SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse Crunch are holding Hockey Romance Night on Saturday, Dec. 5 when the team hosts the Hamilton Hammers at 7 p.m.
 
Hockey Romance Night will celebrate the popular sports romance genre and feature best-selling romance authors Sarina Bowen, Sloane St. James, Brittanée Nicole and Emily Rath. During the game, Memorial Hall will be transformed into a Book Fair with author autograph and meet-and-greet stations, a photo area and Lit Actually pop-up shop. Edgy Pages will also be in attendance with a table in the concourse with custom book-edge artwork available for purchase.
 
Hockey Romance VIP Packages will go on sale on Wednesday, July 22 at 12 p.m. The VIP Package is $65 and includes one hockey romance book, VIP access to the authors in attendance in the Crunch's Stage and Pit areas, one entry into a raffle basket giveaway and a postgame photo on the ice with a player.
 
Single game tickets for Hockey Romance Night will be available at a later date. Information on discounted tickets can be found by following Lit Actually on social media once single game tickets become available.
 
Sarina Bowen is a No. 1 Amazon bestselling author and a 25-time USA Today bestseller. Her books have appeared on "best of" lists from The New York Public Library, Barnes & Noble, Audible, Elle Magazine, Goodreads and Lit Hub. Formerly a derivatives trader on Wall Street, Sarina graduated magna cum laude from Yale University with a BA in economics. A New Englander whose Vermont ancestors cut timber and farmed the north country in the 1760s, Sarina is grateful for the invention of indoor plumbing and Wi-Fi during the intervening 250 years. She lives with her family on a few wooded acres in New Hampshire. Sarina's books are published in 20+ languages with more than two dozen publishers. She is a sitting council member on the Authors Guild, where she chairs the advocacy committee, and she is a member of Authors Against Book Bans.
 
Sloane St. James began writing after working with romance authors during the pandemic and immediately fell in love with the craft. It combines two of her favorite things. She loves writing strong, witty females and the dirty-talking men that love them--with a little suspense tossed in wherever she can. As an avid hockey fan, her Lakes Hockey series was a natural place to start and debuted in March 2023. When she's not writing, she enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and, of course, reading romance.
 
Brittanée Nicole lives in New England with her husband and two children. Known for her swoony men who always fall first, Brittanée loves stories centered around strong friendships that form the basis of a found family and messy, beautiful love that make her laugh. When she is not writing she enjoys spending time outdoors by the water with her children, reading at the beach or by the pool (or really anywhere), dancing with her friends, singing Karaoke, spinning, long walks by the water and boating.
 
Emily Rath is a New York Times, USA Today, and #1 Amazon bestselling author of romance and fantasy. Her books include the Second Sons Regency romance series, the Finnish mythology-inspired Tuonela fantasy duet, and the Jacksonville Rays hockey romance series. Emily started her career as an indie author, self-publishing her stories with little more than a hope and a prayer. Now, on Amazon alone, she's had over 800 million pages read of her books. Her works have been translated into fifteen languages and counting. She currently lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, son, and three unruly cats. She can be found online at EmilyRathBooks.com, on Instagram @emilyrathauthor and on TikTok @emilyrathbooks.
 
Lit Actually is Central New York's first and only romance-focused independent bookshop, located inside Olive's Eatery in Baldwinsville. From author signings and release parties to book clubs, themed pop-ups and large-scale community events, the shop creates memorable experiences that bring stories off the page and into real life. Lit Actually has welcomed bestselling authors, partnered with beloved local venues and helped grow a thriving romance-reading community throughout the region. For more information, visit www.litactuallybookshop.com. 
 
Ticket packages for the 2026-27 season are on sale now and can be purchased in person at the Crunch office located inside the Upstate Medical University Arena at Onondaga County War Memorial at 800 S. State St. in Syracuse, by calling the office at 315-473-4444 or online through Ticketmaster. For the latest Crunch news, visit www.syracusecrunch.com or follow the club on Facebook (www.facebook.com/syracusecrunch), X (@SyracuseCrunch) and Instagram (@syracusecrunch).