I added several Australian romance bookstores this month, thanks to a reader who directed me to the Australian Romance Readers Association list of romance bookstores (thanks, Jarnae!).

Welcome to new Supporter of the directory, Verse & Vine, a romance-focused bookstore in Poulsbo, Washington. If you’re interested in becoming a Romance Bookstore Directory Supporter, learn how.

Overview

According to my research, there are now 326 physical romance bookstores in 12 countries around the world, 227 (or 70%) of which are in the United States.

If we also include online and pop-up romance bookstores, the total number of stores grows to 528 (382 or 72% of which are in the United States).

Romance Bookstore Directory

Growth of Physical Stores

So far in 2026, there has been a net increase of 93 physical romance bookstores worldwide (98 have opened, 5 have closed). In the United States specifically, there’s been a net increase of 69 physical romance bookstores.

Growth Rates (as of August 31, 2026)

Worldwide

• 2022: 10 stores

• 2023: 33 stores, 230% increase (3.3x)

• 2024: 95 stores, 188% increase (2.9x)

• 2025: 233 stores, 145% increase (2.5x)

3-Year Growth Rate from 2023 to 2025: 606%

United States

• 2022: 5 stores

• 2023: 18 stores, 260% increase (3.6x)

• 2024: 68 stores, 278% increase (3.8x)

• 2025: 158 stores, 132% increase (2.3x)

3-Year Growth Rate from 2023 to 2025: 778%

These detailed updates are a benefit for paid subscribers (only US$5/month or US$50/year). Everyone can see the high-level numbers before the paywall, but you’ll need to subscribe for all the juicy details…including a list of all the romance bookstore openings and closings! 🗓️

Upgrade to paid

There are now 539 bookstores in the directory (including Coming Soon).

The following is a breakdown of bookstores by type: Physical, Online, Pop-up, and Coming Soon along with a list of ALL the recently opened and added stores in each category!

📌 Please note that these categories overlap—a store can categorized as multiple types. For example, a bookstore can be online and have pop-ups, with a physical location coming soon.

Read more

Read more

Free subscribers get access to the Top 20 Ranking, while paid subscribers get access to the full analysis, as well as the Top 100 list data I’ve compiled in Airtable—perfect for fellow data nerds who like to get into the details! Here’s a peak at what the spreadsheet/table looks like on desktop:

Some links in this post are affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may earn a small commission.

Upgrade to paid

Data Source

List: Amazon Kindle Store Top 100 Best Sellers in Romance (Paid), US Kindle Store. Data accessed from Kindletrends Romance Weekly Newsletter.1

Sales Period: July 2026

Methodology: This is an exclusive monthly ranking I’ve created in consultation with Kindletrends. It’s based on four Kindle Store Top 100 Best Sellers in Romance (Paid) lists pulled throughout the month (accessed from the Kindletrends Romance Weekly Newsletter: July 5, 14, 19, and 27, 2026), which I’ve then compiled and ranked using a sum of ranks calculation. The Monthly Top 100 list generated is the basis for the analysis that follows.

Table of Contents

1. Top 20 Ranking (Free, all other sections Paid)

2. Overview

3. Publisher

4. Price

5. Publication Age

6. Point of View (POV)

7. Subgenre

8. Authors

9. Representation

10. Covers

11. Length

12. Series

13. Reviews

14. Ratings

1. Top 20 Ranking

Top 20 of Kindle Store Monthly Top 100 Best Sellers in Romance (Paid) list this month.

🆕 = New on Top 100 list this month compared to last month

1. Rules for the Summer by Meghan Quinn

2. 🆕 Into the Fading Twilight by Catherine Cowles

3. 🆕 Tempting Venom by Rina Kent

4. Haunting Adeline by H. D. Carlton

5. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

6. Crown Me Dead by Liv Zander

7. My Emergency Contact is a Wolf Shifter by Roxie Ray

8. 🆕 Fox by Maya Alden

9. The Better Brother by Kai Lesy

10. The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros

11. The Deal by Elle Kennedy

12. Fever Dream by Elsie Silver

13. The Poison Daughter by Sheila Masterson

14. The Score by Elle Kennedy

15. Crown Me Yours by Liv Zander

16. The Mistake by Elle Kennedy

17. 🆕 Wild Scottish Fate by Tricia O’Malley

18. Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

19. The Sky Beneath Her by Ellen Taylor

20. 🆕 Between Tides & Thunder by Leena Kazak

Read more

In July, only 36% (5 of 14) of the NYT romance best sellers appeared on the Amazon Kindle Store Top 100 Best Sellers in Romance (as marked below), much lower than last month (78%) . . . plus, they were all titles from Elle Kennedy’s Off Campus series! Interestingly, Daggermouth popped up on the NYT list for the first time after being scooped by a traditional publisher earlier this year.

Data Source

List: The New York Times Combined Print & E-Book Fiction Best Sellers

Sales Period:
July 2026 (5 weeks: June 28 to August 1, 2026)1

Methodology: The romance and romantasy books on the list are ranked by:

• number of weeks on the list this month

• then average rank this month

• then number of weeks on the list all time (if needed).

July 2026

🅰️ = Also appeared on Amazon Kindle Store Romance Best Sellers: July 2026 (full list and analysis coming soon)

1. The Deal by Elle Kennedy 🅰️
   This Month: 4 weeks (Avg Rank: 11)
   All Time: 11 weeks

2. The Mistake by Elle Kennedy 🅰️
   This Month: 2 weeks (Avg Rank: 13)
   All Time: 9 weeks

3. The Score by Elle Kennedy 🅰️
   This Month: 2 weeks (Avg Rank: 14)
   All Time: 9 weeks

4. Daggermouth by H.M. Wolfe
   This Month: 1 weeks (Avg Rank: 6)
   All Time: 1 week

5. The Exquisite Torment of Loving Your Enemy by Brigitte Knightley
   This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 8)
   All Time: 1 week

6. (tied for #5) Sea of Charms by Sarah Beth Durst
   This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 8)
   All Time: 1 week

7. (tied for #5) Tempting Venom by Rina Kent
   This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 8)
   All Time: 1 week

8. The Legacy by Elle Kennedy 🅰️
   This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 9)
   All Time: 1 week

9. Just for the Plot by Meghan Quinn
   This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 10)
   All Time: 1 week

10. (tied for #9) The Romance Revival by Christina Lauren
    This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 10)
    All Time: 1 week

11. A Forsaken Prophecy by Stacey McEwan
    This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 11)
    All Time: 1 week

12. The Goal by Elle Kennedy 🅰️
    This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 12)
    All Time: 3 week2

13. Twisted Road by Christine Freehan
    This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 13)
    All Time: 1 week

14. Enter the Nightmare by Jayne Castle
    This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 14)
    All Time: 1 week

Happy reading! Let me know if you have any questions.

Leave a comment

Thanks to this great Instagram post by Sara-Jade Virtue (@BookMinxSJV) highlighting all the romance bookstores in the United Kingdom, I was able to fill in a few that were missing from the directory.

I was excited to be referenced in the recent The Washington Post article, “I love romance novels. Here’s why you should, too”. I’m the “according to one database” the article links to! (see screenshot below)

Romance bookstore Fiction & Friction in Australia made the news recently with this headline:

You can hear owner Brittany Schulz break down what happened in her Instagram reel:

Welcome to new Supporter of the directory, Vellum & Vine, Albuquerque’s first romance bookstore and coffee shop scheduled to open this summer. If you’re interested in becoming a Romance Bookstore Directory Supporter, learn how.

Overview

According to my research, there are now 300 physical romance bookstores in 12 countries around the world, 211 (or 70%) of which are in the United States.

If we also include online and pop-up romance bookstores, the total number of stores grows to 505 (370 or 73% of which are in the United States).

Romance Bookstore Directory

Growth of Physical Stores

So far in 2026, there has been a net increase of 70 physical romance bookstores worldwide (74 have opened, 4 have closed). In the United States specifically, there’s been a net increase of 54 physical romance bookstores.

Growth Rates (as of July 31, 2026)

Worldwide

• 2022: 10 stores

• 2023: 33 stores, 230% increase (3.3x)

• 2024: 95 stores, 188% increase (2.9x)

• 2025: 230 stores, 142% increase (2.4x)

3-Year Growth Rate from 2023 to 2025: 597%

United States

• 2022: 5 stores

• 2023: 18 stores, 260% increase (3.6x)

• 2024: 68 stores, 278% increase (3.8x)

• 2025: 157 stores, 131% increase (2.3x)

3-Year Growth Rate from 2023 to 2025: 772%

These detailed updates are a benefit for paid subscribers (only US$5/month or US$50/year). Everyone can see the high-level numbers before the paywall, but you’ll need to subscribe for all the juicy details…including a list of all the romance bookstore openings and closings! 🗓️

Upgrade to paid

There are now 527 bookstores in the directory (including Coming Soon)—there was a net increase of 11 stores this month.

The following is a breakdown of bookstores by type: Physical, Online, Pop-up, and Coming Soon along with a list of ALL the recently opened and added stores in each category!

📌 Please note that these categories overlap—a store can categorized as multiple types. For example, a bookstore can be online and have pop-ups, with a physical location coming soon.

Read more

Free subscribers get access to the Top 20 Ranking, while paid subscribers get access to the full analysis, as well as the Top 100 list data I’ve compiled in Airtable—perfect for fellow data nerds who like to get into the details! Here’s a peak at what the spreadsheet/table looks like on desktop:

Some links in this post are affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may earn a small commission.

Upgrade to paid

Data Source

List: Amazon Kindle Store Top 100 Best Sellers in Romance (Paid), US Kindle Store. Data accessed from Kindletrends Romance Weekly Newsletter.1

Sales Period: June 2026

Methodology: This is an exclusive monthly ranking I’ve created in consultation with Kindletrends. It’s based on four Kindle Store Top 100 Best Sellers in Romance (Paid) lists pulled throughout the month (accessed from the Kindletrends Romance Weekly Newsletter: June 8, 17, 21, and 29, 2026), which I’ve then compiled and ranked using a sum of ranks calculation. The Monthly Top 100 list generated is the basis for the analysis that follows.

Table of Contents

1. Top 20 Ranking (Free, all other sections Paid)

2. Overview

3. Publisher

4. Price

5. Publication Age

6. Point of View (POV)

7. Subgenre

8. Authors

9. Representation

10. Covers

11. Length

12. Series

13. Reviews

14. Ratings

1. Top 20 Ranking

Top 20 of Kindle Store Monthly Top 100 Best Sellers in Romance (Paid) list this month.

🆕 = New on Top 100 list this month compared to last month

1. Rules for the Summer by Meghan Quinn

2. The Deal by Elle Kennedy

3. The Score by Elle Kennedy

4. The Mistake by Elle Kennedy

5. Fever Dream by Elsie Silver

6. Crown Me Dead by Liv Zander

7. 🆕 Light Wielder by Rachel Schneider

8. Woman Down by Colleen Hoover

9. 🆕 The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

10. Mile High by Liz Tomforde

11. 🆕 The Night We Met by Abby Jimenez

12. The Goal by Elle Kennedy

13. The Better Brother by Kai Lesy

14. The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros

15. Crown Me Yours by Liv Zander

16. 🆕 The Sky Beneath Her by Ellen Taylor

17. 🆕 The Tomorrow Tree by Carolyn Brown

18. 🆕 My Forever Girl by Laura Pavlov

19. 🆕 Sweet Salvation by Bella Matthews

20. Rites of the Starling by Devney Perry

Read more

In June, 78% (7 of 9)1 of the NYT romance best sellers appeared on the Amazon Kindle Store Top 100 Best Sellers in Romance (as marked below), a bit higher than last month (69%). Surprisingly, there was only 1 Romantasy title on the NYT list this month. Not so surprisingly, the 4 main books from Elle Kennedy’s Off Campus series were on the list!

Data Source

List: The New York Times Combined Print & E-Book Fiction Best Sellers

Sales Period:
June 2026 (4 weeks: May 31 to June 27, 2026)2

Methodology: The romance and romantasy books on the list are ranked by:

• number of weeks on the list this month

• then average rank this month

• then number of weeks on the list all time.

June 2026

🅰️ = Also appeared on Amazon Kindle Store Romance Best Sellers: June 2026 (full list and analysis coming soon)

1. The Deal by Elle Kennedy 🅰️
   This Month: 4 weeks (Avg Rank: 5)
   All Time: 7 weeks

2. The Mistake by Elle Kennedy 🅰️
   This Month: 4 weeks (Avg Rank: 12)
   All Time: 7 weeks

3. The Score by Elle Kennedy 🅰️
   This Month: 4 weeks (Avg Rank: 13)
   All Time: 7 weeks

4. Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune 🅰️
   This Month: 3 weeks (Avg Rank: 15)
   All Time: 6 weeks

5. Harvest Season by Brynne Weaver
   This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 5)
   All Time: 1 week

6. Light Wielder by Rachel Schneider 🅰️
   This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 11)
   All Time: 1 week

7. Every Summer After by Carley Fortune 🅰️
   This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 14)
   All Time: 11 weeks

8. The Goal by Elle Kennedy 🅰️
   This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 14)
   All Time: 2 weeks

9. The Someday Garden by Ashley Poston
   This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 14)
   All Time: 1 week

Happy reading! Let me know if you have any questions.

Leave a comment

Welcome to new Supporter of the directory, Knotty Novels, Sacramento’s first all-romance book floor located inside Capital Books. If you’re interested in becoming a Romance Bookstore Directory Supporter, learn how.

Overview

According to my research, there are now 289 physical romance bookstores in 12 countries around the world, 205 (or 71%) of which are in the United States.

If we also include online and pop-up romance bookstores, the total number of stores grows to 492 (362 or 74% of which are in the United States).

Romance Bookstore Directory

Growth of Physical Stores

So far in 2026, there has been a net increase of 59 physical romance bookstores worldwide (63 have opened, 4 have closed). In the United States specifically, there’s been a net increase of 48 physical romance bookstores.

Growth Rates (as of June 30, 2026)

Worldwide

• 2022: 10 stores

• 2023: 33 stores, 230% increase (3.3x)

• 2024: 95 stores, 188% increase (2.9x)

• 2025: 230 stores, 142% increase (2.4x)

3-Year Growth Rate from 2023 to 2025: 597%

United States

• 2022: 5 stores

• 2023: 18 stores, 260% increase (3.6x)

• 2024: 68 stores, 278% increase (3.8x)

• 2025: 157 stores, 131% increase (2.3x)

3-Year Growth Rate from 2023 to 2025: 772%

These detailed updates are a benefit for paid subscribers (only US$5/month or US$50/year). Everyone can see the high-level numbers before the paywall, but you’ll need to subscribe for all the juicy details…including a list of all the romance bookstore openings and closings! 🗓️

Upgrade to paid

There are now 516 bookstores in the directory (including Coming Soon)—there was a net increase of 41 stores this month (I discovered a lot of older online and pop-up stores).

The following is a breakdown of bookstores by type: Physical, Online, Pop-up, and Coming Soon along with a list of ALL the recently opened and added stores in each category!

📌 Please note that these categories overlap—a store can categorized as multiple types. For example, a bookstore can be online and have pop-ups, with a physical location coming soon.

Read more

Free subscribers get access to the Top 20 Ranking, while paid subscribers get access to the full analysis, as well as the Top 100 list data I’ve compiled in Airtable—perfect for fellow data nerds who like to get into the details! Here’s a peak at what the spreadsheet/table looks like on desktop:

Some links in this post are affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may earn a small commission.

Upgrade to paid

Data Source

List: Amazon Kindle Store Top 100 Best Sellers in Romance (Paid), US Kindle Store. Data accessed from Kindletrends Romance Weekly Newsletter.1

Sales Period: May 2026

Methodology: This is an exclusive monthly ranking I’ve created in consultation with Kindletrends. It’s based on five Kindle Store Top 100 Best Sellers in Romance (Paid) lists pulled throughout the month (accessed from the Kindletrends Romance Weekly Newsletter: May 3, 10, 16, 25 and 31, 2026), which I’ve then compiled and ranked using a sum of ranks calculation. The Monthly Top 100 list generated is the basis for the analysis that follows.

Table of Contents

1. Top 20 Ranking (Free, all other sections Paid)

2. Overview

3. Publisher

4. Price

5. Publication Age

6. Point of View (POV)

7. Subgenre

8. Authors

9. Representation

10. Covers

11. Length

12. Series

13. Reviews

14. Ratings

1. Top 20 Ranking

Top 20 of Kindle Store Monthly Top 100 Best Sellers in Romance (Paid) list this month.

🆕 = New on Top 100 list this month compared to last month

1. The Deal by Elle Kennedy

2. 🆕 Rules for the Summer by Meghan Quinn

3. 🆕 King of Gluttony by Ana Huang

4. The Score by Elle Kennedy

5. The Mistake by Elle Kennedy

6. 🆕 Fever Dream by Elsie Silver

7. Rites of the Starling by Devney Perry

8. Dire Bound by Sable Sorensen

9. Crown Me Dead by Liv Zander

10. 🆕 Fury Bound by Sable Sorensen

11. 🆕 Kirill by Lilian Harris

12. Love Song by Elle Kennedy

13. Verity by Colleen Hoover

14. Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry

15. 🆕 The Heart You Kept by T L Swan

16. The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros

17. 🆕 The Better Brother by Kai Lesy

18. 🆕 The Goal by Elle Kennedy

19. 🆕 Crown Me Yours by Liv Zander

20. 🆕 Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune

Read more

This month, 69% (9 of 13) of the NYT romance best sellers appeared on the Amazon Kindle Store Top 100 Best Sellers in Romance (as marked below), a big increase from 39% last month.

Data Source

List: The New York Times Combined Print & E-Book Fiction Best Sellers

Sales Period:
May 2026 (4 weeks: May 3 to 30, 2026)1

Methodology: The romance and romantasy book on the list are ranked by:

• number of weeks on the list this month

• then average rank this month

• then number of weeks on the list all time.

May 2026

🅰️ = Also appeared on Amazon Kindle Store Romance Best Sellers: May 2026 (full list and analysis coming soon)

1. The Deal by Elle Kennedy 🅰️
   This Month: 3 weeks (Avg Rank: 5)
   All Time: 3 weeks

2. Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune 🅰️
   This Month: 3 weeks (Avg Rank: 12)
   All Time: 3 weeks

3. The Mistake by Elle Kennedy 🅰️
   This Month: 2 weeks (Avg Rank: 7)
   All Time: 3 weeks

4. The Score by Elle Kennedy 🅰️
   This Month: 2 weeks (Avg Rank: 8)
   All Time: 3 weeks

5. The Ballad of Falling Dragons by Sarah A. Parker 🅰️
   This Month: 2 weeks (Avg Rank: 8)
   All Time: 2 weeks

6. Fury Bound by Sable Sorensen 🅰️
   This Month: 2 weeks (Avg Rank: 9)
   All Time: 2 weeks

7. The Final Target by Nora Roberts
   This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 3)
   All Time: 1 week

8. Broken Dove by Dani Francis
   This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 7)
   All Time: 1 week

9. The Daisy Chain Flower Shop by Laurie Gilmore
   This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 8)
   All Time: 1 week

10. Phoebe Berman’s Gonna Lose It by Brooke Averick
    This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 9)
    All Time: 1 week

11. (tied for #10) Fever Dream by Elsie Silver 🅰️
    This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 9)
    All Time: 1 week

12. Rules for the Summer by Meghan Quinn 🅰️
    This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 13)
    All Time: 1 week

13. Starside by Alex Aster 🅰️
    This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 15)
    All Time: 1 week

Happy reading! Let me know if you have any questions.

Leave a comment

In other news, I’ve added a listing of physical romance bookstores that have closed in 2025 and 2026 to my subscriber-only calendar (you can find the link below).

I’d also like to welcome two new Supporters of the directory:

• X&O Books, coming soon to Cypress, Texas

• XO Book Co., coming soon to Wellington, New Zealand.

Overview

According to my research, there are now 276 physical romance bookstores in 12 countries around the world, 193 (or 70%) of which are in the United States.

If we also include online and pop-up romance bookstores, the total number of stores grows to 452 (324 or 72% of which are in the United States).

Romance Bookstore Directory

Growth of Physical Stores

So far in 2026, there has been a net increase of 49 physical romance bookstores worldwide (53 have opened, 4 have closed). In the United States specifically, there’s been a net increase of 39 physical romance bookstores.

Growth Rates (as of May 31, 2026)

Worldwide

• 2022: 10 stores

• 2023: 33 stores, 230% increase (3.3x)

• 2024: 94 stores, 185% increase (2.8x)

• 2025: 227 stores, 141% increase (2.4x)

3-Year Growth Rate from 2023 to 2025: 588%

United States

• 2022: 5 stores

• 2023: 18 stores, 260% increase (3.6x)

• 2024: 67 stores, 272% increase (3.7x)

• 2025: 154 stores, 130% increase (2.3x)

3-Year Growth Rate from 2023 to 2025: 756%

These detailed updates are a benefit for paid subscribers (only US$5/month or US$50/year). Everyone can see the high-level numbers before the paywall, but you’ll need to subscribe for all the juicy details…including a list of all the romance bookstore openings and closings! 🗓️

Upgrade to paid

There are now 475 bookstores in the directory (including Coming Soon)—there was a net increase of 11 stores this month.

The following is a breakdown of bookstores by type: Physical, Online, Pop-up, and Coming Soon along with a list of ALL the recently opened and added stores in each category!

📌 Please note that these categories overlap—a store can categorized as multiple types. For example, a bookstore can be online and have pop-ups, with a physical location coming soon.

Read more

I’m answering these questions and more in this next installment of my NYT 15-Year Analysis series, which highlights findings from my research on the 15 years of data available since the The New York Times Combined Print & E-Book Fiction Best Sellers launched in 2011.

Some posts in the series will be free, but you’ll need to become a paid subscriber to access all the findings (only US$5/month or US$50/year).

Data Source

List: The New York Times Combined Print & E-Book Fiction Best Sellers1

Sales Period: 2011 to 2025

Methodology: I compiled and analyzed the data to determine the number of unique books and authors that appeared on the list each year during this 15-year time period.

Number of Unique Books

An average of 242 unique books appear on the list each year.

As you can see in the graph below, the annual number hit a high of 303 books in 2014 and a low of 175 books in 2023—a 42% decrease over 9 years (128 fewer books).

It seems very likely that the pandemic (which started in early 2020) had an impact on this number; however, a decrease had already started in 2017.

The number of books per year was the lowest from 2022 to 2024, but has made a substantial jump in 2025, increasing 28% in just one year (from 190 to 243 books).

Number of Unique Books on the List

• 2011*: 221 books

• 2012: 233 books

• 2013: 291 books

• 2014: 303 books

• 2015: 275 books

• 2016: 297 books

• 2017: 261 books

• 2018: 261 books

• 2019: 262 books

• 2020: 218 books

• 2021: 215 books

• 2022: 183 books

• 2023: 175 books

• 2024: 190 books

• 2025: 243 books

*Pro-rated as list started in February 2011

Number of Unique Authors

An average of 179 unique authors appear on the list each year.

Similar to the unique number of books, the number of unique authors hit a high of 209 authors in 2014 and a low of 135 authors in 2023—a 35% decrease over 9 years (74 fewer authors).

The number of authors was the lowest from 2022 to 2024, but has made a substantial jump in 2025, increasing 25% in just one year (from 147 to 184 authors).

Number of Unique Authors on the List

• 2011*: 167 authors

• 2012: 172 authors

• 2013: 202 authors

• 2014: 209 authors

• 2015: 202 authors

• 2016: 206 authors

• 2017: 191 authors

• 2018: 192 authors

• 2019: 197 authors

• 2020: 179 authors

• 2021: 172 authors

• 2022: 137 authors

• 2023: 135 authors

• 2024: 147 authors

• 2025: 184 authors

Note: I counted various writing duos and groups as unique authors. For example, James Patterson has published books with several different co-authors, so books by each unique pairing were counted separately as a unique author.

*Pro-rated as list started in February 2011

Percentage of Unique Authors

The percentage of unique authors represents the level of author variation on the list—the lower the number means less variation, i.e., a smaller number of authors overall, meaning more authors with multiple books on the list.

Interestingly, the highest level of author variation was in the early pandemic years, 82% and 80% in 2020 and 2021, respectively. The lowest level was 69% in 2013, 2014, and 2016.

Percentage of Unique Authors on the List

• 2011*: 76% (167 authors of 221 books)

• 2012: 74% (172 authors of 233 books)

• 2013: 69% (202 authors of 291 books)

• 2014: 69% (209 authors of 303 books)

• 2015: 73% (202 authors of 275 books)

• 2016: 69% (206 authors of 297 books)

• 2017: 73% (191 authors of 261 books)

• 2018: 74% (192 authors of 261 books)

• 2019: 75% (197 authors of 262 books)

• 2020: 82% (179 authors of 218 books)

• 2021: 80% (172 authors of 215 books)

• 2022: 75% (137 authors of 183 books)

• 2023: 77% (135 authors of 175 books)

• 2024: 77% (147 authors of 190 books)

• 2025: 76% (184 authors of 243 books)

*Pro-rated as list started in February 2011

2013 vs 2020

Check out this comparison:

• In 2013, 25 authors had 3 or more unique books on the list

• In 2020, only 6 authors had 3 or more unique books on the list.

In 2013, a number of romance authors started appearing on the list for the first time with multiples titles, often from the same series. A few of these authors/books were also self-published.

For example:

• Abbi Glines: 5 books from the Too Far and Perfection series (primarily self-published)

• Christina Lauren: 5 books from the Beautiful series

• H. M. Ward: 5 books, including installments from the Damaged and The Arrangement series (self-published)

• J. Kenner: 3 books from the Stark series

• J. C. Reed: 3 books from the Surrender Your Love series (self-published)

• Katy Evans: 3 books from the Real series

• Kyra Davis: 3 books from the Just One Night series

This increase in authors with multiples titles on the list helps explain the lower level of author variation in 2013.

In 2020, the pandemic started and it appears that a lot of authors who regularly had multiples titles on the list in a year were not able to achieve the same.

The 6 authors who managed to have 3 or more unique books on the list in 2020 are:

• Christine Feehan: 6 books

• Danielle Steel: 6 books

• Stuart Woods: 5 books

• Julia Quinn: 4 books (mostly backlist, thanks to Bridgerton!)

• David Baldacci: 3 books

• John Grisham: 3 books

This dramatic decrease in the number of authors with multiples titles on the list helps explain the higher level of author variation in 2020.

Most Books in One Year

Which authors have had the most books on the list in one year?

It’s a three-way tie between:

• Nora Roberts: 9 books in 2016

• Colleen Hover: 9 books in 2022

• Freida McFadden: 9 books in 2025

Stay tuned for more from the NYT15 series! Next I’ll be looking at trends in the average number of weeks on the list over the years.

I’m always fascinated by the differences between The New York Times and Amazon Kindle Store best sellers. This month, only 43% (6 of 14) of the NYT romance best sellers appeared on the Amazon Kindle Store Top 100 Best Sellers in Romance (as marked below).

Data Source

List: The New York Times Combined Print & E-Book Fiction Best Sellers

Sales Periods:
April 2026 (5 weeks: March 29 to May 2, 2026)1

Methodology: The romance and romantasy book on the list are ranked by:

• number of weeks on the list this month

• then average rank this month

• then number of weeks on the list all time.

April 2026

🅰️ = Also appeared on Amazon Kindle Store Romance Best Sellers: April 2026

1. Game On by Navessa Allen 🅰️
   This Month: 5 weeks (Avg Rank: 7)
   All Time: 5 weeks

2. The Night We Met by Abby Jimenez 🅰️
   This Month: 4 weeks (Avg Rank: 11)
   All Time: 5 weeks

3. Rites of the Starling by Devney Perry 🅰️
   This Month: 2 weeks (Avg Rank: 5)
   All Time: 2 weeks

4. Purple State by Dana Perino 🅰️
   This Month: 2 weeks (Avg Rank: 7)
   All Time: 2 weeks

5. (tied for #4) Starside by Alex Aster
   This Month: 2 weeks (Avg Rank: 7)
   All Time: 2 weeks

6. King of Gluttony by Ana Huang
   This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 3)
   All Time: 1 week

7. Twisted Pawn by L.J. Shen 🅰️
   This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 8)
   All Time: 1 week

8. Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid
   This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 11)
   All Time: 17 weeks

9. Blood Bound by Ellis Hunter
   This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 11)
   All Time: 1 week

10. Bulletproof by K.M. Moronova
    This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 12)
    All Time: 1 week

11. Lights Out by Navessa Allen 🅰️
    This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 14)
    All Time: 31 weeks

12. Bloodsinger by Juliette Cross
    This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 14)
    All Time: 1 weeks

13. (tied for #12) The Throne of Broken Gods by Amber V. Nicole
    This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 14)
    All Time: 1 weeks

14. The Auction by Sadie Kincaid
    This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 15)
    All Time: 1 weeks

Happy reading! Let me know if you have any questions.

Leave a comment

Paid subscribers get access to the full analysis, as well as the Top 100 list data I’ve compiled in Airtable—perfect for fellow data nerds who like to get into the details! Here’s a peak at what the spreadsheet/table looks like on desktop:

Some links in this post are affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may earn a small commission.

Upgrade to paid

Data Source

List: Amazon Kindle Store Top 100 Best Sellers in Romance (Paid), US Kindle Store. Data accessed from Kindletrends Romance Weekly Newsletter.1

Sales Period: April 2026

Methodology: This is an exclusive monthly ranking I’ve created in consultation with Kindletrends. It’s based on four Kindle Store Top 100 Best Sellers in Romance (Paid) lists pulled throughout the month (accessed from the Kindletrends Romance Weekly Newsletter: April 4, 12, 19 and 26, 2026), which I’ve then compiled and ranked using a sum of ranks calculation. The Monthly Top 100 list generated is the basis for the analysis that follows.

Table of Contents

1. Top 20 Book Ranking (Free, all other sections Paid)

2. Overview

3. Publisher

4. Price

5. Publication Age

6. Point of View (POV)

7. Subgenre

8. Authors

9. Representation

10. Covers

11. Length

12. Series

13. Reviews

14. Ratings

1. Top 20 Book Ranking

Top 20 of Kindle Store Monthly Top 100 Best Sellers in Romance (Paid) list this month.

🆕 = New on Top 100 list this month compared to last month

1. 🆕 Rites of the Starling by Devney Perry

2. The Deal by Elle Kennedy

3. 🆕 Twisted Pawn by L.J. Shen

4. A Court of Thorns and Roses 6 by Sarah J. Maas (Pre-order)

5. A Court of Thorns and Roses 7 by Sarah J. Maas (Pre-order)

6. 🆕 Lift Me Up by Milly Johnson (First Reads)

7. Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry

8. In Her Own League by Liz Tomforde

9. 🆕 Wake-Up Calls by Mariah Stewart (First Reads)

10. 🆕 The Wrong Catch by C.R. Jane

11. 🆕 Game On by Navessa Allen

12. 🆕 The Ruler by Penelope Sky

13. The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros

14. 🆕 Sweet Oblivion by Bella Matthews

15. Mistakes Were Made by Lucy Score

16. 🆕 The Wild Card by Piper Rayne

17. The Night We Met by Abby Jimenez

18. The Poison Daughter by Sheila Masterson

19. 🆕 My Dreadful Darling by H. D. Carlton

20. 🆕 Captivation Creek by Claire Kingsley

⬇️ Paid subscribers can see the full list below

Read more

Leading up to Independent Bookstore Day, I also asked my Instagram followers: which 10 U.S. states don’t currently have a physical romance bookstore?

The answer is:

1. Alabama (however, Blushing Books is opening in May in Huntsville!)

2. Delaware

3. Hawaii

4. Mississippi

5. Nebraska

6. New Hampshire

7. New Mexico

8. North Dakota (I’ve since discovered Larkspur Daisy Books & Babies in Mandan, previously a baby store that has now shifted gears to focus on romance books as well)

9. South Dakota

10. Vermont

In the same post, I also shared the U.S. states with the most physical romance bookstores:

• Texas - 17

• California - 14

• Florida - 14

• Michigan - 8

• New York - 8

• North Carolina - 8

• Pennsylvania - 8

• Washington - 8

• Georgia - 6

I’d also like to welcome a few new Supporters to the directory:

• La Petite Mort Books in Cockeysville, Maryland, U.S.

• Lantern & Lace in the Fraser Valley, British Columbia.

• Sugar and Spice Book Co in Nashville, Tennessee.

Overview

According to my research, there are now 272 physical romance bookstores in 12 countries around the world, 189 (or 69%) of which are in the United States. A new country was added to this list this month, with the opening of The Dark Rose Emporium in Sweden!

If we also include online and pop-up romance bookstores, the total number of stores grows to 444 (317 or 71% of which are in the United States).

Romance Bookstore Directory

Growth of Physical Stores

So far in 2026, there has been a net increase of 46 physical romance bookstores worldwide (47 have opened, 1 has closed). In the United States specifically, there’s been a net increase of 36 physical romance bookstores.

Growth Rates

Worldwide

• 2022: 10 stores

• 2023: 33 stores, 230% increase (3.3x)

• 2024: 93 stores, 182% increase (2.8x)

• 2025: 226 stores, 143% increase (2.4x)

3-Year Growth Rate from 2023 to 2025: 585%

United States

• 2022: 5 stores

• 2023: 18 stores, 260% increase (3.6x)

• 2024: 66 stores, 267% increase (3.7x)

• 2025: 153 stores, 132% increase (2.3x)

3-Year Growth Rate from 2023 to 2025: 750%

These detailed updates are a benefit for paid subscribers (only US$5/month or US$50/year). Everyone can see the high-level numbers before the paywall, but you’ll need to subscribe for all the juicy details…including a list of all the upcoming romance bookstore openings! 🗓️

Upgrade to paid

There are now 464 bookstores in the directory (including Coming Soon)—there was a net increase of 21 stores this month.

The following is a breakdown of bookstores by type: Physical, Online, Pop-up, and Coming Soon along with a list of ALL the recently opened and added stores in each category!

📌 Please note that these categories overlap—a store can categorized as multiple types. For example, a bookstore can be online and have pop-ups, with a physical location coming soon.

Read more

Today I’m sharing the 10 authors with the:

1. Most books on the list

2. Most weeks on the list

I’ve also included some fun “race” chart videos that show how the data stacked up over 15 years.

Some posts in the series will be free, but you’ll need to become a paid subscriber to access all the findings (only US$5/month or US$50/year).

Data Source

List: The New York Times Combined Print & E-Book Fiction Best Sellers1

Sales Period: 2011 to 2025

Methodology: I analyzed the data to determine which authors have had the most books and spent the most weeks (across multiple books, if applicable) on the list during the 15-year time period.

Authors: Most Books on the List

The New York Times Combined Print & E-Book Fiction Best Sellers, 2011 to 2025

1. Danielle Steel - 83 books

2. Christine Feehan - 59 books

3. Stuart Woods - 44 books

4. Nora Roberts - 39 books

5. David Baldacci - 37 books

6. Debbie Macomber - 33 books

7. (Tied for 6th) Susan Mallery - 33 books

8. Robyn Carr - 26 books

9. John Sandford - 25 books

10. (Tied for 9th) James Patterson - 25 books

Danielle Steele tops this ranking with 83 books on the list over 15 years, which is an average of 5.5 books a year. She had a whopping 8 books on the list in both 2017 and 2019!

Author Stuart Woods passed away in 2022, so that was the last year he had books on the list.

I would categorize half of this list (5 of 10) as romance authors: Christine Freehan, Nora Roberts, Debbie Macomber, Susan Mallery, and Robyn Carr.

▶️ Check out the video below to see how the books stacked up over time.

Note: I counted writing duos as unique authors. For example, James Patterson has published books with several different co-authors, so books by each unique pairing were counted separately.

Authors: Most Weeks on the List

The New York Times Combined Print & E-Book Fiction Best Sellers, 2011 to 2025

1. Colleen Hoover - 463 weeks (16 books)

2. John Grisham - 365 weeks (22 books)

3. David Baldacci - 262 weeks (37 books)

4. E. L. James - 253 weeks (8 books)

5. Freida McFadden - 208 weeks (14 books)

6. Stephen King - 207 weeks (23 books)

7. Rebecca Yarros - 206 weeks (4 books)

8. Kristin Hannah - 201 weeks (13 books)

9. Delia Owens - 193 weeks (1 book)

10. Nicholas Sparks - 181 weeks (14 books)

Colleen Hoover tops this ranking with 463 weeks on the list over 15 years, which is an average of 31 weeks per year. In 2022, she had 9 books on the list for a cumulative total of 216 weeks.

It’s interesting to see the variation in the number of books that contributed to each author’s total number of weeks—from Delia Owens with 1 book to David Baldacci with 37 books. David Baldacci is the only author that appears on both lists (Most Books AND Most Weeks).

▶️ Check out the video below to see how the weeks stacked up over time. It really shows how fast Colleen Hoover’s popularity grew starting in 2021!

Stay tuned for more from the NYT15 series!

In my December 2025 analysis of The New York Times Combined Print & E-Book Fiction Best Sellers list, I announced that I would be shifting to a quarterly analysis since my monthly Amazon Kindle Store analysis provides a much larger and richer data set.

However, as I started working on the 2026 Q1 analysis, I still found that this small dataset wasn’t providing any new insights—particularly given the amount of labour involved (NYT only provides publisher name, everything else I have to manually research/code).

Based on that, I’ve decided to go back to doing a NYT monthly ranking, but without additional analysis.

I’m not giving up on NYT Best Sellers analysis though! Instead, I’m going to focus on the new series I introduced last November that highlights findings from the 15-year dataset (2011-2025) I’ve slowly been building. These findings will likely be a mix of free and paid posts.

Okay, with that mind, let me catch you up on the Q1 monthly rankings for January, February, and March 2026!

Data Source

List: The New York Times Combined Print & E-Book Fiction Best Sellers

Sales Periods:
January 2026 (5 weeks: December 28, 2025 to January 31, 2026)1
February 2026 (4 weeks: February 1 to 28, 2026)2
March 2026 (4 weeks: March 1 to 28, 2026)3

Methodology: Part way through 2025 I switched to a sum of ranks calculation for this ranking. However, after using it for several months, I feel that it favours rank over number of weeks on the list too much—since arguably it’s more difficult to stay on the list for multiple weeks than rank highly on the list for one week. So I’ve decided to switch back to a simpler ranking methodology, ranking by:

• number of weeks on the list this month

• then average rank this month

• then number of weeks on the list all time.

January 2026

🅰️ = Also appeared on Amazon Kindle Store Romance Best Sellers: January 2026

1. Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid 🅰️
   This Month: 5 weeks (Avg Rank: 3)
   All Time: 8 weeks

2. The Long Game by Rachel Reid 🅰️
   This Month: 5 weeks (Avg Rank: 8)
   All Time: 5 weeks

3. Game Changer by Rachel Reid 🅰️
   This Month: 4 weeks (Avg Rank: 12)
   All Time: 4 weeks

4. People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry 🅰️
   This Month: 3 weeks (Avg Rank: 7)

   All Time: 41 weeks

5. In Your Dreams by Sarah Adams
   This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 7)

   All Time: 1 week

6. Alchemised by SenLinYu 🅰️
   This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 11)
   All Time: 15 weeks

7. The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros 🅰️
   This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 12)
   All Time: 2 weeks

8. The Things We Leave Unfinished by Rebecca Yarros 🅰️
   This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 12)
   All Time: 1 week

9. Brimstone by Callie Heart 🅰️
   This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 13)
   All Time: 7 weeks

10. Dark Joy by Christine Feehan
    This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 13)
    All Time: 1 week

11. We Who Will Die by Stacia Stark 🅰️
    This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 14)
    All Time: 1 week

February 2026

🅰️ = Also appeared on Amazon Kindle Store Romance Best Sellers: February 2026

1. Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid 🅰️
   This Month: 4 weeks (Avg Rank: 6)
   All Time: 12 weeks

2. The Long Game by Rachel Reid 🅰️
   This Month: 4 weeks (Avg Rank: 12)
   All Time: 9 weeks

3. Lights Out by Navessa Allen 🅰️
   This Month: 2 weeks (Avg Rank: 15)
   All Time: 29 weeks

4. Game Changer by Rachel Reid 🅰️
   This Month: 2 weeks (Avg Rank: 15)
   All Time: 6 weeks

5. And Now, Back to You by B.K. Borison
   This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 4)

   All Time: 1 week

6. Alchemised by SenLinYu 🅰️
   This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 7)
   All Time: 16 weeks

7. Two Can Play by Ali Hazelwood 🅰️
   This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 11)
   All Time: 1 week

8. (TIED FOR 7) Just for the Cameras by Meghan Quinn 🅰️
   This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 11)
   All Time: 1 week

9. An Offer from a Gentleman by Julia Quinn 🅰️
   This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 14)
   All Time: 6 weeks

10. The Night Prince by Lauren Palphreyman 🅰️
    This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 14)
    All Time: 1 week

11. Throne of Nightmares by Kerri Maniscalco
    This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 15)
    All Time: 1 week

March 2026

🅰️ = Also appeared on Amazon Kindle Store Romance Best Sellers: March 2026

1. Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid 🅰️
   This Month: 4 weeks (Avg Rank: 8)
   All Time: 16 weeks

2. Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover 🅰️
   This Month: 3 weeks (Avg Rank: 11)
   All Time: 3 weeks

3. Just Friends by Haley Pham
   This Month: 2 weeks (Avg Rank: 9)
   All Time: 2 weeks

4. Mistakes Were Made by Lucy Score 🅰️
   This Month: 2 weeks (Avg Rank: 10)
   All Time: 2 weeks

5. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas 🅰️
   This Month: 2 weeks (Avg Rank: 13)

   All Time: 52 weeks

6. The Night We Met by Abby Jimenez 🅰️
   This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 2)
   All Time: 1 week

7. The Wings That Bind by Briar Boleyn
   This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 4)
   All Time: 1 week

8. Love Song by Elle Kennedy 🅰️
   This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 5)
   All Time: 1 week

9. Hunt the Villain by Rina Kent 🅰️
   This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 6)
   All Time: 1 week

10. In Her Own League by Liz Tomforde 🅰️
    This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 7)
    All Time: 1 week

11. The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros 🅰️
    This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 12)
    All Time: 3 weeks

12. Dire Bound by Sable Sorensen 🅰️
    This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 13)
    All Time: 1 week

13. Lights Out by Navessa Allen 🅰️
    This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 14)
    All Time: 30 weeks

14. Blood & Roses, Vol. 1 by Callie Hart
    This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 14)
    All Time: 1 week

15. Beneath by Ariel Sullivan
    This Month: 1 week (Avg Rank: 15)
    All Time: 1 week

Happy reading! Let me know if you have any questions.

Leave a comment

Paid subscribers get access to the full analysis, as well as the Top 100 list data I’ve compiled in Airtable—perfect for fellow data nerds who like to get into the details! Here’s a peak at what the spreadsheet/table looks like on desktop:

Some links in this post are affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may earn a small commission.

Upgrade to paid

Data Source

List: Amazon Kindle Store Top 100 Best Sellers in Romance (Paid), US Kindle Store. Data accessed from Kindletrends Romance Weekly Newsletter.1

Sales Period: March 2026

Methodology: This is an exclusive monthly ranking I’ve created in consultation with Kindletrends. It’s based on five Kindle Store Top 100 Best Sellers in Romance (Paid) lists pulled throughout the month (accessed from the Kindletrends Romance Weekly Newsletter: March 3, 8, 15, 21 and 29, 2026), which I’ve then compiled and ranked using a sum of ranks calculation. The Monthly Top 100 list generated is the basis for the analysis that follows.

Table of Contents

1. Top 20 Book Ranking (Free, all other sections Paid)

2. Overview

3. Publisher

4. Price

5. Publication Age

6. Point of View (POV)

7. Subgenre

8. Authors

9. Representation

10. Covers

11. Length

12. Series

13. Reviews

14. Ratings

1. Top 20 Book Ranking

Top 20 of Kindle Store Monthly Top 100 Best Sellers in Romance (Paid) list this month.

🆕 = New on Top 100 list this month compared to last month

1. 🆕 In Her Own League by Liz Tomforde

2. 🆕 Mistakes Were Made by Lucy Score

3. Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover

4. 🆕 A Court of Thorns and Roses 6 by Sarah J. Maas

5. 🆕 Hunt The Villain by Rina Kent

6. 🆕 A Court of Thorns and Roses 7 by Sarah J. Maas

7. 🆕 Law Maker by Susie Tate

8. 🆕 Love Song by Elle Kennedy

9. The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros

10. 🆕 Across the Vanishing Sky by Catherine Cowles

11. Woman Down by Colleen Hoover

12. The Deal by Elle Kennedy

13. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

14. Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid

15. Just For the Cameras by Meghan Quinn

16. The Poison Daughter by Sheila Masterson

17. 🆕 The Night We Met by Abby Jimenez

18. 🆕 What Happened Next by Edwin Hill

19. 🆕 Tempting Boss by Lilian Monroe

20. First Witches Club by Maisey Yates

⬇️ Paid subscribers can see the full list below

Read more

In other news, Pittsburgh will soon have two romance bookstores when The Shelf Love Society opens in April, joining Passionate Pages which opened at the end of January. While there are several other examples of two romance bookstores cities, this is the first time the stores will be located on the same street! (Butler Street in Lawrenceville, for those familiar with Pittsburgh.) You can read more in this Pittsburgh Post-Gazette story (linking to it on PressReader to avoid the paywall).

Okay, on to the numbers.

Overview

According to my research, there are now 259 physical romance bookstores in 11 countries around the world, 179 (or 69%) of which are in the United States.

If we also include online and pop-up romance bookstores, the total number of stores grows to 428 (303 or 71% of which are in the United States).

Romance Bookstore Directory

Growth of Physical Stores

So far in 2026, there has been a net increase of 32 physical romance bookstores worldwide (33 have opened, 1 has closed). In the United States specifically, there’s been a net increase of 24 physical romance bookstores.

Growth Rates

I’ve discovered more physical romance bookstores that opened in 2025, so I’ve updated the growth rates as follows:

Worldwide

• 2022: 10 stores

• 2023: 32 stores, 230% increase

• 2024: 92 stores, 179% increase

• 2025: 227 stores, 147% increase

3-Year Growth Rate from 2023 to 2025: 588%

United States

• 2022: 5 stores

• 2023: 18 stores, 260% increase

• 2024: 65 stores, 261% increase

• 2025: 155 stores, 138% increase

3-Year Growth Rate from 2023 to 2025: 761%

These detailed updates are a benefit for paid subscribers (only US$5/month or US$50/year). Everyone can see the high-level numbers before the paywall, but you’ll need to subscribe for all the juicy details…including a list of all the upcoming romance bookstore openings! 🗓️

Upgrade to paid

There are now 445 bookstores in the directory (including Coming Soon)—16 were added in March.

The following is a breakdown of bookstores by type: Physical, Online, Pop-up, and Coming Soon along with a list of ALL the recently opened and added stores in each category!

📌 Please note that these categories overlap—a store can categorized as multiple types. For example, a bookstore can be online and have pop-ups, with a physical location coming soon.

Read more

The goal of the directory has always been to provide a free and useful resource to romance readers.

The directory is also an excellent research and marketing tool for romance bookstores. I regularly hear anecdotes from bookstore owners about customers finding them through the directory. I know many bookstores have also used my directory and other data as part of the business planning process for their stores (for example, using my Best Romance Book lists to plan which titles to stock).

I provide this service to bookstores for free, but there are costs (like web hosting) and a lot of labour (research, data collection, web updates, etc.) involved in proactively maintaining the directory.

I’m hoping that more bookstores will see the value of the Romance Bookstore Directory and choose to support it financially by becoming a paid subscriber of Romancing the Data.

Ways to Support the Directory

• Tell your customers about the Romance Bookstore Directory.

• If media approach you about a romance bookstore story, refer them to the Romance Bookstore Directory for the latest data.

• If you’re able to support the directory financially, become a paid subscriber (US$5/month or US$50/year).

Upgrade to paid

New Supporter Designation

To recognize my romance bookstore supporters, I’m introducing a new Supporter designation to indicate which bookstores are financially supporting the directory, either through an active paid subscription to Romancing the Data or other contributions.

I will also be featuring the Supporter bookstores in the top spot of the directory on a rotating basis, as well as occasionally featuring them in blog and social media posts.

My goal is to give these bookstores a bit of extra love because they are helping keep the directory running!

Here’s an example of what the Supporter badge and the feature spot looks like:

Current Romance Bookstore Supporters

There are currently 18 romance bookstore supporters (21 individual stores):

1. A Love Affair Book Boutique

2. Beguiled Books

3. Bookish Boutique

4. Books Ever After

5. Exes&Ohs Books

6. Fiction & Friction

7. Flame & Fable

8. Friends to Lovers Bookstore

9. In Bloom Bookery

10. Pages & Grapes

11. Perfect Match Bookshop

12. Steamy Lit

13. Sweet TBR Bookstore

14. Swoon City

15. The Blush and Binding

16. Thirst Books

17. Under the Cover Romance Bookshop (Missouri)

18. Why Choose Bookstore

Thank you so much to my current romance bookstore supporters! I look forward to giving you a bit of extra love in the coming months.

If you’re a paid subscriber whose bookstore is missing from the list above, please comment below or email me.

Happy reading!