This past December, Harvard Square welcomed Lovestruck Books, Cambridge’s first brick-and-mortar romance-only bookstore. Since its opening, it has gained substantial attention with romance novels from various subgenres and for all ages. Owner and founder Rachel Kanter says that she wants it to be a community and more than a bookstore. She hopes it can nurture customers’ interests and help them feel safe, especially when reading romance, a genre that has been traditionally considered illicit or shameful.
Boston Latin School Keefe Librarian Ms. Deeth Ellis remembers that, back when e-readers such as Kindles were first released, “people were reading [romance] on their Kindles so no one [else] could see they were reading it, whereas now, people are more open to, ‘oh yes, romance, I love it.’”
In recent years, the romance genre has experienced a huge surge in popularity. In high school, where everyone seems to be looking for their perfect happy ending, romance books can be an outlet to satisfy that. Romance novels are about companionship and finding someone who appreciates and loves you no matter what. Loneliness is so widespread that the U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy acknowledged it as an epidemic. This, paired with the isolation people felt during the COVID-19 pandemic, leaves many desperate for that kind of connection, leading them to turn to romance novels as a source. Lovestruck caters to that exploration.
Additionally, the rise of “BookTok,” a subdivision of TikTok focused on recommending and reviewing books, has aided the growth of the romance genre. It has become a major force in driving reading trends; authors publicize for free, and books that become popular on “BookTok” tend to bring in sales and gain readership in real life. Romance is one of the most popular genres on “BookTok,” and that is reflected in physical book sales. With this knowledge, Kanter is confident that her store will be a success.
With the increase of social media and the decline of reading rates in the modern world, it is important that places like Lovestruck, which offers popular genres that cater to the general public, exist.
BLS Book Club president Fei Li (II) comments, “I personally think it’s great that romance books are getting recognition! For many, romance may help them get more reading in general. I’ve had many friends get into fantasy and sci-fi through social media and romance novels.” Bookstores like Lovestruck can help keep the writing and reading community alive.
On January 17, Lovestruck Books held a book signing with Chloe Gong, as part of an all-day celebration of the bookstore’s opening. Gong is author of the These Violent Delights series, a popular young adult fantasy series inspired by Shakespeare’s tragedy Romeo and Juliet. This signing brought exposure to the store and showed that it has all kinds of romance books, even ones where romance isn’t even the main plot, appealing to a wider audience.
Ikra Abbasi (III) shares her favorite layout of a novel, saying, “My favorite is when it’s a horror book, but then there’s a group of friends, and within that group of friends there’s like two people [in a romance].”
This bookstore is an interesting and exciting new addition to the shops around the Cambridge area. It appeals to romance readers of all kinds, and will hopefully grow into a beloved community where people can find books they love and read them knowing that the people around them share the same interests.