Adult colouring is hugely popular at the moment, with many fans extolling its stress-busting virtues, and Mills & Boon, the UK's most popular publisher of romantic fiction, has got in on the action, launching its first ever colouring book, 'The Art of Romance'.
The book features 47 cover illustrations to colour in, each one dated, with accompanying year-by-year facts, quotes and memories to give social history and context.
It's a fascinating look at the history of romance and women's place in society through the years. During the war years, for example, one novel was called Frail Amazon, a title that would probably irk modern feminists but I could imagine that at the time, when women were forced to put their femininity aside and take on the roles of the men who had gone off to fight, reading about a fragile woman in need of protection would be appealing.
Certain covers made me snigger because their innocent titles could be misconstrued in the modern world where sexual innuendoes and double entendres are so ingrained !
You get a real feel for the social etiquette, changing fashions and stereotypical roles of both sexes throughout the years, from the 1900's to the present day.
Certain historical events get a mention, from the austere war years, the birth of a royal baby and the swinging sixties to the rise of the rom-com in the noughties.
As well as being a relaxing trip back in time to your happy days colouring as a child, the romantic covers will allow you to step back in time, discovering what romance was like when your grandparents and parents met or even reliving your own teenage romances and first kiss !
The Art of Romance is available in all good bookshops and from www.millsandboon.co.uk.
UK only. Closing date : 20/5/16
T & C's : Entries close at midnight on the closing date. Winners will be selected with a random number generator and announced on facebook, twitter and in the giveaway post subject line. Please note, you will be contacted by email and/or twitter and if I haven't heard from you after 28 days, I'll have to pick another winner. Prizes will be sent out by the companies or their PR directly to winners. Madhouse Family Reviews cannot be held responsible for any prizes that go astray !
You may also like to enter my other giveaways :
The Regency era :)
ReplyDelete18th century fiction.
ReplyDeleteElizabethan era
ReplyDeleteI love Georgian fiction with all the lavish settings
ReplyDeleteThe Regency era would be a good setting.
ReplyDeleteMy absolute favourite is Pride and Prejudice early 19th century
ReplyDeleteThe early 19th century.
ReplyDeleteThe Elizabethan era appeals to me.
ReplyDeleteThe Early 19th Century when Mr Darcy was about!
ReplyDeleteThe Victorian era- ladies dressed so beautifully and gentlemen were just that!
ReplyDelete17th & 18th centuries
ReplyDeleteI think the late 19th century
ReplyDeleteElizabethan period as they always dressed well
ReplyDeleteElizabethan period as they always dressed well
ReplyDeleteI think 1920s, I,ve seen black and white photos of my gran she looks so pretty and smartly dressed, pull any chap
ReplyDeleteElizabethan era
ReplyDeleteElizabethan :)
ReplyDeleteEarly 20th century before TV, phones etc when people still wrote love letters
ReplyDeletevictorian times with all the beautiful dresses
ReplyDeleteGeorgian
ReplyDelete19th century
ReplyDeleteVictorian
ReplyDeleteGreat prize, good luck everyone!
ReplyDeleteI do like the Victorian era especially the gowns
ReplyDeleteThe Elizabethan era :)
ReplyDeleteGeorgian period.
ReplyDeleteThe 1920's
ReplyDeleteI have entered competition, as I do enjoy colouring in. I find colouring in relaxing.
ReplyDeleteRachel craig
I know this sounds weired, but the end of the world, but they survive in a remote cottage
ReplyDeleteI love a historical drama, set in a fancy manor house! x
ReplyDeleteThe edwardian era :)
ReplyDeletexo
Definitely the 50s it all looked so innocent
ReplyDeleteVictorian
ReplyDeleteI love Regency romance xx
ReplyDeletethe Victorian era :)
ReplyDeletevictorin era
ReplyDeleteBrilliant giveaway
ReplyDeleteThe Victorian era for me too, thank you for the chance. xx
ReplyDeleteIve entered and love the 1920s
ReplyDeleteI would personally have to say the victorian era
ReplyDeleteI love the Viking era
ReplyDeleteThe Victorian era
ReplyDeleteThe 60s, centred arounfd the music.
ReplyDeleteI think the early Victorian era is seen as the most romantic by us Brits as most of our romantic literature was written back then, but I'm sure it wasn't that romantic for the average man and woman on the street - only for those in the 'big' houses? ;)
ReplyDeletei think the hippy 60s @leabana1
ReplyDeletemodern day.
ReplyDeleteThe Elizabethan era with the beautiful dresses
ReplyDeleteOo, er. I'm afraid I don't like romantic novels at all but I could read something modern set in an interesting place.
ReplyDeleteThe Elizabethan era
ReplyDeleteI love the roaring 20s
ReplyDeleteI love the roaring 20s
ReplyDeleteI think the 40s/50s after the war
ReplyDeleteI'd have to say something modern
ReplyDeleteDuring Tudor times.
ReplyDeleteThe Victorian era always seems so romantic to me x
ReplyDeletegreat giveaway thank you. would love to be in the edwardian era
ReplyDeleteMy choice would be the Victorian era
ReplyDeletethe wild west :)
ReplyDeleteVictorian Era :)
ReplyDeleteThe nineteenth century - oh Mr Darcy :)
ReplyDeleteVictorian
ReplyDeleteVictorian
ReplyDeleteyes please
ReplyDeleteThe 1920s era - great gatsby style!
ReplyDeleteLove the Edwardian Era x
ReplyDeleteMedieval times!
ReplyDelete1920s seems very romantic to me <3
ReplyDeleteThe Victorian era.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely the 19th Century.... Pride and Prejudice has a lot to answer for!
ReplyDeleteTudor time for me :)
ReplyDelete19th century
ReplyDelete19th Century. Love the skirts
ReplyDeleteThe Medieval era - all knights and horses... Lovely :)
ReplyDeleteMedieval times! :)
ReplyDeletethe 1940's :)
ReplyDelete1920s
ReplyDeleteVictorian era
ReplyDeleteLovely book
ReplyDeleteThe Victorian era
ReplyDeleteI think the 60's
ReplyDeleteI've never thought about it! I'll go for the 30's cos I've enjoyed the dramas set around then.
ReplyDelete