The CW’s Harlequin slate starts Sunday, November 16, with Montana Mavericks. The network’s new movie push is sure to delight viewers as all six films are either inspired by or based on books published by the romance powerhouse.
As you cozy up to enjoy fated love affairs, sparks flying between rivals, and meet-cutes this holiday season, we suggest also checking out the books that breathed life into these movies.
Note: The prices in this article are based on the information available at the time of its publication.
Key Takeaways
- When each Harlequin movie premieres on The CW
- The books that inspired the films
- Where you can find the books
READ: ‘When Calls the Heart’ Stars Kayla Wallace and Kevin McGarry Announce Baby, Premiering 2026
Where to Buy the Harlequin Books that Inspired the CW Romance Movies
Montana Mavericks
Premiere date: Sunday, November 16 at 8 p.m. ET
The CW film will feature Katherine McNamara and Dennis Andres as childhood friends who get a chance at love when Heather (McNamara) encounters Cliff (Andres) while trying to sell the ranch she inherited after her mother’s death. Heather is a best-selling author with writer’s block, using her visit to Montana as a girls’ trip and an opportunity to reset. Cliff is a cowboy and veterinarian who challenges her ideals and what she thinks she wants.
Montana Mavericks is the sole movie in the lineup that’s inspired by a series of books, not a singular romance. The first collection debuted in 1994 and has since spun off into 14 book series. The six current series are:
- Montana Mavericks: Behind Closed Doors
- Montana Mavericks: Legacy of Tenacity
- Montana Mavericks: The Tenacity Social Club
- Montana Mavericks: The Trail to Tenacity
- Montana Mavericks: The Anniversary Gift
- Montana Mavericks: Hidden Gems Ranch
Where to purchase:
Harlequin ($4.99/ebook, $6.39/book, $11.99/box set) | Barnes & Noble ($4.99/ebook, $7.99/book, $11.99/box set) | Amazon ($4.99/Kindle, $5.98-$7.99 mass market paperbacks.
Second Guessing Fate
Premiere date: Sunday, November 23 at 8 p.m. ET
Danielle Panabaker steps into the role of Gemma in the film, a woman who’s skeptical of a fortune teller’s vision that she’s one bad date away from finding her true love. But then she goes on a blind date with Nick (Corey Sevier), which doesn’t go swimmingly, and crashes her car into Enzo (Brendan Morgan), a man as handsome as he is wealthy. Perhaps fate does have a hand in Gemma falling in love.
In the book, Gemma tries to scare Nick off so she doesn’t get her heartbroken, but it looks like the Second Guessing Fate movie has a bit of a love triangle it’s going to set up. The departure could be an interesting element for fans of the 2011 romance by Claire Robyns.
Where to purchase:
Harlequin ($0.99/ebook) | Barnes & Noble ($6.99/ebook – digital original) | Amazon ($0.50/Kindle, $8.99/digital list price)
Savvy Sheldon Feels Good as Hell
Premiere date: Sunday, November 30 at 8 p.m. ET
Love comes a-knockin’ for Amber Riley’s Savvy when she’s in the middle of transforming her life. Inheriting her grandmother’s kitchen gives Savvy the push she needs to dream bigger than her high-stress job and a situationship she’s getting nothing from. Armed with her grandmother’s trove of delicious recipes, she’s primed to cook up a new life for herself. And Isaiah (Dorian Grey), the contractor tasked with renovating the kitchen, seems to be falling for her with every meal she makes.
Savvy Sheldon Feels Good as Hell by Taj McCoy is about self-love and self-care just as much as it is about falling in love. The film looks to be following in footsteps. If you enjoy Savvy on-screen, see where she got her start in 2022 between the pages.
Where to purchase:
Harlequin ($13.99/ebook, $15.19/trade paperback) | Barnes & Noble ($13.99/ebook, $18.99/paperback) | Amazon ($13.99/Kindle, $11.06-$18.99/paperback)
Paws in the City
Premiere date: Saturday, December 6 at 8 p.m. ET
Emeraude Toubia plays Issa, a social media maven who’s out of a job and blackballed in Manhattan after accidentally ruining a young actress’s career. The only work she can get is to be a dog nanny to Camila, a diva of a dachshund with a full schedule. But the pup’s father Theo (Carter Jenkins) is a handsome recluse that catches Issa’s eye. Between playdates and visits to a pet psychic, Issa falls in love and manages to resuscitate her career.
Paws in the City is based on The Dachshund Wears Prada by Stefanie London, and it’s the name of the book series London’s 2022 romance grew into, with three books total. Perhaps viewers will see Scout Meyers and August Merriweather’s stories come to life one day as well.
Where to purchase:
Harlequin ($15.99/ebook, $15.19/trade paperback) | Barnes & Noble ($15.99/ebook, $18.99/paperback) | Amazon ($15.99/Kindle, $14.87-18.99/paperback)
Recipe for Romance
Premiere date: Saturday, December 13 at 8 p.m. ET
The gauntlet is thrown by True O’Brien’s Sari when Gabe (Alex Mallari Jr.), a handsome, charming, and annoying bakery owner, sets up shop next door and starts competing with her family’s coffee shop for customers and foot traffic. Sari has been entrusted with the business while her parents are on vacation, and she has no intention of disappointing them. Cue a prank war that sparks desire and irritation as the two battle it out and prep for making a splash at the Little Manila Festival.
Recipe for Romance may get its title from Olivia Miles’ 2014 book, but it’s based on Carla de Guzman’s Sweet on You, which came out in 2020. The book is set during Christmas, making it perfect for the approaching holiday, and is part of the Laneways series centered on small business owners.
Where to purchase:
Harlequin ($1.99/ebook) | Barnes & Noble ($1.99/ebook – original) | Amazon ($1.99/Kindle)
Ordinary Girl in a Tiara
Premier date: Saturday, December 20 at 8 p.m. ET
CW’s Ordinary Girl in a Tiara is a gender-bent reimagining of Jessica Hart’s 2011 romance. In the movie, Kathryn Gallagher plays Philippa Leveraux, who isn’t royalty in the traditional sense. She’s a couture heiress who must rely on the kindness of her former childhood nemesis Caro Cartwright (Katherine King So) while she lays low. Caro is now a vintage fashion connoisseur, and together the two are striving to be their best selves. In leaning on one another, in spite of their differences, they find that they’re not only taking a chance on themselves but also on love.
Where to purchase:
Harlequin ($3.99/ebook) | Barnes & Noble ($3.99/ebook – original) | Amazon ($3.99/Kindle)
