Earlier this week, I shared the gorgeous cover for my next Jen Gilroy book, The Hero Next Door (first in my Strawberry Pond miniseries for Harlequin Heartwarming), with newsletter subscribers.

This new cover might be my favourite of my Harlequin books so far.

However, what I didn’t share in my newsletter was how my Harlequin covers are made.

What’s The Hero Next Door about? 

It’s a sweet, small town, opposites attract, fish-out-of-water contemporary romance.

When Josie, a New Hampshire farmer, meets Heath, the city guy who moves in next door, sparks soon fly.

With small-town shenanigans, an escapee dairy cow, a rescue dog named Cookie, a multi-generational family and more, the cover designer needed to capture the “feel” of the story in one, definitive image.

The “Art Fact Sheet”

For Harlequin authors, every cover design begins with what’s called an “Art Fact Sheet” (AFS).

Via the AFS, I note aspects of the book’s setting—in The Hero Next Door small town, rural and New Hampshire all feature.

I describe (with photos) what I imagine the main characters look like and their clothing style.

I summarize key scenes, and the fears and false beliefs the romantic leads must overcome to earn their happily-ever-after.

I also summarize the plot, the action propelling the story forward from beginning to end.

From “facts” to cover

Once I complete the AFS, the art department has the information they need to, in consultation with Harlequin’s editorial and marketing teams, develop a cover.

Unlike self-published authors, those, like me, who publish through a publisher, don’t typically have much say in cover design.

However, with many years of experience, Harlequin knows what designs work for paperback and e-books, how a cover fits with other books being published and what appeals to their readers.

If, in the end, I spot something in the cover that’s truly at odds with the book, it’s corrected. However, publication is a team effort, and my job is to write the best story I can.

Why do I have cover love for “The Hero Next Door”?

Although Harlequin’s art team worked from the AFS and haven’t read my book in its entirety, the cover for “The Hero Next Door” nevertheless captures the warmth and emotional depth readers say characterizes my writing.

The hero and heroine, Heath and Josie, look much as I envisage them, as does Cookie, Heath’s adorable rescue dog.

The cover also has a sweet, romantic and contemporary rural feel that tells readers exactly what to expect from the story.

Find out more & pre-order The Hero Next Door (out September 30, 2025) in large-print paperback or e-book here.

As the saying goes, “don’t judge a book by its cover,” but sometimes I do. You too?

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