Do monsters make the perfect mate?
Create Your Own Shadow Garden
How to Create Your Own Shadow Garden (Inspired by In the Shadow Garden by Liz Parker) By Nicole Danielle On our podcast, Romance on the Rocks, I recently reviewed In the Shadow Garden by Liz Parker (Season 2 Episode 21: I’m Also in Love with Mothman). In the book, the mystical “shadow garden” is filledRead More
Book Review: In the Shadow Garden
If you’re looking for a story filled with witches, bourbon, buried secrets, and a touch of Southern gothic mystery, In the Shadow Garden by Liz Parker should be on your TBR.
The Shadowed Garden Cocktail
If you loved Liz Parker’s In the Shadow Garden, this cocktail is the perfect sip while reading (or re-reading) under moonlight.
I’m Also in Love with Mothman
October brings out our inner gremlins, so we leaned in and built a creature-feature lineup for the month that blends romance with folklore, small-town politics, and the kind of magical logic that feels like a warm drink on a cold night.
Season 2 Episode 21: I’m Also in Love with Mothman
Our creature-feature month kicks off with two romances that trade jump scares for emotional stakes.
Sweet 16: My Romance Book Haul in Milwaukee
Our foray into the city brought us face-to-face with some of the best contemporary romance authors of the day. After tromping up and down twenty-some blocks of North Avenue, my heart was full, my wallet was empty, and my shoulder was sore from schlepping all my new novels.
TBR: My Book Haul from Milwaukee
came home with a stack that already has my heart racing. From regency intrigue to spicy contemporary vibes, there’s a little something for every romance mood.
Season 2 Episode 20: Love in the Stacks
As we celebrate our one-year podcast anniversary, we’re thrilled to spotlight two visionary women transforming the local literary landscape.
Love in the Stacks: One Year of Romance on the Rocks
In a post-pandemic world where many of our cherished “third spaces” have diminished, a fascinating movement is emerging in the Milwaukee area and beyond. Dedicated romance bookstores that serve not just as retail spaces but as vital community hubs.
Our Whirlwind Weekend … And the Con That Shall Not Be Named
Earlier this month, my podcast co-host and bestie, Meghan, and I made the journey to the Milwaukee area for a whirlwind weekend.
Book Review: Dark Roots and Cowboy Boots
It’s the perfect summer read, especially if you’re a hairstylist who loves a little salon drama mixed in with your love stories.
Season 2 Episode 19: It’s a Hot Time in Hooterville
Fall in love with small-town romance as Nicole and Meghan exchange books perfectly tailored to each other’s interests in this delightful end-of-summer reading episode.
It’s a Hot Time in Hooterville
In the latest episode of Romance on the Rocks, hosts Nicole Danielle and Meghan Leigh dive into another delightful book exchange, featuring two summer romances set in small towns
Book Review: B.O.B.’s Fall
My podcast co-host, Meghan Leigh, picked this book out for me for our first September book swap. She thought it would be cute and funny because my husband’s name is Bob. She didn’t realize what B.O.B. actually stood for (allegedly) and neither did I until I start my pre-cursory flip through the pages.
Season 2 Episode 18: Hot Swap
Nicole and Meghan dive headfirst into uncharted territory with their first-ever romance novel exchange. And things get spicy faster than either of them anticipated.
Hot Swap
In the latest episode of Romance on the Rocks, Season 2 Episode 18: Hot Swap, hosts Nicole and Meghan embark on a spicy adventure through the world of romance novels with their book exchange.
Book Review: Say You Mean It
We’re taking it up nort’ this week with Say You Mean It by Megan Reinking – a romance with flannel, feelings, and a failing cash register.
Season 2 Episode 17: Big City Girls, Small Town Studs
This episode dives deep into two contemporary small-town romances that explore what happens when urban professionals leave behind their city lives for love in communities where everyone knows your business.
Big City Girls, Small Town Studs
In the latest episode of Romance on the Rocks, hosts Nicole and Meghan continue their journey through the world of romance novels with their signature mix of insightful analysis, humor, and unfiltered commentary.
Book Review: Mixed Signals
Mixed Signals (Lovelight #3) The Official Blurb “A small-town baker learns to raise her expectations for love with some help from a handsome local teacher in this sunny romantic comedy. Layla Dupree has given up on love. She’s waded through all the fish in the sea, each one more disappointing than the last. Apparently, owningRead More
Romance at the Roller Rink
Summer heat and romance novels go together like piña coladas and beach days.
Season 2 Episode 16: Romance at the Roller Rink
Summer heat has us craving refreshing drinks and equally refreshing romance novels!
What to Drink While Listening to the Episode: Season 2 Episode 16
Whether you’re in the mood for snarky small-town tension or soft-baked cinnamon roll love, these six cocktails are crafted to pair perfectly with two beloved romance novels.
Christmas in July Romance Reads
While some people spend July soaking up the sun and sipping sangria, we at Romance on the Rocks are cranking up the A/C, lighting a pine-scented candle, and diving into the snowy, swoony world of Christmas romance novels.
Book Review: Snowed in with the Cowboy
If you’ve ever wanted to cozy up with a snowbound cowboy romance that skates the thin, icy line of taboo, Maisey Yates’s Snowed In with the Cowboy might be the holiday read you didn’t know you were conflicted about.
Season 2 Episode 15: Christmas “Comes” Early
Christmas in July heats up as the Romance on the Rocks podcast tackles two holiday-themed romances that push boundaries in very different ways.
Christmas “Comes” Early
In the latest episode of the Romance on the Rocks podcast, hosts Meghan and Nicole deliver another entertaining exploration of romance novels while enjoying creative beverages.
Bookmark This Blog: A Tale of Lost & Found
I’ve become fascinated with what we use to hold our place – items nested with purpose or merely with convenience. I’ve recently begun a small collection of the oddities that fellow readers have deemed bookmarks.
Uff Da! It’s Christmas in July!
Curling up with a comforting Christmas romance novel might seem like a strictly December activity. But our latest podcast episode makes a compelling case for enjoying these heartwarming stories any time of year.
Season 2 Episode 14: Uff da! It’s Christmas in July!
What happens when you mix Christmas romance novels with scorching July temperatures? Pure magic, as it turns out!
Book Review: Cowboy, It’s Christmas
Cowboy, It’s Christmas is a charming, cozy, emotionally grounded romance with a healthy side of cowboy angst and just a whisper of spice.
For the Love of Liquid
I’ve never been one to drink a lot of sugary sodas, but I do so love a nicely mixed cocktail or locally crafted beer. As a self-professed “Bookish Biddie who Imbibes,” cutting out the alcohol has put a little cramp in my style. So, since adult libations are not allowed during the challenge, I’ve been leaning on other fun options to keep my daily hydration varied and interesting.
We Were Promised Fairy Smut
Despite being marketed with promises of steaminess, both of our fae books failed to deliver the sizzle.
Season 2 Episode 13: We Were Promised Fairy Smut
Fantasy worlds should sizzle with magic and romance, but what happens when the promised heat fizzles out like a damp sparkler?
Book Review: Fae King’s Temptation
Plot-wise, this book is mostly a magical road trip with occasional battles, sexual tension, and a lot of “Don’t die, okay?” vibes.
Summer Beach Reads & The Perfect Cocktails to Go With Them
Whether you’re soaking up the sun at the beach or cooling off by the pool, these book-and-beverage duos are here to make your summer unforgettable.
Myravelle’s Elixir
By Nicole Danielle Cocktail Inspiration I created this cocktail for Season 2 Episode 12: A Midsummer Nightmare. I’m calling it Myravelle’s Elixir and it’s named after and inspired by the character Myravelle from the book Her Dark Enchantments by Rosalyn Briar. Which is the book I read for the podcast episode. (You can read myRead More
Book Review: Her Dark Enchantments
Her Dark Enchantments is a fantasy/romantasy origin story for the wicked fairy of Sleeping Beauty infamy and melds that timeless classic with elements of Rumpelstiltskin and Gregory Maguire’s Wicked.
Season 2 Episode 12: A Midsummer Nightmare
Prepare for a brutally honest journey through the enchanted — and sometimes disturbing — world of fairy romance as Nicole and Meghan tackle two wildly different novels that left them questioning everything they thought they knew about the genre.
