Bookstore Romance Day Gives Austin Readers a Reason to Swoon

Enemies to lovers. Fake relationships that lead to real feelings. Best friends destined to end up together. Inject every version of these romance novel tropes into my veins, whether they involve hockey players, mystical beings, or journalists. (Wink, wink.)

If you, like me, are an avid consumer of romance fiction, Saturday is your time to shine… or should I say, swoon. Aug. 15 is Bookstore Romance Day across the U.S. and beyond. A number of independent book shops in the Austin area are participating in the annual event, which first began in 2019.

While data on reading in the U.S. can be discouraging, romance readers are bucking that trend with about half knocking out a book a week. Jean Elizabeth Buckner, the owner and general manager of Vintage Bookstore and Wine Bar, said one reason this genre is so popular is because “love stories remind us what it means to be human.”

“When the world feels tough, romance novels remind us that even when life delivers you your 'third act breakup' you can still find your happily ever after,” Buckner added.

What To Expect

Get ready for a blind date you might actually enjoy.

Bookstores will have special Romance Day editions of Blind Date with a Book. Although the books will be wrapped to conceal their titles, there will be clues to help you figure out if the book is your perfect match. BookPeople will be offering book blind dates and the cafe there is also going to offer a special romance-themed menu.

Romance authors will mingle with readers at local shops dedicated to selling the genre, such as Finney’s Books and Flutter Romance Bookstore. Flutter is also hosting Romance Book Bingo where you can win “bookish prizes.”

Reverie Books is marking the occasion with free mimosas in the morning, a happy hour in the evening, and prize wheel giveaways throughout the day. (They had me at mimosas.)

Looking for a bargain on classic romance novels? BookWoman is having a big sale and offering a 10% discount on used romance books, too. Vintage Bookstore also has a deal on romance novels: If you buy one romance novel, you’ll get 10% off the second.

And really, this is just a sampling of all the activities Austin book shops are planning to sweep readers off their feet.