Non-Denominational Romance Covers Temple of Worship: May 22, 2020

Romance folks welcome to the Non-Denominational Romance Covers Temple of Worship. I’m LaQuette, and as always, we‘re gonna make a joyful noise unto some gorgeous book covers to celebrate their ability to inspire our desire to consume romance novels.

Let us look at this first cover today from Adriana Herrera. If you don’t understand why this cover is so important, give me a minute to explain. Look at the heroine in this picture. She is smiling, and happy, and brown. That might not seem important, but trust me, it is.

So many times we get what’s called the struggle stories of Black and brown people in romance. These groups, along with other marginalized communities like LGBTQ+ and disabled and neurodiverse people, don’t get to have a HEA unless they struggle to overcome the challenges brought on by their identity. It’s a singular and reductive view of the marginalized experience, and quite frankly, needs to stop. But on this here cover, this woman is living her best brown life. She is smiling, and happy, and brown for no other reason than she exists. We need more covers like that.

Moving on, let us fix our gaze upon this next cover for Sophia Singh Sasson’s upcoming release. Again, we have some lovely brown folks who are living their best, sexy, and elegant lives on this breathtaking cover. I don’t know what the story is about. All I know is what I see: a passionate embrace between people who are obviously into each other. Also, that dress is fabulous. The color, the way it hangs off her body, everything about it is a yes for me.

As always, it is a delight to enter into this place where we celebrate this type of artwork. Until we meet again, let us bask in the love we see in the images before us. Go forth and swoon.