Sept. 28 was a bittersweet day for Melissa Saavedra. Nearly two years after debuting Steamy Lit, her romance-only bookstore in Deerfield Beach, she closed its doors.
The shelves stood empty of the titillating titles so desired by passionate readers of the genre: Dark, Latinx, sports, historical, cowboys, aliens, queer, romantasy, paranormal, morally gray, enemies to lovers. And the cozy Chesterfield-style sofa, bookish-themed T-shirts and hats, and the wall filled with inspirational messages were all gone.
But like every good book, this story has a twist — and a happy ending. Saavedra will kick open the doors to her new Steamy Lit location in Fort Lauderdale’s Thrive Art District this Saturday, Oct. 4.
Why the move south? It was time to be in a different environment, she said.
“I actually live in Deerfield, which is why we started there, but Thrive Art District has a wonderful community of artists and businesses that complement us really well,” Saavedra said. “We are really excited to do collaborations with our neighbors.”
Jonathan Fish, Thrive Art District co-owner, said Steamy Lit is needed in the 5.3-acre creative hub in the heart of the city, which is home to galleries, studios, shops, a brewery and other businesses.
“We met Melissa and we thought her concept is really amazing,” he said. “She gives the authors a place to go to and creates a kind of a community around it.
“I’m looking forward to people from the city, from the county, and even tourists coming there and seeing new books they may not be able to get in your regular bookstore and getting that experience of what old bookstores used to be like.”
Since opening in 2023, the Steamy Lit bookstore in Deerfield Beach has offered a variety of romance novels with themes such as paranormal, queer and historical. (Isabel Barreiro/Courtesy)
A Steamy story begins
Romance novels have continued to rise in popularity since the bodice-ripping heyday of Harlequin books in the 1970s-90s. Italian model and actor Fabio helped usher in a new phase, gracing the covers of a variety of publishers’ books with his flowing blond hair and muscular physique.
By the 2000s and early 2010s, the Twilight Saga and Fifty Shades trilogy introduced darker subgenres and attracted new generations of readers.
Then came the pandemic shutdown in 2020, which gave people more time to pick up a book, a craving to escape reality and the ability to connect with others in online reading communities. During this time, Saavedra said her love for reading romance novels intensified, and she realized something.
“As I continued to pick up title after title, I quickly noticed the lack of representation romance authors of color received in publishing,” she said in her website bio. “By having constant conversations in the book community, I knew it was common for women to feel uncomfortable discussing their sexuality or even speaking about steamy scenes in books. Thus, the spark of an idea for Steamy Lit was set aflame.”
She launched her first endeavor, The Steam Box, a quarterly book-subscription service, in 2021.
“We gradually started doing pop-ups, book clubs and community meetups. At the time, I was living in California after I got out of the Navy,” she said. “In 2023, we established our nonprofit foundation, Steamy Lit Foundation, with our first romance book convention, Steamy Lit Con, and then we opened our first brick-and-mortar in Deerfield at the end of 2023.”
Steamy Lit Tampa started as a pop-up in the summer of 2024 and the permanent store opened last March. Plans are in the works to open a third store in Miami Springs by year’s end.
“I grew up in Miami, so I am really excited for this,” Saavedra said. “I grew up using the [Miami-Dade] library system so it feels very full circle.”
Since she started in the book space as a book influencer/reviewer, Saavedra said social media has been helpful in fueling interest in the genre, “but Steamy Lit has distinguished itself by cultivating community from its early days.”
Her mission has always been to celebrate diversity in romance, she said, which is why her stores “provide women romance authors of color and non-binary/genderqueer authors a platform to amplify their voices through their work while also empowering discourse around sexuality,” according to the Steamy Lit website.
Fans are no longer shy about their bold book choices. Romance novels that were once relegated to a shelf in the back of the bookstore are now prominently featured at the front. Indie bookstores catering to the genre have opened up throughout the country.
Circana BookScan, which tracks sales in the publishing market, has seen romance become the leading growth category for the total print book market so far this year. A total of 51 million units were sold in the past 12 months, it reported in June.
“I think, for a long time, romance readers have been made to feel like they are less than or have something to be ashamed of, and I think with the rise of BookTok and Bookstagram [online communities], people have really taken pride in embracing reading romance and letting go of that shame, because romance is that good,” Saavedra said.
“Sure, it’s falling in love, but it’s also overcoming, it’s also found family, it’s also finding yourself after loss, it’s all of these universal feelings we all experience as humans, and that’s beautiful.”
Steamy Lit owner Melissa Saavedra, shown here at the Deerfield Beach location, is moving the business to Thrive Art District in Fort Lauderdale. (Isabel Barreiro/Courtesy)
What’s the environment like at Steamy Lit stores?
“Inclusiveness, fun! With a dash of spice, and safe,” she said. “A place where everyone belongs, a place where you will find yourself reflected in the stories, a space where you can be!”
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Patrons will also find four book clubs that meet in-store once a month, as well as audiobook walking clubs, author signings, craft nights, book swaps and meet-ups.
Spicy suggestions
So which book sparked Saavedra’s obsession with romance?
“What really motivated me to start Steamy Lit and never look back was ‘Queen Move’ by Kennedy Ryan,” she said, adding that “Long Shot,” another book by Ryan, is her all-time favorite.
“If you haven’t read anything by Kennedy, please do so. Her writing is like no other. It is poetic, lyrical and just beautiful,” Saavedra said.
“The story itself is about a woman finding love after an abusive partner, so definitely tread lightly if this is something that triggers you. But the main character’s journey to heal and find her forever love is just beautiful, and Kennedy’s spicy scenes? There’s nothing like them, they move the plot forward.”
Her other recommendations for first-timers delving into romance include:
Historical — “A Caribbean Heiress in Paris” by Adriana Herrera or “A Lady for a Duke” by Alexis Hall
Romantic — “Next-Door Nemesis” by Alexa Martin
Morally gray — “King of Wrath” by Ana Huang
Romantasy/otherworldly — “Bride” by Ali Hazelwood
A fan’s perspective
Boca Raton resident Kari Long calls herself “a total bookworm and, proudly, a romance devotee.”
When her family moved to Boca Raton from Birmingham, Alabama, Steamy Lit became one of her “happy places.”
“My motto has always been: Life’s too short to read books you don’t enjoy. That’s why you’ll often catch me sneaking in a few chapters of a steamy novel in the carpool line or at swim practice,” said Long, who owns Mahj on the Beach, which offers mah-jongg classes and events throughout South Florida.
Kari Long, owner of Mahj on the Beach, is a fan of the Steamy Lit bookstore that is moving to Fort Lauderdale from Deerfield Beach. (So Filled with Love Photography/Courtesy)
Long said she makes it a point to support other small businesses.
“Before this past summer vacation, I picked up my entire beach read list from their adorable store,” she said. “The staff went above and beyond, even tracking down the last copy of a book I wanted from the back room. It felt like I had my own personal book fairy godmother. …
“The staff clearly loves their mission, loves to read and will offer the best recommendations.”
She called the move to Fort Lauderdale “genius.”
“Their old spot was a little hidden, but this new location will give them the visibility they deserve and hopefully get even more women falling head over heels for romance reads,” she said.
A grand opening
What are the plans for opening day?
“We will have authors in-store (local and not-so-local),” Saavedra said. “We hope folks come grab some bubbly and a treat and celebrate this day with us.”
“Bitten” author Jordan Stephanie Gray is scheduled to participate in a book signing and conversation during the grand opening of Steamy Lit in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday, Oct. 4. (Shelby Mahurin/Courtesy)
At the event, author Jordan Stephanie Gray is expected to celebrate the release of her romantasy “Bitten” with a book signing and conversation with fantasy author Shelby Mahurin from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $22.99 (book included) or $15 (event only) at steamylit.com/events.
“One of things I most look forward to as an author is being able to meet and connect with readers,” Gray said. “I’ve always considered myself a reader first and an author second, and romance-focused bookstores like Steamy Lit really bring this community together and give women a safe space to explore new books and genres as well as form lasting friendships. I’m so honored to be doing an event at their new Fort Lauderdale location.”
The new Steamy Lit bookstore at Thrive Art District, 701 NW Fifth Ave., Unit 1061, Fort Lauderdale, has a grand opening scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 4. For more information, visit steamylit.com.
