Author Topic: Historical romance novels - suggestions  (Read 675 times)

Offline Foxglove

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Re: Historical romance novels - suggestions
« Reply #15 on: September 08, 2018, 03:15:04 pm »
Poesie, that is similar to "Moonraker's Bride" but not exactly.  She is an orphan of British missionaries, not mixed parentage, and the marriage occurs for a different reason. 

I think prety much all of Brent's characters were orphans which of course makes them more vulnerable to nefarious schemes.  I really like Capricorn's Daughter because it details the plight of a penniless (but formerly wealthy) young woman trying to make a living in London, and also has some interesting background info about the vaudeville scene in those days.

Speaking of China, in MM Kaye's autobiography she mentions that her parents traveled through China shortly after they were married, and her father once said he had an indelible mental image of her mother walking naked ahead of him into a river or lake or something at dawn -- this would've been around 1900 or earlier -- we always think of people of that era as so modest but apparently skinny-dipping on one's honeymoon was not unheard of!  Even for a lady of the gentry. I really enjoyed the detail and historical info in Kaye's non-fiction books.


Offline Gardensgrey

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Re: Historical romance novels - suggestions
« Reply #16 on: September 08, 2018, 08:21:40 pm »
She may be forgotten nowadays, but Anya Seton’s books were classic. Her “Katherine”, about John of Gaunt’s mistress-then-wife, thrilled me as a teenager.
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Offline Poesie

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Re: Historical romance novels - suggestions
« Reply #17 on: September 08, 2018, 08:47:50 pm »
She may be forgotten nowadays, but Anya Seton’s books were classic. Her “Katherine”, about John of Gaunt’s mistress-then-wife, thrilled me as a teenager.

Was talking about her books with a friend only the other day. Friend was assigned Katherine for bookclub reading. It was one I enjoyed reading around the same age as you, Gardensgrey.

Offline Poesie

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Re: Historical romance novels - suggestions
« Reply #18 on: September 08, 2018, 08:53:47 pm »
Poesie, that is similar to "Moonraker's Bride" but not exactly.  She is an orphan of British missionaries, not mixed parentage, and the marriage occurs for a different reason. 

I think prety much all of Brent's characters were orphans which of course makes them more vulnerable to nefarious schemes.  I really like Capricorn's Daughter because it details the plight of a penniless (but formerly wealthy) young woman trying to make a living in London, and also has some interesting background info about the vaudeville scene in those days.

Speaking of China, in MM Kaye's autobiography she mentions that her parents traveled through China shortly after they were married, and her father once said he had an indelible mental image of her mother walking naked ahead of him into a river or lake or something at dawn -- this would've been around 1900 or earlier -- we always think of people of that era as so modest but apparently skinny-dipping on one's honeymoon was not unheard of!  Even for a lady of the gentry. I really enjoyed the detail and historical info in Kaye's non-fiction books.

Love the skinny-dipping story, Foxglove - not at all what I’d have expected for that time at all. They all seem to proper on the surface. May keep eyes peeled for autobiography too.

May take me a little while to score some Brent titles since they don’t seem to have been reissued as ebooks yet.


Offline Foxglove

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Re: Historical romance novels - suggestions
« Reply #19 on: September 08, 2018, 09:11:59 pm »
yes, it looks like many Kaye books are availble via Overdrive or Kindle...

if you are jonesing for good historical romance though, I would treat myself to the paperback of a couple of the Brents.  :) 

i think I will dig up one of them tonight for a re-read while dropping off to sleep.  :)

Offline S1P

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Re: Historical romance novels - suggestions
« Reply #20 on: September 12, 2018, 08:33:10 am »
Seconding Nicola Cornick. Her regency books can be difficult to find in print (fine in ebook), and she's got some historical fantasy romances, too.

Offline Penguinzrock

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Re: Historical romance novels - suggestions
« Reply #21 on: September 12, 2018, 08:54:10 am »
Trying to stick with stuff that is availalble in ebook form. Do not need any more real books until I move house.

Rosalind Laker is a wonderful author, and all of her books just recently became available for my Kindle! Which meant I had to immediately re-read all of them LOL

Offline whiterose

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Re: Historical romance novels - suggestions
« Reply #22 on: September 16, 2018, 05:56:32 pm »
A customer asked once for historical romance books.

I mentioned that the most popular one at the time was Outlander- and she quickly replied that Outlander was more science-fiction than either history or romance!!!

I ended up getting her some Amish romance by Wanda Brunstetter, as well as some romantic Westerns by Linda Lael Miller. She was pleased with them.
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Offline Winterlight

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Re: Historical romance novels - suggestions
« Reply #23 on: September 16, 2018, 08:18:05 pm »
I tend to think of Outlander as fantasy-historical romance rather than SF, which generally suggests science being involved.
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Offline Morrigan

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Re: Historical romance novels - suggestions
« Reply #24 on: October 03, 2018, 09:16:55 pm »
I'm reading 'Morrigan's Cross' by Nora Roberts, and I really like the book so far. It's a trilogy. I'm not a huge fan of romance, but I do like history, and Nora Roberts is pretty good.

Offline Winterlight

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Re: Historical romance novels - suggestions
« Reply #25 on: March 14, 2019, 10:51:04 pm »
She may be forgotten nowadays, but Anya Seton’s books were classic. Her “Katherine”, about John of Gaunt’s mistress-then-wife, thrilled me as a teenager.

I reread Katherine not too long ago, and it has held up very well.

There's also Gwen Bristow, though hers swing more towards the historical end than the romantic IMO. But still very good.
If wisdom’s ways you wisely seek,
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And how, and when, and where.
Caroline Lake Ingalls

Offline Poesie

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Re: Historical romance novels - suggestions
« Reply #26 on: March 15, 2019, 02:55:55 am »
Have appreciated and tried out so many of your recommendations, I’ve signed up for kindle unlimited so i can cut my costs (local library doesn’t have enough of a range). So thanks.

Adding Gwen Bristow to list to check out.

Currently enjoying Lynn Messina’s regency romances whose unusual heroines are a lot of fun. There’s a series called Love Takes Root. She also does some Regency cozy mysteries which I’ll try next.

Offline Winterlight

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Re: Historical romance novels - suggestions
« Reply #27 on: March 17, 2019, 07:33:22 pm »
My favorite Bristow is Calico Palace, and I also loved Celia Garth.
If wisdom’s ways you wisely seek,
Five things observe with care,
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And how, and when, and where.
Caroline Lake Ingalls

Offline Poesie

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Re: Historical romance novels - suggestions
« Reply #28 on: March 17, 2019, 11:28:48 pm »
My favorite Bristow is Calico Palace, and I also loved Celia Garth.

Thanks, Winterlight. Deep Summer is available on kindle unlimited so will try that first. The other ebook titles are over $15 which is way more than i’ll spend on an author who’s new to me (trying to be more sensible about my book buying). But if i like her writing, will be more inclined to pony up the $s.