The best books to fall in love with historical romance

S.M. Harlow Author Of The Lover of The Opera
By S.M. Harlow

Who am I?

I’ve been in love with HR novels ever since my parents took me to a bookstore when I was fifteen, where for the first time, I stepped into an aisle filled with romance. It was love at first sight, as I searched for that one book that called to me. After finishing that book, my world had changed. Now, seventeen years later, as a published author for both New Age and Historical Romance, I still feverishly read romance books to continue feeding that internal flame of love and passion I still have for Historical Romance. I hope you enjoy the books on this list as much as I have.

I wrote...

The Lover of The Opera

By S.M. Harlow

Book cover of The Lover of The Opera

What is my book about?

Anita never wanted to return to London. Nor did she dream of returning during the Ton’s most ambitious season for gossip. Their hottest topic? The Six Rakes of Springfield. But as a gratified wallflower, how was Anita to know that she would be plunged into a wild dream of love and disgrace?

Nothing plagued Bram more than the meddling of Ton’s judgment and rumors. Having a mixed heritage only added to his ruined reputation. The only solace was his Opera House, but even that sealed his name in gossip. Bram never imagined finding freedom, nor did he dream of ever finding a lost rose hidden within his desolate realm. What could be gained from pleasures found within each other’s embrace?

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The Books I Picked & Why

Let It Be Love (Effington Family & Friends)

By Victoria Alexander

Book cover of Let It Be Love (Effington Family & Friends)

Why this book?

Let It Be Love was the first historical romance novel I ever read. It was the one that sparked and inspired my own writing. This book is filled with good humor, grand sexual tension between the hero and heroine, and the desired ever-after you wish for yourself. It will make you fall in love with hot-blooded male characters who find their hearts melting for their ladies. It will have you appreciate the strong, clever, and stubborn female characters that strive for what they want. The best traditional HR! Would make the perfect start for anyone’s journey into Historical Romance.

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Almost a Lady

By Jane Feather

Book cover of Almost a Lady

Why this book?

Almost A Lady is filled with love, passion, and adventure for the restless soul. It has a fiery heroine who isn’t afraid to fight for her life, and the most ideal roguish pirate scoundrel one longs for in a Historical Romance. The perfect enemies-to-lovers tale that will have you staying up late for more. I loved this book because it revealed far more than what a traditional HR setting could be. It gave me love and peril and a hot slow-burn of fervor and intensity one needs in a great Historical Romance.

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Passion

By Lisa Valdez

Book cover of Passion

Why this book?

Passion is a highly intense and passionate novel that transports you away from the traditional HR to a whole new world of an exotic and steamy love affair. The characters flourish together from hot-blooded lovers to hopelessly in love. This book carries all that you would hope to find in a historical romance, from lust, obsession, longing, and love with a happy conclusion. If you’re looking for all the qualities, and then some, in a historical romance, then this book will get you there! Truly unforgettable! I read this over a decade ago, and I still remember it fondly! But honestly, because of all the sensual sex scenes!

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Marrying Winterborne

By Lisa Kleypas

Book cover of Marrying Winterborne

Why this book?

Marrying Winterborne is an all-around feel-good romance for the ages. Every step of the way, you are rooting for the hero and heroine. A traditional historical romance story that will melt your heart and will leave you imagining your own love story in the making. The hero draws you in with his brooding yet protective personality, and the heroine captures your heart with her innocent yet loyal love for her man. I loved this book because it honestly truly made me cry while reading it, which is no easy feat to accomplish. I also found it to be a real breath of fresh air, due to how the characters were realistically written and relatable.

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Slightly Dangerous

By Mary Balogh

Book cover of Slightly Dangerous

Why this book?

Slightly Dangerous is a historical romance novel where you will root and completely fall head over heels for the main hero. I absolutely love how the author wrote the hero’s character in such a way that you find yourself intertwined with him, mind, body, and soul. He is a sort of hero where everyone believes him to be dangerous and heartless, but is the opposite, and this story will take you on the journey of that discovery. Especially when the heroine realizes this as well. This book makes you become a cheerleader, where you will find yourself speaking and whispering words of encouragement to the characters and crying when the drama keeps them apart. But alas, jumping for joy when that happily ever after takes hold.

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