Edinburgh’s Book Lovers Bookshop has been announced as the overall winner of the Independent Bookshop of the Year Award in the UK and Ireland

Having only opened its doors in August 2024, Book Lovers Bookshop has won the prestigious Independent Bookshop of the Year Award, sponsored by wholesaler Gardners, in the first year it was put forward. The shop fought off strong competition from eight other regional and country winners, selected from a bumper list of 76 finalists from across the UK and Ireland. As the overall winner, Book Lovers Bookshop was presented with a £5,000 cheque from Gardners.

Founded by 25-year-old author Caden Armstrong, Book Lovers Bookshop is the first bricks-and-mortar romance specialist bookshop in the UK. In fewer than two years the store has attracted audiences of nearly 300 for author events, drawing 30-40 people every fortnight to its regular book club, and has grown from a staff of one to three full-time members. A queer and disabled-owned premises, at its heart, Book Lovers Bookshop’s aim is to create a fun, safe and diverse space to celebrate romantic fiction, romance authors and romance publishing. The shop reflects a growing trend towards genre-focused bookshops, and other romance stores opening in Book Lovers Bookshop’s wake include Cardiff’s Love Stories Bookshop and London’s Saucy Books.

The win also reflects the growing audience for romance literature, which is now one of the hottest genres in the publishing industry. The British Book Awards, AKA ‘The Nibbies’, have recognised this rising trend with the inaugural Romantic Fiction Book of the Year Award, introduced this year. Additionally, The British Book Award for Excellence in Romantic Fiction was presented at the Nibbies ceremony, commemorating a trio of authors – Jilly Cooper, Joanna Trollope and Sophie Kinsella – who passed away last year.

Tom Tivnan, The Bookseller deputy editor, said: ‘Past champions of the Independent Bookshop of the Year have been trailblazers but, as the first-ever specialist romance bookstore in the UK and Ireland, our 2026 winner Book Lovers Bookshop has raised a high bar up a notch. Owner Caden Armstrong epitomises the canny modern booksellers who are flooding into the indie game – the starting point is a passion for books, but with that comes a nimble entrepreneurship and steely-eyed business plan.

In fewer than two years, Armstrong has built her love for romance literature into a thriving hub, with a knowledge of the genre, expert stock curation and dizzying number of events that have struck a chord with Edinburgh’s community. Book Lovers’ on point social media game means its importance extends far beyond its walls and it has become an unmissable stop on global superstar authors’ book tours. But working in a genre that has long been overlooked due to gendered snobbery, Book Lovers doesn’t just go for the hits, with unstinting support for new and emerging writers, and those from marginalised communities. Does love conquer all? In a difficult 2026 across the world, it may not seem so – but it has certainly conquered the Nibbies.’

Ruth Gardner, Gardners’ UK sales manager, said: ‘Congratulations from everyone at Gardners on being awarded this year’s Independent Bookshop of the Year. Your continued commitment, enthusiasm, and support for both readers and authors have helped shape your bookshop into a valued part of the community. This achievement is so well deserved.’

Meryl Halls, managing director of the Booksellers Association, said: ‘The Book Lovers Bookshop in Edinburgh exemplifies all that is wonderful, innovative and dynamic about independent bookshops in 2026. As the UK’s first bricks-and-mortar romance fiction bookshop, they were true pioneers of a now fast-growing wave of genre-led specialist independents, helping to establish and shape a trend transforming the sector. They expertly champion romance fiction in all its diversity, curate engaging events and foster a warm, inclusive community space, all while consistently connecting readers with the stories they love. At the Booksellers Association, we always say that independent bookshops are, at their core, innovators and at the forefront of capitalising on trends and meeting readers where they are now, and the Book Lovers Bookshop is absolute proof of this.’

The British Book Awards affirm, connect and energise all who have a hand in creating books and all who read them, by showcasing the authors and illustrators who have stirred our hearts and imaginations, and the industry behind the scenes who have brought them to readers.