The sweltering heat has made many among us stay indoors, turn on the AC, and binge-watch all the great romance.

So without further ado, let’s get into our August agenda!

ROM-TALK 💬

We recently revisited a classic romance series adaptation - Twilight. At Vidiots in Eagle Rock, we sat in a packed theatre of fans, fully acting with the same fervor we had in 2008 at the midnight premiere.

Catherine Hardwicke, the first film’s director, was present for a fascinating chat after the movie where she discussed the film’s inception and development. When Summit Entertainment first handed Catherine the script, the story apparently laid very little resemblance to the book series by Stephenie Meyer. There was an FBI plot and an attempt to secure a male audience. Catherine read the book and told them, “hi hello, it’s about young love!” Thus, the rewrite that was actually based on the source material. (this is all paraphrasing btw)

But her story really hit home for us because we still feel like this comes up when discussing romance in film and television - How do we get the boys to care? Is it a big action set piece? Or a pretty girl showing her cleavage? (these are imagined but very real questions that come up far too often)

Now, let’s get this out of the way. Romance is and can be for everyone and we know many men who love it! But for those who don’t, do we really want to be making movies that appeal to them? Do we want to water down the genre just for the small hope of appealing to a demographic that, just looking at the numbers in publishing, doesn’t need to like romance for it to be successful?

Back during the studio system days, there was a whole section of movies targeted at women, and now, especially on the theatrical side, it’s becoming less and less. And if romance becomes about targeting a male demographic, then the genre that has centered female pleasure and desire since the beginning of time, will become nothing more than a cog in the wheel of boy movies.

ROMANCE WE RECOMMEND 📚

For our archive title this month, we’re recommending a contemporary romance called MAYBE ONCE, MAYBE TWICE by screenwriter and author extraordinaire Alison Rose Greenberg. The novel follows Maggie, a 35-year-old singer/songwriter who separately made a pact with two men that if they were single at 35, they’d marry her. To her shock, both men show up! Written with her signature humor, wit, and nostalgia for all things millennial, this is a mature romance about growing up and finding yourself, along with finding love. You can buy a copy here!

For our new title, we’re recommending a speculative queer romance, IN WHAT WORLD by Bridget Morrissey. The novel includes alternate realities and a little bit of Richard Curtis energy (if you’ve seen ABOUT TIME you know what I mean) and so many theater references!! You can buy here!

ROMANCE FILM & TV RECS 🎥

For our archive title this month, we’re recommending THE CLOCK, a 1945 Vincente Minelli film starring Judy Garland and Robert Walker.

Redditers call it the BEFORE SUNRISE on the 40s and we have to agree! Stunning cinematography, lush romance, and black-and-white! It is a stunning and not talked-enough-about movie about a GI on his way to Europe and a New Yorker who fall in love over 48 hours! You can watch on HBO Max Now!

For our new release, we would be remiss not to plug Will Gluck’s new theatrical rom-com, ONE NIGHT ONLY! Go see it in theaters so we make more big screen romance!!!!

BONUS REC:

If you haven’t binged STERLING POINT, Megan Park’s great YA romance series on Amazon Prime, get at it! Stunning performances, a beautiful island in Canada, daddy and mommy issues, and a love triangle! What else could you want? You can stream now on Amazon Prime, and yes, it’s lead does bare an uncanny resemblance to Anne Hathaway!

LOVE LIST WRITER PROFILE:

Michael Wightman & Zoie Wightman

We absolutely adored Michael Wightman and Zoie Wightman’s ghostly rom-com, THE NEXT BEST THING! It’s expertly written and hilarious and just jumps off the page.

What was the inspiration behind your script?

Michael: Zoie and I were visiting her family in Portland, Oregon, and we had gone out for dinner the night before on a date night. Zoie has an approach to ordering at restaurants that can be best summed up as “bear preparing to hibernate for winter” – which, in fairness, is actually a really good way to try things!

I have learned to embrace this particular style of restaurant-going, but I joked that if I died and she had to move on and find a new husband, she’d have to curtail that habit pretty quickly – and I’d probably have to come back to help her (and, yeah, make fun of her a bit). We started riffing from there and were both immediately like, “That’s a movie!”

Zoie: Michael’s omitting the part where after we came up with the idea, he tried to take it for himself. Luckily, we were married by this point, so everything we own is communal property.

What is your favorite romance movie/tv show and why?

Michael: Titanic. I’d like to say Casablanca (which I love!), but that would be totally neglecting the fact that I’ve seen Titanic probably more than any other movie. I was in 2nd grade when it came out, and I saw it three times in theaters. Not only is it one of my favorite movies, but it’s the first film that made me really appreciate the power of a great movie.

Zoie: Love Actually. It combined everything I loved growing up: Brits, Hugh Grant, running through the airport. There’s no gathering with my family that doesn’t involve putting this movie on (even in the summer!). A good movie has the power to make you feel something, a great movie has the power to make you feel something after hundreds of viewings. This is a great movie.

What drew you to writing romance?*

Michael: Growing up in the 90s and 2000s was like growing up in the Romcom Renaissance – they weren’t just in theaters every weekend, but also they were always on cable. You couldn’t flip through the channels without landing on a romcom on TBS, TNT, USA or FX. They were always on, and for whatever reason I found that very comforting as a child. (Which is probably why I still gravitate toward watching romantic comedies on airplanes today).

Zoie: Like Michael said, I think for most millennials, rom coms are imbued in our DNA. They’re such a big part of our formation as people that it doesn’t feel like an active choice to write in that genre. For me, it feels inevitable.

See you in September!!!

As usual, the world may be on fire, but it’s actually a phenomenal time to be a romance reader and viewer!

So without further ado, let’s get into our July agenda!

ROM-TALK 💬

There’s a been a lot of talk of trends lately, particularly in the sphere of romance. Every genre goes through cyclical trends, topics that seem more in the zeitgeist at one time or another. Really, what happens is one thing pops off and then everyone else is like, how do we copy and paste this success?

Back in our teen years, that trend was vampires. Twilight created a frenzy that demanded a million-and-one other vampire book adaptations, including Vampire Diaries and True Blood, which also became insanely popular.

Today, it’s been said that hockey players are the new vampires. Heated Rivalry popped off in a way few people really expected, though it should be said that the book series was already very popular in romance land. And with Off Campus, the adaptation of Elle Kennedy’s hockey romance series from over a decade ago, becoming a huge success for Prime Video, people want to hop on the trend!

It makes total sense why studios or financiers would want to invest in a micro-genre that’s having success, but it should be said that when we did go through the vampire craze, there were many projects that didn’t find that copy-and-paste success. Vampire Academy (the film), the very short-lived procedural CBS drama Moonlight, and Daybreakers, amongst many others.

We say all this to say that while we love living in this era of elite hockey romance adaptations, the reason these projects are working goes beyond the trend. They are romance projects helmed by people who clearly love romance and know how to satisfy that audience.

Both Heated Rivalry and Off Campus focus on the relationships first and the world second. They know how to linger in moments and let the actors’ performances shine. And most of all, they know how to use the world of hockey to up the relationship stakes, and really, isn’t that what we’re all watching for??

ROMANCE WE RECOMMEND 📚

For our archive title this month, we’re recommending THE BOYS OF TOMMEN series by Chloe Walsh, recently announced as an upcoming Prime Video series adaptation. The series is set in 2005 and follows teens in a small Irish town, attempting to figure out first love amidst dealing with societal pressures and broken homes.

A real page turner, if you like Twilight and Normal People, this should absolutely be on your list. It’s basically their child. You can buy the whole series here!

For our new title, we’re recommending EXTRACURRICULAR by Rachel Lynn Solomon, just released yesterday!

This book follows a pop star who quits her life in the limelight and goes back to school to find herself again and maybe, just maybe falls for her recently-divorced Professor (it’s college everyone, don’t worry!). Rachel, as usual writes with an expert hand, keeping a biting humor amidst sincere emotion. You can buy the book here!

ROMANCE FILM & TV RECS 📽️

For our archive title, we’re recommending THE PHILADELPHIA EXPERIMENT, a sci-fi romance from 1984. The film has a convoluted premise, but the gist of it is that a WW2-era soldier slips through a worm hole and comes out of in the present (1984). He has to figure out what happened to him and of course, falls in love along the way!

A delightful example of a great genre blend!! You can watch on Amazon Prime now!

For our new title, we’re recommending BritBox’s new series, a book adaptation of Barbara Taylor Bradford’s 1979 novel, A WOMAN OF SUBSTANCE. The series is a historical drama blend of ABC’s REVENGE and DOWNTON ABBEY. Fun and pulpy and propulsive with some great romantic twists, this show is the epitome of what a lot of execs have told us they want - an epic romance!

And what with BritBox coming off the success of THE OTHER BENNET SISTER, we have high hopes for them becoming the one-stop shop for great UK romance series!

You can watch on BritBox now!

LOVE LIST WRITER PROFILE: Jordan Hunt ✍️

JUST AROUND THE CORNER by Mazie Hyams and Jordan Hunt was one of our absolute favorite discoveries on this past year’s list! It’s such a page-turner and provides such great banter and emotion!

What was the inspiration behind your script?

Our original inspiration was actually our disappointment in the modern rom-com landscape. Mazie had just watched You’ve Got Mail for the first time, so we were discussing how great rom-coms used to be and we decided we just had to make one of our own if we wanted to reignite the genre and capture that beauty that our favorite rom-coms have, but with a modern sensibility.

What is your favorite romance movie/tv show and why?

When Harry Met Sally has been my favorite movie (period) since I first watched it when I was 10 or 11, and what I loved so much about it was the dialogue. It really made me feel the love and the friendship that Harry and Sally share, and I felt like I had never seen a film that captured that in quite the same incredible way. And I still haven’t. Combining that feeling with such witty humor and beautiful visuals truly makes it a perfect film for me.

What drew you to writing romance?

Romance has been my favorite thing to write since I began writing as a child. The endless possibilities of the genre, the simultaneous beauty and pain that it can convey, draw me to romance time and time again.

Why do you think the genre has been overlooked?

I think a lot of people are scared to make romantic films and shows nowadays, afraid of being cheesy or unoriginal. Now that the film industry has become so over-saturated, it’s hard to compete with the new landscape of films. But I truly believe that if you’re passionate about what you’re making, and if you make something good, people will watch it because we love good stories. I would argue that the genre has been getting more love recently, though, especially in the television world, which I am very excited about!

See you next month!!

And what a year it’s been so far, for us in particular! We want to take this moment to thank everyone who supported us last month as we crowdfunded for our film. It truly meant the world to us!

Without further ado, let’s get into our April agenda!

ROM-TALK 💬

This month’s rom-talk is focused on cheeks-burning, cringe-inducing, stomach-rolling mortification in romance. Some love it, some hate it. We’d argue that it is essential for a good romance, whether it leans more rom-com or rom-dram. We want to see characters put themselves out there, and inevitably, when someone puts themselves out there, it’s kind of embarrassing.

These scenes tend to be our favorites because they’re oh so relatable. We all know what it feels like to put a foot in our mouths or accidentally admit to someone else that we think they’re sort of attractive. Hugh Grant in Notting Hill comes to mind, babbling about apricots in his kitchen or telling Julia Roberts it was “surreal but nice” to meet her.

One thing we’ve noticed in reading all kinds of romance scripts is that oftentimes, things are too easy. We don’t feel that secondhand embarrassment and we kind of miss it. Because, here’s the thing, love is embarrassing…and we LOVE IT!

ROMANCE WE RECOMMEND 📚

For our archive title this month, we are highlighting the spin-off series to VAMPIRE ACADEMY…BLOODLINES. The mid-2000s supernatural YA fantasy series follows Sydney, an alchemist, tasked with helping to hide and protect a young vampire royal at a boarding school in Palm Springs. She’s been taught to fear vampires, to hate them! So who does she fall in love with? A vampire, of course!

Madison had thought she’d read before, but when she realized she hadn’t, proceeded to plow through the first half of the series in less than a week.

If you haven’t read this series, we’re jealous! If you have, they’re worth a re-read. You can buy here!

For our new title, we’re recommending THE PARIS MATCH by Kate Clayborn. Kate is a master of the romance genre and every time we get a new read from her, we are a lucky reading public. And this one is no exception - an escape to Paris, a messy divorce, a hot man who’s very distracting! Highly recommend! You can buy a copy here.

ROMANCE FILM & TV RECS 🎞️

For our archive title this month, we’re recommending an oldie but a goodie. THE SPECTACULAR NOW. With Shailene Woodley and Miles Teller, this film is almost unbelievable in the talent it attracted - Brie Larson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kyle Chandler! It doesn’t do anything new, per se, but there’s something in its unvarnished style that makes it feel like you’re watching this plot for the first time.

You can watch on HBO Max now!

For our new title, we’re recommending YOU, ME, AND TUSCANY, a theatrical (hallelujah!!) rom-com that just released this past weekend with Halle Bailey and Regé-Jean Page. A little WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING, a European destination, and lots of swooning. Let’s all go see this so we get MORE theatrical rom-coms ASAP.

LOVE LIST WRITER PROFILE: Marissa Dow ✍️

Marissa wrote one of our absolute favorites this year, a feature rom-com called THE LAST FIRST DATE following a woman who goes on a mediocre date only to find out the world is ending in a few hours…and romance (and truly insane plot things) follow!

What was the inspiration behind your script?

In 2018, the citizens of Hawaii accidentally got an emergency text that read: “BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.” When thinking about how quickly my stomach would’ve fallen to my ass after receiving such a text, I next pondered where the worst possible place to receive the message could be. After being stuck in a dentist’s chair, it occurred to me: an awful first date.

What is your favorite romance movie/tv show and why?

I’m a firm believer that Bridget Jones Diary is the most perfect romcom ever made, and genuinely is one of the most important modern films for women.

What drew you to writing romance?

I was obsessed with watching 90s and 2000s romcoms after school as a kid. I think, as a tiny little black girl in monolithic suburbia, it was my dream to be swept away into a dramatic, grandiose romance. So much has changed over time, but in a lot of ways, that’s still true.

Until next month!!

We here at THE LOVE LIST have been very busy and it’s been way too long since we got to chat with you all. You may have seen the big LYNN PAINTER news! (Our very own Madison Jones is producing a theatrical adaptation of FAKE SKATING with Olive Bridge and Sony!)

Our third list came out last month and we are so so so excited about the scripts on this year’s list!!! Truly, there is something for everyone, and we are praying to the romance gods/the powers that be that all of these get made so we can watch them!!!

Without further ado, let’s get into this month’s agenda!

ROM-TALK 💬

Okay, so we’re kind of going off-book this month because…we have a big announcement! WE’RE MAKING A MOVIE!!!

Based on Lindsay’s short story, she’s writing and directing a short film which we’re hoping will be a proof-of-concept for a TV show in the vein of an old WB/CW show! Madison is producing with our good friend Geneva Willis, and we recently cast Taylor Richardson, who you might know as Clock Twink’s love interest, Bridget, in HBO’s THE GILDED AGE!

We are currently crowdfunding on Seed & Spark to go into production this June! This is a true labor of love project for us and we can’t wait to show it to you all and BRING YEARNING BACK!

ROMANCE WE RECOMMEND 📚

Our archive title this month is BINDING 13 by Chloe Walsh! It was just announced that this beloved series is being adapted as a TV show for Amazon and if you liked Normal People, this is so up your alley. Fair warning: there is angst and trauma in this series. You can buy here!

Our new title this month is STILL INTO YOU by Erin Connor. Her sophomore romance novel, this book is for anyone who grew up with emo music and wished you could read a book about the band members’ tortured relationship! Absolutely delightful and angsty! You can buy here!

ROMANCE FILM & TV RECS 📽️

In honor of Lindsay’s upcoming film, our archive title is one of her comps, NEVER LET ME GO, a lush, thoughtful, British film from 2010 based on the acclaimed novel by Kazuo Ishiguru. It follows clones played by Carrie Mulligan, Andrew Garfield, and Keira Knightley as they navigate their short lives before they must donate their vital organs to “real” people. You will swoon, yearn, and cry!

You can buy on Amazon Prime or Apple TV!

Our new title rec this month is season four of BRIDGERTON! We love a big historical romance and you can always count of lush imagery and big passionate moments! You can watch both parts on Netflix now!

LOVE LIST WRITER PROFILE: LAURA STOLTZ ✍️

Laura wrote one of our absolute favorite 2026 scripts, RIVALRY. It’s a sports rom-com which evokes the vibes of NO STRINGS ATTACHED and TRAINWRECK and we are obsessed!!!

What was the inspiration behind your script?

I was raised in a family of Tarheel alumni and fans, so naturally I also grew up with a healthy hatred of all things Duke and Duke Basketball. So, when I was thinking about an enemies-to-lovers script, naturally the rivalry between UNC and Duke popped into my head loud and clear.

What is your favorite romance movie/tv show and why?

Overboard (1987) - I love watching characters 1. become better people by falling in love and 2. extreme fish out of water stories. Overboard does both of those things in such a fun and fresh way!

What drew you to writing romance?

This was my first rom-com script! After writing some other (darker) things, I was taking a soul-break and watching a lot of comfort rom-coms. And then I thought...why don’t I just write one? We have to spend so much time in these little worlds we create, and I knew what I wanted to be feeling by watching and reading romance...why not just write one and love two birds with one stone (okay, that didn’t come out like I thought it would but I’m TRYING, OKAY?)

Why do you think the genre has been overlooked?

I’m not sure. I wonder if it has to do with the budget range these types of movies usually fall into, and then the theatrical-vs-streaming models didn’t help. Rom-coms aren’t exactly the “blockbusters” that get to live in theaters these days, are they? But I really, really miss seeing these movies in theaters with other people, and I hope they make a giant comeback.

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT: ROMANCE TRIVIA!!! 🎟️

In support of our film, we are throwing a night of ROMANCE TRIVIA at Melrose Umbrella Co. on Tuesday, March 24th at 7pm PT! You can win fun prizes and earn bragging rights, which is really most important. We hope to see you all there!

You can buy tickets here!!!

See you all next month! 👋

That being said, we have a lot of fun ahead in the next year. A 2024 Love List script, HOW TO LOSE A POPULARITY CONTEST has been produced as a feature film and is premiering on Tubi on January 16th so mark your calendars!

We’ll also be opening up submissions for the third edition of THE LOVE LIST on January 6th 2026 so think on any great romance scripts you’ve read and make sure to send our way in the new year!

Let’s get into our December agenda!

ROM-TALK 💬

We are very excited to offer an extended rom-talk this month…as an audio podcast with screenwriter of PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION and Love List alum, Yulin Kuang. We spoke with her about HEATED RIVALRY, the French aughts rom-com PRICELESS, and holiday romances that should be on your list!

Listen to us gab while making your egg nog or pecan pie’s and make sure to mark your calendar for the first Emily Henry adaptation to hit the screen on January 9th!!

ROMANCE WE RECOMMEND 📚

For our archive title this month, we’re recommending DUKE, ACTUALLY by Jenny Holiday. Hallmark, but make it sexy, and Jenny’s books always hit. We highly recommend you ready by a cozy fire! You can buy here!

For our new title, we’re recommending Amy Lea’s new release, THE BODYGUARD AFFAIR. Amy writes with such warmth, humor, and wit, and this book is a quick and lovely binge for the holiday season. You can buy here!

ROMANCE FILM & TV RECS 🎦

For our archive title, we’re recommending one of our holiday standby’s, a classic for a reason, IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE. While not strictly a romance, we’re deciding this counts if for no other reason than the “You want the moon?” scene. There’s just no one better at making you feel the whole range of human emotions than Jimmy Stewart in this film. You can watch on Amazon Prime!

For our new title, we cannot recommend anything other than our current romance obsession, HEATED RIVALRY. The way this show has taken over the world the past few weeks…it’s so nice to see romance done with such nuance and vulnerability. If you haven’t seen, please put on your list (but maybe watch separate from the family this holiday season ha). Episodes 1-5 are available now on HBO Max with new episodes streaming on Thursdays at 9pm PT.

Happy holidays and we’ll see you in 2026!

ROM-TALK 💬

The holiday romance is often pigeonholed as one of the most trivial sub-genres in the romance oeuvre, and honestly, it’s really an unfair marker. There are holiday romance films and shows which rank among the deepest and most emotional in the whole genre.

Are there tropes in holiday romances? Absolutely! But like everything, this sub-genre’s success is all about execution. There’s a reason certain films in this space are rewatched over and over and over again. The holiday season, synonymously referred to as cuffing season, can often make people feel acute loneliness as much as it can make them feel deep connection.

The movies that succeed here often acknowledge this dichotomy, this feeling of questioning your life, dealing with family dysfunction, and seeking a romantic connection while also leaning into the tinsel and escapism of someone building you a lake to skate on or healing your relationship with snow (and yes, I did just steal those from Luke Danes directly).

In our opinion, this sub-genre has the ability to touch on important issues, especially mental health, in a special way. We often think about how relatable Sandra Bullock is in While You Were Sleeping, feeling completely alone during the holidays, and wanting so badly to have a familial connection as well as a romantic one.

Suffice it to say, we love a holiday romance.

ROMANCE WE RECOMMEND 📚

For our archive title this month, we’re recommending Josie Silver’s ONE DAY IN DECEMBER, a 2018 London-set romance novel that will give you NOTTING HILL vibes with angst! You can buy here.

For our new title, we’re recommending an anthology of short stories, LADIES IN WAITING: JANE AUSTEN’S UNSUNG CHARACTERS. With stories by acclaimed romance authors Sarah MacLean, Nikki Payne, and Eloisa James, among others, this anthology gives happy endings to characters like Miss Bates from Emma and Caroline Bingley from Pride and Prejudice. There’s something about Jane Austen’s work that feels perfect for the holiday season and this anthology is a delightful addition. You can buy here.

ROMANCE FILM & TV RECS 📽️

For our archive title, we’re recommending THE APARTMENT, Billy Wilder’s 1960 classic and wow, is it a timeless movie! Helmed by delightful every man Jack Lemmon, this film encapsulates how a holiday romance can engage with that light and dark dichotomy. It’s an annual rewatch for us, technically maybe even a New Year’s film. If you haven’t seen it, do yourself a favor and add to your holiday watch list! You can buy on Amazon Prime or Apple, but it usually makes the rounds on streaming services!

For our new title, we’re recommending MAXTON HALL Season 2! If you’re looking for a GOSSIP GIRL-esque epic, dramatic, emotional romance, this German Amazon Prime show fits the bill perfectly! You can watch the first 4 episodes on Amazon Prime now.

See you in December for a very special LOVE LISTICLE (with a special guest 🤫)

In the meantime, we’ll be rewatching the WUTHERING HEIGHTS trailer on repeat.

We have a lot to get through so without further ado, let’s get into our October agenda!

ROM-TALK 💬

We can all admit that we’ve fantasized about some sort of supernatural creature whisking us off to a life of danger, intrigue, and imprinting (no, sorry, that last one is just Twilight and we’re still cringing lol).

We, the girls of THE LOVE LIST, are proud millennial women who were raised on YA fantasy romance - TWILIGHT (of course), VAMPIRE ACADEMY, and THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS, just to name a few. The name may have changed to the more TikTok-friendly Romantasy, but the pillars of the genre remain the same. And these properties are big money-making franchises.

Whether they’re fairies, vampires, or werewolves, the hero’s (or heroine’s) journey remains the same. And this leads to us to our greater point — if done the right way, this genre (or the mashup) can truly be for everyone. So many execs we’ve talked to in the past year have mentioned wanting big epic romance stories that have a broad appeal across demographics, and we believe romantasy (or fantasy romance, call it what you want) is the answer to this question!

You only need to look at the success of VAMPIRE DIARIES, OUTLANDER, BLOOD OF MY BLOOD, the FOURTH WING book releases (reminiscent of our own millennial midnight book release parties), and TWILIGHT (which is being re-released in theaters this month).

Also, I’m sorry, we just really love stakes in romance (pun very much intended).

ROMANCE WE RECOMMEND 📚

For our archive title this month, we have a 5+ star read — AGAIN THE MAGIC, a historical romance by Lisa Kleypas. This is a true throwback, published in 2004. It is such a great example of what makes the genre so great. Big emotional stakes to the story. A bastard servant boy and a girl above his station. They fall in love as teenagers, are forced apart, and meet again, twelve years later. It’s like a mishmash of PERSUASION and MANSFIELD PARK. An absolutely perfect autumn read. You can buy a copy here!

For our new title, we’re highlighting Clare Gilmore’s new adult contemporary romance, NEVER OVER (out October 28th). We truly can’t say enough good things about this book. Clare’s writing is masterful — there’s tension for days, and an epilogue that will make you cry. We follow Paige Lancaster, a budding songwriter, who asks her ex (who she hasn’t spoken to in 4 years) to date her again, and break her heart so she can write swoon-worthy love songs. But, of course, the best laid plans…and all that. You can buy here, and you should!!

And a bonus Romantasy recommendation because it is October — Kresley Cole’s IMMORTALS AFTER DARK series. Another throwback, and a classic, there are all manner of creatures in this series, and the romance is top-notch. You can buy the first one here.

ROMANCE FILM & TV RECS

From the archive this month, we’re recommending the 1996 rom-com classic, ONE FINE DAY. It’s autumn in a bottle. New York setting. George Clooney at his Clooni-est. And a killer soundtrack of rom-com staples, including “One Fine Day,” by The Chiffons. You can buy on Apple here!

And for our new title, we’d be remiss if we didn’t celebrate the upcoming new season of NOBODY WANTS THIS. Adam Brody in his Rabbi getup. Kristen Bell acting snarky. A dream. Out on Netflix on October 23rd!

See you in November!!

Let’s get into our September agenda!

ROM-TALK 💬

How do you keep a romantic story feeling fresh? It’s a question that we’ve pondered a lot over the last five years as BookTok has swept romance even more into the mainstream. There is more romance out there than ever at the moment, but how do you tell the story of two people falling in love in a new way? In a way that makes you forget you may have a seen a story just like this last week?

Specificity. It’s the name of the game. If you want a story to stand out…if you want characters to stand out, you have to make them feel like real people. And to us, that all comes down to specificity. The quirks that make someone who they are. The blocks they have in their loves lives that are specific to their life experiences.

Most importantly, it’s trying to embody that feeling of becoming close to someone, with all the vulnerability that comes with it. That’s what keeps us turning the page or glued to our TV screens or melting from that swoony moment in a movie theater. We should feel like voyeurs to something personal, something that gives us that feeling of vicariously falling in love.

ROMANCE WE RECOMMEND 📖

For our archive title this month, we’re throwing it back to a Lisa Kleypas classic, LOVE IN THE AFTERNOON. In this historical romance, we follow Beatrix, who, when her friend can’t be bothered to respond to love letters from a war hero, writes him back…as her friend. They fall in love but there’s just one problem. He thinks he’s in love with someone else. Propulsive and so swoony, Lisa is a master of the genre! You can buy a copy here!

For our new title, we’re recommending FAKE SKATING by Lynn Painter. There’s just no one out there right now writing YA romance like Lynn, and this one DELIVERS. Hockey ✔️ Family Drama ✔️ Laugh-out-loud banter ✔️ tension for daysss ✔️✔️✔️ it comes out on September 30th, preorder now!

ROMANCE FILM & TV RECS 🎥

For our archive title this month and in remembrance of Robert Redford who just passed away, we’re recommending THE WAY WE WERE. If you’ve heard of this movie because of Lorelai’s attachment to it in GILMORE GIRLS, you’re not alone. Apparently Barbra Streisand actually fell in love with Robert on set, which only adds to the achy feeling of the movie! You can buy or rent on Amazon Prime or Apple TV

For our new title, we’re recommending DOWNTON ABBEY: THE GRAND FINALE. Even though there’s less romance per se in this new film, the TV show as a whole is all about the romance. And we do get some fun stuff in this new one with Mary’s travails as a divorcée and Mr. Bates and Anna’s continued love affair! (they’re happily married now, no one freak out!)

But it’s also a great time to revisit the show! Fall may belong to Gilmore Girls, but Downton Abbey is another excellent rewatch!

You can see the new film in theaters now, and watch the show on Amazon Prime.

See you in October!

Let’s get into our August Agenda!

ROM-TALK 💬

We have a ton of romance on the horizon currently and it’s gotten us thinking about what exactly makes a relationship on screen sizzle. Many people outside the romance community often confuse romance and erotica, and don’t get me wrong, everyone wants sexy scenes in books and in films/tv.

BUT, are those scenes alone what constitutes chemistry? We’d argue not. In fact, if the writing is not there to back up the characters, we’d say those scenes are awkward as hell to watch.

So what do we really love? What are we really looking for when we tune in to something romantic? TENSION. Case-in-point, the bathtub scene in THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY. No one kissed, but we were like, collectively losing our minds over it.

Tension includes a combination of factor - the right casting for sure, good direction absolutely! But more than anything, it’s in the writing. We want to know why two characters connect (beyond them being hot for each other) and why they can’t be together, and if those two things are there, WE WILL BE ON THE EDGE OF OUR SEATS.

ROMANCE WE RECOMMEND 📖

For our archive title this month, we’re recommending WEATHER GIRL by Rachel Lynn Solomon. A little bit of the vibe of THE NEWSROOM meets SET IT UP, this book follows a meterologist and sports reporter as they try to get their divorced bosses together, while also obviously falling for each other! It’s delightful and a perfect antidote to the heat of summer (it takes place in Seattle!). You can buy here!

For our new title, we’re recommending Regina Black’s AUGUST LANE. A romance set in the world of country music, Regina writes characters that feel so real! This book is just delightful from start to finish! You can buy here.

ROMANCE FILM & TV RECS 🎞️

For our archive title this month, we’re recommending ANGUS, THONGS, AND PERFECT SNOGGING. Delightfully nostalgic and directed by Gurinder Chada (who also directed and wrote BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM), this movie is a perfect YA romance, with all the awkwardness and British humor and a hunky dude, of course. You can buy or rent on Amazon Prime or Apple TV!

For our new title, though we have many options, we’d be remiss if we didn’t recommend BLOOD OF MY BLOOD, the spin-off to OUTLANDER. It’s romantic and spicy and has time travel, what more could you really want from a TV show?? You can watch the first three episodes on Starz now.

SEE YOU IN SEPTEMBER!!

And honestly, we’re here for it! 2025 has been a doozy and we need all the romance we can get!

Without further ado, let’s get into our July agenda!

ROM-TALK 💬

Okay, get ready. We’re about to get into a topic that might cause controversy…

Enemies to Lovers, some may say, is the most popular romance trope, but are “enemies to lovers” really ever enemies, and if they were, would we really be shipping them?

Let’s look at THE HATING GAME, both the book by Sally Thorne and the film adaptation. Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman are certainly work rivals and we think they don’t like each other but are they true enemies? No. Because if they were, would we really want them together?

What we like about this trope, or the appearance of it, is the tension between them cause let’s be honest, that’s what we’re watching/reading for. Those moments of “do they like each other?” “is he self-sabotaging?” “is joshua really making those ticks in his notebook as a passive aggressive thing or is there something behind it?”

Regardless of how you categorize it, this is a romance trope for a reason. We like the bickering. We like the journey.

ROMANCE WE RECOMMEND 📚

For our archive title this month, we’re recommending THE HATING GAME by Sally Thorne. A classic of the genre for a reason, it is a page turner. And the film adaptation is well worth a watch too! You can buy a copy of the book here!

For our new title, we’re recommending Sarah MacLean’s contemporary romance debut, THESE SUMMER STORMS. It is an absolutely perfect summer beach read. A wealthy New England family. Sibling spats. A swoony romance at the center. You can buy here.

ROMANCE FILM & TV RECS 📽️

For our archive title this month, we’re recommending the original, Jason Katims-helmed ROSWELL series. If you’re a Twilight girlie, this show (if you haven’t seen) is for you. Aliens. Teen Drama. Exceptional romance. And an episode in season one called “Heat Wave” which is HOT. It’s on Hulu, ready to binge when you are.

Along the same line, we would be remiss if our new title recommendation was not the third and final season of THE SUMMER I TURN PRETTY, which premies today on Amazon. We’ve read the books. We think we know how it ends, but do we? Jenny Han, take us on a journey!! Episodes 1-3 on Amazon Prime now.

LOVE LIST WRITER PROFILE: Drew Z. Greenberg

We loved Tobly McSmith and Drew Z. Greenberg’s Queer high school drama pilot, STAY GOLD! See him discuss below!

What was the inspiration behind your script?

Tobly McSmith’s sweet and endearing novel, and the wish to tell a story that isn’t told very often (or at all) on TV but should be

What is your favorite romance movie/tv show and why?

I loved Beautiful Thing for its humor and kindness, and I loved The American President for its ability to showcase romance against a background of activism. (And third, truly, I was always rooting for Connor and Oliver on How To Get Away With Murder.)

What drew you to writing romance?

In the case of Stay Gold, I wanted to tell a story that showed a trans teenager as a full, complete person, one who experiences the whole gamut of human experiences, not just the safe or comfortable or easy parts as determined by a cis-gendered audience. And a significant part of the human experience is how we connect in a romantic way. It’s vital to telling our stories. We all deserve love, and we all deserve our love stories to be told.

Why do you think the genre has been overlooked?

I wish I knew. I feel like it’s easy to dismiss romance as something soft, something inherently less exciting or - in the terminology I despise more and more every time I hear it - less “muscular” than other genres. The crazy irony of course is that opening your full heart to someone, revealing your true self and baring your soul - is one of the bravest, most exciting things a person can do. It’s terrifying. So why is it dismissed as something soft? I haven’t any earthly idea.

How would you like to see the genre evolve in film and television?

I would love to see more romance stories being told with characters who don’t often get centered in such stories, particularly queer characters, allowing the genre to include characters whom the audience is just craving to see on their screens. But also, more perspectives means more stories, which means more ways to engage and surprise the audience. That seems like a win-win to me.

SEE YOU IN AUGUST!

And we are so lucky because, from books to movies to TV shows, there are so many fun stories for us to escape into on the horizon.

Don’t fret; instead think like Cary Elwes in The Princess Bride!

Without further ado, let’s get into our June agenda!

ROM-TALK 💬

Let’s talk about the makeover montage. We love them and hate them. Love them because they’re almost always soundtracked by a great pop song and we get to see totally cute outfits. But, there’s a downside to this rom-com trope, and it’s fairly obvious but still not looked at enough. Self-esteem.

How many times in a rom-com do we see the female protagonist talk badly about herself? She’s not pretty enough. Not smart enough. Clumsy as hell. (seriously, don’t give her a coffee cup. she’ll drop it) And we’re supposed to be charmed by the fact that she doesn’t believe she’s worthy of what she wants. Now, many of these stories also show the heroine ultimately finding her power, but it seems like she has to change (almost always with a physical makeover) to find that confidence in herself.

All of this to say, we’d love to see and read more romance about women who know they’re worthy of love just as they are! (also can we talk about how Mia actually just has curly hair and is still ridiculously pretty pre-princess makeover?)

ROMANCE WE RECOMMEND 📚

For our archive title this month, we’re recommending THE TIME TRAVELER’S QUARTET by Caroline B. Cooney. This seminal YA series has an epic romance at the center between a boy from 1895 and a girl from 1995. It explores gender politics, racism, and the immigrant experience, all against the backdrop of y’know, traveling through time. If you watched OUTLANDER but thought “what if this was America and they were teenagers?” this is for you! You can buy here!

For our new title this month, we’re recommending PROBLEMATIC SUMMER ROMANCE by Ali Hazelwood. Quickly, Ali has become a big name in romance for her Stem rom-com books. But this one feels like one of her books married a Sally Rooney summer romance. It follows Maya, a 23 year-old in love with her brother’s best friend, who is 38. On the surface, it may seem like their age difference is what’s keeping them apart but there’s more to this story. Perfect to read by a pool with a drink in hand! You can buy it here!

ROMANCE FILM & TV RECS 🎞️

For our archive title this month, we’re recommending Francis Ford Coppola’s PEGGY SUE GOT MARRIED. Another time travel romp, this one follows a housewife played by Kathleen Turner who’s getting divorced from Nicolas Cage. At her high school reunion, one thing leads to another - she passes out and wakes up in the 1950s, back in high school! Will she and Nicolas Cage fall in love again? Or will she change her destiny? Delightful, zany, and thoughtful - this is a must see! You can buy and watch now on Amazon or Apple TV!

For our new title, we’re recommending WE WERE LIARS, the new Amazon show from Julie Plec. It’s darker fare, but definitely with a romance angle. We are so excited to watch this one! Dropping today on Amazon Prime.

LOVE LIST WRITER PROFILE: Daniel J. Wilner

Nate delivered us one of our favorite 2025 Love List reads with his script WHY WE LOVE. An ensemble romance in the vein of LOVE, ACTUALLY, it goes into the science of how and why we love.

What was the inspiration behind your script?

The life and work of Dr. Helen Fisher, the world's leading researcher on love.

What is your favorite romance movie/tv show and why?

Heartstopper -- so powerful to see young queer love shown positively

What drew you to writing romance?

Helen Fisher

How would you like to see the genre evolve in film and television?

More queer characters, more complex characters, more surprising storylines, endings that don't give us what we want but give us what we need

If you need us, we’ll be by the pool, escaping the summer heat! x

We have been having a very exciting month because our very own Kaitlin Reilly and Dorian Keyes have sold their script to Tubi. Their feature YA rom-com was on the inaugural 2024 Love List, and immediately stood out to us as something special! We know this is just the beginning for both of them, and we can’t wait to watch the movie, which was announced on Deadline, and will star Chase Hudson.

It’s a very big moment for The Love List because this will mark the first script on one of our list’s to be greenlit for production!

Now, on to our May agenda!

ROM-TALK 💬

Today, we’re doing a deep-dive on Joe Wright’s Pride and Prejudice, which just celebrated its 20th anniversary with a theatrical re-release. What is it about this particular adaptation that makes it so damn rewatchable and a favorite amongst viewers of all ages?

Believe it or not, this film marked the directorial debut for writer/director Joe Wright. But you wouldn’t know it from how the film turned out. It more seems to have the confidence of someone well-established. What we would argue is that the film survives and thrives for three reasons - Keira Knightley, Matthew McFadyen, and the simplicity.

These two actors are incredible and they anchor the romance in something that feels really real and human. The film is a masterclass in how to use cinematography and music to bring out what’s happening for the characters emotionally. Whether it’s Lizzie daydreaming that she’s on a mountain top or the hand flex, we know how to feel.

There is a new Pride and Prejudice coming (from Dolly Alderton, who we love) so we’re excited to see how she re-envisions the story for a 2025 audience.

ROMANCE WE RECOMMEND 📚

For our archive title this month, we’re recommending LOVE LETTERING by Kate Clayborn. Kate is such an expert at writing deep feelings which is what romance is all about. This 2019 romance follows a designer of custom journals. When she predicts a marriage will fail, the would-be groom seeks her out to find out what she knew and how she knew it. You can buy here!

For our new title, we’re recommending WHAT HAPPENS IN AMSTERDAM by Rachel Lynn Solomon. The novel, inspired by the author actually living in Amsterdam the last few years, follows Dani who applies for a job in Amsterdam after a bad breakup. In Amsterdam, she meets an old high school boyfriend who needs to marry someone who inherit a family home. When Dani loses her job and needs a visa, they’re pushed into a marriage of convenience (because, romance reasons!). Rachel is a fantastic voice in the genre and this one is swoony, steamy, and all-around delightful! You can buy a copy here!

ROMANCE FILM & TV RECS 🎞️

For our archive title, we’re recommending SOMEWHERE IN TIME from 1980. This swoony time-travel romance stars Christopher Reeves and Jane Seymour, and it is just top to bottom, incredible. The John Barry soundtrack. Christopher Reeve falling in love with a photograph and then literally hypnotizing himself back in time. You can watch on Amazon Prime, and you should immediately.

Also, apparently, according to Jane Seymour, she and Reeves actually fell in love on this movie.

For our new title, we’re recommending JANE AUSTEN WRECKED MY LIFE, the directorial debut from Laura Piani. In French and English, the film follows a bookseller whose grief has put her life on hold. Pushed to go to a Jane Austen writer’s retreat by her best friend (who she has feelings for), she is forced to make decisions - one for her writing and another in her romantic life. Absolutely delightful and such a throwback, this movie is such a great reminder that we need more theatrical rom-coms. They just play SO well in front of an audience! You can see in theaters on May 22nd!

LOVE LIST WRITER PROFILE: JAIME SCHWARZ

We loved Jaime’s 1/2 hour pilot which was selected for our 2025 list. HOW TO MAKE MEN CRY AND FALL IN LOVE is funny, romantic, and has a unique concept!

What was the inspiration behind your script?

Heartbreak—and some bad. Bad. BAD. dates. I was angry, newly back on the dating scene, and stuck in an endless loop of painfully dull dates. I basically started doing what Alex does in my script—entertaining myself in ways I probably shouldn’t have—until my therapist strongly advised me to stop. My friends, on the other hand, told me to write about it. So I did.

What is your favorite romance movie/tv show and why?

Oh gosh, that’s such a hard one! I’d have to say When Harry Met Sally, Before Sunrise, and 500 Days of Summer (if that counts?) are my classic go-to romance films. I’m a dialogue girl—I want naturalistic dialogue that’s witty, charming, and intelligent, where characters talk about something real with humor and depth. I want memorable scenes, iconic outfits, undeniable chemistry, and that overall feeling of coziness and warmth when I watch. That’s probably why I also love The Parent Trap! It’s not a traditional romance, but it has that same charm and magic—great banter, heart, and a little bit of longing, which is what all great romances have. In more recent years, Someone Great and Normal People have become favorites. I’ve rewatched both so many times. Someone Great is such a great example of how romance isn’t just about a relationship—it’s also about heartbreak, self-discovery, and the love we share with our friends. And Normal People captures intimacy in such a raw, devastatingly beautiful way. Both of those feel incredibly personal and lived-in, which is what I love most in a great romance story.

What drew you to writing romance?

I don’t think I consciously set out to write romance—it’s more that I write about whatever is consuming my thoughts at the time and at the time I was dealing with dating, love, and figuring it all out. I also grew up watching a lot of rom-coms because that’s where women were leading the story so that definitely had an effect. From my pilot you would never think this... but I love a first date. I love getting to know someone, chemistry, seeing if you vibe. And I think I love writing about that feeling—those electric, in-between moments of possibility. I also think, as someone whose an actor as well, so many great acting scenes are ones that involve a romantic partner. So much of my training and experience has been exploring that intimacy, vulnerability, and connection, so I think not only do I love to dive deep into it, but I know how to write it. But beyond traditional romance, I’m also interested in how the themes of love, devotion, and connection extend to other relationships—especially friendships. I treat my female friendships with as much loyalty, passion, and care as any romantic relationship. To me, romance isn’t just about love stories—it’s about the ways we choose to love and show up for the people in our lives.

BABY JAY EVENT!

We are excited to help get the word out about a Victoria Male, 2024 Love List alum’s table read event in June, featured here in People Magazine!

Jodie Sweetin (FULL HOUSE) and Drew Seeley (ANOTHER CINDERELLA STORY) lead a cast of nostalgic stars in “What Ever Happened to Baby J?” a new Y2K boyband-obsessed story written by award-winning screenwriter Victoria Male, for a live table read fundraising event. Tony winner Marissa Jaret Winokur, Doug Jones, Elisa Donovan, Garrett Clayton, Dale Godboldo, Nate Richert, Romy Rosemont, and Myko Olivier round out the cast of fan favorites from the turn of the 21st century. All event profits will benefit the AIDS Resource Foundation for Children (ARFC).

The event will be a full-sensory, Y2K-themed experience built around the cultural moment of millennial nostalgia, so dress for the decade and come in your best throwback looks! The night will include original music from Grammy-nominee Yan Perchuk, a raffle for in-person guests, and will be livestreamed globally through Dynasty Typewriter's live streaming service "Transmissions by Dynasty".

In “What Ever Happened to Baby J?”, Olivia Hughes discovers that her shy, stay-at-home husband Robbie was once part of a huge millennial boy band after he goes missing. Now, she must team up with his old bandmates to find Robbie, before he's forced against his will to realize his worst nightmare – a reunion tour. Event sponsors include ReelWorks Studios, VOcation, and The Successful Screenwriter, and is produced in partnership with Impact24 PR, Jennifer Smith Rat Dance Party, and the Always in the Club Foundation.

You can buy tickets here!

And with that, we’ll see you in June!!

Let’s get into our April agenda!

ROM-TALK 💬

Today’s rom-talk is about a theme which often goes hand-in-hand with romantic stories — grief. Interestingly enough, psychologists say that romantic breakups have a LOT in common with losing a loved one. You’re forced to grieve a future you thought you would have and if you’re choosing to cut off your ex, it can feel like they really did die. Because one day, they’re just gone. Nothing but a memory.

But, grief is also a transformative experience. It’s one of those universal moments in life that forces you to pause and reflect on who you are and what you’re doing and maybe do a hard reset. Many of our heroes and heroines in romantic stories are coming out of grief and having trouble moving through the pain and living their lives.

The first movie that comes to mind is WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING. While Sandra Bullock’s character is not supposed to have lost her father yesterday, the grief she feels at having been his caretaker in his last days coupled with the loneliness his absence brought to her, is extremely present in her romance with Bill Pullman. Another great example is Jennifer Garner’s arc in CATCH & RELEASE (underrated if you’ve never seen). Now, granted, this film is much more focused on grief as a main storyline, but her falling for Timothy Olyphant is almost a reaction to her grieving her dead fiancé. And of course, most recently, we had BRIDGET JONES: MAD ABOUT THE BOY, where her arc would literally not exist without her grief.

The gist of it is this. Grief can make us feel like we’ve lost ourselves and romance as a genre is just as much about finding ourselves as it is about finding love and connection with another person.

Grief, like falling in love, is universal — which is what makes romantic breakups so brutal. You can’t connect to someone that deeply without the risk of getting hurt.

ROMANCE WE RECOMMEND 📚

For our archive title this month, we’re recommending THE BLUE CASTLE by L.M. Montgomery, the author known for ANNE OF GREEN GABLES. This work, written in 1926, is one of the only books she wrote that is considered a book for adults. We follow Valancy, a 29-year-old old maid, who, when she finds out she’s dying from a heart condition, decides to live her life free from the restrictions of her station in life and societal expectations. She falls in love with a man named Barney, who townsfolk are convinced is a criminal. It’s a heartfelt story which illustrates it’s never too late to find your happy ending.

You can buy here!

For our new title, we’re recommending PASSION PROJECT by debut author London Sperry! This book deals directly with grief, our heroine, Bennet, having lost her boyfriend before the start of the book. After she stands up Henry, an app date, she meets him and tells him she can’t date. An optimist dealing with his own shit, Henry proposes they be friends, while helping Bennet rediscover her passions post-grief. But of course, the best laid plans! Delightful, funny, and emotional, Sperry’s debut is worth adding to your TBR!

You can buy a copy here!

ROMANCE FILM & TV RECS 🎥

For our archive title this month, we are heartily recommending you all go back to theaters to relive the masterpiece that is Joe Wright’s 2005 adaptation of Jane Austen’s PRIDE & PREJUDICE. Squeal at the hand clench and pretend you’re the sixth Bennet sister. No, but really, the Dario Marianelli score, the cinematography, Matthew McFadyen before he was Tom…you can’t go wrong! Also this movie is WAY funnier than it gets credit for.

Out in theaters April 20th!

For our new title, we’re recommending THE LIFE LIST, directed by Adam Brooks. Starring Sophia Carson and the internet’s new BF, Kyle Allen, we follow Alex, who is sent on a bucket list of activities after her mother passes away from cancer. Romance comes through a young lawyer responsible for doling out her mother’s wishes, followed by swoony moments and self-discovery.

The movie is out on Netflix now!

LOVE LIST WRITER PROFILE: Shelby Bartelstein ✍️

We absolutely adored Shelby Bartelstein’s dramedy pilot, GOODIES, which was on our 2025 Love List. It’s YOUNGER meets NEW GIRL energy, it’s delightful!

What was the inspiration behind your script?

I froze my eggs right after I turned 35. My fertility doctor took one look at my uterus and told me it was an oldie but a goodie (yup, that happened...). And right when I was freezing those bad boys (or girls), I was in a massive funk thinking about my entire existence. I spent all of my 20s & early 30s consumed with becoming successful that I turned thirty-five, and I FREAKED OUT about my future (hence, the egg freezing). So after a really shitty relationship with the first and only guy I thought could be IT, the funk continued— until I met this younger guy. And he totally shifted my worldview because he’s in the generation that goes to therapy. Gen-Z are in touch with their feelings. They look at the world differently than we, as millennials, do. Something I didn’t understand until that experience is that this younger generation of guys we babysat are more emotionally available than the “men” we’ve been told to build our lives with…. Turned out that all I needed to get out of my funk was an orgasm and a change in perspective. Because I decided that there should never be an expiration date on self-exploration, especially when you have amazing friends to figure it out with (hey, girls!). And that’s how Goodies was birthed. From my frozen eggs.

What is your favorite romance movie/tv show and why?

I can't pick one. Sorry, not sorry. But here are my tops: You've Got Mail, Clueless, To Catch a Thief, The Vampire Diaries. And while these stories are all wildly different, I can recite full scenes from each of them, specifically the moments our love stories take a turn. "Don't cry, shopgirl!" and "Oh my god! I love Josh! I'm majorly, totally, butt crazy in love with Josh!" and "Even in this light, I can tell where your eyes are looking" and "You want a love that consumes you. You want passion and adventure, and even a little danger..." -- I mean, COME ON. I AM UNWELL. TAKE ME NOW.

Why do you think the genre has been overlooked?

I think that prestige is important for a lot of Hollywood, and people have taken prestige out of love stories because they're scared to be vulnerable. But vulnerability is what ignites the best storytelling. It creates compelling characters we relate to. If you look back at the great movies of our time, from Casablanca to The Philadelphia Story to The English Patient to my favorites I mentioned above and more, love is what drives those stories. But love on screen has to be honest and authentic and grounded in our reality in order to not push people away. We're all just saps that want to fall in love, so let's embrace that, but in a way that feels honest and authentic and grounded in our reality. And let's go to therapy.

That’s it for April, see you in May!!!!

Let’s get into our March agenda!!

ROM-TALK 💬

It’s hard to believe but we’re in the third month of 2025 and the state of the world feels more tumultuous than ever! We’d argue there is no greater moment for romance stories to shine.

But these past few months have made us deconstruct what romance really is. A common criticism the genre gets, both in book form and on the screen, is that it creates unrealistic expectations in real-life romantic relationships.

Like every genre, there are stories that feel more unrealistic than others. But on the whole, we feel that romance stories, while at times aspirational and over-the-top, are really at their core about two people seeing each other, human flaws and all, and choosing to take a chance on each other anyway.

We all crave connection, and that’s what makes these stories so absorbing.

ROMANCE WE RECOMMEND 📚

For our archive title this month, we’re recommending BIG FAN by Zan Romanoff. This 831 Stories novella is a fangirl’s dream. With political intrigue and lots of swoons, this bite-sized romance is everything. You can buy here!

For our new title, we’re recommending PROMISE ME SUNSHINE by Cara Bastone. A contemporary adult title, we follow Lenny, a twentysomething grieving the loss of her best friend while falling for the uncle of her nannying charge. Expect feelings and swoons. Cara is a great new voice in the genre! You can buy a copy here!

ROMANCE FILM & TV RECS 🎞️

For our archive title, we’re recommending MIDNIGHT, co-written by Billy Wilder and directed by Mitchell Leisen. You’ve heard 1939 had a lot of great movies? Well, it did. And this was one of them. A screwball comedy mixed with a Cinderella-like twist, Claudette Colbert is at her absolute best, as is John Barrymore (Drew’s grandfather). If you need something light and absolutely delightful, highly recommend! It’s currently available to watch on Criterion Channel!

For our new title, we’re recommending BRIDGET JONES: MAD ABOUT THE BOY! The fourth installment in the Bridget Jones series lets us see a more competent and confident Bridget, balancing her romantic life with raising kids. As a throwback and a new tale, it has a lot to love. You can watch on Peacock.

LOVE LIST WRITER PROFILE: Madison Hatfield ✍️

We absolutely adore Madison Hatfield and her original feature rom-com on the 2025 Love List, I COULD DOM. It’s a story as much about finding romance with another person as it is about finding the love within yourself, and we’re very here for all of it!

What was the inspiration behind your script?

"I could dom" was a real sentence that I said in my real life and it made me laugh so hard. I sat on it for months, but it wasn't until I had a conversation about people-pleasing (and soap dishes, which makes sense I swear) that I saw the story fall into place. I wrote and produced a short film first, and it was obvious that I couldn't be done with this character and this world. Now it's a feature script and, someday soon, it'll be a feature film, too. I'm so grateful for the ways June keeps connecting with me and with others.

What drew you to writing romance?*

I grew up a fat kid, and unfortunately I was taught that romance was not going to be a part of my life unless my body changed. That meant that for most of my young life I really stopped myself from having crushes or fantasizing about people I liked. Instead, I watched a lot of romantic comedies. I let my brain and my body practice love through movies in a world that told me I was unlovable as I was. I'm thankful that I've grown out of those lies that were fed to me, but I still have so much gratitude to the films that gave me a safe space to explore my feelings when I felt unsafe to do so in my real life. I want to write and make films that allow people to feel that same sense of comfort and fill them actors that remind us that ALL bodies are capable and deserving of love, romance, and desire.

Why do you think the genre has been overlooked?

I think love is the greatest threat to the status quo that exists, and it is in the interest of the capitalist, white supremacist patriarchy to infantilize and de-value narratives around love as a way to maintain power. Many wise people have said that the opposite of love isn't hate...it's fear. A fearful population is easy to control and manipulate. But a group of people who default to love - for themselves, for their families, for their neighbors - are harder to scare into submission. By positioning love stories as frivolous (and feminine), the ruling class can redirect the majority of attention to stories that glorify money or violence or power...whatever serves their interests. But the endurance of this genre demonstrates how powerful it really is and how badly we crave stories about connection and joy.

See you in April!!

We know we’ve said this before but there really has never been a more important time for love stories. Not just escapism (though we need that too) but stories that really remind us that finding joy amidst darkness is a radical act.

It’s worth noting that THE LOVE LIST itself was born out of a romance book club during the pandemic. Reading those books at that moment in our history taught us the value of looking for the bright spots. It reminded us then about what could be.

Anyway, here’s our newsletter for November!

ROM-TALK 💬

Have you ever had that tingle going down your spine when you read or watch a really great romantic moment in a book or movie? It’s called frisson, at least according to our Google search. And we LIVE for those moments - whether they’re hot or romantic or emotional! We love those moments because they make us feel.

The moments that spring to mind for us are when Lara Jean and Peter are in the hot tub in TO ALL THE BOYS I’VE LOVED BEFORE and Mr. Darcy’s speech to Elizabeth in the rain in the 2005 version of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE.

When we look at the state of romance in film & television, we believe those moments are essential. They can literally make or break a romance because it’s the moments in a courtship or a relationship that really make an audience invest and believe in it. And even if shows or films which are more plot-heavy like THE NIGHT AGENT, it’s still the small moments which anchor us to the story and the emotion.

So this is our plea —- give us more moments of frisson in your romance film & tv.

ROMANCE WE RECOMMEND 📚

For our archive title this month, we’re recommending TO LOVE AND TO LOATHE by Martha Waters. If you love historical romance written in a contemporary funny voice, this book is for YOU! We love so much about it but the premise itself is just genius. It follows a woman who married an old man for his money — he dies and then she has her real romance. So so good. You can purchase here!

For our new title, we’re recommending PERFECT FIT by Clare Gilmore. This is only Clare’s second book but we think it solidifies her as a writer to watch. It’s such a heartfelt contemporary rom-com. The book is like a hug. 10/10, no notes. If you need joy, read this book. You can purchase here!

ROMANCE FILM & TV RECS 🎥

For our archive title this month, we’re recommending LOVE, ROSIE - the 2014 film starring Sam Claflin and Lily Collins. We’ve both returned to this British film a number of times over the past decade because it has that ineffible quality the Richard Curtis films have. It’s just pure escapist fun with very charming leads and some romance tropes too (friends to lovers, accidental pregnancy, etc.). While it’s not currently on any of the streaming platforms, it regularly makes the rounds. But if you can’t wait, and who can blame you if you can’t - you can purchase or rent on Amazon Prime or Apple TV.

For our new title, we’re recommending OUTLANDER - season 7, part two premieres in just a little over a week! If you’ve been watching the historical romance since the beginning, you know it’s wild that we’re nearing at the end of Claire and Jamie’s story. And of course, there’s a spin-off coming! Outlander premieres on November 22nd on Starz!

LOVE LIST WRITER PROFILE: Dorian Keyes

Dorian was one of the co-writers of a great teen rom-com, HOW TO LOSE A POPULARITY CONTENT, which was on the 2024 LOVE LIST. The characters and dialogue just jumped off the page, and we’re so excited to highlight him this month!

What is your favorite romance movie/tv show and why?

I LOVE THE PRINCESS BRIDE. You find me a movie as well-structured, as perfectly cast, as endlessly quotable, as devilishly funny, and as genuinely romantic, and I'll find you in a jail cell, convicted quickly (and with public fervor) after being caught at the scene of a murder, holding a blood-drenched knife. Whose blood was on the knife? Mine. Who was murdered? Me. Only, I'm still alive. You knew the body they found at the morgue wasn't me. But the cops refused to re-run the DNA test. Who tampered with that first test? Who was the decoy body? You scream these questions out, daily. But nobody believes you. They think you've lost your mind. Plus, they refuse to re-open the case. After all, it was twenty-five years ago. Feel old yet?

Why do you think the genre has been overlooked?

If someone is overlooking romance, it sure as shit isn't audiences. We crave it. Sweet, silly, rough, tough, sensual, sexual, comedic, kind. We're all just people, you know? People who sit around, foreheads drenched with sweat, hearts swelling, genitals tingling, eager for a smooch or a laugh or a suck or a fuck or whatever it is we're into (if we're into that kinda thing). If I had to posit a theory tho, I feel like, with romance/rom-coms not earning as much Critical Acclaim And Serious Attention(tm), it might be a self-fulfilling prophecy? Like there are probably plenty of writers in the next generation with big, loving, sweat-drenched foreheads who'd be EAGER to write a sexy little rom-com...but they lean towards other, more "dignified" genres like "Actor Pretends To Be Famous Scientist" because those pieces win the big statues and make the big speeches.

How would you like to see the genre evolve in film and television?

I'd like to see the genre evolve specifically in the way where Kaitlin and my script, How To Lose A Popularity Contest, gets produced, because it would be very fun to watch it with all my friends and laugh together (read: "fun" as "personally enriching"; "watch it with" as "deposit"; "my friends" as "my money"; "laugh together" as "escape the peasant class, pulling the ladder up behind me to avoid any hangers-on").

THE 2025 LIST OPENS FOR SUBMISSIONS SOON!

The time is fast approaching! Keep an eye out, because we’ll be making an announcement soon about when when exactly we’ll be accepting submissions for the 2025 list. As we’re getting closer, we’re not highlighting a spec this month.

See you in December!! (how that’s possible we truly don’t know)

We’re coming up on that spiral towards the end of the year, and as such, the 2025 Love List winks from the wings!

But for now, here’s our October agenda:

ROM-TALK 💬

Age has become a recent hot topic in romancelandia! With films like The Idea of You and the upcoming Laura Dern-helmed Lonely Planet, we’ve loved seeing romance starring characters - especially female characters - who are not twenty years old.

Romance, like the greater entertainment industry, and for that matter, the world, has always been youth-oriented. But, in recent years, we’ve started questioning, does life end at 35? For women in particular, it has always seemed like it, and yet, many real-life romances happen for women after that age.

We see less of those stories make it to the screen even though they can just as easily capture an audience. For instance, Brief Encounter, one of our favorites and a favorite of Director Greta Gerwig’s, is a 1945 British film centering around two fortysomething protagonists. Regardless of both being happily married, they fall desperately in love. And it’s one of those gut-wrenching romance films that stays with you, particularly because the protagonists are not ingenues.

And you can’t discuss age in romance without noting Nancy Meyer and her oeuvre of films about middle-aged and even older protagonists! The crazy thing is, these movies do well!

So if you’re out there writing or producing, please make more romance about people experiencing romance at every age! Romance is not just for young adults.

ROMANCE WE RECOMMEND 📚

For our archive title this month, we’re recommending American Royals by Katherine Mcgee. The first in the series came out in 2019 and imagines an America with royalty, and does an amazing job of making you fall in love with the characters so much that you can actually see them with various romantic pairings. You can buy the first book here.

For our new title, we’re recommending the follow-up to Lynn Painter’s Better than the Movies —- Nothing Like the Movies! We pick up with Wes and Liz at college in UCLA in this adorable new adult romance filled with emotion! You can buy here.

ROMANCE FILM & TV RECS 📽️

For our archive title this month, we’re recommending the eighties films Anne of Green Gables & the follow up film Anne of Avonlea. It may not be horror but it is the perfect fall viewing, for many reasons but maybe most specifically because Gilbert and Anne are the perfect rivals to lovers arc. Put on plaid, talk in platitudes, and moon over Gilbert! You can watch here.

For our new title, we’re recommending the Sundance 2024 film Your Monster, written and directed by Caroline Lindy! Part rom-com, part-horror, part-broadway behind-the-scenes drama, it is one-hundred percent original, anchored by great performances by Melissa Barrera and Tommy Dewey. It will make you cry and laugh, and even have a couple jump scares. The perfect Halloween watch. The film is out in theaters October 25th!

We also recommend the upcoming We Live in Time! Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh as a romantic pair? Sign us up! For their performances alone, the film is worth seeing in a theater. Also, it must be said, for an emotional movie, there are so many laughs! You can see the film in theaters now in LA/NY, everywhere October 11th!

LOVE LIST WRITER PROFILE: Erin Charles ✍️

Erin Charles wrote a great script that made it on to the 2024 Love List - FROM THESE ASHES. With a background in production, she is about to make a big step into her first loves, writing and directing.

What was the inspiration behind your script?

This script is based loosely on losing a close family friend. He was Scottish and loud and stubborn and funny and musical and incredibly kind. His daughter, upended by the loss, refused to spread his ashes. I lived in Scotland in the early 2000s and mixing that experience with our loss is what created this story.

What is your favorite romance movie/tv show and why?

Before Sunrise and Before Sunset. I like the truth behind the story. I can relate to having the European magical night walking through a city with a stranger you can see your whole life with. It's a moment in time, that could either be a memory you'll carry forever or it could change your whole life. What is the best part of romantic stories? The possibilities.

What drew you to writing romance?

To do this compelling story justice, it was essential to have strong elements of love to balance the loss. That’s what I love about romance, it’s interwoven throughout every story, every genre, every aspect of our lives. Who doesn’t have a memory of a great love? Even if its fleeting or unrequited, we’ve all felt something and making people feel something is why I love to write.

SUBSTACK SPEC: FANTASTIC BY MAX TAXE (HALF-HOUR PILOT)

We are so excited to be highlighting a half-hour pilot from Max Taxe. Max, who wrote the romcom MOONSHOT, is adept with infusing speculative or fantastical premises with real characters and emotional stakes. And this pilot is no different! The world building is incredible and there is a super awkward vampire trying to flirt!

Logline: A half-hour show that imagines what Election would look like if it took place in the high school from Twilight.

If you are a producer, exec, or rep who would like to read, please email us a copy at lovelistsubmissions@gmail.com and we’ll be happy to share a copy!

See you in November!

Without further ado, here’s what you need to know for September:

ROM-TALK 💬

Today’s rom-talk topic is one near and dear to our hearts here at THE LOVE LIST. When the list itself was in its infancy, we spoke a lot about how the industry seems to see only one thing in the world of romance — rom-coms. Now, please, don’t get us wrong. We LOVE rom-coms. When Harry Met Sally. While You Were Sleeping. Bridget Jones’s Diary. The screwball comedy hijinks and swoony romance…we’re here for it!

But, not every romance movie or tv-show is a rom-com, despite the fact that media outlets often label them as such. Not every project is a romantic comedy, and not only is that okay, it’s vital to the genre. Romance has so many wonderful sub-genres including but not limited to romantic drama, historical romance, lgbtq+ romance, fantasy romance, YA romance - we could go on! Labeling every romantic story a rom-com does a disservice to movies. Let a romance be sad and messy and not very funny. It’s okay. We’ll get through it. Audiences will come out for them too, we promise!

ROMANCE WE RECOMMEND 📚

For our archive title, we’re recommending MY OXFORD YEAR by Julia Whelan. Julia started as a teenage actress on the TV drama ONCE & AGAIN before becoming THE Meryl Streep of audiobook narrators. But she is also a fabulous author and this book put her on the map. It also has a great story behind it - having started as a script Julia was hired to rewrite, which then became a book, and is now becoming a movie again. It’s a romantic drama that will absolutely make you swoon and cry and want to listen to Julia’s book playlist on Spotify. You can buy here!

For our new title, we’re recommending PRIME-TIME ROMANCE by Kate Robb. It’s basically LOST IN AUSTEN but if the main character fell into a show like DAWSON’S CREEK. Such a clever premise and so delightful! You can buy here.

ROMANCE FILM & TV RECS 🎬

From the archive this month, we’re recommending a movie that if you haven’t seen you should add to your list ASAP…the Aaron Sorkin 90’s romcom, THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT. It’s basically a test for what would become THE WEST WING, starring Michael Douglas as a widower President who decides to date a spunky lobbyist played by Annette Bening. It’s so quotable and gives us escapist political vibes of a bygone era. This one cycles through all the streaming channels but if you want to watch now, it’s available on Amazon Prime.

For recent/upcoming titles, we’re recommending NOBODY WANTS THIS, the new comedy series from Erin Foster aka the hot Rabbi show. Whoever thought to pair Kristen Bell and Adam Brody, teen show royalty, together in a rom-com show should win an award. We can’t wait to stream this one on Netflix when it comes out on September 26th.

LOVE LIST WRITER PROFILE: YOLANDA RODRIGUEZ ✍️

We absolutely adored Yolanda’s LOVE LIST 2024 pilot, ALEX AND THE FOUR SHADOWS. It’s a love letter to boy bands (a la One Direction, Jonas Brothers, etc) with a tone like THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY.

Yolanda Rodriguez is an LA-based Bolivian-American writer who grew up in SoCal. Previously she worked as a coordinator at MRC’s romance film label. As a digital producer, Yolanda has worked at BuzzFeed and currently at Complexly on the educational YouTube channel Crash Course. In her spare time, she enjoys being in her romance book club and co-hosts The Pemberley Podcast, which discusses Jane Austen adaptations. She also co-wrote her short film “Jane Austen Virtual Book Club” which won the JASNA Young Filmmakers Contest in 2020. 

What was the inspiration behind your script?

My inspiration really begins with my own fandom and love of boybands in high school. My script started with the idea of wanting to celebrate fandom and fangirl feelings. Oftentimes these feelings are looked down on or have such negative connotations, but there’s such an instant connection that can happen in fandoms. Those friendships have been so important in my life and finding a way to write about it has been so great.

What is your favorite romance movie/tv show and why?

My comfort watch is While You Were Sleeping. See: the Bill Pullman “leaning” scene. It’s cozy, sweet, funny, and the perfect movie to watch in between Christmas and New Years. Or anytime of year really. I also so dearly love Emma (2020). Every time I watch this movie, I find new reasons to love it more. The music, production design, unhinged humor, and beautiful settings make it aesthetically pleasing, but it’s the slow burn, friends to lovers romance that pulls you in. I love Jane Austen and adapting her work can be tricky, yet this film finds the moments within a rule-based society to make it feel so intimate.

Why do you think the genre has been overlooked?

It’s a genre primarily catered toward women and women’s stories are typically undervalued. It’s this false idea that romance can’t be a huge hit and yet there’s so many stories and films we go back to because of these storylines, how the characters connect and draw us in. These stories resonate and make waves, we discuss them endlessly, we see ourselves or see a new perspective. For those who love this genre, we know it’s not to be underestimated or underappreciated.

SUBSTACK SPEC: HOLIDAY BEARDS BY LAURA LEKKOS (FEATURE ROMCOM)

We are so excited to highlight Laura Lekkos’ feature romcom, HOLIDAY BEARDS. With a little bit of the magic and vibes of THE HATING GAME and PLUS ONE, this script is a holiday romance with fake dating and some truly swoon-worthy moments. There’s a particular line about advertising that made us laugh-out-loud.

Logline: This is based on the true life story of two women who, tired of being single over the holidays, took to Craigslist to find temporary fake boyfriends. They documented their experiences in their blog.

If you are a producer, exec, or rep who would like to read, please email us a copy at lovelistsubmissions@gmail.com and we’ll be happy to share a copy!

See you in October!

It’s wild to think that we’re not too far off from fall, i.e. Gilmore Girls and Anne With an E rewatches, Halloween decorations, and a gentle breeze in the San Fernando valley.

But while we can still touch summer, let’s get into our August agenda!

ROM-TALK 💬

We’ve spent a good amount of time on this substack talking about how there is still a very real stigma associated with romance in the entertainment industry.

When we were growing up, we read YA books which were often romance but hid behind the YA label, and then as we got older, the books we read became chick-lit, which in some ways is simply a subset of the chick flick label. All of these genre sub-categories included or were in large part romances. You might ask, what does it matter? It’s just a label. But labels matter — they matter because labels often are a big part of how a project gets marketed, and thus an indicator of who will go to see it.

When we talk to execs and reps about romance, we often hear that getting a big part of the audience to go (i.e. men) is a problem. Back in the days of Old Hollywood, they still made stereotypically male-driven films (gangster movies, film noir, etc.) but they also made musicals, dramas, screwball comedies (which were the precursor to the romantic comedies), and a film which they labeled the “women’s picture.” The women’s picture usually had a fair amount of melodrama and romance. But the main marker was that the protagonist was a woman and the film was about her journey.

Funny story: there used to be a time in the industry when studio execs were worried about not having any women in a film — they knew they needed that audience!

Women’s pictures were BIG money-makers, and award winners. Think All About Eve, Mildred Pierce, and The Heiress. Line up people who know movies in this business — men and women — and they’ll probably own up to seeing and liking these films, because… we’ll let you in on a little secret. The only difference between these films and others is that women are at the forefront.

All of this to say, the audience for women-forward stories continues to be massive, as evidenced by a smash-hit movie like Barbie last year. We need to stop thinking of women’s stories as being just for women, and the first step in doing that is discarding labels like chick-flick.

If a movie is great, then it should be for everyone.

ROMANCE WE RECOMMEND 📚

For our archive title, we’re recommending THE DEAL by Elle Kennedy. This book is almost ten years old and is still just as relevant as it was when it first came out. If you need someone to back us up, just ask baseball player Bryce Harper. This book is technically new adult, i.e. deals with college-age protagonists, and is also a hockey romance. But to us, the reason it’s still so read and re-read is because emotion is at the very core of it. You can buy a copy here!

TW: the book deals with some serious themes including rape, date-rape drugs, child abuse (all not on page, taking place before the book begins.

For our new title, we’re recommending THE LOVE OF MY AFTERLIFE by Kirsty Greenwood. BRIDGET JONES meets DEFENDING YOUR LIFE, this book is a true delight from start to finish. We follow Delphie, a 27 yr-old woman who dies choking on a hamburger, only to be given another chance on Earth — if she can find her soulmate in ten days and kiss them, she can live. So funny and moving and desperately original! You can buy here!

ROMANCE FILM & TV RECOMMENDATIONS 📽️

From the archive this month, we’re recommending BRIGHT STAR, the 2009 film from director Jane Campion about the love affair between Fanny Brawne (Abbie Cornish) and the famous poet John Keats (Ben Whishaw). This movie stays with you and lingers in the small moments of first love. It’s a sweeping romance and fair warning, you’ll probably cry. Ben Whishaw’s perfomance in particular is chef’s kiss. You can currently rent or buy on Amazon Prime or Apple.

For recent titles, we’re recommending LISA FRANKENSTEIN which just premiered on streaming. From the mind of Diablo Cody and directed by Zelda Williams, this movie is bonkers romantic fun with that sarcastic bite we’ve come to expect from everything Diablo touches. Truly the way Cole Sprouse barely talks this movie, and we’d still die for him…you can watch now on Prime!

LOVE LIST WRITER PROFILE: SAM JARVIS ✍️

From the moment we read the opening pages of Sam’s script, SIX DEGREES OF KEVIN BACON’S FAN MAIL, we knew it was going to be included on our inaugural Love List. It was so meta and hilarious and original. She was previously staffed as a writer on the Margot Robbie-produced Hulu show, DOLLFACE, and the hilarious Andrea Savage comedy, I’M SORRY.

What is your favorite romance movie/tv show and why?

I'm a sucker for the classics. You've Got Mail, The Holiday, 10 Things I Hate About You. The first time I watched Sweet Home Alabama I was fourteen, and as soon as the credits rolled I immediately pressed rewind and watched it again. Also, can I throw Casper in there? It's not a romance, technically it's probably a family comedy? Fantasy? But come on, Devon Sawa...

Why do you think the genre has been overlooked?

I think people have always thought of rom-coms as a stepping stone for actors on their way to more serious, dramatic, Oscar-worthy roles. And at some point in the last fifteen years there was this push to try and skip that step. What I think got overlooked was that being in romantic comedies is actually what made people movie stars.

How would you like to see the genre evolve in film and television?

We should go back to what worked! Funny. Sexy. A joy to watch. Anyone But You is the perfect example of that, and hopefully its success can help usher in another wave of rom-coms you want to watch over and over.

SUBSTACK SPEC: MASTERMIND BY JESSICA GASPERINI (1/2 hour TV Pilot)

We are so excited to highlight Jessica Gasperini’s pilot MASTERMIND! We think she’s cracked the half-hour romcom with this one. It’s laugh-out-loud funny and mortifying in the same way the Felicity pilot is. Remember that scene where Felicity tells Ben she followed him to college and we all collectively cringed?? Same vibes!! Really can’t say enough good things. The voice is strong and we only wish we could read the next episode.

Logline: When a romance-film-obsessed self-proclaimed spinster lies about having a boyfriend to a cute new coworker it puts in motion a cascading set of events that will awaken her desire for love and quite possibly end in multiple restraining orders.

If you are a producer, exec, or rep who would like to read, please email us a copy at lovelistsubmissions@gmail.com and we’ll be happy to share a copy!

See you in September!

Summer is summer-ing and we have lots to discuss so let’s jump right in!

ROM-TALK 💬

Today’s topic is one that could be considered besides the point, but we here at The Love List feel is of the utmost importance. Rewatchability.

Talk to any romance viewer or reader and ask them how many times they’ve read their favorite book or watched their favorite show — never mind, how much they’ve seen their favorite rom-com — and they will most likely tell you that they’ve read or seen it too many times to count. That they could recite the whole thing from start to finish.

Why? Because there is nothing more comforting than that. Romance is a genre that really embraces how it makes people feel and for a lot of people rewatchability is a big part of that.

What makes something rewatchable? For us, it’s all about emotional moments that we look forward to. Maybe something that makes you laugh out loud or sob or swoon!

In She’s the Man, for instance, we look forward to specific lines like “Because heels are a male invention designed to make women's butts look smaller... and to make it harder for them to run away.” There are so many quotable moments.

In Working Girl, we want to see the joy of Melanie Griffith on the Staten Island ferry while that iconic Carly Simon song croons in the background.

And when we watch Pride and Prejudice 2005, we want to see Mr. Darcy stretch out his hand!

Whatever those moments are, creating moments that are so emotionally compelling that we can’t help but rewatch them five-thousand times, regardless of the fact that we already know how the story will end —- rewatchability is the name of the game.

ROMANCE WE RECOMMEND 📚

For our July archive title, we’re recommending THE PROPOSAL by Jasmine Guillory! Years after this book was written, we return to this one a lot. Maybe cause it has one of the best openings in a romance book ever, where someone gets proposed to in the most grand gesture way (at a Dodger’s game!) and is turned down…in public! It’s an LA love story that is delightful and the banter between Nik and Carlos is chef’s kiss! You can purchase here!

For our July new release recommendation, we’re highlighting THE EX VOWS by Jessica Joyce! This book is a second chance romance where the two protagonists must fix their friends’ wedding amidst all sorts of shenanigans and major heat! Jessica’s writing is the epitome of what makes romance great. She always writes from a place of emotion and finds the moments like no one else. Out on Tuesday, you can purchase here!

ROMANCE FILM & TV RECOMMENDATIONS 🎞️

From the archive this month, we’re recommending LOST IN AUSTEN, a mini-series made in the mid-2000’s about an English twentysomething who accidentally falls into Pride and Prejudice and starts to mess everything up! If you live at the intersection of BRIDGERTON and JANE AUSTEN, this show is for you! And luckily for all of us, it’s on Amazon Prime right now.

For recent titles, we’re recommending MY LADY JANE, a completely insane and eccentric alternate history take on Lady Jane Grey. And this one is complete with shapeshifters and political intrigue —- they put the romance front-and-center. And it’s a delight! Also luckily for us, it is also on Amazon Prime.

LOVE LIST WRITER PROFILE: Lauren Bachelis Iser

Lauren launched her career a decade ago as the anonymous creator of the Hollywood Assistants tumblr. Since then, she’s worked on A MILLION LITTLE THINGS and various other series. Lauren’s feature rom-com CRUTCHES stopped us in our tracks! It was like GILMORE GIRLS meets an early 2000’s romcom and we were hooked from page one.

What was the inspiration behind your script?

When my mom was in her 50s, she asked me if I would help her with dating, so I did. While I wasn't able to successfully find her a new husband, I did get lots of material from trying. Also, when I was 18, I tore my ACL and had to be on crutches, and I thought there's a whole lot of comedy to that kind of injury.

Why do you think the genre has been overlooked?

I think that's an insightful question and definitely one that's tough to unpack. One guess is maybe people think this genre is too formulaic to be critically acclaimed because you know how the movie is going to end. Although there have been some exceptions -- like 500 Days of Summer. Another factor could be gender bias, as romance is often associated with female audiences and writers. And the truth is that America is still a patriarchal society in so many ways. But romance stories can have incredible depth to them, and I am hopeful that these kinds of movies/shows can be Oscars/Emmys contenders one day.

How would you like to see the genre evolve in film and television?

In some ways, it's already evolved because there are many more diverse and inclusive stories being told in this genre that reflect the world we live in. But one thing that romance writers should keep in mind is that the love story itself is actually not as important as character development and growth. If this genre is going to get the respect it deserves, we need to see more movies and shows that focus on multidimensional characters who undergo significant changes and personal transformations throughout the romantic story. I think that's why When Harry Met Sally works so well. These characters had to grow in order to be together in the end.

SUBSTACK SPEC: HEARTBREAK HIGH BY SARAH HALLE COREY (TV Pilot)

We are so excited to highlight a fantastic one-hour romance pilot by Sarah Halle Corey. It’s got a little bit HEARTSTOPPERS meets TO ALL THE BOYS energy and it is just downright delightful.

Logline: When a cinema-obsessed teenager's boyfriend comes out as gay and a twisting web of queer crushes emerges in her friend group, she realizes that life is not like the movies – no matter how many fantasy sequences she dreams up.

If you are a producer or exec who would like to read, please email us at lovelistsubmissions@gmail.com and we’ll be happy to share a copy!

And please keep sending us your favorite romance scripts. We will be reviewing on a rolling basis.

See you in August! Here’s to all the summer romances!

First things first: thanks to all the execs and producers who reached out to read our first substack spec! We’ve had a great response and we are happy to continue providing you with great romance scripts throughout the year! Please don’t forget, you can submit to us via email for our ongoing SUBSTACK SPEC series!

Without further ado, let’s get into our June agenda!

ROM-TALK 💬

Hot take for your Friday morning! When Harry Met Sally, by all measures one of the greatest rom-coms ever made, is not a story about whether or not men and women can actually be friends. Rather, it’s a story about how romantic compatibility hinges upon a strong friendship.

It’s an interesting discussion, especially as the whole idea feels wildly heteronormative now.

But, even so, this hot take is a perfect segue into discussing a big question we often ask when watching or reading romance…why do these characters like each other? Last month, we talked about why singular character development is important. But, you know what’s equally important: real reasons why characters relate to each other, bond with each other, or feel at ease in each other’s presence.

Too many romances hinge on the protagonists’ being hot. That’s all well and good, but we should see why two characters like each other in a definable and less surface-level way. A good example is While You Were Sleeping. Sandra Bullock has been alone most of her life, aching to belong. In a similar way, Bill Pullman’s character, though he has a boisterous family, often feels on the outside of it, unable to be truly vulnerable with the people in his life. Sure, they’re attracted to each other and he’s great at leaning. But, their conversations are what solidify their romantic arc.

Bottom line: there’s a reason we swoon when two characters relate to each other for more than surface level reasons. True romance is about making another person feel seen for exactly who they are.

ROMANCE WE RECOMMEND 📚

For our May archive title, we’re highlighting Better Than The Movies by Lynn Painter. Is this a kind of cheat considering that the book is only a few years old? Yes. But, does it fit the summer romance aesthetic and then some? Yes. This YA romance is like a crash course in charming characters and “just kiss already,” energy. It blew up on BookTok and became a smash hit #1 bestselling series. Oh, and it’s a good time to read it because a sequel is on the way! You can buy it here!

For our new title, we’re recommending The Art of Catching Feelings by Alicia Thompson. This book, which comes out this upcoming Tuesday, isn’t strictly a summer book, but it is a baseball romance which is almost the same thing. Alicia’s writing is so emotional and raw and funny. Oh, and she knows baseball well so if you like “inside baseball” things, not to be too punny, then this book is for you! You can buy it here!

ROMANCE FILM & TV RECOMMENDATIONS 🎞️

From the archive this month, we’re recommending A Room With a View directed by James Ivory. Is it a period romance? Yes…but it’s also a quintessential summer romance. The film, based on the novel by E.M. Forster, follows Lucy Honeychurch, a young Englishwoman played by a young Helena Bonham Carter, as she vacations in Italy with her chaperon and falls in love with an unsuitable man. It is lush and sweeping and Daniel Day Lewis is in it too! You can currently watch it on Max!

For recent titles, we’re recommending Maxton Hall, the new German series on Amazon Prime. This is a great weekend binge and is very much a “wrong side of the tracks” romance. So swoony and soapy, we are eagerly awaiting season two!! You can watch it on Prime!

LOVE LIST WRITER PROFILE: Victoria Male 🖊️

This month’s writer profile is very exciting because we loved Victoria’s pilot script SCULPTED. She uses greek mythology and humor to make a show akin to something in the tone of THE GREAT.

What was the inspiration behind your script?

My script was inspired by a confluence of factors - I've loved Greek mythology since I was young, My Fair Lady is my favorite musical and is based on the myth of Pygmalion, and honestly, I was frustrated. I feel like societally, women have been told we can "have it all", that we should try to balance career, love, and family, but there's no support for us to do so. The myth of Pygmalion has always interested me since it's one of the Greek myths with a happy ending, and at the same time, I couldn't believe it had been retold so many times in pop culture solely from the male gaze. Therefore, I thought it was time to redress the balance, to tell a story that was sexy and a ton of fun, but also truthfully spoke to the high-wire balancing act modern women face.

What is your favorite romance movie/tv show and why?

My favorite rom-com of all time is Bridget Jones's Diary. I think I love it so much because it was one of the first rom-coms I saw that broke the tropes of the genre, but did so in a way that made the film all that much more satisfying and Bridget all that much more relatable. Also, as someone who loves the UK, that movie just feels like a warm hug to me.

Why do you think the genre has been overlooked?

I think the genre's been overlooked because it feels like in the past twenty years, it's been so staunchly gendered. Because this type of media tends to skew female, it's been perceived as less important and less financially viable. I also think perhaps given everything that's transpired in our world in the past twenty years, media that feels fun and doesn't have a clear, actionable message has been dismissed. And while I love a gritty, eye-opening drama based on a true story, we need both. We need the fun and the color along with the somber and solemn. I talk a lot about how rom-coms are perfect vehicles to "hide the vegetables" of messaging in, since I'm of the opinion that people tend to be more open to receiving or changing their mind when they're being entertained, rather than when they're being spoken down or directly to.

SUBSTACK SPEC: MISCHIEF & MATCHMAKING BY EMMA ALBAN(TV PILOT)

We are so excited to highlight a TV drama pilot from writer Emma Alban, based on her novel which came out this past January, DON’T WANT YOU LIKE A BEST FRIEND. The series has duel romances and is similar in tone and style to DOWNTON ABBEY and BRIDGERTON. It’s swoony and fun and invites LGBTQ+ characters to have their happy endings exist in a Jane Austen-style romance. We highly recommend the book as well. It’s wonderful!

Logline: Two debutantes team up in 1857 to get their widowed parents together, instead of finding husbands themselves, and end up falling into a surprising romance all their own. Meanwhile, back in 1835, the second son of an earl and the daughter of a viscount hatch a plan to get their friends together, knowing they themselves can't possibly fall in love... It'll all go perfectly to plan, of course.  

If you would like to read, please email us and we’ll be happy to share a copy!

We have so many exciting things coming up that we’re hoping to be able to share soon. See you all in July!! Read all the romance novels at the beach - that’s what we’ll be doing!