Tea Party with Emily Franklin Celebrating of Love & Other Monsters

From the bestselling author of The Lioness of Boston comes a story of love, lust, art, & betrayal. is historical fiction based on the life of Claire Clairmont, Mary Shelley’s forgotten stepsister, who forever changed the course of literature. But then—unlike her stepsister Mary Shelley—she was forgotten, until now. This is the origin story of Frankenstein that hasn’t been told.

Hear Best Selling Author, Emily Franklin, discuss the literary and lustful gathering of writers whose relationships and rivalries helped inspire the iconic novel. She'll explain how she wove this transfixing historical tale of rich, complex characters—each with their own insecurities, quirks, and brilliance—and the inspirations behind the wisdom about womanhood and art that shapes Claire’s journey.

And what better way to celebrate this Hamnet–meets–Pride & Prejudice tale than with a Regency style high tea?

TICKET OPTIONS

Choose from either our Tea Party Table for Two or General Admission ticketing options at Eventbrite checkout:

• Each Tea Party Table for Two ticket covers you and a friend! At each table, one pot of tea will be served alongside a small plate of scones and desserts, with your choice of Earl Grey or Herbal. Cream and sugar will be provided. Both Tea Party Table guests will receive their own copy of the book!
• General Admission tickets include your very own copy of . Tea and treats are not included, but they are available for purchase at the George Howell Coffee & Wine Bar. Arrive early to grab pastries, tea, coffee, or maybe something a bit more boozy like sparkling wine to join in the tea party fun!
• For every copy of purchased, you’ll receive a ticket for a chance to win a swag bag from the Author!

Please note: since this is our inaugural Tea Party, we’re still working out the details of the experience. For this first event, we won’t be able to offer substitutions for food or tea, and unfortunately we’re unable to accommodate allergies at this time. We appreciate your understanding and support as we test and refine the program!

EVENT DETAILS

3:30 PM • Doors Open
Check in at the front door and grab your copy of ! Lovestruck staff will direct you to either your pre-reserved tea party table (Tea + Treats tickets) or general admission seating. Pop over to George Howell Coffee & Wine Bar while you wait for the conversation to begin!

If you have reserved a tea party table, we will serve your tea and treats between 3:30 PM and 3:45 PM in order to have everything served before the author begins.

4:00 PM • Tea, Treats & Conversation Begins
Pinkies up! The tea party will kick off while Emily shares her inspiration behind the story and reads select passages. Please remain in your seat throughout the author conversation.

4:30 PM • Q&A Session
Your chance to ask the author anything!

4:55 PM • Giveaway Ticket Pulled
A giveaway ticket is pulled for a chance to win a swag bag from the author!

5:00 PM • Signatures, Snapping Pics, and Salutations
Meet Emily, get your book signed, and snap a photo.

5:30 PM • Browse the book store
While our team clears away the tea party portion of the evening, you’re welcome to shop the store or keep the fun flowing at the George Howell Coffee & Wine Bar!

Tickets are limited, so grab yours soon! If the event sells out, you can join the Eventbrite waitlist by selecting “Reserve a spot” followed by “Join Waitlist”. Should any spots open up, you’ll have 24 hours to register before we offer it to the next person.

ACCESSIBILITY

Check-in will take place at our front entrance on Brattle Street. If you have any accessibility needs, you're welcome to use our side entrance (located on the right side of the building), which is wheelchair accessible and has a ramp.

Guests who would benefit from priority seating or any additional assistance are encouraged to reach out in advance — just email us at [email protected]. We're more than happy to make arrangements to ensure you feel comfortable and supported.

We’re always learning and looking for ways to make our events more accessible. If you have suggestions or feedback, we’d love to hear from you!

BOOK PICKUP POLICY

If you purchased a book with your event ticket but can’t make it to the event—and don’t request a refund—we’ll happily hold your book for pickup for up to 30 days after the event date.

We’ll be in touch via the email you provided at checkout to help coordinate pickup. After 30 days, if we haven’t heard from you or made other arrangements, we’ll consider the book abandoned property and may donate it or return it to inventory so it can find a new home.

Thanks so much for your understanding and for supporting our events—we love doing this with you!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Emily Franklin is the bestselling author of twenty-five books including The Lioness of Boston, based on the life of trailblazer Isabella Stewart Gardner, now in its eleventh printing and recently featured as a clue on Jeopardy! Her fiction, poetry, essays, and photos have been published in The New York Times, The Boston Globe, The Kenyon Review, Guernica, and The Journal of the American Medical Association, among many other places, as well as featured and read aloud on National Public Radio, longlisted for the London Sunday Times Short Story Award and named notable by the Association of Jewish Libraries. Her next novel , historical fiction based on the forgotten—but important life of Claire Clairmont, Mary Shelley’s stepsister who was integral in the creation of Frankenstein, will be published in April 2026. She lives outside of Boston with her spouse and four children.

ABOUT LOVE & OTHER MONSTERS

During the dangerous storms of The Year Without Summer, a group of famous young writers gathered at a mansion on the shores of Lake Geneva, Switzerland. Brilliant Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, her fiery fiancé Percy Shelley, the famously promiscuous Lord Byron, and John Polidori, his sexually tormented personal physician. At the group’s center was Claire Clairmont, Mary’s impressionable, clever, and dangerously loyal stepsister.Those months of desire, betrayal, and creative passion gave the world the works of Frankenstein, the modern vampire, and the mythic image of these Romantic literary giants. In this intense and propulsive story of love, lust, art and betrayal Claire tells her story, trying to solve the mystery of why she was all but erased from history.Claire—herself a writer—is desperate to free herself from the uncomfortable role she plays in her sister’s marriage in London. Fueled by Jane Austin’s romantic novels, and believing love offers freedom, Claire begins an affair with celebrity Lord Byron and convinces Mary and Shelley to follow him to Switzerland.With the threat of paparazzi lurking nearby, Claire’s intimate connection to each member of the celebrity group grows more complex. Her journey of self-discovery leads her to document everyone’s secrets in her journal, and when climate disaster causes food shortages, Claire learns to forage, determined to prove her worth in a world built by and created for men.The real Claire Clairmont poured her love, life, and razor-sharp wit into her pages, yet her journal from 1816 is curiously missing and each member of the group had a reason to take it.With searing relevance to our here and now—of celebrity worship, climate disaster, of complicated femininity, is the untold origin story of Frankenstein, a feminist reckoning of sisters, survival, and the creation of monsters—both those on the page and those who walk among us.

PRAISE FOR LOVE & OTHER MONSTERS

“Delicious, spot-on... The prose is lush and Franklin’s descriptions evoke the tenor of the Romantics’ writing. Her attention to detail and carefully drawn characters will delight fans of British period dramas and readers of historical fiction.”

-Library Journal, Starred Review

"A burning tale...nearly every page drips with juicy details. Franklin’s writing perfectly captures the psychology of each of her characters. Though this saga unfurls in 1816, the themes Franklin dex¬terously confronts will strike readers as both timely and poignant.”

- BookPage

“Emily Franklin’s transfixing historical novel gives voice to Claire Clairmont, lover of Lord Byron and stepsister of Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley. The book’s sensual, immersive prose balances Claire’s yearnings and frustrations with the brilliance, insecurities, and quirks of her companions, each of whom is fleshed out with complexity. Intrigues build and dissipate, and Claire’s hopes for an independent life are thwarted... Weaving historical details with notes of natural beauty and the vagaries of genius, Love and Other Monsters reinterprets a woman’s free-spirited passion.”

-Foreword Reviews

“Franklin impresses with this historical novel featuring Claire Clairmont... capturing the timeless quality of a young woman’s desire for purpose. This offers a fresh perspective on a famous moment in literary history.”

-Publisher’s Weekly

"With Franklin’s gorgeous narrative full of wisdom about womanhood and art, the talents and hopes of Clairmont finally get the attention they deserve.”

– Marjan Kamali, New York Times bestselling author of The Lion Women of Tehran

is a Romance Bookstore and cafe in Harvard Square. to sign up for our newsletter and be the first to know about events and other news.

Our bookstore is home to , open seven days a week!

Start your day with expertly crafted espresso drinks, artisanal pastries, and more. In the evening, the bar comes alive with wine, cocktails, sweet treats, charcuterie plates, and more. Enjoy seating indoors or on our covered patio.

To stay in the loop, visit the and look for events listed under “George Howell Coffee & Wine Bar” at our Lovestruck Books & Cafe location!

Cafe Hours | 8:00am – 4:00pm

Bar Hours | Sunday – Wednesday: 4:00pm– 8:00pm, Thursday – Friday: 4:00pm – 10:00pm

PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEO

Your presence at the Lovestruck Books & Cafe 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.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

Get App

Host or Publisher Lovestruck Books