Welcome to the Secret Library

A romance lover's dream space

By Raelyn Bedford Jun 15, 2025

a woman hanging a vase on a shelf The Eden Family Series. Photo credit: Raelyn Bedford

How it all started (AKA, my reader origin story)

Growing up, I struggled to find books I genuinely enjoyed and finished—something I later realized was because I’m a mood reader. From struggling to read and having tutor time with one of my favorite teachers, I slowly developed a love for reading, though it didn’t truly take off until 8th grade.

My stepmom took me to Barnes & Noble with just one rule: I could pick only one book. After scouring the teen section for 30 minutes, trying to find something that interested me, I found it: the book that changed it all. The book… The Selection by Kiera Cass.

It had romance, princesses, princes, and a little bit of danger.

I. Was. Hooked.

I did not want to put it down. This book opened me up to a world I never knew existed—and to so many worlds I could only imagine visiting. These new worlds allowed me to escape my reality when things got hard and to fall in love with love. From the small-town heroes to the big-city villains (who are only good for that one special person), I couldn’t get enough.

Now, I get to share these amazing worlds and the joys of reading with the world. It’s more than just sharing an experience—it’s about introducing readers to new genres, subgenres, and authors, one post, box, review, and recommendation at a time.

My mission: More romance, more joy, less gatekeeping

One Author at a Time

As someone who loves discovering new authors and stories, I wanted to bring more authors to the attention of readers.

Senior woman artist making clay bowl on pottery wheel in pottery studio.

Made with care

Every box should be an experience, not just a book. From the hand-selected book to the packaging, every aspect of the box is crafted for you.

“We are like books. Most people only see our cover, the minority read only the introduction, many people believe the critics. Few will know our content.”

— Emile Zola

Photo credit: Raelyn Bedford

Why I built this bookish dream

From the moment I fell in love with reading, I wanted to share it with everyone. I started by sharing it with my friends and family, and eventually, I created a Bookstagram and BookTok so I could share with even more people. The more I wanted to share with others, the more I imagined ways I could do this. The answer I was looking for—and had always dreamed of—was opening a bookstore and café in a small mountain town.

Well, I didn’t have the money to jump right into that dream, so I created a plan to get there in 5–10 years. (Yes, really—I created a 1-, 5-, and 10-year business plan with clear goals.)

Step 1: Create my bookish social media. ✅ Check.

Step 2: Connect with romance authors. ✅ Check. (I even made some amazing connections and friendships!)

Step 3: Create a small business I can run from home. ✅ Check.

And today, we begin Step 4:

Creating a blog to share my business, my love for reading, and little pieces of my life along the way.

Now, I get to connect with indie authors from all over, sharing their work and introducing more people to new authors, genres, tropes, and stories they can love, while also getting to explore more stories and authors myself. Stick around for the journey from just sharing my recommendation with friends to building my dream.

Handmade ceramic vases and dishes on display in a shop. Book boxes are ready to ship. Photo credit: Raelyn Bedford

What we offer (and why you’ll want everything)

At the Secret Library, we believe in sharing with everyone who loves to read, no matter their age, gender, race, or nationality. Whatever you like to read, if it falls within the romance book world, we have it.

I currently offer five different book box options and a Color Me Romance bookmark collection. Whether you like to annotate your books or chill with a hot drink, we are here for you. Here are just a few options available.

The Annotator box

This box is for those who love to mark up, highlight, and underline their favorite quotes, scenes, and moments in a book.

Interior of modern pottery studio or creative workshop space filled with shelves and table of hand made fine art and ceramics. Clay molding and sculpture class for culture crafts with wood chairs.

The Cozy Box

Get comfortable and curl up with a good book, a hot drink, and some cozy socks.

Clay bowls drying in a ceramics studio.

Color me Romance-10 Pack

Grab your colored pencils, markers, or crayons and decorate your bookmarks to make them one-of-a-kind.

a woman making a pot on a pottery wheel .

I invite you to join my growing community of romance readers. Visit my store and follow me on social media to stay updated on my latest creations, upcoming events, and special promotions.

Thank you for being a part of my story. Let’s create something beautiful together. Learn more.