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Lots of talk about Indie booksellers needing help this week, and I know romance and Indies have a long, fraught history. So here is my list of romance friendly Indies as romance novels!
We'll start with my hometown fave, @wordbookstores in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Smart, welcoming, and full of character. A lot like basically everything Alexis Daria writes. https://www.wordbookstores.com/book/9780062959928
McNally Jackson's romance section is one of the best in NYC, and it's a New York City bookstore classic. So obviously, you should buy a romance classic featuring a lady author from them! https://www.mcnallyjackson.com/book/9780380773527
57th Street books in Chicago, IL launched their beautiful romance section with a massive event with Beverly Jenkins that packed the store to the gills. Buy the entire Jenkins backlist here! https://www.semcoop.com/forbidden-1
Old Town Books in Alexandria Virginia is in a gorgeous old building that feels like a story in itself. This is the place to find an American-set historical...how about some Joanna Shupe? https://www.oldtownbooks.com/?searchtype=title&qs=prince+of+broadway&q=h.tviewer&using_sb=status&qsb=title
Savoy Bookshop in Westerly, RI is probably the most beautiful bookstore I've ever been in, and they are huge romance fans! Added bonus, they have actual resident fairies (and a MASSIVE kids' section)! Obviously, this is where you get your dark fey: https://www.banksquarebooks.com/book/9781451649987
There are very few Indies that are as romance friendly as Katy Budget Books -- this place is big and open and feels like a small town romance turned into a building. And you can buy ebooks from them, like this perfect small town romance from Victoria Dahl. https://www.katybooks.com/ebook/9781488080210
The next two are just a subway stop away from each other! First, Harvard Bookstore in Harvard Square, which has carried a small-but-mighty romance section for years. So, why not buy a novella or two? Start with Adriana Herrera's Mangos & Mistletoe! https://shop.harvard.com/book/9781710360059!
And one stop further on the T gets you to Porter Square books, with a big, bright space and and a big, bright romance section! Head in for some bold covers and bright stories, like the new Rosie Danan! https://www.portersquarebooks.com/book/9780593101605
Back to the Mid-Atlantic, where some GREAT romance-friendly stores live! First up, Loyalty Bookstore in Maryland, a Black woman-owned store that hosts regular romance chats! This is where you get Queen Move--and get inspired to make your own. https://www.loyaltybookstores.com/book/9781952457036
The team at Arlington's One More Page are book lovers to their core -- and they've built out a fabulous romance section that has everything you're looking for...and adorable surprise boxes! How about a book that will absolutely surprise and delight? https://www.onemorepagebooks.com/book/9780062986795
On an adorable street in Richmond, you'll find Fountain Bookstore, which has been promance since the early days. Fountain is a place that feels instantly like an old friend...so here's where you buy Tracey Livesay, whose books are instant keepers. https://www.fountainbookstore.com/book/9780062979568
And this is before I even get to the romance-specific stores! Like Turn the Page, in Boonsboro, Maryland, which is a romance destination because it's owned by THE Nora Roberts. Here's where you start your Nora journey...or continue it with signed books! https://www.ttpbooks.com
And of course, The Ripped Bodice, the LA romance store everyone knows about -- and has a blind-date-with-a-book that is very fun, and HEA guaranteed. https://www.therippedbodicela.com/double-blind-date-book
But if you're buying from romance-only stores, why not start a series and see it all the way through? You should do that at Love's Sweet Arrow, owned by a mother & daughter! Maybe you want to get started on a certain famous family before 12/25? https://lovessweetarrow.indielite.org/book/9780062911414
This is in no way a comprehensive list of romance-friendly Indies...there are more coming to discover the joy of the HEA every day! Check out this map from @JenReadsRomance https://twitter.com/JenReadsRomance/status/1104052740056121345?s=20
Like so many small businesses, 2020 has done some real damage to indie bookstores. If you can, please consider shopping from these, or from your local indie, or from http://bookshop.org , which donates a percentage of every book sold to Independent booksellers.
I'm already realizing there are others I want to add! Northshire in Saratoga Springs is a delightful store in a town that has a Victorian Holiday Walk every year, so it's where you get your holiday romances, like Christina Lauren's latest! https://www.northshire.com/book/9781982123949
Here's another in Ohio, recommended by @stegan (to be paired with Alisha Rai's Wrong to Need You!) https://twitter.com/stegan/status/1320024475589627905
Another! On the rec from @authorandiej! https://mobile.twitter.com/authorandiej/status/1320046923538141186
