If you’re a sucker for romance and a bit of a bookworm, you might have heard that South Florida has its very own book shop dedicated entirely to the genre. Whether you’re a fan of contemporary, historical or the ever-popular BookTok fave, romantasy, Steamy Lit has just moved into Fort Lauderdale for a community of romance fans to hang out and pick their latest read.
The shop, which opened earlier this month, was founded by Melissa Saavedra with a mission to amplify underrepresented voices, empower discourse around sexuality and celebrate self-love through storytelling. The Peru-born, U.S. Navy veteran took her own love for romance novels to the next level by opening it as an online shop in 2021. Several years later, Steamy Lit would open brick-and-mortar locations in Deerfield Beach and Tampa.
The store sells an extensive collection of romance titles that are sure to have your heart swelling, of course. But in addition to books, they are known to host various book clubs — including one focused on Latine authors and another for LGBTQ+ titles — as well as author visits and community activities.
Steamy Lit also operates a quarterly subscription box called The Steam Box, which has gained a loyal following for its commitment to inclusivity and sexual empowerment. To put it simply, it’s a safe space for all readers to have open discussions about sexuality and relationships.
The brand-new location in Fort Lauderdale’s Thrive Art District follows the closure of the Deerfield Beach store in September. But like all great stories, this one had a happy ending.
The romance-only bookshop heading to Miami
And there’s even greater news for us in Miami! Steamy Lit will soon open a location right here in Miami Springs, as announced in an Instagram post.
“More details to come, but we hope the 305 is ready for a romance-only bookstore,” the caption reads.
While we await their Miami arrival, you can visit the newest shop at 701 NW 5th Ave Unit 1061, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311.