Harlequin, Romance Publisher Behind ‘Virgin River’, & Audio Up To Adapt 52 Books As Podcasts; ‘Montana Mavericks’ Is First Up

Peter White
·2 min read
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

Harlequin romance novels are getting a new lease of life in audio form.

The company has struck a deal with podcast company Audio Up, which is behind Stephen King’s Strawberry Spring, to adapt a number of its books into audio series.

More from Deadline

Harlequin is the company responsible for the books behind series such as Sweet Magnolias and Virgin River. The plan is to turn 52 books into podcasts.

First up is Montana Mavericks, a scripted dramatic podcast based on In Search of the Long-Lost Maverick, written by Christine Rimmer.

The series is set in Bronco Heights with its small-town charm and Western allure, where Melanie Driscoll, seeking a fresh start, returns home from the big city into the waiting arms of Gabe Abernathy, a rugged cowboy from the town’s most powerful family with secrets of his own.

It will also have an original soundtrack from a number of rising stars within country music including Abby Anderson, who just wrapped her tour opening for Stevie Nicks, Brooke Butler, whose latest release racked up over three million streams, and Clayton Johnson, an up-and-coming Nashville favorite.

The series, which launches on October 16, is exec produced by Audio Up CEO Jared Gutstadt as well as Audio Up president David Thwaites and adapted and produced by Audio Up chief creative officer Jimmy Jellinek, along with Creator Rights Co. president Brad Pelman and Centinel Media CEO Craig Cegielski.

“This is a truly revolutionary audio experience,” said Jellinek. “We’re creating a blockbuster for your ears, combining the rugged independence of Yellowstone with the relationship drama of Days of our Lives. Never before has a podcast been created with such laser focus on elevating a genre for its fans into something truly spectacular.”

“Harlequin is the gold standard for the world of romance novels globally. This is the first time these stories are being brought to life in the dramatic podcast media space. The Audio Up dimensional media approach not only includes incredible storytelling but music discovery—the same way that Yellowstone integrates country music into their content and becomes a driver. We think this is going to be a groundbreaking moment for podcasting, country music and the world of romance novels all in one fell swoop,” added Gutstadt.

Best of Deadline

Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Click here to read the full article.