Last week’s post kicking off our Read Jo Goodman Crusade brought out several readers who don’t read historical romances. That got me thinking…why? What is it about historical romances that certain readers just don’t like? Is it the time period? Is it the Lord and Lady of the manor storyline that gets old? The gowns and balls? The rake and the virgin? Inquiring minds want to know…
The first historical I ever read was Until You by Judith McNaught. I’ve since read all of McNaught’s historicals and loved (almost) every one of them. I’ve read Julie Garwood and Lisa Kleypas. I’ve read Shirley Busbee’s bodice-rippers. One thing I’ve noticed about myself and historical romances is that I really don’t like the Lord and Lady of the manor storyline. It just seems boring and trite to me. Just blah.
I am not a fan of Mary Balogh. She’s just too wordy for my taste. Even so, I read More than a Mistress at the urging of a friend. I thought it was great. Same with Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase. Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas remains one of my favorite historicals to date. So you see…I do like historical authors other than Jo Goodman. *g*
So for you non-historical readers…what would it take for you to read a historical? What is it about them that turns you away? For you readers who like historicals…what are a few of your favorites? What would you recommend for those readers who just don’t like reading historicals?
I guess to recommend a historical is to find out what time period the person likes. If they enjoy medievals, definintely Julie Garwood and old school Beatrice Small. I would also recommend a classic such as Ivanhoe, which has two lovely romances.
As for more regency reads, definitely Lisa Kleypas and Julia Quinn.
Lord of Scoundrels – I believe is a must read for historical romance. It’s my number 1. LOL
My first romance was a historical romance, Julie Garwood’s For the Roses.
I do read historicals, and I agree that Lord of Scoundrels and Dreaming of You are must-reads. But I’ve been trying to convince my friend that not all Regencies suck. She’s pretty much convinced that regency romance = stupid heroines who like exclamation marks, no sex, and lots of stupid parties. Eventually, though, I will wear her down and convince her that she needs to give LoS a try.
My first historical was a Christina Dodd and to this day I love everything she rights (what?) and I own them. I’m a sucker for it.
However my two fav authors that I must own no matter what and will read right away is Lisa Kleypas and Laura Lee Guhrke. I love Laura’s characters she really knows how to make you feel for them. I love the time period and her descriptions and how she isn’t afraid to tackle a subject that some will dislike (The Marriage Bed)
As far as Lisa I just love the romance she creates. She makes it believable makes you believe in a HEA. I really do love any kind of romance as long as it is written well and believable.
I don’t want a girl living on her own in Victoria England with no one and then she is a lost sister to an Earl and the Duke has to have her but is okay with her living on her own????
What I don’t like about historicals is that so many of the heroines are the virgins and/or are so timid/shy around men and who have no sexual experience and need the big strong man to enlighten them.
I guess coming from the Sex and the City generation that I don’t have any patience for that kind of heroine.
I also don’t like the Regency era and don’t want to read anything about a Viscount or Rake.
I have read a few historicals I like Dreaming of You by LK, Ride the Fire by Pamela Clare, and the entire Outlander series. In Ride the Fire the heroine was a widow. And in Outlander Clare travels through time (and is married) and is more experienced.
I am open to suggestions for good historicals but especially anything set in Scotland or Ireland. And like RtF anything on the frontier (but not necessarily “western”).
Lol. I think I just like contemps better because I can relate (minus a hero) more with their issues.
The first historical romance I ever read was The Sherbrooke Bride by Catherine Coulter and I’ve been hooked ever since…though her latest Sherbrooke book “The Wizard’s Daughter” was almost a “DNF” because it was just wierd and hard to follow.
I don’t know how you can NOT like historicals though really. I’m into MANLY men and typically, even though the hero in the book is royalty, they are the tall, dark and handsome kind of men and I LOVE that.
I love books set in the Highlands too.
I have the opposite problem. I only like a handful of contemporary authors and I can’t stand paranormals. As far as recs, I second LoS and in fact anything by Loretta Chase would be a good place to start. As far as medieval Madeline Hunter’s books esp. The Protector and By Posession are awesome reads.
I used to love historicals. I think it was the fact that the time and world is so different in those stories than what we live in. Lately though, I have lost interest. It almost feels like a chore to force myself to finish a hist romance. I am no longer able to connect with the heroine. I think I am getting old. The 18 year old virgin who is either shy and timid, or clueless (the TSTL heroine)… I just don’t like them. A historical needs to have a strong gal at it’s center. I need to feel like standing up and cheering for the heroine.
As for the hero… give me the bad boy or the one who is not Lord Somesuch. This is where I loved Lisa Kleypas’ recent historical. Cam. mmmmmm… he was yummy. 🙂
I sunk my teeth into my first romance on a historical and I haven’t looked back since. My reading tastes have changed more to contemps these days but I still love me a good historical every once and again until I tire myself out of them and have to move along to the next great contemp or chick lit novel.
My favorites are Judith McNaught’s Something Wonderful, Almost Heaven and Once and Always. Julie Garwood, well most all of her older books and Lord of Scoundrels, Lisa Kleypas is a great one, I love me some Julia Quinn and goodness, I can go on…and on but those are the best ones I can think of.
I ditto what Shannon just said! Cam was very yummy and Lisa’s next historical looks to be even hotter with a hero just like Cam but more angsty and in love with a woman he would die for!
I think Shannon hit on my problem with historicals. Too often the heroines are so TSTL they completely ruin the story. When I first started reading romance it was historicals I loved. But now they’re very hit or miss for me.
Still, a few recs that don’t feature TSTL heroines:
If His Kiss is Wicked by Jo Goodman
Pretty much anything by Lisa Kleypas
Lord of Scoundrels
His Bonnie Bride by Hannah Howell
Three Nights by Debra Mullins
I’ve loved historicals longer than I can remember. I’d been stuck in the medieval period for years. I love any time period from 750 to 1350. I love me a knight in shining armor. They’re just so freakin manly. I love the whole Saxon/Viking and Saxon/Norman scenerios, as well as Vikings. Two of my all time favorites are The Wolf and The Dove by Kathleen Woodiwiss and Sea Jewel by Penelope Neri. Claudia Dain wrote a book about Roman/Saxons called To Burn, which was great, since it’s not often to find a book written during that period.
I could never quite get into the whole Regency period, although I do love Johanna Lindsey’s Mallorys. I remember reading Shirley Busbee’s books back in the 80s…I loved them.
These days I’ve really gotten into paranormal. I started by reading Sherrilyn Kenyon (because of her Kinley MacGregors)and now I LOVE the genre.
Hi Lorraine!
Have you read The Prize by Julie Garwood? It’s on the lighter side for a historical set in the Norman/Saxon times, but it’s still worth checking out.
Oh, and welcome to Book Binge! ;0)