Is the mass market paperback dying? And what does that mean for the romance genre, especially for readers who grew up sneaking stepbacks and collecting every duke on the shelf?

In this episode of Reading Under the Covers, Francesca dives into the history and legacy of the mass market paperback format and how it helped shape genre fiction, especially historical romance, romantic suspense, and cozy mysteries. We’ll look at why the industry is moving away from this beloved format, how BookTok and the trade paperback boom accelerated the shift, and what it means for accessibility, binge-reading, and the future of romance publishing.

From clinch covers to collector’s editions, from Harlequin Intrigue to BookTok bestsellers. This is a love letter (and a bit of a rant) about what we’re losing… and where we go from here.

🔎 Topics We Cover:

• The rise of the mass market paperback in genre fiction
• How MMPB shaped the romance genre, especially historicals
• The romcom boom and shift to trade paperback
• The BookTok effect on what gets published and how
• Why this change hits romance readers harder than most
• Which subgenres (like cozy mystery, romantic suspense, and paranormal romance) are being impacted
• What the end of MMPB means for access and affordability
• Where romance might go next, and how readers can adapt

📚 Links & Resources:

• Readerlink Will Stop Distributing Mass Market Paperbacks at the End of 2025 (Publishers Weekly)
• Book Publishers Plan for a Reduced Mass Market Paperback Footprint (Publishers Weekly)
• Mass Market Paperback Sales Continue to Decline (Publishers Weekly)
• An Elegy for the Duke (BookTrib)

🎙️ Let’s keep the conversation going!

Tell me your favorite MMPB memory, your go-to author back in the day, or what you’re collecting now. Come chat with me on Instagram @utcbookblog or leave a comment on the blog.

💌 Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with your favorite romance reader — especially the one still hoarding their Lisa Kleypas backlist in a plastic bin under the bed (no judgment, I am her).

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