Love Stories etc... Romance Festival 2025

Love Stories etc... Festival 2025 took place at the beautiful Manchester Central Library on the 25th and 26th July. If you're a romance lover, live in the northern parts of the UK, and didn't attend this event... You missed out.

QUICK FACTS:

• Organiser: Manchester Central Library and Simon & Schuster UK

• Location: Manchester, UK

• Price: ££ (out of 5)

• Value for money: £££££ (out of 5)

• Open to: UK and International readers and writers

DETAILS

Unlike the inaugural 2024 festival, which run for a single day with multiple talks running at the same time, Love Stories etc... 2025 run over two days with all talks taking place in the same room, at a lovely pace, and with 15mins breaks in between. This change meant that attendees could attend every single talk. Personally, I loved the new format.

The first day was dedicated to authors with workshops on author branding, marketing your book, and the art of writing. The second day was dedicated to readers with author interviews, panels, and signings.

There were four main types of tickets available:

• Friday only - for authors at £22.38 + booking fee

• Saturday only - for readers at £22.38 + booking fee

• Full Festival - including both days at £33.22 + booking fee

• V.I.P. Ticket - including both days, after-party, and goodie bag at £38.62 + booking fee

But there were also concessionary tickets for students, over 60's, disabilities, and low income.

V.I.P. ticket holders had entry to the author and agent meet and greet on Saturday evening. This year, this after-party took place in the heritage Committee Room at Manchester Central Library—with views over St Peter's Square and gorgeous paneled walls, as well as nibbles and an open bar.

The V.I.P. goodie bag included sweet treats, a pen, sticker, bookish pin, bookmarks, book promo and three books, including a sprayed edge edition of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. Yes! You read that right—sprayed edges!

For new authors like me, Love Stories etc... also offered a series of super helpful industry workshops. My favourite was Clare Gardner's (@theauthorslounge) talk on How to Create an Authentic Visual Personal Brand for Authors. And on both days a series of new and established authors took to the stage to talk about writing, reading, and Romance as a genre. There were so many panels that it was hard to pick a favourite, but I loved meeting Heidi Swain and Isabelle Broom.

And what would a book festival be without a bookshop? Waterstones Manchester was there, selling the books of all authors present, including early copies of upcoming releases!

WHO ATTENDED

There were over thirty-five authors in attendance. And Saturday saw nine author panels and interviews as well as ten signings take place.

It's no secret that Romance Fiction as a genre is dominated by us lovely ladies. But it was great to also see male and LGBTQIA+ writers and readers all come together under the same roof up North.

And of course, the beautiful and amazing readers' community was also there. I can honestly say that I've never met a group of people that is so friendly, welcoming and willing to share and support each other as the Romance Lovers.

I still can't believe an event of this caliber now takes place on my doorstep.

WILL I ATTEND AGAIN?

I loved this event so much and was so absorbed by the workshops, talks and the people I met that I barely took any pictures. So absolutely! I will be there with bells ringing next year.