September Bad Romance Book Club: The Very Definition of Love

Schedule

Fri Sep 18 2026 at 07:00 pm to 08:00 pm

UTC-04:00

Location

Old Town Books | Alexandria, VA

Advertisement
Join us for our September Bad Romance Book Club meeting where we'll be discussing The Very Definition of Love by Sophia Benoit
About this Event

Old Town Books' Bad Romance Book Club is free and open to the public. While buying the book at OTB is not required to attend, we would greatly appreciate it to help keep our free literary programming sustainable! Buy your copy of The Very Definition of Love at the shop or online and note "book club" to get 10% off.

By attending any and all Old Town Books events you are agreeing to our code of conduct.

Old Town Books is committed to creating accessible events and spaces for the widest possible audience. Please reach out to us at [email protected] for reasonable accessibility accommodations.


About The Book:

Bridgerton meets Emily Henry in this fresh take on regency romance about a wallflower writing a dictionary of bawdy slang who arranges her own marriage to the ultimate instructor: the town rake.
“Sexy and witty… a clever regency romance that kept me giggling.” — Joss Richard, international bestselling author of It’s Different This Time
1816—Harriet Bancroft doesn’t mind that she’s on her fifth season with no marriage prospects, it gives her more time to write her dictionary of modern slang. Words are her passion, especially the exciting, filthy ones men have kept hidden from women for far too long.
Enter the ultimate teacher . . .
When Harriet accidentally finds herself in a compromising situation with the notorious rake Lord Alexander, she has no choice but to sort of kidnap him and strong-arm him into an elopement. This arranged marriage has a very particular condition—it will be in-name-only, leaving each of them to follow their own interests. For Harriet that’s her work; for Alexander, that’s women.
But love has a different lesson in mind . . .
But soon Alexander’s rakish lifestyle is not nearly as fun as spending time with Harriet, and Harriet’s beginning to worry that she might actually like her husband. Behind the closed doors of their respectable home, things become a little . . . complicated. After all, who better teach her the very thorough meaning of these indecent words than the renowned lover, Lord Alexander Stirling?
Perhaps this marriage will teach them both a little more about that word they’ve been avoiding—love.
Tropes: Enemies-to-lovers / Marriage of convenience / There’s only one bed / Yearning / A misunderstanding / He teaches her / Regency era / Rake x wallflower

Advertisement

Where is it happening?

Old Town Books, 130 South Royal Street, Alexandria, United States

Event Location & Nearby Stays:

Tickets

USD 0.00

Icon
Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.
Old Town Books

Host or Publisher Old Town Books

Ask AI if this event suits you:

Discover More Events in Alexandria

Alexandria Women's History Walk
Sat, 19 Sep at 12:00 pm Alexandria Women's History Walk

Alexandria Visitor Center (Ramsay House)

WOMENS-HISTORY-MONTH NONPROFIT
OAR Casino Night - All in for Autism
Sat, 19 Sep at 07:00 pm OAR Casino Night - All in for Autism

277 S Washington St

NONPROFIT KIDS
Disclosure Law | Alexandria
Thu, 24 Sep at 10:00 am Disclosure Law | Alexandria

Vesta Old Town

PARTIES ENTERTAINMENT
Alexandria Oktoberfest 2026
Sat, 26 Sep at 04:00 pm Alexandria Oktoberfest 2026

Alexandria Bier Garden

PARTIES BAR-CRAWLS
BLEACHED - Curly hair blonding DMV
Sun, 27 Sep at 10:00 am BLEACHED - Curly hair blonding DMV

205 S Whiting St unit 306

Creative Book Club at Del Ray Artisans (Book for January 10 & April 11)
Sat, 10 Jan at 10:00 am Creative Book Club at Del Ray Artisans (Book for January 10 & April 11)

Del Ray Artisans

ART FINE-ARTS
ALX Book TALX with Whitney Parnell
Wed, 11 Mar at 06:00 pm ALX Book TALX with Whitney Parnell

ALX Community - Waterfront

Lost Ladies of Literature Book Club: Mrs. Spring by Sui Sin Far
Wed, 11 Mar at 06:00 pm Lost Ladies of Literature Book Club: Mrs. Spring by Sui Sin Far

2200 Mt Vernon Ave

ART LITERARY-ART
Rated R for Reading - March Discussion
Wed, 11 Mar at 07:00 pm Rated R for Reading - March Discussion

301 Cameron St

PERFORMANCES ART
March Queer Book Club: Missing Sam
Fri, 13 Mar at 07:00 pm March Queer Book Club: Missing Sam

Old Town Books

ART LITERARY-ART
Community Event: Books in Bloom
Sat, 14 Mar at 09:30 am Community Event: Books in Bloom

Old Town Books

KIDS ART
Spring Storytime  with Author Laura Gehl
Sat, 14 Mar at 09:30 am Spring Storytime with Author Laura Gehl

Old Town Books

ART LITERARY-ART
Alexandria Festival of the Book: Portraying America 1776-2026
Sat, 14 Mar at 10:00 am Alexandria Festival of the Book: Portraying America 1776-2026

St. Paul's Episcopal Church

FESTIVALS ART
To Be Read Book Club: Perfume by Patrick S\u00fcskind
Sat, 14 Mar at 12:00 pm To Be Read Book Club: Perfume by Patrick Süskind

2200 Mt Vernon Ave

ART LITERARY-ART
Paper Bag Puppets of American Women
Sat, 14 Mar at 02:00 pm Paper Bag Puppets of American Women

Martha Washington Community Library

WOMENS-HISTORY-MONTH
Craft Workshop: Paper Flower Bouquet
Sat, 14 Mar at 04:00 pm Craft Workshop: Paper Flower Bouquet

Old Town Books

WORKSHOPS
DC Gals March 2026 Movie Club - Reminders of Him
Sun, 15 Mar at 01:00 pm DC Gals March 2026 Movie Club - Reminders of Him

AMC Hoffman Center 22

ENTERTAINMENT
Books and Banter  Book Club: James by Percival Everett
Mon, 16 Mar at 06:00 pm Books and Banter Book Club: James by Percival Everett

2200 Mt Vernon Ave

Author Event: Katherine Applegate (The Littlest Elephant)
Tue, 17 Mar at 04:30 pm Author Event: Katherine Applegate (The Littlest Elephant)

Old Town Books

ART LITERARY-ART
March Fiction Book Club: I Hope You Find What You're Looking For
Tue, 17 Mar at 07:00 pm March Fiction Book Club: I Hope You Find What You're Looking For

Old Town Books

ART LITERARY-ART

What's Happening Next in Alexandria?

Discover Alexandria Events