Perfect ending as Scottish independent bookseller of year marries crime writer in her own shop

It could be the story behind the latest best-selling romantic novel. But for bookseller Sarah Frame, every detail is wonderfully true.

Ms Frame left the corporate world behind her and set up a bookshop in her home town at the height of the pandemic - and ended up falling in love with a crime writer whom she wed in a special ceremony in her own boutique store.

The businesswoman, who owns The Book Nook in Stewarton, East Ayrshire, is celebrating after her outlet was named Scotland’s Independent Bookshop of the Year in the 2025 British Book Awards.

Book shop owner Sarah Frame and crime writer Douglas Skelton on their wedding day in The Book Nook. | contributed

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The honour caps off a very special few months for Ms Frame, who married her husband, crime writer Douglas Skelton, whose work includes the successful Rebecca Connolly series, in her shop where they met on December 28.

Ms Frame said: “When I opened The Book Nook, my daughter made a remark that it would be lovely if I met a man through the shop. It is a real-life romance - and it is a good thing that I really liked his books.

“The wedding was so lovely and it was so nice to have it here. The minister came up and carried out the wedding in the shop. It was very special.”

This is the second year that Ms Frame has taken home the prize and she said she was “over the moon” to win the award again. After being named the Scottish winner, she will now go into the final for the UK title of Independent Bookshop of the Year.

For many years, Ms Frame worked in London at director level for an online education technology company. But by 2020, she knew her love of books was her real calling.

“Setting up a bookshop in the town where my roots are is very special,” Ms Frame said.

While footfall on Stewarton High Street is falling like everywhere else, Ms Frame and her small team work hard to keep The Book Nook at the heart of the community. More than 1,600 people attended events in the store last year, with book clubs for children and adults and author nights all popular draws in the town.

Ms Frame said: “I could never have imagined how it would all turn out. I just thought I’d be sitting in this tiny shop selling a few books. But if that is what I did, I would never have a business. You really have to make the shop an experience and offer a lot more.”

The Book Nook in Stewarton has been named Scotland's Independent Bookshop of the Year. PIC: Contributed. | Contributed

Over 2024, authors such as Andrew O’Hagan, Christopher Brookmyre and Jenny Colgan led nights at Book Nook.

Ms Frame said: “The local community are really pleased to be able to have a lovely night in the shop, when normally they would have to go to Edinburgh or Glasgow to see [these authors]. People are excited to have this little cultural space in their town.”

Ms Frame said people were “recognising the value of books once again” in the time of a troubled world. She added: “People want to put their phone away, sit down and read an actual book. When times are difficult, escaping into a book can be really, really wonderful.”

Ms Frame said the romantic fiction genre was now very popular - helped along by a community of fans on social media platform TikTok - along with historical fiction.

“People reading about completely different times, going into a different world with different people, can be very powerful,” she said. “It offers a little respite when people are so worried about the world around them.”