Bound to Dine: A Dining Experience for Readers
Books, Dinner & Conversation
Join us for a bookish evening in Summer Hill.
Beginning at Rose Read Bookshop settle in with a glass of wine and listen to an in-conversation featuring Emma Babbington and Dinuka McKenzie, hosted by Joshua Hortinela, before heading to Postino Osteria for a shared dinner.
Designed as a relaxed night out for readers, this Bound to Dine event brings together great conversation, good food and the chance to meet people who love books too. The in-conversation is enjoyable whether you already know Emma and Dinuka’s work, are curious about their genres, or simply love hearing about the stories behind a book.
Afterwards, continue the evening over dinner, with plenty of time to chat with fellow guests and the authors around the table. Come with friends or on your own - solo guests are always very welcome, and the night is designed to feel easy, social and inclusive from start to finish.
What's Included
Entry to Bound & Co's intimate reader dining experience
A gift from Poco Vino
A glass of wine at The Rose Read Bookshop
In-conversation & book signing with authors Emma Babbington and Dinuka McKenzie at Rose Read Bookstore
Shared dinner at Postino Osteria Summer Hill with the authors and fellow guests
Thoughtfully hosted discussions throughout the evening
Lineup
Dinuka McKenzie
Dinuka McKenzie is the author of the Detective Kate Miles crime series, The Torrent, Taken and Tipping Point, published in Australia and the UK. She is the winner of the 2020 HarperCollins Australia Banjo Prize. Her writing has been shortlisted for the Sisters in Crime Davitt Awards, the Bad Sydney Crime Danger Awards, and longlisted for the Richell Prize. Dinuka lives with her family in Southern Sydney on Dharawal country. She Lied First, a standalone psychological suspense, is her fourth novel.
She Lied First
The stunning new standalone psychological thriller from the author of the popular Detective Kate Miles series. The dream apartment. The start of a grand adventure. And two lives about to unravel. Devika is living her best life, moving out of home in her final year of university. Close to the beach and away from her mother. Independent and self-sufficient, just like Kalyani. There's just one awful secret that Kal can never find out about. Kalyani has it made. A new job. A unit she can afford, and her little sister as her roomie. She's finally achieved the life she's always wanted. Except for the one big thing she's yet to confide in Devi. A truth that gets harder to reveal the longer she waits. When their lives are torn apart by betrayal, and Kal refuses to forgive her sister, Devi must peel back everything she thought she knew to rediscover Kalyani, lie by lie and secret by secret.
Emma Babbington
Emma Babbington is a London-born, Sydney-based author and journalist. Her debut novel The Neighbours was released in 2025 by HQ, part of HarperCollins and her second, The Gardens, is out now. Both are part psychological thriller, part family mysteries – her favourite genres to read and write. Emma’s 25 year career in the UK and Australia, on newspapers and magazines, has seen her interview celebrities, everyday heroes and even the occasional criminal. This provides plenty of inspiration for her writing. You can connect with Emma on Instagram @emmababbington or Facebook @emmababbingtonauthor or www.emmababbington.com – or you can probably find her at a book event, her favourite social activity. She lives not far from the harbour with her family and cat.
The Gardens
When human bones are found in the garden attached to the glamorous London home where she grew up, Jess McIntyre prepares to receive the news she has dreaded for thirty-four years: that her sister, Nina, is dead and now here is the proof. Nina disappeared without a trace in 1992, aged eighteen, the summer she fell in with a charismatic group of friends who squatted in a vacant house on the other side of Willow Gardens. Having moved to Australia years ago, widow and single mum Jess arrives back in London to provide a DNA sample to help the investigation, with her teenage son, Ollie, in tow. As they try and unravel the secrets of Nina's past, and her connection to a sinister cult, will they discover that some bodies are best left buried…?
Host - Joshua Hortinela
Joshua Hortinela is a writer and bookseller who also works in social media marketing. A passionate reader, he has worked in the book industry for nearly ten years. He also works as a freelance writer, photographer and moderator for events. When he’s not adding a ridiculous number of books to his staff holds at work, he can be found reading romance novels, rewatching 13 Going On 30 for the millionth time, or drinking a cosmopolitan. He lives in Sydney and can tell you where to find the best coffee or cocktail in town.
FAQs
- Do I need to have read Emma or Dinuka's book before attending?
Not at all. This isn't a book club, and no pre-reading is required. The evening is designed to be enjoyed whether you're already familiar with their work or discovering it for the first time.
- Can I come on my own?
Absolutely. Many guests attend Bound & Co events solo. The evening is thoughtfully hosted, with introductions and discussion prompts designed to help guests connect naturally.
- Will there be assigned seating?
Guests will be seated as a group to encourage conversation and connection throughout the evening, we will direct you to your seats.
- Can dietary requirements be accommodated?
Yes all dietary restrictions can be accommodated, please advise any dietary requirements when booking.
- What if I don't drink wine?
A glass of wine or non alcoholic beverage is included at the bookstore.
Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix dedicates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity
