Mills and Boon Releases The Art of Romance | Over 40 Book Covers for Adults to Colour In

Mills and Boon is celebrating over 100 years of its iconic books and of course that includes their covers.

In celebration they have released an adult colouring book ‘The Art of Romance’ which I have been lucky enough to receive last week to review.

I couldn't help but notice that the book will be officially  released on 5th May 2016 which is my Mum's birthday so after completing the below page - rather brightly - to start her off I have actually today posted the colouring book to my Mum. Why?!?!? Well because it was through her copies of Mills and Boon that I got introduced to the iconic books. Those and Jackie Collins. Two, because my Mum no longer works after decades of being a career woman with long hours and a long commute. She retired to Ireland in my final year of University and one of her main vices now, other than the fags, is reading. She reads a couple of books a week and is a regular at her local library. I wanted to find her a new hobby to have alongside her reading and this opportunity fell into my lap. I hope she takes to it. Oh and that brings me onto a 3rd reason to send it to her. It was she, my Mum who taught ME to colour in when I was little, so it's now come full circle, such is the circle of life and now I am giving her a nudge. Just posting the book and a birthday card cost me £6.60 so I didn't put in a pack of felt tip pens but she will need them.

I was using Aaron's crayons and felt tips to do the above, hence the use of mainly primary colours, but if you had one of those huge sets with various SHADES of various colours wow you could do a mighty job altogether. Both at the front and the back of the colouring book they give you examples of how they could be coloured in:

As you can see from the covers on the right and the example on the left, below (printed in the back of the colouring book) the colours are quite muted which is why I thought it would be fun to do my bright version.

I can't wait to see which angle my Mum goes for - bright or muted. She can't draw for toffee (my Auntie Berniece taught me that) but *is* very good with colours and home interiors, so I think this book will put her in touch with her creative side, which is so important for us to foster as humans. I remember my Mum's colouring in being fabulous when I was little. I hope this book gets her a bit nostalgic. I hope she thinks it's a touching present.

I was asking myself, is sending this to her the right thing (I posted it today as her birthday is 5th May, the same day the colouring book is released) and I asked for a sign. Turned the page and boom! Look below

My Mum was born in the Marian year and her name is unusually spelled Marion. Plus the book will get there by airmail and I always fly there via Ryanair!

Yes, she will most certainly LOVE this colouring in book. Being in the West of Ireland in the countryside she may not know about the recent trend for adult colouring in but I will bring her up to speed. She LOVES knowing something is trendy.

Over the course of more than 100 years Mills and Boon has  documented the history of romance, evolution of fashion and social change from the 1900s to the present day. The book: The Art of Romance features 47 cover illustrations to colour in, alongside year-by- year facts, quotes and memories to give social history and context.

The Art of Romance celebrates over 100 years of the publisher’s most iconic covers, taking the reader back to key moments in history from the austere war years, the birth of a royal baby, the swinging sixties and even the rise of the rom-com in the noughties.

Perfect for fans of art, fashion and vintage culture, The Art of Romance charts the history of romance in the 20th Century, featuring quotes, facts and snippets of information about what was happening in the world when each story and associated cover were created.

The Art of Romance launches as the wave of adult colouring books continues to sweep the UK. The trend shows no signs of slowing down with experts 1 hailing colouring as a great way to exercise mindfulness and distress. Lisa Milton, Harlequin Executive Publisher, elaborates: “Colouring is a wonderful way to relax and be creative; there’s something very nostalgic and comforting about it. The Art of Romance takes you on a fantastic journey back in time, remembering what romance was like when your grandparents met or even when you had your first kiss! With Mills & Boon’s beautiful artwork as inspiration, it is a wonderful way to unwind.”

She continues: “As a heritage brand, with our 108 year archive, we were spoiled for choice for covers to include within the book. In bringing together the vintage covers, snippets of social history and utterly fabulous fashions across the decades, I can’t think of a better way to tell the story of Mills and Boon than through The Art of Romance.”

The Art of Romance will be available to buy from www.millsandboon.co.uk and in all good bookshops from

May 5th 2016.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy for this review and will have a further one available for a giveaway. The giveaway will be added to this post tomorrow as we draw closer to the excitement of the book being released! 

WIN A COPY OF THE BOOK HERE:

To enter you  must do all three things: follow @NewMumOnline and @MillsandBoon on Twitter and send a  tweet. All three entry options are mandatory and all must be completed via the following Rafflecopter widget:

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

More competitions ending in May here, over at Super Lucky Di's blog linky for comps: 

More competitions at ThePrizeFinder - See more at: http://www.theprizefinder.com/content/mills-and-boon-adult-colouring-book-40-covers-colour#sthash.Ob3fPWeM.dpuf