Erin Masse is the owner of The Little Bubblegum Bookshop, located on Wickenden Street in Providence. In 2025, she turned what originally started as a Little Free Library near her home into a cozy storefront after her community book collection grew in popularity.
“(The name) came from my little free library. It was cute, it was pink, and I had some popularity with how I curated it,” Masse said. “So I just kept the name. Seeing this space here — it was cute and small — I wanted to make sure it felt playful and that everyone felt welcomed.”
While romance books are a hot commodity year-round, this Valentine’s Day, the romance book expert shared her insights on what’s trending in the literary world.
According to Masse, the top romance reads this season are game changers — quite literally.
The top six romance books she recommends are from the Game Changers series. The first book in the series, Heated Rivalry, is skating into international fame following the launch of a new TV adaptation on HBO Max. The story follows two professional hockey players, Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, whose fierce on-ice rivalry turns into romance.
“There’s a lot on the line with hockey, so just seeing the relationship develop — readers are really loving it,” Masse said.
The adaptation has taken the country by storm, sparking fan events like Heated Rivalry dance nights and even impacting real-life athletes.
Jesse Kortuem, a Minnesota hockey player, recently came out as gay, crediting Heated Rivalry for giving him the confidence he needed.
“I think for a lot of people in the gay community, it was finally this positive representation of media. It was such a celebration of everybody: allies, women, men — coming together, watching such a beautiful love story play out on screen,” Kortuem said in a recent interview with MPR.
Romance novels have had a rocky history. Once hidden away — and sometimes banned — for being too sexually explicit or encouraging adulterous themes, the genre was long stigmatized. But now, romance is having its moment.
With the rise of book-to-screen adaptations and social media’s BookTok, new authors are stepping up to ensure readers of nearly every stripe can find a story that resonates with them. A once-quietly purchased genre is proudly displayed on shelves — and even inspiring bookstores, like The Little Bubblegum Bookshop, dedicated entirely to celebrating romance.
“The community being built around romance readers and writers is taken so much more seriously now,” Masse said. “We are not afraid to say we love to read romance. And I think it’s helpful with these romance bookshops popping up.”
Masse says with so many choices, it’s hard to choose a top romance book because individual tastes are so specific. In today’s literary world, if you can imagine a meet-cute scenario, there’s likely a book written about it.
“We have (romance crossed with fantasy) romantasy, dark romance, western, sports. We have a billionaire category, writers who only write about summer,” she said. “In the shop, I also make sure to have LGBTQ+ and POC sections to show that we are very inclusive and that we want everyone to see themselves in a love story.”
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According to Masse, romance has always been popular, but the growing diversity within the genre gives readers more opportunities to see themselves reflected in the stories they choose.
“My favorite romance trope would probably be slow burn,” Masse said. “I think everyone loves the emotional payoff — just seeing the characters really develop.”
Books aren’t the only focus at The Little Bubblegum Bookshop. The store also hosts local events centered around the local literary community.
“Now that the shop is officially up and running after the holidays, we’ve been focusing on events. Local authors have been very important to me,” Masse said.
The shop recently partnered with Rhode Island author C.W. Farnsworth on a pre-order campaign for her new book.
It also hosts book-themed craft nights after hours, including book bedazzling workshops. This Galentine’s Day (February 13 from 6 to 8 p.m.), the shop is partnering with Third Space Floral Studio for a bouquet bar and book pairing event.
Masse encourages even the most skeptical readers to give romance a chance.
“I like the happy ever after,” she said. “I think we really need books — especially books about love — in tough times.”
