We're Tumblereading again, and this time we started talking about those things that just pull us out of books when we read—and also about AI (and reader responses to it).

Some links to things we talked about at smutreport.com/podcast [https://smutreport.com/2025/09/08/discussion-those-things-that-are-like-buckets-of-cold-water/].

Have a question or a discussion point for us? Leave us a comment [https://smutreport.com/2025/09/08/discussion-those-things-that-are-like-buckets-of-cold-water/]!

Tumblereads: AI and Cold Buckets of Water

We're trying something a little different here at The Smut Report Pod, where we just talk about whatever we're reading and see where it takes us. What we got was 30 minutes of unedited chit chat, mostly about Romantasy.

For a list of all the books we talked about, go to smutreport.com/podcast [https://smutreport.com/2025/08/31/introducing-tumblereads/].

Like the format? Hate it? Have a question you'd like us to answer? Leave us a comment here [https://smutreport.com/2025/08/31/introducing-tumblereads/].

Tumblereads #1

The Smut Report Team is back, and this month we're talking about the criminal archetype in romance books. What characteristics does a criminal love interest have—and what makes them so dang sexy?

For our conversation, we read Hard Time by Cara McKenna [https://amzn.to/3UQ3abj].

Full show notes at smutreport.com/podcast [https://smutreport.com/2025/08/04/lets-talk-archetypes-criminals/]

The Criminal Archetype

This month, the Smut Report team is talking Metaromance. Not romances that take place at Facebook, but romance books that are talking about romance books.

To prepare, we all read Unromance by Erin Connor [https://amzn.to/4kEX0pN].

Full show notes at smutreport.com/podcast [https://smutreport.com/2025/06/13/lets-talk-about-metaromance/].

Metaromance

We're wrapping up our Hoedown Showdown! Holly, Erin, and Ingrid all share their Yee Haws and Hell Naws from this project, talk about their favorite microtropes, and share recommendations of other Western Romances. 

Full show notes at smutreport.com/podcast.

Hoedown Showdown: Final Thoughts

We're in Week 4 of reading Romance Westerns, and this week we're focusing on queer and poly romances. 

We read:

 * Heart and Hand by Rebel Carter (Amazon [https://amzn.to/3YShjXZ] | Bookshop [https://bookshop.org/a/9436/9798794771770])  
 * They Ain't Proper by M.B. Guel (Amazon [https://amzn.to/4iCY4sF] | Bookshop [https://bookshop.org/a/9436/9781642474824])

Warning: This conversation includes ranting.

Full show notes at smutreport.com/podcast.

Hoedown Showdown: Queer Westerns

For the third week of the Hoedown Showdown, we're in the 2020s! What's changed in Western romance? What's stayed the same? 

We read:

 * Wild Rain by Beverly Jenkins (Amazon [https://amzn.to/4iofSHN] | Bookshop [https://bookshop.org/a/9436/9780062861719])
 * Marrying Off Morgan McBride by Amy Barry (Amazon [https://amzn.to/43ZQbtz] | Bookshop [https://bookshop.org/a/9436/9780593335598])

Full shownotes at smutreport.com/podcast [https://smutreport.com/2025/04/18/hoedown-showdown-westerns-from-the-present/]

Hoedown Showdown: Westerns from the Present

For the second week of the Hoedown Showdown, we read two books from the early 2000s: 

 * Silver Lining by Maggie Osborne (Amazon [https://amzn.to/3XXdeS2] | Bookshop [https://bookshop.org/a/9436/9780449005163])
 * Knight on the Texas Plains by Linda Broday (Amazon [https://amzn.to/4ly8XPg] | Bookshop [https://bookshop.org/a/9436/9781492646501])

Full show notes at smutreport.com/podcast [https://smutreport.com/2025/04/11/hoedown-showdown-westerns-from-the-early-aughts/]

Hoedown Showdown: Westerns from the Aughts

It's time for a Hoedown Showdown! Every Friday in April, we'll be dropping an episode where we talk about two western romances. 

We're starting things off Old School with two romances from the 90s: The Touch of Fire by Linda Howard (Amazon [https://amzn.to/3DXfrWW] | Bookshop [https://bookshop.org/a/9436/9780671019723]) and Texas Destiny by Lorraine Heath (Amazon [https://amzn.to/4cgvE64] | Bookshop [https://bookshop.org/a/9436/9780062046604]). Come for the dusty coats and the snake venom, stay for our discussion of how we imagine American history. Plus, of course we're talking about the swoon factor!

Full show notes at smutreport.com/podcast [https://smutreport.com/2025/04/04/its-time-for-a-hoedown-showdown-westerns-from-the-90s/].

Hoedown Showdown: Westerns from the 90s

Erin explains spoke and wheel romances (along with other forms of ethical non-monogamy…and non-ethical non-monogamy). Holly and Ingrid are along for the read. 

To prepare, we all read Four Psychos by Kristy Cunning [https://amzn.to/3QiXog8], but we ended up talking about a ton of different books.

Show notes and book list at smutreport.com/podcast [https://smutreport.com/2025/02/13/lets-talk-tropes-spoke-and-wheel-romance/].

Spoke and Wheel featuring Four Psychos by Kristy Cunning

Call us Smut Enthusiasts.

Call us Smut Scholars.

Call us Smut Evangelists.

We are The Smut Report: Let’s talk dirty books.

Erin, Holly, and Ingrid have been reading romance novels together for 20 years—and we love talking about them.

Blog [https://smutreport.com/]  |  All show notes [https://smutreport.com/podcast/]

Connect with us!

Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/smutreport]  |  Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/smutreport/]  |  Twitter [https://twitter.com/smutreport]

The Smut Report Podcast

Call us Smut Enthusiasts.

Call us Smut Scholars.

Call us Smut Evangelists.

We are The Smut Report: Let’s talk dirty books.

Erin, Holly, and Ingrid have been reading romance novels together for 20 years—and we love talking about them.

Blog | All show notes

Connect with us!

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter