Recently opened in Nice, the L’Envolée bookstore has specialized in romance and “romantasy”. Driven by the genre’s surge on social media, the boutique attracts a community of readers eager to share their passion and discover the latest releases.
On the shelves of the bookstore L’Envolée, colorful covers and evocative titles immediately set the tone. The Nice boutique is entirely dedicated to romance and “romantasy“, a sub-genre blending love stories with fantasy worlds.
At the origin of the project is Elena, a passionate reader who decided to open this specialized bookstore after noticing a gap in Nice. “There was no bookstore dedicated to this genre here. To find these books, you had to go to large chains“, explains Elisa, Elena’s collaborator (and friend).
A genre driven by social media
Romance has experienced spectacular success in the publishing world for several years now. For Elena, this phenomenon is largely explained by the influence of social media. “I think it’s thanks to BookTok and online communities. It’s no longer taboo to love romance. Readers are showing themselves more and exchanging recommendations“, notes the manager.
In the boutique, the majority of customers correspond to a well-identified profile: women aged around 25 to 35 years old. But the bookstore also welcomes younger or older readers, all attracted by the latest releases in the genre. “There are huge releases every week. Readers often come looking for books they’ve heard about on social media or from literary influencers“, adds Elisa.
A bookstore designed as a meeting place
Beyond selling books, the bookstore also aims to be a meeting place. Reading clubs are regularly organized there, around different themes: dark romance, romantic suspense, or more classic romance. These gatherings allow readers to share their impressions after reading. “When you finish a book, you can feel a bit alone facing the end of the story. These moments allow us to discuss it and extend the experience“, Elena suggests.
This success shows no signs of slowing down. According to Elena, romance is not just a passing trend. “Readers already existed before. But today, there are more French authors and many more translations. All of this helps the genre grow.“
The first bookstore in Nice entirely devoted to romance, L’Envolée now hopes to establish itself as a rallying point for genre enthusiasts. “We’re the first in Nice. I hope it will inspire other initiatives to emerge.“
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