Harlequin Heartwarming Series - 70,000 words
Harlequin Heartwarming offers wholesome, uplifting romances where hope shines and sweet kisses meet real emotion. Rooted in strong communities and deep bonds of friendship, these meaningful stories celebrate family, belonging, and the comforting belief that everyone deserves a second—or third—chance at love.
Heartwarming Key Elements
- Clean, sweet, feel-good stories that readers can share with friends and family of all ages.
- Contemporary romances with a focus on family and community. Popular themes include: small towns, coming home, becoming a family (single parents, children and secret babies), holidays (Christmas, Thanksgiving), western elements (cowboys and ranchers), classic romance themes such as second chance, marriage of convenience and fake relationship, friend to more than, opposites attract and pets or animals.
- Characters are everyday men and women facing the challenges of modern life and relationships with courage and hope. Heroes are dependable, loyal and courageous, with jobs such as firefighter, sheriff, small-town cop, rancher or vet. Heroines are optimistic, empathetic and independent, with strong ties to the people and world around her. We welcome characters with a diverse range of cultural backgrounds and challenges.
- Settings are North American small towns or close-knit communities within cities.
- Although the developing romance between the hero and heroine is always the focus, Heartwarming’s longer word count allows the author to show the family and friends around the central couple. Subplots featuring large and/or multigenerational families, best friends, siblings, coworkers and neighbors are welcome and help create a community that readers will want to escape to again and again, often driving the story forward, adding color and familiarity to the reader.
- Heartwarming romances feature a low sensuality level. Hugs and kisses only. Still, lots of romantic attraction and tension is required!
- No explicit or behind-closed-doors sex, nudity, pre-marital sex, profanity or graphic depictions of violence.
- No explicit religious or Christian content. No paranormal. No heavy suspense.
Harlequin Heartwarming is…
The warmth, optimism and small-town family and community feel of TV shows like Nonnas, Ted Lasso, Schitt's Creek, Gilmore Girls, Heartland and Virgin River.
What to Submit
- Your full manuscript
- A 3-7 page synopsis describing your story, including plot outline, character development and conflict resolution/ending.
Did You Know?
- Heartwarming publishes four books per month, available in larger print through membership in our book club and digitally wherever ebooks are sold.
- Learn more about our authors on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/HarlequinHeartwarmingAuthors/
Meet our editors at Write for Harlequin
Executive Editor: Kathleen Scheibling
Senior Editor: Kathryn Lye
Editor: Johanna Raisanen
Editor: Dana Grimaldi @DanaGrimaldiEdits
Editorial Assistant: Natalia Castano
Editorial Office: Toronto, Canada