Bad Girl Books, the UK's first bookshop dedicated entirely to the romantasy genre, opened its doors in Oxford last weekend, drawing queues down the street. Owner Starlin Marot, 30, quit her marketing job in July 2025 after feeling unfulfilled in a toxic workplace. Inspired by Sarah J. Maas's A Court of Thorns and Roses series, she launched a pop-up in London in September 2025, attracting over 1,000 people in two days.
From Pop-Up to Permanent Shop
Marot invested £20,000 in that first event, maxing out her credit cards, but the success allowed her to break even quickly. She subsequently held three more pop-ups within four months, drawing fans from Ireland, the Czech Republic, Italy, and Germany. 'The events were mental; people flew in with empty suitcases to fill up with books,' she told Metro.
In February 2026, Marot secured her dream location in Oxford while hosting a pop-up in Manchester with 3,000 attendees. She transformed the space with a striking pink exterior and stocked shelves with books about witches, dragons, and fae. The opening day saw queues stretching down the road, and customers began forming book clubs inside the shop. 'One girl said she came on her own, an hour away, and left as part of a book club she met inside,' Marot said.
Championing Independent Authors
While mainstream shops stock bestselling romantasy titles, Bad Girl Books focuses on lesser-known authors and quirky reads. The shop features a section called 'unhinged,' including the notable title Why Cheese?, which involves a romance plot with men turning into wheels of cheese. 'I see no point in judging people for reading something silly,' Marot explained.
The genre's popularity is undeniable: sales of science fiction and fantasy books surged in 2024, pushing UK fiction revenue above £1 billion for the first time, according to a 2025 report. Rebecca Yarros's Fourth Wing sold 245,217 units in the UK in 2024, making it the seventh bestselling book across all genres.
Overcoming Stigma
Despite commercial success, romantasy faces criticism for its romance and explicit scenes. 'There's a lot of stigma because it's a women-championed genre,' Marot said. 'But the books are complex—90% fantasy with complex plots, character development, trauma processing, mental health issues, and body confidence.' She noted that many readers still hide their choices on e-readers but embraces digital books, as customers also buy limited editions for collections.
This summer, Bad Girl Books will host a weekly romantasy festival with over 50 authors, signings, limited editions, and giveaways. 'I'm happy to be the hub for romantasy authors and readers to meet in real life,' Marot added.
