Opening Celebration With Jasmine Guillory & Nikki Payne

LOVESTRUCK BOOKS PRESENTS: OPENING CELEBRATION WITH JASMINE GUILLORY & NIKKI PAYNE

Join us on Saturday, January 18 for an unforgettable evening with authors Jasmine Guillory and Nikki Payne, two powerhouse romance writers whose stories center the rich, diverse experiences of Black characters in love. Moderated by Smart Bitches, Trashy Books contributor, Amanda Diehl, this event celebrates the opening of Lovestruck Books—a new chapter for book lovers. It’s the perfect opportunity to dive into Jasmine’s and Nikki’s latest work, while exploring the unique and powerful ways these authors bring love stories to life. Don’t miss out on this celebration of love, literature, and the voices that are shaping the genre!

• 6:30 PM: Doors Open
  Arrive early, find your seat, and get ready for a night filled with books, cake, and the captivating presence of Jasmine, Nikki and Amanda
• 7:00 PM: Conversation with Jasmine and Nikki
  Moderated by Amanda Dieh, we'll explore the authors’ journeys and the inspiration behind their characters.
• 7:45 PM: Audience Q&A
  Get your questions ready! Jasmine and Nikki will dive into the behind-the-scenes of their storytelling.
• 8:00 PM: Signatures & Slices
  What’s a celebration without cake? Grab a slice to enjoy while Jasmine and Nikki sign your copies of Drunk on Love, Sex, Lies and Sensibility and other titles while posing for photos.
• 9-9:30 PM: Browse the Bookstore
  Jasmine and Nikki's book signing and photo session will end at 9 PM. The event will come to a close at 9:30 PM but before then, don’t miss your opportunity to shop for book-lover exclusive items!

Tickets are limited, so don’t wait! If the event sells out, you can add yourself to our waitlist. If any spots become available, you'll have 24 hours to register before we offer them to the next person. All ticket sales are final purchase. Refunds are not offered.

We can’t wait to share this magical evening with you—full of bookish fun, thoughtful discussion, and a community of passionate readers. For more details on the opening celebrations and other upcoming events, visit lovestruckbooks.com.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
By day, Nikki Payne is a Civic anthropologist building accessible government services for vulnerable populations, by night she dreams of ways to subvert Canon literature. Hailed as "incandescent" by the Washington Post, Nikki Payne's debut novel Pride and Protest was a Phenomenal Book Club pick, and was selected by the Library of Congress to represent the District of Columbia for the National Book Festival. Featured in the New York Times, NPR, Elle, Oprah Daily and BuzzFeed, Nikki Payne is writing black women into their happily ever after.

ABOUT SEX, LIES, AND SENSIBILITY
After writing Pride and Protest, a diverse and modern adaptation of the classic Jane Austen love story Pride and Prejudice, Nikki proudly calls herself “Jane Austen’s sassy Black friend.” She is skilled at taking the evergreen model of Jane Austen’s novels and remixing them to represent our contemporary culture. In her newest title , a reimagining of Jane Austin's Sense and Sensibility, two sisters work together to revamp a dilapidated beach-town inn and must learn to work with the current, very hot, tenants. Starring a Black heroine and Indigenous hero, and including strong themes of sisterhood, community, and culture, fans of Austen and contemporary rom-coms alike are sure to adore this spicy retelling.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dubbed “the undisputed queen of the modern-day romance” (Vogue), Jasmine Guillory is the beloved New York Times-bestselling author of several romance novels, including The Wedding Date, The Proposal, While We Were Dating, and more. A former writer for The Toast and a regular contributor to The Today Show, Guillory’s romantic comedies have resonated with readers everywhere. With her signature upbeat charm, Guillory speaks to audiences about the importance of writing Black heroines, her career pivot from lawyer to full time writer, and writing during hard times. She lives in Oakland, California. Her newest romance, Flirting Lessons will be released on April 8, 2025.

ABOUT DRUNK ON LOVE

In Napa’s wine country, love has a way of changing everything.

Margot Noble is stressed running her family’s winery—until she meets Luke, a charming stranger. After a passionate one-night stand, she’s shocked to find him as the winery’s new hire the next day. Now she must keep things professional, despite the undeniable chemistry between them.

Luke Williams quit his high-paying tech job in Silicon Valley for a fresh start in Napa, helping a friend at the winery. But he never expected to be drawn to Margot, his new boss. As their attraction grows, Luke wonders if a tech dropout like him has a chance with a successful woman like her.

ABOUT THE MODERATOR
A romance fan and passionate reader, Amanda Diehl has had many iterations of bookish jobs from an author publicist to a bookseller and bookstore event coordinator. She's been writing about romance and helping manage the daily stream of editorial content at the website  Smart Bitches, Trashy Books for over a decade. In her free time, she enjoys collecting taxidermy, playing video games with smooching mechanics, and making the best damn gluten-free lasagna. 

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PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEO Your presence at the Lovestruck Books event acknowledges that you have been informed of the potential to be documented as part of a video or photo release, and that you grant permission for your likeness to be included in publication of any footage.

Host or Publisher Lovestruck Books