Abe books recently did a post on 25 iconic book covers, and AIGA (a professional association for design) just released it’s Best 50 Covers of 2009 — several of which are truly breathtaking.
All this cover talk got me thinking: we make fun of the awful romance covers. But what are the covers that are iconic? The ones that make you stop and stare … and keep staring? That make you pick up the book? The ones that still throw you right back to the moment you read it? The ones whose spine you can pick out on a crowded book shelf from 50 feet away.
Being a newbie to the genre, I am relying on you guys. If you have some suggestions, make them and I will put the images in the body of the post. But to get things started, here are a few covers that seem like contenders to me:
And here’s a cover which I doubt is iconic, but which I could not resist: Can you imagine a time when someone thought a paranormal cover wouldn’t sell, so they decided to make the book look like a historical????
Ok, what are the covers you would consider iconic? Or do covers change so often in romance that the category doesn’t exist?
Additions below”
Surrender My Love
Carla Kelly Daughter of Fortune
Will we refer to this as the Kamp era?
An Early Presents
The Presesnts Circle!
Hmm. Is this a UF? It's so hard to tell! 
Related posts:
Seeing as I was introduced to romance via Heyer, I’d have to suggest her UK 1960s Pan covers. This one (sorry, I could only find it via eBay, and I think the auction’s only going to last another 7 days or so, and after that the link might stop working) of Cotillion is a particular favourite of mine, not because it’s aesthetically pleasing but because of the pink dress that clashes with the piano player’s yellow hair (the dress is brighter on the cover than it is in that photo). I think it’s deliberate, because the other characters do tend to scold her about her dire fashion sense.
Covers tend to differ between countries (e.g. between the US and UK), as well as there being different covers for different editions within the same country, so I suspect that might make it more difficult for any one cover to be “iconic” to everyone. This is the UK cover of Bet Me.
I’ve got to go with any of Johanna Lindsey’s Fabio covers, and also the orange Lord of Scoundrels cover as the two that stick out the most.
I thought Bet Me was a cute relevant memorable cover – but the Crusie cover I personally like the best is this one for Welcome To Temptation. This is the UK 2001 edition
Honestly for me the most memorable cover is Gone with the Wind, I can spot that cover a billion miles away.
@FD:
I love the UK cover! It certainly got my attention, and I was not familiar with Crusie herself at the time.
There are a lot of romance covers I’ve liked but few I’ve found memorable. When trying to think of examples, I kept coming up with novels that aren’t exactly romances – Jennifer Donnelly’s Rose books, The Bronze Horseman, some of the Eva Ibbotson reissues.
I agree with LauraV about the Heyer Pan covers for paperback, and I would add that for those of us who read library copies, the Heinemann covers are at least as memorable. This page has a bunch of them: http://www.georgette-heyer.net/covers.html
I agree with the FFTS and the BDB and the Rogers. The others I’m not sure; the Crusie got attention at the time, but it looks more like chick lit to me.
And I would definitely add a Harlequin Presents. Those are so instantly recognizable.
ETA: Who *is* that on the FFTS cover? And you need a blond Fabio and a Nathan Kamp.
ETA2: I’m an idiot. Of course that’s Fabio on FFTS, but he’s not blond and the hair is shorter so I was thrown off for a moment.
Jessica, have you seen the articles on Covers at AAR, especially the early ones by Carol Irvin? They’re very interesting.
And rereading a couple reminded me that you need a Signet Regency cover. Maybe a Carla Kelly, or an old Mary Balogh.
I am probably interpreting “iconic” differently than you, but given the large number of romances published, I think iconic covers in this genre represent not just single books but also lines.
Oops, forgot the link: http://www.likesbooks.com/covers.html
Definitely Joanna Lindsey and Kathleen Woodweiss.
Anything with Fabio on the cover screams vintage romance cover to me.
Have to second pretty much any of Lindsey’s Fabio covers. Also, early Jude Deveraux covers – they’re chock full of old school goodness, complete with heroines who were hair doubles for Rapunzel.
Alrighty. Here’s a list as promised. It’s not complete, just a fun glimpse.
Firstly, that cover art of Garwood’s The Bride is recycled, already used in an earlier historical romance.
Recycling cover art is common in this genre, especially Avon books. I think her reissue cover is more recognisable, though.
Even though I dislike the cover, I agree with your listing of Kinsale’s Flowers From the Storm. One unusual thing about this cover is the model holds a bunch of flowers. A surprisingly rare sight where rom covers are concerned.
List! *rubs hands* It’s been hard to make a selection because, as others say, romance covers tend to have certain distinctive house styles, e.g. Tapestry Romance, Avon (two styles), Zebra Historical Romance ( with a Lovegram (hologram) in a cover corner), Leisure, Harlequin, Dell (Candlelight Ecstasy Supreme), Loveswept, LoveSpell, Pinnacle, Bantam, and such. (Jesus, that’s a lot of publishers.)
In spite of this, I’m opting for older covers that either provoked reader discussions or have a significance.
(You know I’m a tad obsessed with book covers of all genres, right? Then I won’t make apologies for committing an act of linksluttage here.)
Love Me, Marietta – Jennifer Wilde (Tom Huff) – 1981
I was told this is the first romance cover that has a male model in an open shirt. I admit I’m still dubious about this claim, but there you go.
Fires of Winter – Johanna Lindsey. It makes a change from then typical romance/women’s fiction covers like this old Lindsey cover: Captive Bride.
Lady Vixen – Shirlee Bushee
This art style dominated covers during late 1970s and (maybe?) early 1980s.
The Velvet quartet – Jude Devaraux
I can’t find the original covers of those four books. They are dramatic – nay, melodramatic – and eye-catching. One of them, for instance, has a bloke leaning from on an evil-looking black horse to kiss a woman who’s clinging to the horse.
Eternity - Maggie Shayne This prompted a reader discussion, speculating whether this would mark the ending of the clinch covers era.
By Love Undone – Suzanne Enoch
This cover is pretty much typical of Avon covers. Typical enough to help me to avoid buying any books with this sort of covers. (I didn’t like Avon’s editorial criteria and output during mid-2000s.)
Minion – LA Banks – 2003
It was touted around as a vampire romance (I think it’s technically Urban Fantasy?). With this in mind, the cover blew almost everyone away. Nowadays this type of cover everywhere but at the time when it was released, the Minion cover was shiny new.
The Conqueror – Brenda Joyce
(I detest this book, but the cover is instantly recognisable.)
Dark Prince – Christine Feehan
(Ditto.)
And this one – in libraries, that bloke seemed to have graced every category romance cover including Dell, M&B/HQN and many more. In my mind, he represents “category romances of the 1970s/80s”.
I couldn’t find a certain cover that features a particular art style heavily dominated historical rom covers during early 1980s, but here are examples:
Cover A / Cover B / Cover C
The Windflower – Laura London 1984
Enuff said.
Tempting Fortune – Jo Beverley. This scan isn’t good. You have to see it in person to see its effect in full. It’s odd and eye-catching.
Iconic for wrong reasons a.ka. lolwut covers:
Castles in the Air – Christina Dodd
Get Lucky – Suzanne Brockmann This prompted a massive debate at AAR.
The Remarkable Miss Frankenstein – Minda Webber
The Lion’s Lady – Julie Garwood
Heaven Sent – Pamela Morsi (The arm.)
Miranda’s Viking – Maggie Shayne (One of those ‘you have to see it up close to get it’.)
Snow Princess – Victoria Foote (This still makes me laugh. I think we nicknamed this as “Fawlty Towers Romance”.)
On a slightly different note:
Crime of Passion / Fever Rising / True Hearts – Maggie Ferguson – 1995 / 1997 / 1998
About ten years ago, these covers were brought into light by a reader who was shocked to see these practically naked! black couples making out. She complained Harlequin was becoming vulgar and that they were going for sensationalism. Her post sparked a long, heated and interesting discussion about the general representation of ethnic minorities on romance covers.
I’d say roughly 80% of readers, during this discussion, admitted to refusing to read any with covers that didn’t feature white models. They didn’t want to read about civil rights and/or racism, and some said they couldn’t relate to non-white characters. It was an eye opener. (Well, I was shocked, to be honest.)
Massive kudos to someone from HQN – Sandy Voss(?) – for handling the matter well. She basically said HQN had a wide readership so they focused on catering to all readers. In short, tough shit.
Although there are more I’d like to share, I’d better stop. Oh, one more:
There is a gallery of original covers of many reissues, which can be found here: Image Gallery of Romance Novel Database (click on a cover will take to you an entry of readers’ feedback about the book)
Gah. Long-winded again. Feel free to ban me from responding again, Jessica.
I am biased, but I absolutely ADORE a whole slew of the Harlequin Spice covers. I don’t think they’re old enough to be considered iconic yet, though.
Iconic makes me think of several things:
1. Fabio
2. Category romance templates – not the covers themselves, but those banners/borders that identify the various lines from a distance. Not sure how you’d pick one. It reminds me of Daw science fiction, which for a long time had bright yellow spines.
3. More recently, whatever was the first example of the woman with her back to the viewer, and the headless woman, and the tramp-stamped, weaponed urban fantasy heroine.
Maybe this one will become iconic. I sure hope so.
Julia Quinn, The Lost Duke of Wyndham:
http://www.juliaquinn.com/books/wyndham.php
I started to say I’d have to think about it personally and then went, duh. Just look at my Ten Nights of Love posts since those were centered around the covers. There are some others that come to mind as having had an overall impact on the genre itself but those I really will have to give some thought to.
Ah, I know. The old style Gothic Romance novel covers in general. I actually ran across a truly cute spoof of the Gothic heroine’s, um, penchant for wearing nightgowns, in the books and on the covers – at least occasionally – in a mystery conpendium, no less. It’s hilarious and I’ve been meaning to post about it.
@BevBB: Oh, Feehan’s Dark Fire cover is a good one.
Gothic romance covers (historical) – a derelict building in the background? Check. Nightgown? Check. Long cape or cloak? Optional. Heroine looking over her shoulder fearfully whilst standing or running? Check. Hero looking broody in the background? Optional.
Gothic romance covers (contemporary) a.k.a. romantic suspense – heroine in 1960s-era bright-coloured outfit? Check. Sunglasses? Check. Sun hat? Check. A Greek or Italian building in the background? Check. Hero looking broody in the background? Optional.
I am now going to go through some of my books to think about the covers. it will be a bit hard because I mainly read UF or paranormal, so not as much of the clinch joy shown in the covers everyone has shared and I love it that ‘iconic’ means memorable for all the wrong reasons and not tasteful or some definition of good… I looked at the Maggie Shane book’eternity’ and was taken by the writing of the name. In Sydney there was a man who for many years, quite mysteriously chalked the word ‘eternity’ in beautiful copperplate writing on footpaths and in strange places. It became such a ‘thing’ that it ended up as part of the millenium fireworks and I’ve seen it copied for guerila advertising. The book title is written exactly as he used to write – so Aurthur Stace works in mysterious ways. here’s a link http://www.wesleymission.org.au/publications/eternity/eternity.htm
I’d vote for The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss and also for Gone With The Wind.
My first Shirlee Busbee was Gypsy Lady but I have Lady Vixen in my shelves too and I have fond (but kind of cringe-y) memories of the Johanna Lindsay covers!
@Victoria
I have to agree with all of your suggestions and I have one to add – any historical with the heroines dress in the midst of coming of or looking like it will.
I was also thinking of the lovely designs in the Heyer covers in the link provided by Sunita, so many of them reflect the best of the design ethos of the times the books were printed. Can we say anything similar about the covers we are describing/sharing now?
@Maili: Well, now, don’t forget the current transition to urban fantasy from the Gothic theme, Maili – kick-ass heroine in dark skin-tight body leathers? Check. Sunglasses? Optional. (I mean granted it is usually night on the covers.) Big honking gun and/or lots of other handware? Check. Dark cityscape in the background? Check. Hero completely missing from the picture or replaced with a monster and/or all manner of critters? Optional.
Tis odd how things change and still remain the same, ya know. Ahem.
@Maili -
Fawlty Towers Romance! That made me spit coffee even before I saw the picture. But where did Manuel get that toupee?
@Maili:
I was looking at Maili’s list and realized a couple of things.
I’ve got a copy of the Dodd cover.
Didn’t even realize it until it was being discussed on AAR, I think, and I was like, what?!? Then I looked at it again and sure enough, she has three arms. The things we don’t see when we’re not looking for them. And, yeah, it’s packed away someplace safe now. 
At first, I thought I had the Miss Frankenstein book, too, but then figured out I read it, but not with that cover. I saw the Mighty Mouse Dracula one online though and almost pouted about missing it, just cause it’s adorable.
I’d also totally forgotten the Pillbury Doughboy discussion (Brockman’s book). Thank you so much for bringing that one back to the old eyeballs, Maili.
And finally, that Lyon’s Lady cover looks like it had the same artist or concept as Guardian Angel by Garwood and came off much worse. What exactly is supposed to be going on with that LL cover anyway? Or do we really want to know?
I love Maili’s list and links.
Harlequin Presents covers (how long have they had the red banner and image in a circle?) strike me as “iconic” in the sense of instantly recognizable, like the old orange Penguins, or the orange-spined Penguin Classics that were the standard when I was in college. I can instantly spot those Penguins on my bookshelves. A lot of the other category lines don’t seem to have as clean/consistent an image.
Interesting that most of the “iconic” covers in the link are for “iconic” books (i.e. big books by white men), not necessarily beautiful or arresting covers. Those covers look very different from the ones in the “best of 2009″ link.
Damn. I posted a comment with links yesterday and it’s not worked. Oh well, this time without links.
Like some other commenters, I see the ‘iconic’ covers as branding of lines rather than single title covers.
I still love the black rose vintage Mills & Boons from the 70s and very early 80s – that was my favourite incarnation of that line.
I second Laura V’s love of Heyer Pan covers (Regency Buck being a particularly good one) and Pan also did fabulous covers for the Angelique books by Sergeanne Golon around the same time.
Interesting that in both cases I’ve mentioned there’s a strongly nostalgic element to what I find appealing – what looks trashy in a contemporary context takes on a different patina with a few decades under its belt.
@Laura Vivanco: That Heyer is so neat. Thank you for the link and observations. And the Bet Me. I wonder what percentage of covers are the same across the world, if any.
@Kati: Of those are great! Am adding Surrender My Love, because who can resist a naked man in fur lined boots? (altho technically I think that was the stepback)
@FD: Love that UK cover. Very Ya Ya Sisterhood.
@Jess: True! But we don’t consider GWTW a romance round these parts, ma’am.
@Meri: Yeah, I wondered as I typed the post whether the category even means anything for this genre. Maybe the art and design doesn’t rise to that level?
@Sunita: I love that FFTS cover. I own it in hardcover. It couldn’t be more unlike the hero in that book.
this is a great point. I am not sure why, but except for categories, I do not notice publishers in romance. Yet so many long time readers do. I don’t know if publishers are less important as a a branding method today, or if I just haven’t been reading romance long enough to get the hang of it.
@Wendy: Oh the Raider cover was superb. Maybe I will throw that up there.
@Maili: Wow!!!! This is wonderful. Thank you! I found a couple and added them.
@Victoria Janssen: I love love love the Spice covers. They are the best thing going, IMHO.
That is very unusual,and hasn’t been repeated. it’s one of the few times that the woman on the cover is a well known person, instead of just the man.
@BevBB: ok, am adding the Feehan!
@Kaetrin: Yeah, I really need a Woodiwiss up there (sp?).
@Merrian: What a neat story! thank you for sharing it.
@Merrian:
A good question. Perhaps it is too soon to tell? If not, what would explain this? Is it that today, publishers just think you need to titillate the eye to get someone to pick up the book, and that more subtle design elements don’t matter?
@BevBB: Wow, that three armed Dodd cover is a thing to behold!
@Liz:
agreed. I will put one in.
@Tumperkin:
I am so sorry! My spam filter catches any comment with more than 7 links. but yours did not show up in the filter, like Maili’s did. It’s weird.
Will add one of these!
@Jessica:
Oh, categories (series) are more obviously noticeable, but if one has been doing this long enough then patterns emerge that other major publishering lines give distinctive touches to their romance covers – such as, say, Avon, Zebra and Leisure/Love Spell, in particular. It’s problaby more that they tend to favor certain typefaces and types of images but even that goes in cycles. It’s just that they don’t use the blatantly pre-packaged templates that the categories do so it takes longe to “see” the overall patterns.
But they are there. And not just for individual authors.
The first one that comes to mind is Island Flame by Karen Robards.
Johanna Lindsey and Rosemary Rogers also have some pretty iconic covers.
I don’t know about iconic, more like, “what did they look like when I started reading romances”, but beyond echoing Fabio’s almost unreachable status, Tiger Lily by Busbee immediately jumps to my mind.
@Maili: I starred at those thighs on Fires of Winter for days, months, years! Be still my beating heart.
This post reminded me that couple of years ago on my blog I started a tag just for covers I call “body parts puzzles”. I’ve only found a few that truly fit the term but they’re usually doozies. My favorite is the one on Rumor Has It by Cindi Myers (another body parts puzzle). If you figure it out, let me know what’s going on, ’cause I’m still scratching my head.