As you step inside Blush Bookstore, you sense a certain vibe.
Jaclyn Wooten would describe it as “main character energy.”
“Everything … is bright and colorful and romantic and girly. And I think it kind of encapsulates why a lot of people like to read romance,” she said.
Wooten, 34, opened Blush Bookstore in March in the retail incubator space at First and Cleveland, not far from downtown Wichita. She wanted romance readers to have a place of their own — a place to find books and related merchandise, and to meet fellow readers who share their passion.
Because romance is on the rise. According to industry experts, romance novels account for about a quarter of all books sold in the United States right now, making it the highest-earning genre of fiction.
NPD BookScan, a market research group, says sales of romance novels grew 41% in 2021 and even more last year, and it shows no signs of leveling off.
Wooten’s store specializes in contemporary romance, which includes best-selling authors Colleen Hoover, Emily Henry and Tessa Bailey. She also stocks darker and more mature fare, with spiciness levels that range from totally tame to habanero.
These aren’t the Harlequin bodice-rippers of old. Neither are they classics like “Pride and Prejudice” or “Romeo and Juliet,” although many contemporary plotlines are inspired by those works. These are modern love stories for a modern generation.
The growth of romance novels traces back to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Shutdowns and quarantines gave people more time at home without much to do, so many turned to reading.
“Everyone was looking for some escapism,” Wooten said. “Some people look at reading (as) educational, or it needs to really help you grow as a person. But sometimes it can also just be fun, and that’s OK.”
Experts and fans also credit social media for the rise of the romance genre — especially the community of TikTok users known as BookTok. Many romance authors have gone viral on BookTok and had their previous books propelled onto bestseller lists.
Wooten found early success on BookTok and Instagram, selling book-themed merchandise through her online store, House of Jupiter. That led to a second business, organizing in-person events that celebrate romance books.
Now she’s merging all that in the brick-and-mortar store. She stocks books, along with products aimed at creating a cozy reading experience — scented candles, fuzzy slippers, and an annotation station with pastel-colored tabs and glitter highlighters. In June, she’ll host a summer romance picnic at Botanica, where participants will sip cocktails and build flower bouquets before settling down to read among friends.
“You’ve got to go to the grocery store for your basics. But sometimes you're looking for something special or unique, and you’ve got to go to that little market that specializes in something else,” she said. “That’s what we are.”
Some popular tropes in contemporary romance include love triangles, friends-to-lovers, gothic fiction and romantic fantasy. Popular sub-genres include time-travel romance and even hockey romance.
This season, the Seattle Kraken has marketed directly to BookTok, posting slow-motion videos of handsome players winking at the camera.
“We have these fictional characters that a lot of times we fancast,” Wooten said. “Well, sports are great for that, right? If it's a sports romance, you just need a good looking hockey player, and there you go. There he is.”
Wooten’s introduction to romance reading was “A Court of Thorns and Roses” by Sarah J. Maas, a series that follows a mortal woman named Feyre Archeron and her journey into the faerie lands of Prythian. She knows not every reader is keen on world-building fantasy, but she loves to match customers’ reading styles with the different branches of romance.
“If someone tells me they’re into literary fiction or women’s fiction, I point them to Emily Henry. She’s kind of that gateway drug,” she said, laughing. “She explores friendships, and she expands the story beyond just your two main characters. Some of them are tear-jerkers, but in a good way.”
Interested in exploring romance? Here are some of Wooten’s recommendations:
- "Yours Truly" by Abby Jimenez (the Blush Book Club selection for June)
- "Red, White & Royal Blue" by Casey McQuiston
- "Happy Place" by Emily Henry (also check out Henry's earlier novels, "Beach Read" and "Book Lovers")
- "Magnolia Parks" by Jessa Hastings
- "Fourth Wing" by Rebecca Yarros
- "Romantic Comedy" by Curtis Sittenfeld
