A Guide To Romance Bookstore Day Events in Dallas

This Saturday, Aug. 9, Dallas bookstores will celebrate Romance Bookstore Day with local authors and giveaways.

August 8, 2025

Image: Author Rachel Lewis will be signing books this Saturday at Bibliobar in Plano.

Author Rachel Lewis will be signing books this Saturday at Bibliobar in Plano. Kathy Tran

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Let’s pitch a book idea: It’s just before noon on Saturday, Aug. 9, when you walk into The Plot Twist, a cute romance-themed bookstore in Denton. Today is particularly busy because it happens to be an annual nationwide celebration of a true American empire known as the romance book genre. The day is aptly dubbed Romance Bookstore Day, where local bookstores across the country host authors, offer discounts and bring together the finest connoisseurs of the art form.

You wander in and find an attractive, like-minded stranger who also happens to be single. You ask their name. It’s Adrian (conveniently androgynous), and then you ask what they do, which doesn't amount to anything besides being an amorphous idea used to move an article along. But something about their eyes when they say that is intoxicating, and the two of you begin a budding romance, brought together by the day full of romance literature.

Surely it’s been done before, right? A romance book about a romance bookstore meet-cute? If it hasn’t, Saturday is as good a day as ever to pitch such a meta idea to an armada of local romance authors, who will be scattered across North Texas to celebrate the day.

At The Plot Twist (227 W Oak St, Denton, TX) Dallas romance authors Tina Saxon and Kennedy L. Mitchell will kick the day off, signing books and meeting readers from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Loren Beeson and Shelby Storme will follow them from 2-4 p.m., and North Texas author Rocio Carranza and the BookTok-famous Ruby Dixon will conclude the night from 6-8 p.m.

In addition to author meet-and-greets, The Plot Twist is offering exclusive romance-themed merch, double loyalty points for purchases made all day and a prize wheel for purchases over $75.

The Plot Twist isn't the only bookstore going all out for the event. Fellow romance-themed shop, Blush (432 W Eighth St, Dallas, TX) is offering a buy two, get one free deal, plus a free bookmark for purchases over $25 at its new Bishop Arts location. Down the highway in Denton, Patchouli Joe's (221 W Hickory St, Denton, TX) is offering signed copies of The Lodge, a new release by author and Dentonite Kayla Olson. The shop is also doing a 25% discount on romance books all day.

Later, Olson will be making an appearance at Bibliobar (1018 E 15th St, Plano, TX), the new bookstore storefront in historic downtown Plano. Owner Chelsea Tresp has a five-author bill booked for the day, all hailing from North Texas. Author Thea Claire begins the festivities at noon, with Olson following at 1 p.m. At 2 p.m., hot hockey enthusiast Leslie McElroy is holding things down. At 3 p.m. is Rachel Lewis, who recently appeared on the cover of the Dallas Observer. The event wraps up at 4 p.m. with Alexa Martin, who grabbed headlines last year after her 2019 book Fumbled resurfaced for having a character inspired by Travis Kelce.

The festivities could be overwhelming to the average romance book lover, particularly one without a partner to enjoy them with. But to the singles among us, a day full of romance sounds like the setting for a meet-cute to remember, bonus points if they’re named Adrian.

Simon Pruitt is a staff writer for the Dallas Observer. He's been writing professionally since he was 16, covering art, sports and all the peculiar things he finds along the way.

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