Hello! Welcome and come on into my first column. As a lifelong reader and current English major, I’ve developed many opinions about bookstores — some admittedly pretentious, others a little less so. Feel free to browse along these lines as I tell you about my experiences browsing the shelves within many of Boston’s bookstores.
With romance ranking consistently as the top genre in publishing, it’s not surprising that more and more romance-centered bookstores have popped up. While many books of that genre find their homes on Kindles and e-readers, there is something to be said about the physical form.
Our first stop on this bookstore crawl, Lovestruck Books, definitely knows the importance of this. Newly opened in Harvard Square, I ventured in during a bustling and celebratory Friday afternoon, shortly after they first opened. Full of voices evaluating the store while eagerly searching for their next read, the environment contrasted the stereotypical quiet and meditative atmosphere of most bookstores. Between the meandering crowd, the labyrinthine bookshelves and the assortment of tables offering special activities, I squeezed my way in and began to explore.
The front of the store offers a range of genres including young adult, fantasy/science fiction and nonfiction. With its general Barnes & Noble-esque collection of popular reads, there is something for everyone at Lovestruck Books. However, if you are someone who enjoys hunting around, running fingers down spines and taking your sweet time searching for a diamond among the rough, then this might not be the bookstore for you. The store, while having a shelf dedicated to recommendations from staff, lacks a sense of meticulous curation. But that might change as the bookstore finds its footing in the weeks after its grand opening.
Lovestruck Books finds its rhythm in the back of the store. There, on brilliant red shelves, is a gallery of cartoon covers promising both giddy, swoon-worthy love stories and steamy, pulse-rising, passionate tales. Readers can find almost every genre of romance: contemporary, western, historical and a fittingly dim corner for the dark romances. I also found a considerable section for the new and growing designation of “romantasy.” While I disagree with some of the books being shelved in “romantasy” rather than the traditional fantasy section, the selection was still appreciable.
The store is unapologetically feminine and very aware of its consumer base. There is pop music playing overhead and tables of merchandise. You can find fancy bath products, candles promising love, tarot cards and tote bags for the latest BookTok craze. Current trends in bookselling appear with “blind date with a book,” where the book is wrapped in paper and a tempting description scrawled on in place of a cover. Lovestruck Books is, to put it simply, fun.
There’s even a coffee shop. I, who for once was feeling awake at 2 p.m., refrained from purchasing a drink. Although, the polished café did look inviting tucked alongside the rest of the bookstore. It offered a tempting respite from the lively book search.
With rent payments coming up and no books jumping out at me, I left Lovestruck Books without making a purchase. I may return though to pick up a book perfect for this month since love is, after all, in the air.
