Hopelessly addicted to the happy-ever-after, I’m absolutely thrilled to be taking over Lost in Romance from the wonderful Sarah Stubbs, so hold onto your hats (and hearts) for my very first post…

There is a first time for everything in life, but your first kiss is one moment you never forget. Whether it’s your first frightening, fumbling kiss as an adolescent, or the thrilling first kiss of a new relationship, it’s the catalyst to any romance… and quite often, the deal-breaker!

In real-life or in fiction, we’re all hoping to be swept off our feet by that one, heart-racing moment when your lips finally touch theirs, and you’re hit with the realisation that this is something magical – or forever incompatible. My role as an Editorial Assistant at Mills & Boon certainly has its perks…with every manuscript I am transported back to the tumbling emotions of the first kiss – and as an editor, it’s absolutely critical that it’s as evocative as possible.

Whatever the series, from Modern to Historical, or Intrigue to Cherish, the second the heroine locks lips with her luscious hero we are given the first real insight into the characters’ sizzling chemistry. It’s a moment of truth, a moment of clarity – where all motivations and indecision are pushed to the side and replaced by only the immediate feelings experienced by the hero or heroine. Tender or passionate, it’s the first time we know that the feelings are reciprocated on either side. The pressure’s on, the stakes are raised, and from that moment on…there’s no going back!

Of course, half the pleasure in the first kiss is down to the escalating sense of anticipation carefully built up by the author beforehand. The flutter of breaths as the hero or heroine move closer together, the trembling heartbeats as the hero gently tilts the heroine’s chin towards him, the swirling emotions revealed as their eyes fasten on to one another. We’re already on the edge of our seats by the time the characters finally kiss…

This week, Tatia Pilieva captured the raw intensity of this moment in the YouTube sensation First Kiss. Prepare to throw all your expectations out the window as these perfect strangers journey from awkward to intimate – in just a few seconds. Surprising, beautiful, and if 64 million hits (and counting…) doesn’t highlight our fascination with the transience of the first kiss, what does?

The first kiss fires our curiosity for characters, we are left intrigued, desperate to hear more of the two people sharing this exquisite connection…we want to know their story. Amongst the dazzling first kisses within our current books, one really stood out for me. In Awakened by His Touch (Nikki Logan, Cherish, March 2014) the hero and heroine finally succumb to temptation and share an unforgettable first kiss, one that is made even more powerful by the author’s sensitive portrayal of her blind heroine, Laney Morgan. Here, the kiss symbolises a new beginning, an opening of possibilities – it’s impossible not to fall in love with these two characters!

The perfect kiss captivates our hearts and lifts us into the world of our imagination. And whichever Mills & Boon story you pick up this month, you’ll share the journey of the character’s first kiss as it propels them a little closer to their happy-ever-after. There’s a reason ‘I do’ is sealed with a kiss, after all…

So, I ask you, what’s your most memorable first kiss? Whether in life, or in our books – we’re sure they are equally sensational!

By The Mills & Boon team