In this episode of Miss Willa’s Book Club, we’re joined by Sydney Ivey — former teacher turned founder of Denver’s romance-only bookstore, The Spicy Librarian. Sydney shares how burnout, books, and a deep love of romance led her to build a space where women can read boldly, embrace desire, and leave shame at the door. We talk about breaking the stigma around romance novels, the rise of romantasy, what it’s really like running a bookstore in today’s world, and how Sydney has created a community that celebrates stories, spice, and self-expression, along with the challenges of entrepreneurship, handling criticism online, and protecting your love of reading when it becomes your job.

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