Somewhere in the middle of Notting Hill, an independent bookstore named Saucy Books has quickly come up as a cultural sensation. The bookstore was opened on June 16 to coincide with Independent Bookshop Week. According to The Guardian, it proudly holds the title of England’s first store exclusively dedicated to romance literature.
A Bookshop That Celebrates Love in Every Form
Sarah Maxwell, the shop’s founder and a former tech strategist from America, turned literary entrepreneur. She has the shop designed as a lively community hub that honors romance genres. This goes for every trope, whether it is a classic sweet tale or some steamy erotica. “We need to reclaim this terminology,” she said. Per The Guardian, she set up a corner jokily referred to as the “Smut Hut.” This is a space dedicated to erotic literature, decorated with whipped suncream and fancy décor.
Despite all the love, dismissive terms like “smut” or “fairy porn” are still common. Maxwell argues that such dismissals are based on sexism. “People think it’s less than or low quality, which is not true at all … there’s an inherent misogyny,” she told The Guardian. However, she points out that approximately 20% of all fiction sales in the UK in 2024 were from the romance genre. This pushes the overall fiction income past £1 billion, with the genre itself accounting for over £69 million.
Powered by TikTok and “Cliterature”
TikTok fuels several books, like Sarah J. Maas’s A Court of Thorns and Roses and Rebecca Yarros’s Fourth Wing. Meanwhile, their books have attracted fans globally and influenced the shop’s thoughtfully selected themes. These have bringing in different tropes from enemies-to-lovers to Western romances and queer awakening stories. However, the store has international visitors coming to explore the lively beach-hut-inspired decor and affirmations of romantic culture.
This spring’s rise of cliterature, a fusion of erotica and empowerment, has redefined literary standards. Research indicates that TikTok-inspired erotic fiction is not only for entertainment, but it also boosts sexual confidence and self-awareness. These are actually trends reflected in the popularity of Saucy Books. Meanwhile, rising romance authors such as Cameron Capello are building their readerships through social media platforms, further challenging outdated biases.
Saucy Books shows no signs of slowing down in London with Gen Z and Millennial readers bringing romantic narratives into the spotlight. On the other hand, Maxwell already hints at future locations in Greece and Portugal. However, the aim is to share its bold, inclusive vision of romance worldwide.
