Episode 37

Why is there spice in YA books? Has young adult fiction changed over the years, and… who is the YA category really for anyway?
In this episode, we’re discussing the rise of explicit content in young adult books, how BookTok and publishing trends have influenced the genre, and the debate surrounding books for teens. We also explore why some books are removed from school libraries and how parents can help protect their kids from explicit content.
Whether you’re a reader, parent, teacher, librarian, or author, this conversation dives into one of the biggest debates in publishing today.
Many thanks to our clean young adult book sponsor this week: Love, Sax and All That Jazz by Amy C. Shaw! Check out this rivalry to love story between two high school saxophone players here: https://amzn.to/4fBWJmu
Don’t forget to follow Rosie on Instagram, where she features closed door/no-spice and clean books here: https://www.instagram.com/reading.rosy/
And while you’re there, follow The Clean Romance Podcast on IG too: https://www.instagram.com/thecleanromancepodcast/
Links & info from this week’s episode:
Guess the tropes game, books featured:
 
 
“Falling for You” by Becky Wade: https://amzn.to/4yGra3o
 
Resources for finding Young Adult books with NO explicit content:
This week’s clean YA book recommendations:

 

Episode 38

Skip the BookTok FOMO: Clean Romance Dupes You’ll Love

Love seeing everyone’s BookTok recommendations but wish there were more clean romance options? The Clean Romance Podcast has you covered! In this episode, Sarah Ruth Hickner and Tiffany Noelle Chacon are sharing some of their favorite clean (and mostly clean) alternatives to BookTok’s biggest hits.

 

But first, thank you to this episode’s book sponsor, Yours Blindly: An Enemies to lovers office romance

by Rose Fresquez. It’s available on Kindle Unlimited and in paperback. https://link.amazon/B0bqy5qFF

 

Here are some of our favorite clean romance replacements for popular booktok books:

Instead of Bridgerton…

Read (and watch!) Sarah M. Eden’s The Lancaster Family series: https://link.amazon/B03GlRvy2

and The Jonquil Family series: https://link.amazon/B07JDp24P

for witty Regency romance with all the swoon and none of the spice. To watch the Seeking Persephone mini series (based on book 1 in The Lancaster Family series by Sarah M Eden), head here: https://amzn.to/4q052gI

 

Instead of Fourth Wing…

Try:

 

Instead of Ali Hazelwood’s STEM romances…

Read The Friendship Variable by Marie Soleil for a sweet STEM romance: https://link.amazon/B0aoBv4Mx

 

Instead of A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR)…

Pick up Court of Midnight and Deception by K.M. Shea for fantasy romance with clean chemistry. https://link.amazon/B050bDijZ 

 

Instead of the Off Campus series or other steamy hockey romances…

Try:

 

Instead of trending cowboy romances…

Read:

Which BookTok books would you like us to find clean dupes for next? Let us know—we’re always looking for more great recommendations!

 

Episode 39

In this episode of The Clean Romance Podcast, Sarah Ruth Hickner and Tiffany Noelle Chacon talk about clean romance, social media boundaries, cancel culture, and the challenges of navigating the publishing world today. They discuss the difference between setting personal boundaries and “canceling” someone, the role of AI in publishing, and why book covers don’t always tell the whole story. Plus, they share clean romance book recommendations and talk about the importance of community and finding books that fit your personal content preferences.

Thanks to our book sponsor this week: Francesca Spencer’s Fake Dating for Summer! Go download this clean beach read with a retired pro football player and a sassy veterinarian here: https://amzn.to/4z8zFEK

 

5 Star Reads for the week:

Sarah’s Rec: the words we lost by Nicole Deese: https://amzn.to/45hQZJK

Tiffany’s rec: A Court of Midnight and Deception by KM Shea: https://amzn.to/4z8MlLS

 

And don’t forget to check out these episodes we mentioned:

FOMO episode (“Read This Not That, AKA: No More BookTok FOMO”): https://youtu.be/646v1hShd0E?is=noyKoJr_AgydIW3v

Age Episode (“Age is Just a Number…Or Is It?”): https://youtu.be/7JxaiqqMQMU?is=KwtYByUDqTvJYSmL

Episode 40

Sarah Ruth Hickner and Tiffany Noelle Chacon pull back the curtain on their current works in progress! From co-writing a small-town romance series to tackling marriage restoration, infertility, baseball, redemption, and even a nonfiction book about biblical resilience, they share what they’re writing, what’s challenging them, and what they’ve learned along the way.

What does the writing process really look like behind the scenes? How does co-writing work? And how do you balance humor and hope when your characters are dealing with hard things? Join Sarah and Tiffany for a candid, funny look at the books they’re currently writing—and why sometimes the hardest part is simply letting the first draft be a first draft.

Plus, find out what they’re reading, writing, editing, and dreaming about next on The Clean Romance Podcast!

Snag one of Tiffany’s newest books, Shoot the Moon – the free prequel novella for the Love in Starlight Valley series that Tiffany wrote with Lindsay Rochester: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/nkviqnxhle

Promise You the Moon by Tiffany Noelle Chacon and Lindsay Rochester – a clean marriage of convenience romcom – out September 22. Pre-order at a discount here: https://amzn.to/4xE9TGW

 

Thank you to Kim Griffin for sponsoring today’s episode with her novel, More Than Fine. Two wounded hearts must find the courage to believe they deserve more than just fine or their pasts will keep them from the future they both secretly long for. AVAILABLE ON KU! https://amzn.to/4wAuvyP

 

Five Star Reads:

All That Glitters by Annah Conwell: https://amzn.to/4gpLgqC

Without a Clue by Melissa Ferguson: https://amzn.to/4gn3skF

Episode 41

What makes us fall head-over-heels for a book? Sarah is joined by special guest co-host Rosie from Reading.Rosie to talk about the things that turn a good book into a five-star favorite—from characters who feel like family and stories that make us laugh out loud to authentic faith, hard things, and books that leave us wanting to open our Bibles.

Plus, they play Book Speed Dating, sharing books they’d swipe right on, including Meet Me in the Margins, A Brute Awakening, The Enemies Island, My Phony Valentine, Not What We Pictured, and Sarah’s own All the Things We Can’t Have (coming soon!).

And, of course, they wrap up with their recent five-star reads—including Miss Percy’s Pocket Guide to the Care and Feeding of Dragons, The Enemies Island, and All the Things That Come Between Us.

Five-star reads

  • Miss Percy’s Pocket Guide to the Care and Feeding of Dragons — Quinby Olson
    Sarah’s recent five-star read: a quirky, funny story featuring a 40+ unmarried woman, a dragon, British humor, and a vicar. https://amzn.to/465Q9Ap 
  • The Enemies Island — Jessica King
    Rosie’s pick—and she is obsessed. Expect laughs, a germaphobic hero, banter, and a Survivor-like adventure. https://amzn.to/4xXExLx 
  • All the Things That Come Between Us — Sarah Ruth Hickner
    Rosie gives Sarah’s book a five-star-worthy rave, especially praising its marriage-in-crisis/rekindling romance, humor, mystery, and characters she couldn’t stop listening to.  https://amzn.to/4cHdI61 

Follow Rosie on Instagram and other social channels @reading.rosy for more great clean, closed-door, and Christian five star reads!