A Love Letter to Hello Darling Books & Beyond
May 2nd, 2026
A Love Letter to Hello Darling Books & Beyond
After a creative and fun day playing hair therapist at EmpowHer Salon in Woodstock, Illinois, I knew I couldn’t just go home and bed rot–especially on a beautiful, sunny Saturday.
When I got home, I opened Facebook and the first thing I saw on my page was the announcement for the season opening of Hello Darling Books & Beyond on the McHenry Riverwalk. Immediately closed the app, grabbed my purse (that holds my entire life), and drove my happy self to my favorite bookstore in McHenry, Illinois!
As soon as I stepped out of my car, I swear I could hear the book pages in the breeze whispering, “Buy me… I’m extra smutty.”
You walk in and Tina Lawrence– the most genuine, sweet, and beautiful woman to exist– immediately greets you with a smile and a warm “Hello Darling!”
And right away you feel it.
That intimate and welcoming energy.
Because if I am being truthful…most times when I walk into Barnes & Noble, I get overstimulated.
Too many employees coming up to me randomly
Surplus of books–either I walk out empty handed or add way too many to my TBR
Too big of a store that I walk around aimlessly, instead of focusing on the experience and purpose
And still somehow end up ordering the book online
There’s no real connection.
No memory tied to it.
And I know that’s what’s been missing.
I love romanticizing the idea of going to a cute book store, grabbing a spicy romance novel, then getting in my car, driving somewhere quiet, and reading till I’m lost in another world.
I never get that fulfillment leaving an average book store– and definitely not from hitting “Place Order” online. If anything, I lose the excitement before I even start reading… which honestly feels comparable to most women’s sex lives lately.
Although, Hello Darling?
Hello Darling met my expectations– if anything they exceeded them.
It didn’t even feel like I was in my hometown picking up just another book. It felt like I had stepped into my dream bookstore.
The aesthetic, the fresh air coming through the open doors, and the way the books are displayed–it all catches your eye at once, but not in an overwhelming way either.
In a curated way.
The kind of way that makes you want to pick up every single book and justify buying all of them.
Even the fantasy novels. (Don’t come for me… I am a certified smutslut, but I’ll make an exception for the Fourth Wing).
The most insane part of the whole experience?
I did not even look at a singular price on the back of any book.
That statement right there should speak volumes.
And if that still is not enough proof to how intentional everything is– she didn’t just let me wander and guess.
She helped guide me to my next read.
I expressed to her how I have been in and out of a reading slump (which, if you’re a reader, you know this is one of the most frustrating feelings ever. No explanation needed). She already knew my love for spice–we’ve bonded over our shared love for romance countless times–but she also knows I am not big on heavy fantasy. I still need a sense of realism to keep wanting to turn the page.
Without hesitation, she recommended Nocticadia by Keri Lake– which also happens to be a book she could read over and over again.
And that was the moment, I realized why this place felt so different.
It wasn’t some book that’s trending on booktok or whatever’s selling the most. It felt personal. Like she understands the type of reader I am.
Not only did I leave feeling excited about what I bought, but actually excited to read again.
And after experiencing all of that, I wanted to know more about the heart behind it. Because places like this don't just exist. They’re created with intention.
The Heart Behind Hello Darling
What makes Hello Darling stand out isn’t just the space–it is the craft behind it.
The name itself holds meaning. Inspired both by something personal–her husband calling her “darling”-- and a familiar line from A Court of Thorns and Roses (“Hello, Feyre, Darling"), which is more than just a book reference. It holds a tie to the very stories that brought her back to reading and opening this business in the first place. .
And you can feel that the second you walk in.
The goal was never just to open a bookstore. But to create an environment that feels inviting, welcoming, and a little bit magical–somewhere you don't feel rushed, but somewhere you can stay awhile, browse, talk, and experience books again.
“Books, flowers, and conversation,” she said–and honestly, that couldn’t sum up the vibe better.
She doesn’t want chocolates…she wants a bouquet of flowers with books from Hello Darliing.
Everything inside Hello Darling is intentionally chosen. Every book is handpicked, often researched and read personally, so that when someone walks in, they are not just grabbing something off a shelf. Instead they’re getting a memorable experience–they’re being guided, understood, and connected to a story that may mean something to them.
Because that is the difference.
Amazon doesn’t know your name. They can’t even get your house address right sometimes.
It doesn’t know what you love, what you’re going through, or what kind of story you need next.
But here–they want to know you.
They want to help you find your next favorite book, your next escape, your next chapter.
And that is what makes this place feel very personal–you’re more than a customer.
Beyond the bookshelves, Hello Darling is building something even bigger–a community. From author signings to book clubs and creative workshops, it’s a space where people come together, connect, and feel seen.
The Hello McHenry Book Club, in particular, has become something special–a growing group of readers who gather not to just chat books, but to create, share, and simply enjoy being around others who get it.
There’s something really beautiful about that.
It’s more than just selling books.
It’s about creating moments.
Creating a space where people feel like they belong.
Maybe it’s the romance reader in me.
Or maybe I just crave spaces that feel a little softer, a little slower, and a little more intentional.
Either way, I didn’t just leave with a new book.
I left actually wanting to read again… which, if you’ve ever been in a slump, you know is kind of everything.
My Next Read!
