SOLVED. Romance, half set in past, half in present. Present bit heroine is a woman who writes romance novels. [s]

[Miranda]

I think I read this in about 1998 or 1999. The book starts out with the main character (who is a romance writer) talking about how hard it is to write successful romance novels because the reviewers are always cynical, bitter literature students who think that only grim and depressing books are valid. I can remember a line where she's talking about the response that romance novels SHOULD elicit in people - "Ahh. Love. Making love. Cuddles. Babies." or something like that.

THEN for some reason I can't remember (possibly it's the novel she's writing?) it jumps back to the past to tell another romance story set in some bygone era with corsets, long sweeping skirts and possibly even kilts involved. The main character HERE is a skinny girl who considers herself very unattractive because she has small breasts, but unbeknownst to her is admired by village men etc because of her shapely bottom. (Yes, that's right.) (How they noticed it through the sweeping skirts was never explained.) I have a feeling her name was unusual and started with an 'I', but I could be wrong. Anyway there's some twist with her nearly having to marry the rich awful lord or whatever but it all turns out well and she marries Our Hero, her childhood friend, who is of course terribly handsome, rugged and dark-haired etc.

THEN it jumps back to the romance writer again at the end, and I can remember this scene very vividly where she's getting ready to go out with the love interest but he arrives before she's ready and she's applied purple eyeshadow to ONLY ONE EYE. For some reason that bit really stuck in my head.

Anyway, so that's about the sum total of my memory of it. Any ideas?

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Sarah, are you still looking for this book?

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

No response, moving to Abandoned.

[Miranda]

I never did find this book. Still remember that scene with the purple eyeshadow on one eyelid.

[Juels]

Could it be Remembrance by Jude Deveraux?

'You'd think that the very thought of a romance writer would bring a smile to people's lips. Ah, how nice. Love. Making Love. Laughter. Kissing.'

[Miranda]

YES that is totally it! You are amazing xx