SALES of fiction novels broke the £1billion barrier for the first time last year – and millions were snapped up as physical copies.
Experts reckon the boom is fuelled by a desire to ditch screens and actually turn the pages on a good story.
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And that escapism is also encouraging Scots to give up their day job and make books their career.
Jennifer Finlay, 29, also got into reading when she became ill suddenly.
Now, she is opening Glasgow’s first shop dedicated to “romantasy” novels — a mix of romance and fantasy that’s grown in popularity over the last couple of years.
Series such as A Court Of Thorns And Roses by Sarah J Maas and the Empyrean books, sometimes dubbed “fairy smut”, are estimated to have made over £450million in sales last year.
Jennifer, from Blackwood, Lanarkshire, had to give up her interior designing job due to her ill health.
She said: “I was diagnosed with an inflammatory condition called SAPHO Syndrome. It’s really rare in the UK, actually it’s rare everywhere. I literally went home from work one night and took my bra off and my skin peeled off., it was horrific.
“I was constantly in the hospital.”
It was during her initial diagnosis and medical visits that Jennifer’s love of books was resparked.
She explained: “I always read when I was younger, but it was during my treatment I found my love again.
“It all started with Fourth Wing, by Rebecca Yarros. The main character, Violet, had a similar condition.
“When I went into book shops, there wasn’t the full, vast romance section I was looking for.
“I made a bookstagram and then I found out about events. And I felt that there had to be something available on our doorsteps.
“I’ve been speaking a lot with romance book shop Book Lovers in Edinburgh and Caden Armstrong, who runs it is amazing, she’s been a fantastic support.”
Jennifer, married to Paul, 33, decided to open Morally Grey, which launches soon in Morris Park, Glasgow.
She said: “I wanted somewhere people could come in and have every kind of sub-genre you could think of within the adult romance section.
“I already have two dark romance authors and a fantasy writer coming in to do signings.”
Jennifer reckons part of the renaissance of paperbacks is due to digital overload.
She said: “I think books, especially romantasy, have all these different worlds you’re escaping into.
“You’re not in a reality where there’s phones, social media, high pressure. It’s just escapism into a story. I think that romantasy is very good for that.
“Also, dark romance has got so much bigger.
“I fell in love with the genre and it wasn’t something that I ever thought that I would like. And I have read so many amazing books, I’ve met so many authors. It’s fantastic.
“I don’t think there’s a genre within the romance sector of adult romance that I’ve not tried and liked.”
BOOK clubs have boomed in the last five years – with a 350 per cent rise in event listings since 2020.
Getting together to discuss a novel over a cuppa or a wine is now many Scots’ idea of the perfect evening.
For Sophie Lambert, it gave her a support network when she moved from Glasgow to Balfron, Stirlingshire.
The 37-year-old said: “I started the group in 2021. I’d not long moved to the village, the pandemic was starting to ease up a little bit and there were opportunities for socialising. I didn’t really know anyone, so I’d popped out a message on social media to see if anybody would be interested in a book group.
“It got an overwhelming response. With the exception of December, we have met monthly ever since and read around 40 books. Now, four years down the line, our book group sessions are generally part literary discussion, part therapy session and part complete silliness. It’s all so good for the soul.”
Now, the group is branching out, using its love of reading to launch Balfron Book Festival, which runs from September 5 to 7.
Authors such as The Hebridean Baker Coinneach MacLeod, as well as Gill Sims, will host events, while there are activities for kids, too.
Sophie added: “We’re really looking forward to it and hoping it brings a little bit of a buzz to the village.”
The community around adult fantasy romance has boomed in recent years with massive fan events and a whole merch industry having built up around it.
Jennifer said: “It’s fantastic how there’s so many, from single books, like A Court of Thornes and Roses, there’s so many things that have come from that.
“It’ss such a massive world because then you can go on to series like the Throne of Glass from the same author.
“And I’m actually in awe of the fandom. I think it’s phenomenal.
“The book community is amazing.”
