Kate Rice
The View Was Exhausting, Mikaella Clements and Onjuli Datta
The Wedding Forecast, Nina Kenwood
Experienced, Kate Young
Recorded on Gadigal land. | Editing: Joshua Broadbent, Marker Creative Co. | @thatromcompod
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Guest: Anne Freeman (@annefreemanwrites, newsletter, workshops)
Me That You See / Returning To Adelaide, Anne Freeman
Anne & Casey Nott on Writes4Women
The Happy Ever After Playlist, Abby Jimenez
The Paradise Problem, Christina Lauren
City of Girls, Elizabeth GIlbert
The Studio Girls, Lisa Ireland
Never Ever Forever, Karina May
Love Match, Clare Fletcher
The Wedding Forecast, Nina Kenwood
Consider Yourself Kissed, Jessica Stanley
A Language of Limbs, Dylin Hardcastle
Alice and the Impossible Game, Anna Foxkirk
Recorded on Gadigal land. | Editing: Joshua Broadbent, Marker Creative Co. | @thatromcompod
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Guest: @AbraPresslerAuthor
Love and Other Scores, Abra Pressler (2023, Pan Macmillan)
Northern Beaches Writers Festival Sept 27-29
Here For The Right Reasons, Jodi McAlister
Red, White and Royal Blue, Casey McQuiston
Carrie Soto Is Back, Taylor Jenkin Reid
‘Take Me Out To The Ballgame’ sung by Clare’s daughter Dot
Love Match, Clare Fletcher
Icebreaker, Hannah Grace
Playing The Field, Zoe Foster Blake
Fangirl Down, Tessa Bailey
Cleat Cute, Meryl Wilsner
Amy Andrews’ rugby themed books
The Prospects, KT Hoffman
The Art of Catching Feelings, Alicia Thompson
10 Things that Never Happened, Alexis Hall
I Hope This Finds You Well, Natalie Sue
You Belong With Me, Mhairi McFarlane
Recorded on Gadigal land. | Editing: Joshua Broadbent, Marker Creative Co. | @thatromcompod
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
