Why Raw & Messy Romance Hits Harder w/ Ambar Cordova | Talk Spicy to Me

Welcome back to Talk Spicy to Me: The podcast where two bestselling romance authors go rogue and talk all things romance: the good, the bad, the unbearably hot, and everything in between.

In Season 2, Episode 5, hosts Kandi Steiner and Giana Darling are joined by special guest Ambar Cordova for a deeply honest conversation about messy characters, third-act breakups, reader reactions, and why raw, emotionally complicated romances hit harder

Please note: Due to technical difficulties, audio quality may not be up to par in the first half of the episode. We appreciate your patience.

Ambar Cordova

•NEWSLETTER: acordovabooks.com/newsletter

•FACEBOOK: facebook.com/acordovabooks

•FACEBOOK READER GROUP: facebook.com/groups/735186988190607

•INSTAGRAM: Instagram.com/acordovabooks

•TIKTOK: tiktok.com/@authorambarcordova

•WEBSITE: www.acordovabooks.com

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TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – Welcome to Talk Spicy to Me

01:31 – Pregnancy updates & writing while sick

02:46 – Balancing indie and traditional publishing

05:17 – Patreon shoutouts: Ghost Pepper Goddesses

06:23 – Season sponsors: Willow Aster & Lena Hendrix

07:28 – Introducing Ambar Cordova

11:20 – The Spice Report

19:06 – Motherhood, high-risk pregnancies & body changes

21:31 – Discovering romance in 2020

22:16 – Writing the stories you wish existed

23:41 – Reader reactions to messy characters

31:38 – Writing as therapy & emotional processing

37:45 – Why women write men who show up

40:19 – Writing slow-burn spice & emotional tension

42:52 – The third-act breakup debate

46:17 – Why flawed heroines get more hate

50:00 – Sunshine heroines who are secretly struggling

52:15 – The miscommunication trope discussion

58:05 – S.J. Sylvis

59:19 – Red Flag / Green Flag: When he texts you constantly

01:05:11 – TSTM Book Club: Deep Pockets by Nana Malone

01:07:03 – Reader Question: Special Editions

BOOK CLUB PICK

Deep Pockets by Nana Malone

Tropes for that book: Mafia/Assassin romance, Best friend's sister, Age Gap, Forced Proximity, Enemies to Lovers

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Deep-Pockets-Forced-Proximity-Romance-ebook/dp/B0DDGX814Q

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nanamalonewriter/

Website: https://nanamalone.com/

Join us for the Deep Pockets deep dive on March18th.

SEASON SPONSORS

S.J. Sylvis

Overtake: A Rivals to Lovers F1 Romance (Vanstone Racing)

Tropes: Rivals to Lovers/Enemies to Lovers, F1 Romance, Workplace Romance, Forced Proximity,

link: mybook.to/vanstoneracing1

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorsjsylvis/?hl=en

Website: https://www.sjsylvis.com/

Lena Hendrix

Chasing the Sun (Star Harbor, Book 1)

Link: https://geni.us/chasingthesun1

Website: https://www.lenahendrix.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorlenahendrix

Willow Aster

What It Takes (Windy Harbor Series, Book 2)

Link: https://geni.us/WhatItTakes

Website: https://www.willowaster.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/willowaster/

WHERE TO FIND EVERYONE

Talk Spicy to Me

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkspicytomepodcast

Spotify/Apple: @talkspicytomepodcast

Youtube: @talkspicytomepodcast

HOSTS

Giana Darling

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gianadarlingauthor

Website: https://gianadarling.com/

Kandi Steiner

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kandisteiner

Website: https://kandisteiner.com/

🔥 AFTER DARK (Patreon Exclusive)

Want the extended, unfiltered conversation?

Each week's After Dark mini-episode dives deeper into topics we don't cover on the main feed.

Join the Patreon for early access and bonus content:

https://www.patreon.com/c/TalkSpicytoMePodcast

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