In this episode of In Confidence, Lisa is joined by friends, Marybeth Coleman and Lauren Wolf, for a laugh-filled deep dive into romantasy: the genre where fantasy and romance collide. This once quietly passed–between–friends genre has turned into a full-blown cultural moment and offers much more than just dragons and slow-burn romance.
From the book boyfriends of Fourth Wing and the favorite tropes of A Court of Thorns and Roses to the ways these heroines help us reconnect with our own strength, navigate healing, and reflect on the relationships we choose, this is a cozy, candid conversation about why these wildly entertaining reads stick with us long after the final page.
00:00 Intro
02:47 Meet the Guests: Lauren & Marybeth
04:10 What Is Romantasy?
07:30 Lisa's Romantasy Algorithm
08:58 How We Got Hooked: Personal Journeys into the Genre
12:40 From Secret to Mainstream: Normalizing Romantasy
15:30 Yes, Men Read It Too
16:13 Why Women Love Romantasy
19:30 Empowering Heroines & Escapism
21:17 Reflections of Real Life: Adversity, Growth, and Relationships
25:44 From Streaming to Reading: A Shift in What We Crave
29:07 Rapid Fire: Tropes, Favorites, and More
30:21 The Book Boyfriend Phenomenon
37:03 How These Stories Challenge the Way We Live
38:23 Romance vs. Fantasy: Which One Elevates the Other?
40:10 The Community Effect: Romantasy as a Shared Experience
42:25 Outro
44:20 Disclaimer
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