RARE London 2027 Update: Why More Than 100 Romance Authors Have Withdrawn
The fallout surrounding RARE London 2027 has moved far beyond a handful of author cancellations.
Over the last several days, romance authors have been publicly announcing that they will no longer attend the event, following backlash over RARE’s social-media response to a new LGBTQIA+ romance signing planned for Melbourne in 2028. A refund-dispute template now being shared among affected ticket holders states that more than 100 advertised authors withdrew within a 24-hour period. That number should be treated carefully until RARE releases a complete, current attendee list, but there is no question that the withdrawal wave is substantial.
For readers who bought tickets because of specific authors, the situation has become much bigger than internet drama. It is now a question of whether the event they paid for still resembles the event that was advertised.
What started the controversy?
The immediate issue involved Crave: Chapter One, a new LGBTQIA+ romance event announced for Melbourne on April 1, 2028. Crave positioned itself as an event intended to create space for queer romance readers and authors.
RARE was also scheduled to hold an event in Melbourne on the same date. Its response to the announcement, including replies on Threads, was widely criticized by readers and authors who felt the organization should have supported the new event rather than treating it as competition.
What followed was not a disagreement that stayed contained to one comment section. Romance readers began sharing screenshots, discussing the situation across social media, and asking why two book events could not coexist. Authors began making their own decisions about whether they still wanted to be connected to RARE London 2027.
Which authors have publicly said they are out?
Many authors have announced their withdrawals themselves, and readers should rely on each author’s official channels for the most accurate information.
Ilona Andrews publicly confirmed that they would no longer be attending RARE London 2027, writing that they would still be traveling to London but would not be appearing at the event. The post also noted that Alyssa Day had withdrawn, alongside other authors.
Other author names reported as having withdrawn include Heather Long, Frankie Dianne Mallis, Becca Jackson, Tracie Podger, Meghan Ciana Doidge, Taylor Aston White, Laura Greenwood, and Nora Phoenix. That list is not necessarily complete, and it may be outdated by the time you read this. The number of public announcements has continued to grow.
That is part of what makes this situation so difficult for ticket holders. A convention lineup is not a minor detail. For many readers, it is the reason they choose one event over another, book a hotel, plan travel, buy tickets, and arrange time away from work or family.
Why readers are now talking about refunds
As author withdrawals mounted, ticket holders began discussing whether they should seek refunds.
A template shared online argues that the scale of the cancellations has “materially changed” the event from what was originally advertised. It asks payment providers to consider whether a ticket holder received the event they reasonably believed they were buying when they chose to attend.
That does not mean every refund request will be approved. Ticket terms, local consumer protections, payment method rules, timing, and individual circumstances all matter. Readers should not assume that a social-media post or a dispute template guarantees a refund.
But the frustration is understandable. If a reader bought a ticket specifically to meet one author, losing that author is disappointing. If they bought it to meet a large group of authors and much of the announced lineup changes in a very short period, that is a different situation entirely.
Anyone considering a refund request should keep copies of the original event listing, their order confirmation, screenshots of the author lineup when they purchased, and any current event communications. They should also check the organizer’s published terms and their payment provider’s dispute process.
What remains unclear
There are still important unanswered questions.
RARE has not, at the time of writing, provided one easy public source showing the original London 2027 lineup beside the current confirmed lineup. That makes it difficult for ticket holders to understand the full scale of the changes without doing their own research.
It is also unclear how RARE plans to communicate future lineup changes, whether ticket holders will receive additional guidance, and what steps the organization will take to rebuild trust with readers and authors who felt its response to the Melbourne event was harmful.
The story has developed rapidly, which means readers should be cautious about viral posts that do not link to an author’s own statement or a verifiable source. There is a difference between reporting that an author has publicly withdrawn and repeating speculation about private conversations or motives.
This is about more than one convention
The reason this story has struck such a nerve is not just that a major romance event has lost authors. It is that the controversy centered on a new LGBTQIA+ romance event trying to create room for queer readers and writers.
Romance has always depended on community: readers recommending books to each other, authors showing up for one another, and events creating a place where people can openly celebrate the stories they love. When an organization appears dismissive of a smaller event serving queer romance readers, people are going to notice. And they are going to decide whether that organization still represents the kind of community they want to support.
For now, the practical advice is simple: if you are attending RARE London 2027, check the current lineup carefully, follow the individual authors you hoped to see, and make decisions based on confirmed information rather than rumor.
This story is still developing.
Sources:
Ilona Andrews: “Going to London. Not Going to RARE.”
Book Notification: Authors Boycott RARE London 2027 Over LGBTQIA+ Event Controversy
The Picture of Romance: “A Very RARE Cancellation”