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01 — The Market

Who buys romance, and what do they want?

Reader profiles, discovery channels, and KU vs. wide data for every sub-genre.

The romance reader

Who they are, by the numbers.

Source: Circana BookScan 2024, Penguin Random House reader research, NPR Books.

78%
Female readers
22% male — growing fast
18–54
Core age range
Romantasy skews 13–34
50%+
College educated
Above US average
29
Books/year average
Heavy readers: 100+
KU vs. wide — live data

Where readers prefer to buy in each sub-genre.

KU % = share of the Amazon top 50 enrolled in Kindle Unlimited. High = binge readers who subscribe. Low = readers who buy outright, often across platforms.

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Reader profiles by sub-genre

Who reads what, and where they are.

Dark Romance
Age18–34
Finds books viaTikTok + Amazon KU
Binge reader?Yes — series-heavy
Highest BookTok avg views of any sub-genre (1M+ per video). Binge-reads intensively.
Romantasy
Age13–34
Finds books viaGoodreads + BookBub
Binge reader?Yes — trilogy+
66% of buyers aged 13–34 (UK 2024). Fastest growing print category per Circana.
Contemporary Romance
Age25–45
Finds books viaAmazon + newsletters
Binge reader?Mixed
Most searched sub-genre on Google Trends. Broad, consistent demand year-round.
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5 more sub-genre reader profiles — for subscribers

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Where they discover books

The platforms that actually drive sales.

Written Word Media 2025 Indie Author Survey + Circana BookScan data.

01
Amazon browse & also-boughts
83% of indie revenue comes through Amazon
83%
02
BookTok (#BookTok)
Influenced 59M US print sales in 2024
71%
03
Goodreads & reader lists
Key for backlist discovery and word of mouth
58%
04
Author email newsletters
30–50% open rates for engaged lists
52%
05
Facebook reader groups
Primary community for 35+ readers
44%
06
BookBub featured deals
High conversion — 1 in 3 digital readers uses it
38%