Lilly Frederick loves books. More specifically, she loves books about love.
“I started out with young adult romance books. I’ve just always loved love stories, however, I could get my hands on them,” she says.
Frederick, who works in customer service, has long dreamed of opening a bookstore, but when she heard about The Ripped Bodice—a romance-focused bookstore in Brooklyn, New York—she knew she had found her calling. During the pandemic, she saw romance novels take off on TikTok and noticed people converting trucks, buses, and trailers into mobile bookshops.
Seizing the moment, she bought a 1993 Mazda Scrum and outfitted it with a custom pink paint job and shelves that can hold up to 600 books.
Swoon Booksellers, Greenville’s mobile romance bookstore, hit the road in December 2024 and soon was hosting pop-ups at Southern Growl, Sun and Soil, Scout’s Doughnuts, and Camino Wine Merchant. She also hosts author events, including a recent one at Other Lands featuring Asheville writer Lauren Connolly and her new book, Love in Plane Sight.
“We’ve done more than I expected,” Fredericks says. “The community took to it greatly, and it has been a fun year. I’ve loved connecting with people, readers, as well as the small businesses that have embraced us.”
She feels like she’s on the path toward her ultimate brick-and-mortar bookstore. “This year has been such a good learning opportunity,” she says, “and I’m excited about what year two has to bring.”
Romance Recommendations
Frederick suggests starting with authors Emily Henry or Abby Jimenez. She also points readers to regional authors like Ashley Poston (from Columbia) and Lauren Connolly (from Asheville).
Find out more at swoonbooksellers.com and @swoonbooksellers.
