Best Bodice Rippers!

I belong to a group on Goodreads, Bodice Ripper Romance Anonymous, that has sent me some of the greatest recommendations for historical romances. And so I could not resist this new list, however difficult this category may be to define. Some think this subgenre is comprised of just the classics. That is not so. While many of the classics were bodice rippers, certainly not all were. And, lest you think it’s a subgenre of the past, there are new bodice rippers being written today (some of which are on this list).

At least one of my Goodreads pals defines this subgenre as stories “containing an element of sexual peril.” Possibly that is so, as the ones on my list all have this. But for me, there is usually more. Typically there is a forced seduction by the hero involved or an actual ripping of the heroine’s bodice. Let’s just say I know it when I see it.

These won’t appeal to all, but certainly they are all well done. All have been rated 4 or 5 stars by me. Some are keepers. If you like stories that feature an alpha male hero who begins demanding his way, but falls at the heroine’s feet at the end to beg forgiveness and confess his love, you’ll find them here.

Do let me know if you have read a good one I’ve missed.

A Dangerous Love, The Border Lord’s Bride from The Border Chronicles by Bertrice Small

A Gentle Feuding by Johanna Lindsey

A Kingdom of Dreams by Judith McNaught

A Pirate's Love by Johanna Lindsey

And Gold Was Ours by Rebecca Brandewyne

Ashes in the Wind by Kathleen Woodiwiss

Almost Heaven by Judith McNaught

Black Sword by Kathryn LeVeque

Bonds of Love by Lisa Gregory (aka Candace Camp)
Bound by the Heart by Marsha Canham (the original print version)

Bride of the Baja by Jane Toombs

Callista by Cordia Byers

Captive Bride by Johanna Lindsey
Chance the Winds of Fortune and the sequel, Dark Before the Rising Sun by Laurie McBain

Comanche Moon by Catherine Anderson

Crimson Rapture by Jennifer Horsman

Damsel in Distress by Shannon Drake (aka Heather Graham)
Dark Fires by Brenda Joyce

Dawnfire by Lynn Eirckson

Deceive Not My Heart by Shirlee Busbee

Desire in Disguise by Rebecca Brandewyne

Devil's Desire by Laurie McBain

Devil's Embrace by Catherine Coulter

Dream of Me by Josie Litton

Embrace and Conquer by Jennifer Blake

Edin’s Embrace by Nadine Crenshaw

Fair is the Rose by Meagan McKinney

Fires of Winter and Hearts Aflame from the Viking trilogy by Johanna Lindsey

Forbidden Love by Karen Robards

Forever and a Lifetime by Jennifer Horsman

Forever My Love by Rebecca Brandewyne
Golden Fancy by Jennifer Blake
Gypsy Lady by Shirley Busbee

Innocent Fire, Firestorm and Fires of Paradise (part of the Bragg Saga) by Brenda Joyce

Island Flame, and the sequel, Sea Fire by Karen Robards

Keeper of the Dream by Penelope Williamson

Lady Highwayman by Tanya Kayley

Lady of Conquest by Teresa Medeiros

Lady of Fire by Anita Mills

Lady Vixen by Shirley Busbee

Lespada by Kathryn Le Veque

Lie Down in Roses by Shannon Drake (aka Heather Graham)

Lions and Lace by Meagan McKinney

Love, Cherish Me by Rebecca Brandewyne

Love Only Once and Gentle Rogue from the Mallory series by Johanna Lindsey

Love's Wild Desire by Jennifer Blake

Magic Embrace by Jennifer Horsman

Midnight Masquerade by Shirlee Busbee

My Lord Monleigh by Jan Cox Speas

My Wicked Enchantress by Meagan McKinney

No Gentle Love by Rebecca Brandewyne

Notorious Angel by Jennifer Blake

Once and Always by Judith McNaught

Ondine by Shannon Drake (aka Heather Graham)

Pirate Royale by Cordia Byers
Princess of Fire by Shannon Drake (aka Heather Graham)

Prisoner of My Desire by Johanna Lindsey

Rangoon by Christine Monson

Rose of Rapture by Rebecca Brandewyne

Royal Seduction from the Royal Princes of Ruthenia duology by Jennifer Blake

Season of the Sun by Catherine Coulter

Shadowheart by Laura Kinsale
Shanna by Kathleen Woodiwiss

Silver Storm by Cynthia Wright

Skye O'Malley by Bertrice Small

Stormfire by Christine Monson

Surrender in Moonlight by Jennifer Blake

Swan Road by Rebecca Brandewyne
Sweet Savage Eden by Heather Graham

Sweet Savage Love by Rosemary Rogers

Tara’s Song by Barbara Ferry Johnson

Tender Betrayal by Jennifer Blake

The Black Lyon by Jude Deveraux

The Black Swan By Day Taylor

The Conqueror by Brenda Joyce

The Darkest Heart by Brenda Joyce
The Demon Lover by Victoria Holt

The Falcon and the Flower by Virginia Henley

The Flame and The Flower by Kathleen Woodiwiss

The Flesh and the Devil by Teresa Denys

The Game by Brenda Joyce

The Ground She Walks Upon by Meagan McKinney

The Pagan’s Prize by Miriam Minger

The Pirate and the Pagan by Virginia Henley

The Silver Devil by Teresa Denys

The Spanish Rose by Shirlee Busbee

The Storm and the Splendor by Jennifer Blake

The Taming and Ride Out the Storm from a trilogy by Aleen Malcolm

The Wind and the Sea by Marsha Canham
The Wolf and the Dove by Kathleen Woodiwiss

This Other Eden by Marilyn Harris

Till Dawn Tames the Night by Meagan McKinney

Uncommon Vows by Mary Jo Putney

Under Crimson Sails by Lynna Lawton

Until You by Judith McNaught

Virgin Star by Jennifer Horsman

When Angels Fall by Meagan McKinney
When the Splendour Falls by Laurie McBain
While Passion Sleeps by Shirlee Busbee

Whitney, My Love by Judith McNaught
Wild Bells to the Wild Sky by Laurie McBain
Winter's Heat by Denise Domning