• Best Historical Romance Books

    Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore

    November 3, 2023

    Locked in a battle with rising passion and a will matching her own, Annabelle will learn just what it takes to topple a duke…

    England, 1879. Annabelle Archer, the brilliant but destitute daughter of a country vicar, has earned herself a place among the first cohort of female students at the renowned University of Oxford. In return for her scholarship, she must support the rising women’s suffrage movement. Her charge: recruit men of influence to champion their cause. Her target: Sebastian Devereux, the cold and calculating Duke of Montgomery who steers Britain’s politics at the Queen’s command. Her challenge: not to give in to the powerful attraction she can’t deny for the man who opposes everything she stands for. Sebastian is appalled to find a suffragist squad has infiltrated his ducal home, but the real threat is his impossible feelings for green-eyed beauty Annabelle. He is looking for a wife of equal standing to secure the legacy he has worked so hard to rebuild, not an outspoken commoner who could never be his duchess. But he wouldn’t be the greatest strategist of the Kingdom if he couldn’t claim this alluring bluestocking without the promise of a ring…or could he?

    “Like Annabelle, I went to Oxford on a scholarship, and while I was writing, I felt the feeling that this education was my key to a better, independent life all over again. It made me very sympathetic toward Annabelle as she struggled to keep juggling all her responsibilities only to be ambushed by a most inappropriate, irresistible love interest..”
    Evie Dunmore

    Evie also shared with us a quote that inspires her:

    “”Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
    ~ Mary Oliver
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  • Best Christian Romance Books,  Best Historical Romance Books

    Kari by Miriam Minger

    October 6, 2023

    A sweet Western historical romance series that reminds us angels are near and love is where you least expect to find it…

    Still grieving the loss of her mother, Kari Hagen leaves her younger siblings behind and travels to Walker Creek, Texas. She promised to deliver a letter to her mother’s first love, so now she just has to find him. Should she accept an offer of assistance from that tall cowboy who’s as handsome as any man she’s ever seen? The sooner she gives the letter to Mr. Caleb Walker, the sooner Kari can start earning money as a seamstress for train fare back to her family in Minnesota. Seth Davis isn’t expecting any surprises when he meets the train. He plans to pick up his uncle’s new racehorse and head back to Walker Creek Ranch. Yet what about that pretty little miss standing alone on the platform…all honey-gold curls, blue calico, and no taller than his chin? Is she lost? He’s never seen her before, though she looks oddly familiar, something telling Seth that his day just got a whole lot more interesting.

    A 5-star review:

    “Kari really touched my heart. It was about the overcoming of prejudices, forgiveness, acceptance, and pure love that happened. You have to believe in the possibility off angels and just plain Christian romance. Its suspense is great and keeps you on the edge but also with so many other emotional aspects too this book; it’s too much to describe. Reading it will give you a warm homey feeling of love and courage with strength that you never thought possible. I loved it.”
    Shamika L. Bland  – Goodreads
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  • Best Historical Romance Books

    One Wylde Night by Chasity Bowlin

    August 4, 2023

    A wallflower, a man trying to ferret out a blackmailer, and a fake betrothal… 

    Branded a wallflower along with her twin sister and her cousins, Miss Felicity Wylde has set out for London under the less than watchful eye of her eccentric aunt for one final season and one last chance to catch a husband. But her sister has convinced her it’s also a last chance for adventure. Goaded into attending a scandalous party, Felicity soon realizes her mistake. The women present are not ladies and men, though titled, are far from gentlemen. Closeting herself in the study, she hides there only to find herself trapped when a quarreling couple invade that space. Lord Phinneas Merrick attended Lord Hadley’s bacchanal as a means to an end. His entire relationship with the notoriously hot tempered cyprian, La Belle Rose, had been a carefully crafted ruse to gain entree to a particular set and ferret out a blackmailer in their debauched midst. But when he discovers a shockingly innocent young woman hiding in the study where his entanglement with the infamous demirep has come to a crashing end, he knows that the first order of business must be to remove her from that house before the unthinkable happens. But he can’t wash his hands of her so quickly. Not when the blackmailer has them in his sights. With her reputation and his honor hanging in the balance, Phin must convince her to a very public and very fake betrothal. There’s only one problem… the longer their fake betrothal lasts, the more he desperately wants to make her his.

    A 5-star review:

    “Another great book by Chasity Bowlin, One Wilde Night, kept me thoroughly entertained. I love Chasity Bowlin’s books and her feminine characters. Felicity is a woman hoping for some more adventure in her life but that desire leads her into trouble. Phinn is a character with an intriguing sense of honour and I really appreciated the relationship that developed between the two. Book 1 in a new series is an intriguing mixture of romance and suspense and I am really looking forward to book two.”
    Anne–Goodreads
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  • Best Historical Romance Books

    The Commander’s Desire by Jennette Green

    August 2, 2023

    She must decide: betray allegiance to her kingdom–or her enemy who is quickly claiming her heart.

    Princess Elwytha wants revenge on the monster who murdered her brother. In a false exchange for peace, she offers herself in marriage to the enemy Prince. The plan? Kill the Prince’s battle-scarred Commander–the man who ended King Thor’s life with one filthy sword thrust through the back. To her horror, the Commander agrees to take Elwytha as his bride. Worse, the wedding date will be sooner than expected. Not all is lost, however. Now she has more opportunity to be alone with him–and exact justice. But the deed is not so easy now. Fighting her innate sense of honor, she begins to see the ironclad integrity of the man behind the scars. And with this knowledge comes doubt. Did he slay her brother? What exactly is the new king’s plan? Whom can she trust? Elwytha must decide well, for more than her life is at stake. Soon she must betray either allegiance to her kingdom–or the man who is quickly claiming her heart.

    5 Star Reviews

    “A very nice play on my favorite Beauty And The Beast theme, THE COMMANDER’S DESIRE pairs a beautiful warrior-princess with an ugly giant… It is a touching and wonderful tale.” – Stephie, Cupid’s Library Reviews
    “The Commander’s Desire is a historical novel that reaches you deep down to your soul….Simply stated, I loved this book.” – Cindy K. Green, WRDF Reviews

    Historical background for the novel, from the author:

    “This sweet (rated PG-13) historical romance takes place in 715 A.D. in Galwyddel, which is modern day southern Scotland. The 6th to 8th centuries were a time when many small Briton kingdoms warred for preeminence in this area, although Northumbria, a giant power to the east, ruled them from afar. In this book, Elwytha’s kingdom and the Commander’s land have been at war for almost a century, and distrust of the enemy has been bred deep into her soul.” – Jennette Green
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  • Best Historical Romance Books

    Not Like a Lady by Judith Lynne

    May 19, 2023

    She could lose everything if she can’t behave. She can’t behave.

    Letty’s lost everything but one friend, and her horse. She desperately needs to convince the fierce baronet to buy any horse but hers. Now she’s causing her own problems, because she cannot stop touching a man she’d been prepared to hate.

    The only way Sir Michael Grantley knows how to be the baronet of Roseford is to do what his father did. But he’s not his father, he’s a salty ex-sailor who lost half a leg in the war and has a far worse temper than his father ever did. Struggling to fill his father’s role, he’s desperate to get outdoors again – but for that he needs a biddable horse he can ride. He’s not prepared for the horse to come with a woman who wants her own life… and who decides that the key to her future is helping him ride again.

    Letty has never been anything even close to a lady. Sir Michael imagines that the lady of Roseford Manor will be like his mother: calm and elegant. Neither of them can resist the one person they ought to refuse.

    The author on the character Sir Michael:

    “Some people’s fantasies may include men who are mean, or transforming men who are mean, but mine don’t. Michael is never mean. When he’s thoughtless or dumb, he corrects himself. And he shows with his actions every day that his gruffness hides a big goofy heart.”
    Judith Lynne
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  • Best Historical Romance Books

    Who’s That Earl by Susanna Craig

    April 5, 2023

    Will scandalous secrets stand in the way of a second chance at love?

    Miss Jane Quayle excels at invention. How else could the sheltered daughter of an English gentleman create lurid gothic novels so infamous someone wants their author silenced forever?  Fortunately, Jane has taken steps to protect herself, first by assuming a pen name, and second, by taking up residence at remote Dunnock Castle, surrounded by rugged scenery that might have been ripped from the pages of one of her books. Her true identity remains a secret, until one dark and stormy night . . . After years of spying for the British army, Thomas Sutherland doubts the Highlands will ever feel like home again. Nevertheless, thanks to a quirk of Scottish inheritance law, he’s now the Earl of Magnus, complete with a crumbling castle currently inhabited by a notorious novelist. When the writer turns out to be the woman Thomas once wooed, suspicions rise even as mutual sparks reignite. As danger closes in, can Jane and Thomas overcome their pasts to forge a future together?

    The author’s inspiration for the novel:

    “My inspirations for this series were my favorite romantic suspense TV series from the 1980s, such as Magnum PI and Remington Steele… I had a lot of fun both researching and imagining Regency-era spies and secrets, so that each book is full of intrigue, adventure, and, of course, romance.”
    Susanna Craig
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  • Best Historical Romance Books

    Highland Renegade by Cynthia Breeding

    January 19, 2023

    She just has to win over the handsome Scottish laird whose family has lived there for centuries. How hard could it be?

    Emily, the Dowager Countess of Woodhaven, has received title to lands in the Highlands—MacGregor lands—and after surviving an abusive marriage, she’s determined to make a new start…without a man. When Ian MacGregor heard that the Sassenach countess was actually laying claim to his lands, he figured to scare the aging widow away by showing her the hardships of living in the Highlands. She’d leave before the first snowflake fell. But he never imagined that the widow was young and beautiful and more territorial than a she-wolf. No matter, he’ll prove that a fragile, London woman like her would never survive life without her servants…and if he happens to give her the coldest and most remote rooms, all the better. Despite his best efforts to freeze her out, things between them heat up. But Highlanders hate the Sassenach, so Ian faces a dire choice—his clan or the irresistible English aristocrat who seems to have taken not only his lands, but also his heart. High praise for the novel:

    “The chemistry between Ian and Emily sizzles off the page, and keeps you turning until the last moment, and there is more than just romantic happiness at stake, when it seems somebody is out to make Emily’s life even more miserable than he had ever originally intended.”
    Author Jennifer C. Wilson
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  • Best Historical Romance Books

    The Duke’s Bride by Joanne Wadsworth

    November 18, 2022

    He must steal a lady…then steal her love.

    Desiring a man and never being noticed as more than his best friend’s little sister has Lady Ellie Trentbury finally consigning herself to the truth. She must move on, and preferably with a man who lives far away from her home in London where she need never be reminded of the duke who stole her heart. An elopement with an honorable American shipping merchant sounds perfect.

    The Duke of Ashten has no choice but to be bound into his best friend’s carriage when he discovers little Ellie is inside and intent on eloping with a man to Gretna Green who she barely knows. He can’t allow her to make such a terrible mistake, yet convincing her might mean giving into his desire for the golden-eyed enchantress who has followed him around since he was a lad. Her pouty lips and bountiful charms can no longer be ignored, only convincing her of the truth of his intentions will mean jeopardizing both his sanity and a lifelong friendship as well.

    A 5 star review from Goodreads:

    “An absolute delight to read! Fast paced with danger and romance. A must read! Joanne Wadsworth nailed book 1 in her new and exciting Recency Romance.”

    April – Goodreads 
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  • Best Historical Romance Books

    Lady by Chance by Cheryl Bolen

    October 7, 2022

    Can a forced marriage rise a love as powerful as the canons of the war which tears them apart?

    Driven by fierce patriotism to England, the Marquess of Haverstock will do anything to reclaim the money his best friend lost at cards, money that was to purchase battle plans from a French official.

    The bewitchingly beautiful but illegitimate Anna De Mouchet agrees to give the marquess back the money she “won.” On one condition: that he marry her.

     Manipulated into a marriage of convenience to prove their patriotism, Anna and Charles, the Marquess of Haverstock, question each other’s loyalties. But there’s no question that Anna’s silken touch has bewitched the powerful lord who has become her husband, and no question that she craves every moment in his arms.

    The author on her research on regency England:

    “After writing 33 historical romances and probably a hundred articles on English historical topics, I rarely have to research anymore. That is because I’ve spent more than twenty years educating myself about a narrow period in English history and have an extensive library of research books. Added to this, I’ve been to England on about a dozen trips, some of these for several weeks at a time.”

    Cheryl Bolen 
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  • Best Historical Romance Books

    To Heal an Earl by Alexa Aston

    September 9, 2022

    Both wronged by their families . . . two souls alone in the world . . .

    Instead of making her come-out during the upcoming London Season, Lady Charlotte Nott finds herself tossed from her home after her father’s untimely death by a vengeful half-brother. Penniless, she makes her way in a world new to her, first serving as a companion and then governess to the three children of Lord Crampton. When the earl dies moments after hiring her, Charlotte takes on the running of Gray Manor’s household and estate until the children’s new guardian arrives. Guilt weighs heavily on Major Danforth Grayson, having lost too many men under his command over the years. When he receives word of the death of the brother who wronged him, Gray returns home, bitter with the hand life has dealt him. He intends to hire competent people to manage the estate and care for his nephew and nieces and retreat to a solitary life in London—until he meets the inimitable Miss Nott.

    Charlotte is drawn to Gray but knows she is no longer of his world. When he suddenly becomes the new Lord Crampton, she knows it’s time to leave her charges behind—for what woman would care to watch the man she loves wed another and start a family as she suffers in silence? Yet Charlotte knows Gray is a broken man and her leaving might shatter him forever. Can Charlotte walk away from a flawed man who desperately needs her, or will she leave before she loses her own soul?

    The author on the main characters and how they pave the way for other heroes and heroines in later books in the series:

    “Lady Charlotte is turned out of her home just before she is to make her come-out… She must find a way to earn her living and does so, first as a companion and then as a governess. Gray, an officer in the Napoleonic Wars, resigns his commission and returns to England a broken man because of his war experiences. He has been named guardian to his deceased brother’s three children, whom he’s never met. Gray doesn’t have it in him to love these strangers when he can’t forgive himself for all his sins. Yet Gray is drawn to Charlotte and love blossoms between them. Fortunately, these two will discover they are better together than apart and their love will be an example for other men and women in Soldiers & Soulmates.”

    Alexa Aston 
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