How We Got to Where We Are Today: Modern Historical Romance Over the Last Several Decades, or A Recommended Reading List for the Uninitiated

Sometimes when I talk to fellow readers of historical romance, or even authors, and I mention a name from the past, an author who helped shape the genre, like Kathleen Woodiwiss or Rosemary Rogers, I get a blank stare in return. It occurred to me that as lovers of a genre it might be helpful to read some of the classics to see where we’ve come from and to enjoy the greats who have contributed so much to the craft.

I’m not going as far back as Ivanhoe or Jane Eyre. I’m not even reaching back to the seminal novels of Georgette Heyer in the early 20th century. Except for two novels of note in earlier decades, I’m starting in the 1970s when the bedroom door was flung open never to close again. And while I may not have included your favorite author, by reading the romances on this list, you’ll have a good idea of our beginnings and what so many wonderful authors have done for the genre. Think of it as an education in modern historical romance.

So, here’s the list of the historical romances I recommend you read. Each has something to show you. Some may require you to shop online for a used book though many are available as eBooks. Some that are out of print can be downloaded online. I’m not saying they will all be your favorites, or that they are all mine, and I know that some readers will think I left off one I should have included.

This is a sampling meant to give you a picture of how the genre has developed over time. Most are novels I’ve rated 5 stars, so I promise you won’t be bored. 

Included because of their significance…

·                Bride of the MacHugh by Jan Cox Speas (1954)

·                Bond of Blood by Roberta Gellis (1965)

The 1970s: The Pioneering Years

·                The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen Woodiwiss (1972)

·                The Wicked Marquis by Barbara Cartland (1973)

·                Sweet Savage Love by Rosemary Rogers (1974)

·                Love’s Tender Fury by Jennifer Wilde (aka Tom Huff) (1976)

·                Moonstruck Madness by Laurie McBain (1977)

·                Caroline by Cynthia Wright (1977)

·                Love’s Wild Desire by Jennifer Blake (1977)

·                A Pirate’s Love by Johanna Lindsey (1978)

·                The Rainbow Season by Lisa Gregory (1979)

The 1980s: The Explosive Years

·                Lady Vixen by Shirlee Busbee (1980)

·                The Flesh and the Devil by Teresa Denys (1980)

·                Skye O’Malley by Bertrice Small (1981)

·                Devil’s Embrace by Catherine Coulter (1982)

·                Rose of Rapture by Rebecca Brandewyne (1984)

·                Stormfire by Christine Monson (1984)

·                Whitney, My Love by Judith McNaught (1985)

·                The Wind and the Sea by Marsha Canham (1986)

·                Mountain Mistress by Nadine Crenshaw (1987)

·                The Hawk and the Dove by Virginia Henley (1988)

·                Capture the Sun by Shirl Henke (1988)

·                Nightwylde by Kimberleigh Caitlin (aka Kimberly Cates) (1988)

·                Sweet Savage Eden by Heather Graham (1989)

·                Heartstorm by Elizabeth Stuart (1989)

The 1990s: The Developing Years

·                Dark Fires by Brenda Joyce (1991)

·                The Wind Dancer by Iris Johansen (1991)

·                Flowers From the Storm by Laura Kinsale (1992)

·                Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (1992)

·                Untamed by Elizabeth Lowell (1993)

·                The Passions of Emma by Penelope Williamson (1997)

·                Night in Eden by Candice Proctor (1997)

·                Kilgannon by Kathleen Givens (1999)

The 2000s: The “Standing On The Shoulders of Giants” Years

·                By Possession by Madeline Hunter (2000)

·                Beyond the Cliffs of Kerry by Amanda Hughes (2002)

·                The Captain of All Pleasures by Kresley Cole (2003)

·                Laird of the Mist by Paula Quinn (2007)

·                Broken Wing by Judith James (2008)

·                My Lord and Spymaster by Joanna Bourne (2008)

·                The Duke of Shadows by Meredith Duran (2008)

·                Raeliksen by Renee Vincent (2008)

·                Eyes of Silver, Eyes of Gold by Ellen O’Connell (2010)

·                Pieces of Sky by Kaki Warner (2011)

New Review: Barbara Cartland’s THE WICKED MARQUIS – A Classic Regency That Still Appeals and a Plot to Entertain!

First published in 1978, six years after Kathleen Woodiwiss’ classic bodice ripper THE FLAME AND THE FLOWER, this Regency romance presented quite a change. It’s lighthearted banter, short length (at 217 pages), and no more than kisses for its love scenes might seem incongruous with the romances being written then. But it just shows you how varied the historical romance genre was and is.

I loved this story and it kept me up reading late into the night wanting to see how it would end. Set in England in 1817-18, it’s the story of Orelia Stanyon, the niece of a country earl deeply committed to improving the life of the poor, who dies as the story begins leaving Orelia and her cousin Caroline in need of funds. But Caroline, though in love with a young lord who went abroad to make his fortune, has managed to become engaged to Darius, the handsome, wealthy and wicked Marquis of Ryde. Caroline does not love him but sees it as a good move for her future security. When Caroline and Orelia move into the marquis’ home to await the wedding, Orelia realizes that the marquis is the same gentleman who stole a kiss from her outside the George and Dragon Inn.

Darius has never forgotten that kiss he gave to the young woman he thought a mere country lass. And he is shocked when she appears in his home as his betrothed’s cousin. Orelia with her heart of gold is determined to see her cousin happy and the social ills of London addressed. By the terms of Caroline’s father’s will, she was made Orelia’s guardian, and Orelia was to be Caroline’s conscience. As the wedding approaches, Caroline plays fast and loose with her amours and Orelia has a job keeping up, all the while she is beginning to realize her true feelings for the marquis.

The most striking thing about this story was the fast-paced dialog and the intriguing twists in the plot. Cartland’s writing style sometimes drops into the omniscient, narrator voice but I quickly got used to it. She shows you what all the characters are thinking in her own way and it’s quite charming. While the story is not deeply emotional, it has enough action (including a wretched villain who wants Orelia for his own), and enough angst to keep you on the edge of your reading seat. You will enjoy this one, I promise. I recommend it!

The Agents of the Crown now in Print!

For the first time, my Agents of the Crown trilogy is in print and I just had to let you know. (See the new covers below!) These are exciting stories of adventure and love set in the Regency period in the early 19th century. Each features a hero who is a special "agent" of the Prince Regent, asked to take on a unique task--and along the way, each finds love!

For more about the stories--and the trailers I made myself--see my website www.reganwalkerauthor.com.

"...a dazzling mix of passion, adventure, mystery and love." --Breath of Life Reviews

"Ms. Walker has the rare ability to make you forget you are reading a book--she brings you into the world of Regency and you're there in the midst of the action. The characters become real, the modern world fades away, and all that is left is the intrigue, drama, and romance that is this time period."

--Straight from the Library

"Regan Walker has once again written a story that grabbed me from the beginning and did not let go. I’ve said of her stories before that she beautifully entwines fiction with history, but I don’t think until now that I’ve given her enough credit for her world building. You can absolutely hear the roar of the ocean waves and smell the sea as you read this book. This book will have you on the edge of your seat at times, and tearing up at others."

--The Reading Cafe (about Wind Raven)

Here are the Amazon links: Racing With The Wind, Against the Wind and Wind Raven.

New Review: Katherine Vickery’s FLAME OF DESIRE – Mary Tudor's England Brought to Life in this Classic Love Story!

Set in London in 1553, this classic from Vickery is the story of Richard Morgan, a favorite of Mary Tudor, and Heather Bowen, a merchant’s daughter who saves him from an enemy who would see him dead. Their love story is set against a seething England divided by those who would support the Catholic heir to the throne of England and those who fear a return to the old ways. Plots of murder, treachery, a threatened forced marriage and Richard’s own mockery of a marriage will keep them apart.

Richard and Heather come to love early in their relationship yet it seems a union never meant to be. Some wonderful secondary characters contribute to a great story—and to their getting together.

In this well researched story, Vickery brings to life London in the tumultuous time in England’s history when a rising merchant class collided with the nobility used to having their privileges. The legacy of Henry VIII’s perfidy is center stage as he left no male heir, only two young women, both declared bastards so he could marry another.

I love the way Vickery has woven many details of history into her love story. It will draw you in, I promise, as it’s very well done! If you love reading about the Tudors, you’ll find this story a fascinating edition.

New Review: Elizabeth Lowell’s UNTAMED – A Great Medieval with Falconry-- Simply Superb!

UNTAMED was my first romance by Elizabeth Lowell and since then, I’ve read many more of hers. It won the RITA Award and deservedly. Her writing is wonderful; her period setting excellent; and her storytelling is full of action and adventure, natural sexual tension and conflict that is not scary, contrived or over the top but rather, very believable.

Set in the early 12th century, it is the story of Lady Margaret of Blackthorne, a Glendruid "witch" (though she is really a God fearing young woman who loves her people), and Dominic le Sabre ("the Sword"), a knight who has returned to Scotland to be rewarded by King Henry I for great service in the Middle East. His reward is Blackthorne Keep, its lands and the Lady Margaret ("Meg"), its mistress.

Dominic wants lands, peace and heirs--male heirs--but the Glendruid women cannot bear male heirs unless there is real love present and Dominic has none to give as he’s been wounded in heart and soul at the hands of the Saracens. Dominic knows Meg was promised to another and he suspects the man was also her lover. However, Meg is an innocent young woman, though wise in the ways of people and animals. She's a gifted healer, as are all the Glendruids, and she has an amazing way with the falcons they raise at Blackthorne.

I loved the way Lowell wove falconry and the life of a medieval keep into her incredibly detailed story. She created wonderful characters (two of whom are featured in the next two in the trilogy) with period dialog that drew me in from the first page.

Spanish edition

This is a keeper, worth enjoying more than once! I highly recommend it.

I’ve included the Spanish edition cover as it displays the heroine’s falconry.

The trilogy:

UNTAMED
FORBIDDEN
ENCHANTED

New Review: Johanna Lindsey’s WHEN LOVE AWAITS – A Classic from Lindsey: Love in an Arranged Marriage in the times of King Henry II

Set in England in 1176, this is the story of Lady Leonie, sent away by her father to her dower keep because he didn’t want to be reminded of her mother who he so loved. Living alone with her people away from the suitors she might have had, Leonie begins to think she is happy in that state. When her neighbor, Sir Rolfe d'Ambert, a favored knight of King Henry, discovers she owns the land that is causing all his problems, the mercenary Lord of Kempston asks the king for her hand, wanting only to gain the land. Leonie knows Rolfe only by reputation and it is not good, but she cannot defy the king. Little does Rolfe know, he is about to get more than he bargained for.

This is a fun romp through the time when Henry II ruled England. The story reflects Lindsey’s research into the era and what life was like at the time. There’s treachery, rogues and villains aplenty with enough adventure to keep you entertained, too. Rolfe is a worthy hero who will have his way. And Lionie is an honorable woman who insists on having hers. The result is a bit of a tug of war but all does end well.

Of Lindsey’s many novels, I would say this is one of the lighter ones, but still has enough historical detail and angst to satisfy.

And the winner of the Madeline Hunter novel is...

We have a winner of the Madeline Hunter book! It's Carol L. from New Jersey. Congratulations, Carol! I'll be giving Carol's info to Madeline Hunter so Carol can let Madeline know which book she wants.

Thanks to all those who commented and please come back again for our next giveaway in May!

Favorite Author and My Guest Today...Madeline Hunter!

Madeline Hunter is a NY Times and USA Today bestselling author. Her first novel, By Possession, was published in 2000 (and reviewed on my blog just below this post). Since then she has had 24 historical romances published. A two-time RITA winner, her books have been translated into thirteen languages.

Welcome to my blog, Madeline! And for you readers, Madeline is graciously giving to one lucky commenter a book of your choice! So leave your email!

Thanks, Regan. It's great to be here. In keeping with your theme for the month, my post is about how historical romance has changed over the years.

How We Got Here from There by Madeline Hunter

If you have been reading historical romances for a long time, you have watched them change over the years. Go back even to the early 1990s and they looked and read much differently. Go back farther, to the early years of their market dominance in the 70s and 80s, and they were even more different.

The most notable difference is that back then they were longer. How much longer? In some cases, almost twice as long as they are now. A typical historical romance today will have between 85,000 and 100,000 words. I saw an excel spreadsheet once that charted some of the older ones, and a few broke 200,000 words. 150,000 words minimum was typical of books by stars like Kathleen Woodiwiss and Roberta Gellis and other authors selling books by the boatload then.

So why are they shorter now? Publishers like to say that readers want faster reads, and maybe they do. Faster not only in terms of finishing fast, so shorter, but also in terms of moving fast, as in less description and narrative. Gone are the days of leisurely openings, extensive descriptions of settings, and often even action scenes. The battles and banquets are not going to be on the pages, is one way of saying it.

Is this a bad thing? Not if the story works and the writing is good, although some of us may miss the long emersion in a big fat book. On the other hand, I think it is safe to say none of us miss any padding, or artificial lengthening of the story just to satisfy a publisher’s longer word count expectations.

Another reason they changed was purely practical. Rather abruptly in the mid-90s paper became much more expensive. So did shipping. Furthermore, the shelf space in mass-market venues like grocery stores and drug stores began shrinking fast. In that environment, a book that was fat was expensive to print, ship, and stock. A rack in the local drug store might only hold 3 of those fat books but could hold 5 thinner ones.

Other developments aided the shortening of these books. As the “little Regencies” began disappearing in the 90s, those readers moved over to single title historicals. This influenced the length, I think, because those readers were accustomed to short books. It also influenced the settings of historicals, and began the domination of the market by books set in 19th-century England.

This change was in full swing when I was trying to sell my first medievals in the late 90s, the “By” novels set in 14th-century London. Even as I wrote them, books were getting shorter so my first ones were too long. I often received rejections that referred to them as “too historical.” At the time I took umbrage with that, and assumed it was a criticism of my using real history in my plots. I now realize it had more to do with the tone of the manuscripts, and the length, and the unfolding of the story. Eventually I went back and cut the stories down significantly and they sold. Same story, same characters, same events, same plot, same historical figures as secondary characters.

So what did I change? Episodes that did not absolutely have to be there got slashed. Three lines of description became one good line of description. World building came to rely on what I call “the telling detail.” Some secondary plot events happened off stage.
Even so, some readers felt my medievals harkened back to earlier historicals. Others thought they represented the future, probably because they were more sensual than the norm at the time.

Other things have changed too. When historical romances exploded on the bookselling scene in the 70s and 80s, the heroines might have more than one lover. These historicals described the heroine’s journey over time. She would travel to exotic locales, or endure some disaster, and she would have a lover for a while who was other than the one she chose for her HEA.

There are also changes that are very much for the good. We are all glad to be done with the rapes, aren’t we? Not seductions, mind you, but rape.

I do not know how they became so common for a time in early historical romances, but I have a theory. I think a book or two had them, and when they became blockbusters publishers dissected those books and decided readers wanted what was in them--- including rape. I have this theory because as I read widely once I discovered romances, and read lots of older ones, I found some where I swear that rape was added later, after the book was written, because it had no point whatsoever in the story. Whenever I see elements stuck in like that I tend to suspect editorial intrusion.

There are readers who either remember those long, detailed historical romances fondly from reading them back in their day, or who stumble upon one now and like the differences. There are readers and writers who think more variety in settings and options in story lines and length would be nice to have again. Some writers take the shot on writing extra long historicals now, hoping the readers will support the effort.

But there are other voices that claim that those reading preferences are now served by the historical fiction novels that have romantic elements. I personally do not agree with that.

There is a difference between romantic historical fiction and an historical romance that has nothing to do with setting or length, or even the type of development that caused editors to call my early manuscripts “too historical.” Think of the story as a photograph. In a photograph, a good one, there will be a focal point. Other things and people will be in the photo, but the whole composition leads to that focal point.

In historical romances that focal point is the romance. Duels may be fought, villains may be vanquished, kingdoms may fall, but the romance is still the focal point. In historical fiction, however, the romance is part of what moves around the focal point, helping to complete the composition and essential to it, to be sure, but not at its center.

If you want to read a romance, you want that focus on the romance. This does not mean that readers who prefer those very long historical romances cannot find them now. Due to re-releases in ebook form, the classics from that period are actually plentiful. But unless the marketplace demands stories like that again, it is unlikely that many writers will create new ones. Because readers and authors are not there anymore. They are here now.

Thanks for being on the blog, Madeline.

And for all you readers, Madeline’s next release, The Accidental Duchess, will be published on June 3, 2014.

Visit her at www.MadelineHunter.com

New Review: Madeline Hunter’s BY POSSESSION – 1st in the 14th Century London Series is a Keeper!

This is the 1st in Hunter’s 14th Century London series (see list below). It is an amazing romance...great historical setting, well drawn characters, realistic dialog for the period and a wonderful heartrending story of love that overcomes many obstacles.

It takes place in the time of King Edward II and tells the story of Addis de Valence, a high born nobleman and knight, and Moira Falkner, the daughter of a nobleman's mistress and a bondwoman to Valence (though she claims her mother's lover freed her). She has secretly loved Addis since she was 12 and was always there when he needed care or comforting, even though he was promised to the highborn Claire, Moira's friend. Addis married Claire, who was vain and selfish and deserted Addis when he was sorely wounded and it was thought he'd never walk again. Now back from years in captivity in the Baltic where he was taken in the Crusades as a slave, he fights to regain his rightful place, all the while wanting Moira by his side and without benefit of marriage. But she will not go the path of her mother.

You will love this story. I couldn't put it down. And just so you know, Madeline will be a guest on my blog this Thursday, so come back to see what she has to say about the classics and how historical romance has changed.

If you like to read things in date order, as I do, here is Hunter's Medieval historical series (two trilogies) in chronological order:

BY POSSESSION (1326)
BY DESIGN (1328)
STEALING HEAVEN (1341)

BY ARRANGEMENT (1346)
THE PROTECTOR (1348-49)
LORD OF A THOUSAND NIGHTS (1350’s)

The hero and heroine in BY POSSESSION appear in BY DESIGN; and the two trilogies are linked by the character David de Abyndon, who is a secondary character in STEALING HEAVEN and the hero in BY ARRANGEMENT.

New Review: Jan Westcott’s THE BORDER LORD – A Classic set in 16th Century Scotland…and a Very Worthy Read

This is a wonderful story, but a bit difficult to review. Though it was published in 1946 (it was Westcott’s first novel), it can hold its own with today’s stories. At times it seemed more historical fiction, as Scotland’s history is very definitely a character, but there is also a romance here, a love story of a bold border lord and his lady. And I found it refreshing that it developed in an unusual way. As historical fiction, it drew me in. The dialog was well done and realistic for the time period. As a romance, the story captured my heart but, alas, they were separated often (as they would have been true in history) and that will disappoint some romance readers.

Set in Scotland in the late 16th century (1591-1593), this is the story of Francis Hepburn Earl of Bothwell (presumably based on Francis Stewart, 5th Earl of Bothwell), a Border lord who fell out of favor with King James VI for his rebellious ways.

In a daring escape from Edinburgh Castle, where he’d been imprisoned on trumped up charges, Bothwell is freed and flaunts his freedom while impressing the daughter of a wealthy Scots nobleman, Anne Galbraith. Anne is a bit of a rebel herself and not above chasing after Bothwell on his latest escapades. Yet there are many other women who love him and one who isn’t above treachery to keep Anne from him. To me, Anne and Bothwell seemed perfect for each other. I loved Bothwell’s devil-may-care attitude and his wit, but he also had a gift with people and a knack for strategy that made him a compelling figure. The sad part was that King James couldn’t recognize the asset he had in Bothwell.

Though this is fiction, Westcott weaves in many historical events and real historical persons, which gave it an authenticity I loved. It was obviously well researched. There is plenty of action and adventure in this story, much of which really took place. And it is very well told. For those of you who like tales from old Scotland with a daring hero and a feisty heroine, and real history on every page, I recommend this one!

The book was included in author Shirlee Busbee’s “short list” when I asked some of my favorite authors to name their 5 favorite historical romances. (You can see the post HERE.)

New Review: Laurie McBain’s MOONSTRUCK MADNESS – A Classic Keeper with a Scot Heroine Masquerading as a Highwayman and a Scarred English Duke!

Old Cover

This is a classic many authors say influenced them. I can see why. McBain is a terrific author and this is a worthy read.

Set in 1746 in Scotland (prologue), and 1751 in England, this is the story of Sabrina Verrick, the Scot noblewoman, who along with her sister and brother survive after their grandfather, Laird of the MacElden clan, is brutally slain by the English at Culloden Moor. They escape to England where they live in the country at the rundown estate of their father, an English marquis who abandoned them as children. To feed her family, Sabrina becomes the highwayman “Bonnie Charlie,” robbing the rich to feed the poor, including her family.

One man she robs, Lucien, Duke of Camareigh, a gambler and a rogue, is no English fop as are most of Sabrina’s victims. A self-made man, he decides to trap the wily bandit and have his revenge. Once he captures “Charlie,” the duke realizes the highwayman who has been plaguing him and his friends is a beautiful young woman. When she won’t reveal who she is, he decides to try seduction.

Superbly written, you’ll find this one hard to put down. I love the logic of McBain’s intricate plot…no improbable moments here. No contrived black moments. Only great storytelling and suspenseful action. The dialog is clever and the characters wonderfully developed. Sabrina is courageous, good hearted and rebellious to the end and Camareigh is a tough alpha male, just the kind we like to see fall to love’s power.

New Cover

McBain paints vivid pictures of Culloden (to start with) and then the English countryside thereafter, putting you right in the scene. It is so well done. Reading this just reminded me that a 5-star classic never goes out of style. Written in 1977, it sold a million copies. I see why.

This is the first in McBain’s Dominick trilogy:

Moonstruck Madness
Chance The Winds Of Fortune
Dark Before The Rising Sun

I highly recommend all of them!

New Review: Aleen Malcolm’s THE TAMING – A Poignant Love Story from the Highlands of Scotland after the Battle of Culloden

This post Culloden story set in Scotland, beginning in 1761, tells of Sir Alex Sinclair, the son of a laird who was exiled following the battle in 1746. When we first meet Alex, he is 25 and living in Scotland, called to Cape Wrath at the top of the country by a friend of his father (the author includes a great map!). Once there, he learns he is to become guardian of a young hellion, Cameron (no last name), who rides a magnificent black stallion across the wild moors. Alex decides to bring the child back to his estate north of Edinburgh to try and tame the hellion. Along the way he discovers his ward is actually a 15-year-old girl, and worse, he’s attracted to her.

This story echoes the heart of the Highlands and the Scots who lost so much on the Culloden Moor. Alex tries to straddle two worlds—the past and the “new” Scotland dominated by the English. Cameron reminds him of “the spirit of true Scotland…wild and free but, alas, undisciplined and with no direction.” For her part, Cameron is struggling to live in a civilization she does not understand. She wants only to ride free and bathe naked in the lochs of the far north. She hates shoes and the female attire she is forced to wear in Edinburgh. She is courageous and endearingly honest, though at times her anger directed at Alex got tiring. Still, you can’t help but love her.

Just to tease you, I’ll tell you her past hides a powerful secret.

The story held my interest and the characters were wonderful, some even memorable. If you love the real Scottish historical romances, I think you might like this one. I recommend it.

This was my first by Malcolm and I intend to read more (see the trilogy below). The story of Alex and Cameron continues in book 2.

The Cameron trilogy:

The Taming
Ride Out the Storm
The Daughters of Cameron

New Review: Kathleen Givens’ KILGANNON – A Classic and a Highland Keeper – Superb Storytelling!

After reading ON A HIGHLAND SHORE and its sequel RIVALS FOR THE CROWN, I became a devoted fan of Givens and her amazing talent for weaving a story from history that sweeps you away. She gave us six stories that are all classics. Givens is a superb storyteller.

KILGANNON is a story of the same Highlander family from ON A HIGHLAND SHORE, but ten generations later--in 1712. Set in Scotland and England, it tells the story of Mary Lowell, a pampered debutante, swept up in London's society of parties and entertainment. Mary saw no suitors that appealed to her but then it was expected she'd marry the Campbell. Then Alex MacGannon, the Earl of Kilgannon, a rough Highlander, shows up at a London soiree one evening wearing a kilt. Mary is intrigued and captivated.

They said Lord Kilgannon was a barbarian, a Scottish clan chief of the MacGannons who sailed the seas in his ships. But Mary finds the Scottish lord polished and with a wonderful sense of humor. Alex is a Scot who knows what he wants and he wants Mary Lowell for his wife, to live with him and his two young sons in Castle Kilgannon. As the Highlands are torn by rebellion, Mary is drawn into the conflict as another man competes for her love.

Alex is every bit the man his ancestor, Gannon, was and I could not help falling in love with him as he pursued the English heroine, a strong woman of character who would leave her own land for his. You will want this one on your keeper shelf, I promise. Givens' writing is wonderfully descriptive and the feelings between the two characters develop subtly and believably. You are drawn into their world without realizing it. And when the obstacles come, you will be rooting for Gannon.

The sequel, THE WILD ROSE OF KILGANNON, continues the story of Alex and Mary as together they face England's wrath. When you can't stop reading, you know you've found a keeper. The two books comprise a rich tale of the 18th century you will want to re-read!

It’s on my Best Scot/Highlander Romances and Favorite Heroes & Heroines lists--and my Top 20!

New Review: Marilyn Harris’ THIS OTHER EDEN – Emotionally Wrenching, Enthralling Tale from 18th Century England

It’s hard to see how this book could be rated anything other than 5 stars just for the effort it is. The writing is meticulous, the plot intricate, the characters well drawn and the story enthralling. It’s a well-told tale of cruelty, deception, dishonor and treachery—and, yes, it’s emotionally wrenching. I also thought the ending was melancholy. There are a few other negatives that I will point out that might turn away readers who would prefer a more sedate historical romance. Just so you know, this was my first by Harris, and it’s the first in the Eden series (see list below). I’ve already got book 2 waiting on the shelf to be read though I may take an emotional break before I come to it.

Set in England, beginning in 1790, it tells the story of Thomas Eden, the Fifth Earl and Thirteenth Baron, lord of the stone monolith, Eden Castle, on the Devon coast, and the servant girl, Marianne Locke.

Marianne is no ordinary servant, being both beautiful and taught by a well-educated tutor to young ladies. She is smart and, for the most part, quite a reflective thinker. However, she is naïve and too trusting, and thus taken advantage of by those who would manipulate her, including her sister and Lord Eden. Somehow, through all the betrayals (and there are many), she maintains her kind heart. That I wanted to slap her at times was a reflection of how easily she was misled.

As the story begins, 16-year-old Marianne is being publicly flogged for rebuffing Lord Eden’s advances. The event scars her for life and nearly kills her. (It also drives her father to madness.) All that changes her. Once a spirited beauty, she is now a shell of a young woman, sent to London by friends of her father to see if she can be revived. There she lives with her conniving sister who is jealous of Marianne’s beauty. Jane is the kept mistress of a journalist named William who quickly falls in love with Marianne.

Alas for Marianne, Lord Eden has not forgotten her. No matter he is more than twice her age (she is 16, he is 40), he lurks in the background plotting to have her and willing to do any unethical thing to achieve his goal. Thomas Eden is a man who sees himself above all those who serve him, who thinks he is entitled to take any young girl’s virginity simply because she is “low born.” To their shame, most of his acquaintances aware of his dirty dealings either enable him or look the other way. He goes from one “heinous deed” (his words) to another. I was 3/4ths of the way through the book when I decided this man was beyond redemption. I so wanted to see him fall, and fall hard. In the end, he did not fall hard enough for me.

If you don’t like stories where the hero and heroine are separated for a time, or a “hero” who seems truly evil, this may not be the book for you. Still and all, it is a well researched historical love story that kept me up to the wee hours of the morning—-two nights in a row. So, for the brave among us, I highly recommend it!

The Eden series: (All are Victorian save for the first)

This Other Eden (late 18th century)
The Prince of Eden
The Eden Passion
The Women of Eden
Eden Rising
American Eden (Civil War)
Eden and Honor

New Review: Johanna Lindsey’s CAPTIVE BRIDE – Lindsey’s 1st Book: A Classic Bodice Ripper with a British Desert Sheik

New Cover

I have read many by Lindsey and consider myself a fan. This was her first book, published in 1977, and you can see how much her writing has progressed since. While it is well written and will hold your interest, it is a historical romance without history or historical details. (I only knew it was Victorian because late in the book she gave the date of 1885, which means it begins in 1884.)

Set in England, Egypt and the desert, this is the story of Christina Wakefield whose brother brought her to London for a brief season when she was 18, following their parents’ death. There she enchanted many suitors who would claim her as wife, but she wanted none of them, preferring her freedom instead, at least for a while. However, one suitor, the enigmatic Phillip Caxton, the son of an English mother and a desert sheik, would have her as his. When she rejects his rather hasty proposal of marriage, he arranges for her brother to be sent to Egypt and then kidnaps her and carries her off to his desert camp where he keeps her as his woman.

The hero is an alpha male, takes what he wants kinda guy. And there is some appeal to that. But Christina, the object of his desire, for most of the book, was a naïve heroine who managed to remain clueless when a normal woman would be paying attention and gaining insight. Abducted and raped (no matter his finesse), she makes excuses for her captor whom she has come to love. However, a series of misunderstandings, coupled with treachery, will keep them apart.

Original cover

Lindsey’s next book, published in 1978, the year after CAPTIVE BRIDE, was A PIRATE’S LOVE and it’s another bodice ripper but much better in my opinion. And Lindsey went on to write books like HEARTS AFLAME (my favorite of her Viking trilogy and a keeper), and many others that have influenced the genre.