Book Launch: Sophie Lee's "Beyond Palatable"

Too loud. Too emotional. Too ambitious. Too… powerful? What happens when you stop dimming your light and dare to shine?

This free event will launch award-winning East Yorkshire journalist and author Sophie Lee's new book, Beyond Palatable, coming out on March 8, 2026 (pre-order your copy here). Described as "a snackable read that gives womxn full permission to exist"--loudly, defiantly, unapologetically--Beyond Palatable is a manifesto for women who are done shrinking. Sophie Lee calls time on bending to societal norms and exposes the lies that keep women small, compliant and exhausted.

Through somatic wisdom (a field that emphasises body awareness and mindful movement for wellbeing), cultural critique and practical tools, she shows readers how to unpick their stories, disrupt the systems that silence them, and remember who the f*ck they are.

Raw, unfiltered and unapologetically honest, Beyond Palatable is both a personal reckoning and a cultural intervention. It’s a book for every woman who has ever asked: Am I too much? Not enough? Too complicated to be loved as I am? For all of the women who have shrunk themselves to fit in. For us, our younger selves and the girls who are growing up in a world of filters, loud expectations and conflicting messages about what it means to be a woman.

SOPHIE JANE LEE is an award-winning journalist turned voice and visibility consultant based in East Yorkshire. She’s worked with thousands of women to help them find their voice, tell their stories, and share their message with confidence and impact. A graduate of Sussex University, Sophie is also a passionate mental health advocate and the creator of Self Expression Sessions, a UK-wide initiative that creates live experiences for people to connect, create, and express themselves freely. Through her work, she helps others turn vulnerability into power and self-expression into impact.

A conversation with the author and readings of excerpts from the book, followed by an audience Q&A and book signing. The event will be held in person in room K/122 at King's Manor, the University of York's city centre location on Exhibition Square, next to the York Fine Art Gallery (find it on Google Maps). This is a heritage site with some cobbled pathways to the room. The room is wheelchair accessible with an induction system and fixed microphone that covers the main flexible seating area. It does, however, have limited quality at higher frequencies. Ground-floor gendered bathrooms on site.

Parking & mobility: View venue accessibility and contact information here. Limited on-site parking for blue badge holders, visitors, and University of York staff available, though please review the parking information before arrival. More paid parking available nearby in Bootham Row Car Park.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

King's Manor, University of York, Exhibition Square, York, United Kingdom

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