BukRomance

Italian romance meets in Rome

Founded in 2021, BukRomance has quickly become Italy's leading event for romance literature. It is a single, action-packed day where the audience that fuels BookTok, Bookstagram, and reading groups meets the authors they follow online in person. The event is held in the Municipality of Rome, capital of the Lazio Region, in the EUR district—an area developed in the 1930s as an architectural showcase of the modern city, now a convention hub served by the metro and easily accessible to visitors from outside the region.

What to expect at BukRomance

The heart of the event is the large exhibition area: the 2025 edition hosted over 150 exhibitors, including major publishing groups, independent presses, self-published authors, and reading communities. Brands that have showcased their catalogs and authors over the years include Mondadori, Sperling & Kupfer, HarperCollins, DeAgostini, and Adriano Salani Editore.

• Book signings and meet-and-greets with the most popular Italian and translated international romance authors
• Editorial stands featuring new releases, previews, and special editions created for the event
• Thematic areas dedicated to subgenres, from contemporary to dark romance
• Spaces for emerging authors, including voices discovered on online writing platforms
• Reading communities and collectives, which bring the day to life with their own initiatives

An event that grew with its community

The strength of BukRomance lies in its direct connection with its audience. In 2025, a dedicated area was created for authors who started on Wattpad, designed as a space for inclusion and opportunity for those taking their first steps in the industry—a choice that turned the event into a bridge between traditional publishing and digital writing. That same year, entertainment was also provided by social media personalities, fostering the informal atmosphere that has become part of the event's identity.

Venues and growth

After its initial years, in 2025 BukRomance moved to the Palazzo dei Congressi in EUR, the building designed by Adalberto Libera in the late 1930s and a key architectural symbol of the district. For the 2026 edition, the event moves to the Salone delle Fontane, also in EUR and just a few hundred meters from the previous venue, due to renovation work at the Palazzo dei Congressi. Meanwhile, the project is expanding beyond Lazio: a stop at the Padua Fair has already been announced for April 2027.

Why it is worth attending

Romance lovers find everything in one day that is usually scattered across dozens of presentations throughout Italy: the chance to meet their favorite authors in person, discover independent titles that rarely reach bookstores, and reconnect with a community that usually exists only online. It has become one of Rome's most popular literary events of the autumn, attracting a young, predominantly female audience from all over the country.

Not to be confused

BukRomance should not be confused with the Festival del Romance Italiano, which is held in Milan: these are two distinct events with different organizers and schedules.