Refunds & Returns Policy – Shadows and Sweethearts

At Shadows & Sweethearts, we want you to love every book and bookish item you purchase. We carefully inspect our merchandise before it reaches you, but we understand that occasionally an issue may arise. Please review our return and refund policy below.

BOOKS

All book sales are final unless the item is damaged or defective at the time of purchase.

Because books can be read, used, or damaged after purchase, we are unable to accept returns or exchanges simply because a customer changes their mind, purchases the wrong title, or does not enjoy the book.

If you receive or purchase a book that has a significant manufacturing defect or was damaged before the sale, please contact us as soon as possible so we can make it right.

Minor cosmetic variations that do not affect the readability or usability of a book may not qualify as damage.

BOOKISH MERCHANDISE & ACCESSORIES

Unused and unopened merchandise may be returned or exchanged within 14 days of purchase with proof of purchase.

To qualify for a return, the item must be:

Unused and in its original condition
In its original packaging, when applicable
Free from damage, stains, odors, or signs of wear
Accompanied by the original receipt or other acceptable proof of purchase

Items that do not meet these conditions may not be eligible for a refund or exchange.

FINAL SALE ITEMS

The following items are final sale and cannot be returned or exchanged unless they were received damaged or defective:

Books
Clearance or discounted final-sale merchandise
Personalized or custom-made products
Gift cards
Mystery books, blind-date-with-a-book items, or mystery bundles
Opened or used merchandise
Special-order items

DAMAGED OR INCORRECT ITEMS

If you receive an incorrect, damaged, or defective item, please contact Shadows & Sweethearts promptly after receiving your purchase.

Please provide your proof of purchase and, when applicable, photos showing the issue. Once the issue has been reviewed, we may offer a replacement, exchange, store credit, or refund depending on the circumstances and product availability.

REFUNDS

Approved refunds will be issued to the original form of payment whenever possible.

Original shipping, delivery, or service charges are non-refundable unless the refund is the result of an error made by Shadows & Sweethearts.

Processing times for refunds may vary depending on the customer’s bank or payment provider.

ONLINE ORDERS

For eligible online merchandise returns, customers must contact Shadows & Sweethearts before returning an item.

Unless the item arrived damaged, defective, or incorrect due to our error, customers are responsible for return shipping costs. We recommend using a trackable shipping method, as Shadows & Sweethearts is not responsible for return packages lost in transit.

EVENT & MOBILE BOOKSTORE PURCHASES

Purchases made at pop-ups, festivals, markets, community events, or directly from our mobile bookstore are subject to the same return and refund policy.

Please keep your receipt or other proof of purchase if you believe you may need to request an eligible return or exchange.

CANCELED ORDERS

Orders may only be canceled if they have not yet been processed, prepared, shipped, or fulfilled. Once an order has entered fulfillment, we cannot guarantee that it can be canceled.

REFUSED OR UNCLAIMED ORDERS

Orders that are refused, abandoned, or returned because of an incorrect address provided by the customer may be subject to additional shipping or handling charges before being resent.

EXCHANGES

Eligible merchandise may be exchanged based on current inventory availability. If the requested replacement is unavailable, we may offer store credit or another available resolution.

PROOF OF PURCHASE

A receipt, order confirmation, or other verifiable proof of purchase may be required for all returns, exchanges, replacements, and refunds.

POLICY ABUSE

Shadows & Sweethearts reserves the right to decline returns, exchanges, or refund requests that show signs of misuse, excessive return activity, fraud, or failure to meet the requirements of this policy.

QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS

If there is a problem with your order, please reach out to Shadows & Sweethearts. We want every customer experience—from swoony romances to page-turning thrillers—to be a good one.

Shadows & Sweethearts
Romance. Thrillers. And all the stories we can’t stop thinking about.

Effective Date: September 29, 2026

To be eligible for a return, your item must be unused and in the same condition that you received it. It must also be in the original packaging.

Several types of goods are exempt from being returned. Perishable goods such as food, flowers, newspapers or magazines cannot be returned. We also do not accept products that are intimate or sanitary goods, hazardous materials, or flammable liquids or gases.

Additional non-returnable items:

Gift cards
Downloadable software products
Some health and personal care items

To complete your return, we require a receipt or proof of purchase.

Please do not send your purchase back to the manufacturer.

There are certain situations where only partial refunds are granted:

Book with obvious signs of use
CD, DVD, VHS tape, software, video game, cassette tape, or vinyl record that has been opened.
Any item not in its original condition, is damaged or missing parts for reasons not due to our error.
Any item that is returned more than 30 days after delivery

Refunds

Once your return is received and inspected, we will send you an email to notify you that we have received your returned item. We will also notify you of the approval or rejection of your refund.

If you are approved, then your refund will be processed, and a credit will automatically be applied to your credit card or original method of payment, within a certain amount of days.

Late or missing refunds

If you haven’t received a refund yet, first check your bank account again.

Then contact your credit card company, it may take some time before your refund is officially posted.

Next contact your bank. There is often some processing time before a refund is posted.

If you’ve done all of this and you still have not received your refund yet, please contact us at {email address}.

Sale items

Only regular priced items may be refunded. Sale items cannot be refunded.

Exchanges

We only replace items if they are defective or damaged. If you need to exchange it for the same item, send us an email at {email address} and send your item to: {physical address}.

Gifts

If the item was marked as a gift when purchased and shipped directly to you, you’ll receive a gift credit for the value of your return. Once the returned item is received, a gift certificate will be mailed to you.

If the item wasn’t marked as a gift when purchased, or the gift giver had the order shipped to themselves to give to you later, we will send a refund to the gift giver and they will find out about your return.

Shipping returns

To return your product, you should mail your product to: {physical address}.

You will be responsible for paying for your own shipping costs for returning your item. Shipping costs are non-refundable. If you receive a refund, the cost of return shipping will be deducted from your refund.

Depending on where you live, the time it may take for your exchanged product to reach you may vary.

If you are returning more expensive items, you may consider using a trackable shipping service or purchasing shipping insurance. We don’t guarantee that we will receive your returned item.