As of May 2020, 625 paperback and 530 ebook titles were available for purchase under the Kimani Romance name on Harlequin’s website (“Harlequin Kimani Romance”). Throughout the course of its lifetime, four Kimani Romance novels were released each month. The Kimani Romance line consisted of contemporary romance novels that featured African American and multicultural heroes and heroines (“Harlequin Kimani Romance”).

Kimani Press was launched in 2006 and included lines such as Kimani Arabesque (novels centered around passion, adventure, and intrigue) and Kimani Tru (novels targeted to Black teenagers), yet the largest of the Kimani imprints was Kimani Romance (“Harlequin Kimani Romance” “Harlequin Kimani Arabesque” “Harlequin Kimani Tru”).

This purchase resulted in the Harlequin’s Kimani Press imprint, which featured romance novels primarily written by and centered around African American protagonists. In 2005, Harlequin Books purchased the Arabesque, Sepia, and New Spirit romance novel imprints from BET” (Shaw). Choosing to discontinue Kimani Romance sent a message to the romance community that Black romance novels are not a priority or necessity in the romance novel industry. As a major publisher of romance fiction novels, the actions that Harlequin have a resounding impact on the romance publishing industry. Regardless, the closing of Kimani marked the end of an era, and Harlequin’s decision made a greater statement to both authors and readers of Black romance novels. Kimani was not without its controversy while some authors and readers appreciated having a line dedicated to Black authors and readers, others disapproved of the separation between Black romance novels and other romance novels and took issue with the lack of attention and appreciation they felt from Harlequin. Despite Harlequin executives stating that they would be encouraging Kimani authors to submit their work to other lines, many Kimani authors reported that the closing of Kimani left them without an avenue to get their work to their readers.

However, in 2017, Harlequin announced that Kimani Romance would be discontinued after 2018. This line was the only mainstream line focused on telling Black romance stories, so it was designed to allow space for stories by and for people of color to reach a broad audience. Launched in 2006, Kimani Romance was Harlequin’s line of books that featured African American and multicultural protagonists. The Closing of Harlequin’s Kimani Romance Line

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