Latest news with #SarahMaxwell
Telegraph
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Fairy porn and a ‘smut hut': I visited Britain's new romance-only bookshop
The plot springs straight from a Richard Curtis film: an intrepid, single, flame-haired American abandons her high-flying life as a tech executive to open a dedicated romance bookshop in Notting Hill named Saucy Books. On the first day of business in mid-June, just as she's unlocked the door, three fire engines pull up outside to investigate a gas leak. The first man to disembark is so devastatingly attractive that our heroine asks if he'd like to venture inside for a browse. I'd love to report that this promising set-up ended with a smooch, but real-life shopkeeper, 38-year-old Sarah Maxwell, laughs and admits her Adonis was swept back to the fire station before conflagration could take place. What a shame. My script already had Maxwell selling the fireman the brand new novel Consider Yourself Kissed by Jessica Stanley, ' the must-read love story of the summer ', which is prominently on display. Instead, we end up spending a lively 10 minutes discussing why firefighters are so much sexier than policemen. Maxwell says it's because police officers have an overdeveloped 'sense of their own authority, law enforcement is all about power and control.' While firemen not only risk their lives on a regular basis, 'they rescue kittens from trees'. Mind you, it's fair to say – judging from my sun-drenched afternoon at Saucy Books – that women are around 50 times more likely to seek out the shop than men. The only chap I spot there is the spouse of a visitor, although Maxwell protests she does have male customers. Her assistant, Jessica Roberts, points to the chairs on the street outside the shop and says, 'That's the man park,' where women can seat husbands and boyfriends while they shop. Girlfriends, too: a number of women customers arrive with female partners and Maxwell and Roberts are busy planning a Pride celebration when I visit. The shop is already en fête, decked out in candy pink, yellow, lilac and blue, with a yellow-striped awning billowing overhead to bestow what Maxwell summarises as a summery 'beach-hut' feel. It's all so Barbie bright, cheerful and uncluttered, that I'm slightly fazed at first, as when it comes to book shops, I am more accustomed to the Black Books vibe of an eccentric grouch cramming books on dusty shelves. But it doesn't take long for me to realise that Saucy Books is an artfully curated experience for romance aficionados, where devotees can hang out with fellow fans and get personally tailored advice from Maxwell, rather than an ordinary bookshop. Our conversation keeps breaking off, as fresh shoppers pick her brains for the latest volume of ice hockey love stories (a very popular genre, I'm told, even with UK readers). Maxwell says she's delighted to order in any volume on any topic, even Antony Beevor's Stalingrad, if a husband demands it. However, the mood remains defiantly Bridget Jones's Diary – a major influence on Maxwell – with Helen Fielding's original book displayed prominently like a totem and joined on the shelves by evergreen love expert, Jane Austen. These are just about the only authors' names I recognise, as my habitual reading (Tessa Hadley, Elizabeth Strout, Hilary Mantel) often focuses on the messy fallout from unhappy marriages, including the odd beheading. I have completely missed out on major trends such as romantasy – a genre which draws upon Tolkien's and Ursula K Le Guin's elves, wizards and dragons – but unlike their chaste storytelling, throws in lashings of pining, smooching and sex. Or, as a publisher friend puts it, 'Fairy Shades of Grey'. But Saucy Books exists to remove the blinkers from novices like me, as well as to bolster aficionados. Resistance is useless in the face of Maxwell's radiant enthusiasm; she's been a devotee of romance – or what we then called chick lit – since her teens in LA, when her family nicknamed her 'Saucy' for her sassy attitude. She used to queue for hours for book signings with British authors like Marian Keyes, Helen Fielding and Sophie Kinsella, and was known as the storyteller among her siblings. Yet she ended up doing a law degree and then working for a number of newly emerging tech companies like Uber, Spotify and Epic Games, before moving to London 10 years ago to take up an executive role at cryptocurrency company Even so, it seems she never strayed far from the values that mark a successful publishing campaign. Her LinkedIn profile states: 'My background blends product strategy, brand storytelling and creative innovation'. It's clear Saucy Books will be as active online as it is in the physical shop, setting up a book club, building a virtual community, holding events and maybe opening fresh stores, if this one is a rollicking success. Maxwell may even get to promote her own work, since it transpires she's an aspiring author, with two manuscripts on the back-burner. The first was written in her 20s and features a bereaved heroine 'who's been left the Orange County magazine in her mother's will, and has just one issue to turn around its fortunes'. The second was penned during a 2022 sabbatical, after Maxwell developed long Covid; she says it's The Devil Wears Prada, but set in tech. I point out that she appears to be living a 21st-century romance story all of her own, with her candy-bright shop that's a tonic for jaded souls – rather like Vianne Rocher's magical cocoa emporium in Joanne Harris's novel, Chocolat. All the scenario needs now is a gorgeous love interest, but when I ask Maxwell about her dating experiences in London she replies, 'It's been really mixed, nothing that stuck.' A lament that feels emblematic of a woman who started dating in the restless, digital, 'swipe right' era, when, according to a comic skit I viewed on Instagram recently, you'd prefer to hear a date had died than realise he'd chosen to ghost you. No wonder so many female readers choose to retreat to fantastical lands, where women have magic powers and men are warriors, or quite literally beasts – like the prince who's cursed to take horse's form in one of the shop's bestsellers, Behooved by M Stevenson. This means the heroine gets to ride him in every sense of the word. (Puns seem wildly popular in the new genres of romance.) Many of the books on display are best-selling romantasy, such as Onyx Storm ('think Hunger Games meets Fifty Shades ') by Rebecca Yarros, an American mother-of-six married to an army veteran who served in Afghanistan. The foreword solemnly states: 'The following text has been faithfully transcribed from Navarrian into the modern language by Jesinia Neilwart, Curator of the Scribe Quadrant at Basgiath War College'. Taking me to Miss Jean Brodie's immortal line, 'For those that like that kind of thing, that is the sort of thing they like.' And countless legions of women readers do like it – and indeed seem to live by it. Annual sales from the romantasy genre alone were predicted to hit $610m (£448m) by the end of last year, while the genre's leading light, Sarah J Maas (famed for her Throne of Glass and Court of Thorns and Roses series), has, to date, sold 75 million copies of her novels worldwide. I get it. Young people are living in dark times with endless talk of WWIII, just as the boomers and Generation X were during the Cold War. These volumes are their version of Jilly Cooper, Shirley Conran and all the wildly entertaining, escapist bonkbusters I read in my teens and early 20s. So big is the craze in the UK, that last weekend saw a Romance Readers and Reader Event, RARE25, staged at London's ExCel centre, with 400 authors attending. Judging from my visit, shoppers tend to come from a younger demographic. Many first found out about Saucy books from TikTok, or more specifically BookTok, where romance threads are legion and a coded language has evolved to rate raunchy reads, since 'sex' and associated terms can lead to censorship on the platform. Instead, books are critiqued on their 'spice' levels, with red pepper emojis liberally employed for the strongest 'fairy porn'. Maxwell even has her own 'smut' hut in the shop, decked out in Hawaiian Tiki style, where some of the stronger romance is displayed. Obviously, I headed straight there where I picked up Swift and Saddled by Lyla Sage, the torrid tale of divorced interior decorator Ada, who finds herself summoned to glam up Rebel Blue Ranch in Wyoming, encountering steer wrangler Weston Ryder in the process. For a man of few words, Wes has plenty of interior monologue: 'I trailed my hands down her back and gripped her hip for leverage as I guided myself inside her.' Maxwell protests that these novels aren't erotica, but I'd disagree. And why not? Romance exists to fulfil women's fantasies, both the writer's and the reader's. I had lively chats with young Americans, Australians and a couple of girls who'd trekked over from Highgate, but Maxwell says that there's a devoted set of older readers too. Such as the 60-something 'petite, blonde woman in leopard print leggings with bags of attitude' who travelled from Plymouth to pay pilgrimage. She also had two women in their 40s who were on the trail of mafia romance to the point one declared, 'I keep going to Italy and trying to get myself kidnapped.' This is a bookshop that's full of banter and camaraderie. It's easy to see how the genre bonds pleasure-seekers. One of my super-smart nieces confirms this, messaging me to say that when she lived in Australia during a gap year, she was part of a romance-orientated book group. She described the sense of belonging as 'a kind of collective validation that makes engaging with those books feel less stigmatised'. I felt myself wince a bit at my niece's candid comments. I have definitely been a bit snooty about the new wave of romances, when I now see they stand in a clear line from books I loved in the 1980s, like Anne Rice's eroticised Interview With a Vampire and, perhaps even more so, her unabashedly filthy Sleeping Beauty Quartet. Another bookish niece recommends the Boys of Tommen series by Chloe Walsh, for covering 'difficult topics like sexual assault, suicide and abuse', while remaining 'totally impossible to put down'. Resistance, it seems, is useless. I leave Notting Hill with every novice's favourite Maas, A Court of Thorns and Roses, after another Gen Z browser told me I had to 'get with the programme' and read it. As I head off, two young women from Sydney are begging Maxwell to open a Saucy Books out there, 'We need you!' I suddenly realise who the twinkling, naughty-but-wholesome shopkeeper reminds me of: she's Mary Poppins, but her chosen 'spoonful of medicine' for deflated, crosspatch souls, is a romantic novel.
Scottish Sun
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
I opened UK's first totally legal SEX bookshop on posh high street full of families… surprising ‘genre' pulls punters in
London's first romance bookshop opened on June 18 and proved to be an instant hit PAGE TURNER I opened UK's first totally legal SEX bookshop on posh high street full of families… surprising 'genre' pulls punters in Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A WOMAN who opened the UK's first legal sex book shop has revealed a surprising genre is pulling in customers. Sarah Maxwell opened her aptly named store Saucy Books in upmarket Notting Hill, west London. less than two weeks ago. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 17 Sarah Maxwell owns Saucy Books in Notting Hill, which comes with a Smut Hut for the books that would make many a reader blush Credit: Paul Edwards 17 The colourful interior is perfect for Instagrammers and TikTokkers Credit: Paul Edwards 17 On display is Icebreaker, a very steamy romance about ice skaters Credit: Paul Edwards 17 Saucy Books shop in Notting Hill is vibrant and eye-catching Credit: Paul Edwards With a pink mermaid logo and colourful exterior, you would think London's first romance bookshop would only attract women after a secret spicy read or profound love story. But the owner of the aptly named store in the heart of Notting Hill revealed that men also love to read romantasy books - which are also referred to as "fairy porn" due to the steamy content. The popularity of romantasy - a combination of fantasy and heated romance - has skyrocketed in recent years. Despite the colourful covers and blurbs, they are far from tame. The bonkbuster books are set in mythical kingdoms with warrior queens, dragons and "faerie" men with bat wings. But they also come with extremely detailed sex scenes that have led to the genre being dubbed "fairy porn". Last year, the book launch of Onyx Storm saw obsessed fans queue for hours in the middle of the night to get their mitts on the latest raunchy instalment about two dragon riders who trigger lighting strikes due to their energetic frolicking. And they are front and centre in Saucy Books' vibrant display. The bookshop opened on June 18 and proved to be an instant hit. THE SMUT HUT American owner Sarah Maxwell told The Sun they almost sold out of books on the very first day - and she's had to frantically re-order copies every day since. The books are arranged by trope, with blunt but informative labels such as "Age Gap", "Long Distance" and "Billionaire". But up a set of steps is the "Smut Hut" that booklovers flock there for. Inside lies the novels with the chapters. The vivid descriptions would cause many a reader to blush and look around to make sure no one is reading over their shoulder. On one of the shelves, there is a collection of bookmarks for sale that would be great tat for a hen-do, titled "c**kmarks". Sarah, who has a background in tech and has worked for big names like Spotify and Uber, said the opening has been a challenge, but a fun one. Everyone loves the Smut Hut and takes a photo in there Sarah Maxwell, owner of Saucy Books The striking blue shop is on the corner of a road filled with colourful bars, coffee shops and restaurants - and it's only a few streets away from the famous Portobello Road market. Saucy Books' site used to be a bathroom showroom, but you would never guess. Sarah tells us there is actually still a shower head hidden under the "Smut Hut". "We wanted to be sustainable so we built around what was already there. "We only moved in on June 1 and we opened on Wednesday, so we haven't had long to sort it out." She tells us that one superfan flew all the way from Malta to come visit the shop. "We've had an incredible response." There is a small stall outside that sells matcha, and on the day The Sun visited, they said they planned on serving Aperol spritz that evening. 17 Up a set of steps is the "Smut Hut" that booklovers flock there for Credit: Paul Edwards 17 Saucy Books is the first romantic book shop to open in London Credit: Paul Edwards 17 On one of the shelves, there is a collection of bookmarks for sale that would be great tat for a hen-do, titled "c**kmarks" Credit: Saucy Books NOTTING HILL IS THE ROMANCE CAPITAL Sarah, who has lived in London for 10 years, said she is an avid romance reader and is also a writer herself. But she struggled to find the authors she loved in normal bookshops - and that is when she got the idea. She told The Sun: "There are romance bookstores in the US but not in London, so that's where my American-ness comes in. "I get books with American covers and they have sold out so quickly." When asked why she picked Notting Hill for the location, she mentioned the famous movie that has become synonymous with the trendy area overrun with tourists. "Notting Hill is the most quintessentially romantic place in London. You have the Notting Hill movie, you have Bridget Jones. "It's such a good spot to have a corner shop by here. I'm going to do a book mural opposite." Sarah gets irritated when people compare her shop to the notorious Fifty Shades of Grey: "It's not just smut." But she continued: "Everyone loves the Smut Hut and takes a photo in there. 17 A suggestive bookmark in Saucy Books, Notting Hill Credit: Saucy Books 17 It's only a few streets away from the famous Portobello Road market Credit: Paul Edwards 17 Around the corner, in the iconic market made famous by the romantic Notting Hill movie Credit: Paul Edwards GEN Z MADE READING COOL AGAIN "A lot of romance readers and authors get discounted and put down, so this is a space where it's celebrated." Sarah said that reading has really seen a resurgence with Gen Z. "My intern said to me 'reading is cool again' and I was like, 'when was reading not cool?' "Some men come in and find the Smut Hut really funny. But a lot of men actually read it too. "They're big fans of A Court of Thorns and Roses [ACOTAR] and Throne of Glass especially. They love it. "Some of these books like those by Sarah J Maas are on par with Tolkien. But it's trivialised. "That's part of why I wanted to do this as a space to celebrate it. It's the first in London. I'm sure others will pop up but it's nice to be the first!" XXX NOTTING HILL TOURIST ROW BOXOUT? XXX When The Sun paid a visit to the shop on the first week of opening, it boasted a distinctive summery vibe. Sarah said that is by design - it's made to look like a beach hut, and the books inside match. But the shop is not just for the summer, and the aesthetic will be completely revamped each season. "Right now we're going a beach hut vibe for the summer, because that's where people like to go to read. "In Fall we'll do something different, more moody... we'll see. It'll change each season, with books to match it." When it's mentioned that this sounds like a lot of hard work and money, she laughed and said she loves a challenge. Before the shop was even open, passersby were peering in at the display. A pair of young women stopped in their tracks to look in, with a bored-looking man in tow. But he soon perked up and appeared engrossed in the display. 17 The books are arranged by trope, with informative labels such as "Age Gap", "Long Distance" and "Billionaire" Credit: Paul Edwards 17 The staff have painstakingly matched the decor to the content Credit: Paul Edwards 17 Quicksiver is another steamy book that is a hit on TikTok Credit: Paul Edwards MY FAMILY CALL ME AUNT SAUCY Sarah says the first three days have been a huge hit. "The beginning has been very good. People love that you can browse and sit down - and we have the Smut Hut! "We have all the tropes, Western, Italian, Jane Austen, romantasy. We very almost sold out of books on the very first day. I've had to reorder new ones every day, it's been a challenge. "We've had book influencers come and meet each other for the first time here, one woman flew from Malta for it. "We're open into the evenings because it's such a nice vibe on this street at 8." Although most shoppers so far have already been big romance readers, Sarah said many tourists have also popped in to buy a book. "We sold out of Jane Austen. We have Court of Thorns and Roses, Throne of Glass... a lot of Sarah J Maas which is very popular, "We also have Fourth Wing - all the romantasy!" But Sarah doesn't plan on stopping here. I know loads of people that would go. It's having a big thing right now Stall worker Tanyu, 26 "I want to open Saucy Books in other countries that don't have romance bookstores, like Greece and Portugal too. "Saucy is my family nickname. I'm Aunt Saucy. I kept referring to my project as that and it just stuck. "I like it because we're turning it away from the term "spicy" and making it into a double entendre." Around the corner, in the iconic market made famous by the romantic Notting Hill movie, 25-year-old tourist Katie said she loved the idea of a romance bookshop. She said: "I'm flying out today. But if I was here for longer I would go. I think it's a really good idea. I love it." 17 Gabriel Paine, who works in Daunt Books, said many bookshops in the area become tourist attractions Credit: Paul Edwards 17 Portobello market stall holder Taymu thinks Saucy Books is a great idea Credit: Paul Edwards YOU'D HAVE TO SELL A LOT OF BOOKS Stall worker Tanyu, 26, isn't a big reader but said she knows many people who would love to visit Saucy Books. "I know loads of people that would go. It's having a big thing right now. "If it's gone viral on TikTok then that's perfect. And you have Portobello Road and the market here so it's even better. "It's so expensive to lease here though, you'd have to sell a lot of books! But people do buy stuff just for the hell of it here." Gabriel Paine, who works at the famous Daunt Books shop nearby, said many bookshops in the area become tourist attractions. He used to work in the Marylebone shop, which is famous for the beautiful interior. I came here for the romantasy - like ACOTAR Charlotte, 27 "People came in just to take a photo and to buy a bag," he said. "It's so unfortunate that people aren't reading as much. "I'm not a romance reader so I don't think I would go. We do get a lot of people coming in asking where the romantasy books are but I wouldn't say they're the bulk of our customers. "But Daunt Books is more high-brow, we get a lot of old people coming in to buy classics. It's not really our clientele. "But I suppose it would be good for tourists, especially around here. It might catch on." And 27-year-old Londoner Charlotte, who popped in to Saucy Books after seeing it on her feed, it fills a big gap in the market. She said: "I read a lot of stuff, but I'm mainly a fantasy reader, so I came here for the romantasy - like ACOTAR. I love the idea of this place." 17 Tourist Katie, 25, said she would love to visit the bookshop Credit: Paul Edwards
The Irish Sun
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
I opened UK's first totally legal SEX bookshop on posh high street full of families… surprising ‘genre' pulls punters in
A WOMAN who opened the UK's first legal sex book shop has revealed a surprising genre is pulling in customers. Sarah Maxwell opened her aptly named store Saucy Books in upmarket Notting Hill, west London. less than two weeks ago. 17 Sarah Maxwell owns Saucy Books in Notting Hill, which comes with a Smut Hut for the books that would make many a reader blush Credit: Paul Edwards 17 The colourful interior is perfect for Instagrammers and TikTokkers Credit: Paul Edwards 17 On display is Icebreaker, a very steamy romance about ice skaters Credit: Paul Edwards 17 Saucy Books shop in Notting Hill is vibrant and eye-catching Credit: Paul Edwards With a pink mermaid logo and colourful exterior, you would think London's first romance bookshop would only attract women after a secret spicy read or profound love story. But the owner of the aptly named store in the heart of The popularity of romantasy - a combination of fantasy and heated romance - has skyrocketed in recent years. Despite the colourful covers and blurbs, they are far from tame. The bonkbuster books are set in mythical kingdoms with warrior queens, dragons and "faerie" men with bat wings. But they also come with extremely detailed sex scenes that have led to the genre being dubbed "fairy porn". Last year, the book launch of Onyx Storm saw obsessed fans queue for hours in the middle of the night to get their mitts on the latest raunchy instalment about two dragon riders who trigger lighting strikes due to their energetic frolicking. And they are front and centre in Saucy Books' vibrant display. Most read in The Sun The bookshop opened on June 18 and proved to be an instant hit. THE SMUT HUT American owner Sarah Maxwell told The Sun they almost sold out of books on the very first day - and she's had to frantically re-order copies every day since. The books are arranged by trope, with blunt but informative labels such as "Age Gap", "Long Distance" and "Billionaire". But up a set of steps is the "Smut Hut" that booklovers flock there for. Inside lies the novels with the chapters. The vivid descriptions would cause many a reader to blush and look around to make sure no one is reading over their shoulder. On one of the shelves, there is a collection of bookmarks for sale that would be great tat for a hen-do, titled "c**kmarks". Sarah, who has a background in tech and has worked for big names like Spotify and Uber, said the opening has been a challenge, but a fun one. Everyone loves the Smut Hut and takes a photo in there Sarah Maxwell, owner of Saucy Books The striking blue shop is on the corner of a road filled with colourful bars, coffee shops and restaurants - and it's only a few streets away from the famous Portobello Road market. Saucy Books' site used to be a bathroom showroom, but you would never guess. Sarah tells us there is actually still a shower head hidden under the "Smut Hut". "We wanted to be sustainable so we built around what was already there. "We only moved in on June 1 and we opened on Wednesday, so we haven't had long to sort it out." She tells us that one superfan flew all the way from There is a small stall outside that sells 17 Up a set of steps is the "Smut Hut" that booklovers flock there for Credit: Paul Edwards 17 Saucy Books is the first romantic book shop to open in London Credit: Paul Edwards 17 On one of the shelves, there is a collection of bookmarks for sale that would be great tat for a hen-do, titled "c**kmarks" Credit: Saucy Books NOTTING HILL IS THE ROMANCE CAPITAL Sarah, who has lived in London for 10 years, said she is an avid romance reader and is also a writer herself. But she struggled to find the authors she loved in normal bookshops - and that is when she got the idea. She told The Sun: "There are "I get books with American covers and they have sold out so quickly." When asked why she picked Notting Hill for the location, she mentioned the famous movie that has become synonymous with the trendy area overrun with tourists. "Notting Hill is the most quintessentially romantic place in London. You have the "It's such a good spot to have a corner shop by here. I'm going to do a book mural opposite." Sarah gets irritated when people compare her shop to the notorious Fifty Shades of Grey: "It's not just smut." But she continued: "Everyone loves the Smut Hut and takes a photo in there. 17 A suggestive bookmark in Saucy Books, Notting Hill Credit: Saucy Books 17 It's only a few streets away from the famous Portobello Road market Credit: Paul Edwards 17 Around the corner, in the iconic market made famous by the romantic Notting Hill movie Credit: Paul Edwards GEN Z MADE READING COOL AGAIN "A lot of romance readers and authors get discounted and put down, so this is a space where it's celebrated." Sarah said that reading has really seen a resurgence with Gen Z. "My intern said to me 'reading is cool again' and I was like, 'when was reading not cool?' "Some men come in and find the Smut Hut really funny. But a lot of men actually read it too. "They're big fans of A Court of Thorns and Roses [ACOTAR] and Throne of Glass especially. They love it. "Some of these books like those by Sarah J Maas are on par with Tolkien. But it's trivialised. "That's part of why I wanted to do this as a space to celebrate it. It's the first in London. I'm sure others will pop up but it's nice to be the first!" XXX NOTTING HILL TOURIST ROW BOXOUT? XXX When The Sun paid a visit to the shop on the first week of opening, it boasted a distinctive summery vibe. Sarah said that is by design - it's made to look like a beach hut, and the books inside match. But the shop is not just for the summer, and the aesthetic will be completely revamped each season. "Right now we're going a beach hut vibe for the summer, because that's where people like to go to read. "In Fall we'll do something different, more moody... we'll see. It'll change each season, with books to match it." When it's mentioned that this sounds like a lot of hard work and money, she laughed and said she loves a challenge. Before the shop was even open, passersby were peering in at the display. A pair of young women stopped in their tracks to look in, with a bored-looking man in tow. But he soon perked up and appeared engrossed in the display. 17 The books are arranged by trope, with informative labels such as "Age Gap", "Long Distance" and "Billionaire" Credit: Paul Edwards 17 The staff have painstakingly matched the decor to the content Credit: Paul Edwards 17 Quicksiver is another steamy book that is a hit on TikTok Credit: Paul Edwards MY FAMILY CALL ME AUNT SAUCY Sarah says the first three days have been a huge hit. "The beginning has been very good. People love that you can browse and sit down - and we have the Smut Hut! "We have all the tropes, Western, Italian, Jane Austen, romantasy. We very almost sold out of books on the very first day. I've had to reorder new ones every day, it's been a challenge. "We've had book influencers come and meet each other for the first time here, one woman flew from Malta for it. "We're open into the evenings because it's such a nice vibe on this street at 8." Although most shoppers so far have already been big romance readers, Sarah said many tourists have also popped in to buy a book. "We sold out of Jane Austen. We have Court of Thorns and Roses, Throne of Glass... a lot of Sarah J Maas which is very popular, "We also have Fourth Wing - all the romantasy!" But Sarah doesn't plan on stopping here. I know loads of people that would go. It's having a big thing right now Stall worker Tanyu, 26 "I want to open Saucy Books in other countries that don't have romance bookstores, like Greece and Portugal too. "Saucy is my family nickname. I'm Aunt Saucy. I kept referring to my project as that and it just stuck. "I like it because we're turning it away from the term "spicy" and making it into a double entendre." Around the corner, in the iconic market made famous by the romantic Notting Hill movie, 25-year-old tourist Katie said she loved the idea of a romance bookshop. She said: "I'm flying out today. But if I was here for longer I would go. I think it's a really good idea. I love it." 17 Gabriel Paine, who works in Daunt Books, said many bookshops in the area become tourist attractions Credit: Paul Edwards 17 Portobello market stall holder Taymu thinks Saucy Books is a great idea Credit: Paul Edwards YOU'D HAVE TO SELL A LOT OF BOOKS Stall worker Tanyu, 26, isn't a big reader but said she knows many people who would love to visit Saucy Books. "I know loads of people that would go. It's having a big thing right now. "If it's gone viral on TikTok then that's perfect. And you have Portobello Road and the market here so it's even better. "It's so expensive to lease here though, you'd have to sell a lot of books! But people do buy stuff just for the hell of it here." Gabriel Paine, who works at the famous Daunt Books shop nearby, said many bookshops in the area become tourist attractions. He used to work in the Marylebone shop, which is famous for the beautiful interior. I came here for the romantasy - like ACOTAR Charlotte, 27 "People came in just to take a photo and to buy a bag," he said. "It's so unfortunate that people aren't reading as much. "I'm not a romance reader so I don't think I would go. We do get a lot of people coming in asking where the romantasy books are but I wouldn't say they're the bulk of our customers. "But Daunt Books is more high-brow, we get a lot of old people coming in to buy classics. It's not really our clientele. "But I suppose it would be good for tourists, especially around here. It might catch on." Read more on the Irish Sun And 27-year-old Londoner Charlotte, who popped in to Saucy Books after seeing it on her feed, it fills a big gap in the market. She said: "I read a lot of stuff, but I'm mainly a fantasy reader, so I came here for the romantasy - like ACOTAR. I love the idea of this place." 17 Tourist Katie, 25, said she would love to visit the bookshop Credit: Paul Edwards 17 Notting Hill is most famous for its market on Portobello Road Credit: Paul Edwards
The Sun
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
I opened UK's first totally legal SEX bookshop on posh high street full of families… surprising ‘genre' pulls punters in
A WOMAN who opened the UK's first legal sex book shop has revealed a surprising genre is pulling in customers. Sarah Maxwell opened her aptly named store Saucy Books in upmarket Notting Hill, west London. less than two weeks ago. 17 17 17 17 With a pink mermaid logo and colourful exterior, you would think London's first romance bookshop would only attract women after a secret spicy read or profound love story. But the owner of the aptly named store in the heart of Notting Hill revealed that men also love to read romantasy books - which are also referred to as "fairy porn" due to the steamy content. The popularity of romantasy - a combination of fantasy and heated romance - has skyrocketed in recent years. Despite the colourful covers and blurbs, they are far from tame. The bonkbuster books are set in mythical kingdoms with warrior queens, dragons and "faerie" men with bat wings. But they also come with extremely detailed sex scenes that have led to the genre being dubbed "fairy porn". Last year, the book launch of Onyx Storm saw obsessed fans queue for hours in the middle of the night to get their mitts on the latest raunchy instalment about two dragon riders who trigger lighting strikes due to their energetic frolicking. And they are front and centre in Saucy Books' vibrant display. The bookshop opened on June 18 and proved to be an instant hit. THE SMUT HUT American owner Sarah Maxwell told The Sun they almost sold out of books on the very first day - and she's had to frantically re-order copies every day since. The books are arranged by trope, with blunt but informative labels such as "Age Gap", "Long Distance" and "Billionaire". But up a set of steps is the "Smut Hut" that booklovers flock there for. Inside lies the novels with the chapters. The vivid descriptions would cause many a reader to blush and look around to make sure no one is reading over their shoulder. On one of the shelves, there is a collection of bookmarks for sale that would be great tat for a hen-do, titled "c**kmarks". Sarah, who has a background in tech and has worked for big names like Spotify and Uber, said the opening has been a challenge, but a fun one. The striking blue shop is on the corner of a road filled with colourful bars, coffee shops and restaurants - and it's only a few streets away from the famous Portobello Road market. Saucy Books' site used to be a bathroom showroom, but you would never guess. Sarah tells us there is actually still a shower head hidden under the "Smut Hut". "We wanted to be sustainable so we built around what was already there. "We only moved in on June 1 and we opened on Wednesday, so we haven't had long to sort it out." She tells us that one superfan flew all the way from Malta to come visit the shop. "We've had an incredible response." There is a small stall outside that sells matcha, and on the day The Sun visited, they said they planned on serving Aperol spritz that evening. 17 17 17 NOTTING HILL IS THE ROMANCE CAPITAL Sarah, who has lived in London for 10 years, said she is an avid romance reader and is also a writer herself. But she struggled to find the authors she loved in normal bookshops - and that is when she got the idea. She told The Sun: "There are romance bookstores in the US but not in London, so that's where my American-ness comes in. "I get books with American covers and they have sold out so quickly." When asked why she picked Notting Hill for the location, she mentioned the famous movie that has become synonymous with the trendy area overrun with tourists. "Notting Hill is the most quintessentially romantic place in London. You have the Notting Hill movie, you have Bridget Jones. "It's such a good spot to have a corner shop by here. I'm going to do a book mural opposite." Sarah gets irritated when people compare her shop to the notorious Fifty Shades of Grey: "It's not just smut." But she continued: "Everyone loves the Smut Hut and takes a photo in there. 17 17 17 GEN Z MADE READING COOL AGAIN "A lot of romance readers and authors get discounted and put down, so this is a space where it's celebrated." Sarah said that reading has really seen a resurgence with Gen Z. "My intern said to me 'reading is cool again' and I was like, 'when was reading not cool?' "Some men come in and find the Smut Hut really funny. But a lot of men actually read it too. "They're big fans of A Court of Thorns and Roses [ACOTAR] and Throne of Glass especially. They love it. "Some of these books like those by Sarah J Maas are on par with Tolkien. But it's trivialised. "That's part of why I wanted to do this as a space to celebrate it. It's the first in London. I'm sure others will pop up but it's nice to be the first!" XXX NOTTING HILL TOURIST ROW BOXOUT? XXX When The Sun paid a visit to the shop on the first week of opening, it boasted a distinctive summery vibe. Sarah said that is by design - it's made to look like a beach hut, and the books inside match. But the shop is not just for the summer, and the aesthetic will be completely revamped each season. "Right now we're going a beach hut vibe for the summer, because that's where people like to go to read. "In Fall we'll do something different, more moody... we'll see. It'll change each season, with books to match it." When it's mentioned that this sounds like a lot of hard work and money, she laughed and said she loves a challenge. Before the shop was even open, passersby were peering in at the display. A pair of young women stopped in their tracks to look in, with a bored-looking man in tow. But he soon perked up and appeared engrossed in the display. 17 17 17 MY FAMILY CALL ME AUNT SAUCY Sarah says the first three days have been a huge hit. "The beginning has been very good. People love that you can browse and sit down - and we have the Smut Hut! "We have all the tropes, Western, Italian, Jane Austen, romantasy. We very almost sold out of books on the very first day. I've had to reorder new ones every day, it's been a challenge. "We've had book influencers come and meet each other for the first time here, one woman flew from Malta for it. "We're open into the evenings because it's such a nice vibe on this street at 8." Although most shoppers so far have already been big romance readers, Sarah said many tourists have also popped in to buy a book. "We sold out of Jane Austen. We have Court of Thorns and Roses, Throne of Glass... a lot of Sarah J Maas which is very popular, "We also have Fourth Wing - all the romantasy!" But Sarah doesn't plan on stopping here. I know loads of people that would go. It's having a big thing right now Stall worker Tanyu, 26 "I want to open Saucy Books in other countries that don't have romance bookstores, like Greece and Portugal too. "Saucy is my family nickname. I'm Aunt Saucy. I kept referring to my project as that and it just stuck. "I like it because we're turning it away from the term "spicy" and making it into a double entendre." Around the corner, in the iconic market made famous by the romantic Notting Hill movie, 25-year-old tourist Katie said she loved the idea of a romance bookshop. She said: "I'm flying out today. But if I was here for longer I would go. I think it's a really good idea. I love it." 17 17 YOU'D HAVE TO SELL A LOT OF BOOKS Stall worker Tanyu, 26, isn't a big reader but said she knows many people who would love to visit Saucy Books. "I know loads of people that would go. It's having a big thing right now. "If it's gone viral on TikTok then that's perfect. And you have Portobello Road and the market here so it's even better. "It's so expensive to lease here though, you'd have to sell a lot of books! But people do buy stuff just for the hell of it here." Gabriel Paine, who works at the famous Daunt Books shop nearby, said many bookshops in the area become tourist attractions. He used to work in the Marylebone shop, which is famous for the beautiful interior. "People came in just to take a photo and to buy a bag," he said. "It's so unfortunate that people aren't reading as much. "I'm not a romance reader so I don't think I would go. We do get a lot of people coming in asking where the romantasy books are but I wouldn't say they're the bulk of our customers. "But Daunt Books is more high-brow, we get a lot of old people coming in to buy classics. It's not really our clientele. "But I suppose it would be good for tourists, especially around here. It might catch on." And 27-year-old Londoner Charlotte, who popped in to Saucy Books after seeing it on her feed, it fills a big gap in the market. She said: "I read a lot of stuff, but I'm mainly a fantasy reader, so I came here for the romantasy - like ACOTAR. I love the idea of this place." 17 17
The Guardian
28-06-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
‘We need to reclaim these words': Inside England's first romance-only bookshop catering to record levels of popularity
Whether you want a brooding billionaire, a queer awakening, a dragon rider (yes, really) or an old-fashioned enemies-to-lovers tale, there's a romance novel for everybody at Saucy Books. England's first romance-only bookshop opened last week in Notting Hill, west London, instantly becoming a go-to destination for readers and turning into a meeting spot for like-minded folk to share their love stories. And although detractors have dismissed the genre as 'smut' or 'fairy porn', fans say there is nothing to blush about – these are just brilliantly written stories. What is not in doubt is their popularity: there were record sales for the 'romance and sagas' genre last year, according to data gathered from more than 7,000 UK booksellers, up to £69m in 2024. The surge in sales pushed UK fiction revenue above £1bn for the first time. 'The popularity of the store speaks for itself,' says Sarah Maxwell, the founder of Saucy Books. 'We even had to ticket our first week and give time slots to customers.' But she believes sexism is keeping the genre from the mainstream. 'There's so much snobbery and bias,' Maxwell says. 'People think it's less than or low quality, which is not true at all. These are all very high quality authors and high quality stories. 'I think there's an inherent misogyny around it. A lot of the time, the sorts of things that women like across arts and culture tends to get discounted. These books are about the female perspective and female gaze when most media is through the male gaze. 'That's why I have a smut hut, because I feel like we need to reclaim some of these words.' The smut hut, a space dedicated to erotic titles, sits in the corner, adorned with ornaments such as whipped suncream, chapstick and a placard reading 'Traders Dicks'. It's seems less like a bookstore and more a community centre. During the Guardian's visit on Thursday afternoon, dozens of women filter through the shop, browsing titles and starting conversations about their favourite authors. Most of them have learned about the store through TikTok. One customer is browsing the shelves with her mother. She says she can get through a novel in under three hours, and last year she read 300 books. Deck chairs and a tiki parasol adorn the store's perimeter, while inside brightly painted shelves hold up titles such as Swept Away, The Unhoneymooners and The Friendship Fling. 'I was really surprised that a shop like this didn't already exist,' says Maxwell, a creative strategist and former tech executive from LA. 'When I went to find books of OG romance writers, I couldn't find any of them in-store. It made me quite angry. You have these amazing authors, who carry the publishing industry – 20% of fiction sales is romance books – and they're getting no shelf space whatsoever. I felt like I needed to do something.' Many contemporary romance books are marketed under tropes such as 'enemies to lovers', 'forbidden love' and 'second chance romance'. The 'romantasy' genre (a blend of romance and fantasy) is a constant fixture on bestseller lists, largely due to the dedicated following it has gained on TikTok. Series such as Rebecca Yarros's Fourth Wing and Sarah J Maas's A Court of Thorns and Roses (known by fans as Acotar) feature female protagonists entering high-stakes relationships in magical worlds. Jessica Roberts, a shop assistant at Saucy Books, has noticed that the current craze is for a trip to the wild west. 'Cowboy romances are very popular right now. Two girls came in their cowboy boots to purchase them yesterday,' she says. Among those visiting the store on Thursday are Rebecca Pollard and Haley Page from New York. 'I got [Haley] all the Acotar books, I think they're the best way to start. They're like a gateway drug into becoming a psycho,' Pollard laughs. 'I feel like a cult leader. I have a library at my house, and when my friends call me I'm like, 'what do you need? I've got it'. People are like, 'I'm so happy it's books for you and not drugs, because you're such a pusher'.' Page says: 'I'm a very hard sell, but she tells me something and I will listen. I'm so excited to read these, I'm taking them to Mykonos tonight. I'm going to be at the beach with my new book boyfriend, and I'll be calling Rebecca every second like 'oh my god'.' Pollard says she's been waiting desperately for the sixth book in the Acotar series. 'I would do anything to become invisible and just go and check Sarah J Maas's laptop.' And she thumbs her nose at the mainstream responses to the genre. 'I get really defensive when people use derogatory terms. Don't call it fairy porn until you've read it, because you have to wait 380 pages for a kiss in the second book of Acotar. Why is it smut, because it's centred around female pleasure? No one's saying that about Game of Thrones.' Atmosphere – Taylor Jenkins Reid The Love of My Afterlife – Kirsty Greenwood What If I Never Got Over You – Paige Toon A Court of Thorns and Roses series – Sarah J Maas Great Big Beautiful Life – Emily Henry
