My Top 20 Historcal Romances

I am frequently asked what are my favorite historical romances. That’s a long list, as you know from my “best lists.” There are currently nearly 150 5-star romances on my "Favorite Keepers" shelf on Goodreads. But here my current Top 20. It’s no accident that almost all are deeper historicals that include real history. And because I love Scotland as a setting, many are set in that land of beautiful lochs and glens.

These stories are the ones that have stayed with me, the ones I want to re-read, the ones I can’t forget. Their heroes and heroines grace my Favorite Heroes and Heroines list. And they are written by some of my favorite authors.

Bride of the MacHugh by Jan Cox Speas

Lady of the Glen by Jennifer Roberson

The Windflower by Laura London (aka Sharon & Tom Curtis)

The Silver Devil by Teresa Denys

The Dragon and the Jewel by Virginia Henley

Heartstorm by Elizabeth Stuart

Shanna by Kathleen Woodiwiss

Once in a Blue Moon by Penelope Williamson

The Passions of Emma by Penelope Williamson

Whispers of Heaven by Candice Proctor

The Wind Dancer by Iris Johansen

Lady Vixen by Shirley Busbee

Moonstruck Madness by Laurie McBain

On a Highland Shore by Kathleen Givens

Rivals for the Crown by Kathleen Givens

Clandara by Evelyn Anthony

Stormfire by Christine Monson

Emerald Prince by Brit Darby

Dancing On Coals by Ellen O’Connell

Mountain Mistress by Nadine Crenshaw

Best Irish Historical Romances

I first developed this list for a friend of Irish descent who loves Irish historical romances. Since then, I have updated this list each year as I have come to love stories that feature Ireland and/or Irish heroes and heroines. The books on this list cover all time periods. Some transcend typical historical romance as they bring to life heartrending tales of the Irish fight for freedom from English tyranny and/or the wonderful Irish people who survived much hardship to help make great their adoptive countries.

If you’re looking for stories of the Emerald Isle or handsome Irish hunks, or worthy Irish heroines, you will find them here. All these have been rated 4 or 5 stars by me:

 

·      A Love by Any Measure by Killian McRae

·      Beyond the Cliffs of Kerry by Amanda Hughes

·      Black Falcon’s Lady by Kimberly Cates (originally released as Nightwylde by Kimberleigh Caitlin)

·      Black Sword by Kathryn Le Veque

·      Briar’s Rose by Kimberly Cates

·      Bride of the Baja by Jane Toombs (original author name Jocelyn Wilde)

·      Broken Vows by Shirl Henke

·      Brotherly Love by Lorna Peel

·      Carnal Gift by Pamela Clare

·      Countess of Scandal, Duchess Of Sin and Lady of Seduction, the Daughters of Erin trilogy by Laurel McKee

·      Crown Of Mist by Kimberly Cates

·      Dark of the Moon by Karen Robards

·      Dark Torment by Karen Robards

·      Dream Lover by Virginia Henley

·      Embrace and Conquer by Jennifer Blake

·      Emerald Ecstasy by Emma Merritt

·      Emerald Prince by Brit Darby

·      Enticed by Virginia Henley (first published as The Irish Gypsy)

·      Eyes of the Seer by Ashley York

·      Forbidden Love by Karen Robards

·      Forbidden Passion by Theresa Scott

·      Golden Surrender, The Viking’s Woman and Lord of the Wolves, the Viking/Irish trilogy by Heather Graham

·      Gracelin O’Malley by Ann Moore

·      Heart of Stone and Heart of Lies by Jill Marie Landis

·      Her Warrior Slave and Her Warrior King, from the MacEgan Brothers Series by Michelle Willingham

·      In From the Cold by Nora Roberts

·      Lady of Conquest by Teresa Medeiros

·      Lily Fair by Kimberly Cates

·      Lions and Lace by Meagan McKinney

·      Lord of Hawkfell Island by Catherine Coulter

·      Maid of Killarney by Ana Seymour

·      Moonlit by Emma Jensen (3^rd in her Regency spy series; the only one set in Ireland)

·      Maidensong by Diana Groe

·      Master of My Dreams by Danelle Harmon

·      No Gentle Love by Rebecca Brandewyne

·      Odin’s Shadow by Erin Riley

·      O’er The River Liffey by Heidi Ashworth

·      Old Glory by Christopher Nicole

·      Only Forever by Kimberly Cates

·      Passion’s Joy and the sequel Virgin’s Star by Jennifer Horsman

·      Raeliksen and Mac Liam (from the Emerald Isle trilogy) by Renee Vincent

·      Rose in the Mist and Irish Gypsy (from the Riordan trilogy) by Ana Seymour

·      Rose of the Mists, A Rose in Splendor and A Secret Rose, trilogy by Laura Parker

·      Scarlett: The Sequel to Gone With the Wind by Alexandra Ripley

·      Scattered Seeds by Julie Doherty

·      Sea Raven by Patricia McAllister

·      Skye O’Malley by Bertrice Small

·      Stealing Heaven by Kimberly Cates

·      Stormfire by Christine Monson

·      Storm Maiden by Mary Gillgannon

·      Surrender the Stars by Cynthia Wright

·      Tears of Gold by Laurie McBain

·      The Black Angel by Cordia Byers

·      The Divided Heart by Beppie Harrison

·      The Game by Brenda Joyce

·      The Ground She Walks Upon by Meagan McKinney

·      The Hawk and the Dove by Virginia Henley

·      The Heart and the Holly by Nancy Richards-Akers

·      The Highwayman by Anne Kelleher

·      The Irishman by Jennifer Roberson (first published as Royal Captive)

·      The Irish Devil by Donna Fletcher

·      The Irish Duke by Virginia Henley

·      The Irish Princess, The Irish Enchantress and The Irish Knight by Amy Fetzer

·      The Irish Princess by Elizabeth Chadwick

·      The Irish Rogue by Emma Jensen

·      The Irish Rogue by Judith E. French

·      The Irish Sisters Trilogy by Debra Holland

·      The Legend of the Green Man by Sara Hely

·      The Linnet by Elizabeth English

·      The Passions Of Emma by Penelope Williamson

·      The Prize by Brenda Joyce

·      The Rebel by Christine Dorsey

·      The Seventh Son by Ashley York

·      The Sword of the Banshee by Amanda Hughes

·      The Wayward One by Danelle Harmon

·      To Ride a White Horse by Pamela Ford

·      Touch of Lace by Elizabeth DeLancey

·      Tread Softly On My Dreams by Gretta Curran Browne

·      Uncertain Magic by Laura Kinsale

·      Whispers of Heaven by Candice Proctor

·      Wild Angel by Miriam Minger

·      Wild Roses by Miriam Minger

·      Windsong by Judith E. French

·      Wolf’s Embrace by Gail Link

 

All of my books in The Clan Donald Saga have scenes set in Medieval Ireland. Bound by Honor features an Irish heroine…a historical figure. The first in my new Dawn of America series, The Irish Yankee, brings you a daring Irish American sea captain. And I hope you’ll read my Regency novella, The Shamrock & The Rose with an Irish hero!

Ann Moore’s GRACELIN O’MALLEY – Courageous Irish Lass, the Great Famine and Ireland’s Fight for Freedom

 

This a great story set in the time of Ireland’s famine (1845-1852) and the people’s rising for freedom from the English who had virtually enslaved them.

 

The story begins in 1840 when Grace is a young girl and happy with her family and her cousins. First she loses her mother and her brother is injured in an accident, leaving her father, Patrick, a broken man.

 

Less than a decade later, Grace’s father arranges a marriage to an English squire, a landowner who has had and lost two wives already. The marriage will save their family from financial ruin yet deprive her of the Irish lad she might have had, Morgan McDonagh.

 

Grace dutifully complies and marries Bram Donnelly, who turns out to be a cruel man with a temper who beats her. With political violence sweeping through Ireland and the potato blight destroying lives, she secretly sides with the Young Irelanders, among them her crippled brother, Sean, and Morgan who becomes a rebel leader—the man who has loved her since they were both young.

 

This is a well-told tale based on much research so you are brought into the terrible times Ireland faced. The English stood by and did nothing, imprisoning (or killing) those who couldn’t pay their rent. One million people died and more than a million fled the country. Moore vividly portrays the famine that led to the growing movement in Ireland for independence. She gives the reader wonderfully courageous characters. At 461 pages it’s a long book but so worth reading.

 

And you’ll want to have books 2 and 3 as the story continues. It’s historical fiction but it’s also historical romance. It will tear at your heart to experience all that comes to Grace, both love and tragedy. And she brings the faith of the Irish people to center stage which I loved. It was very encouraging.

 

The Gracelin O’Malley Trilogy:

 

Gracelin O’Malley

Leaving Ireland

‘Til Morning Light

Brit Darby’s EMERALD PRINCE – A Wonderful Tale from Medieval Ireland… A Legend, a Worthy Hero and a Courageous Heroine!

 

This story comes from the writing team of Patricia McAllister and Fela Dawson Scott. It’s a wonderful story set in 13^th century Ireland. The novel reflects considerable research and careful attention to historical detail of 13th century Ireland.

 

I thoroughly enjoyed it!

 

The story begins in 937 AD (prologue) on Inisdeven Island in Eire (Ireland) as the Nordic Vikings descend on St. Gall’s priory. The only monk remaining alive is young Donal to whom a dying Viking gives a large emerald that he says must find its way to a female in his line—a descendant of the Fairy Queen Fand.

 

Hundreds of years later, in 1209 in England, Lady Alianor Coventry (“Nora”) is widowed when her husband, an older knight, dies. He was a man she greatly loved and admired who was like a father to her. King John, tired of his pregnant wife Isabella, is pleased to learn the fetching young heiress of Coventry is now free to be his plaything. But Nora wants to help her people, something the king has no intention of allowing. Given a choice between becoming the king’s leman or marrying the Norman madman Quintin de Lacy, she chooses neither, but is nevertheless shipped off to de Lacy in Ireland. On the way, she is abducted by the outlaw, Liam Caomhanach, the one the Irish call “the Emerald Prince,” a man foretold by legend.

 

I thought the authors did an excellent job of incorporating history and the Legend of the Emerald Prince into the story. That is so important to me as I like real history in my historical romance. They have created wonderful characters with a rich backstory—and some real life persons, like King John and Queen Isabella. Both Liam and Nora are compelling, unselfish and courageous to the end.

 

It’s a great tale, well told, and I recommend it for you lovers of Irish medieval romance.

Victoria Sportelli’s THE SONGBIRD OF VENICE – Unique writing style with excellent depth of research into 18th century Venice

 

The story begins in Venice in 1723 where a young woman named Grazia (“Grace” in English) is doing well at the orphanage she grew up in run by nuns. Yet she yearns for another life, one that will give her a family. Her beauty and her voice captivate all who encounter her and people flock to the convent to hear her sing.

 

Nobleman Antonio Delatesta, a widower with a young daughter, needs a wife to give him an heir. Antonio’s daughter loves Grazia who tutors her in music. Venetian law forbids marriage between a nobleman and a commoner, but is she really a commoner? And once united, will she be accepted by Venice’s elite? And, will she have Antonio’s love?

 

I found this story difficult to get into as it’s written from the first person in short phrases and sentences. Sometimes I couldn’t tell who was speaking. But I pressed on and gained a fondness for the story and its rich portrait of Venice’s society at the time. Grazia has a good heart and brings her talents to the Delatesta household at a difficult time for the upper class families—all to the good.

 

If you are patient, I think you will find much to commend this story.

 

 

 

Celeste de Blasis’ A WILD HOPE – Great Storytelling & Love Among Smugglers in Devon & Racehorses in America

This is the story of Alexandria Thaine, who, at her grandmother’s urging, leaves her home in Kent to live with her cousins in Devon. Her mother doesn’t like her but her relatives in Devon love her. Smugglers, ship owners and farmers by trade, the Falconers are a warm family Alex willingly joins.

 

In Devon, Alex forms a bond with the youngest son, Rane, who not only looks like her in coloring but is also like her and cares for her. Over the years, Rane falls in love with Alex and plans to make her his wife. But with the death of her sister (who married a man named St. John), Alex returns to Kent to care for her sister’s motherless twins. St. John takes advantage of the situation and makes her his common law wife. Eventually they come to love each other.

 

Alex and St. John immigrate to Maryland with St. John’s dream of raising racehorses. And there they create “Wild Swan”, a center of famed racehorses and a sanctuary for a runaway slave, a lost girl and many others.

 

This book is hard to review. Without given too much away, let me say that the writing is excellent and the story is solid but unless you are really into horses, and particularly early race horsing in America, you might find yourself skipping passages. The smuggling in Devon was fascinating and the budding relationship with Rane and Alex heartwarming. Once St. John enters the picture and makes Alex his wife, there are many graphic love scenes which, given the timespan of the story, might be realistic but I skipped some of those. Rane’s appearances in Alex’s life were too brief for me. He was the man I wanted to see.

 

In the end, Rane and Alex come back to their love but getting there took a long path. This is book one is a 3-book saga.

 

The Wild Swan Trilogy

 

A Wild Hope

A Wild Heart

A Wild Legacy