I can’t believe it’s been almost two years since Bridgerton season two put me in a historical romance craze that lasted several months. While the Bridgerton series wasn’t what made me fall in love with the historical romance genre (your girl has been cracking them open for years and years and my romance shelf is crumbling) it caused me to reflect on the books I’ve loved, the authors that create masterful tension, and the novels that reaffirm our belief in great love stories. Recently, I’ve been waiting to submit some new historical romances and update my “god-tier historical romance” list. With the latest season of Bridgerton on pause until June 13th (I cry daily), all I want is to sink my teeth into a new historical romance, and all of these are worthy contenders.
When the Viscount Wanted Me by Lydia Lloyd
I love him, but the thing is, he’s my brother’s best friend
Lydia Lloyd is a completely new to me author and *whew* what a hit her second novel is. Brothers best friend trope is a tried and true staple in this genre and Lloyd throws her cap in this (I have no other word than sizzling) historical. When the Viscount Wanted Me is a fast-paced, addictive story, that takes off, quite literally, with a bang. Lady Henrietta can be classified as nothing but a true icon because as soon as a chance emerges to be with the guy she’s been in love with for years she leaps at it. I love reading from heroines that go against the grain of traditional expectations in the genre, and Henrietta is one of them. Henrietta is experienced in sex, but love is what remains elusive. As she falls in with Trem, love is all that she wants from the person who already has her heart. With adventure, secret sexy times, and a delightful group of characters, The Rake Chronicles needs to be on your radar. Prepare to fan yourself more than usual because this one completely changed my definition of the word hot.
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“He doesn’t own Henrietta any more than he does me. She is free to do as she pleases. And she wants to marry me—and I certainly want to marry her. I would kill for this woman”
– When the Viscount Wanted Me
An Affair With A Notorious Heiress by Lorraine Heath
“I shall be returning to New York” is the new “And I am leaving for India”
If you’re chasing the heat and the yearning left by Kate and Anthony from season two of Bridgerton Lorraine Heath’s, An Affair With A Notorious Heiress comes pretty close plot-wise. Lady Landsdowne is society’s best scandal, after her supposed affair and subsequent divorce from her husband. Alistair Mabry, the Marquess of Rexton is on the hunt for a wife and scandal will have no place in his marriage. Unfortunately, the young lady he is pursuing is the sister of the Scandalous Lady Landsdowne, who insists on being the chaperone in their courtship. Lorraine Heath takes slow burn to the max with some gorgeous moments of tenderness and understanding between her two leads, only serving to heighten that payoff when they finally give into their feelings. I appreciate how Rexton consistently backed Tillie, who continued to expect abandonment and poor behavior from everyone around her, but was shown differently. I really feel that these two stand on par with one another in their partnership, making for a truly divine romance!
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“What are you doing?” she demanded. “Giving into temptation and kissing you, obviously.”
– An Affair With A Notorious Heiress
Last Night’s Scandal by Loretta Chase
If you want childhood friends who argue like a married couple (but in fact aren’t) while continuing to deny their feelings as they fix up an old Scottish castle this is for you. (Bonus points for treasure hunts).
Last Night’s Scandal was my first Loretta Chase romance and it might just be a contender for my top five historicals of all time. This is a steamy friends to lovers romance story featuring two childhood friends who get roped into fixing up a run-down castle in Scotland, but battle strange setbacks, ghosts, and a hunt for the elusive treasure hidden somewhere on the grounds. Olivia Wingate-Carsington is the most chaotic heroine — throwing teapots at people, hitting men with umbrellas, and immediately ready to commit to the thrill of the moment (while everyone tries to hold her back). This should be classified under: two idiots trying in vain to deny their feelings with mixed results. Lisle and Olivia bring the tension and the heat and this is just an all-around superb romance.
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“I love you madly,” she said. “I shall make you happy if I have to kill somebody to do it. But that ought not to be necessary.”
– Last Night’s Scandal
The Sins of Lord Lockwood by Meredith Duran
An angst-ridden second chance romance between an estranged husband and wife (so good it will make you cry)
As a second-chance romance connoisseur, The Sins of Lord Lockwood is a reminder of why I love this trope, particularly in historical romance. Two estranged spouses reunite after four years apart and reconcile what went exactly wrong in their marriage. The twist: Liam Devaliant, Lord Lockwood, was kidnapped and taken as a convict to New South Wales where he was held for several years and his wife, Anna, the Countess of Forth has no idea. Liam battles the long-term impacts of his experiences while trying to hide what happened from Anna, who wrestles with having been abandoned. They find their way back to one another as they open up to the truth and work to establish a new chapter of their relationship. The Sins of Lord Lockwood is definitely intense but is grounded in some truly important discussions surrounding love after trauma, PTSD, and intimacy. An angsty but beautiful romance with a satisfying ending.
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“Liar!” she called, but she was smiling. She was impossibly beautiful. She was the only sight worth seeing. “I would be a fool to look away from you,” he said. “Even for a moment.”
– The Sins of Lord Lockwood
The Duke Heist by Erica Ridley
Trying to recover a stolen family painting from an unfeeling Duke, whom you accidentally kidnap, but save from scandal so he agrees to help you find a husband (you’re lying. you still want that painting)
No family truly embodies the Bridgerton antics quite like the Wynchesters, a family of adopted former orphans from diverse backgrounds who use their combined talents to solve mysteries and crimes in order to protect the working class. Chloe Wynchester, the appointed leader of the family, must get close to the Duke of Faircliff to retrieve a painting stolen by his father, but accidentally kidnapping the duke was not on her agenda. Chloe is the kind of heroine who prefers to stay invisible while conducting her schemes and as her relationship (and case) with Lawrence evolves, she decides to step into the light. I’m nothing if not a sucker for the wallflower who is ten times smarter than the love interest and Lawrence and Chloe have some lovely moments of verbal sparring that prove that over and over again. Try and read this and not become obsessed with this family. I dare you.
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“This was who he really was, when he wasn’t trying so hard to be a perfect duke: delightful, approachable, irresistible. She wanted to grab the ribbons of his outlandish bonnet and kiss him for days. She wanted to wear the one he’d made for her for the rest of her life.”
– The Duke Heist
West End Earl by Bethany Bennett
Living in hiding as a man for the last decade comes with its own challenges, but falling for your employer and best friend takes the cake
If you’re looking for a historical romance drenched in absurdity, West End Earl is the answer to your prayers. Ophelia Hardwick has assumed the identity of her deceased twin for eleven years after an accident resulted in his death and provided her an opportunity to escape her snide uncle until she is of age to inherit. As her twenty-fifth birthday looms, her uncle makes his move, and Ophelia must rely on her employer and close friend Calvin, the Earl of Carlyle to survive. West End Earl surprised me in the best way. Ophelia was such a bold character and I laughed at the ease in which she and Calvin transitioned into their romance. As the two were such close friends it made quite a bit of sense, but there were several scenes that simply made my jaw drop. Schemes layer upon schemes and there’s no way you can guess where the story ends up.
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“I’ll deal with it.” He cradled her jaw and kissed her again, slowly, as if savoring her. “Because I plan to spend a lot of time kissing you, Ophelia Hardwick”
– West End Earl
It Started with a Scandal by Julie Anne Long
How to make a formidable French Lord fall for you: flowers that remind him of home, terrible rhymes about his conquests, and plenty of apple tarts
It Started with a Scandal is a romance I’ve read too many times to count and lives in my top five favorite historicals. Elise Fountain was once a respected member of society, but as a single mother, she has fallen far. Elise now serves as a housekeeper to the intimidating Lord Philippe Lavay to support herself and her son. Bringing the house back to life places her in the ire of her employer, a man down on his honor recovering from injuries sustained during his last mission. Elise helps bring Philippe and the house back to rights and they gradually form a friendship hinged on something more. Julie Anne Long attempts a lot in this one, and it’s all pulled off to perfection. When I say the amount of yearning between Elise and Philippe almost put me in a coma, I mean it. It Started with a Scandal is just one example of flawless tension, stakes, and romantic development in the genre and my top recommendation for fans new and old.
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“All the memories I wish to keep were comprised of love. And home, Elise, is anywhere love is.” He stepped toward her urgently and looked down. “And you are my love.”
– It Started with a Scandal
The Duke Gets Even by Joanna Shupe
What do you do when the man you had a midnight tryst with ends up being the Duke pursuing your best friend? Turn to complete and utter loathing.
Singing praises to Joanna Shupe is a daily occurrence in my life I’m afraid. Part of the Fifth Avenue Rebels series, set in New York During the Gilded Age, The Duke Gets Even follows a fearlessly independent heiress and a guarded Duke who begin an affair that threatens to break down the precarious boundaries they’ve constructed around their hearts. Jaw on the floor is the basic theme for this entire series, and somehow Shupe takes that further with The Duke Gets Even. I love the shift from hatred to love and the delicious tension that builds as Nelly and Andrew give into their instincts, yet refuse to concede that they care for one another. Nelly’s championing of sexual and reproductive health was really refreshing and combined with the circumstances surrounding Lockwood’s heart condition, really grounded this story. The Duke Gets Even is a surprisingly tender romance and witnessing Nelly and Lockwood reach for a life together, despite their circumstances, is altogether liberating.
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“Bending, he whispered near her ear, “Do you need, Eleanor?” “Yes,” she said on a quiet sigh. “God, yes.” … “Then what were you doing, flaunting that waiter in my face instead of asking me to do it properly?”
– The Duke Gets Even
When the Earl Desired Me by Lydia Lloyd
When he’s the earl who broke your heart over a decade ago but he’s determined to have you back in his life and will do whatever he can to prove it
Yes, I am putting another Lydia Lloyd on the list because I finished this the other night and it is without a doubt the most fitting book for fans of Bridgerton season three. When she was a maid in his family home, Olivia Watson fell in love with Lord Augustus Carrington, the Earl of Montaigne, and the two embarked on a whirlwind affair that ended when Augustus callously sent her away with a note and ten guineas. Thirteen years later, Olivia returns to England, where she comes face to face with Augustus and the ghosts of their former passions. When the Earl Desired Me features sexy carriage rides, love letters, and of course, a wonderful second chance romance plotline. Lloyd does a fantastic job expanding on the relationship between Olivia and Augustus, particularly with the inherent power dynamics that were at play despite their mutual attraction to one another and the class attitudes that continue to impact their relationship in the present. Supported by a lively cast of characters and beautiful romances, this series is a new favorite and Lydia Lloyd is undoubtedly an author to watch.
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“She was so beautiful that it hurt to look at her. He would have wanted to close his eyes, but the only thing more unbearable than continuing to look at her was stopping.”
– When the Earl Desired Me
Bed Me, Duke by Felicity Niven
What’s a rake to do when he becomes a duke but hide his new identity and travel to Scotland where he becomes entangled in a lessons-in-seduction plot with a spitfire Countess.
Felicity Niven is another new to me author whose books I flew through earlier this winter and cannot wait to read more from. Bed Me, Duke focuses on Captain Jack Pike, a notorious rake and newly established duke, and Helen Boyd, a countess desperate to save her people by marrying him. Unbeknownst to her, the man she has entangled to teach her how to seduce happens to be the duke she plans on seducing all the way to the altar. Lessons in seduction has never been my favorite trope, but it turns out I just needed Felicy Niven’s version to change my mind. Jack and Helen throw themselves into their mutual attraction, and their passion builds into a deep and lasting connection that they continue to deny. There’s plenty of longing and lingering gazes in store in this charming and wholeheartedly endearing series debut. I had the best time reading this one and will be looking out for more from Niven.
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“You’re a thistle, Helen. Tough and spiky and able to flourish in a rocky, brutal place. You draw blood with your prickers. But a thistle also has a flower. A rich, purple, majestic flower, like a crown”
– Bed Me, Duke
Literaryrobin 