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Sunday Smut Book Club
Past event
Featured Book

Scandal of the Summer
A desperate debutante meets a ragtag smuggler in this sexy Regency romp by USA Today bestselling author Alexandra Vasti.
Eccentric heiress Lady Ruby Ballimore has had enough of the Marriage Mart. After offending yet another Very Important Marquess―and imperiling her father’s diplomatic career―Ruby flees London for the holiday house of a glamorous (and better yet, absent) princess. Armed with a forged invitation and accompanied by her like-minded friends, Ruby arrives at the Cornwall estate expecting a summer of blissful freedom.
Instead, she discovers a derelict mansion and the most suspiciously charming man she’s ever met.
Former privateer and current con artist Captain Malcolm Archer has dragged his ramshackle crew into a new life. Posing as staff at a princess’s abandoned estate provides the perfect cover for Archer’s smuggling scheme (not to mention free rent). Everything’s going according to plan―until an unorthodox London heiress crashes the party.
But when Archer and his crew attempt to frighten off their uninvited guests, Ruby’s unfazed by insect invasions and sham sea monsters. Harder to ignore? The scorching heat between the rakish pirate and the debutante who can see right through him. As sparks fly, deceptions run wild―because in this Great Cornish Fake Off, the only thing riskier than telling the truth is falling in love.
This book will be available for purchase at the event.
About This Event
Bookseller Alicia hosts our Sunday Smut Book Club on the last Sunday of the month (most months!) at 3:30pm. Sunday Smut reads are the latest in romance novels with a range of subgenres, sexual and gender identities, and spice levels. Questions? Email alicia@bookedevanston.com.
In Conversation With
Alicia Ross
Alicia (she/her) is the intrepid leader of the Sunday Smut adult romance book club and bookworm wrangler for the Adventurers Guild middle grade book club at Booked in Evanston. Born and raised in the south, she arrived in Chicagoland by way of Northwestern and hasn’t left since becoming a regular at her local coffee shop. Alicia enjoys romances both weird and devastating, adventures both cozy and treacherous, talking about books of all kinds.
About the Venue

Booked
Booked is an independent bookstore located at 506 Main St. in Evanston, Illinois, that carries a diverse selection of books for children and adults. In fact, it is our favorite independent bookstore, but we are biased, because we own it. We host author events, story times, book clubs, crafting events, birthday parties, just-because parties, and more.
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Sunday Smut Book Club
Special! Join us for the last Sunday Smut book club of the year! We'll of course trade thoughts on the book, but we will additionally share treats potluck style, and talk about our favorite reads of 2026! Bookseller Alicia hosts our Sunday Smut Book Club on the last Sunday of the month (most months!) at 3:30pm. Sunday Smut reads are the latest in romance novels with a range of subgenres, sexual and gender identities, and spice levels. Questions? Email alicia@bookedevanston.com.