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The book cover design has gathered great importance in recent years. However, while visual design in general has been extensively investigated, book cover design is relatively unexplored. This research project seeks to explore how book cover design influences the process of publishing process of women’s commercial fiction. It will compare cover design within this genre in the UK and Taiwan. It will compare the different markets of Taiwan and the UK; it will also explore and analyse publishers’ \ud commercial strategies, and practical marketing considerations that influence decisions regarding various local or translated female fictions. The research relates to the wider context of how content is presented to gain maximum investment by stakeholders, \ud both industry (e.g. retailers, stockists and reviewers) and end-user (e.g. readers, purchasers and borrowers). The findings suggest that publishers in the UK consider market appeal and resulting likely commercial profits more than publishers in Taiwan. \ud In Taiwan, with less commercial awareness or emphasis, editors and designers seek to express themselves and create personal style in the products they bring to market; therefore, marketing is not the most influential department within publishing houses. \ud These findings have implications for decision making about covers in women’s commercial fiction, and for design considerations for different markets.