One of the coolest things about working at the Central Library is getting to be around our amazing collection. We have amassed quite a few books since we opened our doors in 1926—the Fiction collection alone boasts over 375,000 titles! There are treasures everywhere just waiting to be found, like the old-school Romance novels I recently stumbled on. Looking at them was like taking a time machine back to the 80s and 90s. Their steamy, cheesy covers were so relatable! Who hasn’t gotten frisky on a windswept cliff with a viscount in a cape on the grounds of an ancient castle? Or writhed upon a white fur rug with a Scottish warlord in a torch-lit chamber with a rearing horse nearby?

I pulled a few of them for fun and posted them below. Many of these gems are currently on display in the Literature & Fiction Department, but all you need to do is scroll down and feast your eyes. I’ve broken them into categories. Enjoy the fromage!

Category #1: Hot, Awkward Embraces

Category #2: Dude Is Totally Naked

Category #3: Scorching Scots

Category #4: Fabio! Fabio! Fabio!

Category #5: Books “Written” by Fabio

Category #6: Random Fromage

I hope you enjoyed this trip down Bodice-Ripper Lane. Here’s wishing everyone a Happy Valentine’s Day. Don’t forget to make out with your sweetheart in a raging river while one of you clutches a sword with a bowl of fruit nearby!

xoxo