Mills & Boon: 1908 - 2008

This year, Mills & Boon marks a century as one of the most enduringly popular names in publishing - and highlighting the centenary of this bastion of romance fiction is just one of the ways that the Cape Town Book Fair will be celebrating Romance in our lives this June.

Over the past 100 years, the Mills & Boon imprint has become synonymous with romantic fiction and today is part of Harlequin, the world's largest publisher of heart-palpitating reads.

A little-known fact is that in 1908 the Mills & Boon firm began as a general publisher. In addition to early novels from P.G. Wodehouse, Jack London and Hugh Walpole, its list included non-fiction titles such as The Poultry Keeper's Companion and Twenty-Four Years of Cricket by Arthur A. Lilley.

It was only during the 1930s and '40s, as the demand for popular, escapist romance fiction increased, that the firm's transition to household name began. Today, say the words "Mills and Boon", and the publisher's amatory book covers spring instantly to mind.

In the 21st century, Mills & Boon has kept up with the times, embracing the digital age by making its books available to download. Stories that make the blood race are now just a few clicks away - as is the complete Mills & Boon history: see the links section below.

• Look out for special Romance Genre-dedicated stands and events at the 2008 Cape Town Book Fair

Romance Literature links

• History of Mills & Boon
• Romance Literature site directory (for fans)
• Romance Publishers list (The Passionate Pen)
• Romance novels on Wikipedia
• Romance web gateway