Friends to Lovers
41 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 2 years ago - ★★★★★ - 185 ratingsFriends to Lovers is a Bad Bitch Book Club podcast hosted by BBBC founder Mackenzie Newcomb and writer, editor, and bestie Lily Herman. Each week, they use books as a jumping off point to talk about sex, relationships, dating, love, romance, and more.
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Episodes
S4 E3: A Self-Published Romance Starter Pack
February 08, 2022 00:00 - 1 hour - 41.7 MBThis week on the pod, Mackenzie and Lily talk about beloved self-published romances that should be in readers' starter packs as well as other self-pubbed romances they personally adore. Mackenzie discusses her recent affinity for toxic bully romances, and Lily somehow finds a way to mention Eden Finley yet again. Major episode timestamps: Introduction (0:00), Housekeeping (3:48), Introduction to Main Topic (4:36), Book Recommendations (18:58), What Else We’re Reading (51:42), Conclusion (57...
S4 E2: Let's Talk About Asexual Romance Novels
January 31, 2022 21:00 - 1 hour - 42.9 MBIt's Lily's time to shine! This week, Lily (with an assist from Mackenzie) takes everybody on a journey to understanding asexuality and the current landscape of asexual romance novels. The pair also continue to stan visionary, icon, and legend Angela Chen. Major episode timestamps: Introduction (0:00), Housekeeping (3:14), Introduction to Main Topic (4:17), Book Recommendations (33:36), What Else We’re Reading (51:16), Conclusion (1:00:00). NOTE: There are spoilers for Claire Kann’s book L...
S4 E1: Why Are Romance Novels So Obsessed With Washboard Abs and Massive Dicks?
January 25, 2022 00:00 - 43 minutes - 29.9 MBIt's the first episode of season four and we're ready to go! This week, Mackenzie and Lily unpack why the romance genre has such narrow beauty ideals for straight male love interests and what we miss out on when we don't expand that fantasy. Major episode timestamps: Introduction (0:00), Housekeeping (2:46), Introduction to Main Topic (6:58), What Else We’re Reading (35:53), Conclusion (41:15). You can get full show notes and episode transcriptions on the Bad Bitch Book Club website: http...
Season 4 Trailer: Big Dicks in Romances, The Changing "Sick Lit" Subgenre, and More
January 24, 2022 01:00 - 1 minute - 1.15 MBWelcome back to season 4 of Friends to Lovers, a Bad Bitch Book Club podcast hosted by BBBC founder Mackenzie Newcomb and writer, editor, and bestie Lily Herman. Each week, they use books as a jumping off point to talk about sex, relationships, dating, love, romance, and more. Our 10-episode fourth season launches on January 24th, so get ready for a many more shenanigans. You can get full show notes and episode transcriptions on the Bad Bitch Book Club website: http://badbitchbookclub.com/...
S3 E10: Books to Give Friends Who Haven't Read in a While
November 15, 2021 23:00 - 43 minutes - 30.3 MBLook at that, it's the final episode of season three! The podcast will return on January 24, 2022, but until then, check out this ep where Mackenzie and Lily dive into which books to recommend to all of the people in your life who haven't perused their bookshelves in a while and don't know what to read now. Major episode timestamps: Introduction (0:00), Housekeeping (2:06), Introduction to Main Topic (3:18), What Else We’re Reading (34:07), Conclusion (40:18). You can get full show notes a...
S3 E9: So, Uh, What's Up With BookTok? (Feat. @kendra.reads)
November 10, 2021 00:00 - 1 hour - 43 MBBookTok has become one of the most influential literary spaces on the internet, and yet it's only just starting to get recognition. Luckily, Mackenzie and Lily are joined by Kendra Keeter-Gray, better known as @kendra.reads on the platform, to get to the bottom of all things BookTok. Note: This recording was originally completed in August 2021. Major episode timestamps: Introduction (0:00), Housekeeping (1:20), Introduction to Main Topic (2:12), Interview with Kendra (5:06), What Else We’r...
S3 E8: An Official Christina Lauren Novel Ranking
November 02, 2021 00:00 - 50 minutes - 34.6 MBThe Classified series is back at it again! For this season's installment, Mackenzie and Lily are diving into popular contemporary romance duo Christina Lauren's 11 published standalone adult romance novels. There's banter, Big Trope Energy, and a whole lot more. Note: Portions of this recording were originally completed in June 2021. Major episode timestamps: Introduction (0:00), Housekeeping (2:00), Introduction to Main Topic (2:55), Ranking (18:00), Conclusion (47:43). You can get full ...
S3 E7: Mackenzie and Lily Become Advice Columnists (A Midseason Q&A)
October 26, 2021 00:00 - 52 minutes - 35.8 MBHey, look who it is! The gals of Friends to Lovers are BACK and ready to finish out season three (and start preparing for the absolute banger that's going to be season four). For today's regularly scheduled midseason Q&A episode, Mackenzie and Lily took audience questions about dating, romance, relationships, friendship, and marriage and gave their non-therapist perspectives on those matters. Note: There are a few small sections of spotty audio, and portions of this recording were original...
S3 E6: Romance Novels That Are Better to Read as Series
July 13, 2021 20:00 - 34 minutes - 24 MBAnother week, another F2L episode! In this lil' jaunt, Mackenzie and Lily dive into the world of romance novels that are in series: What makes a great romance series, and which books will leave you totally confused if you were to attempt to read them out of order as standalones? Major episode timestamps: Introduction (0:00), Housekeeping (2:37), Introduction to Main Topic (3:43), Discussion of What Makes a Good Series and Recommendations (8:18), What Else We’re Reading (29:09), Conclusion (...
S3 E5: Why We're Obsessed With the Fake Dating Trope — Even If We'll Never Fake-Date IRL
June 28, 2021 21:00 - 39 minutes - 27.2 MBTrope Talk is BACK, and this season, Mackenzie and Lily are talking about a beloved trope that many people don't necessarily have experience with IRL: Fake dating. Find out why it's so cherished — and why Lily believes she'd be awesome at it if the opportunity ever arose. Major episode timestamps: Introduction (0:00), Housekeeping (2:05), Introduction to Main Topic (3:28), Discussion of Fake Dating Book Recommendations (12:22), What Else We’re Reading (32:13), Conclusion (36:49). You can g...
S3 E4: What Actually Is a “Beach Read”?
June 22, 2021 01:00 - 50 minutes - 34.8 MBHow the heck did "beach reads" come to be, and why is the domain often ruled by rich white ladies? Mackenzie and Lily unpack it all. Plus, Lily teases an upcoming release that she says perfectly incapsulates what the romance genre is all about. Major episode timestamps: Introduction (0:00), Housekeeping (2:11), Introduction to Main Topic (3:16), Criteria for Beach Reads (12:51), Discussion of Beach Read Books (19:04), What Else We’re Reading (35:46), Conclusion (47:53). You can get full sh...
S3 E3: Who Are the Straight Men Reading Romance? (Feat. Jason Rogers and Jake Gronsky)
June 15, 2021 01:00 - 1 hour - 63.7 MBAfter a brief unexpected (and now resolved!) hiatus, we're BACK and ready to continue on the odyssey that is season three! This week is one of F2L's most anticipated episodes of all time: We talked to Jason Rogers and Jake Gronsky, two straight men who are avid romance readers and advocates for the genre, about all things romance. Major episode timestamps: Introduction (0:00), Housekeeping (2:09), Introduction to Main Topic (2:56), Jason Rodgers and Jake Gronsky Introductions (12:49), Quest...
S3 E2: A Contemporary Romance Starter Pack
May 24, 2021 04:00 - 58 minutes - 40 MBThis week on the pod, Mackenzie and Lily talk about recent contemporary romance releases that should be in readers' starter packs as well as other contemporary romances they adore. As always, Mackenzie enjoys a good age-gap romance, and Lily can't stop talking about love stories where people hate each other at first. Major episode timestamps: Introduction (0:00), Housekeeping (2:32), Introduction to Main Topic (3:41), Main Contemporary Romance Starter Pack List (9:01), Mackenzie and Lily’s ...
S3 E1: How Do Romance Novelists Even Write Sex Scenes? (Feat. Adriana Herrera)
May 17, 2021 04:00 - 1 hour - 50.1 MBF2L is baaaaaack! On this first episode of season three, Mackenzie and Lily dive into one of the most requested topics from listeners: What does it actually look like for a romance novelist to write a sex scene? They're joined by beloved author Adriana Herrera to get down to business. Major episode timestamps: Introduction (0:00), Housekeeping (19:08), Introduction to Main Topic (20:18), Introduction to Adriana Herrera (21:15), How Adriana Got Into Writing Romance (25:05), Adriana’s Favorit...
Season 3 Trailer: Men Who Read Romance, Writing Steamy Sex Scenes, and More
May 16, 2021 21:00 - 1 minute - 1.16 MBWelcome back to season 3 of Friends to Lovers, a Bad Bitch Book Club podcast hosted by BBBC founder Mackenzie Newcomb and writer, editor, and bestie Lily Herman. Each week, they use books as a jumping off point to talk about sex, relationships, dating, love, romance, and more. Our 10-episode third season launches on May 17th, so get ready for a lot more chaos. You can get full show notes and episode transcriptions on the Bad Bitch Book Club website: http://badbitchbookclub.com/podcast. Gi...
S2 E10: The 7 Romances We're Reading This Spring
March 15, 2021 04:00 - 57 minutes - 39.4 MBIt's romance challenge time! In the final episode of season two, Mackenzie and Lily talk about Bad Bitch Book Club's 2nd Annual Spring Romance Challenge, which kicks off on April 15th. Enjoy all of the picks that book club members are reading seven weeks in a row from mid-April to the end of May, and join BBBC to learn more about the challenge and participate in these Zoom calls. Major episode timestamps: Introduction (0:00), Housekeeping (3:11), Introduction to Topic (4:26), Spring Romanc...
S2 E9: Smart People Books™ That Are Just Good Reads
March 08, 2021 05:00 - 38 minutes - 26.2 MBIn the penultimate episode of season two, Mackenzie and Lily tackle a few of their favorite non-romance Smart People Books™ that'll not only give you plenty of food for thought but are also just delightful reads. Major episode timestamps: Introduction (0:00), Housekeeping (3:33), Introduction to Main Topic (4:58), Discussion of Infinite Country by Patricia Engel (6:16), Discussion of A Woman of No Importance by Sonia Purnell (8:15), Discussion of What Doesn’t Kill You by Tessa Miller (11:58...
S2 E8: An Official Jasmine Guillory Novel Ranking
March 01, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour - 47 MBThe Classified series is back! For this season's installment, Mackenzie and Lily are diving into popular contemporary romance author Jasmine Guillory's five published novels and unpacking what makes a quintessential JG book. Major episode timestamps: Introduction (0:00), Housekeeping (3:57), Introduction to Main Topic (5:22), What Makes a Quintessential Jasmine Guillory Book (8:28), Discussion of Media and Publisher Reaction to Jasmine Guillory’s Books (13:35), Discussion of Ranking Criteri...
S2 E7: The Five Most Polarizing Popular Romance Novels
February 21, 2021 23:00 - 54 minutes - 37.5 MBThis week, Mackenzie and Lily go into controversial territory and unpack five of the most polarizing popular romance and love story-adjacent novels to come out in the past couple of years. Get ready for hot takes on hot takes. Major episode timestamps: Introduction (0:00), Housekeeping (1:23), Introduction to Main Topic (2:17), Discussion of In Five Years by Rebecca Serle (3:54), Discussion of The Light We Lost by Jill Santopolo (10:10), Discussion of The Two Lives of Lydia Bird by Josie Si...
S2 E7: The 5 Most Polarizing Popular Romance Novels
February 21, 2021 23:00 - 54 minutes - 37.5 MBThis week, Mackenzie and Lily go into controversial territory and unpack five of the most polarizing popular romance and love story-adjacent novels to come out in the past couple of years. Get ready for hot takes on hot takes. Major episode timestamps: Introduction (0:00), Housekeeping (1:23), Introduction to Main Topic (2:17), Discussion of In Five Years by Rebecca Serle (3:54), Discussion of The Light We Lost by Jill Santopolo (10:10), Discussion of The Two Lives of Lydia Bird by Josie Si...
S2 E6: Over-Hyped Books and Romances Made for Sobbing (A Midseason Q&A)
February 15, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour - 41.7 MBIt's midway through the second season of Friends to Lovers, and you know what that means: It's Q&A time! In this episode, Mackenzie and Lily give romance recommendations for a number of listener questions, including the books that encapsulate them as romance readers, books that'll make you need to call your therapist, and more. Major episode timestamps: Introduction (0:00), Housekeeping (1:29), Introduction to Main Topic (2:43), Romances That Talk About Mental Health (3:53), Romances With I...
S2 E5: Revisiting Chaotic BDSM Disaster Fifty Shades of Grey (Feat. Kim Pham)
February 08, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour - 61.6 MBIn 2011, E.L. James published the erotic romance Fifty Shades of Grey, which became one of the best-selling books of the 21st century. However, critics quickly pointed to its problematic depictions of BDSM practices and relationships at large, despite its massive readership. Now, a decade after publication, Mackenzie and Lily talk to Kim Pham, founder of food company Omsom who's been open about her BDSM journey, about the misconceptions surrounding kink, fetish, and BDSM—and what we all need...
S2 E4: Is Enemies-to-Lovers That Great of a Trope?
February 01, 2021 05:00 - 50 minutes - 34.5 MBIs this the end of F2L? This week, Mackenzie and Lily come to virtual blows (sort of) about one of the genre's most popular tropes—and one of Lily's personal favorites: Enemies-to-lovers. Is it really as great as everyone says it is? Or is it totally overrated? Spoiler timestamp: This episode contains spoilers of The Simple Wild by KA Tucker from 13:07-23:21. Major episode timestamps: Introduction (0:00), Housekeeping (1:12), Introduction of Main Topic (1:58), Discussion of Block Shot by K...
S2 E3: Where Are All of the Plus-Size Romance Protagonists?
January 25, 2021 05:00 - 46 minutes - 31.6 MBWhy are there so few plus-size protagonists or love interests in romance novels? And why are there even fewer books with plus-size protagonists AND love interests in the same story? This week, Mackenzie and Lily dive into the romance genre's ongoing issues with fatphobia and discuss which books and authors are at least getting the conversation going. Content warning: This episode discusses clothing sizes, disordered eating, and weight. Major episode timestamps: Introduction (0:00), Houseke...
S2 E2: Is Your Favorite Romance Novel Actually Steamy?
January 18, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour - 43.9 MBWhat makes a romance novel steamy? And do other people think some of your favorite sexy romance novels are all that steamy? This week, Mackenzie and Lily dive into creating a five-level "steam scale" for how to rank the steaminess of books. Mack also discusses what level of the steam scales she taps out at, and Lily describes the novel that made her head implode. Major episode timestamps: Introduction (0:00), Housekeeping (1:23), Introduction to Main Topic (3:46), Discussion of Taylor Jenki...
S2 E1: YA Books That Ruined Our Adult Love Lives
January 11, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour - 41.8 MBSeason two of the podcast kicks off with a trip down hot mess memory lane. In this episode, Mackenzie and Lily reminisce about the YA books they read during their teen years that gave them the absolutely wrong romantic ideas in adulthood. Major episode timestamps: Introduction (0:00), Housekeeping (3:34), Introduction to Main Topic (5:04), Discussion of The Clique by Lisi Harrison (13:52), Discussion of Gossip Girl by Cecily von Ziegesar (17:08), Discussion of the Alice Series by Phyllis Re...
Season 2 Trailer: BDSM Disasters, Cringe-Worthy Sex Scenes, and More
January 04, 2021 05:00 - 1 minute - 1 MBWelcome back to season 2 of Friends to Lovers, a Bad Bitch Book Club podcast hosted by BBBC founder Mackenzie Newcomb and writer, editor, and bestie Lily Herman. Each week, they use books as a jumping off point to talk about sex, relationships, dating, love, romance, and more. Our 10-episode second season launches on January 11th, so get ready for a lot more chaos. You can get full show notes and episode transcriptions on the Bad Bitch Book Club website: http://badbitchbookclub.com/podcas...
S1 E9: Mackenzie and Lily's Favorite Love Stories of 2020
November 16, 2020 05:00 - 41 minutes - 28.8 MBIn the penultimate episode of season one, Mackenzie and Lily talk about their favorite love stories (not exclusively romance novels!) of 2020. Find out why ghosts deserve love too, who becomes the first male author ever mentioned on the podcast, why Lily believes everybody's read Mexican Gothic incorrectly, and more. Major episode timestamps: Introduction (0:00), Housekeeping (1:03), Introduction to Main Topic (1:57), Discussion of The Roommate by Rosie Danan (3:07), Discussion of Anxious P...
S1 E10: Underrated Books Under 250 Pages
November 16, 2020 05:00 - 34 minutes - 23.7 MBIn the final episode of season one (!), Mackenzie and Lily give their recommendations for underrated books under 250 pages that you can read this holiday season. Plus, Mackenzie shares her favorite trash human read of quarantine and Lily discusses not knowing what a book's about even six months after reading it. If that wasn't enough, there are season two teasers at the end of the episode. See y'all on January 11th! Major episode timestamps: Introduction (0:00), Housekeeping (1:00), Introdu...
S1 E8: An Official Taylor Jenkins Reid Novel Ranking
November 02, 2020 05:00 - 1 hour - 49.8 MBWelcome to the inaugural episode of Classified, an ongoing series where Mackenzie and Lily read and rank all of the existing work by a romance or romance-adjacent author. We're kicking things off with the work of Taylor Jenkins Reid because Mackenzie is founder, president, and CEO of the TJR fan club, and Lily has also read all of her books. (She likes them too, she swears!) Note that there are NO spoilers in this episode! Production note: We're aware that this episode has some hinky audio...
S1 E7: Consent & Condoms—Not a Late 2000s Lifestyle Blog (Feat. Ella Dawson)
October 26, 2020 04:00 - 1 hour - 44.7 MBWhy do so many romance novels not touch on contraception, consent, or STI status in their pages? Why are erotica authors calling including safe sex practices in their books "propaganda"? And which romance novel that was dubbed a "modern classic" goes super STI-negative? This week, Mackenzie and Lily are joined by cultural commentator and writer Ella Dawson to talk all things consent and condoms (and more). Major episode timestamps: Introduction (0:00), Housekeeping (2:05), Introduction to M...
S1 E6: How to Read 400 Books in a Year (A Midseason Q&A)
October 19, 2020 04:00 - 57 minutes - 39.5 MBWhat does Mackenzie actually think of Reese's Book Club? Is Lily really reading 400 books this year? What were some of the worst reads in 2020? In their first-ever midseason Q&A, Mackenzie and Lily keep the goss piping hot. Major episode timestamps: Introduction (0:00), Housekeeping (1:19), Introduction to Q&A Episode (2:50), Question About Where Mackenzie Sees Bad Bitch Book Club Going (3:43), Question About Why Mackenzie Thinks BBBC Caught On (7:01), Question About What Mackenzie and Lily...
S1 E5: Why Lily Hates Insta-Love (And Mackenzie Loves It)
October 12, 2020 04:00 - 1 hour - 42.3 MBWhy does Mackenzie get heart emoji eyes every time she sees a book with love at first sight in it while Lily wants to gouge her eyes out? In the inaugural Trope Talk episode, insta-love books are front and center, and the hot takes are abound. This episode does have a few short places with spoilers, so be sure to check out the timestamps below. Spoiler timestamps: This episode contains spoilers of The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory (29:44-32:00), November 9 by Colleen Hoover (35:16-37:55)...
Why Lily Hates Insta-Love (And Mackenzie Loves It)
October 12, 2020 04:00 - 1 hour - 42.3 MBWhy does Mackenzie get heart emoji eyes every time she sees a book with love at first sight in it while Lily wants to gouge her eyes out? In the inaugural Trope Talk episode, insta-love books are front and center, and the hot takes are abound. This episode does have a few short places with spoilers, so be sure to check out the timestamps below. Spoiler timestamps: This episode contains spoilers of The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory (29:44-32:00), November 9 by Colleen Hoover (35:16-37:55)...
S1 E4 (Part 2): Nautical BJs and Climbing Men Like Trees (Feat. Sarah MacLean)
October 07, 2020 04:00 - 56 minutes - 39 MBWhat does it take to write one of the most exquisite blow job scenes in historical romance history (according to F2L's co-hosts, of course)? Mackenzie and Lily continue their conversation with bestselling author Sarah MacLean, discuss which romance writer always has a wall fucking moment, give BBBC member recommendations for books with Empowering Blow Jobs™, and offer a brief glimpse into what else they're reading. This is the second part of a two-part episode. The first segment was publish...
S1 E4 (Part 1): Empowering Blow Jobs™ (Feat. Sarah MacLean)
October 05, 2020 04:00 - 53 minutes - 36.7 MBCan blow jobs ever be empowering for women? In part one of this episode, Mackenzie and Lily give an abbreviated world history of blow jobs and begin their discussion with award-winning and bestselling historical romance novelist Sarah MacLean about what the romance genre tells us about women over the last 50 years, how Christian Grey became a recession-era daddy, and which romance author she thinks writes the best dirty talk. Part two of this episode (including a discussion about a very nau...
S1 E3 (Part 2): So Your Boyfriend Isn't Voting—Now What? (Feat. Jennifer Litner)
September 30, 2020 04:00 - 49 minutes - 34.3 MBIn this special additional episode (y'all are spoiled!), Mackenzie and Lily continue their conversation with couples therapist and sexuality educator Jennifer Litner all about interpolitical dating and romantic partnerships. Mack and Lil also provide ample politically-minded romance novel recommendations and a peek into what else they're reading. This is the second part of a two-part episode. The first segment was published on September 28th, and you should definitely listen to that episode...
S1 E3 (Part 1): How Do Democrats and Republicans Fall in Love? (Feat. Jennifer Litner)
September 28, 2020 04:00 - 54 minutes - 37.4 MBWhy are there suddenly romance novels coming out about Democrats and Republicans falling in love? How many interpolitcal couples really exist in actuality? And can they thrive without massive amounts of compartmentalization and avoidance? Mackenzie and Lily are joined in the first of a two-part episode by couples therapist and sexuality educator Jennifer Litner to discuss what's really at the heart of mixed partisan partnerships and if there's something to be said for "opposites attract"—or ...
S1 E2: Angsty Youths™ (Or What to Read After "Normal People")
September 21, 2020 04:00 - 52 minutes - 35.9 MBIn this week's episode of Friends to Lovers, Mackenzie and Lily discuss why Sally Rooney's novel Normal People is so hyped, what makes a true Angsty Youth™ book, why Old Navy's men's section has the best graphic T-shirts, and which "groundbreakingly terrible" piece of fiction they both threw across the room while reading. Major episode timestamps: Introduction (0:00), Housekeeping (1:26), Introduction to Main Discussion (4:11), Introduction to Normal People (5:15), Introduction to Angsty Yo...
S1 E1: Romances You Can Lend to Your Grandma
September 14, 2020 04:00 - 43 minutes - 29.8 MBWelcome to Friends to Lovers! On the inaugural episode of the first season, Mackenzie and Lily dive into romances that won't make your pearl-clutching grandma break out in hives from the utter steaminess and sexual tension. Major episode timestamps: Introduction (0:00), Housekeeping (2:00), Introduction to Main Discussion (11:22), Ayesha at Last by Uzma Jalaluddin (13:44), Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes (15:47), The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali (18:36), Next Year in Havana by C...
Season 1 Trailer: Welcome to Friends to Lovers
August 14, 2020 20:00 - 1 minute - 1 MBWelcome to Friends to Lovers, a Bad Bitch Book Club podcast hosted by BBBC founder Mackenzie Newcomb and writer, editor, and bestie Lily Herman. Each week, they use books as a jumping off point to talk about sex, relationships, dating, love, romance, and more. Friends to Lovers launches its first 10-episode season on September 14, 2020. Give us a five-star rating wherever you get your podcasts, and say hi to us at @F2LPodcast on Twitter and Instagram. You can also join the private F2L Faceb...