One of the most common questions people ask when they first see one of our Blind Dates with a Book is, “...what is this?”
So we’re taking this opportunity to not only explain exactly what a Blind Date with a Book is, but also take you on a trip down memory lane to show you how it all started.
Now, first of all, it’s important to note that we did not come up with the concept (an Australian bookseller gets that credit and bragging right); however, we really try to go above and beyond, giving them our own stylish twist and carefully curating the books we wrap to match our customers’ desires.
So what is it?
We wrap books in our most highly sought-after genres:
- Romantasy (or, romance-fantasy)
- Regular and dark romance
- Mysteries/suspense/thrillers
- Regular fantasy
Of course, we wrap other genres as well (sci-fi, horror, coming-of-age, etc), but those listed above are our top sellers, so we really prioritize those when choosing what to prepare en masse.
We diligently research each book in each genre (if we haven’t read it ourselves) to ensure that it is well-written, well-received, and an all-around good book. Taste is subjective, but we do our best to select books we believe most people would be happy to be surprised with!
You might be thinking, “okay, you wrap a book in paper…and then what? How do people know what they’re getting?”
After we artfully origami-wrap our book of choice, we write the genre on the front, often including the “spice level”, and a brief description of the plot/vibe of the story- just enough to intrigue you without spoiling the surprise! If it sounds familiar based on the description, feel free to guess the title and we will confirm or deny, that way you don’t buy a book you already own.
Along with the writing on the front, you’ll find four folded pockets containing genre-themed and/or color-coordinated goodies (we aim for both, but sometimes color-coordination is the best we can do).
These goodies include:
- A large book-tracker or book review bookmark on which you can list the books you’ve been reading, rate your experience with the wrapped book, and write down your thoughts
- A smaller genre-themed bookmark, or at least one that matches the vibe of the wrapping and other goodies
- Our beautiful gold-foil business card (which doubles as a mini-bookmark!)
- A pocket-sized notebook
- Stickers
- Annotation tabs
- A highlighter or pen
- A bag of organic tea to make your reading experience extra cozy
The pack is wax sealed, decorated with washi tape, a sticker, and often layered paper accents. It’s taped closed on the back with our signature shop “blind date with a book” sticker, which can be removed to then slide the book out of its beautiful packaging without tearing open the front (which lots of people claim to not want to open because it looks so pretty!)- perfect for keeping the packaging intact, if you like to scrapbook/junk journal or to regift after you’ve read the book!
We even make a cozy outing edition that comes with a Turkish cotton blanket, perfect for a picnic and reading session in the park!
Where It All Began
Don’t think they started off so fancy! Let us take you back to the very beginning of the concept, so we can all see how far they’ve come in three years’ time.
When we first bought the shop in 2023, it came with a lot of Harlequin romance paperbacks. Like… a truly heroic number. Too many for us (or our customers) to keep up with.
So we had to get creative! Our very first Blind Dates were two of these mass market paperback romance books stuffed into paper lunch bags with hand-drawn, slightly ridiculous but hunky love interests on the front.
Think:
• Blind Date with a Cowboy (probably our most popular…Paso, go figure!)
• Blind Date with a Scotsman
• Blind Date with a Firefighter
• Blind Date with a Werewolf/Vampire
Literary classics, really.
And you know what? They were a hit! So we expanded into fantasy, mysteries, westerns, kids’ books, and gradually started upgrading everything: trade paperbacks instead of mass markets, origami-folded kraft paper wrapping instead of stapled lunch bags, wax seals, eventually adding the goodies in the front pockets. At first we simply listed what came in the pack, and then we started writing funny or mysterious descriptions of the books, which turned out to help sales quite a bit!
From there, the designs kept evolving, the extra layer of colored papers, vibe/genre-based decorations, the extra stickers and washi tape to make them extra aesthetically pleasing, and of course (perhaps the biggest change), brand new books instead of used!
Looking back at the original versions now feels a bit like when you see teenage photos of yourself and you can’t help but think, “aww, I was so awkward!”
Many paper cuts later…
Since then, we’ve sold well over 5,000 Blind Dates (thank you!!) at the variety of pop-up markets and Renaissance Faires we have been vendors at (farmers’ markets in Paso Robles and SLO, holiday markets, downtown festivals, the SLO Renaissance Faire, the Mariposa Fantasy Faire, the Irwindale Renaissance and Pleasure Faire, and (starting this fall) the Northern California Renaissance Faire in Hollister), plus in-store and online sales!
Let this be your reminder to trust the process. Good things take time, you have to be a beginner at something before you achieve mastery. It took us three years to really perfect our Blind Dates, and we’re still always thinking of new iterations and ways to improve them!
While Blind Date with a Book is now a very popular concept, we like to think ours are injected with a little extra magic because of the love and attention that goes into every single one, and we hope you can feel that, too.
If you want some of that magic for yourself or a loved one, click here!
Thanks for reminiscing with us! We love seeing how far these surprise book bundles have come, and we’re so grateful that you’re part of the story.
Happy reading!
Your friendly neighborhood Bookshop Besties,
Clio + Carla