Welcome to Writes & Bites — a series where Creative Writing MFA student Arianna Gundlach periodically reviews a place in New York City you could write at and tackles a writing topic that has been weighing on your mind. This week we look at The Ripped Bodice, “a romantic bookstore,” located at 218 Fifth Ave. in Park Slope, Brooklyn.
Hello, charming readers and writers. I’ve been expecting you.
Valentine’s Day is just a few days away, and regardless of how you’re feeling about it, I couldn’t pass up the chance to review something romantic. Besides, your valentine can always be a good book — and no, that’s not sad (unless the book is truly heinous). So even if your love life isn’t going the way you want, you can still escape into the romance you desire, whether that’s slow burn, enemies-to-lovers, fake-dating-turned-real, or grumpy-meets-sunshine (and there’s so much more). You name it, you can find it, and I know just the place.
Nestled in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn, near the corner of Fifth Avenue and President Street, lives and breathes The Ripped Bodice: a relatively new bookstore devoted almost entirely to romance reads. The store opened to critical acclaim in August 2023 with a line stretching down the block, according to The New York Times. Their flagship storefront in LA opened in 2016, and both branches of the independent bookstore are proudly women and queer-owned by sisters Bea Hodges-Koch and Leah Koch.
The pink storefront with white stenciling on the windows beckons you from the street. But from the window, you can’t stroke the book spines or smell the fresh pages. Window shopping is almost cruel in this case, purposefully keeping yourself a mere few feet from pages and pages of romantic sparks, tension, and heartbreak. Going inside is your only option once you have the store in your sights, or the single heartbreak you’ll be experiencing is your own.
Stepping into The Ripped Bodice is like a fairytale come to life. Think of the village bookstore in “Beauty in the Beast” meets Briar Rose’s cottage in “Sleeping Beauty.” Hanging heart-shaped bulbs and flowery chandeliers light the front of the store while books dangle from the ceiling like they’re ready to take flight at any moment. “HEA” is scrawled in black lettering on beige walls, which stands for happily ever after, a common theme in romance and the feeling you hopefully leave the store with.
While I was exploring the store, I heard someone say, “There’s so much to see,” and they’re absolutely right. So try to take it all in, but be mindful as you’re navigating through the shelves. During peak hours, it can get rather close-quarters, leaving you trapped in a section for a bit.
New releases and signed copies are at the front with the extremely cute and irresistible selection of merch (so cute it hurts not buying anything). T-shirts, totes, stickers, pins, hats, bookmarks — they have it all. Exploring farther in, you can find more than 10 other sections including dark academia, contemporary, LGBTQ+, young adult, fantasy/paranormal, and erotica. There are even rolling black ladders, where you’ll be tempted to have a “Belle” moment and fly across the shelves with a book in hand.
Still not finding what you’re looking for? Try the far back right in the “everything else” section; I spotted graphic novels and mythology-inspired books here. And if you’re writing a romance novel, try the far back left for craft books.
And while you’re in the back, take advantage of the two adorable photo-ops. The first is a seat in one of the plush red thrones under “The Ripped Bodice” sign with window cut-outs and book pages papering the wall. And the second is the large green birdcage seat draped with leaves and flowers by the far-left window. Also, don’t miss the pride flag made from multi-colored flowers — it’s a stunner.
By now you’ve probably noticed I haven’t mentioned the seating selection or the menu offerings. Unlike Book Club Bar, The Ripped Bodice doesn’t have a café component. The store is standing room only, except for a bench in the front by check-out. So while the venue hosts many events and book clubs, the space is a missed opportunity for a writer’s paradise. Add an in-store café with romance-themed drinks and more plush, regal seating that’s not just a photo-op, and you’d have something marvelous.
Because you can’t physically write in this space, you should brew your inspiration and harness the mentor texts on-hand instead. Mentor texts are books that have elements you’d like to imitate in your own work. Take in all the covers, titles, and taglines. Flip through some pages. Read some dialogue with lingering tension or some spicy action, if you’re into that (I am too, so don’t be shy). Purchase one or a couple of novels that leave you wanting more — that you know won’t leave your mind after you leave the store.
And remember, nothing stops you from writing in your head, which can be a lot freer than writing on the page. Have your notes app handy to keep promising ideas from fleeing your mind. After checking out, the next question is where to take all your built-up inspiration.
Lucky for you, almost next door is the Grounded Café, where you can get a free coffee or non-specialty tea with proof of book purchase from The Ripped Bodice. And if you bring your receipt from Grounded Café to The Ripped Bodice, you can get a free sticker. This deal is good through Thursday, Feb. 29.
Grounded Café is housed inside Brooklyn Flow, but there’s a separate door so you don’t have to traipse through the facility. The clean and minimal aesthetic is refreshing, and with the wicker furniture, citrusy smell, and lo-fi beats, it’s everything you’d expect of a yoga studio café. And while that’s perfectly fine, I suspect you’re looking for somewhere a little more compelling to write your romantic scenes. Lucky for you, I know a place nearby (when do I not?) with a little more zhuzh.
A nine-minute walk from The Ripped Bodice, near the corner of Seventh Avenue and Berkeley Place, is one of the cutest establishments I’ve ever laid eyes on — Café Regular. The space is small with two window booths and a couple of round tables, but I like to think of it as intimate rather than cramped. Especially if you sit in one of their red window-sill booths.
The interior is reminiscent of an old-timey movie that’s recently been washed with color. The seating is limited but makes you feel incredibly lucky if you do snag a seat. I’d recommend getting there close to opening on weekends or when people are at work during the weekday. Both window-sill booths were open when I arrived around 10:30 a.m. on a Monday.
Drinks are small, full-to-the-brim, and a little weak tasting based on the mocha I had, but that doesn’t mean you can’t finesse the menu and find the best offerings. I have faith in you. And the place is just too cute not to try. Not to mention the view of enviable brownstones that will have you dreaming of your “someday.”
So while Café Regular has its obstacles between the seating and the drinks, you’re still tempted to stay and wait it out, seeing through your satisfying ending. Good romance in a novel promises the same: some pull-and-tug, some will-they-won’t-they, some pleasurable or frustrating tension — but ultimately leaves you feeling swept-up and brimming with emotion, whether that comes from a happy ending or a different resolution that’s right for the protagonist.
While I love pure romance books as much as any Bridgerton-obsessed girly, I’ve never written one myself. So the advice I’m about to spill is about writing romantic scenes and relationships in a book, rather than the entire genre itself.
First, make sure you know the two (or however many) characters separately before you know them together. What do each of them want (besides each other)? What are obstacles in their way? What is a problem or a flaw they’re experiencing? What do they need (again, different from want) that will fuel a character transformation? Once you know those things, you can decide if their goals change when they meet or if their needs are actually each other. But even in novels where romance isn’t the dominant genre, character goals are usually in tandem or competing with the desire for a love interest.
Next, remember romance is as much about what’s not being said as what’s being said aloud. Pay attention to writing the physicality and contextualizing a moment in between dialogue. Is someone leaning in? Is someone else leaning away? Is one person fidgeting while the other is rather calm? Decide early if you want love interests to be slow or fast burning; this will help with what’s spoken and unspoken, and when each is happening. Slow burning is closer to will-they-won’t-they, while fast burning is closer to love at first sight — each choice is valid and builds a different kind of palpable investment.
Just like there are foundation beats in your overarching plot, there are also beats across a romantic relationship. While I’ve previously referenced foundation beats from Jessica Brody’s “Save the Cat! Writes a Young Adult Novel,” the following are ones I prioritize. (1) The first meeting: this beat seems self-explanatory, but again is it love at first sight, tension-filled, or hate at first accidental-run-in? (2) When one or both characters start falling: how and why did this happen? (3) When things get real: feelings are confessed, a kiss happens, the relationship is defined. Why does this happen now? Who’s initiating it? (4) The test: just as it sounds, the relationship is tested in some way, even if they’re still “just friends” but feelings are definitely there. (5) Resolution (or lack thereof): is there a happily ever after or are they better off apart (for now or in the long-term)?
Plotting the romantic arc along these five foundation beats will make writing the relationship smoother and intentional.
Lastly, romances should feel organic whether they’re super obvious from the start or a dramatic build-up. Have the pages to back it up — what’s said and not said, what advances are made and withheld, what little looks are noticed and have gone to the wayside. A trail of clues is necessary, but a subtle one readers can’t pick up on until the end is the most masterful kind.
So when you find yourself at The Ripped Bodice, fill yourself up with aches, breaks, and happy endings. Have a whirlwind romance with all the books you have time to finger through and those special few you get to take home. Pay attention to what captivates you and keeps you yanked on a chain. Then head over to Café Regular and try it out for yourself; when you feel warmth flood your chest and a shiver roll down your shoulders, you’ll know you’ve done it right.
The Ripped Bodice
218 Fifth Ave.
(347) 227-8899
https://www.therippedbodicela.com/ripped-bodice-brooklyn
| Commute 36 minutes from the UC via subway (N/Q). | Hours Mon-Fri: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sat: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Sun: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. |
| Tech No public Wi-Fi. No outlets. | Layout New releases, signed copies, merch, and check-out in the front. Sections incorporate more speculative (non-realistic) as you go farther back. “Everything else” section in far-right corner. Craft books in far-left corner. Two photo-ops in the back near the restroom. |
| Gems Expansive selection of books; photo-ops in the back; extremely cute merch; LGTBQ+ supportive with flower pride flag and adorable pronoun pins; large autographed book section; baskets in the front for bulk shopping. | Noise Level Relatively noisy. |
| Atmosphere Well lit from windows and overhead lighting (non-obtrusive). Music primarily includes early to mid-2000s hits like “Since U Been Gone,” “Sweet Escape,” and “Crazy in Love.” | Rating 2.5/4 Stars – based on New York Times star system: “ratings range from zero to four stars. Zero is poor, fair or satisfactory. One star, good. Two stars, very good. Three stars, excellent. Four stars, extraordinary.” |
| Be Aware Standing room only. Crowded during peak hours. Free coffee/tea at nearby Grounded Cafe with book purchase from The Ripped Bodice only valid until Feb. 29. |