Exploring the resurgence of the romance book in Buffalo and beyond

Plot twist: Romance novels have changed a lot since then.

Decades later, the genre has gone from being judged by its covers to one experiencing a steamy resurgence here in Western New York and beyond. In an era of independent bookstore closings, two new local shops have opened within the past two years catering to romance readers. Both have attracted growing communities of enthusiastic devotees who flock to book clubs, events and book releases. Local novelists writing spicy stories are attracting new fans who discover connections and intrigue in plots revolving around relationships.

And it’s not just a Queen City fantasy; the romance genre’s skyrocketing popularity is widely credited for saving the publishing industry as a whole.

According to a recent story in The Atlantic, romance print book sales more than doubled from 2020 to 2023, and the rise continues. Romance print sales went up 24% from 2024 to 2025, according to Marketplace.org, which pointed out that while reading as pastime has been surpassed by streaming, nearly half of a fast-growing population of romance book readers still consume an average of one print book per week.

But if love stories are as old as time, why the recent uptick in interest?

Love in the time of Covid

Local bookstore owners, authors and readers say it started during the Covid pandemic, when people had plenty of time to discover new pastimes and craved virtual connections with like-minded people. Stories about finding companionship against the odds with a guaranteed happy ending (a notable hallmark of the genre) became an antidote to widespread fear and isolation.

Readers started sharing romance reviews and recommendations on book-centric corners of social platforms, nicknamed Bookstragram and BookTok, mainstreaming a once-guilty pleasure. That’s when Kristina Muffoletto, owner of romance bookshop Afterglow Books, which opened in summer 2024 in Allentown, started to notice a real shift in how people viewed romance reading.

“There was a stigma with romance,” Kristina explains. “Society diminishes things made for women by women as unserious. Not high-brow literary work, but something shameful. It makes women feel judged to have to go back to this hidden corner of a general bookstore to find a book they like.”

But that notion is changing, too.

Jennifer Aline and Rachel Kaye, romance novel authors and co-founders of Book & Brew Creative, an independent publishing company in WNY, say that shifts in societal attitudes around sex and empowerment have given readers more permission to pursue what pleases them.

“Interest in this genre has really grown in the last five years is because people are more comfortable expressing who they are, what they like and their sexuality,” says Jenni. “At the end of a relatable story, readers feel more confident, more empowered and they’re going to tell someone about it.”

“When the Fabio covers, the old-school bodice rippers, came out in the ’80s, sex was more taboo,” adds Rachel. “Woman could enjoy sex, but it usually started out as coercive or against their will. Now woman can embrace and pursue it.”

Bringing people together—on the page and off

One of the most satisfying stories Kristina has found in her store is the community it’s created. Her first book club sold out in less than 24 hours, and a waitlist formed. She has since added a second book club to welcome more people into the discussion, and routinely packs the store for book release parties, author signings and happy hours.

“People feel safe and seen here,” says Kristina. “We carry stories that are mild to spicy and everything in between—and others have read and loved them, too, making conversations with strangers pretty easy. So many real friendships have started in the store, and we all hype each other up in everything we do.”

In setting up her store, Kristina was intentional about righting a wrong she noticed in big-box bookstores: that books about LGBTQ+ relationships are stowed away in their own labeled section and rarely represented in the romance aisle. At Afterglow, every book shares space on the shelf. She tucks little rainbow pride flag bookmarks into relevant volumes to make them easier to find.

“Romance is romance,” she says. “Stories centered on LGBTQ relationships are not segregated here; finding human connection should be an inclusive experience.”

That’s a sentiment echoed by Jessica Amico, who opened The Velvet Bookmark romance bookstore in North Tonawanda with her sister and best friend in September 2025. She says the genre appeals to readers in a range of relationships because they aren’t just about finding a love interest.

“There’s something about a romance novel storyline that makes you feel understood in putting yourself out there to find a partner, or even new friends,” says Jessica. “Not everyone is looking for a romantic partner, but everyone is looking for personal connections with other people.”

Sara Jamieson, an Afterglow regular, started reading romance in 2022 and became enamored with the optimism and complexity she found in the narratives.

“What draws me most to the romance genre is the sense of hope,” she explains. “So many romance books feature characters going through hardships and overcoming adversity alongside the love stories they feature. I think a lot of people mistake the genre as light and fluffy, but many of the most impactful books I’ve read are the ones that focus on vulnerability and all the highs and lows that come with being alive.”

Plots for all palates

Within the romance genre are several styles and sub-genres. There’s historical, comedy, paranormal, young adult romance and many more. “Romantasy” is a romance plot set in fantasy realms, which can include vampires, dragons, time travel, epic adventures and interstellar contact.

Some stories are considered women’s fiction with romance as a sub-plot. “Chick lit” is the ’90s term for women’s fiction, and most fans find it a little insulting. Many readers and writers dabble across sub-genres.

Rachel writes contemporary romance stories set in small towns with characters that feel familiar. She’s a social worker by day and doesn’t shy away from including real-life experience like trauma in her narratives. Jenni describes her stories as spicy women’s fiction that features LGBTQ+ characters, polyamory and plenty of twists.

Regardless of sub-genre, the standard element in every romance story is a happy ending. Rachel even flips to the last few pages before reading a book just to make sure it ends well, a habit she picked up as a teenager discovering the romance section at her local library.

However, Kristina says that even though the couple always ends up together, that doesn’t mean it needs to be for forever.

“There is always a happily ever after, even if it’s just for right now,” says Kristina. “It’s an escape, because in everyday life, a happy ending is not always the case.”

Warming up to the idea of a steamy read?

Here are five favorites from three of Western New York’s romance read gurus. 

Picks from Jennifer Aline, author and co-founder of Book & Brew Creative:

• “Plot Twist,” by Erin La Rosa 
• “The Ex Talk,” by Rachel Lynn Solomon 
• “Well Met,” by Jen DeLuca 
• “Exes and O’s,” by Amy Lea
• “Fourth Wing” series, by Rebecca Yarros

Picks from Kristina Muffoletto, owner of Afterglow Books:

• “Book Lovers,” by Emily Henry
• “Promise Me Sunshine,” by Cara Bastone
• “Love, Theoretically,” by Ali Hazelwood
• “First-Time Caller,” by B.K. Borison
• “One Golden Summer,” by Carley Fortune

Picks from Jessica Amico, co-owner of The Velvet Bookmark:

• “People We Meet on Vacation,” by Emily Henry
• “Assistant to the Villain,” by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
• “Red, White & Royal Blue,” by Casey McQuiston
• “Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail,” by Ashley Herring Blake
• “Finlay Donovan is Killing It,” by Elle Cosimano