The “Problematic Classics” Bodice Ripper Book Club That’s About to Ruin Your Sleep

Some romances are comfort reads. Some are full of chaos. And then there are vintage bodice rippers, the books that make you feel like you need to take notes, clutch your pearls and occasionally stare into space asking “was this really published?”. I used to think that was because of how steamy and sexy they were. But I discovered much more once I started reading them.

Welcome to Ripped & Ravished, a bodice ripper book club for problematic vintage romance. This is not a nostalgia situation. We’re reading these books with curiosity, context and modern eyes. The goal is not to cancel the past or pretend the past was perfect. The goal is to actually talk about what’s on the page, why it was important for readers at the time, the impact the books had on the genre, and what it looks like when you read it now.

One book every two months. You have enough time to read, recover and come back for more.

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Join the book club by email

The recommended way to do this is the email track. Every two months you’ll get the discussion links for the current pick. Can be broken into 1-5 episodes/emails depending on the book. And you’ll also get the reminder of the next pick. Plus, a little context to read with modern eyes.

Hit reply to the emails. I meant it, the emails readers send back are the best part of this whole thing. They end up in the emails going out to you all, in the podcast and on the blog, credited by first name. It helps us all share our thoughts about these books.

The 2026 reading schedule

Click on the book titles below to go to the discussion and review.

January/February	The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss
March/April	Tender is the Storm by Johanna Lindsey
May/June	A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux
July/August	Knight of a Trillion Stars by Dara Joy
September/October	Love Come to Me by Lisa Kleypas (current)
November/December	Vivid by Beverly Jenkins

Want to track your progress in Ripped & Ravished? Join the Storygraph challenge.

The 2027 lineup will be announced in December. Same cadence, six book picks and enough notice so you can track them down early. Join the email track and you’ll hear about it first.

New to vintage romance? Start with our guide on how to read vintage bodice rippers without gaslighting yourself before you pick up the first one.

What is Ripped & Ravished?

Ripped & Ravished is a book club tied to the Reading Under the Covers podcast. Every two months we pick one vintage romance that fits the bodice ripper description and we do a full discussion episode with reactions, context and a critical breakdown that does not just brush off the messy parts.

Some picks will be iconic and some will be foundational.

You can participate at whatever level works for you. Read the book and listen to the episode. Listen to the episode even if you did not read the book. Or use this as a curated excuse to finally try a classic you’ve been side eyeing for years. I do encourage you to reply to the emails and send in your thoughts so we can all benefit.

Listen to the podcast

How this book club works

Reading starts the month after a discussion and the podcast discussion for it drops the following month. That way you have time to find the book and read it.

This is not a spring. It’s not a completionist challenge. It’s a small reading project for readers who like romance history, big feelings and thoughtful conversation. Even when the conversation is just “okay but why would he do that?”

One practical note: don’t wait until the last minute if the book is older. Protect your peace and library holds!

Who is this for?

This bodice ripper book club is for you if you’ve ever wanted to read a vintage romance but felt overwhelmed by the baggage. It’s also for you if you’ve already read some of these books and you want to revisit them with more context and fewer illusions.

It’s not about hate-reading. We don’t support that. It’s about reading honestly. Sometimes that means praising what still works and others naming what does not.

Content notes

Vintage romance often comes with elements that modern romance readers do not want in their escapism, and that’s valid. We include content warnings for each pick when we can, and we talk openly in the podcast discussion about consent, power dynamics and anything that feels especially dated or harmful.

If a book is not for you, skip it and follow along with the series anyway. No guilt and no gold stars for pushing through something that makes you uncomfortable.

How to join in?

The main way to take part is the email track. You get the email with the discussion links and when you reply, I read it! In the next email, we share with the class. That’s not just a formality. When we ran The Flame and the Flower we got responses every week and what came back actually reshaped our view of the entire series. Those emails ended up on the podcast and the blog (credited by first name only).

So the club is really this: read the book, listen and hit reply with your thoughts. Agreeing with me is optional.

If you’d rather share publicly, post about the book or your progress with #RippedandRavished and you can tag me @utcbookblog. Label spoilers clearly. Or comment on the review post here on the blog. But you don’t need to perform reading in public for it to count.

Do you want to see a live get together? Drop me comment and let me know.

Ready to start?

If you’re joining us for Ripped & Ravished, I’m genuinely excited you’re here. This is one of those reading projects that’s way more fun when you know other readers are on the same journey with you. And if you decide halfway through that vintage romance is not your lane, you’re still welcome. Skipping a pick is allowed. Coming back for the next one is encouraged.

Join the bodice ripper book club email readalong.

Want more ways to read with us? You can find all our romance book clubs and readalongs here.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to read every book?

No. Skip any pick that isn’t for you and come back for the next one. This club is built for opt-outs.

Can I join late or start from the beginning?

Absolutely. Start with The Flame and the Flower here and you can choose to continue on to the next book from there.

Is this a discussion based book club?

Not in a group chat. Everyone’s at a different point in the book so the discussion will only happen via replies to the club emails or your public comments on the blog posts. Any emails will be read and shared with the group.

Will my email get published?

Only your first name so it remains fairly anonymous and only when you reply with a thought about the book. Plenty of people just reply to say hi or share the excitement and that’s fine too. If you want to reply but don’t want your email shared, simply state so in your email.

Will you include content notes?

As much as we can, yes, and we talk openly about consent and power dynamics in the podcast episode too. It is pretty fair to say that most of the books will have power imbalances and often forced seduction.

Where do I get the picks and discussion links?

This page is always updated so you can bookmark it and check in. But the easiest option is the email track so you get everything in your inbox and don’t have to think about it.

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