I’m currently obsessed with the tv show Outlander and have been reading the books. They’re engaging without being heavy reading, and I love all the tropes e.g. “touch her and die”.
I’ve looked at other historical romances but they’re really badly written. What well written ones do you know? I’m not looking for literally masterpieces, just things that are decent writing.
The Earths Children book Series by Jean Auel.
The first book is called The Clan of The Cave Bear and it is much more of an adventure book the later books lean more heavy into the romance. I read the first three or four and I am not going to lie, the third and fourth one has some straight up pornographic parts.
The basic story is about an orphaned cro-magnum girl who is raised by neaderthals, and as she grows up she becomes a self reliant powerful women. The books use the culture of the two worlds their tools and etc as parts of the story.
If it is accurate I can not say. I really enjoyed the first three books but the series had run its course for me by the fourth one.
The autobiography of Henry VIII by M George is a literary masterpiece. This book is 100% historically accurate, while staying extremely engaging. The romance is present but not central, and might be a bit less compelling if you know history well.
On the lighter side, anything by Valerio Massimo Manfredi (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valerio_Massimo_Manfredi) is a good read. Lees historically accurate, more action based, some romance. The last Legion is possibly his most well known book.
I hope you appreciate these first suggestions, but I will be honest and state out right that I don’t read much that is purely romance, so they might not fit exactly what you are looking for.
Historical in the sense of having been written in the 1800s: a fully romance suggestion is The Red and the Black by Stendhal. I felt the romance was heavy handed, but see previous paragraph, and it’s another literary masterpiece. In the same category, I would put The lady of the Camelias by Dumas (son). Finally, with more action, The Count of Montecristo by Dumas (father) - this one might come closer as vibe to the series you linked.
Great ideas thanks!
I wouldn’t call it historical as much as inspired by history, but Kushiel’s Dart by Jacqueline Carey nails the romance side of things. It’s a low fantasy setting based on medieval France. Lots of intrigue, lots of sex, moderate amount of epic travels/actions, minimal amount of fantastical elements. The romance element doesn’t really start to kick in hard until the middle or so, but is very well executed.
That sounds excellent! Appreciate it
The Visit of the Royal Physician by P.O. Enquist
It was the basis for the movie A Royal Affair with Mads Mikkelsen. But I am not particular fond of the movie. While the book does take some liberties with history, it is generally well founded in the scholarship of the day about subject, but the movie simplifies and changes so much to cram it all in its timespan that it becomes quite ridiculous. But I can recommend the book as a historical romance.
That looks really interesting and I love that time period thanks
Sword of Honour trilogy by Evelyn Waugh.
It’s set during WW2, and not super strong on the romances. The part I remember is how the protagonists living in Yugoslavia experience the breakdown of society and how the social circles try to cope and keep up appearances when the country is invaded.
