There has been so much good news for romance fans lately when it comes to adaptations, but there is a bevy of untapped potential still just waiting to be brought to life.
With the great news of books like Anna Todd’s After, Christina Lauren’s Roomies, Helen Hoang’s The Kiss Quotient, and Sally Thorne’s The Hating Game all being turned into movies, it’s hard not to imagine a world in which all our favorite books came to life on screen.
And some series are just bigger than a movie, you know? Sometimes a world and its characters come alive over the course of a series and would work best as a series. Other book series have seen success with this as Outlander, The Magicians, and Game of Thrones are some of the most popular TV shows currently on the air, and True Blood had a nice long run on HBO. So, here are just a handful of contemporary romance series that could easily blossom into some of our favorite shows on television.
Rebecca Yarros’ Renegades series
This series just screams, “Someone ADAPT ME!” if you ask me. When you combine the drama of college age extreme sports athletes with a cruise ship functioning as a college, I really don’t see how anyone could possibly think this wouldn’t make great TV.
Each book could easily furnish enough story for an entire season, and changing the focus from one couple to another each season would allow the series to stay fresh without losing touch with all the characters we love. Plus, all that snowboarding and parachuting and water skiing would be so dynamic to see on screen week after week.
Tessa Bailey’s Line of Duty series
I’ve watched my fair share of cop dramas and detective shows. Between loving shows like Bones, Monk, and CSI, and catching random episodes of Criminal Minds, Law & Order and dozens more, I’ve definitely seen how well cop shows do on television.
So, why wouldn’t a romance series about cops do just as well? In addition to being able to solve crimes and give the audience the dangerous thrill factor, these stories would have well rounded heroes who treat their women in the way they should. The Line of Duty series is one of the first few I discovered as a newbie romance reader a couple years back, and I feel like the characters inhabiting the Line of Duty world would absolutely come alive on screen.
Jennifer L. Armentrout’s de Vincent series
I have absolutely fallen hook, line, and sinker for this series. I know I will be re-reading them for a long time to come, and I can’t help but think they would make a really imaginative and fun drama series. Three brothers, one legendary home, the possibility of hauntings and curses, the mystery of their parents’ deaths, each of them finding love in unlikely places, how is it possible that this series wouldn’t be the perfect fit for television? I know I would be tuning in week after week.
Kennedy Ryan’s Hoops series
This is definitely the kind of series that would live its best life on HBO or Showtime, so that the subject matter can be handled in honest ways. I think a series about professional basketball players would be a great addition to their lineup. Not to mention that Kennedy Ryan’s writing paints such vivid pictures of these characters and the lives they lead, that there’s no way it wouldn’t be full of incredible sets and costumes.
Not to mention how important it could be to see stories like August and Iris’ play out on screen. And Banner and Jared’s. And Lotus and Kenan’s… even if we haven’t had a chance to dive into their story yet. I would love to see this series start some important conversations that I really haven’t seen TV tackle.
Jay Crownover’s Getaway series
Last, but most certainly never least, is the Getaway series. Now, I could have picked just about any Jay Crownover series for this choice, but I feel like the Getaway series offers something that TV is missing. A drama about 3 brothers who own a ranch in Wyoming would be a unique show. When you add in all the delicious drama of each of their books, Retreat, Shelter, and Escape (with a little Runaround for added fun), this could be a really fresh, new show. Rather than another medical drama or show set in high school, let’s put some complicated cowboys on the screen, please.