In late 2025, a new bookstore opened up in Melbourne’s north. It’s called ‘The Forbidden Chapter’. The “forbidden” part is that they specialise in books of the…taboo variety.

Demand for saucy literature has been on the rise recently. In Australia, romance novel sales have grown by an average of 49% annually over the last three years. 

Right now, the most popular reads in this category are the ‘GameChanger’ books by Rachel Reid - the gay hockey series that inspired everyone’s latest TV obsession: ‘Heated Rivalry’.

With Heated Rivalry-mania creating a nationwide shortage of physical copies of the books, it got us wondering - are horny novels getting people reading again? In today’s newsletter, I endeavour to answer that important question. Come along for the ride.

Before we get stuck into the spicy content, we first need to understand the state of reading in Australia.

National charity Australia Reads has spent years trying to piece together a clear picture of how we engage with books. According to research compiled and commissioned by the organisation, the landscape is increasingly polarised.

“The committed readers are reading more than ever,but there’s also an increasing number of Australians who are not reading at all,” Anna Burkey, who heads up Australia Reads, told TDA.

That decline is particularly stark among young people. In 2017, around 22% of Australian teenagers weren’t reading for pleasure at all. Today, that figure has climbed to almost 30% nationwide — with some research saying it could be as high as 50% in parts of the country, including South Australia.

Yet there’s a contradiction buried in the data: most Australians, including young people, want to read more. So, what’s stopping them? 

Time, according to Burkey.

“They struggle to find the time, the confidence, or something they actually love,” she explains. “That’s why the mainstream popularity of genre fiction –including romance – is so heartening. When people enjoy something, they do more of it.”

Romance fiction has been one of the fastest-growing genres in Australia since the COVID years, with sales surging and Kindle reporting it as its most popular category for 2025. 

Once treated as niche or embarrassing, romance – particularly “spicy” romance – has been dragged into the cultural mainstream.

Much of that shift has been driven by social media. On TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, young creators enthusiastically recommend books, debate tropes, and openly rate how steamy a story gets. 

“That visibility matters,” Burkey told TDA. “When people see others talking about something openly, it becomes a social norm. It reduces shame. You start thinking, ‘I like that too – or maybe I’ll try it.’”

That cultural shift is changing physical spaces too. Bookstores have redesigned layouts to showcase “BookTok” (i.e. the bookish corner of TikTok) recommendations at the front door, with romance dominating these displays. 

Allya, a Sydney-based bookseller, said that the relatability of romance makes it “a really good gateway” into reading.

“Young people want to engage with what’s culturally relevant,” she said, “and right now, that is a gay sports romance.”

The surge of interest in the niche genre of gay sports romance comes almost entirely from the TV adaptation of the “Heated Rivalry” books. 

The story follows Ilya and Shane, two competing professional hockey players who slowly fall in love over the course of their athletic careers. 

It’s struck a chord with audiences worldwide - especially young women (and this one grandma). But why?

At its core, Burkey says, the book is about connection.

“It’s two young people trying to work out their way in a world that isn’t necessarily accepting of them,” she explains. “Young people are often looking for that in fiction — ways of being in the world, ways of understanding themselves, and reassurance that they’re not alone.”

Henriette, another bookseller from Sydney, says demand for Heated Rivalry has overwhelmed her store since the show’s release.

“People are coming in looking for the book, but we’re completely sold out,” she said.

It’s not just good for retailers, Henriette explains.

“If I’d seen something like this when I was younger, it would have helped immensely with coming out and understanding myself… It genuinely warms my heart that young people get to grow up with this kind of representation on their screens and in their books.”

While the book is undeniably explicit, fans describe its emotional depth as the real draw. The sex scenes aren’t separate from the story; they’re part of how the characters negotiate trust, vulnerability and identity over time.

“These books show relationships that are consensual, adult, respectful and emotionally complex,” Burkey says. 

“They offer contemporary examples of what intimacy and partnership can look like.”

I watched the first season of Heated Rivalry with my housemate, who hasn’t felt motivated to read anything since high school. When the finale ended, he turned to me and said, proudly: “I think I’m going to read a book.”

For decades, romance has been dismissed as a guilty pleasure — something read behind closed doors, if at all. But its current popularity suggests something bigger is happening. For many young people, these stories are offering connection, representation and an invitation back into the world of literature.

For Burkey, these books are doing exactly what any good story should: help people “understand themselves, feel validated, and connect with others.”

For booksellers like Henriette, any book that gets people reading is a good one.  “If this is someone’s first step back into books, then wonderful.”

In a country worried about declining literacy rates and disengagement, the lesson may be simple: the path back to reading doesn’t always start with the classics.

Sometimes, it starts with horny hockey players and a healthy dose of sexual tension.

Skipper makes going green easy – and actually enjoyable

Drop a tablet into water and watch it transform into foaming face wash, body wash, laundry sheets or a universal cleaner that does it all. Sleek, reusable dispensers, luxurious formulas, zero plastic waste.

Aussie-made, sustainable, and perfect for your home. Build your own bundle and save up to $120, with free shipping over $50.