Where it all began…

There are some dreams that arrive with fanfare, with five-year plans, a career in the industry, and a neat little roadmap.

Hart Books was not one of those. It was not planned and thought out with years of experience in bookselling. There was no grand business strategy and a lump sum investment. It began, like many good things do, with books, with love, and with one random late night conversation ‘what if’.

 My sister Sarah and I were talking (just try and stop us) about life and work and the sort of question people ask when they are trying to get underneath all the noise.

 What would you do if you won the lottery and never had to work again?

 It is the kind of question that strips things back. It moves past obligation and routine and gets to something far more honest. What would still call to you if money were no object. What would you still choose.

 For me, the answer came easily; books.

 I knew I would still want to be involved with them somehow. Reading them. Writing them. Sharing them. Recommending them. Talking about them with people who understand exactly how much a story can shift your mood, your perspective, or your whole day.

 Books have always done that for me. They fill me up. They give me energy. They inspire me. And I know I am not alone in that.

 The truth is, Hart Books began long before the business itself. It began in every late night spent reading just one more chapter. In every moment of pressing a book into someone’s hands and saying, you have to read this. In every conversation about characters who felt real, stories that lingered, and endings that made life feel a little lighter.

I read across different genres, but romance has always held a special place for me. There is something uniquely delightful about it. That sense of anticipation. That physiological rush of knowing something wonderful is coming for the characters, even when they have to earn it first. The tension, the vulnerability, the hope. The way a good romance can make you smile, ache, reflect, and exhale all within the space of a few chapters.

 Unlike real life, romance offers a kind of safe space. A place to experience the highs and lows of falling in love, the heartbreak, the uncertainty, the joy, with the reassurance of a satisfying ending. There is comfort in that. There is escape in that. And sometimes there is even healing in that.

 I remember when there was only one small romance bookstore in Melbourne. Online shopping was nowhere near what it is now. Many bookstores did not even have a dedicated romance section. Romance novels were folded into general fiction, or hidden among fantasy and other genres, and sometimes the only way to know whether there might be a love story inside was to read the back cover and hope the two people mentioned might eventually fall for each other.

 For readers who genuinely loved romance, it often felt like the genre was being asked to sit quietly in the corner. Present, but not fully recognised. Available, but not properly celebrated.

For years, women writers were often pushed towards romance, while being taken less seriously in other literary spaces. Women have claimed this space, shaped it, expanded it, and built something powerful within it. I love that. I love the creativity, emotional depth, and brilliance within the genre. And I love being able to support female authors in an industry that has not always offered equal recognition.

 Hart Books was born from all of that. From a love of books. From a love of romance. From a belief that the genre is big enough, important enough, and meaningful enough to stand proudly on its own. But it was also born from something even more personal.

 I have always loved recommending books to people and seeing that recommendation land. There is a particular kind of joy in matching the right reader with the right story at the right time. Sometimes what someone needs is a sweet, uplifting romance that makes them grin at every page. Other times they need something tender and heartfelt, a story that helps them understand themselves a little better while they are swept up in someone else’s. That is part of what Hart Books is about for me.

 Not just selling books, but helping people find the exact story they need. A story that brings comfort. A story that creates delight. A story that helps them escape for a while. A story that becomes one they keep, treasure, recommend, and return to.

Hart Books is not just about books on shelves, even digital ones. It is about creating a space where romance is celebrated unapologetically and where readers feel like they belong. A place where people can connect over favourite tropes, beloved authors, new releases, hidden gems, and the simple joy of being understood.

That is why community sits at the heart of this business. It is why book clubs matter. Why reading retreats matter. Why recommendations matter. Why a carefully curated collection matters. Because books can be deeply personal, but reading does not have to be lonely.

I want Hart Books to be the kind of place where someone visits the online store and feels immersed in possibility. Where they trust that the books have been chosen with care. Where they know there will always be romance, and always be room for them.

I want it to be accessible. I want it to be thoughtful. I want it to be full of joy.

And yes, I want it to be sustainable too. This is a business, and I want it to support me and grow well. But it was never built as a get-rich-quick idea. Looking back now, I can see that what I really wanted was something much simpler and much more meaningful than that.

 I wanted to build a life around stories and to create something that would help other people find joy through reading. I wanted to champion a genre that has given so much to me and I wanted to create a home for readers who feel the same.

That is where Hart Books began.

With a genuine love of stories, a deep respect for romance, and a desire to share both with other readers in a way that feels warm, personal, and real.

 If you are here, reading this, there is a good chance you understand that feeling too.

 So, welcome.

 Whether you are here for the slow burns, the tender hearts, the witty banter, the emotional wreckage, the happy endings, or all of the above, I am so glad you found your way here.

 This is only the beginning, and I cannot wait to share it with you.

 Welcome to Hart Books!

 You’ll discover stories you will love, celebrate romance unapologetically, and belong to a community that understands exactly why these books matter.