April 9 was a dream come true. I love being in conversation with authors, and being invited to chat with romance author L.J. Shen was a true honor.
Ok, wait for it…it was the wildest dream come true! Yes, I went there. But it’s true!
As soon as I arrived at the Barnes & Noble in Coral Springs, I knew the evening was going to be something special.
From the moment I stepped through the "Deliveries" door in the back (yes, I felt like a VIP sneaking backstage), I was treated like pure royalty by the incredible B&N Coral Springs store team and the Bloom Books author, who was all smiles and as excited about the event as I truly was.
Kelly and her amazing staff were so warm and welcoming, helping me get settled and introducing me to the brilliant and delightful L.J. Shen. We chatted, prepped, and then at 7 p.m., the magical and fun event was about to begin.
We were super excited to walk inside the bookstore and to see so many eager readers and attendees waiting for our conversation to start. It was a true highlight of the evening, just sharing our joy of reading romance books, and books in general, together.
It was a blast to moderate the Q&A with L.J. (who is as hilarious and down-to-earth as she is talented). So many laughs were had as we chatted, and she was such a great conversation partner and I loved how she spoke not only her passion for writing, but also her family.
We dove into her new book "Wildest Dreams" — which has a special edition for B&N available, which you can pick up if local, exclusively in-stores and at B&N Coral Springs — and chatted about forbidden love, swoony tropes, grumpy heroes, and how she brings humor, heart, and spice into her storytelling. She even teased and spoke about what’s up next for her, including the third and last book in her "Forbidden Love" series ("Wildest Dreams" is the second one in the series), which she promised would be “quite dark, so get ready!”
Based on the audience’s reaction, we are all ready for a dark romance as part of the series, as cheers and applause erupted from the crowd. I can relate!
From audience laughs to heartfelt questions, the night felt more like a cozy book club with friends than a formal event. The pink mic? Iconic. The fans? Electric. The vibes? Immaculate. After the Q&A, L.J. signed books, posed for photos, and made every single person feel seen and special. Thank you to the incredible L.J. Shen (follow her here), the kind team at Barnes & Noble Coral Springs, and the amazing folks at Bloom Books for such a memorable, bookish evening.
I left with a huge smile, a signed copy of "Wildest Dreams," and a heart full of gratitude. And I’m SO ready for the last installment in the series!
Ok, more than ready. I need is ASAP. You heard that, Bloom Books? Hint, hint…we cannot wait!
Want to grab a copy of the B&N special edition of "Wildest Dreams?" This one is only available in-store at Barnes & Noble, so make your way over and grab it. It’s worth the read, and it’s at times nice to have a pretty special edition on your bookshelf!
