Contemporary Romance for a Swoon-worthy Summer
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What’s not to love about the huge surging interest in romance books and ebooks? With #RomanceRecs, #BookTok and #FriendsToLovers hashtags influencing reader behaviour, find out what’s hot in the world of romance at the library.
Join us for a sweet summer social hangout with workshops, author readings, meet and greets with local romance authors and other activities! Bring your favourite books to discuss and recommend to the community.
This event features local Mother-Daughter romance authors Jody Holford (AKA Sophie Sullivan) and Kalie Holford, Lily Miller, Lindsay Maple, Hunter Snow, Sara Blaydes, Anthony Nerada, Julia Jarret and Bal Khabra. Joining as well will be moderator Amy H, Amy Pelletier (Perfect Match), Courtney and Lauren from River City Reader Events and Bella from Blossoming Books.
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Jody Holford AKA Sophie Sullivan is both a contemporary romance and cozy mystery author. She lives in British Columbia with her family. She's unintentionally funny and rarely on time for anything. She has an equal amount of love for writing and reading the sigh-worthy moments in a book. As she says: "I'm a mom and wife first and many things after. I'm a best friend and a regular friend. A daughter, sister, auntie, and a teacher. I am a book lover, a shopper, a pajama-wearer, movie-watcher, worrier, over-thinker, and a wanna-be-good-Samaritan. I'm a Gemini, a nervous talker, and an emotional writer." When you think of Jody you think of cozy, romance, cozy romance and true love. When you think of Sophie you think of rom com and romance and true love.
Kalie Holford is a Mamma Mia! enthusiast, book collector, and graduate student by day and author by night (okay, but actually in no particular order). Her debut novel The Last Love Song is a sapphic YA coming-of-age with a side of romance that may appeal a little extra to Swifties and musical fans, but she hopes you'll check it out regardless! When she’s not writing, she can be found re-organizing her bookshelves for the hundredth time, working on graphic designs, studying, or reading. She lives in British Columbia and loves talking about books!
Lily Miller writes small-town contemporary spicy romance filled with broody, unforgettable heroes, bold heroines, and all the heart-pounding tension that leads to happily ever afters. Her stories deliver the perfect mix of heat, heart, and small-town charm—where love is messy, swoony, and impossible to resist.
Lindsay Maple is a Canadian romcom author living in Chilliwack, BC. She has an amazing husband, two little boys, and a giant tortoise named Doug. When she’s not writing you can find her teaching hot yoga and fitness classes at various Oxygen studios across the lower mainland, BC. She also loves baking, hiking, watching movies, and (of course) reading!
Hunter Snow survived a wild ride through the music industry and now channels those experiences into writing rock-and-roll stories from her home in the Pacific Northwest. Any resemblance to actual people, events, or places is purely coincidental—mostly.
Sara Blaydes has been obsessed with books ever since she demanded her parents teach her to read at four years old so she could steal her older brother’s comic books. It was only natural she start crafting stories where she, a perpetual daydreamer, could escape into worlds of her own creation. She currently lives in British Columbia with her handsome husband, two amazing children, and an overly anxious Boston terrier. She believes books are magic, summer is the best season, and parsley is never optional.
Anthony Nerada became a writer after his fifth-grade teacher told him it was his destiny. Since then, he’s read too many books (if there is such a thing) and explored worlds far outside the reaches of his own. Anthony lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded lands of the Coast Salish Peoples. His debut novel, Skater Boy, was named a Kids’ Indie Next Pick by the American Booksellers Association, a ‘2024 Best Teen Book’ by Indigo-Chapters, Bookshop.org, and the Canadian Children’s Book Centre, and a Read with Jenna Jr. Summer Reading List Pick for 2025.
Julia Jarrett is a busy mother of two boys, a happy wife to her real-life book boyfriend and the owner of her soulmate dog, a rescue from Taiwan. She lives just outside of Vancouver and when she isn’t writing contemporary romance novels full of relatable heroines and swoon-worthy heroes, she's probably drinking tea (or wine) and reading.
Bal Khabra is a Canadian author and romance lover. When she's not glued to her keyboard, juggling thirty different novel ideas, or using banter to convince her characters that they're perfect for each other, you can catch her dragging unsuspecting souls into the Great Canadian Outdoors. She loves reading about love, watching movies about love, and now, writing about it herself.
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In partnership with Perfect Match Bookshop (Vancouver's first romance bookstore).
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Please register. Registration is not required to attend, but it helps us anticipate attendance and send a reminder the day before the event, or any updates about this program.
---
Accessibility: VPL is committed to making our programs accessible for all. If you have an access need that we have not addressed here, please email us at [email protected].
Elevator access to the Alice MacKay is available in the concourse near the bank machine.
The Alice MacKay Room has wheelchair accessible spaces available.
Join us for a sweet summer social hangout with workshops, author readings, meet and greets with local romance authors and other activities! Bring your favourite books to discuss and recommend to the community.
This event features local Mother-Daughter romance authors Jody Holford (AKA Sophie Sullivan) and Kalie Holford, Lily Miller, Lindsay Maple, Hunter Snow, Sara Blaydes, Anthony Nerada, Julia Jarret and Bal Khabra. Joining as well will be moderator Amy H, Amy Pelletier (Perfect Match), Courtney and Lauren from River City Reader Events and Bella from Blossoming Books.
---
Jody Holford AKA Sophie Sullivan is both a contemporary romance and cozy mystery author. She lives in British Columbia with her family. She's unintentionally funny and rarely on time for anything. She has an equal amount of love for writing and reading the sigh-worthy moments in a book. As she says: "I'm a mom and wife first and many things after. I'm a best friend and a regular friend. A daughter, sister, auntie, and a teacher. I am a book lover, a shopper, a pajama-wearer, movie-watcher, worrier, over-thinker, and a wanna-be-good-Samaritan. I'm a Gemini, a nervous talker, and an emotional writer." When you think of Jody you think of cozy, romance, cozy romance and true love. When you think of Sophie you think of rom com and romance and true love.
Kalie Holford is a Mamma Mia! enthusiast, book collector, and graduate student by day and author by night (okay, but actually in no particular order). Her debut novel The Last Love Song is a sapphic YA coming-of-age with a side of romance that may appeal a little extra to Swifties and musical fans, but she hopes you'll check it out regardless! When she’s not writing, she can be found re-organizing her bookshelves for the hundredth time, working on graphic designs, studying, or reading. She lives in British Columbia and loves talking about books!
Lily Miller writes small-town contemporary spicy romance filled with broody, unforgettable heroes, bold heroines, and all the heart-pounding tension that leads to happily ever afters. Her stories deliver the perfect mix of heat, heart, and small-town charm—where love is messy, swoony, and impossible to resist.
Lindsay Maple is a Canadian romcom author living in Chilliwack, BC. She has an amazing husband, two little boys, and a giant tortoise named Doug. When she’s not writing you can find her teaching hot yoga and fitness classes at various Oxygen studios across the lower mainland, BC. She also loves baking, hiking, watching movies, and (of course) reading!
Hunter Snow survived a wild ride through the music industry and now channels those experiences into writing rock-and-roll stories from her home in the Pacific Northwest. Any resemblance to actual people, events, or places is purely coincidental—mostly.
Sara Blaydes has been obsessed with books ever since she demanded her parents teach her to read at four years old so she could steal her older brother’s comic books. It was only natural she start crafting stories where she, a perpetual daydreamer, could escape into worlds of her own creation. She currently lives in British Columbia with her handsome husband, two amazing children, and an overly anxious Boston terrier. She believes books are magic, summer is the best season, and parsley is never optional.
Anthony Nerada became a writer after his fifth-grade teacher told him it was his destiny. Since then, he’s read too many books (if there is such a thing) and explored worlds far outside the reaches of his own. Anthony lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded lands of the Coast Salish Peoples. His debut novel, Skater Boy, was named a Kids’ Indie Next Pick by the American Booksellers Association, a ‘2024 Best Teen Book’ by Indigo-Chapters, Bookshop.org, and the Canadian Children’s Book Centre, and a Read with Jenna Jr. Summer Reading List Pick for 2025.
Julia Jarrett is a busy mother of two boys, a happy wife to her real-life book boyfriend and the owner of her soulmate dog, a rescue from Taiwan. She lives just outside of Vancouver and when she isn’t writing contemporary romance novels full of relatable heroines and swoon-worthy heroes, she's probably drinking tea (or wine) and reading.
Bal Khabra is a Canadian author and romance lover. When she's not glued to her keyboard, juggling thirty different novel ideas, or using banter to convince her characters that they're perfect for each other, you can catch her dragging unsuspecting souls into the Great Canadian Outdoors. She loves reading about love, watching movies about love, and now, writing about it herself.
---
In partnership with Perfect Match Bookshop (Vancouver's first romance bookstore).
---
Please register. Registration is not required to attend, but it helps us anticipate attendance and send a reminder the day before the event, or any updates about this program.
---
Accessibility: VPL is committed to making our programs accessible for all. If you have an access need that we have not addressed here, please email us at [email protected].
Elevator access to the Alice MacKay is available in the concourse near the bank machine.
The Alice MacKay Room has wheelchair accessible spaces available.
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Where is it happening?
Vancouver Public Library, 350 West Georgia Street,Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.
Host or PublisherVancouver Public Library
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