Passion's Fortune

Book excerpt: This is the first history of Mills & Boon, the British publishing phenomenon which has become a household name, synonymous with romantic fiction. On the firm's 90th anniversary, Joseph McAleer has written the first history of Mills & Boon, drawing upon a long-lost archive of over 50,000 letters which reveal the intricate relationship between editorial policy, social attitudes, and sales. McAleer examines the dictates of the Mills & Boon formula and demonstrates how novels were 'Managed' by the firm to ensure maximum sales and to nurture a cadre of loyal readers in Britain and throughout the Commonwealth. The result is a cultural phenomenon whose 'product' reflected the attitudes and morals of the age while offering women an addictive escape from everyday life. It's a fascinating read for anyone who's ever wondered about writing a Mills & Boon, or wants to understand the story behind one of the most successful British firms of the twentieth century.