Today we’d like to introduce you to Paige Weissman GAINES.
Hi Paige, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My career in television started in the late ‘90s when I interned for The Jenny Jones Show during college. What began as a random internship quickly turned into full-blown interest in production and eventually my first real industry job as the show’s Audience Producer during its final three seasons. From there, I bounced around the production world freelancing on everything from municipal cable and documentary series to eventually landing at CNBC in New Jersey, where I also happened to meet my husband!
But parallel to all of that was my lifelong love affair with reading and fiction. I’ve always been someone who consumed stories constantly! Books, film, television, radio, but romance became my favorite genre pretty quickly. There was something incredibly comforting about knowing that no matter how chaotic or emotional the journey became, a happily ever after was waiting on the other side.
That became especially meaningful after I had my first child in 2009. I had stepped away from work to stay home with my kids, and while I was deeply grateful for that time, early motherhood was also far lonelier and more overwhelming than I ever expected. We had no family nearby, very little support, and I spent countless nights awake nursing babies while reading romance on my phone. Around that time, another mom handed me a copy of Fifty Shades of Grey, which introduced me to a much larger world of romance books. From there, I was hooked. Romance novels became both an escape and a source of comfort during a difficult season of life.
Then in 2017, I attended my first romance reader convention and it completely opened my eyes. For people outside the book world, it’s hard to fully understand the scale and enthusiasm of these events. Thousands of readers gather to meet authors, attend panels, celebrate books, and connect over shared interests. What stood out to me most was the sense of community. The atmosphere felt unusually welcoming and free of social judgment. Conversations didn’t revolve around careers, appearances, or status — they started with a simple question: “What are you reading?” That shared love of books created an immediate connection.
I realized I had discovered an enormous, passionate audience that much of mainstream culture barely recognized or understood.
Then 2020 happened, and while in-person events disappeared, the online reading community exploded. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram helped turn romance books into a major cultural force, introducing millions of new readers to the genre. Independent romance authors who had once built audiences almost entirely online suddenly found their books appearing in major retailers like Target and Walmart. Watching that shift happen in real time fascinated me from both a fan perspective and a producer’s perspective.
A couple years later, I attended one of the biggest romance conventions: Colleen Hoover’s Book Bonanza. Recognizing how large and influential this world had become, my husband encouraged me to bring our Head of Development along almost as a research trip. The conclusion was immediate: this was a massive, highly engaged audience that remained underserved by traditional media and widely misunderstood by outsiders.
But we also quickly realized why the community could be cautious and protective. Romance readers and authors have often been dismissed unfairly and stereotyped as unintellectual because of the books they enjoy. As both a producer and a longtime fan, I understood the hesitation people felt about television entering the space. Nobody wanted the community reduced to a punchline.
That ultimately became the foundation for Love On Demand. We wanted to build something that celebrated and elevated the romance space instead of sensationalizing it! A premium media brand created by fans who genuinely understood and loved the community!
What started as a passion project has now grown into a media platform covering romance through interviews, live events, red carpets, original programming, and cultural conversations. And honestly, it still feels surreal that the thing that once helped me survive early motherhood eventually became the foundation for an entirely new chapter of my life and career.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I would love to meet the person who started a business and had a completely “smooth road!” LOL.
One of the biggest early challenges for me was figuring out what the actual comp for Love On Demand even was. There are obviously incredible media brands in the social and entertainment space that I admire! Companies like Betches, Scary Mommy, Barstool, and Unwell. But romance is an incredibly unique category. It’s both massively underserved and deeply passionate, but also a community that has historically felt misunderstood or stigmatized by mainstream media.
Because of that, I knew from the beginning that we had to approach this differently and with real authenticity. I never wanted Love On Demand to feel exploitative, performative, or disconnected from the actual fandom. Everything we produce, whether it’s coverage, interviews, live events, or original programming, has to genuinely speak to and respect the community itself.
Another challenge has simply been the speed and fragmentation of the romance boom. The space exploded so quickly through BookTok, Bookstagram, indie publishing, live events, adaptations, and social creators that there still really isn’t one central place connecting it all. A huge part of what we’re continuing to explore is how Love On Demand can serve as a meaningful aggregator for this audience while still preserving the authenticity and intimacy that makes the romance community so special in the first place.
As you know, we’re big fans of Love On Demand . For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Love On Demand (LVOD) is a premium media brand born from love and built from within the romance book community itself. Our mission is to celebrate, elevate, and connect the stories, authors, creators, and fans who make up one of the most passionate and culturally influential fandoms in the world.
At its core, LVOD exists at the intersection of romance, entertainment, publishing, fandom, and live experiences. We cover everything from author interviews, bookstore activations, red carpets, conventions, and adaptations to original long-form programming and cultural conversations shaping the genre today.
What makes us different is that we approach the space both as media professionals and as genuine fans! Romance readers are incredibly passionate, intelligent, and community-driven, but historically, as I mentioned earlier, the genre has often been dismissed or misunderstood. From the beginning, it was important to me that Love On Demand feel celebratory rather than exploitative. Less “spectacle” and more thoughtful spotlight.
I also recognize that romance has become far bigger than just books. It’s now influencing television, film, fashion, live events, fandom culture, and digital entertainment in really significant ways. One of the things I’m most proud of is building a platform that not only covers the romance space, but helps legitimize and elevate it culturally.
What matters most to you?
What makes us different is that we approach the space both as media professionals and as genuine fans! Romance readers are incredibly passionate, intelligent, and community-driven, but historically, as I mentioned earlier, the genre has often been dismissed or misunderstood. From the beginning, it was important to me that Love On Demand feel celebratory rather than exploitative. Less “spectacle” and more thoughtful spotlight.
I also recognize that romance has become far bigger than just books. It’s now influencing television, film, fashion, live events, fandom culture, and digital entertainment in really significant ways. One of the things I’m most proud of is building a platform that not only covers the romance space, but helps legitimize and elevate it culturally.
Ultimately, we want readers and audiences to understand that romance is not a niche hobby, it’s a massive entertainment ecosystem and cultural force, and the people within it deserve premium storytelling and coverage that reflects that.
At this stage, Love On Demand is primarily focused on building audience, original content, strategic partnerships, and premium coverage within the romance space. As the brand continues to grow, future offerings will expand into sponsorships, merchandise, live experiences, more original programming, and additional entertainment-focused opportunities.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://loveondemand.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_loveondemand/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/loveondemandatx
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LVODchannel
