Bookstore Meet Cute
New East Austin romance bookstore embraces sweet and wild stories

Finney's Books is all about judgment-free romance.
Whether it's BookTok or an organic response to the horrors of modern life, romance novels are on fire. A new romance bookstore called Finney's Books is carrying that torch in Austin at 3823 Airport Blvd., #D, with a grand opening planned for December 13.
By 2025, romance sales have doubled since 2021, according to consumer research company Circana. Look at any fiction bestsellers list and romantasy will be in a dominant spot (wink). Yet even as it wins sales and the hearts of readers, romance — filled as any genre with tropes and toxicity — is met with eyerolls.
Finney's is taking a stand for the genre and the readers who love it, offering "a welcoming and safe space for romance readers of all identities," according to a press release. Readers can expect to see everything from "sweet contemporary romances with a hint of spice" to out-there adult works that really commit to the drama and steaminess. The store explicitly embraces tropes as something to favor rather than flee from, so readers can truly relax when picking their poison — or bubblegum.
The independent store is named after owner Cameron Lagrone's dog, who "loves a good audiobook."
"In the last couple years, like so many folks around me, I discovered the absolute JOY to be found in romance books," Lagrone explains on the store website's "about" page. "What I once thought of as outdated regressive stories have instead been a place where I’ve found stories that celebrate love and pleasure in all their forms. And as a queer woman, I’ve been delighted with the ever-expanding catalog of queer love stories that celebrate that love is love."
A grand opening celebration will be held Saturday from 11 am to 6 pm. Guests will be able to purchase coffee from Please Stay Coffee and baked goods from The AniCakes Co., plus other refreshments. The first 25 visitors will get a free branded tote bag, and those who buy a book will receive an entry to a giveaway offering signed books and "bookish merch bundles." They'll also all get a bookmark while supplies last.
Finney's Books is located at the corner of Airport Boulevard and 38th 1/2 with an onsite lot and street parking along 38th 1/2 and Anchor Lane.
