ABSTRACT
Mass-market romance novels in English have come a long way since the British publisher Mills & Boon, the firm responsible for the creation of the genre, set up shop in 1908. In particular, the industry's shift from the UK to North America have led to the binding, cover art, and cover copy of popular romance undergoing several incarnations—and this before the changes further wrought by the advent of digital publishing. Unlike the material form now associated with the genre, hardcover binding was standard when Mills & Boon began publishing its romantic novels at the turn of the twentieth century, with colorful dust jackets being typical to the format. Early works bear only a faint resemblance to the stereotype that was later to become integral to the company's brand. Moreover, Mills & Boon's "glamorous, subdued" illustrations continued to be tailored to the plots, with the cover art of the mid-century novels occasionally reflecting contemporary events, social as well as political.
