(CBS-DETROIT) – Since the pandemic, romance-themed bookstores have boomed across the country.
There are more than 20 stores nationwide and sales of print books in this genre are increasing, from $17 million in 2019 to nearly $40 million in 2023.
There’s even a romantic bookstore in the Metro Detroit area that opened in late August.
On Nine Mile Road in Ferndale you will find Love and Other Books.
Owner Erin Cambron says she wanted to create a space where parents and women in the community could talk about books.
“My husband and I were like, if we don’t get in it now, when are we going to do it,” Cambron said. “It was a huge step for us and it was obviously a huge risk, but we said now is the time and if we don’t do it, someone else will do it.”
For some, reading novels is a source of shame, but that is no longer the case.
“I think readers find themselves in those characters, in their struggles and the character arc that they have, and the growth that they have, and I think with the fantasy side it’s an escape from the reality of life and it’s a beautiful escape,” Cambron said.
The rise of BookTok, a part of TikTok populated by book lovers, reviewers and writers, has turned even the most reluctant readers into fans.
“I didn’t read that much in high school or earlier in my youth. I never really made time for it, but since Covid and the pandemic I think that really made me pick up a book,” says bookseller Abby Wesolowski. “I just enjoy seeing other people experience love.”
Although romance or ‘romance’ are the bestsellers in the store, there is something for everyone, including children.
Regulars Laura and Clara Denlinger say it’s a magical place.
“There’s just something about going into a bookstore and holding a book in your hand and having that tactile experience,” Denlinger said.
With a sultry selection, if you get lost in the pages of these books, you’ll come back for more.
“When you come in, you will feel welcome, you will feel joy and I promise you that we will be able to find you a book that you will really love,” Cambron said.
Love and Other Books hosts monthly storytelling events for children, author signings and four different book clubs.
