HeyJaredFirst Dates & Soulmates: A Romance Podcast
Two avid romance readers discuss their love of the genre, the writing process, and share their favorite book recommendations. firstdatesandsoulmates.substack.com
- Indexed episodes, last 90 days
- 11
- Latest publication
- Sep 10, 2026
- Audience
- Checking…
- Earliest in this view
- Jul 8, 2026
Latest episodes
[Re-Release] Vampire Romance: Brooder, Predator, Protector, Monster (opens the original)
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October starts with a bite as Nikki and Meg dive fang-first into the many flavours of vampire romance. From broody immortals to leather-pants predators, they trace the evolution of the undead in pop culture and argue over who deserves to be booped on the nose. What you’ll hear: Sparkly vampires that aged like milk (sorry, Edward) Why Alexander Skarsgård should never own pants that aren’t leather The four vampire archetypes: tragic baby, sexy predator, protective dad-vamp, and monster with a secr
[Re-release] Rockstar Romance with Jessica Topper (opens the original)
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This week Nikki and Meg sit down with author Jessica Topper to dive into the world of rock star romance. A librarian-turned-romance-writer, Jessica shares how her real-life concert experiences and love of music shape her stories — including her beloved Love & Steel series. They explore: * What makes musicians such compelling romantic leads * Why found family dynamics hit differently in fictional bands * The behind-the-stage drama of redemption arcs, messy characters, and their thoughts on bodygu
[Re-Release] Love on Vacation: Summer Romance Trope Deep Dive (opens the original)
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Ever fall in love on vacation? Nikki hasn't — but she's got a cautionary tale about a family friend who did, and it did NOT end well. Meg's convinced the only version that actually works is the friends-to-lovers group trip. This week, Nikki and Meg unpack the logistics (and the impractical magic) of the "love on vacation" trope — from beach house hookups to European cruises to why a grand romantic gesture at the airport is a logistical nightmare and disrespectful to TSA lines. Listen in for: — T
[Re-Release] Eden Finley Discusses Her Shared Hockey Romance Universe (opens the original)
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Nikki and Meg sit down with bestselling author Eden Finley to talk all things generational romance, character crossovers, and the chaos of collaborative writing. From her Fake Boyfriend series to Puckboy, Eden shares how she builds interconnected worlds where the HEAs don’t stop with one couple but they span generations. Listen in as they discuss: * Why gay hockey is such a reliable niche * Keeping track of a sprawling cast across multiple spin-offs and shared universes * Eden’s writing process
[Re-Release] Heated Rivalry: We're Going To The Cottage (opens the original)
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Episodes 5 and 6 of Heated Rivalry deliver what can only be described as a masterclass in slow-burn payoff. This is the episode where a broken collarbone, a loopy hospital confession, and an invitation to a Canadian cottage somehow add up to two men who finally, finally sit down and use their words like adults — and it happens across what both hosts agreed feels less like two separate episodes than one continuous, hour-and-a-half emotional gut-punch. Meg and Nikki are once again joined by Andréa
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