Accompanied by a surprise speaker, both authors bring the rom-com spirit to Davis
By IQRA AHMAD — arts@theaggie.org
Attention all rom-com aficionados! Grab your popcorn and front-row seats, because a queen of romance literature has graced our humble college town with her presence. Sarah Adams, the New York Times bestselling author with a knack for writing swoon-worthy moments, joined USA Today bestseller Julie Soto for a night in Downtown Davis.
The Avid Reader rolled out the literary and metaphoric red carpet at the Veterans Memorial Theater to host Adams and Soto as they charmed the audience to discuss Adams’ latest release in her four-part “When in Rome” series: “Beg, Borrow, or Steal.” (Spoiler Alert: it debuted at #4 on the New York Times Best Sellers list of Paper Trade Fiction in just eight days.)
Guests were greeted with a signed copy of Adams’ new book. Attendees, true to the spirit of book lovers anywhere, lined up immediately to buy more books because, honestly, you can never have too many.
Inside the theater, the ambiance was set. Songs from Taylor Swift, Gracie Abrams and Sabrina Carpenter created a cozy and lighthearted atmosphere that felt like the absolute perfect soundtrack to a rom-com. Adams later shared that this newest release is best read listening to “Imgonnagetyouback” from Taylor Swift’s “The Tortured Poets Department.”
Attendees mixed, mingled and buzzed with excitement as they snapped selfies with one another to capture the magic. The hall was nearly sold out, with just a few empty seats left, and let’s face it, those seats were probably saved for latecomers stuck in traffic. The crowd was packed and ready, anticipation bubbling as they waited for Adams and Soto to step onstage.
When the duo finally appeared, they kicked off things with jokes and playful banter. Adams entertained the crowd with a fun tidbit: Each of her books is loosely inspired by an Audrey Hepburn film — cue the collective oohs and aahs from the audience. Adams also shared that some scenes and interactions between her characters are a nod to the little moments between her and her husband.
As Adams shared her journey into writing, she described how it all started during her kids’ nap times when she wanted to rekindle the joy of falling in love with literature.
“Every woman has a closet of romance books,” Adams said.
The event continued to unfold with a lively Q&A, where eager attendees lined up to ask Adams about everything from her writing process to overcoming challenges. With refreshing honesty, Adams admitted that she takes feedback personally: “Don’t we all?”
Adams and Soto, proving they are as kind as they are talented, stayed late to meet their fans. They signed and personalized up to three books per attendee (a true test of wrist stamina), chatted with readers and posed for photos. The line to meet them snaked through the hall, but no one seemed to mind — for fans, this is the rom-com equivalent of meeting royalty.
If this sounds like the kind of event you don’t want to miss, be sure to check out The Avid Reader for future author meet-ups. Who knows? Your next favorite writer might be just a bookstore visit away!
Written by: Iqra Ahmad — arts@theaggie.org
