Origin Stories, the Rules of Romance with Jen Prokop, and Summer’s Anticipation Index

Welcome to Radio 831, where hosts Sanjana Basker and Tyler McCall share their romance origin stories and make the case for why romance is fiction's most underestimated genre. Then they sit down with Jen Prokop, co-host of the Fated Mates podcast, to break down what actually makes a romance a romance: the HEA, the theory of change, the unspoken rule that love has to make you better. Plus: what our hosts can't wait to read and watch this summer. Sanjana Basker 's romance origin story: period pieces and Lisa Kleypas 's historical romances. Tyler McCall 's romance origin story: The Idea of You by Robinne Lee (and Harry Styles fanfic) and Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade (related: this Jezebel article ). Four examples of romance at its best, from Jen Prokop , co-host of the Fated Mates podcast : The Paris Match by Kate Clayborn, Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid, and Indigo and Forbidden by Beverly Jenkins. Summer releases Tyler and Sanj are hotly anticipating: Rivals Season 2 (May 15), Score by Kennedy Ryan (May 19), Just a Highland Fling by Naina Kamar (July 21), Extracurricular by Rachel Lynn Solomon (July 14), The Invite movie (June 26), I Want Your Sex movie (July 31).

You can listen to Origin Stories, the Rules of Romance with Jen Prokop, and Summer’s Anticipation Index online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Origin Stories, the Rules of Romance with Jen Prokop, and Summer’s Anticipation Index is an episode from A Few Things with Claire and Erica by A Thing or Two.

This episode is 30:13 long.

This episode was published on May 7, 2026.

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