A Time-Travel Duke + Modern Heroine = Perfect Romcom | Meet Bryn Donovan

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What happens when a Regency-era duke accidentally time-travels to 2025 Chicago? In today’s episode, Bryn Donovan joins me to talk about Her Time-Traveling Duke — a magically cozy, Chicago-set romcom that blends Regency charm, modern vibes, and a touch of science-meets-spellwork chaos.

We chat about Bryn’s life as a former greeting-card writer, why the Art Institute of Chicago feels like pure magic, how she built a low-stakes, lightly-magical world, and the romance titles she’s loving right now. If you love Bridgerton, cozy fantasy, or romcoms with heart, spice, and smart heroines, this one’s for you.

📚 BOOKS MENTIONED

Her Time-Traveling Duke by Bryn Donovan — Contemporary Romance | Time Travel | Light Magic — Audio ✅

Her Knight at the Museum by Bryn Donovan — Contemporary Romance | Light Magic | Museum Setting — Audio ✅

Love Is an Open Book by Chandra Blumberg — Contemporary Romance | Slow Burn | Pining — KU ✅ / Audio ✅

When Grumpy Met Sunshine by Charlotte Stein — Contemporary Romance | Slow Burn | Steamy — KU ✅ / Audio ✅

The Accidental Pinup by Danielle Jackson — Contemporary Romance | Chicago-Set | Body Positivity — Audio ✅

Payback’s a Witch (Thistle Grove #1) by Lana Harper — Paranormal Romance | Cozy Magic | Small Town — Audio ✅

The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston — Contemporary Romance | Ghostly Twist | Grief & Healing — Audio ✅

The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston — Magical Realism | Romance | Time Bend — Audio ✅

The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst — Cozy Fantasy | Bookish Magic | Low Stakes — Audio ✅

🕒 TIMESTAMPS

[00:00] – Introduction to the episode & why this book is such a fun mashup

[00:44] – Bryn’s background: greeting-card writer, Hallmark Channel, blogger

[01:35] – Introducing Her Time-Traveling Duke and how it fits in the series

[02:10] – Why this world blends Regency charm with modern Chicago

[02:55] – Elevator pitch: magic meets science, sunshine meets grumpy

[03:40] – The time-travel mistake: why the duke is not happy to be in 2025

[04:25] – The painting twist & how magical rules affect the museum

[05:00] – Building a lightly magical world set in real Chicago locations

[06:00] – The Art Institute of Chicago: why it feels like pure magic

[07:10] – Laura and Bryn’s shared museum nostalgia

[08:15] – Bryn’s reading tastes: romance, fantasy roots, poetry, history

[09:20] – Discussing magic systems, research, and Regency details

[10:15] – Romance recs: pining, slow burn, smart dialogue

[11:00] – Chicago-set romance picks Bryn loves

[11:45] – Cozy fantasy favorites (Ashley Poston, Lana Harper, Sarah Beth Durst)

[12:50] – Why “low stakes” in fiction still feels high stakes in real life

[13:40] – Talking about book one in the series & FBI/“low stakes-ish” chaos

[14:25] – Where to find Bryn online + her upcoming YouTube reboot

[15:00] – Closing + reminder to check out the blog for more recs

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