Good Historical Romance Book

[TwingleMum]

Hi Guys~ I'm looking for a good historical romance to read. I have a stressful job and life so I love to relax with a nice romance. I read all of Mary Balough's books and enjoyed them. Also Stephanie Laurens. Any suggestions. I'm also interested in Victoria & Albert after seeing Young Victoria. TIA

 

[Pixiedust34]

Have you read the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon? It has romance, history, suspense, murder, and even a little time travel thrown into it!

 

[TwingleMum]

Yes I have and I did enjoy them.

 

[NY Disney fan]

My favorite is "The Magic of You" by Joanna Lindsey. Its part of a series but you don't need to read the series to enjoy it. Its about a 17 year old aristocratic British girl who falls madly in love with a 36 year old American colonial. He does everything he can to keep her away from him but she is persistent. Eventually he falls for her but not before her uncles beat him to a pulp. Its a hilarious book!!!

 

[lovesmurfs]

If you like Stephanie Laurens, you'll enjoy Eloisa James.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

If you like historical fiction, try Russka (by Edward Rutherford). It isn't a romance novel, but it has received rave reviews from women...

 

[suejai]

I highly recommend Georgette Heyer. She started the whole Regency romance genre. She started writing in the 30's until she died in the mid 70's. She wrote over 50 books, most regency romances, and a few other historical romances and mystery novels. The language she uses is very similar to Jane Austen, and she is reknowed for her historical accuracy. My favourite is "An Infamous Army" which is centered around the Battle of Waterloo.

 

[my3sonsagn]

Gosh - there are so many I love, I don't even know where to start.

Julie Garwood - esp The Bride, The Wedding, and The Secret
Connie Brockway has some great ones -esp All Through the Night, My Dearest Enemy, and As You Desire
Loretta Chase - Lord of Scoundrels is in my top 5 books ever
Lisa Kleypas - Dreaming of You and Suddenly You are among her best
Marsha Canham - her pirate books are great (Across a Moonlit Sea and Iron Rose)
Heather Cullman - Stronger Than Magic


I could go on forever, but the above are most of my faves.

 

[dawson5]

My mom always read Kathleen Woodiwiss, Rosemary Rogers, Dorothy Dunnett and Morgan Llewellyn. I've picked up a few of each of them. KW are more sweet, the RR's are racy , DD I just couldn't get into, Morgan Llewellyn I've read almost everything and I love them. She puts a lot of research into them. These are all older writers, been around since I was a kid. Not sure if you've ever picked one up.

My mom is a history major, she focuses on british history mainly. The DD and ML are usually based there. The KW will usually start there and end in the US and RR is usually based in the US, I want to say TX and the west mainly, bits of Mexico, but I don't really remember entirely. I know quite a few centered in those areas.

 

[declansdad]

Elizabeth Chadwick has a number of novel that fall under the historical fiction banner. They have a little bit of everything in them.

 

[bookgirl]

Amanda Quick's are pretty much the only historicals I read anymore. She has some newer ones that tie in with her other pen name Jane Ann Krentz and Jayne Castle, but her early ones are being reprinted and they are pretty good.

Cathrine Coulter does a whole series The Sherbrooke Family ones, I think one of them was The Sherbrooke Bride. I used to read them and JoAnna Lindsey and Kathleen Woodwies, Phylis Whitney, Barbera Michaels, and other 'gothic' mysteries that were period pieces.

 

[JoiseyMom]

My favorite is "The Magic of You" by Joanna Lindsey. Its part of a series but you don't need to read the series to enjoy it. Its about a 17 year old aristocratic British girl who falls madly in love with a 36 year old American colonial. He does everything he can to keep her away from him but she is persistent. Eventually he falls for her but not before her uncles beat him to a pulp. Its a hilarious book!!!

ITA, johanna lindsey, is my favorite author. You are talking about the Mallory's!! Great great books..all of hers are great.

Another favorite I have is Shanna by Kathleen Woodiwiss. I read it over 30 years ago, and still have it and re-read!!

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

Goodness, I just looked up some of these books...

 

[Sarah_Rose]

If you like English historical romance, you'll probably like Phillipa Gregory's books about the Tudor reign. The Other Boleyn Girl is definitely the classic but The Boleyn Inheritance (about Anne of Cleves and Katherine Howard - two of Henry VIII's later wives) and The Virgin's Lover (Elizabeth I) are my favorite.

I'm not actually that into historical romance and would never buy the books myself but apparently having a Masters degree in history means that everyone buys me historical romance novels as gifts. I really did get into Phillipa Gregory's novels, though.

I just received The Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B. by Sandra Gulland for Christmas and started reading it on my flight to WDW last month - I was actually surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It's not historical romance, per say, but does have its share of romance and steamy bits. It takes place during the French Revolution and is the story of Napoleon Bonaparte's wife. There is a three-book series and I did order the second book from Amazon and am anxiously waiting for it to arrive. So much for me not reading historical romance.

 

[Heidict]

I absolutly love Sara Donati's Into The Wilderness series.

It takes place in the late 1700's and early 1800's in upper state NY. It's romance but not the "Harlequin" romance way, if you know what I mean. Her new book in the series just came out and I can't wait to get to a bookstore to get it!!


Here is her website that gives you a good overview of the series. http://http://saralaughs.com/

 

[LJC1861]

If you like historical fiction, try Russka (by Edward Rutherford). It isn't a romance novel, but it has received rave reviews from women...

I am reading this now.....GEAT book! I have enjoyed all of Edward Rutherford's books, but this one is by far the best.

I also enjoy anything written by Phillipa Gregory.

Linda

 

[liamsaunt]

Since you mentioned you are interested in royal stories, you might want to check out the novels by Alison Weir. She usually writes non-fiction, but has two very enjoyable novels: The Lady Elizabeth (about Elizabeth I from her childhood to when she takes the throne), and Innocent Traitor (the story of Lady Jane Grey, who was very briefly Queen between the death of Edward VI and the ascension of Mary Tudor). Both have some romance in them, though I would not classify them as romance novels.

 

[mandylo]

Lisa Kleypas is an absolute rock star in this genre! Dreaming of You and Only With Your Love are firmly planted on my keeper shelf.

Other recommended reads:
The Shadow and the Star by Laura Kinsale
Written on Your Skin by Meredith Duran
The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley
MacCarrick Brothers trilogy by Kresley Cole
Thief of Hearts by Teresa Medeiros
The Four Soldiers series by Elizabeth Hoyt

 

[Rora]

If you like English historical romance, you'll probably like Phillipa Gregory's books about the Tudor reign. The Other Boleyn Girl is definitely the classic but The Boleyn Inheritance (about Anne of Cleves and Katherine Howard - two of Henry VIII's later wives) and The Virgin's Lover (Elizabeth I) are my favorite.

I'm not actually that into historical romance and would never buy the books myself but apparently having a Masters degree in history means that everyone buys me historical romance novels as gifts. I really did get into Phillipa Gregory's novels, though.

I just received The Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B. by Sandra Gulland for Christmas and started reading it on my flight to WDW last month - I was actually surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It's not historical romance, per say, but does have its share of romance and steamy bits. It takes place during the French Revolution and is the story of Napoleon Bonaparte's wife. There is a three-book series and I did order the second book from Amazon and am anxiously waiting for it to arrive. So much for me not reading historical romance.

I agree!

 

[Breezy_Carol]

Mary Jo Putney has written a lot of historical romances set in England.