Remember when historical romance novels were small enough to fit in your purse—and sometimes scandalous enough that you wanted to keep them there?
There was a time when a woman could walk into her neighborhood grocery store, drugstore, or bookstore and find an entire revolving rack or shelf devoted to historical romance novels. For a few dollars, she could escape into Regency England, the Scottish Highlands, or the ballrooms of Victorian London.
They were inexpensive, portable, and often adorned with some of the most outrageous cover art ever conceived by the publishing industry. Muscular heroes with flowing hair embraced beautiful heroines whose gowns appeared to be in imminent danger of falling off. Of course, respectable women had a solution for those rather embarrassing covers. We tucked the books discreetly into our purses, where no one could see what we were reading. Never mind that the corner of a bare-chested Scottish Highlander might be sticking out beside our lipstick and car keys. Those were the days.
Unfortunately, the mass-market paperback, once the undisputed queen of popular fiction, is rapidly disappearing from American bookshelves. And for historical romance readers, its demise represents the end of a remarkable publishing era.
The Little Books That Built Historical Romance
The modern historical romance boom owes much of its success to the humble mass-market paperback. During the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, publishers such as Avon, Zebra, Signet, Dell, Berkley, and Harlequin filled bookstores with affordable romantic adventures.
Authors such as Kathleen E. Woodiwiss, Rosemary Rogers, Johanna Lindsey, Judith McNaught, and countless others became household names among romance readers. Later generations discovered Lisa Kleypas, Julia Quinn, Mary Balogh, and other beloved historical romance authors through those same conveniently sized books.
Unlike today’s larger trade paperbacks, mass-market editions generally measured approximately 4¼ by 7 inches. They could be carried almost anywhere, stuffed into a coat pocket, slipped into a handbag, or concealed behind a more respectable-looking publication.
They were also affordable. For readers who consumed three or four romances a week, price mattered. A woman could purchase several books without feeling she had made a significant investment.
And there was something particularly satisfying about finishing one historical romance and immediately reaching for another. No charging cables. No subscriptions. No software updates.
Just another duke, another scandal, and another happily-ever-after.
The Numbers Tell a Rather Sad Story
According to Circana BookScan figures reported by Publishers Weekly in December 2025, sales of mass-market paperbacks have collapsed over the past two decades.
| Year | U.S. Mass-Market Paperback Unit Sales |
|---|---|
| 2004 | 131 million |
| 2024 | 21 million |
| 2025, through October | Approximately 15 million |
Between 2004 and 2024, sales declined by approximately 84 percent. These figures cover mass-market paperbacks across genres, not historical romance alone. Nevertheless, romance was one of the formats’ most important markets. The numbers are staggering when one considers how many millions of readers once depended on these inexpensive editions.
The decline has been attributed to several factors, including the popularity of e-books, rising printing and distribution costs, shrinking retail space, and publishers’ increasing preference for larger, more profitable trade paperbacks.
A trade paperback might sell for $16 to $20 or more, while the traditional mass-market paperback generally occupied a much lower price range. For publishers and retailers, the economics are understandable. For readers, however, paying nearly twice as much for a printed romance is hardly an attractive proposition.
The Announcement That May Have Sealed Their Fate
One of the most consequential developments came when ReaderLink, a major American book distributor, announced that it would discontinue distributing mass-market paperbacks at the end of 2025. ReaderLink supplied books to retailers including Walmart, Kroger, Hudson News, and numerous other mass-market outlets. According to Publishers Weekly, its customers represented an estimated 60 to 70 percent of U.S. mass-market paperback sales. Consider what that means.
The familiar paperback rack at the supermarket, once an important source of romance novels, has lost much of the distribution system that kept it stocked. And when books disappear from the places where casual readers traditionally purchased them, sales become even more difficult to sustain. It is a vicious circle. Fewer books on shelves mean fewer opportunities to buy them. Fewer purchases give publishers another reason to discontinue the format.
Which Historical Romance Publishers Are Abandoning Mass-Market Paperbacks?
Several prominent publishing houses have already moved away from the format, although their plans differ.
Kensington Publishing: Once one of the largest independent publishers of mass-market paperbacks, Kensington confirmed in 2025 that it would stop publishing mass-market editions in categories including romance and thrillers. Some titles would instead appear as trade paperbacks or hardcovers. The company initially planned to retain certain niche categories, including cozy mysteries.
Berkley/Penguin Random House: Berkley has been shifting away from mass-market editions in favor of trade paperbacks. Historical romance author Anne Gracie publicly discussed her departure from Berkley after twenty years, citing the industry’s move away from the format and the increasingly difficult market for historical romance.
HarperCollins/Avon: HarperCollins has acknowledged the industry’s transition toward trade paperbacks and has been expanding their distribution. Avon, historically one of the most recognizable names in mass-market historical romance, is part of this broader publishing environment. However, that does not constitute a verified announcement that every Avon mass-market edition has been permanently discontinued.
Harlequin Historical: Perhaps the most heartbreaking announcement for devoted historical romance readers came in February 2026. Harlequin confirmed that its long-running Harlequin Historical series will end in September 2027, after nearly forty years of publication. The series began in 1988 and became a familiar source of Regency, Victorian, and other period romances. Harlequin attributed the decision to changing reader interests around the world. Importantly, Harlequin is not abandoning romance publishing altogether. Other Harlequin lines will continue. Nevertheless, the disappearance of a dedicated historical romance series is a significant loss.
These developments suggest that the traditional mass-market historical romance paperback is approaching the end of its commercial life, even if some remaining editions and specialized programs survive.
What Will Barnes & Noble Put on Its Shelves?
That raises an interesting question. If mass-market paperbacks disappear, what will happen to all that bookstore shelf space? Barnes & Noble has already been adjusting. In March 2025, CEO James Daunt told Publishers Weekly that sections featuring new mass-market paperbacks had already been removed or reduced in approximately one-third of the chain’s stores.
Rather than replacing every small paperback with another book of identical dimensions, bookstores are increasingly emphasizing trade paperbacks, hardcovers, special editions, and other formats.
The romance section itself is not necessarily disappearing. Indeed, contemporary romance, romantasy, and visually appealing trade paperback editions have become prominent parts of bookstore merchandising. But there is a difference between a bookstore offering romance novels and a bookstore offering affordable historical romance novels. A reader who once walked away with three inexpensive Regency romances might now find herself contemplating the purchase of just one larger paperback. And those of us who remember shelves crowded with colorful Zebra and Avon romances cannot help wondering whether something has been lost. The old mass-market section offered enormous variety in a relatively small space. A few shelves could hold dozens upon dozens of titles.
Larger trade editions simply cannot replicate that density.
Where Can Readers Find Those Wonderful Old Paperbacks?
Fortunately, the demise of new mass-market publishing does not mean that the books themselves have vanished. Millions of copies remain in circulation, and readers willing to do a little treasure hunting can still find them.
eBay: One of the most entertaining places to search for vintage historical romances. Sellers frequently offer individual titles, author collections, and bulk lots of assorted paperbacks. Try searching for phrases such as “vintage historical romance lot,” “Zebra Regency romance books,” or “box of historical romance paperbacks.” Just watch the shipping charges.
Goodwill and other thrift stores: There is still something wonderful about discovering a forgotten historical romance tucked between a cookbook and an outdated computer manual. Selection varies enormously, but the prices can make the search worthwhile.
ThriftBooks: An online source for used and older titles, particularly when searching for specific authors or books missing from a collection.
Better World Books: Another worthwhile place to investigate when looking for secondhand editions.
PangoBooks: A secondhand book marketplace where individual readers sell books from their personal collections, sometimes including older romances and complete series.
Used bookstores, library sales, and estate sales: These may be the best places to uncover entire collections. Romance readers were often prolific buyers, and decades of accumulated paperbacks sometimes find their way into estate sales or donated-book inventories.
For serious collectors, sites such as AbeBooks and Biblio may also be useful when hunting for particular editions or memorable cover artwork.
And don’t overlook local community book sales. Somewhere, perhaps in a cardboard box beneath a folding table, a handsome duke from 1987 is still waiting to be discovered.
What about you? Do you still have a collection of old mass-market historical romances? Do you search thrift stores and eBay for favorite authors? Or have you made the transition to e-books and larger trade paperbacks?
I’d love to hear whether you miss those little books as much as I do.
