About Us

A small team built on design expertise and genuine love for historical romance.

The Swoonies specializes in creating covers for historical romance novels. With over twenty years of design experience and a deep understanding of the genre, we work with authors to bring their stories to life visually. Our small team combines design expertise with technical support to deliver professional covers and a streamlined client experience.

Who we are

Meet Holly & Pierre

Holly Perret | Owner & Lead Designer

After spending over twenty years in corporate design, marketing, and instructional development, I made the decision to leave that world behind and focus on something I genuinely loved. Book cover design, particularly for historical romance, became that passion. For the past six years, I’ve been creating covers that capture the heart of these stories: the sweep of emotion, the richness of period detail, and the promise of love that draws readers in.

My background in visual design and my deep appreciation for art history shape every cover I create. Historical romance deserves covers that feel authentic to the period while still capturing modern sensibilities about what makes a compelling visual. Clean composition, thoughtful typography, and an attention to detail that honors both the story and the reader. These are the elements that transform a cover from functional to exceptional.

One of the challenges in this niche is finding the right imagery. Period-appropriate couples aren’t easy to source, and licensing can become complicated quickly when authors want to create bookmarks, swag, or promotional materials. I’ve worked to solve these problems by commissioning custom photoshoots with full commercial licensing and developing workarounds that keep costs reasonable while giving authors the flexibility they need. My goal is to remove obstacles between authors and the covers they envision.

Romance is about all kinds of love stories, and I believe every couple deserves a cover that honors their story authentically. Whether that’s a diverse couple, a same-sex romance set in a historical period, or any pairing that reflects the beautiful variety of human connection, creating covers that represent these stories truthfully matters to me. It’s not about making a statement; it’s about making sure every author’s vision can come to life on their cover.

Our Facebook community of over 700 members has become a wonderful space for authors to connect, share their covers, and celebrate historical romance together. Being part of this community and helping authors bring their stories to readers is what makes this work meaningful. If you’re looking for a cover that captures the essence of your historical romance with care and professionalism, I’d love to work with you.

Pierre Perret | Client Success & Operations Manager

Behind every smooth-running creative business is someone making sure the technical side works seamlessly. Pierre handles the infrastructure, troubleshooting, and operational details that keep The Swoonies running efficiently. His eighteen years of experience in enterprise IT means that when something needs to work (file transfers, client communications, system organization), it does, without creating headaches for anyone involved.

His expertise lets me focus entirely on design while knowing that the technical backbone of the business is solid. When authors need support or when systems need attention, Pierre ensures everything functions the way it should. That invisible technical support makes all the difference in delivering a professional experience from start to finish.

Our value

What drives our work

Beautiful covers that stop readers in their tracks. That’s always been the goal. Every design decision comes back to creating art that’s compelling enough to sell books and build author careers. When your cover works, you succeed.

What We Value

Exceptional craft, authentic representation of all love stories, and deep respect for the historical romance genre. Every couple deserves a cover that captures their story honestly, whether that’s a diverse pairing, a same-sex romance, or any love story that reflects the beautiful variety of human connection.

What We Do

Create covers that sell. Solve the practical headaches of licensing and period imagery. Deliver professional design that helps authors build successful careers. Make the process straightforward so you can focus on writing while we focus on making your book irresistible to readers.