We are back in the early 90s, when the mullets were epic and the covers were sumptuous. Come on back to July 1992 with us as we explore the ads & features of the 100th issue of Romantic Times Magazine!
This issue contains some FASCINATING retrospective looks at romance, cover art, and more, and I think it is one of the primary sources cited for some of the more common stories I’ve heard about romance.
Were you a Borders, B. Dalton, or Waldenbooks reader, or another bookshop entirely?
Don’t forget – you can watch this episode on YouTube with the visuals on screen, or look for the visual aids below!
❤ Read the transcript ❤
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Here are the books we discuss in this podcast:
We also mentioned:
And of course…visual aids!
So this is my sleep paralysis demon. His name is Hank. Allegedly this is a werewolf of some kind and YIKES.
This is the book with the couple who dance to an old Victrola and find themselves with a bit of a haunting. We think he looks like a carnival barker or a ventriloquist’s dummy.
Long before Instagram Filters were a thing, she has Instagram Filter face.
YIKES on the title, but she did tie him to a tree. We’re impressed. Also that man has the longest torso we have ever seen. There’s like nine miles between his waist and That Bulge.
This is the flaccid fireworks clip art that Amanda spotted. Once we discussed what she thought they looked like, I made this:
Not bad! Graphic design is my passion.
This is Shirl Henke’s late husband Jim, who would do custom photo shoots for book marks (Jim-marks) as part of the promotion for Shirl’s latest book. In this case they’re giving away a rare silver coin (in his hand by his waist) to a lucky reader who can guess which sex scene in Terms of Love is the one he wrote. In the article about the latest Jim-mark, Shirl reports that his bookmark poses were very popular with her readers.
Because of the angle, this man looks like he has 7 fingers on his right hand.
This is the cover illustration. They look like they’re kneeling on top of deep water? And she looks like Xena warrior princess.
A close up of Surrender the Night: we think he’s looking at the necklace but we could be wrong.
Also get a load of that necklace! Is that called a “bib necklace?” Because WOW that’s a lot of jewels.
The full cover – think she’s got anything on under the fur coat? Are they going to do it in the park??
We don’t know who Gloria Diehl is, but we do know that this cover is a marvelous selection for her book club.
The lead article from the 100th issue, featuring Kathryn Falk holding the first issue of RT, and a 100th issue photo of her embracing Fabio.
And another bookmark! This is the Fabio bookmark they gave away to celebrate 100 issues, and my GOSH I wish I could see it in color. Someone has to have one of these, right? He’s reading issues of RT!
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Picture this.
You left your hometown with a broken heart, a big dream, and every intention of never looking back. Then life starts lifeing. It laughs at your plans and sends you home.
That’s where A Hard Habit to Break begins.
Architect Rachel Johnson returns to the tiny mountain town of Service, West Virginia, for one reason: her father’s wedding. Two weeks. That’s all she has to survive. There’s just one tiny complication. The man she never quite got over still lives next door.
Firefighter Noah Calvary has spent years convincing himself that first loves belong in the past. Then Rachel pulls into town with a successful career, a designer wardrobe, and because the universe has an excellent sense of humor, another man.
Awkward?
Absolutely.
Over?
Not even close. In fact, they get roped into serving on the town’s redevelopment committee…together.
What follows is a delicious collision of professional rivalry, meddling family, small-town gossip, old memories, new secrets, and enough sparkling banter to make you grin when no one’s looking. Beneath every laugh is a question: what if the life you were chasing cost you the love you were meant to keep?
If you adore second chances, crackling chemistry, laugh-out-loud moments, swoony MMCs who know exactly when to stand their ground (and when to let a remarkable woman soar) it is the romance you’ve been waiting for.
Because sometimes the hardest habit to break isn’t going home. It’s pretending you stopped loving the person who always felt like home.
A Hard Habit to Break by Siera London is a story about choosing love without losing yourself, finding hope where you least expect it, and discovering that happily ever after deserves a second chance.
Come back to Service, West Virginia. Noah and Rachel are waiting for you.
Transcript
❤ Click to view the transcript ❤
This podcast transcript was handcrafted with meticulous skill by Garlic Knitter. Many thanks.
