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Tumblereads 12: Heated Rivalry and Hot Takes
6 Plays13 minutes ago
Erin squees about Heated Rivalry and Ingrid leads the Smut Report team in a game of This or That.
Show notes at smutreport.com/podcast
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction to Smut Report Tumble Reads
00:00:00
Speaker
na na na smut report welcome to the smut report tumble reads edition where we talk about books like the tumbleweeds roll across the desert which is wherever we want and at whatever speed we feel like going um and i'm being like invasive species is that what we're going for Don't overthink it, Holly. Oh, sorry. Listen, you can take it to the next step next time. Yeah, this time we're just going. We're just going to go. so I would love to know what an invasive discussion comes to. I think that you should definitely try to take it for the next conversation. But sorry, love that Ingrid, please continue introducing us. I was just going to say that I'm Ingrid.
00:00:43
Speaker
And I'm Erin. And I'm Holly. There we go. We'll get there eventually. And and i get to be the DJ for Tumble Reads today.
Heated Rivalry Book Series Update
00:00:53
Speaker
And the first thing that I need to know desperately is I need an a heated rivalry update. from Oh my gosh!
00:01:00
Speaker
I mean, I need it, but also let's be realistic here. We were going to get it anyway. So let's just make some time. Give us two minutes, Erin. Was it I don't. um I can probably even be shorter than two minutes. Okay. So, so far, my husband was like, that that's a lot of butts. Yeah.
00:01:17
Speaker
Sold. Maybe I will pay for HBO Max. Okay. So I think um my takeaway is overall, the it's not beat for, I mean, in some places it is beat for beat. Like they pulled quotes from the books. The dialogue is from the books. So yes, that exists, but it's not like a hundred percent beat for beat the book, but it's very true the,
00:01:43
Speaker
the overall emotion and like structure of their relationship and so it's so far two episodes um by the time this posts the third one will have come out and that's about going to be about scott hunter um so i'm sitting on the couch being like oh i know who that person is oh i wonder where that person is my husband's just like what is happening right now who is that guy it's like carter is scott's best friend anyway so um so i think that yes so far they've done a great job there's like a freeze on any reviews for the third episode because apparently the it's going to be about the guy from the first book and the probably the reason for that is he is ultimately the reason that shane and ilia
00:02:30
Speaker
can have an hfn at all at the end of heated rivalry um because a lot of their drama is that their relationship is secret and they can't be together because they're rival hockey players you know and closeted yeah of course they're Like, nobody's out. There's no out hockey players. Right. There's this toxic masculinity culture. Like, it's Rachel Reed was writing from a standpoint of looking at hockey. She's a huge hockey fan and kind of the stuff that she didn't like to see. Mm hmm. um and so so scott is like the reason that they're able to get to their hfn so the third episode is about him and his boyfriend and i have heard a rumor that they took some risks with that one so we'll see how it goes but so far so amazing and guys guys guys my favoritest thing in the entire world i couldn't get over it i kept on mentioning it while i was watching
00:03:22
Speaker
Was that so Shane Elia is like a bad boy, right? He's like, I don't care. i'm going to smoke this cigarette out behind the stadium, even though i'm not supposed to do like whatever.
00:03:34
Speaker
So he is definitely the acting out, but like mush on the inside because he has a traumatic childhood. And then like really traumatic guys. and And Shane is the good boy. He loves getting praised for doing the right thing, but he is like bad.
00:03:51
Speaker
highly strung and tightly wound like he's your friend who is like are you sure we should drink these wine coolers right now what if somebody catches us dude uh we're in your dad's backyard and your dad's not even home no but like what what if they find the glass left over in the recycling like uh don't think i should do this right that's that's shade right so So you? It's you. Yeah, that sounds like you.
00:04:14
Speaker
I do find Shane somewhat relatable. so So, so, but, okay, so this is Shane. Guys, I thought it was just the first time that they have sex, but Shane keeps his socks on every time they have sex.
00:04:29
Speaker
It's like the visual illustration of how uptight he is. And they're like full length crew socks. I love this so much. Like Ilya is all just skin, lots of skin.
00:04:43
Speaker
Shane's naked, but he's got his crew socks. Okay. buy But Aaron, I have a very important question for you. Yes. What does Ilya's cross look like? Oh, thank you, Holly, because I really wanted to give a shout out to that because it is a an Orthodox cross. It is a Russian Orthodox cross. And I was like, yes.
00:05:02
Speaker
I'm so excited about that. Even though I had, I don't know, we can link back to the post. ah I was like complaining about how all of the crosses that Ilya has illustrated in the fan art are like tiny little Protestant crosses. Well, one fan wrote, responded and was like, oh, but like Ilya is supposed to be a specific, hock like kind of his character is based on a specific hockey player. Oh, really?
00:05:28
Speaker
Yes. And this hockey player ah is also known for wearing a big, big cross. And it doesn't have... It's not a Russian cross. So... Or an Eastern Orthodox cross. ah And it's it's just a big old gold gold cross. But it's still huge. It's probably four inches long. You know, it's enormous. And all these little illustrated Protestant crosses are still around.
00:05:50
Speaker
So um anyway, I loved it. And actually, one of our... I think it's... Romancing the data is the handle of this ah online acquaintance of ours, but created a fan account, I think, dedicated to Ilya's cross showing up or somebody did. Maybe she made a different fan account.
00:06:11
Speaker
um but you know it's all showing up everywhere so thank you holly i really wanted to shout that out like that was good job that was your sister i'm just saying good job creators well no holly was one who asked about i thought i was bringing it up and i was like that was me no yes thank you for bringing up so i could squeak i was gonna cross yes holly that was a good one but if you could just see the glee on air in space i know this is why we do what we do yeah we don't pay for video but like this would this would have been a moment where like maybe we should video it was like but then we'd have to brush our hair yeah do that with like yeah cartoon birds and rainbows she was like there's so much butts um anyway well okay so that was the first thing that i wanted to talk about was we needed the heated rivalry update which i'm glad to hear your husband was so excited to be watching this with you i am sure that if he looks forward every installment i know yeah
00:07:06
Speaker
but Yeah. Well, it's like when I made my husband watch Bridgerton with me. Oh, yeah. Like, we watched the first episode, and he was like, ah really, Holly? And then we watched the second episode, and he's like... to watch the third one? Yeah. like that' but But what happens next? yeah My husband was like, when does the next season come out? And I was like, ooh. My husband was like, we're going to watch the next season now, right? it was like, I mean, we can wait. He's like, no.
00:07:31
Speaker
Let's just get right into it. Because, again, there's butts in it, too. Anyway. um
AI in Writing and Publishing Industry
00:07:38
Speaker
All right. So I had two ideas for today.
00:07:43
Speaker
We might even be able to do them both because one of them is very short. Well, yeah. So the first one was I stumbled across, but we can save it. I stumbled across this accidentally, this discussion, and it was like I didn't realize I was in an AI authors subreddit.
00:07:58
Speaker
Like the authors utilize AI for their writing. And it was romance. Yeah. know And I was like, why do I feel so uncomfortable right now? Because I didn't know what I was reading. And all these authors was like were like, oh, yeah, I use AI this way. I use AI that way. And they're like, it's still me writing.
00:08:18
Speaker
And I was like, but it's not. ah So. I was like, this would be an interesting discussion to have with Aaron and Holly because you guys are so feisty and thorough that I was like, I'll bet if somebody can find out where the line in the sand is for I wrote it or a computer wrote it and I was i wrote it with the computer.
00:08:40
Speaker
You know what i mean? I bet Aaron and Holly could figure that out. So I was curious about that. And I can tell you a couple different options. But I also have a fun little game called This or That, Romance Edition. Let's play this or that because thinking about AI is depressing.
00:08:54
Speaker
You know what? i was so excited. i was so excited. I was like, o this will be so gritty and deep. And then this morning I woke up and I was like, but I just want to have snap opinions about romance novels. Okay, let's do that. I'm glad we're on the same page. Listen, AI will sit for another day. that's Yeah, I mean, I can tell you where the line is. It's like, spell check, fine.
00:09:15
Speaker
Yeah, well, this one was like, some people were like, well, I use it for organizational purposes. And I was like, well, okay. Like, I guess I could see if you needed it to like help you map out how to get something done. But that something was completely in your own head. That would be one thing, right? But then some people were like, I use it. I still write it. I just use it like an editor where I feed in what I'm writing and then it'll tell me how to write the next seed. And I'm like, that's not you writing.
00:09:38
Speaker
That's not what editors do. like That's not what editors do. And I can say as somebody who works as an editor in my day job, AI, like my job has gotten a lot harder in the last year.
00:09:51
Speaker
I believe it. It was so gross because, you know, it's interesting because, well, never mind. We're not, we weren't going to about this, but I will say that more and more. So i was talking to somebody else recently and I was like, you know, honestly, I think I'm going to, there's really, it doesn't feel like there's any literary point in keeping any kind of like, and I, I'm trying to quit Amazon anyway, guys, but like the KU subscription is, I just think it's just all AI, not necessarily, but like the quality of the books has gotten so consistently the same. like they're all the same and so i'm like you know i just don't want to get my recommendations this way anymore i'm finding all these great books that you just you got to do it the old-fashioned way like just go buy a book at the store do you know what i mean like so that's interesting because i tend to not want to read more trad pub stuff because i'm like ah boring
00:10:39
Speaker
well And the stuff that I want to read is often not available. like i That's why I have so many subscription libraries because yeah i it helps you get I can access more independently published books. And Hoopla has a lot of indie books, but like my public library is still primarily getting books from publishers. like They have to... They have avenues for acquiring books that they cannot necessarily circumvent. And so then what? You know, and I, you know, there were some I've had. I feel like a lot of the rants that I've had in the past two or three years have been like, this looks fun. And then I start reading it. I'm just like, I'm just annoyed because these characters are just as dumb as the last characters that I read from you know and it's for me it might all be a piece of like editors not want like publishers and editors not necessarily wanting to take big risks yeah and also not having a budget to do a variety of things and you know like there are a number of facts I have a friend who works in publishing at one point she was like I was like ah we were talking about a mistake in another book and she was like we are tired
00:11:47
Speaker
like And she does graphic novels. So, um but you know, it's not it's all kinds of fact checking and placement checking and all kinds of things. Like, it's more stuff. But it's, yeah. i mean I'm just curious what's going to happen. Because the prediction that I see coming down the line, right, is that because of deep fakes and stuff, I feel like there's going to be something where, you know, when it's kind of like when you have to list ingredients and stuff, that there's going to be something who knows when where they're going say you have to say if you're using AI. Yeah. Right.
00:12:17
Speaker
And well now a lot of authors are including a blurb at the beginning that says specifically, I do not use AI and I do not agree to my work being fed into any kind of AI system. Yeah. Well, so there's it's too bad. But like right now, the onus is on the author. Right. But in the future, I could totally see like a future where people are like, all right, that's it. You guys have to say if you're using like organ meat in your sausage. Do you know what I mean? Like yeah you have to tell people what you're using to get there. And I think that's fair.
00:12:46
Speaker
So anyway, that was my AI thing was this whole conversation where I was like, where's the line in the sand? Because I had like five different examples and I was like, what but what about this? What about that? What about this? Honestly, i just had this pit in my stomach the whole time. And I was like, you can't trust anybody anymore. But anyway,
00:13:01
Speaker
Let's move on to something more fun. Who wants to give really strong opinions about stuff with absolutely no context whatsoever? Raise your hand. Oh, there's two. That sounds risky.
00:13:12
Speaker
this one This is the difference between me and Aaron. My hand shot up all the way to the sky as high as it could go. And Aaron was like, oh, God, what if I have to think about shades of gray in the middle?
00:13:24
Speaker
all right, I'll do it. This is going be a growing opportunity for you because you don't get context. It's just basically two words or phrases against each other and you have to pick one. okay are you ready based on whatever i feel like so there's no like breaking the rules there's no breaking the rules whatever you feel like i don't want to break the rules it's it it is as a rule of thumb or how about we say most of the time for aaron because her brain needs this most of the time which one do you like better okay paula you can just pick knee jerk because i trust you okay ready
00:13:55
Speaker
but We're going to start out so easy. Are you ready? The first one is paperback or hardback? Paperback. Paperback. Paperback. Unanimous. But you have to like break the spine correctly. Okay, Erin. Next. Ew, he'll break the spine. No, you have to massage. no you There's a way to do it. You massage the spine so that it doesn't break. is it like kale?
00:14:17
Speaker
No. ah yes you have to you go like You're really not good at this game, Erin. This is important information people Okay, i'm sorry. no tell us about how you properly wear a paperback. You don't break it, really. Okay. So you massage the spine so that it doesn't break. You the You put the covers down and flatten them, right? So the pages are standing up. And then you some people do it page by page. I'm like, no. I just take enough so that it's kind of not a noticeable clump. So maybe like three to five pages on either side and massage them down. And then take another three to five pages and massage them down until you get to the middle of the book and your spine will not crease.
00:14:59
Speaker
Okay, Erin will give a play-by-play tutorial on that on the blog later. Next. Now, Erin. not more common than that. Stay with me here. Nope. I do it with all my books. Stay with me. Right. Stay with me. Next question. Okay. You're such a weirdo. I know.
00:15:13
Speaker
That was really important though. never occurred to me. It's something I would ever. Erin, that was critical information. You had to do right then. You want to keep your books nice for a long time. Okay. i almost has I almost shudder to ask this next one, but bookstore or online? Oh, I would rather go to a bookstore. Erin, just pick one. A lot of the books that I want aren't available at bookstores. Okay.
00:15:37
Speaker
You have to buy the book. go to a bookstore. I would rather go to a bookstore, but I can't get most of my books at bookstores. That's not an answer. i just It is an answer. Erin, I mean, that okay. My answer is I like browsing at bookstores, but if I have a specific book in mind, I buy it online. You guys are – it's bookstore. The answer is bookstore. Which one do you like better? Well, but what what's my goal, Ingrid? Hey, look. Look.
00:16:02
Speaker
you I was like, oh my gosh, we're going to finish this in four minutes. No, we're going to like run over here if I ask them all because clearly we have to litigate all of these. This is like, you're so bad at this. It's when I ask, I want you to picture in your head the ideal circumstances, right? No, but it depends on what my goals are, Ingrid. Oh, Lord.
00:16:24
Speaker
All right. Okay. Stay with me, kids. So next we have... God. Is it going to get easier? it's going to get worse. Those were the easy ones. I love you guys. Those were like the... but I was soft pitching to you guys on those.
00:16:41
Speaker
Next is Saga or Standalone? Standalone. You both feel that way? Yeah. Well, mine was Saga. Well, knew that. Shocking. Yeah.
00:16:54
Speaker
Because they're too short otherwise. Okay. Yeah, you read too fast. It's just, I can't deal. Otherwise I'm like, well, that was a tasty snack. It finished in five minutes. Okay. Audio or physical?
00:17:04
Speaker
Audio. Physical. I'm physical too. But with a good narrator. Audio is unlistenable if it's a bad narrator, but yeah. Funnily enough, we were listening. we listened to the lie or The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe on the way up to Thanksgiving.
00:17:17
Speaker
And i was sitting there with the children listening to this book. We were in the same car. there what i wasn't like there were just i wasn't walking in and out of the room. We were trapped in a box listening to the same thing. And both kids were like, Mom, do you think that's the White Witch? And I was like, who now?
00:17:35
Speaker
What? Because literally couldn't follow the book. Yeah. It was in one ear, out the other. It may as well have been like white noise. Audiobooks, I cannot do that. If you want me to retain nothing, it might as well just be elevator music to me. I cannot retain it. Anyway. Okay. Next. Yeah, they may they put me to sleep. So. Yeah, I can't do it.
00:17:53
Speaker
Okay. Binge or slow? Binge. I'm binge. I feel like I might be slow. i mean you're slow yeah I think
The Bad Decisions Book Club
00:18:01
Speaker
so. I mean, oh we're reading. You're very fast every other one. No, I mean, i'm a fat like I'm a fast reader, but I don't read one author's entire backlist all in the one go. Or do you pick up and put down a book? Or do you like read it all the way through? Because that's also a way to binge. You can binge multiple books, or you can binge one book really fast, like Bad Decisions Book Club. Do you pace yourself? You less frequently Bad Decisions Book Club. No, I Bad Decisions Book Club things plenty, but like a
00:18:27
Speaker
But yeah, right I like – I frequently am reading more than one book at a time and like – Oh, never. Oh, never. Really? Oh, I have like 34 currently reading books. Oh, no. I have like three two or three max ever. I was like, which one am I focused on right now? Well, this explains why I finish a book in a day and you guys take like four weeks. It's just all over the place. But I wanted to say for anybody who's not aware, Decisions Book Club – We'll have to figure out who, like, where did that come from? Some online, you know, friend. It's when you, like, start a book and then up all night reading it. Oh, yeah. You join the Bad Decisions Book Club. Yes. I am a card-carrying member of that.
00:19:08
Speaker
I would like to say that all of my sleep problems are not at all of my own doing, but that would be a lie. Okay. Do you like to cry more or laugh more? Laugh. Cry. i could have seen that come a mile away.
00:19:25
Speaker
I can tell. So in my head now to this day, if I have a book where I well up and tears actually come out, I'm like, oh, I got to recommend one Holly. o I'm laugh.
00:19:35
Speaker
All right. Character driven or plot driven? Oh, see, I told you I gave you the easy ones first. a I feel like I'm actually. OK, what kind of character? I feel like I'm more of a character reader.
00:19:51
Speaker
um But I do like a good plot. But oh maybe not. I'm going to say plot. That's really hard. Actually, I think what I really am is a voice reader. Is that next question? Are you a settings reader or a voice reader? I didn't have that one, but you guys can just add that one in there if you want to. Yeah. yeah I would say voice is probably the most important for me. but like yeah Yeah. I would have to agree with that too. Wait, what was it? Setting or voice?
00:20:13
Speaker
So yeah, that's from Nancy Pearl's Four Doors to Reading. I think she was a librarian or maybe she's still alive. Sorry. But my librarian friend... I have such nerdy friends and it's so delightful guys. we My librarian friend was like, Oh yeah, this. And I was like, Oh, and so it's like the ways people access books. Right. And so, um, or just the way that she was talking to me about it was we were talking about books for my kids. Cause she's a children's librarian. And she was like, I mean, your kid loves wings of fire.
00:20:43
Speaker
So sometimes people will be like, Oh, you like a book about dragons. Here's another book about dragons, but that's not actually tapping into what about wings of fire is appealing? Is it, and then the four doors to reading, is it the characters? Is it the plot? Is it the setting? Or is it the author voice?
00:21:02
Speaker
um because then you want to you would want to be like oh these books have a similar plot right or these books have similar characters or these books have a similar you know right and so if it's like we're talking wings of fire is it do we want like a fantasy land with dragons do we want like an epic war story do we want like five kids saving the world yeah well it's kind of like how people compare like fourth wing to dire bound right so like Not the same.
00:21:29
Speaker
Some of the structure is similar, which is why I think people like, oh, yeah, but really what people are talking about, right, is that you have this heroine who's, like, a little bit pitiful and grumpy and doesn't want to be there, but, like, also wants to dominate. And, like, the vibe with... I mean, it's like the lens is the exact same. Do you know what I mean? The character. Right. So that's... Exactly. Okay. So, but we didn't finish. Aaron says plot-driven. Holly... No, Holly says plot-driven. Aaron says... I said, what was the option?
00:21:58
Speaker
A character or a character. i think if I really like the characters, the plot matters less to me. I think... I do have a good plot, though. So here so here's the here's... I'm going do a pull, an Aaron, and a Holly since we're doing that. ah since we're so bad at this but i'm reading romanticy right now romanticy isn't i don't think it's very successful when it's too character driven i think it really does have to be oh yeah yeah so that's what i'm reading right now but historically if i look back at like you know the romance novels that i enjoy reading especially when they're like arcs or from publishers and stuff i really like it when a if if you can understand what a character is doing and the choices they're making i find it much more satisfying so would have to say i think probably i'm
00:22:37
Speaker
From like the longevity of my reading, I'm probably more good. Yeah. Well, I think I say plot because i because the no plot, I don't like no plot books. Yeah. No plot books are no good. Right. And like, yeah. Right. And I'll read a romanticcy where the plot is fun and the characters are super flat and still have fun.
00:22:56
Speaker
But if I read a plot with decent characters or a book with decent characters, but no plot whatsoever, then it's a no go for me. That's kind of what happened to me with Jennifer Armantrout was it started out really strong, but then it kind of got too bungled up in the characters and it stopped kind of focusing on the plot. And then it just kind of was like, oh, so anyway. All right. and Friends to lovers or enemies to lovers?
Romance Tropes Preferences
00:23:21
Speaker
Friends to lovers. Best friends to lovers every single time. Enemies to lovers. Enemies to lovers, especially if there's daggers involved. Okay, they're like actual enemies, but I feel like I never want to read enemies to lovers because people are out there being like, my contemporary romance is enemies to lovers. I'm like, no, stabby. i mean i know Here's the thing. I feel like if they're like, if it's a,
00:23:44
Speaker
contemporary romance sometimes if it's like strong rivals to lovers like if they're oh yeah if they're competing for something with stakes then i can go for it i don't know i feel like a lot of times i feel like their stakes are stupid but okay i mean there's definitely more oomph to a book a natural oomph to a book of enemies to lovers because there's a reason that they can't be together right now so i totally get it the combustion is so much more satisfying you know what i mean i don't know all right Erin, this one's for you.
00:24:16
Speaker
I can't wait. I think it'll be easy, but it's musician or athlete. Athlete. Musician. Sorry. Neither. You can't do neither.
00:24:28
Speaker
I am married to a musician. I'm married to a musician. um but But I don't like like... Okay. But he's like a fun musician, not like a rock star musician who's totally evil. think I just don't like celebrity romance. yeah So what you're saying, Holly, what you're saying, Holly, is that if somebody would write a romance novel with um like a really like beefy tuba player, would that...
00:24:52
Speaker
Like he's the cinnamon roll. He'll make you cry. And he plays the tuba. I mean, there is no way. those agile fingers. In which, I mean, and like probably tree trunk thighs. If we're being, I don't, my husband does not have tree trunk thighs. But like tuba pillars tend to be hefty. And there's no way tuba player would ever be a rock star.
00:25:14
Speaker
True. Well, you know what? I didn't say rock star. I said athlete or musician. I know, but like, put that as you know, we're not supposed to be litigating it. You're just saying neither. so he's say are Okay, fine. We've already discussed.
00:25:30
Speaker
When we talked about let's talk tropes, we're like, there are other musicians, but that's not when you think about when you think about a musician archetype. Okay, well, I'm going to stay like do i'm gonna say athlete only, but this is why. Because if I have to listen to somebody say, oh my gosh, this song is so life-changing, and they write out the lyrics, and I'm like, Like, just don't put it in. Just be like, oh my gosh, this song is so moving. I can't stand And then you'd be like, oh, great. Love it. Don't give me the lyrics. Oh, yeah. No, I mean, I've even i've been like, husband, please never write me a poem ever. And he has not, thankfully.
00:26:08
Speaker
But I feel like it's also just like even talking about like anybody describing in detail how art impacts them. It's just like, ooh. That's one of those things, Ingrid, that gives me the ick. Does it need to? Like, do I like having conversations about art with like people who are we actively having a conversation? No, that's great.
00:26:29
Speaker
But you read about it and you're like, I need this immediately. Also, recently read a hockey romance that an author sent us that I took this one for the team. And there was just like so much detail. Like there's all these games. Well, some of them are like that, yeah. And I'm just like, this is – no.
00:26:50
Speaker
care i don't care why are you telling me who scored every every time someone scores a goal i don't care some people do though some people really like that especially if they like the sport like aaron actually knows terminology now and i i don't care either but you know what sometimes if it's done right i can be made to care like there have been some baseball books there was a series that i actually liked but um anyway i yeah i'm picking athlete okay we have to we're gonna keep going because we're like maybe halfway through here okay okay and we have one minute all right let's try to rapid fire a little bit late yeah it doesn't matter this would have taken us an hour if we had let it this would have taken as long as we wanted it to now listen we only have a little bit here so here we go boss or rebel oh boss i think i would rather read a boss too usually they need to finally a unanimous one yeah boss it's that musting the straight in the hair slow burn or immediate action slow burn slow burn
00:27:46
Speaker
and Another unanimous one. All right. This is what I'm calling dull dark or hallmark. Dark. Dark. So dark. Another unanimous one.
00:27:58
Speaker
all right. Prince or mafia. Mafia. probably neither gross the one that i just finished was um amazing ingrid called me i was like what are you doing i was like i i stayed up too late last night she's like why like i was like started listening to a book and it was really funny And it was about a crazy mafia man who accidentally impregnated at his office person. Oh, Ingrid, you should read my review from yesterday. Okay, I'm already up. yeah yeah It was ridiculous. It's called Oops Baby by the from the Mafia Boss.
00:28:42
Speaker
So funny. That's hilarious. It was ridiculous. Fake dating or fated mates? I feel like I usually like fated mates Fake dating. more I like fake dating, but I know, ah you know, this is the thing I don't like about fake dating is I get really tired of the.
00:28:58
Speaker
Well, he's giving me obvious signs that he's super into it, but we're just pretending. So he doesn't. What if we ruin our relationship? Dude, you already. So I think I'm fated. Your relationship fundamentally. But Holly's fake dating. Erin, you are.
00:29:12
Speaker
i think I'm fated mates, too. OK, I feel like overall I would pick up. by Well, I probably. Well, whatever. Okay, Grumpy Sunshine or anything for you? Grumpy Sunshine. Grumpy Sunshine.
00:29:23
Speaker
I don't know why that's even an option. Obviously, it's Grumpy Sunshine. Love Triangle or Unrequited Love? Unrequited Love. I want more pining. Yeah, Unrequited Love. This goes with the slow burns.
00:29:34
Speaker
also like the Unrequited Love. This one's kind of like the other one, but ah Bad Boy or Golden Retriever? Golden Retriever. Bad away Ilya is a bad boy and it is delightful, but.
00:29:48
Speaker
So Aaron likes Golden and Retriever, Holly likes Bad Boy, right? yes I feel like Golden Retrievers are kind of related to himbos and they're fun. So I have, I have, I love a golden good Golden Retriever when it's, especially when it's a funny book, you know, but I think generally speaking, I probably like Bad Boys. Okay.
00:30:05
Speaker
And ah Forks, Forks, Proximity or Yearning. Yearning. Yearning. All right. How are those like? I like forced proximity. In opposition to each other. I mean, like, you know, like from like we're far from each other. Yeah. I like it when they're like. Sounds like a personal problem. I'm trying so hard to keep my hands off you and I can't. So, OK. Yes. that Well, I will provide this for y'all.
00:30:32
Speaker
Let's see. not well you Oh, we finished? Yeah, that's it. I did them all. You guys did them. Now, we got through. Yeah, it was that was tough. You guys should give yourselves a pat on the back. You guys really restrained yourselves from the... I really thought this was going be like low-hanging fruit. I don't know why I thought that.
00:30:47
Speaker
I should know better. Yeah, why did you think that? Yeah, you know we litigate everything. I don't – I must – I was – I woke up after getting a good night's sleep and I was like, everything is going to go so smoothly today. And I just completely forgot that when it comes to historical accuracies or this or that, that's not something Erin and Holly can do. ever.
00:31:09
Speaker
No. Like that mean we're going to have to discuss it. Yeah. But it was, but you know, yeah. In 30, that was, you guys really dug deep for that. I think you should give yourselves a pat on the back. Thank you. Thank thank you. You're welcome. Okay. And nobody even, this is the other thing. Not one of you, only one time was there a brief mention of it, but nobody even criticized the pairings as being like, there would be a better pairing for that, which I, as soon as I started, I was like, oh man, of yeah that's not a good pairing.
00:31:33
Speaker
Nah. You guys did a good job. I'm very proud. I mean, except for the ones where I was like, gross. I don't want either of those. That wasn't an option actually, but ok she okay. Okay.
00:31:45
Speaker
I suppose we'll just have to skip that one for you. Okay. Anyway, so that's it. we We went with fun instead of talking about heavy subject matter and I feel like that was the right call. So anyway, that's all I have.
00:31:56
Speaker
And I don't know how to sign these things off. keep your Make sure you wear a clean underwear in case you get put in an ambulance and have a great week. humbleble tumble Tumble reads. I don't know guys. Goodbye.
Conclusion and Sign-off
00:32:09
Speaker
All right. You can catch whatever show notes Holly puts on the blog at smartreport.com slash podcast and our socials wherever we are, which is basically Holly on Blue Sky is at Smart Report. Until then, keep it smutty, folks. Smart Report!