The Starter Ex Release Bash with Mia Sosa

Join us for Release Bash with Mia Sosa, featuring a lively conversation with Boston-based broadcast journalist and radio commentor, Callie Crossley, as they dive into fake dating, family pressure, and the delicious chaos that erupts when pretending not to fall in love becomes impossible. Mia Sosa will dish on the inspiration behind Vanessa and Jason’s one-last-job arrangement, the joy of writing big feelings with laugh-out-loud banter, and why love stories rooted in culture, community, and complicated women hit so hard—while Callie Crossley brings her sharp insight and signature warmth to the conversation. Expect laughs, heart, and plenty of “wait, what would you do?” moments.Tickets include your very own signed copy of The Starter Ex! Stick around for the signature and salutations portion of the evening, guests are welcome to bring past titles of Mia’s from home to have signed as well. 

EVENT DETAILS

• 6:30 PM: Doors Open – Settle in, grab a drink from our cafe and wine bar, and get ready for a great discussion!
• 7:00 PM: Discussion Begins – Mia and Callie will dive into The Starter Ex.
• 7:45 PM: Q&A Session – Your chance to ask the author anything!
• 8:00 PM: Signatures, Snapping Pics, and Salutations – Meet the author, get your book signed, and snap a photo.
• 8:30 PM: Last call - Grab your final pour from the wine bar.
• 9:00 PM: Event Wraps Up – Thanks for joining us!

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 STARTER EX

"Vanessa Cordero used to run a profitable side gig: For a reasonable fee, she’d date your crush . . . and make his life miserable. Too clingy? Check. Jealous? Check. A parent's worst nightmare? Triple check. By the time Vanessa was done with him, your guy was practically begging for you. 

Enter Jason Torres, a certified commitment-phobe who doesn't plan on getting married anytime soon, much to his mother’s dismay. What he needs is a temporary girlfriend. A totally inappropriate girlfriend. Someone his mother will hate, so she'll finally abandon her dream of getting him to the altar.

Vanessa's younger sister, Lisa, has her eye on Jason, and convinces Vanessa to come out of retirement for one last starter ex engagement. The rules are simple: no touching, no fooling around, and definitely no falling in love. But nothing's going according to plan. Because Vanessa can't ditch Jason no matter how hard she tries to scare him away. And the longer they're around each other, the more neither of them wants to be apart."

ABOUT THE CONVERSATION PARTNER

Callie Crossley hosts Under the Radar with Callie Crossley on WGBH 89.7 FM and delivers weekly commentaries on Morning Edition. She is a national and local television and radio commentator, appearing on programs including CNN’s Reliable Sources, PBS NewsHour, The Takeaway, Beat the Press, Basic Black, and Fox 25 Boston’s Morning Show. A former ABC News 20/20 producer and Woodrow Wilson Visiting Fellow, Crossley lectures widely on media, politics, and race. She is a Harvard fellow and an award-winning journalist whose work on Eyes on the Prize and Boston Public Radio has earned an Oscar® nomination, an Emmy, and multiple national journalism awards.

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