Harlequin, BookTok, and AI... oh my!
The 75 Year Fabled History of Harlequin
The main purpose of this newsletter is to apply an academic lens to the romance genre—a genre that has historically been dismissed as frivolous literature, primarily for women, by women. While the recent surge in interest is a positive for the genre, some uninformed opinions from new readers have raised the hackles of the old guard. I can't claim to have been reading bodice rippers in the '70s myself, but I did start reading when we were still hiding those glistening abs on the covers. That said, I like to think of myself as a student of romance. As a result, what I had planned to publish this week will be postponed in order to dive into the history of the Harlequin novel—one that has recently faced some online slander.
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A young woman took to TikTok to call out a section of Barnes & Noble's romance collection that she claimed was "clearly written by AI." The twist? She was standing in front of the Harlequin collection—one of the original pioneers of the romance industry. Understandably, many long-time readers were taken aback and frustrated, and several Harlequin authors were rightfully offended. Now, this isn’t a direct critique of the woman who made the video—we’ve all spoken out of turn without doing our homework. But it does highlight a growing divide between the pre- and post-BookTok generations of romance readers. Many from the lifers feel that the newer generation lacks the knowledge or respect for the foundational works that came before them.
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The Red Scare of Romance
As mentioned earlier, the drama stemmed from a video that misidentified Harlequin romance as AI-generated. The ongoing AI witch hunt in the romance world definitely deserves its own article, but here’s a quick rundown: Because of the formulaic nature of romance novels, many fear it could be the first domino to fall in the computer takeover of publishing. I don’t disagree with that concern. However, this fear has led to the creation of “red lists”—a sort of blacklist of authors and artists suspected of using AI in their work, with the goal of rallying boycotts from readers. This has been especially hard on digital artists, who create beautiful covers and fan art for the genre—whose medium happens to be the one most naturally associated with the AI generation.
But, as we’ve seen, these lists are often poorly researched and lead to misinformation. When someone’s calling out Harlequin as AI-generated, it shows a fundamental lack of understanding of the subject. The fear about AI's impact on the romance genre is real and something that requires serious research and reflection. But, for the love of all things romance, can we please chill with the lists? Close the notes app and go touch grass.
So instead of bemoaning the younger generation’s lack of respect, this newsletter is all about educating and, hopefully, fostering a deeper appreciation for the genre’s rich history
MUTINY...MURDER...
DESIRE...were Captain Jabez Folger's pleasures. He loved nothing on land or sea but his ship, The Manatee, and the voluptuous sea-goddess who rode her bow. But Jabez Folger had a wife - wedded and bedded in one of the rare fits of humanity that made him seem like other men.
The Manatee is the bold, nakedly revealing story of his savage mismating...of the strange children he sired...of the unspeakable act that sealed his fate - and of the one secret he guarded, the secret of his devotion to depravity.
Saved by a Woman’s Touch
You might not think of Winnipeg as the City of Love, but it could certainly make a case for it. In 1949, Richard Bonnycastle, a former fur trapper, founded Harlequin Enterprises in Manitoba's capital. While this might not be the dramatic origin story you expected for a publisher that rivals telenovelas, Harlequin started out as a fairly humble reprinting company. The goal was to offer a low-cost product for the mass market by acquiring publishing rights from other houses and printing books in the more affordable paperback format. Interestingly, Harlequin didn’t start out focusing exclusively on romance novels but rather on mysteries and thrillers.
Despite reasonably strong sales, Harlequin struggled in its early years. By 1953, all of the original owners had left the company boardroom, with some of them leaving this mortal coil altogether. It was then that Bonnycastle’s wife, Mary, took over as chief editor. An avid fan of Mills & Boon novels, she urged Harlequin to pivot and focus exclusively on romance—a genre with clear potential for profit. Most of Harlequin’s romance books were reprints of Mills & Boon titles. The Bonnycastles secured an exclusivity contract with the British publisher, effectively controlling the majority of the North American romance market.
The late 1960s marked a turning point for Harlequin. Richard Bonnycastle Jr., now at the helm of the company, acquired Mills & Boon from the Boon family, solidifying Harlequin’s position in the market. He also brought in a marketing executive, Larry Heisey, from Procter & Gamble. While it might seem like an unusual transition from cleaning products to novels, there was a shared target market: the housewife. Heisey’s strategy was to market the novels the same way he would market soap—by creating a recognizable package and selling them in supermarkets.
Forced to marry!
When Mia Frazier agreed to her father's demand to marry Greek millionaire Alexander Doumas, she knew both men stood to gain from the deal--Alex would win back his family's island, and Mia's father would get the grandson and heir he so desperately longed for. But what about Mia?
She had her own reason for agreeing to be Alex's wife--which was not financial gain, as Alex cynically believed. But how could the truth stay hidden, when she shared such intense passion with her new husband...and was now carrying his child?
The Untouched American Heroine
Despite the United States representing the majority of sales, Harlequin didn’t publish an American author until 1975. That’s when Janet Dailey brought an American setting and perspective to the genre, going on to write 57 novels under the Harlequin brand. However, Harlequin struggled to fully tap into the emerging American market. In a notorious misstep, they passed on Nora Roberts’ early manuscript, reasoning that “they already had an American author.” At the time, the industry assumption was that the British voice, like that of Georgette Heyer, was a key part of the romance novel’s appeal—perhaps seen as adding a layer of sophistication. But while Harlequin hesitated, Simon & Schuster seized the market they ignored, leaving Harlequin scrambling to catch up. This wasn’t Harlequin’s only blind spot. The company was also slow to embrace open-door scenes, a.k.a. smut. Someone forgot to tell Harlequin that sex sells.
Todd was the brother of the man she loved!
Barbara was not prepared for the shock awaiting her when her fiance, Todd, took her on holiday to his family's ranch.
All the heartache of her brief affair with Jock Malloy surfaced again as she discovered that not only was he the owner of the ranch, he was Todd's half brother.
Not even Todd could protect her from Jock's renewed assault on her battered and confused emotions. Knowing and loving Jock as she did, how could she ever be a proper wife to Todd?
A Love That Lasts the Ages
Where is Harlequin today? The company continues to spread the love around the world. As a subsidiary of HarperCollins, Harlequin sells in 107 international markets and publishes in 29 languages. However, it still seems to fall into some of the same pitfalls—particularly its focus on only accepting English manuscripts, missing an opportunity to tap into talent across its global markets. While Harlequin has adapted well to the digital-first market, there have been ongoing disputes over proper royalty payments to e-book authors. Self-publishing is becoming an increasingly popular option for authors, which may leave the company open to author churn. Despite these potential pitfalls, Harlequin sells a book every 4.1 seconds—an impressive statistic that highlights their continued success in the romance genre.
Op-Ed: A Desire for Foreign Tongues
From the Romance & Co. Editorial Board.
To stay competitive, Harlequin should focus on tapping into foreign language markets not just by selling, but by sourcing fresh material. Expanding beyond English manuscripts offers a chance to discover diverse voices and bring new perspectives to the genre. As the romance market continues to grow, so does the demand for more inclusive stories, and Harlequin could capitalize on this by embracing talent from global markets. This approach would not only attract new readers but also offer loyal fans exciting, fresh plots and settings from around the world. Read more in The Universal Language of Love.
