In this week's episode of Good Girls, hosts Kay and SJ dive into the wild world of early 2000s pickup artistry from Neil Strauss's The Game, testing tactics like negging (subtle disses to spark attraction), peacocking (flashy outfits to stand out), time pressure, kino escalation (gradual touching), and push-pull (hot-and-cold flirting) on each other. Is confidence sexy, or does it veer into toxic territory? They role-play club scenarios, laugh over Mystery's fur hat and soul patches, and debate why these "tricks" might actually lower social stakes—or just come off as creepy.

Shifting gears, they explore healthier alternatives from Mark Manson's Models, emphasizing non-neediness and vulnerability over alpha-male posturing. Touching on the male loneliness epidemic, Emily Nagoski's insights on women's diverse turn-ons, and why they aren't secretly chasing Christian Grey, Kay and SJ talk attraction, consent, and evolving gender dynamics. Plus: Romantasy confessions, a demon anatomy revelation, and a shoutout to peak female friendships. Tune in for laughs, lore, and a reminder that genuine connection beats any scripted line.

SJ and Kay sit down with Lukas, a gay romance author whose upcoming novel, Pickle Your Fancy, blends sports satire, hot locker room scenes, and a poignant coming-out narrative. The trio starts with a playful Mary, Fuck, Kill game, debating the merits of David Rose, Will from Nashville, and Lukas’s own character Mason. Lukas opens up about his journey to full-time writing, sharing how his love for crafting stories, sparked by Enya-fueled journaling sessions in school, led him to make the jump from corporate tech after he authored a WSJ bestseller.

The discussion turns to the craft of writing sex scenes that move the plot forward, with Lukas explaining how he tests scenes with beta readers to ensure they hit the mark and the science of picking the right words. SJ and Kay explore the ethics of book pirating, citing studies that debunk myths about who pirates and why, while Lucas reflects on the impact of corporate theft on authors. From his plans for a rapid-fire release strategy to his excitement for untapped subgenres like gay lit RPG, this episode offers a deep dive into the challenges and joys of breaking into romance as a gay male author, all wrapped in witty banter and genuine camaraderie.

The Good Girls tackle the "nice guy" phenomenon: are they truly good, or just insecure dudes waiting for a vending machine that pays out sex after 3 dates? We play Marry, Fuck, Rapture with three famous nice guys, debate toxic positivity, and talk about odd nice guy sex scenes...in throuples because why not. From incel Reddit rants to the allure of bad-but-good boys like Mr. Darcy and Xaden, we talk confidence, agency, and why grocery store sushi doesn’t buy love...or sexy time with Kay. Plus, a Rosh Hashanah tribute to nice Jewish boys and a daddy kink update with Sandy Cohen. Grab your headphones for this unfiltered episode!