Back in 1972, Kathleen Woodiwiss launched the romance paperback boom with The Flame and the Flower, published by Avon Books (when looking for a paperback publisher, Woodiwiss reportedly started with the A's). She went on to write 10 more romances, with sales of more than 36 million worldwide. Like all authors, Woodiwiss had always wanted to be in hardcover, and her editor, Carrie Feron, was convinced that The Reluctant Suitor was the right book. Avon's sister publisher, Morrow, published the hardcover with a first printing of 325,000. Feron was right—Suitor debuts at #7 on PW's list.