Analyzes romantic fiction and its depiction of women within its historical context and as part of the history of ideas about women. This volume discusses such areas as: early years - class and wealth; and the twenties - sex and violence.

Introduction: Mills & Boon have a happy knack of discovering the popular author; Chapter 1 A Short History of Mills & Boon – A very profitable small firm; Chapter 2 Reader, Author, Editor – Many hours of pleasant reading; Chapter 3 1910s – Society and Exotic, City and Country; Chapter 4 Hero – You brought me to life; Chapter 5 Heroine – Mirror Image; Chapter 6 War and Aftermath – You give me redemption; Chapter 7 Work – The smothering of the creative spark … could he a sort of murder; Chapter 8 Sex – We got all the damned foreplay over with months ago; Chapter 9 Love and Marriage – Harbour of desire; Chapter 10 Feminism – I’m not a feminist, but …;