Oldies But Goodies: New Under-the-Radar Historical Romance

This book is for daughters who are tired of playing by their family’s rules. Lady Penelope Dodge has been promised to a duke she does not love. So she does what any red-blooded person would do: spend her last moments of freedom in the arms of a guy she’s really attractive to. That man is Alexander Sutton, Earl of Bainbridge, and a scandalous man himself. Since the two cannot separate themselves, Lady Penelope is faced with the age-old dilemma of duty versus pleasure.

The newfound wealth means that Warren Bakshi’s current occupation of tending bar at an underground queer club is no longer appropriate for his position. He encounters Detective Inspector Matthew Shaw in an art class, pursuing what he considered a more respectable pastime. Given that laws against homosexuality are on the books in Victorian London, the resulting affair has the potential to blow up both of their lives. While the stakes are high for both of them, the witty dialogue and comedic moments bring a lot of levity to their story.

Who else is going to fall in love with an advice columnist? That is the profession of Miss Vivian Henry. When his cousin is kidnapped, the authorities do not help. So she turns to the vigilantes, the Wild Winchesters, for whom the series is named. She ends up dating Jacob, who has a group of animals and is secretly a poet. Vivian absolutely deserves someone who can be sarcastic.

If you want to read more historical romance check out Grace Callaway. She has an extensive catalogue, and her books are fascinating. This book has a classic enemies-to-lovers kind of plot. Conrad Godwin is an industrialist who wants to buy the Roman baths at Chudley Bottoms. Lady Gigi Harrington is trying to help her friend revive it as a locally owned and operated establishment. Naturally, these two already have history, and you’ll have to read on to learn more.

Lydia Lloyd writes historical romance that comes from a place of deep respect for the genre, always giving us flawed but lovable characters who completely destroy each other. The book features a proper rake named Leith, who never keeps a prostitute for more than a fortnight. Beatrice Salisbury is the next woman in line for the position. He recently took up this business to save his family from financial ruin. The way these two match each other will make you drool.

How about a historical romance set in a strange utopian world? Honestly, it doesn’t get much more fantasy than a historical world full of young, handsome dukes! In this story, we meet socialite Georgiana “George” Pace, a true pleasure seeker. While trying to avenge his friend, who became the victim of a corrupt gaming house, he meets Lady Elizabeth Mortimer. The spark between them changes everything for George.

I can never get enough retellings of the historical romance of Beauty and the Beast. There’s a fun twist in that Beauty doesn’t make it to the Beast’s house because of a strange agreement with her father. Babysitter Rebecca Adler stays at the home of widower Roger Berab while the damage caused by Roger’s careless daughter is being repaired. That forced closeness forces both of them to change their views about each other and themselves. Felicia Grossman’s novels are also notable for highlighting the history of Jewish communities in historical England. Also, take a look at that cover too. Rolling library stairs???

I love historical romances with dual timelines. In 2022, Pauletta is a history PhD student immersed in her research, partly because she is not sure what path her career will take. And partly because his subjects are so fascinating. Paul Campbell was a thick, macho gay trumpet player who left rural Georgia for Harlem, where the Renaissance was in full swing in the 1930s. There he meets Amy, a woman fleeing the Jim Crow South. As Pauletta learns about their fascinating love story, she learns to imagine what she really wants for their future.