TACOMA, Wash. - Romance is no longer just on the page, it's turning into a movement in the Pacific Northwest, with a surge in romance-exclusive bookstores and a community of readers and writers reshaping how the genre is seen.

"Its chaos now, but what we’re really trying to do is create a community space," said Leana Chase, standing inside her future shop, Shelf Indulgence , in Tacoma. Just six days after receiving the keys to the former art studio on 6th Avenue, she’s already busy painting walls and unpacking boxes.

Chase envisions a warm, cozy space filled with antique decor, comfy couches, free coffee and tea—and, of course, shelves packed with romance novels. She’s even hoping to set up a speakeasy reading room hidden behind a swinging bookshelf.

Romance book stores pop up in Pa

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