Hot & Bothered with Hitha and Laura Transistor (https://transistor.fm) https://feeds.transistor.fm/hot-bothered-with-hitha-and-laura Two friends talking about romance novels and resistance. We've got hot takes, hot reads and hope you join us! © 2026 Laura Brounstein and Hitha Palepu feac371b-d7df-56f2-8ad7-dc79e9e4242d yes en Wed, 20 May 2026 10:51:24 -0700 Wed, 20 May 2026 10:53:12 -0700 https://wearehotandbothered.substack.com/ https://img.transistorcdn.com/U9NLnwH6j_Mss86WZLnIBP-K8ApQfTucBz18LuHUKJU/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS8xZTIz/OWM3YTg0MWY0MTE0/NGU3NTI0OThiNDhh/YTFiMS5wbmc.jpg Hot & Bothered with Hitha and Laura https://wearehotandbothered.substack.com/ episodic Laura Brounstein and Hitha Palepu Two friends talking about romance novels and resistance. We've got hot takes, hot reads and hope you join us! Two friends talking about romance novels and resistance. romantasy, romance novels, books, women, politics, resistance, spicy books Laura Brounstein & Hitha Palepu No No Episode 8: Summer Crushes: The books, the foods and the shows that Hitha and Laura love! 8 8 Episode 8: Summer Crushes: The books, the foods and the shows that Hitha and Laura love! full 1cb7edb1-d1ac-48a8-b16c-49ba2d1a6715 https://wearehotandbothered.substack.com/p/summer-crushes-the-books-the-foods Beach reads, eats and the best rosé twist ever. Plus, SPECIAL BONUS: Hitha goes DEEP on Love Island!

All the sexy beach reads and a little bitching about the dismal state of the world rn. Laura’s out East, Hitha’s in Bucks County, and we’re sharing what we’re reading (Atmosphere, 32 Days in May, Daisy), what we’re watching (Love Island, Resident Alien, The Gilded Age), and what’s on our plates (Old Bay crabs, Indian-style corn, Wegmans Gouda). Plus: Hitha goes DEEP on Love Island, special bonus episode at the end of this chat! 

📚 Books We Loved

Laura’s Picks:

Hitha’s Picks:

📺 What We’re Watching

  • Love Island (UK edition, live drop on Hulu or Peacock)
  • Resident Alien (Peacock)
  • The Gilded Age (Max)
  • Just Like That (Max — briefly!)
  • The Buccaneers (Apple TV+)
  • Throwback TV: Beverly Hills 90210 summer episodes, Saved by the Bell: Malibu Sands mini-arc

🍽️ Summer on a Plate (and in a glass)

Laura’s Summer Staples:

Hitha’s Summer Staples:

  • Wegmans Hatch Chile Gouda
  • Jalapeños in oxidized rosé (frozen slices = chef’s kiss)
  • Vinegary and mustard-based potato salads
  • Corn on the cob “Indian style” – lime, chili, no cream
  • Sparkling water all day, every day
]]> Beach reads, eats and the best rosé twist ever. Plus, SPECIAL BONUS: Hitha goes DEEP on Love Island!

All the sexy beach reads and a little bitching about the dismal state of the world rn. Laura’s out East, Hitha’s in Bucks County, and we’re sharing what we’re reading (Atmosphere, 32 Days in May, Daisy), what we’re watching (Love Island, Resident Alien, The Gilded Age), and what’s on our plates (Old Bay crabs, Indian-style corn, Wegmans Gouda). Plus: Hitha goes DEEP on Love Island, special bonus episode at the end of this chat! 

📚 Books We Loved

Laura’s Picks:

Hitha’s Picks:

📺 What We’re Watching

  • Love Island (UK edition, live drop on Hulu or Peacock)
  • Resident Alien (Peacock)
  • The Gilded Age (Max)
  • Just Like That (Max — briefly!)
  • The Buccaneers (Apple TV+)
  • Throwback TV: Beverly Hills 90210 summer episodes, Saved by the Bell: Malibu Sands mini-arc

🍽️ Summer on a Plate (and in a glass)

Laura’s Summer Staples:

Hitha’s Summer Staples:

  • Wegmans Hatch Chile Gouda
  • Jalapeños in oxidized rosé (frozen slices = chef’s kiss)
  • Vinegary and mustard-based potato salads
  • Corn on the cob “Indian style” – lime, chili, no cream
  • Sparkling water all day, every day
]]> Mon, 14 Jul 2025 12:59:14 -0700 Laura Brounstein and Hitha Palepu Laura Brounstein and Hitha Palepu 1738 Beach reads, eats and the best rosé twist ever. Plus, SPECIAL BONUS: Hitha goes DEEP on Love Island!

All the sexy beach reads and a little bitching about the dismal state of the world rn. Laura’s out East, Hitha’s in Bucks County, and we’re sharing what we’re reading (Atmosphere, 32 Days in May, Daisy), what we’re watching (Love Island, Resident Alien, The Gilded Age), and what’s on our plates (Old Bay crabs, Indian-style corn, Wegmans Gouda). Plus: Hitha goes DEEP on Love Island, special bonus episode at the end of this chat! 

📚 Books We Loved

Laura’s Picks:

Hitha’s Picks:

📺 What We’re Watching

  • Love Island (UK edition, live drop on Hulu or Peacock)
  • Resident Alien (Peacock)
  • The Gilded Age (Max)
  • Just Like That (Max — briefly!)
  • The Buccaneers (Apple TV+)
  • Throwback TV: Beverly Hills 90210 summer episodes, Saved by the Bell: Malibu Sands mini-arc

🍽️ Summer on a Plate (and in a glass)

Laura’s Summer Staples:

Hitha’s Summer Staples:

  • Wegmans Hatch Chile Gouda
  • Jalapeños in oxidized rosé (frozen slices = chef’s kiss)
  • Vinegary and mustard-based potato salads
  • Corn on the cob “Indian style” – lime, chili, no cream
  • Sparkling water all day, every day
]]> romantasy, romance novels, books, women, politics, resistance, spicy books No Space, sexy dragon riders and summer beach books! Episode 7 7 7 Space, sexy dragon riders and summer beach books! Episode 7 full f11a2ad8-14c2-46ad-be2b-58c0f31c508e https://wearehotandbothered.substack.com/p/space-sexy-dragon-riders-and-summer Join us for a funny and sweet catch up, where we make each other laugh and commiserate on the wonky way the world is working at the moment! We also talk about lots of books making us hot and should make their way to your beach bag!

Books

Shows

Music

Style / Summer Staples

]]> Join us for a funny and sweet catch up, where we make each other laugh and commiserate on the wonky way the world is working at the moment! We also talk about lots of books making us hot and should make their way to your beach bag!

Books

Shows

Music

Style / Summer Staples

]]> Fri, 27 Jun 2025 12:46:23 -0700 Laura Brounstein and Hitha Palepu Laura Brounstein and Hitha Palepu 1052 Join us for a funny and sweet catch up, where we make each other laugh and commiserate on the wonky way the world is working at the moment! We also talk about lots of books making us hot and should make their way to your beach bag!

Books

Shows

Music

Style / Summer Staples

]]> romantasy, romance novels, books, women, politics, resistance, spicy books No HOT & Bothered with Laura & Hitha: Chaos Queens, Galley Envy, and the Most Nihilistic Reality Show Ever 6 6 HOT & Bothered with Laura & Hitha: Chaos Queens, Galley Envy, and the Most Nihilistic Reality Show Ever full ff5f21e5-3617-43d9-b79c-05f41e56d739 https://wearehotandbothered.substack.com/p/episode-6-chaos-queens-galley-envy What we’re reading:
Hitha just finished The High Dive by Chelsea Fagan, a steamy, smart class-clash romance set on a luxury yacht in the Mediterranean. She’s also excited to start Fitting Indian by Jyoti Chand, a graphic novel that explores the experiences of Indian millennial girls growing up in the U.S.

And in true Chaos Queen fashion, she skipped book one and jumped straight into the Psy-Changeling Trinity series by Nalini Singh, a second-wave romantasy universe full of intricate worldbuilding and slow-burn reveals.

Laura’s got two very different picks: Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix, a rage-fueled, culturally resonant revenge fantasy about girls sent to a 1970s home for the “wayward,” and The Path of Temptation by Auryn Hadley, a steamy “why choose” romantasy where one heroine is trained in seduction—for spiritual purposes, of course.

We’re also talking about Everyone Is Lying to You by Jo Piazza—Hitha has the galley, Laura is jealous, and the tradwife thriller is already a contender for most addictive book of the summer. Also coming soon: Kyra Alessy joins us on the podcast, which means more romantasy homework for Hitha.

What’s bothering us:
Laura reacts to DHS reportedly floating a “citizenship game show”—yes, a real policy concept—and Hitha explains why Senator Hawley’s prescription drug bill is political theater, not real reform. She breaks it down in more detail here, including why smart, effective legislation like the Inflation Reduction Act deserves more attention.

]]> What we’re reading:
Hitha just finished The High Dive by Chelsea Fagan, a steamy, smart class-clash romance set on a luxury yacht in the Mediterranean. She’s also excited to start Fitting Indian by Jyoti Chand, a graphic novel that explores the experiences of Indian millennial girls growing up in the U.S.

And in true Chaos Queen fashion, she skipped book one and jumped straight into the Psy-Changeling Trinity series by Nalini Singh, a second-wave romantasy universe full of intricate worldbuilding and slow-burn reveals.

Laura’s got two very different picks: Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix, a rage-fueled, culturally resonant revenge fantasy about girls sent to a 1970s home for the “wayward,” and The Path of Temptation by Auryn Hadley, a steamy “why choose” romantasy where one heroine is trained in seduction—for spiritual purposes, of course.

We’re also talking about Everyone Is Lying to You by Jo Piazza—Hitha has the galley, Laura is jealous, and the tradwife thriller is already a contender for most addictive book of the summer. Also coming soon: Kyra Alessy joins us on the podcast, which means more romantasy homework for Hitha.

What’s bothering us:
Laura reacts to DHS reportedly floating a “citizenship game show”—yes, a real policy concept—and Hitha explains why Senator Hawley’s prescription drug bill is political theater, not real reform. She breaks it down in more detail here, including why smart, effective legislation like the Inflation Reduction Act deserves more attention.

]]> Sat, 17 May 2025 08:16:45 -0700 Laura Brounstein and Hitha Palepu Laura Brounstein and Hitha Palepu 623 What we’re reading:
Hitha just finished The High Dive by Chelsea Fagan, a steamy, smart class-clash romance set on a luxury yacht in the Mediterranean. She’s also excited to start Fitting Indian by Jyoti Chand, a graphic novel that explores the experiences of Indian millennial girls growing up in the U.S.

And in true Chaos Queen fashion, she skipped book one and jumped straight into the Psy-Changeling Trinity series by Nalini Singh, a second-wave romantasy universe full of intricate worldbuilding and slow-burn reveals.

Laura’s got two very different picks: Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix, a rage-fueled, culturally resonant revenge fantasy about girls sent to a 1970s home for the “wayward,” and The Path of Temptation by Auryn Hadley, a steamy “why choose” romantasy where one heroine is trained in seduction—for spiritual purposes, of course.

We’re also talking about Everyone Is Lying to You by Jo Piazza—Hitha has the galley, Laura is jealous, and the tradwife thriller is already a contender for most addictive book of the summer. Also coming soon: Kyra Alessy joins us on the podcast, which means more romantasy homework for Hitha.

What’s bothering us:
Laura reacts to DHS reportedly floating a “citizenship game show”—yes, a real policy concept—and Hitha explains why Senator Hawley’s prescription drug bill is political theater, not real reform. She breaks it down in more detail here, including why smart, effective legislation like the Inflation Reduction Act deserves more attention.

]]> romantasy, romance novels, books, women, politics, resistance, spicy books No Hot & Bothered with Laura and Hitha Episode 5 5 5 Hot & Bothered with Laura and Hitha Episode 5 full c30c7368-8505-4b46-8aae-2d439860fec6 https://share.transistor.fm/s/06d2e215 Welcome to Hot & Bothered, a conversation about romance novels and resistance!
Friends Laura Brounstein & Hitha Palepu talk about the hot books they're reading, the watches that are worth it, the issues that are bothering them, and more.

Hot books we shared this week:

The issues bothering us:

A little mess called “Liberation Day.”

What's making us happy:

Follow us:

]]> Welcome to Hot & Bothered, a conversation about romance novels and resistance!
Friends Laura Brounstein & Hitha Palepu talk about the hot books they're reading, the watches that are worth it, the issues that are bothering them, and more.

Hot books we shared this week:

The issues bothering us:

A little mess called “Liberation Day.”

What's making us happy:

Follow us:

]]> Mon, 07 Apr 2025 11:01:20 -0700 Laura Brounstein and Hitha Palepu Laura Brounstein and Hitha Palepu 822 Welcome to Hot & Bothered, a conversation about romance novels and resistance!
Friends Laura Brounstein & Hitha Palepu talk about the hot books they're reading, the watches that are worth it, the issues that are bothering them, and more.

Hot books we shared this week:

The issues bothering us:

A little mess called “Liberation Day.”

What's making us happy:

Follow us:

]]> romantasy, romance novels, books, women, politics, resistance, spicy books No Episode 2: Time Travel and History Repeating 2 2 Episode 2: Time Travel and History Repeating full 490b3136-a633-4b9b-8345-4be18d02fd2d https://share.transistor.fm/s/e326af39 Welcome to Hot & Bothered, a conversation between two friends, 

Laura Brounstein

 & 

Hitha Palepu

talking about the hot books they're reading, the issues that are bothering them, and more.


Books we talk about this week:

The issues bothering us:

What's making us hot:

Follow us:

]]> Welcome to Hot & Bothered, a conversation between two friends, 

Laura Brounstein

 & 

Hitha Palepu

talking about the hot books they're reading, the issues that are bothering them, and more.


Books we talk about this week:

The issues bothering us:

What's making us hot:

Follow us:

]]> Wed, 02 Apr 2025 15:17:10 -0700 Laura Brounstein and Hitha Palepu Laura Brounstein and Hitha Palepu 964 Welcome to Hot & Bothered, a conversation between two friends, 

Laura Brounstein

 & 

Hitha Palepu

talking about the hot books they're reading, the issues that are bothering them, and more.


Books we talk about this week:

The issues bothering us:

What's making us hot:

Follow us:

]]> romantasy, romance novels, books, women, politics, resistance, spicy books No Episode 3: Bullies, Toronto and James Marsden 3 3 Episode 3: Bullies, Toronto and James Marsden full 87fb28aa-f79d-4c3f-8ed5-c19eabeaf266 https://wearehotandbothered.substack.com/p/003-bullies-toronto-and-james-mardsen Welcome to Hot & Bothered, a conversation between two friends, 

Laura Brounstein

 & 

Hitha Palepu

talking about the hot books they're reading, the issues that are bothering them, and more.


Hot books we shared this week:

The issues bothering us:

  • The cancellation of the FDA advisory meeting for the flu vaccine
  • Teresa Borrenpohl’s attack in Idaho

What's making us happy:

  • Disney movies - especially Hercules and Zootopia
  • Paradise on Hulu
  • Related: James Mardsen

Follow us:

]]> Welcome to Hot & Bothered, a conversation between two friends, 

Laura Brounstein

 & 

Hitha Palepu

talking about the hot books they're reading, the issues that are bothering them, and more.


Hot books we shared this week:

The issues bothering us:

  • The cancellation of the FDA advisory meeting for the flu vaccine
  • Teresa Borrenpohl’s attack in Idaho

What's making us happy:

  • Disney movies - especially Hercules and Zootopia
  • Paradise on Hulu
  • Related: James Mardsen

Follow us:

]]> Wed, 02 Apr 2025 15:09:49 -0700 Laura Brounstein and Hitha Palepu Laura Brounstein and Hitha Palepu 1008 Welcome to Hot & Bothered, a conversation between two friends, 

Laura Brounstein

 & 

Hitha Palepu

talking about the hot books they're reading, the issues that are bothering them, and more.


Hot books we shared this week:

The issues bothering us:

  • The cancellation of the FDA advisory meeting for the flu vaccine
  • Teresa Borrenpohl’s attack in Idaho

What's making us happy:

  • Disney movies - especially Hercules and Zootopia
  • Paradise on Hulu
  • Related: James Mardsen

Follow us:

]]> romantasy, romance novels, books, women, politics, resistance, spicy books No HOT & Bothered with Hitha and Laura Episode 4 4 4 HOT & Bothered with Hitha and Laura Episode 4 full 19d638a5-dcc1-4495-82d9-c582bed9e9d4 https://share.transistor.fm/s/cdcc1a72 It's our big Onyx Storm deep dive episode! We get into our romantasy Xaden casting, the book's final scene with Imogen and Violet and our personal theories for what's next. Hitha does a valiant job trying to get us all excited about F1 and romances that take place in that world and Laura talks romance novel boyfriends. We also talk about the NOT hot men making a mess of the country/world right now. 

]]> It's our big Onyx Storm deep dive episode! We get into our romantasy Xaden casting, the book's final scene with Imogen and Violet and our personal theories for what's next. Hitha does a valiant job trying to get us all excited about F1 and romances that take place in that world and Laura talks romance novel boyfriends. We also talk about the NOT hot men making a mess of the country/world right now. 

]]> Thu, 20 Mar 2025 12:44:32 -0700 Laura Brounstein and Hitha Palepu Laura Brounstein and Hitha Palepu 1217 It's our big Onyx Storm deep dive episode! We get into our romantasy Xaden casting, the book's final scene with Imogen and Violet and our personal theories for what's next. Hitha does a valiant job trying to get us all excited about F1 and romances that take place in that world and Laura talks romance novel boyfriends. We also talk about the NOT hot men making a mess of the country/world right now. 

]]> romance novel boyfriends, Romantasy, F1, Romance, Fourth Wing, Emprean Series, Onyx Storm, Justice system, white house, No