Meet the Editors

Jess Verdi is Senior Editor at Afterglow by Harlequin and Carina by Harlequin. She has had the honor of working with hundreds of authors over the course of her career, including NYT and USA Today bestsellers, award winners, celebrity authors, and national book club picks. She acquires romance of all subgenres, and has a special affinity for queer love stories, spicy content, rivals-to-lovers, angst, edgy contemporary, and recent historical (1980s onward). Jess lives in New York with her found family and can almost always be found with an audiobook playing in her earbuds.

Rachel Whatley joined Harlequin’s UK Series Acquisition team at the start of 2026 as an editor, although perhaps it would be more accurate to say she re-joined, having started her career in publishing at Harlequin Mills & Boon as an editorial assistant nearly 30 years ago. She acquires titles for Harlequin Presents, Harlequin Romance and Harlequin Medical Romance. In the intervening years she has worked as a freelancer with a special interest in romantic fiction (she blames Christopher Plummer’s performance as Captain von Trapp for her ongoing obsession with slightly unreachable and extremely handsome heroes!). In her spare time, Rachel loves to read, travel, spend time with family and friends and recently completed her first ever half-marathon (never again!). She’s interested in finding new and diverse voices across all series.

Mahalaleel M. Clinton is an Assistant Editor for Love Inspired and Love Inspired Suspense. After graduating with her BA in Mass Communications from Our Lady of the Lake University in 2018, she worked briefly in Foreign Rights at Curtis Brown Ltd., before following her passion for editorial to Union Square & Co. Mali has worked in a variety of genres and categories, including mind, body & spirit nonfiction, classics series backlist, deluxe special editions, and frontlist genre fiction, however she has a special soft spot for all things swoony and romantic. When she’s not reading, you can find her indulging this soft spot by binging super sweet K-dramas or re-watching Howl’s Moving Castle for the hundredth time. She also enjoys practicing super complicated nail art, making K-pop crafts for her Etsy shop, playing and planning D&D campaigns, and cuddling with her cat, Magnus Bane. 

Kalyani Gandhi joined Harlequin Romantic Suspense as Associate Editor in 2026. She fell in love with the Harlequin novels on the shelf of her family-run neighborhood library and has been passionate about romance novels ever since. She pursued a bachelor’s and a double master’s in English Literature, where she developed a special interest in women’s fiction. After graduating, Kalyani worked in both commercial and academic publishing, eventually fulfilling her dream of working at Harlequin as an editor. She loves a passionate romance between a soft-hearted, rugged hero and a strong-willed heroine and enjoys reading diverse experienced and new voices in the genre.  Whether it’s K-Dramas, anime, or—her favorite—romance novels, Kalyani loves a good love story.

Eugénie Szwalek (they/them) is an Editorial Assistant for Carina by Harlequin and Afterglow by Harlequin. A graduate of Sheridan College’s Creative Writing and Publishing program, they joined the team as an Editorial Intern in 2024 and have been devouring all things romance since. A long-time fan of every kind of queer lover story, they are always looking for ways to pull marginalized characters into the spotlight, especially within genre romance spaces like paranormal, fantasy, and horror! A lover of inclement weather, obscure bird facts, and graphic novels, when not working you may find them wandering around, listening to library audiobooks in their home city of Toronto, Canada.

Meaghan Mahoney joined Love Inspired and Love Inspired Suspense as an Editorial Assistant in 2025. After completing her BA in English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University, she worked at Hachette Book Group, Red Wagon Entertainment and the Regina Ryan Books literary agency and is elated to now work on Love Inspired. An avid romance fan, she’s on the lookout for engaging and unique voices, in everything from grand and thrilling romances to cozy little love stories. She loves heroes that will sweep her off her feet and witty banter that makes her swoon and giggle aloud. And she’s a sucker for characters that know how to yearn like nobody’s business. In her free time, you can find her poring over the classics, looking for the next great American novel, or searching for her next big travel adventure.

Kimmy Conroy is an Associate Editor for Special Edition, joining the team in 2025, after nine years with Harlequin (including a brief detour as a Managing Editor for HarperAudio). She is a graduate of Trent University twice over, earning a BA in cultural studies/linguistics and MA in Public Texts, and Toronto Metropolitan University’s publishing program. Kimmy has read more books than she could ever count—not that she wants to do math, anyway. Kimmy lives outside of Toronto, where she spends her time scouring the thrift stores for deals, taking care of way too many houseplants, and making things, from found poetry to macramé to pasta from scratch.

Leyla Erkan is an Editor at Afterglow by Harlequin and Carina by Harlequin, where she acquires a wide range of trade romance with an emphasis on market trends and emerging subgenres. She is always looking for books that burst with human emotion, that are tropey or fresh, and that, most importantly, take her on an unforgettable journey of romance. Leyla lives in Brooklyn, NY, where she can be found color-coding her bookshelf, enjoying a generously flavored iced coffee, or obsessing over all things pop culture.

Helena Bacon is Associate Editor for Harlequin Romance and Medical Romance, joining the team in 2023. Storytelling has always been one of the great loves of her life: after growing up in a household full of books and working as a bookseller as a teen, she went on to study English Literature at University College London. Now she gets to read romance all day and help authors and their protagonists find their HEAs – and she wouldn’t have it any other way! She’s always on the look-out for new voices and fresh takes on beloved tropes, especially from queer and other marginalized perspectives. (And, for the curious, her other great loves are her partner, the sound of church bells, and her cat, Orson Welles.)

Safiya Tariq is an editorial assistant for Harlequin Presents, having joined the team in 2024. After completing her BA in English Language and Literature at UoM, she immediately dived head-first into the Presents empire of luxury, glamour and jet-set thrills! In her spare time, she is immersed in Medieval, Old Western and Renaissance media through TV shows and video games – with a dash of The Real Housewives. A sucker for nostalgia, she (regularly) revisits childhood cartoons and finds even more enjoyment in them than she did before… She enjoys looking for new authors who can push the limits of outrageousness and drama whilst still making her laugh out loud!

Olivia is the Editorial Assistant for the Harlequin’s UK Series Acquisition team, supporting predominantly Harlequin Historical Romance, but also working across Romance, Medical, and Presents.

Olivia completed a BA in English Literature and Philosophy at the University of Sheffield, where she made her love of reading into a full-time academic pursuit. Her first love, however, remains to be romance – particularly Pride and Prejudice! After a brief stint in marketing, Olivia landed her dream job with the Harlequin team where she can read Regency Romances to her hearts content.

When Olivia isn’t reading, she can be found wandering museums and jetting off on a city break to explore! She is on the lookout for new, exciting, and diverse voices.

Rachael Nazarko is an Assistant Editor at Harlequin. After completing a PhD in Latin American literature, she spent some time teaching Spanish and bookselling before realising her dream lay in editing books, not just devouring them! She spent two years at HQ Fiction, before joining Harlequin in late 2024.

When she’s not doing her dream job of reading for a living, Rachael loves baking, swimming, hiking, travelling, and dragging her friends to Shakespeare plays (because Much Ado is the original enemies-to-lovers!)

She’s always on the lookout for diverse new voices. She particularly loves LGBTQ+ stories, and anything set in the Mediterranean or Latin America is a must-read!

Annie Warren is an editor on the Harlequin Historical Romance team. She studied the languages of love (French and Italian) at University College London, and then completed an MA in Publishing, during which time she wrote her dissertation – titled Kiss and Sell – about the future of the romance novel. After graduating, Annie spent some time teaching as well as working as a travel editor and writer for Rough Guides before her love of love led her to her natural home at True Love Towers. Annie is always looking to acquire fresh and intriguing new voices; she’s especially interested in sapphic and queer romances, and also has a soft spot for a rugged hero!

Katarina Hunter is an Editorial Assistant for Harlequin Intrigue, and Harlequin Romantic Suspense. Her long-time love of books lead her to complete a B.A. at the University of Toronto, with a major in Book and Media Studies.  While enrolled in the Publishing Certificate Program at Toronto Metropolitan University, she began her career in publishing as an intern at Harlequin in 2023. A lifelong lover of romance novels, she is delighted she gets to spend her days reading them and is looking for books that will keep her on the edge of her seat. In her spare time you can find her spending time with her cat or enjoying all the city has to offer.

Elena is an Editorial Assistant for Harlequin Romance and Harlequin Medical Romance. Ever since she swiped a copy of Twilight off her older sister’s bookshelf (she was Team Edward) Elena’s been in love with romance. After completing a BA in Media, Communication and Cultural Studies at Newcastle University, she briefly dipped her toes into journalism before landing her dream role on the Editorial team at Harlequin.

When she’s not lost in a good book with a cat snoozing on her lap, Elena can be found listening to Taylor Swift and trying her hand at baking. Although she mostly bakes cookies, she also loves decorating the odd cake or two!

Elena is always on the lookout for unique voices, swoon-worthy characters and love stories that set the heart aflutter.

Binti is an Assistant Editor for Harlequin Historical Romance, joining the team in 2023. After spending years working as an optometrist, she followed her heart and transitioned into the world of publishing. She has always loved reading romance fiction and is thrilled to be working in a role where love stories are at the heart of what she does.

In her free time, Binti likes to cook and experiment with different cuisines. She also enjoys travelling and exploring new places. She is always on the lookout for voices from underrepresented backgrounds, and stories with compelling characters you can’t help but root for.

Jenny is an Editor for Harlequin Presents. She has a BSc in Psychology from the University of Birmingham, which probably explains why she loves nothing more than diving into the minds of characters! Reading has always been a passion, and she can confidently say that romances are her all-time favourites. She was over the moon to join Harlequin’s UK team at the end of 2021, and feels incredibly lucky to get to read for a living! When she’s not got a book in her hand, you can find Jenny drinking coffee, cuddling her dog or—at any possible opportunity! —on a plane off to explore new places. She is always looking for fresh, exciting and diverse voices for Harlequin.

Emma Cole (she/her) is an Editor for MIRA Books. She has been an acquiring editor for Harlequin Intrigue and Harlequin Romantic Suspense and worked as a freelance copyeditor for many years. In addition to romance, Emma loves horror, sci-fi, and speculative fiction, and her TBR stack never seems to shrink because she is forever buying more books. When she’s not reading, she’s watching classic films or crafting (or both), and doing a bit of short fiction writing. She is on the lookout for stories from underrepresented voices in the romance genre and is excited to find interesting projects for MIRA in the romance fiction space, including modern love stories, rom-coms and romantasy by new and established voices.

Natalia Castano is an Editorial Assistant for Harlequin Heartwarming. Previous to joining Harlequin, she developed her editorial skills in the role of Editorial Assistant with educational publisher Vista Higher Learning, and recently completed the Publishing program at Centennial College. Natalia lives in Toronto and, as a newcomer, she loves exploring the city, reading new and authentic authors, and trying all the coffee shops she can find. She is passionate about reading diverse and original romances that celebrate true love and feature strong characters!

Besarta Sinanovic is an Associate Editor for Love Inspired and Love Inspired Suspense. She received her BA in English and American Literature from New York University in 2019. Besarta has been an avid romance reader since high school and is passionate about reading and sharing diverse stories that connect people. As a native New Yorker, she loves exploring her city and trying new coffee shops with friends when she’s not reading.

Katie Gowrie is an editor for Love Inspired and Love Inspired Suspense. She graduated from Carleton University with a degree in Journalism and English Literature, but a short stint on the municipal politics beat affirmed for her that her true passion for storytelling lies in fiction. After completing her publishing certificate, she got her first job in publishing in the Harlequin proofreading department. She loved it so much, she’s been with the company for ten years. She finds it rewarding to have worked on such a range of romance titles and is incredibly inspired by the people who write them. She’s currently on the lookout for uplifting contemporary romances and thrilling romantic suspense featuring strong, relatable protagonists! When she’s not reading, Katie loves watching crime shows and historical dramas, travelling (whenever she can), and hanging out with her family.

Charlotte is the senior editor for Harlequin Romance and Harlequin Medical Romance. After completing a degree in Sociology from Durham University and briefly trying her hand at being a sports teacher/coach, she rapidly realised that reading romance for a living was where she truly belonged. Especially after years’ worth of practice! And joined True Love HQ in 2016. She loves nothing more than curling up in front of the fire, in an armchair, with a book and a glass of champagne nearby. She’s always on the look out for new voices – especially featuring billionaire heroes and the strong women who challenge them!

Melissa Endlich is the Senior Editor for Love Inspired and Love Inspired Classics. Melissa’s love affair with romance novels began when, as a young adult, she stole her mother’s copy of Kathleen Woodiwiss’s A Rose in Winter and swooned over the dreamy hero. And she’s been swooning over dashing knights, hunky cowboys and sexy single dads ever since. Though she’s a native New Yorker, Melissa is also a romantic who believes in true love. She feels blessed to have landed her dream job at Harlequin Books, and still loves working with her amazingly talented authors every day.

Tina James is the executive editor for Love Inspired Books. She also manages the Love Inspired Suspense series and the Love Inspired Trade Program.  From the moment she learned to read she could usually be found at a bookstore or the public library searching for a good book. She has been with Harlequin since 1995 and has had the opportunity to work on many series lines and special projects. Tina is looking to acquire high-intensity inspirational romantic suspense stories for Love Inspired Suspense. And she is looking for compelling stories in a variety of genres for the Love Inspired Trade program. You can find her on Twitter @tinacjames.

Susan Litman acquires fast-paced romantic suspense for Harlequin Intrigue. She joined Harlequin as an Assistant Editor on the Intimate Moments series in 2002 after several years working in film development in New York. She then joined the Special Edition series team as first Associate Editor and then Editor, acquiring contemporary romance. She has focused her strengths on author development, working with authors including New York Times Bestseller Allison Leigh, USA Today Bestseller Tif Marcelo, Brenda Harlen and Jennifer D. Bokal. Susan also played an instrumental role with Harlequin’s  Tough Justice digital-first serialized novels and the long-running Fortunes of Texas and Montana Mavericks franchises. She attended Sarah Lawrence College, and has a cookbook collection that is outgrowing her shelves at an alarming pace. Follow her on Threads or Instagram at @insusieskitchen if you want to know what concerts she attended this month.

Stacy Boyd is Executive Editor of Afterglow by Harlequin, a trade romance imprint, and Carina by Harlequin, a digital-first romance imprint. Stacy has acquired and edited a wide variety of commercial fiction over her career, including romance, suspense, fantasy, and YA. She is a past winner of the PASIC Editor of Merit award and currently works with a talented group of award-winning and bestselling authors. She holds a BA in cultural anthropology and lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two sons. An outdoor enthusiast, she spends her free time running after kids, taming her backyard, and improving her jogging distances. Stacy is looking to acquire high concept romance, genre mash-ups, stories with trends and twists, and voices that grab her from page one.

Shana Asaro is an Editor for Love Inspired, Harlequin’s Christian romance series line, and has been with the company for over ten years. She graduated from Kent State University with a degree in journalism and worked at a literary agency before coming to Harlequin. Shana acquires for both of the Love Inspired series lines (contemporary and romantic suspense) and especially enjoys action-filled suspense romances, sweet contemporary romances set in small towns, storms, dogs and a little bit of humor or quirkiness. When she’s not reading or editing, Shana spends her time with her husband, daughter and crazy dog. She also likes to travel, watch movies, discuss the merits of Gilmore Girls, eat cupcakes and drink Starbucks lattes. You can find her on Twitter at @shana_asaro.

Kathryn Lye is the Senior Editor for Harlequin Heartwarming, though she acquires for all Harlequin series and imprints. Her love of books and reading comes from her parents and the high humidity of Toronto summers. Growing up in her neighborhood, the only place with AC within walking distance was the library.  She received her BA in History and Philosophy from the University of Toronto (Trinity College) and began her working life in educational publishing. Then in 1997, she found her HEA with Harlequin Books.

Kathleen Scheibling is a Senior Executive Editor at Harlequin. Over the years she has run several of Harlequin’s series imprints, including Western Romance, Blaze, Superromance, Dare, and Heartwarming and Special Edition. Her job has allowed her to work with the most professional, intelligent, and inspiring group of writers in the business, including many New York Times bestselling authors. Kathleen is an avid reader, a rabid film lover, a one-time boxer turned yoga/Pilates convert, and a fair-weather distance cyclist.

Johanna Raisanen has worked for Harlequin for over twenty years. A graduate of the University of Toronto, Johanna works on a variety of contemporary romance series and her favorite part about being a Harlequin editor is collaborating with authors to make their books shine. She lives in Toronto, where she likes to walk on the boardwalk along Lake Ontario, go to the movies, and hopes this will be the year the Toronto Maple Leafs win the Stanley Cup. Johanna is eager to acquire sweet, contemporary romances for Harlequin Heartwarming.

Glenda Howard is the Senior Executive Editor of the Harlequin Series team in New York, which acquires for Harlequin Intrigue, Romantic Suspense, Love Inspired and Love Inspired Suspense. She has been with Harlequin since 2005 and has had the opportunity to work with many award-winning and bestselling authors. And, Glenda still finds it exciting to discover new authors for the series program. In her spare time, she loves to read, travel, watch movies and practice yoga.

Dana Grimaldi is an editor for Harlequin Heartwarming. She also manages Harlequin’s Worldwide Mystery and Suspense subscription book club. When she’s reading submissions, Dana is on the lookout for wholesome contemporary romances that celebrate strong communities, family connections and true love. In her spare time, Dana loves taking pictures of local wildlife and seeking out books, movies and TV shows featuring time travel. Find Dana on Instagram at @danagrimaldiedits.

As Publishing Director, Bryony Green leads Harlequin’s editorial team in London, New York and Toronto and oversees the series romance publishing program. During over 20 years with the company, Bryony previously has led London’s series acquisition team, served as the senior editor for Historical Romance, and acquired romance novels for multiple romance lines. She has deeply enjoyed working directly with authors over the years and still feels the biggest thrill is finding a new voice for Harlequin!

Adrienne is Senior Editor for Harlequin Special Edition. Since joining Harlequin in 2005, Adrienne has worked on multiple imprints, series and special projects, giving her a great appreciation for the wide variety of stories Harlequin publishes.

Adrienne lives in Toronto, and is renowned throughout the company for her sweet tooth and black thumb.