diff --git a/ebook/__init__.py b/ebook/__init__.py
index 3934dbc..ed52ebd 100644
--- a/ebook/__init__.py
+++ b/ebook/__init__.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 from .epub import make_epub
 from .cover import make_cover
+from .cover import make_cover_from_url
 
 import datetime
 import requests
@@ -105,7 +106,12 @@ def generate_epub(story, output_filename=None, cover_options={}):
     # The cover is static, and the only change comes from the image which we generate
     html = [('Cover', 'cover.html', cover_template)]
 
-    cover_image = ('images/cover.png', make_cover(story.title, story.author, **cover_options).read(), 'image/png')
+    if story.cover_url:
+        image = make_cover_from_url(story.cover_url, story.title, story.author)
+    else:
+        image = make_cover(story.title, story.author, **cover_options)
+
+    cover_image = ('images/cover.png', image.read(), 'image/png')
 
     html.append(('Front Matter', 'frontmatter.html', frontmatter_template.format(now=datetime.datetime.now(), **metadata)))
 
diff --git a/ebook/cover.py b/ebook/cover.py
index cf56232..3f16622 100644
--- a/ebook/cover.py
+++ b/ebook/cover.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 from PIL import Image, ImageDraw, ImageFont
 from io import BytesIO
 import textwrap
+import requests
 
 
 def make_cover(title, author, width=600, height=800, fontname="Helvetica", fontsize=40, bgcolor=(120, 20, 20), textcolor=(255, 255, 255), wrapat=30):
@@ -27,6 +28,15 @@ def make_cover(title, author, width=600, height=800, fontname="Helvetica", fonts
     output.seek(0)
     return output
 
+def make_cover_from_url(url, title, author):
+    try:
+        img = requests.Session().get(url)
+        cover = BytesIO(img.content)
+    except: 
+        cover = make_cover(title, author)
+    
+    return cover
+
 
 def _safe_font(preferred, *args, **kwargs):
     for font in (preferred, "Helvetica", "FreeSans", "Arial"):