The points of issue
Avon mass-market paperback original and Rogers's debut, which together with Woodiwiss's Avon originals launched the historical-romance paperback boom. The first printing shows the original cover price and no later-printing statement on the copyright page.
Is this the true first?
The paperback original is the true first; there is no hardcover first edition. It is Rogers's first published novel.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club hardcover. Later Avon printings carry higher cover prices and numbered printing lines.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Sweet Savage Love a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Avon mass-market paperback original and Rogers's debut, which together with Woodiwiss's Avon originals launched the historical-romance paperback boom. The first printing shows the original cover price and no later-printing statement on the copyright page.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. The paperback original is the true first; there is no hardcover first edition. It is Rogers's first published novel.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club hardcover. Later Avon printings carry higher cover prices and numbered printing lines.
I have a first edition of Sweet Savage Love — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.