England's first 'spicy' bookshop opens in London
England's first genre-specific bookshop has opened in London and is dedicated to selling 'spicy' novels from the BookTok-approved and widely popular romantasy genre
With over 200 billion views on BookTok, a holiday romance is definitely on the cards for Brits, as the popular demand for Romance novels reaches new heights - and even result in a new bookshop dedicated to selling the best and spiciest summer reads.
Perhaps influenced by the global isolation of Covid-19, the need for escapism has multiplied astronomically in the last two years, with "Romatasy" and "best Romantasy books" increasing in searches by 140% in the UK. To satisfy the insatiable appetite for romance, Saucy Books launched as England's very first independent bookshop.
Located in Notting Hill, the store follows Edinburgh's Booklovers - the UK's first in-person store for romance novels, which opened in 2024. Saucy Books is committed to providing everything romance and hosts a vast collection of classic and modern authors, from Jane Austen and Helen Fielding to Sophie Kinsella and Beth O'Leary.
"London is finally getting the bookshop it deserves!" is plastered on the store's website as they promise a selection of "steamy paperbacks to swoon-worthy summer reads," and "to celebrate stories that make your heart race". The store aims to create a community that hosts events, themed collections, and exclusive merch.
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Saucy Books are also curating a collection for this summer inspired by Roman goddess Venus, offering "a one-way ticket to pleasure island" with a selection of novels "that brings the spirit of the Greek isles to London, with seashell pink walls, sun-kissed shelves, and a whole lot of heart".
The launch of the Saucy Books store comes after the Booksellers Association released a report that found that despite the decrease in independent bookshops, the ones that specialise in popular genres appear to grow in success.
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The Booksellers Association report states: "These innovative independent bookshops are part of a growing wave of genre-led specialist stores which have emerged since the pandemic. Driven by shifting consumer habits, publishing trends, and the influence of social media, they have successfully engaged the next generation of readers".
Booksellers Association president and owner of Sevenoaks Bookshop, Fleur Sinclair, spoke on Radio 4, about the struggle for independent bookshops to remain on highstreets. She said: "I think nobody can fail to recognise just how challenging it is to run any business in the high street. At the moment there's a very broken business rates system and little to no support. In fact, I'm going to say no support at all for high street businesses.
"To speak of the positive side of things with the increase in the opening of other bookshops, particularly speciality bookshops. These are incredibly lovely and passionate projects and by definition they are passionate; they're not cynical sort of greed driven endeavours, shall we say, to grab market share.
"These are human endeavours by people who put themselves out there, share what they love and create space. I think many people recognize that, and that's such a wonderful way to build community, which is what bookshops do so brilliantly," Sinclair added.
Meryl Halls, the managing director of the Booksellers Association, spoke to the Mirror exclusively, saying: "Independent bookshops punch above their weight because they sense where the cultural winds are blowing. Whether it be stepping in when local libraries close by taking authors into schools, building community wellness through book clubs, or reaching new readers with book box subscriptions - they are masters of adaptation.
"The rise of genre-specialist shops is only the latest evolution by a retail sector defined by innovation - this time fuelled by TikTok's influence, a renewed appetite for genre fiction in uncertain times, and the desire for inclusive, welcoming spaces where fan communities can come together".
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