For me it's the right mix of emotion and action to keep the pages turning. Not to say I don't appreciate a drawn out love of argument scene. But the ost important thing would be characters that reach out and grab your attention.
Hi Rita, I'm trying for Steeple Hill, the inspirational arm of Harlequin. I don't have to go through an agent (though if a book ever gets picked up for publication, I'll probably find one). I'm pitching my first novel to an editor from SH in March...