Heated Rivalry is the Sunshine We Deserve

Welcome, cosy witches, to episode three of the Season of the Cosy Witch Podcast. We sat down with literature scholar Shannon Young to talk about everyone's favourite sexy hockey show (and books!), Heated Rivalry.  In this episode, we chat about what we love about this story, the heated discourse around the show, how misogyny absolutely is in play in its criticisms, how Rachel Reid’s books are shaping the publishing industry and the place that joy and sex have in the ever-popular Romance genre.   So grab a hot cup of tea, settle into a cosy armchair, and let’s chat hockey romance! **In this episode we discuss…** - The misogyny at play in criticisms of the show and books – and romance fiction in general - Why women love stories about two male hockey players falling in love - Why sex and pleasure in storytelling is more important than ever - Heated Rivalry’s influence on culture and the publishing industry at large **Episode Reading List**  - Game Changer by Rachel Reid - Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid **Where to Find Shannon:** Website: https://www.shannon-young.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shannon.l.young/  We're twin sisters who love cosy books and since we're always talking about them with each other, we thought we'd share those conversations with other likeminded readers who want to understand why they love these kinds of stories, what they can teach us about our real world, how they can be catalysts for change, and how they are shaping the landscape of publishing and reading. Angie Spoto is a fantasy novelist based in Edinburgh, Scotland. She’s currently working on her third novel, a cosy romantasy inspired by Scottish folklore. Sarah Spoto is a podcaster and entrepreneur living in New England in the USA. If this sounds like your cup of tea, join us every month for a new cosy conversation.  This episode was edited by Lila Woodbridge. *Season of the Cosy Witch* has a Substack! Join us for deep-dives into the cosy genre, tropes, our favourite cosy books and fascinating topics. Instagram: @seasonofthecosywitch *cosy fantasy, cozy fantasy, cozy sci-fi, cozy fantasy books, what is cozy fantasy, what is cozy fantasy, cozy fantasy tropes, cozy fantasy reading list, fantasy book podcast, book review podcast, Legends and Lattes, low stakes fantasy, found family fantasy, queernorm fantasy*