On Saturday, Jan. 24, fans of the hit romance Heated Rivalry packed Love’s Sweet Arrow for an evening of fun, food, and a little friendly competition.
Love’s Sweet Arrow, located at 17200 Oak Park Ave., Suite 103, is a cozy Tinley Park bookstore known for bringing romance readers together. Roseann Backlin, one of the store’s co-owners, said the event, called ReHeated Rivalry, was their way of celebrating the story that has swept up millions of readers around the world. The book follows two rival hockey players who publicly clash but cannot seem to stay away from each other, a dynamic that clearly has readers hooked.
“We just love the books, and it’s so much fun to share that excitement with other people who get it,” Backlin said.
The night was full of themed treats, a trivia contest to see who knew the most about the story, and even a craft station where fans could make their own bracelets. Some attendees got to watch an episode together, laughing and gasping at the on-screen drama.
Backlin said all the food and drinks that night were provided by the store, but she is hoping to mix things up with more goodies at future events.
“What I loved most was just getting to hang out with other romance readers and talk books,” she said. “This story really brings people together. It is just a lot of fun.”
Even though all three nights of ReHeated Rivalry sold out, Backlin encouraged anyone who missed it to stop by Love’s Sweet Arrow. “Even if you missed these events, there is always something fun happening here, and we have plenty of books that will make you laugh, swoon, and stay up way too late reading,” she said.