Love Romance Box (Avid Reader)

What's in the box: Each box holds one newly released romance novel picked by the bookshop, plus a couple of small surprise gifts, all nicely packaged.

Love Romance Box comes from Avid Reader, an independent bookshop on Boundary Street in West End, Brisbane. Every month a staff member named Michaela picks a newly released romance novel. The book arrives nicely packaged with a couple of surprise gifts. All subscribers get the same box, and boxes ship in the first week of the month. The 12 month plan costs $480.00 AUD. On the 3, 6 and 12 month terms, postage is included every month. A single month does not include postage, so you either collect it in store or pay for shipping at checkout. That makes the one-off box a good fit for locals who can call in at the shop. Buying it as a gift takes a bit of care. You put your own email and phone number in the customer details, add the recipient's contact details in the notes field, and use the recipient's address for shipping. The site warns that if you skip this, the recipient will get the order confirmation email. The site does not say which subgenres Michaela leans toward, whether you can skip a month, or what the gifts usually are. Since everyone gets the same book, you could end up with a title you already own. Still, it is a simple way to back an independent bookshop and have a new romance turn up every month.