If you’re an Aucklander and head-over-heels for the romance genre, I recommend checking out the new bookstore Enamoured Books, that has recently opened in Remuera.
Last week, I was interviewed by reporter Sophie Albornett of Te Waha Nui, where we discussed why a romance-dedicated bookshop is on-trend, and why the romance genre isn’t likely to ever go out of style.
To read the article where I was interviewed, click here.
According to the New York Times, Romance continues to dominate book sales, with print sales going from 18 million in 2020 to over 39 million in 2023.
This marks a pretty significant change from just a few years ago, when romance was actually the top-selling genre in digital formats but not in print.
A 2024 report by the Publishers Association of New Zealand (PANZ) revealed that 80% of Kiwis prefer reading physical books, with only 5% reading exclusively on e-readers and 14% using both formats.
This coincides with the changes we’ve seen in the growing print sales of romance books.
Why might physical copies be back in fashion? Besides them being tactile and nice to hold, I do believe there is one significant factor at play here:
TikTok.
It’s no secret that TikTok, or more specifically “BookTok”, has been one of the main drivers of sales in the romance genre. According to The Bookseller, roughly 15% of book titles were discovered via the TikTok platform in 2022, and that number is likely to have grown since that study.
You might have noticed “bookfluencers” are more likely to showcase print books than eBooks. Possibly because print books are more visually appealing than eBooks – but that’s just me speculating.
So, why is romance the most pushed fictional genre on platforms like TikTok? Well, that’s possibly answered with the demographic that reads romance.
Women – they take up 80% of romance readers. According to the Pew Research Centre, women are not only more likely to read books than men but are also more likely to read fiction.
On platforms like BookTok, the trend shows that female “bookfluencers” tend to market fiction (especially romance), while male creators often focus on non-fiction.
Why do I believe romance is never going out of style? It’s because it’s a genre that is reliable. Readers know what to expect: the protagonist wins the heart of the love interest. And familiarity and hope often is a source of comfort during uncertain times.
Despite its success, romance still gets dismissed – often because it’s a genre associated with women.
However, it doesn’t change that romance resonates with millions of readers. And with the growing number of print sales, and romance readership – especially in post-pandemic years – Enamoured Books has opened at the perfect time.
So, if you’re a romance lover, Enamoured Books will be the perfect place to find your next heart-stopping read, connect with other like-minded individuals and form a community.
This really is the era of romance.
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