Lynn Painter with Jo Segura — 'First and Forever'

Fake dating gets messy when a football star falls for a diehard fan.

Third Place Books is pleased to welcome bestselling author Lynn Painter to our Lake Forest Park store for a conversation about her new book First and Forever: a romantic comedy about a football player who starts a relationship with an Internet-famous fan for PR brownie points...only to find that letting her go would be the biggest fumble of his life. Seattle author Jo Segura (Raiders of the Lost Heart) joins in conversation. Tickets are required in advance.

What you need to know:

• All tickets come with a copy of First and Forever. Books will be distributed at the event and cannot be picked up in advance.
• Tickets must be purchased through Eventbrite. Pre-ordering the book will NOT grant you access to the event.
• A limited number of VIP tickets are available. VIP tickets cost an additional $20 and include a pre-event tailgate party with Lynn. They are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
• If you purchase a ticket but are unable to attend the event, your book will be placed on hold at our Lake Forest Park store. You may request to have your book transferred to our Ravenna or Seward Park neighborhood stores.

Having trouble registering? See Eventbrite's troubleshooting FAQ here.

About First and Forever. . .

A football star and his team’s die-hard fan find themselves entangled in a PR stunt—that only one side knows is fake—but it might just be the right play…

Duffy Distefano loves three things: her dad, the family cat, and Minneapolis Coyote football. So after she gets booed out of a game and becomes the internet’s villain following an awful encounter with the team’s beloved mascot, she is disgruntled, to put it mildly. Eager to clear the air, Duffy agrees to an interview on a hit morning show. She doesn’t expect a co-guest to join her—especially not the Coyotes’ star tight end.

When MVP Connor Cunningham gets tasked with damage control to help his team out of a PR nightmare involving its mascot, he thinks that means saying a few words on the Coyotes’ behalf. Instead, he finds himself in a highly amusing verbal sparring match with a recently wronged fan on live TV. Duffy pelts him with fiery jabs but is also clearly diehard about the Coyotes—color him intrigued…and attracted.

The interview instantly goes viral, and the public is obsessed with them. A strong push from the Coyotes’ PR team to ride the wave results in Connor asking Duffy out. Despite his distaste for PR stunts, he discovers being with Duffy is much easier than he anticipated, and somehow it doesn’t feel fake to him. This secret can only blow up, but all he knows is that if he messes things up with Duffy, it’ll be the greatest fumble of his life.

Lynn Painter is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of romantic comedies for teens and adults. When she isn't reading or writing, she can usually be found binge-watching rom-coms or shotgunning energy drinks.

USA Today bestselling author Jo Segura lives in the Pacific Northwest with her doggo, who vies for her attention with his sweet puppy dog eyes whenever she’s trying to write. Her stories feature strong, passionate heroines and draw upon aspects of her life, such as her Mexican heritage and her fascination with archaeology. When she’s not writing you can find her practicing law, shaking up a mean cocktail, or sitting out on the patio doing Buzzfeed quizzes (though she doesn’t care what the chicken nugget quiz said–her favorite fruit is not banana).

About Third Place Books

Founded in 1998 in Lake Forest Park, Washington, Third Place Books is dedicated to the creation of a community around books and the ideas inside them. With locations in Lake Forest Park and Seattle's Ravenna and Seward Park neighborhoods, Third Place Books is proud to serve the entire Seattle metro area. Learn more about their event series at thirdplacebooks.com/events.