The Blushing Bookmark mobile bookstore launches, focusing on romance novels

Choosing the right lane is key for any business — particularly one on wheels. Long Island native and entrepreneur Keriann Iovino set her mobile bookstore, The Blushing Bookmark, apart by focusing exclusively on romance.

"I really like romantasy, which is fantasy mixed with romance. It’s an escape," says Iovino, 34, who previously worked for a literary marketing firm that specializes in the genre. "I realized there aren’t many niche independent bookstores around here, especially ones centered around romance."

So, Iovino flipped the script. Based on cost considerations of a brick-and-mortar shop and Iovino’s time constraints, she determined that the mobile route worked for her. On Oct. 4, she will launch The Blushing Bookmark at the Massapequa Park Street Fair. It was a natural spot, since it’s down the road from her home in the town she’s lived all her life.

The business uses a 7-by-7-by-12-foot landscaping trailer converted into a shop and purchased from another mobile bookstore owner in New Jersey. The store hitches to the back of Iovino's car. Its shelves hold around 300 new books sourced through wholesalers and independent and local authors.

"I wanted it to feel like a cozy escape and to make it a shopping experience," Iovino says. "It’s designed to let you forget like you’re inside a trailer. You're just stepping into a tiny bookstore."

Inventory covers the expansive romance realm — contemporary stories, period pieces, comedies, tearjerkers, small-town and big-city love stories. Works by Rebecca Yarros ("Fourth Wing") and Sarah J. Maas ("A Court of Thorns and Roses") — two of Iovino’s established favorites — are in the mix. Around five Long Island writers will be carried initially.

Paperbacks run $10.99-$19.99 and hardcovers sell for $34 and under. The store will also carry stickers, page holders and candles that run from $1-$20.

The trailer has been personalized with a custom-wrapped exterior sign, new wallpaper and refurbished cushions. A neon-style "Read, Blush, Repeat" sign is being made to capture the essence of the shop. "It’s a little tagline," Iovino says.

The Blushing Bookmark’s next stops are being finalized and will be announced on social media. "I’m looking at fall pop-up events and festivals," Iovino says.

The Blushing Bookmark, Instagram: @blushing_bookmark and TikTok: theblushingbookmark