Insider #10: Fated Mates, This Week’s Releases, Must-Read Horror & More!
A week in books: must-read fated mates romance, hidden KU gems, and horror books that’ll keep you up at night.
The Weekly Insider is your weekly bookish roundup for romance, mystery and fantasy recs, plus all the bookish content you won’t want to miss.
Insider #10: Fated Mates, This Week’s Releases, Must-Read Horror & More!
Hey bookish friends,
Yes, you are getting this newsletter at the end of Sunday instead of bright and early, and let’s just say… life was life-ing today. Between an unexpected tornado warning (don’t worry, nothing happened near us but thinking about those where it did), a spontaneous hangout with my neighbor who’s recovering from surgery, and some much-needed family time, this Sunday decided to schedule itself. I did get a rare moment of actual relaxation, which, as we all know, is basically an urban legend around here. But here we are—just in time to wrap up the week with some bookish goodness!
And speaking of, we’ve got some major news to discuss…
📢 Ilona Andrews is launching a new series! This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me is set to release on March 31, 2026, and is being pitched as Game of Thrones meets Outlander, so expect high stakes, smoldering romance, and the kind of world-building we won’t be able to put down. You know I’m a huge Andrews fan so I am already counting down the days. More details here.
📢 Rebecca Yarros did an interview with Open Book with Jenna—if you want a peek behind the scenes of her series and her writing process, check it out. More details here.
📢 Miss Marple is making a comeback! Agatha Christie fans, Lucy Foley is taking on the iconic detective with a brand-new novel published by HarperCollins. I have thoughts (mostly excitement). More details here.
And now for the non-bookish content I couldn’t stop replaying this week:
🎶 This French cover of Hey There Delilah is so good, and I need it on Spotify immediately. Listen here.
🔥 A video that should have been the casting choice for Wrath in the upcoming Dark Lover show. Can we get a redo? Plus the audio has major booktok potential, just saying. Watch here.
Now, onto everything that happened this week!
PS: I’d love to hear your thought on the Dark Lover trailer. Leave me a comment or send me a DM and lets chat it out.
What’s New This Week
This week was all about fated mates on the blog, and if you're in the mood for that destined, can’t-escape-each-other kind of romance, I’ve got you covered:
What is the Fated Mates trope in romance? – A full guide to one of the most beloved romance tropes. Read here
Fated Mates in Sci-Fi Romance – When intergalactic love is literally written in the stars. Read here
Rejected Mates Sub-Trope in Romance – Because sometimes fate needs a little convincing. Read here
Reverse Harem Fated Mates – Why stop at one? Read here
Most Popular Fated Mates Sub-Tropes – Breaking down 9 different ways this trope shows up in romance. Read here
And if you’re browsing Kindle Unlimited for your next read, check out my favorite KU books I read in February 2025. Read here
Over on Mysterylandia
Horror fans, I’ve got you covered this week. Whether you’re looking for best of, deep dives, or all things Stephen King, check these out:
A Guide to Horror Subgenres – Find your next scare with recommendations. Read here
Stephen King Books Guide – Breaking down the essentials and hidden gems. Books and movie adaptations. Read here
Authors Like Stephen King – If you love his style, here’s who to read next. Read here
Best Horror Books of 2024 You Might’ve Missed – The latest and greatest in horror fiction. Read here
On the Podcast – Now Daily!
Big news! Reading Under the Covers is now dropping daily episodes (Mon-Fri). Catch up on this week’s episodes:
3 Hidden Gems I Read on Kindle Unlimited in February 2025 – Listen here
Best Dramione Fanfiction Being Published as Books in 2025 – Listen here
3 Books to Read if You Like Elsie Silver – Listen here
Ranking My Favorite Lisa Kleypas Heroes – Listen here
On YouTube
3 Paranormal Books Set in Ireland – A little magic, a little romance, and a lot of atmosphere. Watch here
Live Shows
This week’s Novel Hour was a deep dive into Ireland in Books, covering stories set in Ireland (paranormal and cozies) and Irish authors. If you missed it, you can still catch the replays:
Novel Hour Live Replay (YouTube) – Watch here
Novel Hour After-Show (Substack Exclusive) – Watch here
Join us every Thursday at 12PM EST for our regular Novel Hour show on Youtube. Every other Monday at 12PM EST for the Bookish Tea edition on Youtube. And after every show, come over to Substack live for the after show. The after show live is free for all Substack members.
Did you miss last week’s Insider? Check it out here:
📅 New Releases This Week: Mar 10 - March 16
A fresh stack of books just dropped! Whether you're craving romance, mysteries or paranormal, here's what hit the shelves this week.
Featured New Releases (Mar 10 - Mar 16):
The Strawberry Patch Pancake House by Laurie Gilmore – A small-town nanny romance with a single dad chef, forced proximity, and found family vibes. Grab on Amazon
Go Luck Yourself by Sara Raasch – A royal rivals-to-lovers rom-com featuring the Prince of Christmas & the Crown Prince of St. Patrick’s Day locked in a magical feud. Grab on Amazon
A Gentleman’s Gentleman by TJ Alexander – A trans Regency romance with forbidden love, slow burn tension, and witty banter. Grab on Amazon
Death Valley by Karina Halle – A dark cowboy romance with zombies, survival horror, and a dangerous crime boss. Grab on Amazon
The Usual Family Mayhem by HelenKay Dimon – A chaotic cozy mystery where grandma’s bakery might actually be a front for a murder-for-hire operation. Grab on Amazon
💡 Looking for More? Our book database got a big April update this week. The Book Vault is a paid member feature.
A recommendation from Francesca: Hot Vampire Next Door by Nikki St. Crowe
I picked up this series on the recommendation of Jen from
and I binged through it! If you love paranormal towns and a bit of vampire politics, you’ll enjoy this one. I recommend it for fans of Vampire Diaries or True Blood. ~ Francesca
Coming Up Next Week
Monday @ 12PM EST - Novel Hour Live Show where we chat all the recent bookish tea and news.
Thursday @ 12PM EST – Novel Hour Live Show
This week’s theme is badass women in history.More Paranormal Romance on Under the Covers
Fated mates and paranormal creatures.Mysterylandia Brings Popcorn Thrillers
Deep diving into A.R. Torre and more.Reading Under the Covers Podcast Goes Historical
This week we are recommending the best historical romances you should add to your TBR right now!On Substack: Shifter Romances
The origins of shifter romance and the evolution of the sub-genre.
That’s a wrap for this week!
Don’t forget to join us next week for even more bookish chats. Thanks for hanging out this week! Hope you find a book (or five) to obsess over, and I’ll see you in your inbox next time.
— Francesca 📚
PS: Have you finished any good books lately? Any Romanceopoly reads? We’d love to share your favorites with the community. Simply reply to this email and let us know what your recommendations are. Or if you want to share a quick voice note click here.
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The Dark Lover trailer!!! I'm stupidly excited for the series. Wrath is distractingly odd looking, but then I think he's meant to be. The casting and costume/make-up is true to how he's described in the books, so I'm embracing it. Also, I will be hosting a watch party when it comes out, complete with blood red cocktails. Nobody can stop me.