FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Love Lit Fest 2025 Announces All-Star, Inclusive Author Line-Up
A New Kind of Literary Festival is Here—And It's All About Love
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/love-lit-fest-tickets-1291318160379
London, UK - July 7 2025 — Move over, heartbreak and brooding antiheroes—Love Lit Fest is rewriting the narrative. Presented by Hashtag BLAK (www.hashtagblak.co.uk), this bold new online literary festival debuts on Saturday 20th September 2025, offering a joyful, inclusive, and refreshingly modern celebration of love in all its forms.
Whether it's romantic, LGBTQ+, neurodivergent, second-chance, sibling, or self-love—the inauguralLove Lit Fest brings together bestselling, award-winning, and boundary-breaking authors to explore how love shapes our lives and our stories.
With a stellar line-up including Jennifer Niven (All the Bright Places), Katherine Webber (Twin Crowns), Danielle Jawando (If My Words Had Wings), and Abiola Bello (The Love Dare), this year's event promises both heart and heat. Panels range from swoony rom-coms and fantastical love stories to deep dives into self-worth, grief, and second chances.
"Love is universal—but how we write, read and experience it is deeply personal," says festival co-director and award-winning authorAbiola Bello. "We created Love Lit Fest to reflect the real world—chaotic, beautiful, diverse—and give readers and writers a space to connect, laugh, cry, and celebrate love in all its glory."
Festival co-director and founder of Literally PR, Helen Lewis, adds: "We wanted to spotlight stories that don't always get centre stage but should—written by and for underrepresented communities to improve diversity and inclusion. This festival is for everyone who genuinely loves reading, connecting with authors, and with each other."
About this event
Love Lit Fest is a new, vibrant, diverse & inclusive, online literary festival presented by Hashtag BLAK, celebrating love in all its forms—romantic, LGBTQ+, neurodivergent, sibling, family, friendship, and more. Through powerful author conversations, inspiring panel discussions, and interactive workshops, we'll explore the many ways love shapes our lives and stories. Whether you're a reader or writer, join us for a heartwarming celebration of love beyond the pages.
Date:September 20th 2025
Time:1-6pm (BST)
Where:Online!
Early bird tickets available
Author line up!
Jennifer Niven,NY Times bestselling author of All the Bright Places, Holding Up The Universe
Katherine Webber,bestselling author of Twin Crowns and Captain of Fates
Abiola Bello,bestselling and award-winning author of Love in Winter Wonderland and The Love Dare
Danielle Jawando,award-winning author of When Our Worlds Collided which won The Diverse Book Awards, Jhalak Prize and YA Book Prize and If My Words Had Wings, shortlisted for the YA Book Prize
Anika Hussain,author of This is How You Fall in Love which was shortlisted for the YA Book Prize and Heart Breaker
Lizzie Damilola Blackburn,author of The ReWrite and Yinka, Where Is Your Husband? which was shortlisted for The Diverse Book Awards
Jinwoo Chong,award-winning author of I Leave It Up to You and Flux, a New York Times Editor's Choice, and named a best book of 2023 by Apple Books
Radhika Sanghani,award-winning journalist and author of Here to Slay,shortlisted for the Spark Book Award
B. Wheeler,debut author of How NOT to Kiss a Prince
Panels and workshops (exact timings to be confirmed)
Love Yourself First: SelfLove & Inner Romance with Danielle Jawando and Radhika Sanghani
True love begins within. From spokenword healing to forging radical self-worth, Danielle and Radhika deliver an empowering conversation on selflove. They'll explore how self-acceptance can arise out of grief, silence negative voices, and blossom into joy—offering attendees insights into building a foundation of inner love that strengthens every relationship.
Heartfelt Journeys: Swoon and Heartbreaks with Abiola Bello & Anika Hussain
From meet-cutes to fake dates, heartbreak to healing—Abiola and Anika explore how YA romance reflects real teen emotions. With stories that centre Black and South Asian protagonists, cultural identity, and joyful self-expression, this panel celebrates why love stories for young people matter more than ever... and the importance of the ‘com' in YA rom-com.
Enchanted Hearts: Love in Fantasy Worlds with Katherine Webber and B. Wheeler
From magical kingdoms to forbidden kisses, Katherine and B. Wheeler explore the joy of writing romance in fantastical settings. This panel dives into world building with heart, queer love stories with sparkle, and why magical alternate realities can be the perfect setting to let romance run wild.
Back to You: Second-Chance Sparks with Jinwoo Chong & Lizzie Damilola Blackburn
What happens when life gives you another shot at love? Jinwoo and Lizzie explore the beauty, awkwardness, and power of second chances—whether it's rediscovering who you are or reigniting something you thought was lost forever. This panel dives into stories where old flames spark new beginnings.
Writing the Intimate Moment: YA Romance Scenes with New York Times bestselling YA author Jennifer Niven
Jennifer will guide attendees through crafting emotionally true, scene by scene, YA romance—whether it's a sizzling first kiss or a tender confession.
PLUS...
Would you like the chance to have a 1-2-1 with Love Lit Festival Founders and co-directors of Hashtag BLAK - award-winning author Abiola Bello and prize-winning publicist Helen Lewis? Upgrade your ticket to get a (up to 45 mins) 1-2-1 strategy session/private Q&A with Abiola and Helen in the weeks after the Love Lit Fest (online on Zoom). Limited numbers! Price includes the 1-2-1 and entry to Love Lit Fest!
Whether you're a hopeless romantic or romance-averse, an emerging writer or lifelong reader—Love Lit Fest invites you to join a celebration that goes beyond the pages and straight to the heart.
For interview requests, review copies or press passes to the festival, please contact:
Helen Lewis|publicity@hashtagpress.co.uk
www.hashtagblak.co.uk|www.hashtagpress.co.uk|www.instagram.com/lovelit_fest/