We Read It One Night

Happy New Year, comrades! 2025 is *finally* over and I'm celebrating with data fiend Lady Jane of Romancing the Data to bring you what we (and the numbers) say are the best romance books of the year. You'll get my top 10, Jane's top 5, and a medley of the top books based on the NYT and Kindle bestseller lists as well as the leading contenders for bookstagram's favorites. If you love data and also absolutely stuffing your TBR to the gills, this is the episode for you. Enjoy!
Connect with Jane: website; @romancingthedata
Mustache episode!
@bachelordata
kindletrends.com
Subscribe! Follow! Rate! Review! Tell your friends and family!
Support the podcast and buy me coffee
WRION merch!
My feminist, sapphic, bookish Etsy shop!
Instagram/Threads: @wereaditonenight
TikTok: @wereaditonenight
Facebook: We Read It One Night
Email: wereaditonenight [at] gmail.com

Happy holidays, comrades! Hope you're staying warm this December (or heading to the beach if you're a Down Under comrade) and curling up with a nice cup of cocoa and a book. If you need recs, I'm joined by Timothy Janovsky, the unofficial King of the Christmas Romcom, today to talk about campy holiday romance. We chat about why we all love to imagine banging Santa so much, the overlap between romance and horror, and telling campy queer stories especially this time of year. Enjoy the show!
Connect with Timothy; @timothyjanovsky
WRION episodes mentioned: Alison Cochrun; Her Night with Santa; "Older" FMCs
Subscribe! Follow! Rate! Review! Tell your friends and family!
Support the podcast and buy me coffee
WRION merch!
My feminist, sapphic, bookish Etsy shop!
Instagram/Threads: @wereaditonenight
TikTok: @wereaditonenight
Facebook: We Read It One Night
Email: wereaditonenight [at] gmail.com

This one's for all the monster f*ckers! I'm joined by Minotaur milking queen C.M. Nascosta to chat all things monster romance. Why it had such a boom during lock down; what the OG monster romance is; how indie authors are leading the freaky charge. Enjoy the show!
Connect with C.M. Nascosta
Episodes mentioned:
Morning Glory Milking Farm
That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon
Sing Me to Sleep
Subscribe! Follow! Rate! Review! Tell your friends and family!
Support the podcast and buy me coffee
WRION merch!
My feminist, sapphic, bookish Etsy shop!
Instagram/Threads: @wereaditonenight
TikTok: @wereaditonenight
Facebook: We Read It One Night
Email: wereaditonenight [at] gmail.com

I'm joined by Kiwi author Esme Brett to celebrate Movember and the microtrend (fingers crossed that it becomes a full trend) of mustaches in romance novels! We talk about what and who installed our love of Mustache Man, what's causing the resurgence, and recommend a full stache's worth of romances for your TBR. If you're a fan of heroes with upper lip caterpillars, whiskers, crumb catchers, and lady ticklers, this is the episode for you!
Connect with Esme: website; get her books; Instagram; TikTok
Romancelandia's resident mustache experts: Beth and Allie
Twisted Love episode
Smart Bitches, Trashy Books
Subscribe! Follow! Rate! Review! Tell your friends and family!
Support the podcast and buy me coffee
WRION merch!
My feminist, sapphic, bookish Etsy shop!
Instagram/Threads: @wereaditonenight
TikTok: @wereaditonenight
Facebook: We Read It One Night
Email: wereaditonenight [at] gmail.com

Surprise! RACHEL IS BACK! Rachel takes a break from her busy life to guest host this episode with me so that we can celebrate the podcast officially being old enough for preschool. We're combining two of the classic podcast topics--romance novels and Taylor Swift--by stuffing your TBRs with recommendations inspired by Taylor's recent, controversial album THE LIFE OF A SHOWGIRL. We also drop loads of fun facts, talk himbos, and spread some conspiracy theories about Taylor's true identity. Enjoy the show!
Listen to the episodes on some of the books and authors we talk about:
The Intimacy Experiment
LOTHAIRE Pt. 1; Pt. 2
Seven Days in June
Run Posy Run
Alison Cochrun: 1, 2
The Hating Game
Alexandra Vasti
When a Scot Ties the Knot
Danica Nava
RESOURCES:
Eloisa James on TLOAS
 
Subscribe! Follow! Rate! Review! Tell your friends and family!
Support the podcast and buy us coffee
WRION merch!
Our feminist, sapphic, bookish Etsy shop!
Instagram/Threads: @wereaditonenight
TikTok: @wereaditonenight
Facebook: We Read It One Night
Email: wereaditonenight [at] gmail.com

Comrades! Today, I'm joined by Molly Tullis (aka The Bibliophile Blonde) to talk myths and legends and why the heck we can't stop retelling them. Also: the ethics of retellings and what gets called myth and what gets called religion. We also celebrate not being raptured, send a little love toward OG shadow daddy Hades, and recommend some of our favorite myth, legend, and folklore inspired romances. Enjoy the show!
Connect with Mollie: get her books; @thebibliophileblonde; Queens, Quests, and Tropes Podcast
Subscribe! Follow! Rate! Review! Tell your friends and family all about us!
Support the podcast and buy us coffee
WRION merch!
Our feminist, sapphic, bookish Etsy shop!
Instagram/Threads: @wereaditonenight
TikTok: @wereaditonenight
Facebook: We Read It One Night
Email: wereaditonenight [at] gmail.com

Hey comrades! Today's episode is all about fangirling over happily ever afters, our favorite romance authors, and the revolutionary power of the romance genre--all with photographer Chandra Wicke, creator of The Happily Ever After Society, an upcoming coffee table book featuring photos and interviews from 41 romance authors as well as photos recreating scenes from some of your favorite romance books (seriously so cool!!). We also talk about the romance genre and feminism, romance as resistance, and Ali Hazelwood and Adriana Herrera's blockbuster After the End project. And of course, we each give you recs for romance books with HEAs that surprised us (seems like an oxymoron, but trust me!). Enjoy the show!
Connect with Chandra: website; @chandrawickephotography
The Happily Ever After Society: order the book! @happilyeveraftersociety
Subscribe! Follow! Rate! Review! Tell your friends and family all about us!
Support the podcast and buy us coffee
WRION merch!
Our feminist, sapphic, bookish Etsy shop!
Instagram/Threads: @wereaditonenight
TikTok: @wereaditonenight
Facebook: We Read It One Night
Email: wereaditonenight [at] gmail.com

Comrades! Today I'm chatting about "older" heroines with queer writer, author of EVERY STEP SHE TAKES, and WRION veteran, Alison Cochrun. We talk about whether FMCs are getting older in romance, queer awakenings, and how we balance escapism and diversity in our reading. We also recommend some delicious romances with FMCs who are 30+ years. Enjoy the show!
Connect with Alison: www.alisoncochrun.com; @alisoncochrun
Episodes ft. Alison: Ep. 18: Interview; Ep. 10: The Charm Offensive
Romancing the Data
 
Subscribe! Follow! Rate! Review! Tell your friends and family all about us!
Support the podcast and buy me a coffee
WRION merch!
Our feminist, sapphic, bookish Etsy shop!
Instagram/Threads: @wereaditonenight
TikTok: @wereaditonenight
Facebook: We Read It One Night
Email: wereaditonenight [at] gmail.com

Hey comrades! In this episode, I'm chatting about what the heck "historical accuracy" is anyway with my new favorite historical romance author (and 19th c. English lit professor) Alexandra Vasti, author of the upcoming sapphic romcom, LADIES IN HATING. We talk about falling into research rabbit holes, when to throw that research in the trash, and assign an appropriate amount of hate toward Georgette Heyer and the Victorians. And of course, we're stuffing your TBRs with our favorite historically accurate recs. Enjoy the show!
Connect with Alexandra: www.alexandravasti.com; Instagram &  Tiktok: @alexandravasti
RESOURCES
Heyerisms
Tiffany Problem
Pride & Predators
Female Husbands by Jen Manion
When We Were Trans by Kit Keyam
 
Subscribe! Follow! Rate! Review! Tell your friends and family all about us!
Support the podcast and buy us coffee
WRION merch!
Our feminist, sapphic, bookish Etsy shop!
Instagram/Threads: @wereaditonenight
TikTok: @wereaditonenight
Facebook: We Read It One Night
Email: wereaditonenight [at] gmail.com

Hey pals! We Read It One Night is back!! I'm jumping in feet-first with the incredible Danica Nava to chat about cowboy romance and Westerns. Danica's debut THE TRUTH ACCORDING TO EMBER became the first traditionally published all-Native romance (Native MCs, Native author) and she's reclaiming cowboy romance with her latest LOVE IS A WAR SONG. Enjoy the show!
Connect with Danica: www.danicanavabooks.com; @danica_navaBritt Newton (cover artist): @holoskeThe Celluloid PrincessMissing and Murdered Indigenous People CrisisUnbound podcastMenswear Guy'Warrior Tonight' by Avery Fox
Subscribe! Follow! Rate! Review! Tell your friends and family all about us!
Support the podcast and buy us coffee
WRION merch!
Our feminist, sapphic, bookish Etsy shop!
Instagram/Threads: @wereaditonenight
TikTok: @wereaditonenight
Facebook: We Read It One Night
Email: wereaditonenight [at] gmail.com

Hey pals! Welcome to another episode of We Read It One Night with Alison, featuring return co-host, Elodie! We're talking about listener suggestion WHEN A SCOT TIES THE KNOT by Tessa Dare, aka the historical romcom Queen. Watch what happens when the fake fiance that bluestocking artist Maddie made up ten years ago only to fake kill off because she felt guilty for lying to her family shows up at her Scottish Highlands castle, alive, real, and hunky! Tessa turns marriage of convenience, epistolary, fake dating, found family, and more of your fav tropes on their heads. All of this in between our in-depth chat into the state of Romance books today, including Tiktok, the rise and fall of historicals, fanfic, online community, and more. Plus, tons of bonus book recs scattered throughout the episode. Enjoy the show!
Elodie's other episode: Ep. 93 - Always Only You by Chloe Liese
Brazen banter: Penguin clothbound classics! Where did all the dry humping go? The double edged sword of TikTok!
Cat Scale: 6.25
Revolutionary Resources
Clothbound binding my bookshelf
Cora Harrington, lingerie expert
The Traitors show
Made of Honor movie
Highland Clearances
831 Stories
 
Subscribe! Follow! Rate! Review! Tell your friends and family all about us!
Support the podcast and buy us coffee
WRION merch!
Our feminist, sapphic, bookish Etsy shop!
Instagram/Threads: @wereaditonenight
Facebook: We Read It One Night
TikTok: @wereaditonenight
Email: wereaditonenight [at] gmail.com

Hey pals! We're back with our first new episode of 2025 and this time we're jumping into the third book in Ana Huang's Twisted series, TWISTED HATE. This is Josh and Jules's enemies to lovers showdown, and it's the most controversial book in the series. Did you love it? Did you hate it? Were you mostly rooting for the reunification of our brotp, Josh and Alex? Listen to our takes and then let us know! 
TWISTED LOVE: Part 1; Part 2
TWISTED GAMES: Ep. 101
Brazen banter: Yearning for a vampire happy endings! We learn Swedish! Classic Marauders fanfiction! Goodspeed, Luigi! We become art forgers!
Cat Scale: 2
Revolutionary Resources
The Life and Times (classic Jily fanfic)
All the Young Dudes (newer Wolfstar fanfic)
Uggs
Italian Greyhound vs. Whippet
Is this available? song
 
Subscribe! Follow! Rate! Review! Tell your friends and family all about us!
Support the podcast and buy us coffee
WRION merch!
Our bookish, sapphic Etsy shop!
Instagram/Threads: @wereaditonenight
Facebook: We Read It One Night
TikTok: @wereaditonenight
Email: wereaditonenight [at] gmail.com

Hey pals! It's one last rerelease episode until we're back will all new episodes for 2025! It's the beginning of everyone's favorite faerie spice, A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES by Sarah J. Maas. Enjoy! 
Part 2: Ep. 67
ACOMAF: Ep. 76, 77; 78
ACOWAR: Ep. 89; Ep. 90; Ep. 91
Brazen banter: Super special Gaylor content! Faerie, fairy, feyrees, fayries, fouaeoiaouries—who cares! Cicada rights!
Cat Scale: TBA
Revolutionary Resources
Hayley Kiyoko's Gaylor post
Twilight: Ep. 11, 12, 13
New Moon: Ep. 27, 28
Eclipse: Ep. 43, 44, 45
Breaking Dawn: Ep. 56, 57
Feyre name meaning
Throne of Glass series
Koh, Avatar the Last Airbender
Bogge
Púca
 
Subscribe! Follow! Rate! Review! Tell your friends and family all about us!
WRION merch! Our feminist, cat-loving, bookish Etsy shop!
Instagram: @wereaditonenight
Twitter: @wereaditpodcast
Facebook: We Read It One Night
TikTok: @wereaditonenight
Email: wereaditonenight [at] gmail.com

Hey pals! We're still on our holiday break, but to celebrate a new year, we're giving you a rerelease of the first romance book that brought a new era for us: THE VISCOUNT WHO LOVED ME by Julia Quinn! And if you liked this episode, check out part 2 and our episode on season 2 of Bridgerton, based on this book!
Part 2: Ep. 15
Season 2
Brazen banter: A brief history of corgis! Justice for middle children! The new Spider-Man movie! Violence as foreplay!
Cat Scale: TBA
Revolutionary Resources
"Surface Pressure" (Encanto)
 
Subscribe! Follow! Rate! Review! Tell your friends and family all about us!
Connect with us on the interwebs!
Instagram: @wereaditonenight
Twitter: @wereaditpodcast
Facebook: We Read It One Night
TikTok: @wereaditonenight
Email: wereaditonenight [at] gmail.com

Hey pals! It's the holiday season and we're inviting you to cuddle up on this cold winter night with our episode on ICE PLANET BARBARIANS by Ruby Dixon. Enjoy!
Brazen banter: How to win The Bachelor! Barbarian sex toys! The next animal we want to domesticate!
Cat Scale: 10
Revolutionary Resources:
Sleep paralysis book: Sing Me to Sleep by R.M. Virtues
Bachelor podcast
Travel pillow/blanket
 
Subscribe! Follow! Rate! Review! Tell your friends and family all about us!
Connect with us on the interwebs!
Instagram: @wereaditonenight
Twitter: @wereaditpodcast
Facebook: We Read It One Night
TikTok: @wereaditonenight
Email: wereaditonenight [at] gmail.com

Hey pals! We're taking a break on new episodes until the new year, so enjoy one of our favorite episodes (and yours) about STEMinist, silly, bonkers, romantic LOVE ON THE BRAIN by Ali Hazelwood!
Part 2; Part 3
Brazen banter: Are bugs actually people? How to find a trustworthy car mechanic! Marie Curie! Security at the NASA Houston campus!
Cat Scale: TBA
Revolutionary Resources
You've Got Mail
Barely tolerable scene from Pride & Prejudice
The dress
Ebony Dark'ness Dementia Raven Way
La Llorona
Snapewives
 
Subscribe! Follow! Rate! Review! Tell your friends and family all about us!
Connect with us on the interwebs!
WE HAVE MERCH: t-shirts, hats, sweatshirts, stickers, pins, mugs, and more!
Instagram: @wereaditonenight
Twitter: @wereaditpodcast
Facebook: We Read It One Night
TikTok: @wereaditonenight
Email: wereaditonenight [at] gmail.com

Hey pals! Today, wrapping up Kiera Cass's Selection saga with THE ONE. We'll finally reveal whether the blonde teenage boy or the brown haired teenage boy wins the love triangle and explain how a book can be closed-door, no spice and still be a bodice ripper. The last 10% is shit-a-brick insane and the whole book makes much more sense when you remember it's Bachelor franchise fanfiction. Enjoy the show!
Brazen banter: Falling for propaganda! Rampant Cullen family voter fraud!
Cat Scale: 2
Revolutionary Resources
Orange wine
The Gilded Age show
Bellwether counties
Electoral college
History of Singapore
Birthstones
 
Subscribe! Follow! Rate! Review! Tell your friends and family all about us!
Support the podcast and buy us coffee
WRION merch!
Our feminist, sapphic, bookish Etsy shop!
Instagram: @wereaditonenight
Twitter: @wereaditpodcast
Facebook: We Read It One Night
TikTok: @wereaditonenight
Email: wereaditonenight [at] gmail.com

Hey pals! It's our third anniversary and we're throwing our birthday party in the swamp, specifically the sexy sapphic swamp from Darva Green's SHE CAME FROM THE SWAMP. We're three years old now, and thankfully podcasts age like cats, because otherwise we'd be way too young to be reading smutty romance. We're celebrating all the support you've given us over three years as well as the love and joy we get from reading romance, and especially queer romance, in a world where a lot of people would rather we got neither. Here's to another great year!
Brazen banter: Stags striking out! Glass bottomed boats! What's the true definition of a murder cult? The complexities of being pulling by tiny dogs!
Cat Scale, Us: 15,005
Cat Scale, She Came from the Swamp: 5
Revolutionary Resources
Hays Code
Kikimora
Buried rug girl
Dream, Dream, Dream, Dream, Dream, Dream
 
Subscribe! Follow! Rate! Review! Tell your friends and family all about us!
Support the podcast and buy us coffee
WRION merch!
Our feminist, sapphic, bookish Etsy shop!
Instagram/Threads: @wereaditonenight
Facebook: We Read It One Night
TikTok: @wereaditonenight
Email: wereaditonenight [at] gmail.com

Hey pals! Today, we're wrapping up the second half of LOTHAIRE today and this book ramps up the camp to approximately 1000!! Ellie and Lothaire exchange body parts, Alison finally gets to read a blood blowjob, and Lothaire gets another dog. We thank Kresley Cole every day for writing this wildly fun, sexy, romantic, bonkers book. Enjoy the show!
Part 1
Brazen banter: The end of the Eras Tour? Dense bean stir fry! Predictions for the Immortals After Dark series based on this one book!
Cat Scale: 9
Revolutionary Resources
Friendship bracelet tutorials
Kingdom of Dreams
Fated Mates
 
Subscribe! Follow! Rate! Review! Tell your friends and family all about us!
Support the podcast and buy us coffee
WRION merch!
Our feminist, sapphic, bookish Etsy shop!
Instagram: @wereaditonenight
Twitter: @wereaditpodcast
Facebook: We Read It One Night
TikTok: @wereaditonenight
Email: wereaditonenight [at] gmail.com

Hey pals! Spooky Season continues as Rachel and Alison dive into the first half of listener suggestion and iconic vampire romance in the Immortals After Dark series, LOTHAIRE by Kresley Cole. Lothaire, aka The Enemy of Old (dramatic, tbh), is the most morally grey hero to ever wear the color, and his FMC Ellie spends the entire book violently humbling him (as she should). This book hits 1000% of the time and we're obsessed--hope you will be too!
Part 2
DONATE for Appalachia Hurricane Relief
Brazen banter: Bean dishes! Sharp knives! Last names as first names!
Cat Scale: TBD
Revolutionary Resources
Dense Bean Salad girl
Marry Me Chickpeas
Princess and the Frog mincing mushrooms
Ep. 37 - Dark Lover by JR Ward
The Black Dagger Brotherhood TV series
 
Subscribe! Follow! Rate! Review! Tell your friends and family all about us!
Support the podcast and buy us coffee
WRION merch!
Our feminist, sapphic, bookish Etsy shop!
Instagram: @wereaditonenight
Twitter: @wereaditpodcast
Facebook: We Read It One Night
TikTok: @wereaditonenight
Email: wereaditonenight [at] gmail.com