logo
Fans say new romance bookstores and online groups are giving the genre some overdue respect

Fans say new romance bookstores and online groups are giving the genre some overdue respect

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) — Romance novels have always spiced up quiet nights. Now, a genre that has sometimes been dismissed as a guilty pleasure is bringing readers and writers together through social media, book clubs and a growing number of romance-specific bookstores.
At a recent launch party for Nora Dahlia's enemies-to-friends romance 'Pick-Up' at Lovestruck Books, a romance-dedicated store in Cambridge, Massachusetts, a crowd of women sipped cocktails from the bar-café as they browsed the shelves.
After Dahlia's reading, patrons stuck around to mingle, swap contact info and trade author recommendations.
It was a particularly social event for a book talk. But the communal atmosphere is typical of events for
romance fans.
Dahlia likened romance readers to
'Comic-Con folks,'
referring to the deep-rooted passion that defines comic-book fandom.
'They're educated on the genre in a real way,' Dahlia said. 'Many of them started reading romance —
Danielle Steel,
V.C. Andrews, Jude Deveraux — as teenagers.'
At The Ripped Bodice bookstore in Brooklyn, New York, manager Katherine Zofri said romance fans who have connected online frequently come into the store to meet in person. Along with author events, the store hosts three different book clubs and a romance comedy night.
'We've had a couple proposals here, we've had a wedding here which was really fun,' Zofri said.
She said customers range 'from teenagers who are starting to really get into the romance genres to older folks who have been romance readers for their entire lives and remember way back when they were reading the Harlequins and romance wasn't as widely accepted.
'Now they're loving seeing how widely accepted romance has become.'
A boom in romance bookstores
Bookstores like Lovestruck and The Ripped Bodice (which has a flagship store in Los Angeles) have begun popping up all over the U.S., from Wichita, Kansas, to Wilmington, North Carolina, to Hopkinsville, Kentucky.
Of the 157 romance-dedicated bookstores in the American Booksellers Association, more than half opened within the last two years, aid Allison Hill, CEO of the group.
'Romance books have been one of the fastest growing book sales categories in recent years, driven by a number of factors including the need for escape reading and BookTok,' Hill said.
And the genre has evolved. 'The romance genre is more diverse in every way including character identity and plot,' she said.
Lovestruck's owner, Rachel Kanter, called the boom 'incredible — and honestly, overdue. Romance has always been one of the most commercially successful genres, but for a long time it didn't get the respect or space it deserved in the literary world.'
Romance-specific bookstores, she says, 'are places where readers can feel joy, comfort, and connection — and where love is taken seriously as a literary theme.'
A lifeline during COVID
As with many hobbies, romance fandom solidified and expanded after the COVID-19 pandemic.
'The pandemic had pushed so many people toward reading for escape and comfort, and romance became a lifeline for a lot of folks,' said Kanter.
'At the same time, there was a wider cultural shift happening — people were rethinking what mattered, craving joy and softness, and looking to support indie businesses that reflected their values. Romance, with all its hope and heart, met that moment beautifully,' she said.
Reimagining the romantic bond
Romance has countless subgenres — hockey romance, Western romance, LGBTQ romance, even romance set on prison planets. But a common theme is their 'inherently hopeful storylines,' says Elizabeth Michaelson Monaghan, a 52-year-old freelance writer and editor in New York who said she's read 'hundreds' of romance novels.
'Romance must have a happily-ever-after — or at least a happily-for-now. Romance writers and readers are very clear on this,' she said.
Romantic fiction that doesn't end that way? That's just a love story.
Traits of the romance genre also include strong character descriptions, attraction, conflict, and a satisfying resolution and emotional growth. Expect plenty of steam — some authors deploy it explicitly, others are more tame.
There's a long-standing culture of (mostly) women reading and sharing these books across generations.
'It is pleasurable to reimagine courtship or the romantic bond,' said Jayashree Kamble, professor of English at LaGuardia Community College and president of the International Association for the Study of Popular Romance. 'There is limited risk involved.'
Kamble has been a voracious romance reader since her teenage years in India, where she devoured Harlequin romances.
Romance novels, she said, are 'a lovely reminder that individualism and companionship can go together. These are basic bonds.'
Community: online and in real life
Podcasts, too, have become a source for discovering what's trending. Andrea Martucci, creator and host of the romance-focused 'Shelf Love' podcast, said romance bookstores have become places of connection akin, in some ways, to churches — for the romantically devoted.
'I can go to a bookstore and not just find people who love books,' she said, 'but find people who love the very same books I love.'
As Annabel Monaghan, author of several love stories including 'Nora Goes Off Script,' puts it, 'People who read romance want to feel good. And when you gather a bunch of people who want to feel good, it's magic.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Rapper GloRilla busted for drug possession following break-in at Atlanta home — and blasts cops for nabbing her instead of burglars
Rapper GloRilla busted for drug possession following break-in at Atlanta home — and blasts cops for nabbing her instead of burglars

New York Post

time24 minutes ago

  • New York Post

Rapper GloRilla busted for drug possession following break-in at Atlanta home — and blasts cops for nabbing her instead of burglars

Rapper GloRilla was hit with drug charges after cops found a large stash of marijuana in her Georgia home while investigating a break-in – and the Grammy-nominated artist is now slamming police for arresting her instead of the burglars. The 'Yeah Glo' hitmaker, whose real name is Gloria Hallelujah Woods, was slapped with possession of marijuana and a controlled substance after voluntarily turning herself into police on Tuesday, according to the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office. GloRilla's arrest came after deputies responded to reports of a break-in at her Atlanta home around 1:30 a.m. Sunday – just hours after she performed at halftime during the WNBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis. 4 Rapper GloRilla was arrested after cops found cannabis in her closet during a home invasion investigation. Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP Police said three bandits – who still remain at large – broke into the 25-year-old's home and were in the middle of stealing items when someone inside opened fire, prompting the uninjured thieves to flee. While investigating the brazen intrusion, deputies smelled 'a strong odor' and discovered 'a significant amount of marijuana' in plain view inside the 'F.N.F. (Let's Go)' artist's master bedroom closet. GloRilla, who was previously busted for a DUI last April, was released Tuesday on a $22,260 bond. 4 She was previously arrested last April for a DUI. Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office 'My House got Home Invaded Saturday while I was in Indianapolis performing for the WNBA all star game & instead of focusing on finding the Suspects, they focus on some cannabis,' the Tennessee native said in a fiery X post Thursday afternoon. 'Long story short my house gets home invaded and Im the only one that gets arrested. So that's tea.' The rapper's 'traumatized' family was inside the home when the intruders struck — allegedly making off with 'high value jewelry,' her lawyers said in a statement, blasting their client's arrest as a 'disturbing window into how warped law enforcement priorities have become.' 4 GloRilla slammed police for arresting her instead of the three suspected bandits in fiery post on X. GloRilla ð¦ 'When her family members did the right thing and called law enforcement, instead of investigating the violent home invasion and theft at Ms. Woods' home, they instead sought a search warrant,' her attorneys said. 'No arrest warrants have been issued for the violent home invaders. Ms. Woods is a victim, not a suspect. This is our tax dollars at work, absolutely unbelievable.' Police, who have yet to find the three bandits following 'an extensive search,' agreed that the 'Blessed' star is a victim, but said they still have a duty to uphold the law. 4 She was charged with possession of marijuana and a controlled substance. Getty Images 'The homeowner is a victim of a serious crime, and we are committed to bringing the suspects to justice,' Sheriff Ron Freeman said. 'At the same time, we must continue to uphold and enforce the law in all aspects of this case.' The investigation is ongoing. With Post wires.

How to watch 'Entertainment Weekly''s 2025 San Diego Comic-Con livestream
How to watch 'Entertainment Weekly''s 2025 San Diego Comic-Con livestream

Yahoo

time2 hours ago

  • Yahoo

How to watch 'Entertainment Weekly''s 2025 San Diego Comic-Con livestream

San Diego Comic-Con is finally here, and Entertainment Weekly is giving fans a behind-the-scenes look at all the festivities. All convention long, EW will be livestreaming exclusive video interviews with the cast and creators of beloved film and television shows, including Percy Jackson & the Olympians, Lilo & Stitch, and Avatar: The Last Airbender. Fans eager to catch all of the action can tune into the livestream when it begins Thursday at 1:15 p.m. PT on Entertainment Weekly's YouTube channel. You can also watch the broadcast below. Other stars slated to appear on Thursday's livestream include the cast and creatives of NCIS: Tony & Ziva, Whistle, The Toxic Avenger, Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, and The Mighty Nein / The Legend of Vox Machina. But the fun doesn't stop there. Friday's livestream is set to feature the casts of Twisted Metal and Alien: Earth, while Saturday's lineup includes the stars of The Rookie and Abbott Elementary. Expect plenty of laughs — and surprises! — along the way. Tune into the livestream above, and check out more of . Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store