Canada's Largest Romance Novel Collection is For Sale (2K+ Harlequin Intrique)
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In a quiet Windsor, Ontario basement, a very particular love story has been unfolding for decades. Not the kind found between the pages of a romance novel, but one built from them. Shelf after shelf, wall to wall, neatly arranged and meticulously maintained, holds a collection that has grown to something almost unbelievable in scale: 2,000 Harlequin Intrigue paperbacks.
And now, that collection is looking for a new home.
This unusual story is one of several featured in the latest episode of Keep Canada Weird, where hosts dig into the stranger side of Canadian life, from hyper-specific obsessions to the people who dedicate years to them.
Krystin Golden didn’t set out to build one of the most complete collections of a single romance series. Like many collectors, it started simply. She picked one up, then another, and before long, she was hooked. What followed was a slow, steady pursuit that stretched across decades, from the very first title published in 1984 to the milestone 2,000th release in 2021.
Along the way, Golden became what she openly describes as a “completist.” Every title mattered. Every missing book was something to track down. The result is a perfectly ordered archive of a very specific slice of publishing history.
But this isn’t just about quantity. It’s about consistency.
The Harlequin Intrigue line is known for blending romance with suspense, crime, and mystery. The stories follow familiar rhythms: danger, attraction, uncertainty, and ultimately, resolution. They are quick reads, intentionally accessible, and designed to offer an escape. Golden estimates she’s read about two-thirds of the collection, acknowledging that many of the plots echo each other in structure and tone.
That repetition, though, is part of the appeal.
There’s comfort in knowing what you’re going to get. A contained world where things make sense, where problems resolve, and where, almost always, the ending delivers something close to happiness.
Golden’s collection wasn’t just stored, it was showcased. Her husband even helped build the shelving that turned part of their basement into a personal library dedicated entirely to these books. It’s organized, clean, and far from the chaotic image that might come to mind when thinking about massive collections.
But now, after years of building it, Golden is ready to move on.
Her interests have shifted toward crafts, and the space that once housed her books is set to be repurposed. Rather than selling the novels individually, she’s hoping to pass the entire collection on as one complete set. The ideal buyer, in her view, is someone who will appreciate it as much as she has.
Which makes this more than just a sale.
Because whoever takes on this collection isn’t just buying books… it’s a fully realized obsession.
This story is discussed in the latest episode of the Keep Canada Weird weird news podcast.
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