Passion''s Fortune : The Story of Mills & Boon

A history of Mills & Boon, the publishing phenomenon which has become synonymous with romantic fiction. The text draws upon an archive of over 50,000 letters revealing the relationship between editorial policy, social attitudes and sales, and examines the dictates of the Mills & Boon formula.

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.