Latest / Cait & Court's Cozy Corner: Romance Readers / Let's Talk About: Catch Her If You Can by Tessa Bailey
Transcript
- Caitlin Stryker: Executive producers and hosts, Caitlin Stryker and Courtney Richter, producers, Canasia Ngo and Hollie Lobosky Original music, Cassie De Silva. Courtney Richter: ⁓ Caitlin Stryker: This is a podcast for lovers of romance and romantasy novels who want to go on a deep dive into their favorite genre. Honest discussions and salacious details giving romance books the respect they deserve. We are two friends, actors, moms and romance readers who like a bit of spice and everything nice in their books. Hi! You know, I like to hit record and then we like to remember something. Courtney Richter: And then yes, it's my ADHD special skill that the second I'm needed like wait over here this thing Caitlin Stryker: You know the drill. Be sure to like and subscribe wherever you listen to our podcast. This is funny though guys, because we are batch recording and we just realized that in the last episode, Court was like, so it's Eve and Shane. was like, Eva. And she was like, And then she pops in right now, she's like, what are the characters name? She goes, ⁓ this one's Eve. Courtney: Thanks for tuning in to Cait and Court's Cozy Corner Romance Readers. Courtney Richter: the amount guys, because I do read fast, but the amount I stack read, I was watching someone talk and just have a general conversation the other day. They're like, what are you reading? And someone said one book and someone said one book and I'm like, ⁓ well, blood bound seven days in June and catcher if you can, but that's just this weekend. And then I was reading dagger heart and going and then tomorrow I'm starting this one. This one is like the amount I read the names just like cross like I have very vivid pictures of each character in my head. Caitlin Stryker: Hi, I'm Cait Courtney: And I'm Court. Welcome to Cait and Court's Cozy Corner Romance Readers. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. They do. Courtney Richter: But the names get me because there's just so many crossing constantly. Caitlin Stryker: There's so many. So I find I can stack read. I was talking to Court about this. like, I can stack read. I can have a Romanticy going and a Romance going. ⁓ I cannot have two Romanticies going at the same time because I get like... Courtney: As we like to say, you don't need spice for a book to be good. Well, you don't need running shoes to run, but they sure do help. Courtney Richter: No, that's insane. No, you can't, you can't. There's too much world building. That is like torture. You can't be like, oh, this is this weird town on the outskirts of this town and then jump into, like, I am, no, I can't even stack read. I'm like in on one. But I just like speed through it for two days. And then I have to try to like dump that into somewhere that I'll remember and then take the next one on and do it. I need to, yeah. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. No. ⁓ yeah. I've always been a stack reader. I've always had like maybe I've always had like three to four bucks on my thing. Yeah. Courtney Richter: When I was reading more serious books, I did that if I'm reading a heavy like fiction or biography or like nonfiction book, then I have a romance going at the same time so that I can jump in and out. Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. Yeah, right. For when you just need some lightness. Now... Yeah. Courtney Richter: at that time, I could never do with romance. See, I really want to read the poison's daughter poison's daughter. It's a really big romance to see right now. But I was like reading this and love out and dig her heart and I opened it up and it was like this page of words explaining them and a map and I was like, Nope, not right now. I can't I can't take on this world yet. I've got to like get through. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. No, no. And you, you, we know when we need to give ourselves that space, you're like, no, I want, I want time with this one. Like I wanna, I wanna know what's going on. I don't wanna just be like kind of in a melee. But when you need a quick, fun, light, but some much romance, like a classic little like, let's just pop this tic tac, love a book. Courtney Richter: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yes! ⁓ my goodness. Tessa Bailey catch up. Listen, this is your this is your first read of Tessa Bailey, correct? Yes. So welcome to the world of Tessa Bailey. She is the queen to me of like smutty romance. She was my introductory author into romance like smutty romance. When I just had Sadie I was cruising indigo trying to find a book I found fixer up Caitlin Stryker: Catch her if you can. Tessa Bailey. Yes, it is. Yeah. ⁓ she's good. Yeah. Courtney Richter: which is another one of her series. And it was like a pro baseball player and someone too. And it was so delusional and like fast read and so hot and pull. And then I just devoured Tessa Bailey all through like my time off with the baby maternity leave and she keeps going. And so this book is book, I think five of the series. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: And this is the only one you read, which was what we always do, Cait and I, when there's a book that's been seared, she reads it as a standalone so you can have that point of view. And then I've always read everything because I just do that. Caitlin Stryker: Okay. Yeah. I know. Yeah. But I really It's possible it just takes so much pressure off, you know? you wanna, I love that you can jump in with romance books anywhere in this series. And you could jump in, you could read one and you could jump out and never jump back in again if you want, or you can jump in here and go away and come back for a bit. But that's really nice because... Courtney Richter: Yes, exactly. You can just jump in. Yes. Caitlin Stryker: Sometimes we just need to feel like we completed something, you know, like we did it, like we followed something through and then we moved on. I feel like with everything being a TV series now instead of just a two hour movie, ⁓ everything is like, I can't get to the end of any fucking story. ⁓ Courtney Richter: Yeah. Well, we already know you don't. are like a two season TV show girl, which that's our personalities are opposite. Like I've never can't finish a series and you're like, ⁓ I just did till two or I just hopped in on six. And I'm like, I, doesn't not make sense to me. Yeah. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah, I am. I'm done with you. Two to three, the moment I can see that this is, yeah, the moment I can see that it's going on for a long. Courtney Richter: But I love it because it gives us both perspectives whenever we're reading these books. Like I also happen to have just already read them out of my own enjoyment. So it's it wasn't like I tracked it down. It's like I read all the ones in the series because I read Tessabale whenever she comes out. So this book, there's already. ⁓ it's so good. So good. All right, I'll tell you guys what it is and then we can go into all of it. This is Madden and Eve's book. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Dude, which I get though, like this book was fire. This was so good. And yeah. Courtney Richter: We met them in the last book before this one, was ⁓ Pitch. I'm going to tell you, I just had the page, ⁓ Pitcher Perfect, which was book four. So basically this series started as Spangirl Down and it was about a golf pro. He had a best friend in it, this grumpy hockey player, which got the second book, The Au Pair Affair. From the Au Pair Affair, one of his teammates became Dream Girl Drama. From Dream Girl Drama, One of those guys got in a fight with professional baseball players at a dog park and decided to play baseball against them, introduced our now baseball and hockey romance, Pitcher Perfect, which we also meet Madden, who is the best friend of the lead female main characters brother in the last book, and Eve, who was the best friend of the lead female main character in the last book. And this is their story. So. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: It's been like a long time coming for the readers of this series, like excited to see this because there were a lot of hints and a lot of really sexy things dropped in the last one. And in fact, scenes that happened in this book, which I'll get into when we get there, happened in that last book. Like we saw the other point of view and then they reappear reappear in this book, which is so fantastic. really fun. Basically the synopsis, if you're just diving in like Cait is that he is a professional pitcher. Caitlin Stryker: Mmm. Okay. ⁓ okay, cool. ⁓ that's a fun way to do it. Courtney Richter: She runs ⁓ a burlesque club that used to... ⁓ sorry, catcher, yes, catcher. Pitcher was the last girl. He's the catcher. Just got signed onto the New York Yankees. And Eve runs the burlesque club in her hometown that used to be a strip club run by her dad and grew up with that kind of over her head their whole life. This one is also a time jump. It goes back to when they were teens a little bit to when her and Madden first met. Caitlin Stryker: No, catcher. He's a professional catcher. The picture was probably the last. Courtney Richter: And now as adults, both this book and the one we just reviewed have that theme as a very common theme. But they were known each other since they were teenagers, but her best friend, Sky, who's the lead female character of the last book, basically called dibs on him right away. And even though Eve saw him first, Sky was such a new friend still, she didn't want to rock the boat because she always felt like such an outcast because of her dad owning the town strip joint, essentially. So she kept it quiet. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: Madden's always kind of had a crush on her. Finally told her about it when they were like done high school and he was in college. And she's still at that time, like Sky was obsessed. Skyler was obsessed with him, didn't act on it, went their separate ways. And now she's been dropped. Her sister has gone to rehab and left her with her twins. Her burlesque club is like in the red and failing and she's trying to figure out what to do. He sweeps in and is like, let me protect you. He's protected her her whole life all through high school and always like keep the bullies and stuff away. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: And it's like, marry me essentially. And that way you can have health insurance for these twins. Like that's his step. Marry me for the twins. And then she's like, okay, marry me. So it's a fake marriage trope. Marry me for the twins. And that way, cause they get the flu and she's like, I don't know how to pay for this and go to work and all these things. So then he's like, marry me. And she's like, okay, six months only that'll get me the red and I can cover their costs. And I want to keep it a secret. And that's kind of like. Caitlin Stryker: Marry me for the health insurance, yeah. Yeah, yeah. yet. Let's start out. Yeah. Courtney Richter: the setup of the story of the book. But holy cow. So there's just gonna be spoilers guys. If you, if that sounds fun, you haven't read it and you want to go read it, but it is Tessabale. It's gonna be a happily ever after. You know that. So it's okay. Caitlin Stryker: Go read it. I will. Yeah. Yeah. You're gonna get your happily ever after. You're gonna get your smut. I also think this is a good comp for if you haven't read or if you have read Margo's Got Money Troubles, ⁓ which is such a good book. It's not a romance. It's not a romantic. It's just a really good fiction. And they're they've turned it into a show which comes out soon. Courtney Richter: Mmm. Caitlin Stryker: ⁓ So if you're like, if you're watching the show and you're like, really enjoy it. ⁓ And you're like, one of your romance, it's maybe sort of a comp. This is a really good sort of comp to that. Like it lives in the same world. And ⁓ yeah, I can't pump up. Courtney Richter: Yes. Caitlin Stryker: about money troubles enough. It's so, fun. But I also, it's one of the reasons I love this book so much. And we're going to dive into some spoilers now. But one of the reasons I love this book so much is because it's actually tackling some stuff, you know, like even though we're in a romance, like we're in a very sort of, you know, tricky real life situation. And then blue collar situation, you know, for Eve and everything and like with her, Courtney Richter: Okay. Caitlin Stryker: ⁓ And not just blue collar, like women and sex work, you know like that that that sort of stigma storyline, which is another one of those stigma storylines that really serves men staying in power and squashes female power and like we need to we need to Look at the solution to this and less the problem and just start like Courtney Richter: Yeah, the stigma. Yes. Caitlin Stryker: pumping it up as like, dude, if you're hot as hell, yeah, yeah, yeah, or inner Rhonda Big Bush. like, and if you are comfortable and you love it and it's a great way for you to make some cash, I can do it. Like, and feel good about yourself while you do it. And know that like, we're behind you. You know what I mean? Like more, we just need less, less. Courtney Richter: We all need to be Rhonda Bigbush. That's what we need to be. We need to find our inner Rhonda Bigbush. Yeah. Caitlin Stryker: less sex work shaming, more respect for it and what it is and that it's like one of the world's oldest professions outside of priesthood. ⁓ More fun than priesthood. ⁓ And like, yeah. Courtney Richter: Mm-hmm. Yeah, like it's it's, it's got its issues. And then when people when it's not like by choice, that's a different thing. But this book does tackle that in a really cool way that kind of gives you both sides of the coin. Like so Rhonda, who we were just talking about, she's this fabulous burlesque dancer in her 50s comes to an audition, when have even trying to like audition new talent and get seats in there. And she's like, Listen, if I'm here, people will fill the seats. And she's like, Okay, she's like, Trust me. And she's like, Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Courtney Richter: right in a big way. She's like, I just give them a little hint of it. They don't see it. I haven't shaved and like, she's just this like, fabulous woman that is full of confidence and is like, I like getting on stage because I like showing young women how confident I am in my body. And getting that attention and loving it like she is wanted it. And right before like this book starts with Eve was about to do her first dance on stage because she's been trying to get her club out of the red. And she thought Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: all these people in the town have really beaten her down her whole life. And she's 22 now and she's like trying to prove herself. Yeah. And she's like, I'm going to give them what they want, which is me on stage. And hopefully that'll bring people into the seats and give me some money. Madden happened to be there with this guy and just like stomps on stage, throws her over her shoulder and walks her off. And it's like, Nope, what's happening? And that's when she discovers he discovers she's got the kids with her and all that stuff. Caitlin Stryker: 22, but they've really been awful. He was like, nope. Yeah. Courtney Richter: And it's not what she wanted. It's just what's been like pushed on her by assholes her whole life. Cut to the end of the book. She's now decided she wants to go on stage to like own it for herself and prove it but it's still like a little bit of like, she feels like she has to. It's she's out of control and spiraling. And so it's a yeah, she's burning it down, which I also 100 % get. Caitlin Stryker: still a little push stronger like she's yeah and she's just gonna burn it all down Courtney Richter: and understand and we all have those impulse and feelings of like, we're just gonna burn it to the ground. And then she's out there and the beautiful part of this book, I'm really jumping ahead, but he sees her and wants to save her, cause he knows this isn't what she wanted, but he doesn't wanna look like he's disproving cause they've had like media attention and all this stuff. And he ends up going out and joining her on stage and having her like finish the burlesque show with him and actually part of it. And also she has this like fetish for, ⁓ Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: It's not exposition, what's the word for it? Sex exhibitionists, yes. So it works for them that it's happening together and that kind of gives her her the power back on it because she is an exhibition exhibitionist to a degree. But I love the way that's wrapped up because even then, like we have all gotten ourselves in those moments of burning it to the ground. And then when you have that person that doesn't just try to like stop you or put up the match, they just help you burn it. Caitlin Stryker: Like exhibitionist. Like, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. or just douse you in water. They're like, no, let's help this. Let's make this a controlled burn. Yeah. Courtney Richter: Exactly. Yes, that's the perfect way to put it. They make it a controlled burn instead of just an all out buyer. And it was so sweet. And well done. And ⁓ my gosh, Madden is just the cutest. MMC. He's so hot. And he's Irish. He's got an accent. You know, we have a thing for accents. And I have to say it's hard to write. It's hard to write one and hear it. But he uses the term love all the time with her. And it's so endearing. And you hear it like you hear his accent. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. He's so hot. Guys, Andy's Irish. We do. Yeah. Yeah. You do. You totally do. It's hard. Courtney Richter: which is hard to do. And it's so fantastic. And I remember that in the last book, like there was something about him. And obviously Skyler, our main female character in the last book was obsessed with him. So he was already painted in that light. now when it's Eve and they're meant to be together and they find that out, like they both, they both actually, she's still a virgin. She held off for him. you even tell him? She's like, I'm not a virgin in the physical sense because she's used her toy so much. She's like, my hymen is long gone. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: But she like held off for him for sex because it had to be him. He's the only one she ever trusted. And he the thing, it makes sense. And he hasn't touched anyone in four years since he told her that he had feelings for her as more than friends. He's been waiting and playing the cat mess, which almost never happens. It's always the like, tried to get you out of my system, fucked around much, but they never meant as much as you. And it's and then I get that when that happens. But the fact that he actually did it, I'm like, Caitlin Stryker: Yeah, which makes sense, you know. Yeah. Yeah. Right. Right. Yeah. Courtney Richter: it just meant so much more because it never ever gets written that they like this man this professional baseball player waited the four years because he knew he was endgame and knew that it was just a waiting game and I actually found that so refreshing and so sweet because then I didn't have to forgive him either. Caitlin Stryker: I Yeah. Yeah. He was so, no, and he was so sure of himself and them, like, and not in a cocky way, but just in a like, no, this is like, this is what's happening. I was in love and he's like, so you're gonna marry me for the insurance, you know what I mean? Like that's, I'm proposing to you and here's why, you know? But that was, it was like his, it was his sort of quiet observance, like that he... Courtney Richter: Yes! Yes. Caitlin Stryker: was always there and always watching and then always watching out for her, but not in a way that shut her down, but just in a way that like always lifted her up. And then by the end it is like the most empowering, like beautiful thing that he does in the end. You know, when he gets on stage with her, but doesn't drive her off, but just like, is like, okay, let's own this narrative, you know? Yeah. No. Courtney Richter: owned your story. He's never made her feel shame for being the stripper club's daughter. He's always encouraged and told her it's the town's problem, not yours. He's always stood up. He's always wanted to shout from the rooftop, she's my wife. And she wanted it to be a secret because she didn't want her past to taint him. And so she wanted to keep it off him. And people find out very quickly, she finally goes to a game that it's his wife, because he can't help but spill to everyone that he has a wife. And then he gets injured in the hospital and becomes a whole he's like saves the game and go to injuries and becomes like the king of New York for a day of the big baseball. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, bad Madden. Yeah, love. Courtney Richter: a player celebrity all of sudden. Yeah, bad man and then down bad madden which I love. I loved of and and then she gets forced into celebrity and is like, you know, trying to hide it and her life's getting turned upside down by it because then they're like, ⁓ strip club nudie and like the headlines all stuff that really does happen and what happened so I fully feel for it. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. really does happen and even the way it's written you're like, ⁓ God, and it's like predictable and boring and the stuff that they say and you're kinda like, really? Are we still so Victorian? Like have we not gotten past this? Yeah, or like someone's profession? Courtney Richter: Yes, like we need to pick apart how people are together. Like, it's hard enough to find a happy relationship. Just leave it like Caitlin Stryker: Yeah, let's let's like be happy for them. So try and like pull them apart the moment you find out about them. You know what I mean? It's not even like this built up and then now you're gonna tear it down. It's just like right away all everything that she was afraid of. But but then I love how like he's just like, dude, this doesn't bother me. Like I'm not Courtney Richter: Yes. Mm-hmm. Yes, he never gives into it at all. Caitlin Stryker: scared of this. Stop trying to protect you from something that yeah, he's like, I don't need protection from this. They can say whatever they want. You know, he's like, I don't want them to drag you in the mud. I don't want them to make you feel worse than you already have. And, and I it's really well written to ⁓ and realistic. You know, right, Tessa writes it like what she went through in high school, like with her dad being the owner of the strip club in a small town, you know, in the high school boys who corner her constantly are like, Hey, are you going to give me a dance or Courtney Richter: Yes. Caitlin Stryker: whatever and then they still do that like you know the guy who never left the small town who like didn't grow up who still thinks it's okay but it's it's so true and so gross and and it is totally traumatizing you know to be picked on that way for your whole life I mean her sister the reason she has the kids is because her sister coped with that use drugs to cope with it drugs now home wound up in rehab Courtney Richter: It's so unfortunate and true and gross. Yes. Yeah. with alcohol. Caitlin Stryker: And then ⁓ she just kind of, love, you really do see too, like some of the times where she's talking, I was like, ⁓ she's tough. Like she's like, you know, not soft, like she's got a, yeah, like kind of, kind of, skin-new. Not at all. Vida, Vida. Courtney Richter: ⁓ yeah, she's tough. She's a badass, like female main character. She doesn't people please. She's like, she's trying to prove herself, but she's not a people pleaser. So like there's this awesome character, Ava? Vida, thank you. Vida comes in, lot of similar names. Vida comes in, it's just this like musician chick that's like, hey, I've got a proposition for you. Caitlin Stryker: Yes, no, Eve, Vida, Eva, yeah. Courtney Richter: and sees that Eve at the time is like melting down because she just got a call from the school and like all these things are happening and it's like, okay, dumpster fire. Here's what we're gonna do. I'm gonna take care of kids. You're gonna do this. And then tomorrow you're listen to my proposition. And they build this like friendship based on respect, but her whole thing, she's like, ⁓ you're like a little bit of a badass, aren't you? And like tough girl. And like, I love it so much that it is just someone that's blunt and does that. But then that. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. But... Courtney Richter: where Madden is like that tenderness and she lets herself for a second seems soft to him like an only a moment still like it takes a long time. And what we find out is that she had donated her kidney which I knew as soon as they talked about him having a kidney donor or trying to find a kidney donor my goals are like that part was Yeah, she never told him and it's never been revealed who donated kidney because he wouldn't have taken it. And so that's a secret that we find out throughout the book but he doesn't find it to the very end when she's on stage because he hasn't gotten to see Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. ⁓ Yeah, you know that right away. Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: her scar, which was a very interesting problem to have because they needed to have these sexy scenes, but not see her lower stomach. It was very fascinating to watch unfold. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah, I know, I was like. Okay, did you have, so you had, I had the same moments as I'm reading along and I'm like, how are we, wait, how are we gonna dodge this? Courtney Richter: She just didn't let him eat her out. He's like begging her to like let him go down on her. And she's like, no, let's fuck against the wall instead. ⁓ Caitlin Stryker: Yeah! And I mean, listen, this, you guys, this book is smutty in the best way. Courtney Richter: ⁓ Tessa is always, this is actually light for her, I would say. This is on the lighter scale of her smut. my gosh, yes. This honestly, I'm like, no, Cait's getting like Tessa Bailey light. Cause it's not even as like, because of the virginity and the hiding of the scar and all that, we don't get into as explicit as she normally like. Some of her days you're like, I might even like skip a page or two because it's like full for like pages. Caitlin Stryker: I gotta read more Tessa Bailey. Okay, well so I now is the time court Courtney Richter: Noooo Okay. Caitlin Stryker: Where does this land for you in the pumpkin spice meter? I think so too. think with the like just cause it is very smarty. There's a lot of scenes in there. Some of them they do a great, she does a great job. think bringing some in and this is crossing a little bit with the book that I'm currently reading, but. Courtney Richter: gonna say this one's like a 3.5. Yes. Caitlin Stryker: But I think there's some like fantasies, you know what I mean? So we get some stuff early with that, which I'm like, I love this as a way to bring in some early spice, but like prolong the you know, if you need to slow burn it between the two. ⁓ And then because we know I like some early spice. But but then ⁓ Courtney Richter: Yes, there's a lot of fantasies. Me too. Yes, not a fan of slow bird. Caitlin Stryker: It just like it's it's a lot of smart. The story is great. And the story is really fun. And there's a lot of interesting elements and care like the main character and then like Vita comes in to be her best friend like these are not the normal or so far not like we haven't Courtney Richter: Oh, but the juxtaposition of Elton versus Madden. So Elton is man's best friend and Eve's best friends, brother, and his he and Vita kind of like a side B story, but he fucks it up so badly. Like he's so dumb. He starts dating her sister even though he's like obsessed with Vita. And it's like this is an especially next to Madden who's like perfect like and not all of our main male characters are perfect in this way. He just she really went for the cinnamon roll cinnamon bun guy in the way of like Caitlin Stryker: Yeah Yeah. He's so dumb. He's so dumb. Yeah. Yeah. But he's also tortured in his own way. Like his stuff is, he's also, I don't know, he's more interesting than Elton. Like he has such more interesting backstory, you know? Courtney Richter: He's so all in and sure know that's I mean. Like she wrote this guy that we just got to fall in love with and feel his pain and heat but he's so in and 100 % on Eve unwavering. That's what's that cinnamon bun cinnamon roll thing of like he's just all in on our girl and we know that and we have that trust the entire time. We're like Elton is like the fuck boy that you're like, come on dude is still there and it's like her sister sitting out there and like still here with you. You're like, what are you doing? Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. ⁓ totally. You have that trust the whole time. Yeah. Elton is kind of your like what, and I haven't read enough of them to be like, yeah, they're all like this, but like, you know, the few that we've read that are like super smutty, the guy has been like kind of more of an Elton type than a Madden type. ⁓ And the girl has been more of a Skyler type than an Eve type. Like Eve is, she's got hard edges, you know? ⁓ Courtney Richter: Yes, usually, yes. Yeah, this was kind of a reverse. Yeah. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah, and it's really fun in that way. So the story is like doing different things than Than you necessarily expect but you also get Great smile just great smile Courtney Richter: Mm-hmm. Yes. Well, I think the reason the smut, even though it is quite smutty smut, that's an expression, but smutty smut, is the 3.5 is because it is in this great love story. Like they are so genuine and pure in their feelings for each other that it takes away a bit of the like smuttiness of the smut and makes it like more, yeah. But a lot of her books are for. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah Yeah. Yeah, like it's not a four. It's a three and a half. But it's right. Yeah. Courtney Richter: But this one's not because of the love story around it and the care they have for each other. It's really interesting. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah, yeah, but it's definitely a three and a half like his the exhibition element is really fun. And then even though like, when he walks in on her and she's doing the strip tease, and then she thinks no one's there and then they're out in the parking lot and he's kind like, Oh, you like like the world see and that mobiles like, whoo, whoo. Courtney Richter: Yes. ⁓ yes. The parking lot cook up? Yes. Yes. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Well, and then no, and then this is like, and then later they hook up in the parking lot and that's where she like loses her virginity. And that's like. Courtney Richter: Against a brick wall. Yes, which is insane an insane way and she's like hard and fast and then he can tell as soon as he like enters her he's like Fuck and then after like me he's like you've not done this another man. I'm like, there's no way you can't be this tight Like this is insane. He's like, I can't breathe. I'm going to shoot off my load in two seconds right now Like give a guy a warning. I can't Caitlin Stryker: So high. He's like, But thank goodness she didn't, I was like, she says anything before he's in there, he's going to back it up and want to make it like rose petals on the bed, you know, which like, yes. Courtney Richter: Yes, into the bed. Yes. And this was the right way for them. But he did flip the switch as soon as that had happened. And he found out that she had saved herself for him because she does say it was only you had to be you. It breaks him because this is all he's ever wanted. And he literally just parting words are like, ⁓ contracts canceled more than six months like this marriage is saying you're not getting out of this marriage. You are mine. Yeah, we knew that was going to happen. No, so fine. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. months yeah he's like yeah which we know anyways from the beginning we're like he doesn't even want out so you know but like oh and I love how you know and he's going to get his place in New York and he gets he's like turns down all the cool sexy locks and he's like no I need like a three bedroom on the Upper West Side in case she comes with the kids Courtney Richter: I need a family one for the kids, which I do love how they tied up the kids going back with their sister in a really healthy, clean way. Caitlin Stryker: I do too. was, whoa, that was gonna be tricky. I know, but oh man, when it was, because you kind of saw it coming, but I was also like, oh, how devastating this is gonna be. And then it was. Courtney Richter: No, I know. And it only works because of the paparazzi eye that they like had to do it quickly. the paparazzi so they couldn't like pan it out. And because they were getting together at same time, it would have been that emotional healing together. And the kids love their mom so much and wanted to be like her. They still love their mom. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yes, you are like, know, when that works out, it's like, ⁓ okay, okay, this worked out and this is gonna work, you know, like. Courtney Richter: Yes. When I love that as a couple, they decide to never have kids and she writes that in the epilogue. And I was like, that's amazing. Cause like she is nurturing and they are. Yes. And that's what it could be for them. Caitlin Stryker: I love that too. I know. It made sense for these two. Yeah. And it really makes, it made sense for both of their backstories and all the other things. And I was like, ⁓ yeah, I like that for this one. You know, I was like, this is... Courtney Richter: Yeah. Caitlin Stryker: This is good. And also I like, you know, in the epilogue and you get the follow-up and you know that she is doing, like her sister is doing well and stayed clean. And I think it alluded to that her sister tried to clean up before and it didn't work. then this time, you know, because again, realistically, you know, for people, some people it does work the first time, but you know, that was one of the worries with the sister coming back and taking the kids. And then it's like, ⁓ God, I you really are ready. ⁓ You know. Courtney Richter: Yes. Yeah. Yes. And then it does, she wrote well though that the sister is a good mom. Like her sister's experience when she comes back, you can tell you're like, ⁓ this is someone that very much cares about her children and is doing this for them. Caitlin Stryker: Yes. Yes. And you get that with the like the chef hat thing and the nasty teacher and the, and you know, like the, ⁓ that's the little boy's like happy memory with his mom's like cooking and all those things. And it's so funny though, cause that whole moment when the sister comes back, you are like, ⁓ dear God. Like. Courtney Richter: Yeah. Yeah, you don't know how you feel about it yet. It's true. Like you really you're almost dreading it. You don't know if this is what you want. And then you almost feel yourself torn for both which is true to real life, right? Because she's a mom. She's watched her children. Of course she does. And she loves them cares about them. She's like, can't believe I held them in six weeks. And then you also feel for like, this sister that now feels like she's holding on to them. But then you're like six weeks in terms of like, you know, six years is nothing compared to what the mom's gone through with them. And Caitlin Stryker: It's... Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, no. Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: But that is the tricky part, even in life, that's hard. That's like the heartbreak of foster parenting in general, right? But when it's done right, it's still the right move and is amazing. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's amazing. I love how the book opens though and she is like, she's got suddenly has these two kids and she's like, ⁓ my god, like parenting is crazy and the whole thing and you're like, I feel so seen. Get your shoes on. It's really time to go now. Courtney Richter: Yeah. Caitlin Stryker: We had one of those mornings this morning where like, I'm like, we were up on time. We were like, we were doing everything. And then I was like, and then we were so late. And I was like, what happened? Where did we lose the thread? Where did we, where did we go off the rails this morning? Because we can't do the same thing tomorrow. We gotta tighten it up. It was. Courtney Richter: Mm-hmm. Yes. just take one thing to throw the whole diving off. It's a Monday. It's what happened, you know? Caitlin Stryker: He it was Monday morning. It was like he wanted he packs his own lunch now and he was like looking for candy and To put his lunch night because he asked and I like said yes and he's like no I can't find any I'm almost out my Halloween candy's almost gone. I'm like, well good Easter's around the corner And he's like but we need more and I was like, well again Easter's around the corner There will be more and I was like candy is not a need Courtney Richter: Yeah. Caitlin Stryker: And that's a good thing, I don't want you having constant sugar. ⁓ But it just took him so long to like, you know, just went in circles. Looking at all the places where candy's hidden in the house to be like, he's like, mom, we are really low. Courtney Richter: you Yeah, ready to solve it. me when I'm PMSing and I'm just searching everywhere, ticking through where is it? Caitlin Stryker: Where did I hide it? Courtney Richter: Yeah, Beckett, I get it. Caitlin Stryker: I know, but you do have to like hide it from yourself because otherwise it's like an also not when you're PMSing time and your children. Yeah. God. But you know, she's just and they're like, they're like doing all the things that it's like each she's like, you know what? Just put your clothes on. We're gonna eat the toast on the way to the bus stop. And I'm like, we eat the toast on our way to school a lot. ⁓ Courtney Richter: and your children and your husband and your people, need your own stash. ⁓ you Yeah. Yeah, you have to. You need to do something. Caitlin Stryker: Cause it, yeah, yeah. ⁓ my gosh. But so I was, liked that moment, but then I was also like, wait, where are we? Cause it's, it sort of opens that way, you know? And I'm like, and I'm like. Courtney Richter: Yeah, you're kind of thrown into the craziness right from the get-go. Her POV. Caitlin Stryker: Okay, who is she? these her kids? How old is she? How old are they? What's going on? And then you you start to find out like, okay, no, she's very young. And these are her sister's kids. And she's got them for now. And then it starts to play down. And you're like, oh, oh, this is an interesting story. That's good. That's how I was reading it. You know, it started and I was like, okay, here we go. And I literally finished seven days in June and then picked up this one. So I was sort of like, I started this one and I was like, Courtney Richter: Right. Yes, you too. Caitlin Stryker: It's not. It's just not. It's not. This is not gonna. It's not. And listen, it's not seven days in June, but it is very good. Like it really. Yeah. Courtney Richter: It's not going to be seven days of June. Yes. No. Yes, a different style, but it's very good. It's a perfect like romance summer is baseball season now get you into the mood. It's a great airplane book beach book got like just pick it up jump in for some fun. Nice light like Caitlin Stryker: ⁓ yeah. Yeah, when you need a fun hit of like a smutty romance, that's good. That's well done. You're like in between books or whatever. Like this is this one will we will we will not we are not steering you awry here. Like this is a great book. Courtney Richter: Yes. No, this is a super fun one to jump into. And you're just like, what am I going to read right now? I don't know what I feel like. Just read this. You'll love it. You can't not love Madden. Super sexy, hot, professional baseball player with an Irish accent. Like, come on. Caitlin Stryker: He's an Irish professional baseball player. Come on. He's so hot. And like the dark, you know, like the black haired Irish play. Yeah. Courtney Richter: Yeah. And a good guy. Yes. Well, because we had a redhead in the last book as the main male character. So he had to be slightly different. ⁓ Of course. Caitlin Stryker: He's just, is, he's kind of like dark and mysterious and sexy with an Irish accent. Yeah. Courtney Richter: He's the dark and mysterious sensitive. Yeah, yeah. It's done very well. And then the whole exhibitionist thing that we were talking about, it's interesting that voyeurs and when people have that as your fantasy, you like to be seen and you like, and we all have those moments. There's definitely moments that you wouldn't want caught, but then the idea, the owner of a Birdlust Club and Drip Web and that her actual fantasy, she's taken it and owned it herself is being seen. Caitlin Stryker: the sex scenes as result. Yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Courtney Richter: but in her own way, in her control, like in her idea and her ownership, not from force to her from other people's view. But it's interesting that that is her kink is actually voyeurism when she grew up around and pushing against that her whole life. It's a good juxtaposition. And I also love that Tessa set it up very believably. Like she can't just go with him to New York, even though he'd take her and the kids like, because she's. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. No. It is. Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: Trying to prove herself with this club and she's not ready to give it up yet And so she has to stay in this town that has made her life miserable She hates this town people judge her they judge her at the school still like the adults they never get over the old gossip take photos like Even though there are people in town that think she's great and don't give a shit you get stuck in that world I think that's part of like why I couldn't get out of my town quick enough. I've always hated the like People that saw you grow up when you're just like figuring out who you are. You're not Caitlin Stryker: Yes. Yeah. Courtney Richter: fully cooked at 1920, do I have like, you're not the person you're going to be yet. And if they have you stuck in that time, it's just not healthy to some degree. Like you need to be able to change. And she's forced to stick there because she wants to prove and that grit that she has that determination, I also totally get and could see myself being in that too. Like you just dig deeper instead of realizing like, ⁓ I can move on, but you can't, you just like dig your heels in that need to prove yourself. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Now. No. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, but then, right, but then what's so cool is that like she goes through all of that and then she gets to the end and then everybody, you know, then she's the hero and then they're like cheering for her. She bravely walked, they walk into breakfast not knowing if it's going to be that or the other right because she still is like, yeah, yes. Courtney Richter: because they find out she donated a kidney and didn't tell anyone. And so everyone's now celebrating her in this town for saving his life, basically. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah, and I love that then in that moment she's like, I can leave now. You know what I mean? She's like, I'm good. I'm out. Courtney Richter: Yes, which I mean there might have been even a stronger choice if she felt good enough to do that without that happening Which I think she would have gotten there, but I'm happier for her that she got that moment Caitlin Stryker: think she did though. I think she did. think by the time they were walking, I think she had already made up her mind either way. It was like the feeling I got. Maybe it's just because it's what I wanted. I was like, get out of that town. Courtney Richter: Yeah, I think she was already gonna do it. But once she was actually successful and she could have been as a success reaping the benefit, she gave it to Vida and was like, okay, I'm out. So she did do that anyways, which I loved because she didn't need that town of their judgment. She didn't need that from them. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. I love that too. No. And it was fun that Vida gets the club and like Vida's gonna like kick ass at running it. And she doesn't know that she can yet, but she totally can. And she's, you know, she's gonna be such a success. And then, ⁓ my gosh, you know, when he goes on the run and he goes to his aunt's house that was left to him, he's like, yeah, and I'll fix it up. And then he's like, and it'll be ours or it'll go to, you know, her sister, but it'll always be a place here. And I'm like, let's have it go to the sister. Cause my head is like, I really don't want her to stay. I really didn't want her staying in that town. Courtney Richter: ⁓ yeah, we can tell that. Yeah, it became very clear that's it was going to go. No, she needs out of here. And you know, it did go to the sister for sure. If the sister came back, that house was for them and the kids to grow up in and stay because they went to New York and then they ended up going to Wisconsin. Yeah, I love the threat when the paparazzi are around them and the fans and he's like, if you don't give her space, I'm getting myself traded to Boston. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. In Wisconsin. Yeah. Yes, that was so good. And then he's down, I love like that whole moment like that he chased her out and he's down there he's like shirtless and they're in this straight and they Courtney Richter: you Oh gosh, oh so hot. Like, it was so great. Whenever they get into each other's orbit, they just literally like disappear into themselves and forget that the world's around for a minute. And so sexy and hot the way that they just like attract to each other and like consume each other. It's, I loved it. And there are a couple you cheer for and you get what you want, but it is like flipped reverse for most. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: romance storylines in terms of like their attributes as the main female character, the main male character, which I really liked. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. It was really, really fun. mean, even even the first time they have sex is so like fun and wild and like aggressive and cool and you know, and just like even though she's losing her virginity because I was like, how are we? Courtney Richter: Mm-hmm. this is still gonna hurt like you played with a lot of toys but like this the way you're going like this is gonna hurt but it's still that like it's true in the moment even after you've lost your virginity like you can have a guy sex that hurts for a minute or two and that sting and then the burn that this the good thing that comes with that is worth it and especially when you're an adult you can like get through that in your mind in a different way of the like knowing it's paying off so you don't have to like get caught up in the like Caitlin Stryker: Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: Pain of the moment. You're just consumed with the enjoyment of the moment, which she wrote very well. Caitlin Stryker: Yes. ⁓ but I did, did. loved her. was like, ⁓ my God. Okay. Like I played with my toys and she's like, but his body is now inside my body. she's like, that's it. That's that sense. That's that like, there's somebody inside. I think that's why sex is different for women. Cause you're like somebody's inside my body. Like somebody else. Which is Courtney Richter: Yes! And how amazing it was. Yes! Yeah. Yes. Inside, exactly. Yeah, there's something in there that's not me. Caitlin Stryker: It's just different. I think it's a different experience than penetrating someone. I don't know, I'm not a man. But like, the way that men go about sex versus the way we go about sex makes me think that that is the actual like ⁓ digression point there. It's like, that's where we've, yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: Of course it is, it's a literal different... Yes. Yes. Yes. You are the receiver, the catcher, not the pitcher. And it's a different experience for sure. Yeah. Caitlin Stryker: It's, yeah, yeah, totally different, but very cool, because it was written in this book. was like, ⁓ my God, I remember it. Like, that's like mentally, like the, you know, like that's the thought pattern. And I really loved reading it. Courtney Richter: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yes, I think almost everyone because you know this moment coming. You have that second of the like, ⁓ it's happening. It's happening now. Okay. Like he's now inside me. Like I do think almost every woman or guy the first time male like anal sex anything you must you have those thoughts like and it's happening. Like it is happened. It's now in action. Then you step back. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. And tap. Yeah, yeah, yeah. ⁓ my gosh. Anyways, you guys, this book is fabulous. When you are looking for a true Smutty romance, this one's for you. This is a great one for spring, because like Court said, know, baseball season. So here we go. You're welcome. ⁓ Enjoy. ⁓ my gosh. I'm so excited to read more Tessa Bailey now. ⁓ Courtney Richter: ⁓ Yes. Mm. Yes, enjoy. Thank you, Tessa, for another great spring, another great Smutty Romance. Yes, you'll love her. She's fantastic. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah, sounds like she's my gal. All right, that's it for today's episode of Cait and Court's Cozy Corner. We will be back with you again soon talking about more books. Bye. Courtney Richter: Mm-hmm. Bye!