Hey HBs! Bea Koch of The Ripped Bodice stopped by to chat about her debut book Mad & Bad: Real Heroines of the Regency, and reviewed the movie Belle with Melody! The movie is a gorgeous take on the life of Dido Elizabeth Belle, a biracial Black woman who was raised with the white half of her family during the Georgian era. And it's a BIG ROMANCE.  Bonus Content: Melody learned so much about Englandtimes through Bea's book!, Mary Seacole and her nursing efforts during the Crimean War, the notion of "historical accuracy" and how it's used against authors and characters of color in romance, Adriana Herrera now writing historicals, the beauty of Beverly Jenkins' bibliographies, the clippity-clop of a carriage at the start of every period movie, Grantchester and "fucking Amanda!!", sapiosexuality and... the sexual attraction to a person's morality??, Bea gives us the real deets about Dido and where the movie is firmly fiction, and so much more!  Lady Loves:  Bea: Bake Star Bread, and do it with rainbow sprinkles!  Melody: the movie Seriously Single on Netflix! It's a South African rom com that is delightful from start to finish!  Buy Bea's book and learn so much! It's available everywhere and comes out 9/1/2020!  Follow Bea on Instagram and Twitter!  If you want a bonus interview and some outtakes, head over to our Patreon! Subscribe! Rate! Review!  Merch: Redbubble And follow our socials:  Instagram: @heavingbosoms Twitter: @heaving_bosoms Facebook Patreon Shout Out: Kelli T., you are a bunyip, a water spirit native to Australia that takes the form of a giant starfish, swimming dog, a long-necked creature with a seal-like head, a nautical emu with feathers and claws, or a large alligator that swims like a frog. Look, it seems like you pretty look like whatever you want. Some say you eat crayfish, others say you eat humans. You live in rivers, swamps, lakes, and the ocean. Sometimes you live on land. Basically, you do whatever you want and you don't let anyone else define what you look like, what you eat, or where you live. You're a boss bitch living your best life, bunyip, and don't ever forget it.