Zipless

Women have been reading and writing about romance for centuries. But in the past few decades, what was once considered a scandalous and secretive pastime has now burst proudly onto the open market. In fact, romance novels account for nearly a quarter of all adult print fiction sold in the United States, and romance is one of the fastest growing genres in audiobooks. So, what is it about forbidden love, age gaps, love triangles, friends to lovers, and steamy sex scenes that women find so timelessly appealing? Do romance novels offer windows into the lives women want, or mirror the lives they already have? With more and more women listening to romance audiobooks, how does narration, depth of a male voice, or cadence in artistic performance affect a romantic scene? And when it comes to the language of love, can the romance novel finally take words long considered shameful and flip them into words of empowerment? In interviews with bestselling romance authors including Evie Dunmore, Sara Cate, Sierra Simone, Stephanie Archer, and Xio Axelrod, host Allie Martina explores how romance novels change and reflect women’s lives on and off the page. And in one-of-a-kind cameos appearances, professional actor and romance novel narrator Gideon Frost joins Allie in exploring how performance, delivery, and the language of romance can impact the hearts and minds of an audience. For more information about the show, guests, and forums to share your thoughts, go to ziplesspodcast.com Zipless is produced by Allie Martina and Jill Ruby. Series launches January 7, 2025. Listener discretion advised.