The team at Harlequin Mills & Boon was heartbroken to lose a much-loved colleague, Senior Editor Sheila Hodgson, on August 6, 2025, after a short illness. An invaluable member of our team for 31 years, Sheila was an exceptional editor, mentor and friend to countless editors and authors who worked with her over three decades.
Sheila is best-known for her work as Senior Editor of the Medical Romance series. She also acquired widely for Harlequin Romance, Presents and Historical Romance. She joined Harlequin Mills & Boon in May 1994 and became an insightful expert and true champion of the romance publishing industry. Her contribution as a publishing professional was immense and she is dearly missed.
With some time taken to collect our thoughts, we are sharing fond memories of Sheila and all that we loved about her.
Bryony Green, Executive Editor of the UK Series Acquisition team:
“I worked with Sheila for nearly 29 years, from my very first day at M&B in 1996 when Sheila was one of the team who took me out to lunch, and I remember thinking how chic and glamorous she was and how I’d never be able to be that put-together on an every day basis! She was ever so warm and welcoming. Through all those years since, whether good days or hard times, Sheila’s warmth, humanity, and kindness have always made her a really wonderful friend and colleague. She was wise, considered and thoughtful, never one to make a rushed decision, which meant her decisions could be trusted. She was always ready to see the funny side of a situation. I miss her every day.”
Carly Byrne, Senior Editor for Historical Romance:
“The editorial ‘treat shelf’ is essential to the team’s ability to function, and one of our faves was Sheila’s famous lemon drizzle cake! During our time in the Richmond office, there were lean periods and that was when Sheila would bring out her trusty tin of Crunchies and Twirls (popular chocolate bars for those outside the UK) that she kept in her desk drawer for such emergencies. She knew just when a sugar hit was needed most and this is just one example of the care she had for her colleagues.”
Jenny Macey, Editor for Presents:
“Sheila’s warmth, humour, and unwavering support for her authors and colleagues is what made her so beloved by everyone who had the joy of working with her. I was lucky enough to have Sheila as my manager through the beginning of my editorial journey, and I’m so grateful for her endless encouragement and belief in me. I’ll carry the confidence, knowledge, and passion for romance she instilled in me through the rest of my career. We all miss Sheila terribly – irreplaceable, as both an editor and a person – but she’ll live on in all of the lives she touched ❤”
Elena Lodge, Editorial Assistant on the Medical/Romance Team:
“Sheila interviewed me for my role at Harlequin Mills & Boon, and I’ll always remember how kind and supportive she was during the process, and beyond. Sheila always brought warmth and a bright smile into the office. She was a wonderful manager, editor and colleague, and I am grateful for my time spent under Sheila’s wing on the Medical/Romance Team.”
Dianne Moggy, VP Editorial:
“It’s difficult to think of Sheila without thinking of her tenacious support of our authors and her colleagues. She constantly looked for opportunities to share our authors’ stories across the globe and was equally passionate about coaching her team and helping them hone their skills. Her warm smile was always welcoming, her wit always amusing and her intelligence always thought-provoking. She inspired us by so openly sharing her love of the romance genre, her love of cooking, baking and drinking champagne, and her appreciation of travelling to more exotic locales. And, amongst so many of these things, I will miss our fashion discussions as she always introduced me to the newest shops. We have all benefited from knowing and working with Sheila and she leaves a huge hole in our Harlequin Mills & Boon family.”
