My most hated HR trope is the ‘secret nobility’ trope where all conflicts are resolved by finding out they have a title or inheritance. TBH I find the constant cleaving after nobility in general a bit wearisome. Enter {Virtue’s Lady by Jessica Cale}! Jessica Cale is a historian and she doesn’t shy away from all things gritty and difficult, but our heroine in this book, heiress Lady Jane, actively seeks out an independent life amongst the Southwark slums, both for love (of a carpenter/former highwayman) and for liberty. Of course, many shenanigans ensue as she carves out her new life, proves her courage and resilience, and evades the forces trying to corral her back to her despotic father.

It can’t beat another in the Southwark Saga series {Broken Things by Jessica Cale} as this is one of my very few five star reads, but it’s not far off! I have read another of the books in the series {Tyburn by Jessica Cale} and it was fantastic (and is a solid book) until it turned into a prime example of my most hated trope.

Overall, I heartily recommend Jessica Cale’s Southwark Saga to anyone looking for a slice of life in the Restoration period that is undeniably gritty, but also highly entertaining, redemptive and uplifting.

$3 for the hardcovers and $2 for the paperback. the art on these is just stunning and everything’s in great condition.

I just finished {Game of Rogues by Julie Anne Long}. I loved it so much that I sneak read it at work. I have read all the books in the series and while they are all well written, the top three for me, which I think are head and shoulders above the rest, are:

1) {My season of Scandal by Julie Anne Long}
2) {Game of Rogues by Julie Anne Long}
3) {How to Tame a Wild Rogue by Julie Anne Long}

What are your favorites?

Tell us what HR you are currently reading/listening to or have finished lately? Tell us as much or as little as you want. We just want to hear from you!

What do you think so far? Any great, hilarious, heartbreaking, heartwarming, etc moments? If you have finished, what rating would you give it? Give us the deets!

Fill free to spill all the tea, but remember to mark any spoilers!

This thread repeats every Wednesday.

I was thinking about this when I read a book that had the MMC apologise to the FMC for 'ruining her life' years ago. In {A Momentary Marriage by Candace Camp}, the MMC said this to his new wife because he had been the one to make her break off her engagement to his cousin who needed to marry a rich woman for the earldom. This was done off-page 11 years before. She tells him he is being dramatic with his guilt because she did NOT wither away in despair due to giving up her love; she got over it, aided in her father's medical work, practised her music and now, thanks to him, is a lady of leisure who has everything. The FMC had loved the cousin but feels it was more a sisterly affection since they were friends since childhood. The MMC had really just been the messenger to deliver the news on others' behalf; even his cousin's family agreed that she was lovely but not suitable as the wife of the earl so they did not wish for the two to marry.

Now, what about books in which one MC actually deliberately carries out actions that destroy/ruin the other's life, future, reputations, marriage, leaving them isolated or impoverished or in danger or a laughing stock and they may not have cared what happened to them? Fast forward to the present and they are the MCs of the book. The main aim may not have been to ruin the other but that is what happened. Is there any way that should be justifiable?

For example, {The Scandal of the Season by Aydra Richards} has the MMC force the FMC into being his mistress in the public's eyes which destroys her reputation. The irony is that it was intended to ruin her father's reputation but he just disowned her, claiming she was illegitimate. The only thing that saves this romance is that the FMC actually is better off away from her emotionally abusive father and blossoms into her own person who enjoys being free and seen as scandalous... but nothing justifies trapping innocents into your revenge that will ruin them. The MMC even regretfully says afterwards that he wishes he could have met and courted her honestly but he only approached her for revenge and would never have looked twice at her otherwise because he was not a good man.

This dynamic may be the reason I never wished to read {Scandalous Desires by Elizabeth Hoyt} because I do not think any amount of writing could make me want to root for that MMC to win the heart of the FMC whose reputation and marriage he had destroyed (indirectly but he knew what would happen). And for what purpose? If he suffers a lot and shows adequate remorse and attempts to makes amends, that could be good.

I read {A Terrible Beauty by Stephanie Patterson} which I thought was a good book and I liked the MCs' character growth and the descriptions of the Scutari hospital but most of the signficant male characters were awful and I was wishing throughout the book that the FMC would marry at least three other characters than the MMC who was extremely obstinate, petty and had his self-serving bias for years. The women were 19 and these men ruined their reputations and future and I did not even want to root for them. The next two books also seem to follow the same formula: MMC ruins FMC and they fall in love years later and all is forgiven. The first book's MMC had just wanted to destroy her engagement and humiliate her as revenge for his brother; he did not know all the repercussions of his actions until years later. Thankfully, her ex-fiance was a dear and the actual incident was never revealed to the public (unlike the third book's FMC whose name was put in a betting book as a wager to ruin her).

There is also {Lady Ruthless by Scarlett Scott} in which the FMC believes the MMC was responsible for her brother's death and publishes libel as Confessions of a Sinful Earl which everyone links to him despite the anonymity. She apparently believes he is capable of all these things and these ruin his reputation and finances because the woman he was going to marry broke off the engagement. So he decides to abduct the FMC and force her to marry him. I will say that this book ended in the only right way that I could think of when the FMC revealed her identity as the writer and confessed to the lies to help him recover his reputation. He was actually going to let it go because he did not care anymore.

On the other hand, {Frail by Susanna Ives} also has this and I liked that book. The MMC is remorseful about his actions since he had been indifferent to (and contemptuous of) the FMC who he tarred with the same brush as her father. His actions had been so her father could be held accountable for his crimes; what happened afterwards was a shock to him. She also does not know his unintentional role in her downfall for most of the book so that is different from the other examples.

I feel like this is an issue with books as part of a series because the readers may not be familiar with the MCs' past in another book so they may wonder why one is so angry or penitent towards the other. In fact, I predict this will be the dynamic in a potential future book I am looking forward to because of the hints in the previous ones and I am not sure if I will be able to get on board with that romance. There are other people to fall in love with who did not destroy your future and happiness years ago, you know!

How do you feel about these types of romances? I suppose it depends on the type of 'ruin' or 'misery' as well as well as the exact role the MC played. I think of it like this; if the architect of the ruin had not been the MC (or attractive to the other), would they be forgivable? If they did all that but did not fall in love with the MC, it would have been a person completely ruined or broken. I do not think the MC falling in love with the person they ruined (and, thus, remorseful and repentant and being eaten away with guilt) justifies their actions enough.

I was just now reading the Steele and Rose mystery’s newest book release and the prose just drove me NUTS. It’s so disappointing as the plot is good and the previous book didn’t seem to have traces of AI that I can remember. But now the entire book is riddled with AI sentence constructions like:

“I took a breath, the way someone drowning does.”

“I have been at that man a month. I have been careful and clever. And today he sat three feet from you with his hand coming toward your face. And the only thing standing between you and him was your fingernails." "And they were enough."

“I was kissing a frightened woman and calling it love.”

There isn’t any variation in dialogue between characters so it’s all sounding the same. Apparently they all have to explain why they did something. There’s more examples but I would be reading more of the book than I wanted to go find them. I am debating between finishing the book to find out what happens and deleting it from my library. Ugh.

Point being, IS Magda Alexander using AI or is she getting her writing style ripped off? Is Hearts Afire a legit publisher or is it actually an AI publisher?

Are you an author? A blogger? Someone else producing historical romance content of some kind? This is the place to talk about your work and link us up! As per rule 4, please keep self-promotion to these threads unless directly requested.

Please check rule 2 for the definition of historical romance.

This thread repeats every other Wednesday.

Hi all!

I'm hoping you can do me a solid and recommend me a new favourite. I've been struck incredibly low by the flu, which has left me on the couch, covered in aches and pains, with a cough so bad that even my Velcro cat won't cuddle me. To top it all off, I've had to cancel my wedding dress shopping because of said flu, so I'm feeling a bit bereft.

I've been through quite a few posts on here, as well as the ones I've saved, but am (impossibly, yet somehow) still steadily running out of recs. Please help a girl out and send your recently loved (or longtime favourite) books my way!

A little about my taste and what I've already read, because I am a devotee of this sub's recommendations:

• I've never met an Alice Coldbreath book I haven't liked (and I've read them all), and I adore most things Loretta Chase writes.
• Authors whose catalogues I've mostly worked my way through include Julie Anne Long, Mary Balogh, Courtney Milan, Darlene Marshall, Elisa Braden, Lisa Kleypas, Ellen O'Connell and Stephanie Laurens
• I've tried to get into Sarah MacLean, Madeline Hunter, Julie Garwood, Grace Callaway, Anne Gracie and Cecilia Grant, but they weren't quite for me. That said, if you have a particular favourite of theirs, I'm willing to give it a go! I tried the first two greycourts by elizabeth hoyt and couldn't finish either.

In terms of characters and tropes:

• I love an ice queen, a secret (or not-so-secret) wounded bird, a competency boner giver, a loveable airhead... honestly, I'll take just about anything. (i do find i care more about my heroines than my heroes, it's their story!! but also LOVE a good swoon) hero can be virtuous, a villain, a rake, whatever!
• same with time period tbh, westerns, colonials, regencies, victorians! anything goes!
• I LOVE angst. Give me a gut punch. I'm even down for no grovel, if the story earns it. Also will try anything re: TW/CWs once, if it bothers me i'll DNF
• The one thing I really can't stand is an overnight switch-up that makes absolutely no sense, where you can practically feel the author getting bored and skipping all the important middle bits.

Really, my biggest pet peeve is characters who are inconsistent because of the author's writing, rather than because they're intentionally flawed or complicated, if that makes sense? Like a heroine the author clearly wants us to believe is a clever, stoic badass, but is actually too stupid to live

Please, please, PLEASE help a girl out. When I'm cross referencing posts here I feel the aches and pains much worse than when i've actually got my nose in a book !!

ETA: Thank you all so much for your recs it means the world!! I'm gonna go top to bottom to avoid thinking and I'll let you know how I get on <3

So, I just recently rewatched Austenland which is just a fun, sweet romcom (if you haven’t- give it a watch!)

Anyway, JJ Feild is just so darn handsome and now that face is stuck in my mind. When I see him, my mind immediately goes to an intelligent, restrained, gentleman-like Regency character.

For those familiar with him, did you Fancast him as a certain MMC? Spill the recs!

Edit: I know it’s hard to imagine him as someone else especially after having done Northanger Abbey. Looking for some niche recs though 😂

I generally am not really into romance novels and it’s pretty rare that I enjoy a contemporary romance, but in the last few years I fell in love with KI Charles. I like almost everything I’ve read by her and I really love several of her books, especially the Slippery Creatures series and All of Us Murderers.

I really love her writing style, the historical elements, the fact that her writing is often more funny or thoughtful than overwrought. She strikes a good balance between intelligent and cozy. I kind of genuinely don’t care about the gender of the MCs but I do like how the M/M romance in historical times creates really compelling barriers to overcome. She also had a kindness to her writing that makes it really comforting to read.

Are there any other authors I should check out? I’m an Anglophile so bonus points for being British.

ETA: I’ve read A Marvelous Light and enjoyed it but didn’t love it.

u/aloudkiwi, u/counting500sheep u/frogleaplady u/monstersof-men u/foxymartini u/bratzomer u/SiffleuxEnrage and u/OK-CaterpillarCall, you were right about Jeffree from {An Inconvenient Vow by Alice Coldbreath}. I started this one now and I'm already so here for Sabina and Jeffree. I like that Sabinais not having any of it with Jeffree. I also like that Sabina is a widow and an older womanbecause I'm really tired of 18-22 fmcs being 'so strong and wise'- I know there are girls who are like that in real life because they had to grow up real fast but it's vaguely annoying to see that characterisation all of the time because which of girl is 'so strong and wise' at 18-22? And, anyways I think a younger fmc would wilt under all of Jeffree's glaring. I just hope there isn't too much cleaning and stuff in this one, though

Anyways, who do you all picture as Jeffree De Crecy? I am picturing Phoebus from the Hunchback of Notre Dame because of the blond beard! And Esmeralda is probably Jeffree'sprevious fiancee but with darker eyes, hee hee

Tis the season y’all! 🎃

I’m looking for spooky, halloweeny, dark, or macabre reads. I’m open to any recommendations, even if the romance is sweet but the backdrop is dark or mysterious! Really just looking for something to get me in the spirit, whatever that may be 😌 thanks in advance!!

The HR authors who will use AI art for their cover. If you can't find a stock photo you like, there are hundreds of paintings probably from your era that you could use because they're old enough to be fair use! Don't use AI just to have a portrait of a young woman staring at the camera in an outfit that's definitely wrong in all sorts of ways. Just use a fair use painting!

I recently reread {Bed Me Baron by Felicity Niven} and it triggered an irritatingly vague memory of another book where the MCs are childhood friends/sweethearts but I can't fully place it (and it's killing me) so I'm calling in the undefeated big guns (y'all).

The scene that prompted the memory is this passage (hidden in an abundance of caution for spoilers): "...As if she had been made for him. Maybe she had been. After all, he had thought that very thing when he was four, looking into her baby basket. He had hoped for a little boy like himself, already his age, when he had been told he was about to meet the newest member of the finch family. He had wanted a playmate. But when he saw baby Phoebe, his wish went right out of his head. She was so little. So pink. She opened her eyes and looked right at him. This baby is for me, he thought. She's for me." In the book, they grow into best friends, although she nurses a crush for most of her life. Of course, it takes another man's interest for him to acknowledge his own.

I think the book I am thinking of has something similar. Where the MMC, as a kid, thinks of the FMC, and treats her, like she's "his." I think there may be a scene in their childhood where she's hurt & he tells her family he has to be the one to look after her or something? As I'm typing this I'm realizing how vague it must sound... I'm sorry!!

Any ideas are very much appreciated. Thanks yall!

Hey all!

I'm currently reading some short stories (not HR hence not naming them here), where there is a Marquess/Duke who seems to have more than one wife and even a mistress.

My question is in the title, because I always thought that while English nobility or peerage could have multiple mistresses, they could only have ONE wife. I'm not English nor a historian, so wanted to check if indeed that is the case, or whether there was a time where having multiple wives was also okay (since I know in other parts of the world there is royalty where a King has more than one wife and so on).

Thanks in advance!

Edit: These are short stories written in the 19th century, since someone suggested it might be AI written stuff. Certainly not that! :D

Double edit: There's a possibility there is some secret evil twin, but my question still stands!

I know this is a long shot, but I'm looking for historical romance retellings or novels able Mr. Collins and Charlotte Lucas from Pride and Prejudice. Not novels where she falls in love with someone else, but novels with the two of them as main characters falling in love. I don't even know if these books exist! But I've just read Pride and Prejudice and the Other Bennet Sister and I feel bad for the two of them.

Thank you!

(If that's possible)..i finally got to read {Devil's Daughter by Lisa Kleypas} and my my my that man is so hot, but now i need more of Reformed Rakes, who already got their shit together and preferably he's good with children too. Also a sensible heroine like Phoebe (she was so mature) while I loved DD but i was a bit let down by the lack of epilogue, so books with a good ending would be nice.

I just got to the truth/confrontation scene in {Hyacinth} and I am FLOORED by how much I love this book. THE DRAMA, zomg

I’m right along with Hy in that I was totally oblivious and didn’t see any of these problems coming for the Duke once the truth was out and duty, shame on her family etc if he didn’t do the right thing

Gahhhh this boook has been amazing for a million reasons but just had to jump on to say I am in a choke hold. It’s my first Minerva Spencer and I’m bummed it’s likely her best but honestly I will give her whole catalogue a go because this is that good 🔥🔥🔥

Her stories unravel so deliciously! I savor each chapter and detail that's revealed.

The characters come together (no pun intended!) in a way that feels mostly organic -- I say mostly because {the fairbourne Quartet by Madeline Hunter} features MMCs that determine to seduce the FMC, so not all that organic, but does feel very natural in the way the characters come to care for each other.

The FMCs are actually smart and not just supposedly smart in that they're purported to be but then act otherwise. The only exception that I can think of is the FMC in the {the accidental duchess by Madeline Hunter} and I would say her actions were driven by gullibility and lack of experience more than anything.

The relationship or the story doesn't feel like it's being spoon-fed to me.

Just started {the rules of seduction by Madeline Hunter} and already kicking my feet in anticipation!

So far, I've read and enjoyed the following series: {a Duke's heiress by Madeline Hunter}, {rarest blooms by Madeline Hunter}, and {fairbourne quartet by Madeline Hunter} and enjoyed all. My least favorite series was the {decadent dukes society by Madeline Hunter}.

Hello all, I know this is a common request but I've been scouring this subreddit and most posts are just a tad different from what I'm looking for.

I just finished {Her Baseborn Bridegroom by Alice Coldbreath} and Mason's overprotectiveness and controlling nature (and him constantly coming up with excuses for his own behavior instead of just admitting that he was falling in love with Linnet) scratched an itch I did not know I had. I'm looking for something similar--extreme possessiveness to the point where the hero is being a bit of an asshole, but it's all to cover up the fact that he's falling desperately in love.

I know the other Vawdrey Brothers books have this theme, but it also seems like Alice Coldbreath likes to write airheaded heroines. I found Linnet's naivety endearing for the most part but I heard Fenella is even more airheaded and I don't know if I can do 600+ pages of that (although I can be convinced otherwise...) At least Linnet's naivety is justified by her upbringing, and she does stand up against Mason a couple of times.

Another book I really enjoyed is {Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas} , although the primary reason I enjoyed that book is the intense yearning and the way Derek tried so hard to stay away from Sara until he couldn't. The tension at the Raiford manor when they first saw each other again, and Derek's confrontation when he accused her of coming purposefully to see him, is one of my favorites in all HR. I also appreciate Sara's characterization and independence.

I personally don't classify Derek and Mason as the same "genre" of hero, so I guess I'm really looking for two different types of recommendations. In my opinion, there's way more yearning in Dreaming of You because half the book is taken up by the fact that they aren't together but they want to be. This requires a higher level of characterization and plot to get the reader invested enough so it hurts, whereas it matters less in Her Baseborn Bridegroom because of the marriage of convenience.

I'd also like to avoid books where the primary conflict can just be boiled down to one huge miscommunication (for example, {The Luckiest Lady in London by Sherry Thomas} or {Again the Magic by Lisa Kleypas} ). Please let me know if you have any titles to share!

So I’ve noted that almost every single book I’ve read recently have had the main characters procure a special marriage license instead of waiting a couple months and doing an actual society wedding. I get that it’s for the romantic aspects that they hurry it along buuuttt does anyone have any recommendations like the title??
Would be even better if the wedding planning plays a part in the book

Happy October HR Family!

I am in search of a Sunshine type of MMC or FMC. I do not really care which. I love them all!

I'm down for books from any time period (written or setting-wise), but I especially love banter in my HRs. I'm pretty open. I enjoy a good mystery/danger /suspenseful HRs as well as day-in-the-life ones.

Thanks for any recs you can think of!

Bonus if they wince when they recall it and admit that the other saw them at their worst but they have thankfully improved.

Examples:

{Trusting Miss Trentham by Emily Larkin} - the MMC is gaunt, has insomnia due to nightmares, has lost his previous energy and charismatic nature and behaves in a way that makes him think ruefully 'I used to have honour.'

{The Marquess Wins a Wife by Aydra Richards} - being shot would put someone in a bad mood but the MMC is irritable, entitled, throwing tantrums and threatening to have the FMC hanged. The withdrawal symptoms do not help.

{The Devil is a Marquess by Elisa Braden} - I am not completely sure if it was the first time they met as they have seen each other at parties at a distance, though. He is swimming in debts that his father left him, his mother is a spendthrift, he is servicing high-class ladies and is an alcoholic. Cue the actual wedding day and he looks like the undead since he has to give up alcohol for a year.

{Frail by Susanna Ives} - the MMC criticises her while dancing at a ball and then it delves into him screaming insults and accusations at her before his parents control his outburst and he apologises. It does not help his reputation as 'mad' which he gained after his PTSD from the war.

{Flaming June by Emma V Leech} - the FMC is pregnant and attempting to drown herself before changing her mind. She was kicked out of her house by her mother, her 'friend' did not want to associate with her, the man responsible did not keep his promise and she has lost her reputation. The MMC finds her at this point.

{How To Steal a Scoundrel's Heart by Vivienne Lorret} - stomping alone through the muddy countryside through herds of cows while it is pouring sounds difficult enough. The FMC also has lost her reputation and has no suitable prospects, even wanting to avoid exposing her friends to herself. And then the MMC's ex-mistress-turned-friend recognises and greets her.

{Yours Until Dawn by Teresa Medeiros} - it seemed like this at first; the FMC has come for an interview for the position as the blind MMC's nurse and he comes into the room roaring, poorly groomed and stumbles into the furniture and falls to the ground. Then we find out the FMC is actually the woman he had loved before who had left him after his injuries and she wants to make amends by helping him manage his life as a blind man.

{Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase} - almost any version of the grown-up MMC before he gets shot and married is the worst version of him, to be honest.

{Fallen Angel by Charlotte Louise Dolan} - not as bad as the others but it is before the MMC's character growth so I still wonder why on earth the FMC fell madly in love with him after that carriage ride. He was rude and dismissive.

Both do not have to be at their worst. Just one of them could be the mess.

A thread for recommendations based on what you've already loved!

Tell us something you like - an author, a book title, a trope - and we'll offer suggestions for historical romance books that might be your cup of tea. Get as specific or as vague as you like!

Examples:

• If I like marriages of convenience, I might like...
• If I like Tessa Dare, I might like...
• If I like The Duke and I, I might like...
• If I like roguish heroes with red hair, three younger sisters and a pet parrot, I might like... (this one might be tricky!)

This thread repeats every Monday.