Mills & Boon style writing

Mills & Boon Style Writing

Gazing out the window, she was still unattended and lonely at the bar. She could sense someone staring at the back of her head, impatiently waiting for her to turn round. Turning her petite body, her eyes fixed on cool, piercing blue eyes. He swiftly approached her with a confident smile. She was captivated by his good looks and charming smile, which almost took her breathe away. “Hello” she timidly said. She felt a warm feeling of safety as the man sat next to her and his strong arms wrapped around her delicate waist. “Allow me to buy you a drink” he demanded. She blushed and shyly accepted. She admired his attractive face and husky voice as he ordered a pint and a vodka cranberry. Passing her vodka cranberry over, she gracefully flipped her hair and nervously glanced back at him. She was mesmerised with questions running through her mind, wondering why such a good looking man would approach her. She felt lucky to be accompanied with such a tremendous, fetching man.

Comments: This was my first attempt at writing an extract of a romantic novel in the style of Mills & Boon. I have carefully selected words that make the man seem strong and powerful, and the woman to seem delicate and vulnerable.

For example, the man has very active material verbs such as “swiftly approached” and “wrapped around her”. These actions make the man seem powerful and in control of the situation, making the woman appears vulnerable.

While the woman has very mental processes and not active verbs, this shows her as not doing actions, just thinking and this shows her as emotional and not powerful.  For example “gazing” and “admired”. I have also included a relational verb which shows the affect he man has on her which includes “she blushed”.  This shows her state of being is being controlled by the man and this portrays the affect he has on her.

He is also the one that initiates the interaction, by approaching her. As she was alone she is seen as an easy target and vulnerable. I have used words to describe her such as “delicate” and “petite”. This shows that she may be vulnerable as when something is petite and delicate; they are seen as being damaged easily. The man is seen as powerful as I have described him as having “strong arms” and “piercing blue eyes” and these are manly features which seem powerful.