love between
the covers

Love Between the Covers is a feature-length documentary film about the little-known, surprisingly powerful community of women who read and write romance novels.

Love stories are universal. Love stories are powerful. And so are the women who write them.

Author Beverly Jenkins on a trip with her fans

The crew of the film (Joe Friedman, Laurie Kahn, Daniel Brooks) with author Susan Donovan

Author Brenda Jackson working in her office

While romance novels and their signature covers are ubiquitous around the world, the global community of millions of women who read, write, and love them remains oddly invisible. Love Between the Covers is the fascinating story of five very different authors who invite us into a vast female community, running a powerhouse industry.

For three years, we follow the lives of five published romance authors as they build their businesses, find and lose loved ones, cope with a tsunami of change in publishing, and earn a living doing what they love—while empowering others to do the same.

“An affectionate look at the vast, unheralded community of women who have effectively kept the publishing industry afloat...”

— James Sullivan, The Boston Globe

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Eloisa James: Tenured Shakespeare professor by day, bestselling romance author ELOISA JAMES by night. This romance heavy-hitter navigates the high-powered New York publishing industry with her friend and personal assistant Kim Castillo, who helps to make Eloisa James the Harper Collins “rock star of social media.”

Beverly Jenkins: Pioneer of African American romance, author of historical, suspense and inspirational romances. Beverly and her vibrant community of readers explore their heritage through love stories rich in history, powerful heroines, and gallant heroes. She’s amazed and humbled knowing that she makes a difference in people’s lives “with just paper and ink.”

Len Barot: Surgeon, farmer, publisher, and well-known author of lesbian romance fiction, writing under the pen names RADCLYFFE and L.L. RAAND. Bold Strokes Books, the publishing house Len founded a decade ago, now publishes more than 140 authors worldwide, providing both advice and safe haven to its authors and readers.

Susan Donovan & Celeste Bradley: Best friends, divorcees, single mothers, and New York Times bestselling writing partners. Susan and Celeste write through personal tragedy and professional disaster, confronting the publishing industry head-on. It’s them against the world.