r/HistoricalRomance

Had this in paperback and I also bought the ebook several years ago but this is a steal of a deal! From one of my favourite older series, this is the first book in the {Holt Sisters Trilogy Series by Julie Anne Long}.

The e-version of {Beauty and the Spy by Julie Anne Long} is on sale in US and Canada for a limited time at the awesome price of $0.99!!!

Available from these retailers - Amazon, Apple Books, Google and Kobo so pick up while you can.

= = = = = = = = = = Sale price only for US and Canada regions = = = = = = = = = =

This is a niche sub-genre of historical fiction, with real historical events narrated either by a real figure - usually a minor one with little survivng record, or by a fictional character who has access to the high society and the aristocrats.

The only book I know that fits both this niche is the Virgin's Lover by Philippa Gregory. She's a tutor expert, several of her books were adapted into miniseries and movies, but unfortunately they're mostly about politics, you know, Tutor history from female POV. The Virgin's Lover is the only one that loosely counts as a romance, in my opinion, a love triangle between Robert Dudley, Amy Dudley and young Queen Elizabeth, plus William Cecil's manipulation, narrated from theire respective POVs alternately. Spoiler alert, the author made Cecil the vilest villain who ordered Amy's murder and subtly put the suspicion on Queen Elizabeth, as though she was behind it in order to clear the biggest obstacle in front of her to marry Dudley, so they had to break up for the sake of the country.

I wonder if you have read anything like this. I find such books having both entertainment and educational values, compared to typical historical romance. They're like "docu-dramas", you know. It's quite useful, even necessary, to understand the ins and outs of certain historical periods in this way, instead of dry, boring stats and factoids in the history books.

I was thinking about how a lot of FMCs have low self-esteem or confidence about themselves because of how their Season(s) had gone.

From the books I've read, Letty Trentham in {Trusting Miss Trentham by Emily Larkin} probably had the biggest reason for her low self-esteem. By the time the book starts, she has turned down almost 200 proposals and 18 just in that Season. Sounds like she's popular? Every single one of those men just happened to have financial difficulties and she just happened to be the richest heiress around. She has the power to detect lies - literally; she hears a clang sound - and knows all the men just wanted her money and would have not been faithful. She is also not considered to be pretty and having men come up to her for just her money and lie about finding her desirable for 6 years has been a painful experience.

On the other hand, Lady Clara Fairfax from {Dukes Prefer Blondes by Loretta Chase} could well have a high level of self-esteem for the same reason. She is a rich and beautiful heiress so she gets proposals twice a week almost like it is a game. With her beauty AND fortune, she really has the pick of who she would want as her husband (unless she decides she wants someone from a different socio-economic class).

Who else can you think of who had either a really good or a really bad Season?

Welcome! New to the group or been away for a while? Please, introduce yourself. Don't be shy! We love Historical Romance and are enthusiastic about helping others finding their next read!

Are you a relative newbie to HR or just starting to explore the genre? Ask our community any questions you have about HR that you might otherwise be hesitate to create a separate post about!

Have you been reading Historical Romance for years and years? When did you first discover your love of HR? What do you like to read about? Do you have any favorite characters, books, authors?

We can't wait to hear from you!

This thread repeats every 4 weeks.

I have sourced a lot of the recommended books that take my fancy from other posts. However, I fancy dipping my toe outside of my usual London and Country House settings.

With that being said, hit me with your pirate/sailing the seas recommendations. All things on the table but ideally no Scottish leads (I'm Scottish and I absolutely can't stand the clichés... big moment killers 😂)

Hi everyone! Please suggest to me authors that write amazinggg western romance like Lorraine Heath! I can't stop reading her writing at all. I still have many of her books to read but do suggest more authors that have great stories about cowboys THANK YOU

after asking all you guys what kleypas is the one that fits most with faving married by morning, devil in winter and hello stranger (where i met west first!)- i decided to choose the west one.......but then got told by u/oznz that it's better to start with 'cold-hearted rake' to get the WESTON RAVENEL ARC EXTRAVAGANZA

and honestly? i'm about halfway through and have to say that while the writing is very good i'm not enjoying the 'cold-hearted rake' story that much- devon and kathleen are fine i don't find them terrible but i also don't find them interesting? but WEST keeps cracking me up and every time he leaves the pages i'm like where that boy at, and pulling on his shirt tails to get him back>!the thing where he brings his girlcousins gifts, and then manages to find himself a piglet which he made a pet because IT SMILED AT HIM, and all his little zingers too!<

anyone else read 'cold-hearted rake' like this- for the west?

i also don't think i've seen any west hate- fans either just love him or they're meh-whatever about him, and for once i like that. i feel like most of my other fave mmcs are divisive.

anyways i'm gonna go back to 'cold-hearted rake'- need plenty more of west!!

⚠️ Spoilers ahead, quotes from one of the 🌶 scenes ⚠️

I DNF'd {All About Passion by Stephanie Laurens}, book #7 in the Cynster series, at ~34%, page 142 out of 424. I was enjoying it, despite some small things that stood out to me.

Then I got to page 142:

She'd been as innocent, as virginal, as he'd suspected, yet... she could love him like this--like a concubine from some sultan's seraglio, skilled and practiced in the sensual arts.

He didn't need to elaborate; her lips curved into a widening smile. "My parents."

Dumfounded, he stared at her. "They taught you?"

She laughed, breathlessly, yet he felt the sound go through him like a shot of the finest brandy, searing straight to his gut, then sliding and pooling lower, fuel for his fire. He released her hair and she pressed to him once more. "No. I watched." She caught his eye, her lips languidly curved. "I was an only child." Her words were little more than a whisper, her body restless on his. "When I was young, my bedroom connected to theirs. They always left the door open, so they would hear if I called. I used to wake and go in... sometimes they didn't... notice. After a while, I'd go back to my bed. I didn't understand, not until later, but I remember."

I'm sorry, what? What do you mean, you know how to love like a concubine because you used to watch your parents? I understand that kids are curious, but what even??

I then skipped to the end to see if the ending made it worth it, it didn't, in my opinion. The FMC's female cousin that had been described as 'in poor health' (p.47), and 'sweet, a little simple, rather helpless' (p.48) ended up at some point going off the deep end, and in one of the final scenes in the book, the cousin threatens to kill the FMC so that she and the husband can be together. It's then painted as a madness that runs in the women of the family. I don't know if there was development in the bit I didn't read, but that also put me off.

All in all, this book thoroughly disappointed me. I was coming off the high of reading and absolutely adoring {On A Wild Night by Stephanie Laurens}, book #8 in the Cynster series, and this book was a fast comedown. I paused/DNF'd {Devil's Bride by Stephanie Laurens} in late June, as I couldn't find myself getting through it in a reasonable amount of time, and I am planning on continuing it later, but I'm a bit less likely to after all this.

That's literally it, y'all lol. I can only think of one off the top of my head (The Savage by Nicole Jordan) but the scene was so brief >!because MMC was too turned on and couldn't handle it lol!<

Since this is such a general rec, I'm fine with literally any tropes - but please note them if you can!

Many thanks lol

Any recommendations for books where the main characters are married very early in the plot and they depart for the country and have to learn to deal with each other. Kinda forced proximity. I don’t mind if the couple know each other or not.

Bonus points if they have to marry after being caught in a compromising situation.

Preferably no kleypass, Julia Quinn (as I’ve read most of their work) or Mary Balogh. (Side note: unpopular opinion but I think Mary Balogh writing isn’t very good and I’ve dnf’d a few of her books).

TIA x

I feel like anytime there’s a request for a recommendation these names (and a few others) dominate the list. Likely most of us have read them. These can’t be the only authors of intense, romance books. Intense love stories have been written for hundreds of years and some of the older ones were far spicier. What are some more incredible recommendations with more obscure authors or older books?

Anyone ever read:
Laurie McBain
Shirlee Busbee
Rebecca Brandewyne
Christine Monson
Jennifer Blake

Who else?

HR has changed a lot over the years. I’m looking for older (or controversial modern) greatly written historical romances that probably have lot of stuff authors wouldn’t write today. Whitney, my love by Judith McNaught is a one example. I just feel that these older books have something (don’t mean non con) that is lost in modern books.

Here is the original post because I was 2 chapters in and my glee and delight could not be contained: https://www.reddit.com/r/HistoricalRomance/s/MdCFc68IWx

Fellow HR readers, I have finished the book {Game of Rogues by Julie Anne Long} and I am WRECKED! I want a whole series on just this couple and the family characters that were introduced because I am NOT READY to let go.

Spoilers posted, below, but for those who want the gist without reading further: this book is so magnificent; the yearning is delightful and the way that both MCs not only grow individually, but do that individual growth because of how the interact with each other and expose their inner selves to each other along the plot.

I just love this kind of writing, where you can fully relate to the inner struggle, the inner narrative that the characters have. Even just silly points of narrative, like when Deliliah gets pinched (hilarious!). There are a lot of HR's I've enjoyed; there are lots of authors that I like their writing style (even if some plot points, or descriptions, or style does get repetitive throughout a single series or through multiple books), but this book (and several of the JAL books in this series and outside as well) hit me in my feels and just gave me joy.

Okay, now for some spoilers (or what I would consider spoilers) so stop reading to avoid!

1. The sarcasm banter of these two! I would be BFFs with Ginny for this reason alone.

>>!"What do you think I did with the rest of yesterday evening?" he asked. "Debauchery," she said firmly. "I was in by curfew," he replied piously. "Debauchery requires a considerably greater investment of time." "I imagine you would know, she said politely.!<

>>!"And are we going to steal the vase?" He stopped to fix her with a reproving stare. "For heaven's sake Miss Woodville. No, we're not going to steal it. What kind of monster do you think I am?"!<

>>!"Just as I suspected." Her voice was shockingly kiss-scorched. She whispered just an inch or two away from his lips, " You kiss like a granny."!<

2. >!His reasoning for having "beloved" on the stone marker for Michael just put me ALL in my feels......!<

3. The response about her freckles:

>>!"The night sky without stars," he said finally. As though he'd long been working out a conundrum in his head, and this was his best theory. "I beg your pardon?" "Your face without freckles," he explained. !<

4. >!The fact that he was already planning to turn the gaming club into an academy for children, plus the epilogue providing a future look at it and a slight connection to the MC from My Season of Scandal.!<

5. >!I loved Garth and Ginny mending fences; I wish this had been a bit more developed either in the epilogue or the ending scenes, but I understand the choice to be more general about it.!<

6. >!Controversial, because I really do love Dot (but I also understand how she can be a bit much and take away from the main story). But I REALLY do hope her and Pike have their own little side romance in a future book. !<

Some of her books are on Project Gutenberg but it looks like they are the ones that are either before or right when she started writing Regency romances (so more leaning towards mystery and historical fiction) and I would like to read the ones that made her second only to Austen so where do I start? What is her absolute best, most disappointment proof book, or are there multiple books that are must reads?

July is Disability Pride month. (You can celebrate by giving me kudos, cookies or cash- your choice)

In honor of that- and my weird niche project of reading 200+ books with disability rep- I present my personal hall of shame, and a truly excessive list of better options. Enjoy.

(For context: I’m neurodivergent and multiply disabled, but disabled readers are not a monolith. Your mileage may vary.)

Truly trash books that consistently get recommended here:

1.) My Darling Duke by Stacy Reid
The disability is portrayed wildly inconsistently. It’s somehow exactly as severe—or as mild—as the plot needs it to be in any given chapter. I wish my disability was just a plot device. I’d love to be able to completely turn it off to swim a rushing river to rescue drowning people or climb trees.

2. {Yours Until Dawn by Teresa Medeiros
Blindness is portrayed very unrealistically, and then the aggressively whiny MMC recovers his sight anyway (while somehow retaining every ounce of his dumbassery). Heaven forbid a disabled character get a happily-ever-after that still includes being disabled. 🙄

3. Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale
So. Many. Consent. Issues. Especially at the beginning. Also, it dragged on forever. All 19 hours of the audiobook felt like standing barefoot on legos.

4. {Again the Magic by Lisa Kleypas
This entire book is powered by a miscommunication that could have been resolved with a single conversation. The FMC’s limp is treated as this enormous, life-defining tragedy despite being portrayed as a complete nothing burger most of the time. Also, the MMC gets rich by building tenement housing… so our romantic hero is basically a slumlord?
Just read {The Footman by S.M. LaViolette}. It’s essentially the same story, but executed infinitely better.

5. Ever Yours, Annabelle by Elisa Braden
The disability representation was fine I guess… . The book itself? Boring as hell. I’d rather count grains of rice for an hour.

6. The Scandal of the Perfect Kiss by Merry Farmer
Not super frequently recc’edhere, but I need to scream about it. The FMC decides the MMC’s paralysis gives her carte blanche to drag him around against his will, flip over his wheelchair, and strip off his clothes in public1 while
He is begging and pleading for her to stop. all followed by dubious-consent/non-consent sex. That’s straight up assault, not romance.

My alternate recs (because I’m not ALWAYS a hater)

{The Winter Companion by Mimi Matthews}
MMC has a traumatic brain injury, aphasia, and a stutter. Watching him slowly regain confidence and step out to chase both his dreams AND FMC was awesome

{The Madness of Ian Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley}
MMC is autistic and was previously institutionalized by his parents. My personal favorite autistic representation in Har . Ian is brilliant, direct, quirky, and the book actually treats his autism as part of who he is rather than a problem to be fixed. Also, both MCs are sexually experienced and the FMC is a widow, which is refreshingly uncommon.

{Duke the Halls by Felicity Niven}
A novella and prequel to the Bed Me series. MMC is autistic and the FMC personally reads as ADHD-coded to me. They're delightful little weirdos and I mean that as the highest compliment.

{Friends and Foes by Sarah M. Eden}
The FMC was trampled by a horse and now has lingering seizure activity and a significant mobility impairment. She uses a cane and still struggles with walking. The banter in this book could strip paint. Enemies-to-lovers perfection. It's low spice, but the spy subplot and absolute verbal carnage make up for it.

{The Truth About Dukes by Grace Burrowes}
MMC has profound epilepsy and faces the threat of institutionalization. A good reminder that historical disability wasn't just about the disability itself—it was also about living under the constant threat of losing your autonomy. MOC / friends to lovers. FMC really goes to bat for MMC.

{Silent Revenge by Laura Landon}
FMC is deaf. MMC has PTSD.
CW: Part of his trauma involves sexual violence against a secondary character. It's summarized in flashbacks and not graphically depicted.

{The Silent Duke by Jess Michaels} and {When the Earl Met His Match by Stacy Reid}
Both feature mute MMCs who use sign language to communicate. Also, both heroes are absolute sweethearts. Sometimes you just want to watch kind people fall in love without wanting to chunk anyone into the sea.

{Charity Nightingale Heals Her Husband by Aydra Richards}
MMC has PTSD, a limp, an eye loss, and significant facial scarring from war. The FMC was the one who stitched his face back together. They entered a MOC during the war, believed the other had died, and reunite seventeen years later only to discover they're still married. This one has the best dialogue when MMC has a moment of vulnerability and asks if FMC thinks anyone could ever find him attractive. She’s basically like “fuck yes I’m into you… obviously”

{How to Woo a Wallflower by Virginia Heath}
The FMC has a limp from being thrown from a horse and now works helping rehabilitate patients with similar injuries. The MMC runs a gambling hell next door to the rehab hospital. Friends-to-lovers and very charming. Heavy on the “found family” aspect

{Sweet Disorder by Rose Lerner}
MMC walks with a cane from a war injury. FMC is chubby and reads as ADHD-coded to me. The MMC leans hard into being an extravagant dandy to divert attention from his limp.

{I Want You to Want Me by Shana Galen}
MMC has extensive damage to both legs from battlefield injuries and struggles significantly with mobility even with a cane. He also has serious body-image issues and is terrified of the FMC seeing his legs. Disability and vulnerability are handled with a lot of tenderness here. This is the end of a series similar to Mary Balough’s survivor’s club. It features a few other characters with war injuries.

{A Notorious Vow by Joanna Shupe}
MMC is deaf and just wants everyone to stop bothering him so he can work on his inventions. Relatable. Marriage of convenience, excellent chemistry, and refreshingly little bitterness surrounding his deafness.

{Enchanting the Earl by Lily Maxton}
MMC is an above-knee amputee due to injuries from the Napoleonic Wars and also has PTSD. He inherits a title in Scotland only to discover FMC and her aunt already live there. TBH the ptsd is a bigger impediment than his amputation. He has to work through some stuff first.

{How to Catch a Duke by Grace Burrowes}
MMC requires one or two canes depending on distance due to childhood abuse. FMC is a spinster private investigator, which immediately earns points from me. MMC is also bisexual, and it comes up in his backstory. (Also FMCs Quaker background seems way more realistic, non sanctimonious more accurate)

{always remember by Mary Balough} FMC is a wheelchair user. MMC works with her and her doc/ the blacksmith to work on better mobility aids and bracing so she can walk a little bit by the end of the book. I don’t count that as a recovery- just better supports= better mobility. The biggest barrier to them being together in the book is actually class difference- not her disability.

{The Escape by Mary Balogh}
MMC has severe war injuries and can walk only with great difficulty using two canes or a wheelchair. A major plot point involves him realizing that using a wheelchair is not failure and can actually improve his quality of life. I wish more books embraced this idea instead of treating using mobility aids as a failure

{a hero to hold by Sheri Humphreys } MMC was injured in Crimean war, he uses a wheelchair- not paralyzed but unable to walk or stand. FMC is a widow. This one has a revenge subplot/mystery against FMC (not by MMC)

{A Walled Garden: A Romance of the Jazz Age by Rowan Mai}
MMC has profound spastic cerebral palsy, uses a wheelchair, experiences severe upper-body spasms, and is highly intelligent and well educated. This one has a special place in my heart because The MCs meet and hook up in the same night. Not alot of angst of overthinking, just “there’s mutual attraction, let’s GO” I feel like we so rarely get a a situation where - even for a minute- the disabled character is just allowed to be hot and sexually desire able without a ton of angst.

{A Marquess of No Importance by Sadie Bosque}
MMC has cerebral palsy affecting one leg. He can walk short distances with canes but requires a wheelchair for longer ones. He also has balance issues but rides impressively with an adaptive saddle. Plus: virgin MMC and experienced FMC, which is always fun. Personally obsessed with this one because FMC (the owner of an all women’s gambling hell) accepts a bet that she can seduce reclusive MMC- and is initially really bad at it.

{The Footman by Minerva Spencer/S.M. LaViolette}
This is wildly similar to Again the Magic, except it fixes basically all of my complaints. Rich FMC and servant MMC fall in love, he gets in trouble for kissing her, leaves, and returns for revenge. The difference? The entire book doesn't hinge on one giant misunderstanding that could have been solved if two adults had exchanged literally six sentences. Also, the FMC's limp has existed since childhood, everyone already knows about it, and nobody treats it like the world's most shocking plot twist.

{A Scandal by Any Other Name by Kimberly Bell}
FMC has spina bifida, visible spinal differences, and a significant limp. She also deals with secondary symptoms, including recurrent UTIs due to bladder issues, and has to maintain a strict bathroom routine. I appreciated seeing secondary symptoms acknowledged because disability doesn't conveniently stop at the most visually obvious feature. (Also this is inconvenient for the plot- but doesn’t magically resolve to fit the plot)

{How to Romance a Rake by Manda Collins}
FMC has severe leg injuries from a carriage accident and hides the extent of her impairment. Bonus points for letting disability be messy and complicated rather than inspirational wallpaper. Also like this one because MMC is not deterred AT all by the revolution.

{Shattered Dreams by Laura Landon}
FMC has a very obvious limp and is considered unmarriageable because of it. Her brother pays the MMC to flirt with her to distract from the fact that she's essentially been catfished. The MMC is delighted because he's already met her and already has a massive crush. The premise sounds ridiculous, and yet it's adorable.

{Interview for a Wife by Ruth Ann Nordin}
Widowed, single father MMC lost both legs below the knee in a tractor accident and uses a wheelchair. FMC is recently widowed after being a mail-order bride to an abusive husband. MOC/ found family. This one is quiet, cozy, domestic and low stakes .

{beauty and the beast of thornleigh by Kate Westwood} FMC has a significant limp and requires a cane. MMc has significant burn scarring down one side of his face. A huge plot point is that FMC wants to dance anyway, which angers her family/ puts off ALOT of men because they would prefer her hide her injury. MMC is enthusiastic about being her partner and encourages it. This one gets complicated because FMC is initially really upset that she is being “set up” with MMC since they are both considered “damaged”. As a friendship grows, they discover camaraderie

{marquess of Mayham by Scarlett Scott} FMC has a limp.MMC compromises her on purpose to force her into marriage due to his revenge quest against her half brother. I will say that MMC falls hard pretty fast and gives up ok the revenge angle .

{the sum of all kisses by Julia Quinn} MMC requires a cane to walk after a duel goes badly. FMC - who has sworn herself his enemy- sprains her ankle at a month long party and has to spend alot of time with him since they can’t participate in alot of the activities. The snappy dialogue between the two of them is 10/10. One thing I appreciate about this is the MCs tendency to make dark jokes about his own disability. When FMC calls him out on it- he’s like “yeah, it’s MINE… I have to right to approach it however” (a convo I had frequently had myself)

{the muse of Maiden Lane by Mimi Mathews } MMC is a full time wheelchair user after surviving scarlet fever. He is also a very accomplished painter that wants to be able to paint FMC so SO bad. FMC went completely white haired at in her early 20s and the ton decides that this is scandalous and shameful. MMC thinks it’s the most magical thing he’s ever seen. Unfortunately, FMC’s aggressively religiously overbearing brother would never allow her to *gasp* sit for a portrait! FMC want to escape his draconian rules, MMC wants to make her his muse. It’s a slow burn and about 1/3 in the middle is just angsty letter as they both fall super hard. (virgin FMC and MMC- mostly closed door

{to beguile a beast by Elizabeth Hoyt} MMC has extensive facial scarring and is missing an eye. FMC is on the run with her two young children so she flees to Scotland to take a job as his housekeeper

{When a Scot ties the knot by Tessa Dare} FMC is neurodivergent coded(personally she reads on the spectrum for me)but also has extreme social anxiety / agoraphobia

{the spinster and the Rake by Eva Devon} MMC is autistic. FMC is also an introverted nerd who likes to hide in the library so they get each other. They do have to work on communication with each other but it’s a process they both work on.

{flaming June by Emma V. leech} MMC has autism, selective mutism, gets overstimulated in public settings. The FMC is irritating the first few chapters but she grows up quickly. This one also deals with the threat of forcible institutionalization.

Fan favorites I DO like:
{my darling rogue by Elizabeth Hoyt} FMC is progressively losing her eyesight. Her bodyguard MMC has a leg injury that causes a limp/ requires a cane at times.

{romancing the Duke by Tessa Dare} MMC has very little residual eyesight but is almost completely blind. He is under threat of being declared incompetent so others can seize his estate (this one is super quirky)

This list is not comprehensive-

I've read around 120 books with disability representation so far year, But if you're looking to branch out beyond the same handful of recommendations that circulate every month, hopefully there's something here for you. I’m

This post is about {When the Earl Desired Me by Lydia Lloyd}. I could not be more surprised. I read the first two books of the series and I enjoyed them, but this… is a whole other thing?

this man is a MESS. this man knows Yearning with a capital Y. This man >! Stayed celibate for 13 years while believing that his ex had just up and left him without explanation, because despite all that it still would’ve felt like a betrayal !< I am in love. he is so absolutely sweet, an amazing brother to his family, adores his friends and is great with kids. Even when his friends went through messy relationships in the past books, he gave All the support he could.

August Carrington, Earl of Montaigne, might be at the top of the list of book husbands id swoon for. He might have become my favorite.

This post is for gushing really, but if anybody as any suggestions for other sweet sweet by not exactly pure MMCs like him, I’ll take all of em pls and thank u

Hello everyone!

With this crazy heatwave going on, I’ve been re-reading Pride and Prejudice for the 1,300th time. It got me thinking: which other romance heroes totally embody that "Mr. Darcy" archetype?

For me, Mary Balogh’s heroes immediately come to mind, specifically George Crabbe the Duke of Stanbrook in {Only Beloved}, and of course, Wulfric Bedwyn in {Slightly Dangerous}.

What about you? Which heroes give you total Mr. Darcy vibes?