Harlequin Medical Romance – approx 50,000 words
Intense, uplifting and relatable romances set in the medical world. Experience the rollercoaster of emotions, ambitions and desires of today's medical professionals.
We are committed to publishing for our diverse global readership, and are actively seeking to acquire authors from underrepresented backgrounds. If you feel that’s you, and you have a story to tell that features the key elements below, then we would love to read it!
As with all Harlequin series, we read all submissions and you do not need to have an agent to submit.
Harlequin Medical Romance Key Elements
Contemporary romance novels set in the medical world.
- Focus of the story must be on the development of the central romantic relationship against the backdrop of a contemporary medical setting.
- Dynamic and dedicated medical professional protagonists at the top of their game with hearts of gold.
- Main characters who work together in a medical setting – their working relationship, medical dramas etc. help to drive the romantic relationship.
- Contemporary, international medical settings are, however, integral to the story, and the central relationship should rise out of them.
- A range of sensuality from intensely passionate to warm and tender.
- An emotionally intense read, ranging from the traditional to the ground breaking.
- Innovative emotional conflicts and traditional emotional themes developed in a unique way are all welcome.
- Word count of 50,000.
Featured in Harlequin Medical Romance
A strong focus on the central romantic relationship. Relatable main characters in a medical setting – pulse-racing medical drama that throws them together is crucial. Dedicated top-notch docs, hot-shot surgeons, fearless first responders and even some vets. Engaging medical settings and situations around the world from cozy GP practices and maternity to intense ER and first response, all with a strong sense of community. We find them everywhere – heart and transplant surgeries, city hospitals, pediatrics, IVF clinics, jungle or outback settings and humanitarian missions. Doctors to the stars, royalty or presidents, etc. The characters, their romance, the settings and the drama must be appealing and accessible to a global readership. We are looking for stories with a diverse range of characters, and are happy to see romances between LGBTQ+ characters.
What to Submit
- Your first three chapters
- A 3-5 page synopsis describing your story, including plot outline, character development and conflict resolution/ending.
Harlequin Medical Romance is…
House, Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, The Night Shift, The Good Karma Hospital and Doctors for their tone, medical settings and scenarios, complex characters with strong romantic themes, great dialogue and lives and hearts on the edge. However, the key difference is that the focus of each Medical Romance story is first and foremost a heart-racing romance. The novels offer a wealth of experiences: from the high-octane excitement of the ER to the warmth of family GP practice.
Did You Know?
- …Carol Marinelli, Sarah Morgan, Sharon Kendrick, Melanie Milburne, Amy Andrews & Marion Lennox (amongst others!) all began their published writing careers in Harlequin Medical Romance.
- …In Harlequin Medical we encourage a wide diversity of settings, nationalities, physicalities and boundary-pushing themes.
- ...Our Medical Romance writers regularly win national awards, including the RoNA Rose Award, the Romance Writers of Australia Book of the Year Award (RUBY) and the Romance Writers of New Zealand Koru Romance Book of the Year Award.
- ...There are 6 new Harlequin Medical Romance books available each month in both print and eBook format from www.Harlequin.com.
Senior Editor: Sheila Hodgson
Editor: Laurie Johnson
Editorial Assistant: Jenny Macey
Editorial Office: London, UK
N.B. Please note that as per current editorial policy we ask that you do not submit more than one manuscript at a time for our consideration. Please be patient and wait for feedback before submitting your next project.