Romance bookstores are having a meet-cute moment  

Things are getting hot and heavy between the covers.

Just when you thought love was dead for independent bookstores, thanks to online shopping and social media, those very forces helped drive an IRL resurgence — especially for romance bookstores, per Inc.

The romance bookstore boom is rapidly growing across the US — and abroad — driven by a rise in romance reading during the pandemic and BookTok, the TikTok community that serves as a virtual book club.

Love is in the air

No longer confined to back corners of bookstores or worn copies with steamy Fabio covers secreted away in beach totes, romance novels are proudly celebrated at dedicated shops with enticing names like Knotty Novels and Kiss and Tale.

The Ripped Bodice, the first romance-only bookstore, opened in 2016 after sisters Bea and Leah Koch raised $90k on Kickstarter. They've since opened a New York outpost, and inspired countless other — often women-owned — shops:

• Over 230 romance bookstores opened in the past three years, including 50 this year.
• About 335 romance bookstores opened worldwide, including the UK and Canada.

Romance bookstores typically offer a different vibe than most shops. Customers enjoy a judgment-free zone and receive recommendations for a diverse array of subgenres, including supernatural, historical, LGBTQ, romantasy, and sports-themed (we see you, Heated Rivalry). Many shops double as community hubs with book clubs, writing workshops, and craft nights.

The stores are stoking the flames of romance book sales and indulging in their ascent:

• Romance print book sales more than doubled from 18m in 2020 to 39m in 2023.
• The genre was the highest-grossing from 2022-203 and drove $1.44B in revenue.
• In 2024, the genre helped push print book sales into the black.
• Sales hit 51m units last year, a 24% YoY increase.
• There were 59m print book sales tied to BookTok-related content in 2024.

Long derided as trashy and clichéd, and ignored by reviewers, fiction's best-selling genre is starting to get the respect it deserves and a deserving home in dedicated stores.

Whether you're looking for an apron tugger or a Regency love triangle, the diverse array of romance subgenres offers a little something for everyone.