Sweet Savage Flame’s Covers of the Week #115 explores Harlequin Presents covers from the 1990s, highlighting the shift in cover design during that era.
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Theme: Harlequin Presents Covers from the 1990s
For this week’s Covers of the Week, we conclude our retrospective of Harlequin Presents’ covers from the 20th century.
In the dynamic world of Harlequin Presents, the 1990s marked a significant era of change in cover design.
The 1990s: A Shift in Style and Marketing
First, after over two decades of consistent lettering, the covers underwent a transformation that reflected a more sophisticated approach. Instead of focusing on solo heroines or multi-image collages as they did in the 1970s or quotidian scenes of the hero and heroine together, the 1990s covers aimed to capture the passion and romance between the couples.
Promotions and special series also played a significant role in the 1990s Harlequin Presents covers. Occasionally, the covers would feature specific plot points or captivating narratives, teasing readers with a few words or phrases like “Forbidden!”
Harlequin Presents Introduces Top Artists, Models, and Designs
During this period, Harlequin Presents employed a league of highly talented artists, including Ron Lesser, Tony Meers, and William Dodge. Their artistic prowess brought an air of elegance and sensuality to the cover illustrations, engaging readers to seek the allure and intensity of the stories within.
Models such as John DeSalvo, Mike Dale, Steve Sandalis, and Colleen Gruber also appeared on the covers.
From 1993 to 1996, Harlequin introduced their “Presents Plus” series. This series initially consisted of longer books authored by their top writers. The covers for these books were given the star treatment. Each writer’s name received a unique typeface, and the images (initially) occupied the whole cover instead of being confined to a circle.
This alteration was a groundbreaking move that, sadly, did not endure.
The End of the Category Romance Golden Era
The Harlequin Presents covers in the last decade of the 20th century epitomized the golden era of category romances. They offered a diverse range of riveting stories that engaged the hearts of readers around the world.
However, as the genre evolved into the 2000s, the line embraced repetitive themes, such as Greek billionaires and secret babies, leading to a shift in storytelling—and titles that made “Snakes on a Plane” seem subtle.
As technology advanced, digital art made its mark on the covers. While this introduced a more modern aesthetic, there was something lost in the artistry.
Despite the similar design style for each book (except for the Plus series and a few others), the 1990s illustrations were unique to each story.
By the 2000s, the sophisticated homogeneity of these digital images had erased much of the Presents’ retro charm. But that is another story for another day.
The Covers
Harlequin Presents covers in the 1990s displayed evolving styles and trends in the romance genre with alluring illustrations and intriguing promotions. A more sophisticated approach to cover design emerged, departing from previous decades.
We hope this retrospective of Harlequin Presents covers has sparked interest in this pivotal series in the romance genre. Stay tuned for more captivating content from Covers of the Week as we continue to explore the fascinating world of book cover designs.
From Monday, September 18 to Sunday, September 24, 2023, Covers of the Week #115 showcases the captivating Harlequin Presents covers from the 1990s.
The Covers from Top to Bottom
Your Opinion
What do you think of these romances? Have you read any of them? Which of our picks do you like the best, if any?
Do you have suggestions or requests for future Covers of the Week themes you’d like to see on Sweet Savage Flame? Let us know, and we’ll do our best to create a gallery of stunning art!
Please drop a comment, and let’s talk romance.
Thanks again for all this fascinating research. I believe the Private Lives cover is by Franco Accornero.
I too prefer the “by hand” appearance of vintage Harlequin and M&B over the digitally constructed look but artists and illustrators have always used technology to aid their work and probably fielded the attendant complaints over slickness and loss of craft. The camera obscura being a centuries old example but camera lucidas and light projectors definitely assisted many artists whose covers we love from the vintage period.
Definitely agreed about modern covers. Harlequin historical romance from the late 80’s through 90’s featured some especially fantastic covers – those gorgeous painted montages!
In the movies and TV has the same problem – that digital look is unwatchably ugly to my old eyes. Alas!
Hello Kirsi,
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts.
You’ve touched on one of my biggest concerns about romance novels: how digital cover art takes away some of the magic in romance novels.
Don’t get me wrong; there are artists like Chris Cocozza and others whose digital art is stunning, but most modern covers can’t hold a candle to the painted ones.
Those montage covers were indeed something special, weren’t they? They had a kind of magic that truly carried you into the romantic world within the pages.
Cheers,
Jacqueline