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If you love Emily Henry, Annabel Monaghan, and Carley Fortune’s brand of emotional, character-driven romance, this episode is for you.
This week, I sat down with Rena Rani, the brilliant writer behind the Substack Smart Romance, to talk about what makes a romance “smart” — from up-market rom-coms to Nora Roberts’ lasting influence. We went deep into the craft side of the genre: how authors balance humor with heartbreak, why line-level prose matters, and what defines the new wave of “elevated” romance that still gives you all the feels.
Rena also shared her favorite under-the-radar reads and walked me through how she scouts new talent (hint: she loves digging through agent wishlists). If you’re craving thoughtful conversations about love stories that respect both the heart and the art, you’ll love this one.
The Best Worst Thing by Lauren Okie — Buy on Amazon | Contemporary; infertility journey; emotionally realistic
You Between the Lines by Katie Naymon— Buy on Amazon | Academia rivals-to-lovers; poetry as structure
August Lane by Regina Black — Buy on Amazon | Music industry; mixed-media storytelling
The Art of the Scandal by Regina Black — Buy on Amazon | Contemporary; scandal fallout, reinvention
Heavy Hitter by Katie Cotugno — Buy on Amazon | Celebrity + athlete; ambition; messy, unflinching
32 Days in May by Betty Corrello — Buy on Amazon | Up-market contemporary; Smart Romance book club pick
Backlist to Explore: Nora Roberts (romantic suspense & contemporary), Susan Elizabeth Phillips (sports romance), Julie James (career/office romance)
[00:00] Intro & Rena’s Substack origin
[01:00] Nora Roberts: why the backlist matters
[06:00] Craft chat: plots, subplots, interiority
[09:00] Defining “up-market romance”
[11:00] YA authors crossing into adult romance
[13:30] Covers & market shifts since 2018
[15:30] Genre history shoutouts (SEP, Julie James, McNaught)
[16:45] Rena’s underrated romance picks
[22:00] Finding gems via agent wishlists
[24:00] Book club pick: 32 Days in May
[25:00] What to expect at Smart Romance
[26:30] Outro & future Nora Roberts episode
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