The Historical Romance Review

Sarah Brain and Amy Way

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The podcast where an avid romance reader and a reluctantly romantic historian discuss all things romance fiction. Follow us on Instagram @historicalromancereview Watch us on YouTube @HistoricalRomanceReview #romance #romancefiction #booktok #TikTok #historicalfiction #bookreview #smut #review

1d ago

Episode 13: The Love Hypothesis

In this milestone episode, Amy and Sarah review the controversial romance that sparked this entire podcast: Ali Hazelwood's The Love Hypothesis. From its humble origins as Reylo fan-fiction, to its status as a BookTok phenomenon, this genre-defining book is absolutely packed: fake-dating, niche nerdy banter, one fateful pair of expired contact lenses, and a series of horrendous HR violations. If you've ever had a crush on a brooding professor, or survived your grad program by eating free sandwiches at the faculty social, then this is the romance for you! Grab a cuppa (or a a pumpkin spice latte) and get comfy, we have much to discuss. #romancebooks #romance #fiction #alihazelwood #thelovehypothesis #adamandolive #womeninSTEM #academicromance #books #booktok #tiktok #kindle #kindlereader #reading #fakedating #alliestolovers #adamcarlsen #reylo #kyloren Follow us on Instagram @historicalromancereview and TikTok @historicalromancereview Watch us on YouTube @HistoricalRomanceReview Credits: The Historical Romance Review is written, recorded and produced in Meanjin/Brisbane, on the unceded land of the Yugarabul, Yuggera, Jagera and Turrbal peoples. Editing: Sarah Brain Cover art and branding: Sarah Brain and Amy Way Original artwork: Caitlin Adams @caitlin_a_art Original theme music: Jonny Barahona @jonnyenvivo Sound support and video equipment: Zac Costa Recording equipment: Hamish Powell hamishpowell.com @hamishpowellfilm Thank you to everyone who continues to support this project with their expertise and enthusiasm
Sep 28

SotF 7: Fanfiction farm-to-table

In this State of the Field episode, Amy and Sarah start a new miniseries on the unconventional and ungovernable world of fanfiction. What is fanfiction and how does it differ from just another adaptation? Why do people write fanfiction and where do they publish it? Can fanfiction ever go mainstream? And how do authors feel about it: a contributor to canon, free publicity, or a copyright nuisance? #romancebooks #romance #fiction #smut #stateofthefield #fanfiction #AO3 #archiveofourown #wattpad #fanfic #farmtotable #dramione #shipping #books #booktok #tiktok #kindle #kindlereader #reading #bookreview #50shadesofgrey #thelovehypothesis Follow us on Instagram @historicalromancereview Follow us on TikTok @historicalromancereview Watch us on YouTube @HistoricalRomanceReview Credits: The Historical Romance Review is written, recorded and produced in Meanjin/Brisbane, on the unceded land of the Yugarabul, Yuggera, Jagera and Turrbal peoples. Editing: Sarah Brain Cover art and branding: Sarah Brain and Amy Way Original artwork: Caitlin Adams @caitlin_a_art Original theme music: Jonny Barahona @jonnyenvivo Sound support and film equipment: Zac Costa Recording equipment: John Board Thank you to everyone who continues to support this project with their expertise and enthusiasm.
Aug 29

Episode 12: The Duke and I

In this episode, Amy and Sarah are back in the Regency-era but with Julia Quinn's The Duke and I, things are a whole lot steamier. If you loved the Netflix series or are generally a fan of more dialogue than plot, then this is the fake-dating romance for you: it's got duels at dawn, hot gossip, more siblings than you can count, and very questionable sex education. Grab a cuppa (or a snifter of brandy) and get comfy, we have much to discuss. #romancebooks #romance #fiction #historicalfiction #bridgerton #bridgertonseries #juliaquinn #periodromance #regencyromance #books #booktok #tiktok #kindle #kindlereader #reading #fakedating #friendstolovers #daphneandsimon Follow us on Instagram @historicalromancereview and TikTok @historicalromancereview Watch us on YouTube @HistoricalRomanceReview Credits: The Historical Romance Review is written, recorded and produced in Meanjin/Brisbane, on the unceded land of the Yugarabul, Yuggera, Jagera and Turrbal peoples. Editing: Sarah Brain Cover art and branding: Sarah Brain and Amy Way Original artwork: Caitlin Adams @caitlin_a_art Original theme music: Jonny Barahona @jonnyenvivo Sound support and video equipment: Zac Costa Recording equipment: John Board Thank you to everyone who continues to support this project with their expertise and enthusiasm
Aug 7

SotF 6: Somebody Adapt Me!

In this State of the Field episode, Amy and Sarah discuss the sudden increase in book-to-screen romance adaptations. The rom-com might be dead, but the 2020s are full of filmic fancasts of your favourite romance fiction. How can you judge a good adaptation from a bad one? How similar to the original should a movie or tv version be? Is it fair for fans to cry when they have their hearts broken? And should we be striving for accuracy or authenticity when reshaping a story for a new audience? #romancebooks #romance #fiction #smut #stateofthefield #filmadaptation #tvadaptation #pagetoscreen #romancemovies #romancefilm #books #booktok #tiktok #kindle #kindlereader #reading #bookreview #heatedrivalry #thesummeriturnedpretty #offcampus Follow us on Instagram @historicalromancereview Follow us on TikTok @historicalromancereview Watch us on YouTube @HistoricalRomanceReview Credits: The Historical Romance Review is written, recorded and produced in Meanjin/Brisbane, on the unceded land of the Yugarabul, Yuggera, Jagera and Turrbal peoples. Editing: Sarah Brain Cover art and branding: Sarah Brain and Amy Way Original artwork: Caitlin Adams @caitlin_a_art Original theme music: Jonny Barahona @jonnyenvivo Sound support and film equipment: Zac Costa Recording equipment: John Board Thank you to everyone who continues to support this project with their expertise and enthusiasm.
Jul 24

Episode 11: Sense and Sensibility

In this episode, Amy and Sarah step back in time to another historic romance, Jane Austen's debut novel, Sense and Sensibility. Published in 1811, this masterpiece of character has everything the modern romance reader could dream of: a sudden change in fortune, an auspicious ankle sprain, at least one hefty age gap, and enough main character energy to put you in an early grave. Grab a cuppa (or some calming lavender drops) and get comfy, we have much to discuss. #romancebooks #romance #fiction #historicalfiction #janeausten #senseandsensibility #austenlover #books #booktok #tiktok #kindle #kindlereader #reading #classics #colonelbrandon #elinorandmarianne #agegap #forbiddenromance Follow us on Instagram @historicalromancereview and TikTok @historicalromancereview Watch us on YouTube @HistoricalRomanceReview Credits: The Historical Romance Review is written, recorded and produced in Meanjin/Brisbane, on the unceded land of the Yugarabul, Yuggera, Jagera and Turrbal peoples. Editing: Sarah Brain Cover art and branding: Sarah Brain and Amy Way Original artwork: Caitlin Adams @caitlin_a_art Original theme music: Jonny Barahona @jonnyenvivo Sound support and video equipment: Zac Costa Recording equipment: John Board Thank you to everyone who continues to support this project with their expertise and enthusiasm
Jul 10

SotF 5: Battle Of The Book Boyfriends

In this State of the Field episode, Amy and Sarah discuss and rank the MMCs from the books they've reviewed to date. Could you actually date Ilya Rozanov in real life, or is he just a one-night fantasy? Can the sweet sensitivity of Bo Durand beat the oyster-shucking sensation that is Felix Clark? Does Emily Henry just write contemporary versions of Mr Darcy? And who will win out as the ultimate book boyfriend? #romancebooks #romance #fiction #smut #stateofthefield #bookboyfriend #bracketgame #MMC #books #booktok #tiktok #kindle #kindlereader #reading #bookreview #heatedrivalry Follow us on Instagram @historicalromancereview Follow us on TikTok @historicalromancereview Watch us on YouTube @HistoricalRomanceReview Credits: The Historical Romance Review is written, recorded and produced in Meanjin/Brisbane, on the unceded land of the Yugarabul, Yuggera, Jagera and Turrbal peoples. Editing: Sarah Brain Cover art and branding: Sarah Brain and Amy Way Original artwork: Caitlin Adams @caitlin_a_art Original theme music: Jonny Barahona @jonnyenvivo Sound support: Zac Costa Recording equipment: John Board Thank you to everyone who continues to support this project with their expertise and enthusiasm.
Jun 6

Episode 10: This Summer Will Be Different

In this episode, Amy and Sarah travel to the idyllic Prince Edward Island for some forbidden romance in Carley Fortune's beloved This Summer Will Be Different. If you've ever dreamed of being Anne of Green Gables, eating your body weight in oysters, meeting a very well-read MMC, or secretly sleeping with your best friend's brother, then this is the steamy summer romance for you. Grab a cuppa (or a whiskey and some peanuts) and get comfy, we have much to discuss. #romancebooks #romance #fiction #carleyfortune #thissummerwillbedifferent #summerromance #bestfriendsbrother #forbiddenlove #felixandlucy #anneofgreengables #books #booktok #tiktok #kindle #kindlereader #reading Follow us on Instagram @historicalromancereview and TikTok @historicalromancereview Watch us on YouTube @HistoricalRomanceReview Credits: The Historical Romance Review is written, recorded and produced in Meanjin/Brisbane, on the unceded land of the Yugarabul, Yuggera, Jagera and Turrbal peoples. Editing: Sarah Brain Cover art and branding: Sarah Brain and Amy Way Original artwork: Caitlin Adams @caitlin_a_art Original theme music: Jonny Barahona @jonnyenvivo Sound support and video equipment: Zac Costa Recording equipment: John Board Thank you to everyone who continues to support this project with their expertise and enthusiasm.
May 22

SotF 4: Hit Me With Your Best Trope

In this State of the Field episode, Amy and Sarah discuss TROPES: the good, the bad and the ugly. And this time, they're joined by long-time friend-of-the-pod Shania Bowa. Why is romance fiction always marketed with tropes? Where did they come from? Have publishers gone too far? Are we being trope-i-fied out of our minds? And do we think tropes will ever not be relevant to romance fiction? #romancebooks #romance #fiction #smut #stateofthefield #books #booktok #tiktok #kindle #kindlereader #reading #tropes #enemiestolovers #friendstolovers #brothersbestfriend #bestfriendsbrother #agegap #soulmates #rivalstolovers Follow us on Instagram @historicalromancereview Follow us on TikTok @historicalromancereview Watch us on YouTube @HistoricalRomanceReview Credits: The Historical Romance Review is written, recorded and produced in Meanjin/Brisbane, on the unceded land of the Yugarabul, Yuggera, Jagera and Turrbal peoples. Editing: Sarah Brain Cover art and branding: Sarah Brain and Amy Way Original artwork: Caitlin Adams @caitlin_a_art Original theme music: Jonny Barahona @jonnyenvivo Sound support, camera equipment: Zac Costa Recording equipment: John Board Thank you to everyone who continues to support this project with their expertise and enthusiasm.

The podcast where an avid romance reader and a reluctantly romantic historian discuss all things romance fiction. Follow us on Instagram @historicalromancereview Watch us on YouTube @HistoricalRomanceReview #romance #romancefiction #booktok #TikTok #historicalfiction #bookreview #smut #review

Creator

Sarah Brain and Amy Way
Years Active

2025 - 2026
Episodes

21
Rating

Explicit
Copyright

© Sarah Brain, Amy Way 2025
Show Website

The Historical Romance Review