Romance books are having a moment
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Niche bookstores and clubs courting people who love to read about love are popping up across the country.
Why it matters: The romance genre is red-hot and starry-eyed fans are demanding more access to stories that defy age-old tropes and stereotypes.
What's happening: Stores and pop-ups dedicated to selling romance novels have debuted in cities including Chicago, Minneapolis and Mooresville in the last year.
- They join a small but growing number of lusty literature shops opening in places ranging from San Diego to Boston.
Driving the trend: Data from consumer research firm Circana shows print sales of romance novels as of the end of May 2023 were up 52% year over year.
- Industry experts say the growth is fueled in part by TV adaptations and #BookTok bringing new and younger readers into the fold.
What they're saying: "My mom was a romance reader and she read those Fabio books," said Jackey Brake, owner of Mooresville's Rose Romance bookstore. "They were made to feel ashamed of their reading. This generation … We don't give a s--t."
- "Yeah, that's a sexy man on my book cover. What are you going to do about it?"
- Brake opened Rose Romance, the Indy area's first romance-only bookstore, last year after visiting a similar store in Wichita, Kansas. She stocks all kinds of contemporary romance, from the "romantasy" of "The Empyrean" series to Emily Henry's more traditional tomes.
Between the lines: The genre has evolved beyond so-called bodice-rippers featuring shirtless Fabio on the cover. (Even though plenty of fans still love those classics).
- Modern romances feature main characters with a wide range of races, sexual orientations, gender identities and storylines.
- Romance reader Brett Beavers said contemporary romances are a great way back into reading for adults who fell out of the habit as life got busy.
- "Plus, who doesn't love a happy ending?" said Beavers, who hosts a romance book club called "Textual Tension" at The Whispering Shelf on College Avenue.
Zoom in: Even where there aren't dedicated romance shops, independent booksellers are filling the gap with special sections and events.
- Tomorrow Bookstore on Mass Ave. hosts a wildly popular romantasy reading group called the "Club of Power and Passion."
- The group has been so popular they've split into two nights each month and attendees are still stuffed into the store on every available chair and empty spot of floor.
"People were feral for it … is the way I keep describing it," said host Halley Smith.
- Smith says it's taken on a life of its own, becoming a place for fans of the genre to come together and discuss wild theories and predictions.
- And those fans come from all walks of life, she said, bringing together people who otherwise may not have interacted.
- "It's just been a ton of fun," she said. "Once you have a shared interest you are passionate about, it's easier to make friends with those people."