Fall in love with a character, fall in love with a mythical world, or fall in love with writing over and over again. The Portland Book Festival has plenty swoon worthy books and romance themed events that will have you head over heals. Join us Saturday, November 8, 2025 for wonderful panels with some of your favorite romance authors and exciting events that will inspire your next story.
Romance Line-Up:
Here is a suggested line-ups of events for romance readers who want nothing but meet-cutes and emotional chaos:
Speed Dating for Artists & Writers on Tuesday, November 4 at 7-8:30 p.m.
Visual artists and poets meet up and match up in the speed dating format. Sitting across from each other at a too-tiny table, artists and writers have five decisive minutes to make art with words and images, dream up a project or just grouse about funding. No sparks? No problem. There’s another dreamboat just after the next bell.
If you’re looking for a different type of romance, try Romance Rising on a Full Moon on Wednesday, November 5, 7:30-9 p.m.
Join the Lincoln High School Romance Book Club for a romance reader experience with other readers that speak the same love-language. Make friends and grow that TBR list at Lincoln High School Romance Book Club where there will be free refreshments and giveaways!
At Portland Book Festival:
Start your festival day with Star-Crossed with Alanna Bennett & Dustin Thao at 10:30-11:30 a.m. in the Brunish Theater.
Authors Alanna Bennet and Dustin Thao as they talk about the characters in their YA novels and their journey in navigating a relationship that has the odds stacked against them.
If you move quick you can make it to the First Congregational UCC in time for Meet Cute: Jasmine Guillory & Adib Khorram from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.
Jasmine Guillory (Flirting Lessons) and Adib Khorram (It Had to Be Him) join Anita Kelly for a panel on queer contemporary romance—you know: type A meets type B, [insert reasons why they can’t be together], and they fall in love. It might be the right person, but is it the right time?
At midday, take your pick between Sweet and Sour with Alexis Castellanos & Aashna Avachat at 12:45-1:45 p.m. at the Park Stage.
Authors Alexis Castellanos and Aashna Avachat chat about serendipitous and unexpected young love featuring all the juicy stuff including but not limited to: fake dating, handsome gardeners, the romanticization of food, big secrets, and butterflies.
or High Infidelity with Jon Raymond & Emily Adrian at 12-1 p.m. in the Winningstad Theater.
Jon Raymond and Emily Adrian while they talk about love in stories—not to be confused with Love Stories. Each novel shares a basic structure; a writer takes to the page to grapple with their role in a married couple’s romance and negotiates the line between betrayal (of themselves, friends, the universe, their professional lives) and desire (concerning the same things).
Haunted with Kalynn Bayron & Marissa Meyer at 5-6 p.m. at the First Congressional UCC stage.
Finish your day with Kalynn Bayron and Marissa Meyer in a panel on their most recent novels and the (un)dead that haunt their protagonists. There are dark family secrets to be uncovered, paranormal activities in the air, and the siren call of young love to be discussed.
