The award-nominated enhanced audiobook and novel ‘The Legend of Valentine’ surge in visibility after four SOVAS® nominations as Valentine’s Day 2026 approaches.

Valentine’s story is ultimately about courage, faith, and love. To see readers and bookstores embracing it as part of the holiday season is profoundly rewarding.”
— Sheldon Collins

LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, December 2, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Each year, more than 136 million Americans join over a billion people worldwide in celebrating Valentine’s Day, spending more than $26 billion in the U.S. alone ($45 billion worldwide), according to Capital One Shopping Research. Yet amid the cards, flowers, and gifts, few people know the true origins of this holiday.

To rediscover that history, one must journey back to Rome in the 3rd century, when an outlawed wedding ceremony, a forbidden love, and a courageous healer named Valentine helped forge the foundation of a tradition that still endures.

This story is vividly reimagined in The Legend of Valentine (Hutchinson & Collins Publishing), the historical novel and enhanced audiobook by filmmaker and author Sheldon Collins. Following four SOVAS Voice Arts Awards nominations for Outstanding Production, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Sound Design, the project is seeing renewed momentum as Valentine’s Day 2026 approaches.

The enhanced audiobook, co-directed by Collins and produced by Pro Audio Voices, recently received a Starred Review from Booklist (American Library Association), which praised it as “full of the type of pulse-pounding scenes that make this full-cast, soundtrack-backed, effect-laden audio an ideal format.” The review highlights its cinematic scope, immersive sound design, and performances by its twenty-member international cast. The SOVAS Voice Arts Awards ceremony will be held January 18, 2026, in Beverly Hills, spotlighting the production weeks before the holiday.

Set in Rome in 268 AD, The Legend of Valentine follows Valentine, a once-fearsome warrior reborn from the brink of death who renounces violence and devotes himself to healing. Guided by his blind lover, Agatha, he undertakes a mission to secretly wed Christian couples despite Emperor Claudius II’s ban on marriage ceremonies. As Valentine’s clandestine acts of love and faith grow bolder, he challenges a tyrannical regime and plants the seeds of a tradition that has lasted nearly eighteen hundred years.

The print novel continues to earn praise from major trade outlets. Publishers Weekly wrote that “a piercing exploration of faith, sacrifice, and redemption gives this epic love story an intricate depth often missing in similar titles.” Kirkus Reviews called the book “a complex and ambitious adventure for lovers of ancient historical romance.” The Historical Fiction Company described it as “an incredible story… an immersive tale with a surprising twist that shows that true love never dies.”

As interest in The Legend of Valentine builds, bookstores along the California coast have begun inviting Collins for in-store signings and Valentine’s-themed events. Multiple venues from Southern California to the Bay Area have requested appearances leading up to February 14, offering shoppers the chance to purchase signed copies as meaningful gifts. “It’s an honor to sign books that people will give as expressions of love,” Collins said. Additional stores continue to come on board as the holiday approaches.

To accommodate increasing demand, Collins is now accepting select media invitations and additional bookstore event requests in the lead-up to Valentine’s Day. Bookstores seeking to host a signing or Valentine’s-themed appearance may contact the author directly. Media outlets interested in interviews or feature coverage are also encouraged to reach out.

With momentum growing across formats, Collins is developing a limited television series adaptation in collaboration with Grammy-nominated composer and producer Stephen Endelman, expanding the Valentine universe into a multi-platform storytelling experience.

The Legend of Valentine is available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and ensemble-cast enhanced audiobook editions. Its blend of romance, history, and adventure makes it a compelling Valentine’s Day gift for readers seeking something meaningful, emotional, and rooted in the origins of the holiday.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sheldon Collins is a storyteller whose career began in Hollywood as a screenwriter and director. His films have appeared on premium television and at numerous festivals, recognized for their character-driven narratives and cinematic execution. A graduate of UC Berkeley (B.A., Rhetoric) and the American Film Institute (M.F.A., Directing), Collins brings a filmic sensibility to his writing. He lives with his family in California.

For more information, media inquiries, bookstore events, interviews, or feature requests, visit www.SheldonCollins.com
or contact [email protected].

Readers and consumers may also explore the story and purchase the book at: www.TheLegendofValentine.com.

Sheldon Collins
HUTCHINSON & COLLINS PUBLISHING LLC
[email protected]
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Audiobook trailer of The Legend of Valentine, a cinematic retelling of the origins of Valentine’s Day, brought to life through romance, history, and adventure.

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