It’s impossible to talk about BookTok and not mention romance books. They’re tightly intertwined and have been since BookTok’s emergence on the wildly popular platform, TikTok. But there’s one burning question: did BookTok become famous because of romance, or did romance become popular because of BookTok? Journey with us in this latest edition of Bookstr Trivia to find out.
Brief BookTok History
TikTok launched in 2016, but BookTok wasn’t formed until three years later. Its first mention was coined by Kathy Ellen (@kathyellendavis), who used the term BookTok when making content to recommend books to others. But it was Cait Jacobs (@caitsbooks) who made the community’s first viral video during the Covid-19 pandemic. As a result, Jacobs is often credited with creating the community.
@kathyellendavis #booktok Day 1: ATOMIC HABITS by James Clear, from @penguinrandomhouse. Have you read it? #booksoftiktok #atomichabits #healthyhabits #books ♬ original sound – KE knows books!
BookTok has continued to grow ever since, and it’s now a large and powerful part of TikTok. Book sales for recommended books have skyrocketed, more people are reading, and the publishing world has taken note and started changing. For example, authors self-publishing their books is much more viable now than ever before, and big publishing houses sometimes take note of them and offer to sign a book contract. Publishers also are trying out paid ads to market their books, as well as giveaways to BookTokers to promote sales.
Romance Books and BookTok
Romance books are the most popular on BookTok, with fantasy coming in second. The romance genre has really taken off in the last decade or so, especially with smut titles like 50 Shades of Grey. Meanwhile, genres like fantasy have strong romance elements as well. Books such as Sarah J. Maas’s A Court of Thorns and Roses, are also popular on BookTok. But why?
As a whole, there are more women than men on TikTok, and romance is predominantly considered a women’s genre, though men certainly should — and do — read romance, too. On top of that, women are more likely to read than men. So, since women are more likely to read romance, tends to be the most recommended. Plus, with the genre slowly becoming more diverse in terms of inclusion in its narratives, more people are now gravitating to it.
But Did Romance Really Popularize BookTok?
As mentioned before, BookTok became popular during the pandemic. Part of that is due in part to many people downloading the TikTok app during this time. With people locked down in their homes, unable to leave unless they were essential workers, everything that could go online went online: events, parties, and celebrations were canceled, and everyone had to wear a mask and social distance. People wanted a distraction, and TikTok, as well as BookTok, provided exactly that.
Books provided entertainment and glimpses into a world without the global upheaval of normal life. But romance books specifically showed, well, romance — something that was scarce during this time. It was hard for single people, who could only go on virtual dates (if any at all), and for couples who couldn’t see each other. This made for quite a lonely time for so many. While romance books couldn’t fix that problem, they were a welcome distraction.
Effects of BookTok
It’s very likely that BookTok would have held some sway, even without its explosion in popularity from the pandemic and romance genre. But it probably wouldn’t have the influence that it does now, where publishers are using it to their advantage — with both positive and negative consequences — and authors using the community to start, or expand, their careers. Word of mouth works so well for books, and there’s no better place for that than on social media.
With that come many perspectives and changes to how romance is now published. It’s only grown since the pandemic, and the BookTok hashtag has hundreds of billions of views. Moreover, it’s now more acceptable for someone to say they read or write smut without shame, which is undoubtedly a good thing. However, there are less-than-positive changes too, such as authors trying to write the kinds of stories BookTokers and their viewers want to read, but maybe not the books they themselves want to write.
BookTok: Good or Bad?
Things aren’t black and white, so it’s hard to say if BookTok has done more harm than good to the bookish community as a whole. It depends on perspective: publishers would say ‘yes,’ but authors may be more split on this opinion, as would readers. Regardless, BookTok is well established, and it’s here to stay.
Popular 2024 Romance BookTok Books
It’d be unfair to talk at length about BookTok romances and not include any recommendations. While 2024 isn’t over yet, a lot of great romance books — with varying degrees of spice — have already come out, and BookTok is eating them up. Here are just a few terrific ones, but if you want more, just hop onto TikTok and browse to your heart’s delight.
Funny Story by Emily Henry
Daphne is forced to start a new story when her fiancé Peter realizes he’s in love with his childhood best friend, Petra. Stranded in a town with no friends or family, with only her dream job as a children’s librarian that barely pays enough, she becomes roommates with Miles, Petra’s ex. They’re opposites and avoid each other until they come up with a plan for revenge: make it look like they’ve gotten together. But it’s all just for show… right?
Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez
Justin is cursed: every woman he dates finds their soulmate after they break up with him. When a woman by the name of Emma reaches out with the same problem, they decide to cancel out their curses by dating each other, breaking up, and hopefully finding their soulmates in the process. It’s perfect, until it isn’t. Emma’s toxic mother comes for a visit, Justin has to take custody of his siblings, and they’re trying to navigate through the mess all while slowly developing feelings for one another.
Bride by Ali Hazelwood
Misery Lark is the only daughter of the most powerful Vampyre councilman in the Southwest — and an outcast (again). She can’t live with humans anymore as she’s forced to give herself up as a hostage (again) to keep the historic peacekeeping alliance between the Vampyres and the Weres. Weres are brutal and unpredictable, and so is their Alpha, Lowe Moreland. He’s authoritative but fair, and distrusts Misery — for good reason. She has her own motives for agreeing to a marriage of convenience, and she’s willing to do anything to see it through.
The Exception to the Rule by Christina Lauren
One typo changed everything. After sending an email to the wrong person, a boy and girl connect, wishing each other a happy Valentine’s Day. They continue to do this every year, but they have rules: no pictures, no names, and no personal information. But as time goes on, they start breaking those rules and share more than they’d ever intended when they commit the most forbidden taboo of all: “What if we actually met?”
Not My Romeo by Ilsa Madden-Mills
Elena’s blind date isn’t the studious guy she expected but rather a gorgeous player with sinful eyes. After ending up at his penthouse, she learns that he is Jack Hawke — a pro quarterback with a questionable past. Elena has to sign an NDA; however, she signs a fake name and runs away back to her small-town librarian job. But Jack keeps showing up everywhere, even nabbing the part of Romeo to her Juliet in a community theater production. Will they end up together, or will he break her heart?
To sum it up: yes, romance wildly popularized BookTok. The effects of this community extend to readers, authors, publishers, and everyone else in the bookish world. So, whether we like it or not, BookTok is here to stay.
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For books mentioned in this article and more, check out our Contemporary Romance shelf on Bookstr’s Bookshop page.
