Within the United States, more than 20 bookstores are dedicated exclusively to selling romance novels, with El Paso, Texas, now benefiting from this growing trend.
Good Girl Romance was created by owner Sandra Blau, whose childhood passion for the romance genre and the presence of love in any capacity, inspired her love for love itself.
Blau’s youth was shrouded in romance. Beginning with novel series like “The Babysitter Club”–that followed a group of middle school girls that decide to create their own babysitting business, depicting crumbs of romance. Her mother, an avid reader of the genre, inspired her to explore romance novels more thoroughly.
Good Girl Romance’s conception began as a project– a small quaint book club established in September of 2024.
“I first started with a book club. I was always alone in this type of reading. I never really found a buddy who reads the same books as me,” Blau said.
Yearning for a space where the romance genre was prioritized and catered to, Blau created Good Girl Romance as a physical, tangible place where newcomers and seasoned romance readers could enter, feel safe and freely explore, discuss and share.
According to Maya Rodale’s novel “Dangerous Books for Girls,” reading habits within the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries were done as a group. Families would gather around after supper to read with a familial audience in mind, which would relegate the woman individually as an unconsidered audience figure as the men of the household were able to interrupt the reading experience and decree what was appropriate or not.
As privacy within the domestic sphere began to emerge, so did the duality of romance novels being associated as a private, shameful interest and equally liberating for the imagination.
Sentiments, as outdated as they may be, became internalized within readers and perpetuated in public and private spaces. For consumers of the romance genre, many feel inclined to suppress that part of themselves or refrain from disclosing it to others.
Alexis Klima, an academic tutor at El Paso Community College with a bachelor’s in Biochemistry, felt the tension of concealing her love for the genre.
“I definitely felt embarrassed when I was younger, but now I am very open about my hobbies. When I was younger, there was a lot more stigma around the genre and the people who enjoyed it,” Klima said.
This sentiment is something that Blau is trying to amend by erecting a place like Good Girl Romance.
Klima commends romance’s imaginative and liberating qualities as a literary genre capable of providing introspective discovery, considering it a safe space for discovering fundamental aspects of oneself.
“Romance novels are a safe space, especially for women, allowing them to experience a plethora of scenarios. I definitely feel as if my standards are being kept at a certain level when it comes to finding a partner,” Klima said.
Blau’s approach to running Good Girl Romance goes beyond just curating a collection of books; she actively involves her customers in the process. Through regular interactions, whether it’s creating lists of recommended books, scrolling through Instagram for suggestions, or paying close attention to comments and feedback, she ensures that the store’s inventory reflects the desires and interests of the people who visit.
“As someone who has worked in publishing, I know how to get books. So, when I started, I was like you guys let me know what you guys like because these stories will be for you. Let me know which books you would like to see in the bookstore,” Blau said.
Good Girl Romance offers a diverse selection of romance novels that cater to readers of all ages and interests. For younger readers, the bookstore stocks introductory novels that gently introduce the genre. At the same time, for adolescents, there is a wide range of young adult romance books that explore the complexities of growing up and first loves. The store offers adult readers a variety of subgenres, including fantasy, historical romance, dark romance, and LGBTQIA+ romance, ensuring that there is something for everyone, no matter their preferences.
While large bookstore chains like Barnes and Noble offer a versatile selection of novels, including romance novels, large corporations’ consideration of including lesser-known romance novels or self-published authors may be skewed due to sales or other external influences that can simultaneously lack the intimacy opportunity a locally owned bookstore offers which is advocating for books you would like to see and inadvertently spreading awareness that novel.
Blau aspires for Good Girl Romance to be a hub that is a testament to reading and engaging with love in a fictitious manner that should not be suppressed or hidden but an interest that one can nurture in this space.
“I feel like they all bond together, at any age, they connect right away,” Blau said, “And when I see them, I think I can bring people together. No matter what is happening in their house or personal lives, they are here and share the love of reading. They bond immediately.”
Good Girl hosts various events, such as a book club hosted every Sunday, a monthly challenge to incentivize the public to read more and fulfill their reading goals by bringing materials and hosting game nights.
Whether one is new to discovering a fictitious whirlwind romance or a veteran of the literary genre, you can follow and be a part of Good Girl Romance’s journey by following them on Instagram @goodgirlromance and visit the store’s location, 7118 N. Mesa St, El Paso, Texas 79912.
Jazmine Gracia is a writing contributor for The Prospector at UTEP and can be reached at [email protected].
