#43: What Heated Rivalry Revealed About the Bookselling World

This week on Off The Shelf, Morgann sits down with Indigo romance buyer Kaitlynd Carmichael to break down what actually makes a romance book blow up. From BookTok’s influence to spotting trends before they hit, Kaitlynd shares how books go from shelf to sold out. They also dive into the rise of dark romance, slow burns, and why emotional love stories might be the next big trend, plus favourite reads and what to pick up if you’re new to romance.

CHAPTERS: 

0:00 - Introduction

1:00 - What Does a Romance Buyer at Indigo Do?

4:55 - Behind The Scenes at Indigo When A Book Gets Popular

9:40 - How Has Heated Rivalry Impacted Romance as a Whole?

12:30 - How Much Does BookTok Influence What Sells?

16:10 - How Has Romance Changed Over The Last 10 Years?

18:42 - Romance Trends

30:35 - Kaitlynd’s Top Books of 2025

36:00 - Indigo’s Book Boyfriend List

38:30 - Kaitlynd’s Writing Journey

40:25 - Most Exciting Upcoming Release

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Hosted by: Morgann Book

Created by: Bookish Media, Morgann Book, and Thomas Johnston 

Executive Producers: Morgann Book & Thomas Johnston 

Produced by: Stefanie Macchiusi

Associate Post Producer and Editor: Ricki Biramontes

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