Harlequin Romance inked a publishing deal late last year with Rachel Bowdler, a popular British author of over 20 romance novels, including Honeymoon for One and her latest book, Kindling, which quickly became an Amazon bestseller. Her upcoming title will be released next spring under her pseudonym Bryony Rosehurst.
Rachel has self-published many of her novels and worked with traditional publishers too. This acquisition happened in an interesting way. Rather than responding to a proposal, for this acquisition Harlequin’s editors reached out to Rachel about possibly writing a romance novel tailored to Harlequin Romance’s loyal readers. We asked Rachel and Binti to tell us more about how it happened.
Binti, how did you first discover Rachel’s books? What caught your eye?
Binti Pattani: Harlequin Romance editors have been actively looking for new authors and I first noticed Rachel’s books while browsing the Amazon charts for popular romance titles. Rachel’s work immediately stood out – not only for its strong rankings and glowing reader reviews, but for the fun storylines and fresh takes on popular tropes. One particular book, Honeymoon for One caught my eye, and once I started reading, I was hooked! I was struck by Rachel’s engaging voice and loved the emotional depth Rachel brought to her diverse characters. The rom-com style and the feel-good romance between the two heroines was especially heartwarming and I just knew Rachel could be a good fit for our Romance series!
Congratulations Rachel! What was your reaction when Binti reached out?
Rachel Bowdler: Thank you so much! I was delighted — and surprised! — to receive the email from Binti. As a newer author, I was so flattered to hear that I was even on the team’s radar, so to be invited to develop a pitch was a dream come true. Harlequin has always been at the forefront of the romance genre — a genre that is incredibly important to me and so many readers — so it’s a real honour to write stories for them.
Usually, writers propose their work to editors, but in this case, you approached Rachel. What happened next?
BP: I reached out to Rachel’s agent to see if Rachel would be interested in developing a proposal targeted at Harlequin. Soon after, we had a call together to talk about Harlequin’s series romance program, how trope-driven series romance is, and how important the emotional depth and intensity is to our stories. Shortly afterwards, Rachel shared a proposal with us, and we provided some feedback. Next, Rachel had another exciting new idea and shared a second proposal with us which we absolutely loved the sound of — a fabulous sapphic, bodyguard romance. We had no doubt the engaging premise, Mediterranean setting and compelling characters would appeal to our readers.
Rachel, what excited you about this opportunity?
RB: From the very first call, Binti and the team were so welcoming and encouraged me to include my usual passion for diverse representation. I knew this was something that I had to pursue, especially since they’d read my other works and had such lovely feedback for me. I probably sound like a broken record by now, but I always say that getting to give queer readers their happily ever after is such a privilege, both because of current issues and because I didn’t see many LGBTQ+ romance stories growing up. To be encouraged to write even more, and to contribute to cultivating a kinder, more inclusive world, is wonderful. Plus, some of the tropes most loved by Harlequin Romance readers are a joy to write! Who wouldn’t want to spend some time in a glamourous, sunny setting, even if only on paper?
Can you tell us a little about the novel you’re working on now, and what draws you to the romance genre as a writer?
RB: The novel follows a plus-size actress/singer named Sasha who, after a public divorce, has found that fame isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Alongside harassment from fans, her agent is trying to pressure her into a ten-year contract, something she just can’t face after feeling as though she’s lost her true passion as a musician, as well as her autonomy and individualism. So, she hires bodyguard Dani to help her disappear — and they do, to a luscious villa in Spain, where Sasha reunites with her old self and develops unexpected feelings for Dani along the way. But Dani also has a past she’s trying to escape from, and with her grief still fresh, falling for a Hollywood actress is the last thing she needs.
I’ve always adored romance. As a younger reader, it offered warmth and escape. Now, I realise it goes even deeper than that: writing romance means I get to tell people who are like me, whether the characters are queer, northern, plus-size, chronically ill, etc., that they are just as deserving of love as everyone else. The world can feel very confusing, cold, and lonely, especially at the moment, so romance feels like a small act of rebellion; a way of creating some good when it feels like there is none. I find that I always sprinkle in a little bit of the messages I’ve needed to hear over the years, with themes of self-acceptance and found family usually surfacing somehow. Plus, it’s just quite fun to make little fictional people kiss. Getting to explore different personalities and dynamics is something that has always fascinated me, especially when throwing them in unique settings and situations. In this case, I get to shove two struggling women in a Spanish villa and see what happens!
What does Harlequin offer authors like Rachel who have been successful self-publishing their books?
BP: One great benefit of publishing with Harlequin is the freedom for authors to focus on their writing, and leave the production, packaging and distribution to us. Harlequin offers guaranteed distribution across multiple, international retail channels and global marketing support to grow author brands and audiences. We work closely with authors to enhance their stories, ensuring they reach their highest potential and truly stand out – ready to captivate readers!
Binti, for you, what’s been the best part of this process?
BP: Discovering a fresh, exciting voice for Harlequin Romance and connecting with Rachel through the initial call! Rachel has been such a joy to work with, consistently demonstrating her enthusiasm and passion for romance from the very beginning. I’m excited to work together to bring Rachel’s vision to life, and I can’t wait to collaborate on many more future romances!
Thank you Rachel and Binti!
Visit Rachel’s website at https://rachelbowdler.co.uk/ to find out more about her books.
About Harlequin Romance
Harlequin Romance is one of Harlequin’s 11 romance lines that publish new books on a monthly schedule. With four new titles every month, Harlequin Romance looks for stories that sweep readers away to glamorous settings with strong, relatable and irresistibly desirable characters experiencing the sheer rush of falling in love.
You can learn more about Harlequin Romance and all of Harlequin’s romance lines through our EDITOR POV videos where editors explain what their readers want and what they look for in new authors and stories.
