Reading Glasses Announces Smut-Based Spinoff

Why do the smartest people you know read the dirtiest books? What’s so appealing about enemies-to-lovers? And… why are readers so hot for fairies?

Whatever you call the genre—smut, erotica, spicy romance, or plain old pornography—it’s been around for a very long time, and is currently surging in popularity: romance novels are a billion dollar industry and sales in the genre have more than doubled in the past five years. And yet, most people rarely talk about the genre unless they’re making fun of it. With their new podcast Reading Smut, writers Brea Grant and Mallory O’Meara want to change that.

Reading Smut is a literary podcast dedicated to all books romantic, erotic, and deliciously spicy. Episodes will alternate in format between discussions of sexy books and in-depth conversations about hot topics within the world of horny literature. Listeners will be treated to funny and engaging discussions about an oft-misunderstood corner of the bookstore, featuring hosts whose interest in the genre burns as passionately as a love interest’s attraction to their fated mate. Between dives into literary history and sexual science, interviews with smut readers and writers, and reading a lot of erotica—like, seriously, a lot—Reading Smut will satiate your curiosity about the hottest genre in town.

For the past eight years, Grant and O’Meara have discussed novels, the publishing industry, and book culture on their hit podcast Reading Glasses. After seeing how eagerly their audience responded to bonus content that delved into raunchier materials, Grant and O’Meara grew the idea for a spin-off podcast dedicated entirely to smut. The hosts stated, “We’re so excited to launch a show for romance and erotica readers! Both of us love reading these books, and more importantly, love interacting with the smut-lover community. Over the years of putting out Reading Glasses, we became fascinated with the culture around erotic books, and answering the question of why people adore them so much.”

Reading Smut will debut on Feb. 14, 2025. New episodes will be released every other Friday.