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Hype Malaysia
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hype Malaysia
From St.Regis Kuala Lumpur To Moxy Putrajaya: New Dining Menus & Spots To Check Out!
If you're a foodie who's always looking out for something new to feast on, the coming week brings a fresh lineup of exciting new dining menus from some of KL's best eateries! Whether you're planning a romantic date night, a casual catch-up with friends, or a solo foodie adventure, these new eateries and menus are worth adding to checking out. This week, we're bringing you picks from some of Klang Valley's best hotels and a new dining spot in the area! Here are some the best new dining spots and promos to explore this month: The Drawing Room @ The St. Regis Kuala Lumpur The St. Regis Kuala Lumpur proudly unveils The Flower Society Afternoon Tea, a limited-edition collaboration with celebrated Malaysian fashion house, Rizman Ruzaini. At the heart of this collaboration is a collection of floral motifs drawn from the Astor Garden, long associated with femininity, transformation and grace. Every course of the afternoon tea carries forward the spirit, structure and symbolism of each floral muse – Orchid, Rose, Dahlia, Camellia, Lavender, and Hydrangea. Held within The Drawing Room, this seasonal limited-edition experience is crafted by Executive Chef Norazizi Raslim and Pastry Chef Azizul. The Flower Society Afternoon Tea is available from 1st July 2025 onwards. Availability: 12pm to 6pm daily, from 1st July 2025 Price: RM198 per adult, RM99 per child As part of the collaboration, Rizman Ruzaini has designed a custom couture uniform for St. Regis Kuala Lumpur's butlers, marking a bold revolution to the signature butler uniform. Rizman Ruzaini also brought their couture mastery to a collection of gowns and scarves, inspired by the afternoon tea. For more information on The Flower Society Afternoon Tea and the exclusive The St. Regis Kuala Lumpur x Rizman Ruzaini collection, please visit The Drawing Room at Lobby Level of The St. Regis Kuala Lumpur, call +603 2727 6696 or email at Moxy Putrajaya Moxy Putrajaya is turning up the heat this July with the Penang Heritage Food Bazaar, a bold street food takeover in collaboration with Courtyard by Marriott Penang. Held at the Three.6.5 restaurant every Friday and Saturday from 11th to 26th July, this curated hawker-style celebration promises to immerse guests in the rich culinary traditions and bold street flavours of Penang — all without leaving Putrajaya. This cross-city culinary exchange brings together chefs, cultures, and iconic dishes, transforming Moxy Putrajaya into a sizzling tribute to Malaysia's food capital. From the wok-charred aroma of Char Koay Teow to the comforting spice of Penang Hokkien Mee, each evening is a deep dive into Penang's culinary soul. Live stations brim with authentic hawker favourites and signature creations such as Penang Char Koay Teow by Chef Muslimim (Courtyard Penang) and White Curry Mee and Penang Popiah by Chef Zaim (Courtyard Penang). Guests will also enjoy a Goreng-Goreng Corner, Durian Cendol Bar, and over 10 live-action counters featuring Seafood On Ice, Chargrilled Meats, and Penang-Style Desserts from Bubur Cha Cha to a full sized Onde-Onde Whole Cake. Availability: 6.30pm to 10.30pm, from 11th to 26th July 2025 Prices: RM138 per adult, RM69 per child. For reservations, contact +603 8328 1111 / +6012 824 9101 or visit Flock @ W Kuala Lumpur W Kuala Lumpur invites you to take your mornings slow and indulgent with Late Breakfast Sundays at Flock, a new breakfast-meets-brunch experience that's made for both the early birds and the sleep-in champions. Designed to be an elevated twist on your usual morning ritual, Late Breakfast Sundays serve up an extended spread from 6:30am to 12pm, perfect for easing into the day on your own terms. At Flock, mornings start strong and stay stylish. Guests can indulge in a dynamic selection of elevated made-to-order items such as the whimsical Egg on Egg on Egg, the indulgent Cappuccino French Toast, the ever-classic Eggs Benedict, and more handcrafted favorites. It's not just breakfast, it's a morning moment worth savoring. If you're brunching with friends or flying solo, guests can sip their way into the afternoon with à la carte alcohol selections, special mimosa pricing, and curated beverage packages for those who prefer a spirited start to their Sunday. So sleep in, rise slow, and treat yourself — because the best mornings are the ones that don't rush. Late Breakfast Sundays Date: 20th July & 17th August 2025, from 6:30am to 12pm Price: RM130 per adult, RM65+ per child (6–12 years old) Beverage package available CIMB & Standard Chartered cardholders can also enjoy 15% off their reservations. For reservations or more information, contact us at +60 3-2786 8888 / WhatsApp +60 12-347 9088 or email Santan Santan, the F&B brand under Capital A, is delighted to announce the opening of its outlet at Food District, the recently launched food hall located at gateway@klia2. This new outlet brings together a curated selection of popular Asean dishes, Santan's signature coffee, and its most-loved inflight favourites — all in one convenient location. Travellers and food enthusiasts can now enjoy iconic meals like Pak Nasser's Nasi Lemak, Uncle Chin's Chicken Rice, Thai Green Curry With Rice, Nasi Padang Beef Rendang and more served on the ground for just RM14. Also available are Santan's viral Ready-to-Eat products, such as the Mala Beef Soup Noodle with Chicken Slices, made using freeze-dried technology, offering a hot, satisfying meal in just minutes. These meals are also available for takeaway, perfect for enjoying later at home. The outlet also features The OG Burnt Cheesecake, another viral favourite that has become a must-try item among Santan fans. In addition, customers can enjoy a full beverage line-up, including crowd favourites like The Best Santan Latte, ZERO Pistachio Latte, and other refreshing drinks from the Club ZERO range. To mark the grand opening, Food District is brewing up something special — for a limited time only, buy Pak Nasser's Nasi Lemak (RM14) and get The BEST Santan Latte for Only RM5 (Normal price: RM13). Chan Rak BBQ & The Farm @ Subang Parade Ever been to a place where it has two restaurants under one roof? If not, head over to Subang Parade, where you can experience Thai Street Flavours and Farm-to-Table Comfort all within a couple of steps apart from one another. Starting with Chan Rak BBQ, its aim is to be a pork-free, all-you-can-eat Thai BBQ and suki (hotpot) experience that all can enjoy, bringing the favourites of Thai street-style dining into a welcoming and vibrant space. At the buffet, diners are greeted with a bountiful spread of marinated meats, fresh vegetables, and over 30 house-made sauces and condiments to choose from. Whether you enjoy spice or not, Chan Rak BBQ gives guests the choice of 20 different spice levels for their signature Red Tom Yum soup base. Availability: 10am to 10pm, Daily Price: Starts at RM42+ with a selection of fish, chicken breast, and beef chuck roll. Additional RM24+ for their premium beef cuts and seafood extravaganza sets, respectively. You can tell you've moved onto the next restaurant from the ceiling, from a Chan Rak's warm brown-orange tones to The Farm's calming olive greens, we shift not only in interior palette but the meals as well. Highlighting its freshness and sustainability, The Farm had a dedicated hydroponics display where they plant their greens for each meal. Their all-day dining meals combine fresh, wholesome ingredients that are inspired to replicate authentic flavours. Having a list of Thai-inspired menus that gives a twist to the comfort foods you know and love, such as Sabai Sabai Cobb Salad, Thai-Style Steak Frites and many more. To book reservations for Chan Rak BBQ, contact them at info@ For reservations under The Farm, you can reach them at Lok Lok Buffet Now at Courtyard by Marriott Kuala Lumpur South Substance at Courtyard by Marriott Kuala Lumpur South is turning up the heat this July with its 'Lok Into July' buffet. Diners can look forward to over 20 types of skewers, two flavourful soup bases including a signature house broth, and five house-made sauces to mix and match. The spread also includes seafood on ice, fresh sushi and sashimi, along with a variety of local favourites. A Buy 1 Free 1 offer at adult price is available for both lunch and dinner, making it a great reason to gather friends or family for a satisfying meal. The buffet is available on weekends for lunch and from Wednesday to Sunday for dinner at Level 3 of the hotel. Come hungry and let the feast begin.
6 days ago
- Entertainment
Fans say new romance bookstores and online groups are giving the genre some overdue respect
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- 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.' 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.' 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. 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.' 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.'
San Francisco Chronicle
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
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. 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.' 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.'
Winnipeg Free Press
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
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.'
Hamilton Spectator
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
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.'
