These are my Best Irish Historical Romances involving either Ireland or Irish characters. I developed this list for a friend of Irish descent who loves Irish historical romances and asked me to recommend some. It turned out to be an immense project as there are many romances that feature Ireland, Irish heroes and heroines, or Irish immigrants in America. Many of the stories transcend typical historical romance. They are sweeping saga that bring to life heartrending tales of wonderful Irish men and women who survived much hardship in Ireland to come to America and then make our country great.
To get this list I read many more novels than appear here. I’m giving you only the ones I rated 4 or 5 stars (in alphabetical order). The list is also up on Amazon's Listmania.
I hope you find some among them that will bring to mind the Emerald Isle and perhaps give you dreams of an Irish hunk.
• Beyond the Cliffs of Kerry by Amanda Hughes
• The Passions Of Emma by Penelope Williamson
• Briar’s Rose by Kimberly Cates
• Broken Vows by Shirl Henke
• Carnal Gift by Pamela Clare (Irish heroine; from the Kenleigh/Blakewell trilogy)
• Countess of Scandal, Duchess Of Sin and Lady of Seduction (Daughters of Erin trilogy) by Laurel McKee
• Crown Of Mist by Kimberly Cates
• Dream Lover by Virginia Henley
• Emerald Ecstasy by Emma Merritt
• The Game by Brenda Joyce
• Golden Surrender, The Viking’s Woman and The Lord of the Wolves (Viking trilogy set in Ireland) by Heather Graham
• The Ground She Walks Upon by Meagan McKinney
• The Hawk and the Dove by Virginia Henley
• Whispers of Heaven by Candice Proctor
• The Highwayman by Anne Kelleher
• The Irish Devil by Donna Fletcher
• The Irish Princess, The Irish Enchantress and The Irish Knight by Amy Fetzer
• The Irish Rogue by Emma Jensen
• Love’s Legacy by Rosemary Jordan
• Maid Of Killarney by Ana Seymour
• Her Warrior Slave, Her Warrior King, Her Irish Warrior, The Warrior's Touch, Taming Her Irish Warrior, and Surrender to an Irish Warrior (MacEgan Brothers Series) by Michelle Willingham
• Moonlit by Emma Jensen (3rd in her Regency spy series;the only one set in Ireland)
• Maidensong by Diana Groe (the sequel Erinsong did not make my list)
• No Gentle Love by Rebecca Brandewyne
• 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
• Scarlett: The Sequel to Gone With the Wind by Alexandra Ripley
• Skye O’Malley by Bertrice Small
• Surrender the Stars by Cynthia Wright
• Wolf’s Embrace by Gail Link
My FIRST Irish historical romance was Dark of the Moon by Karen Robards. Loved loved loved!
ReplyDeleteMJ - Thanks for that recommendation. Somehow I missed it but I will read it for the list!
ReplyDeleteIt's pretty old--I think I read it in the 80s. But it hooked me on Karen Robards, and historical romance!
ReplyDeleteThat's a wonderful list, Regan. I'm honored to have made it with SURRENDER THE STARS. Readers love Ryan Coleraine, my gorgeous Irish hero!
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to your posts in April about the genre of historical romance. I just re-read SHANNA and it really took me back to those early days!
Cyndi,
DeleteI had fun with this Irish list and spent many night teary eyed as so many of them depict the plight of the Irish but with great triumph in the end--and a great love story, too.
I'll be posting my "How We Got to Where we Are Today" list just before I leave for the Romantic Times convention the second week in April. I am reading for it now...
Thanks, Regan for including my novel Beyond the Cliffs of Kerry to your list. They say the best way to write is to read, soooo time to get started with your terrific list!
ReplyDeleteAmanda, your book would have been at the top of my list no matter the order. It really moved me...it represents excellence in storytelling, and that even though the hero isn't introduced until half way through the book. I finally came to see that Father Etienne was the hero of the first half of the book and that was most clever of you. Such a moving story. Can't wait to read your second one!
ReplyDelete