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Hello Readers!
This month, I’m asking the question: Why read historical romance? If you’re a fan of romance, you already know why, so you can skip my pep talk and jump to the recommendations at the end. But if you’re a reader, and not a romance reader, let me turn the question around—why not?
There was a time when I avoided genre romance. I thought it was embarrassing to be caught reading books with those “clinch covers.” I thought romances were formulaic and superficial. I thought historical romances were historically inaccurate. I thought all these things without ever having read romance books.
And then, years ago, I started reviewing for the Historical Novels Review. Occasional romances came my way. Once introduced to the genre, I became hooked. Here’s what I discovered I love about historical romance.
1. The escapism. Face it, life can be tough sometimes. And while I love novels that reflect that toughness, novels with ambiguous or even tragic endings, novels that teach me something or provide perspective on the struggles of today, you know what else I love? Burying myself in a book where the stakes are low: will this particular couple overcome the obstacles and find love? And the answer is a foregone conclusion: Of course, they will! Happily-ever-after endings are relaxing and emotionally satisfying.
2. The love. Love stories are timeless. And while good love stories are also woven into complex fiction, oftentimes I’m in the mood for simple. Romance plots can be complicated, subplots can entertain, but the main focus remains on the falling-in-love journey. And that reels me in.
3. The setting. Historical fiction is transportive. Reading it whisks me away to another time and place. I like to learn about the past when I read historical fiction, so I prefer as much accuracy as possible, though I understand fictional license. In historical romance, the history is generally less big picture, less focused on world-stage events, and more personal. We’re in the drawing room, not on a battlefield. And I like to read about that too!
4. The conversations. I may be going out on a limb here, but I often find the conversations in historical romance to be great examples of how to write dialogue. Conflict and resolution. And witty banter is incredibly fun to read.
5. The evolution of the genre. One of my favorite authors is Georgette Heyer, who essentially invented Regency Romance. I swear, whatever your favorite trope may be, she wrote it first. She began writing in the 1920s, and her novels are “clean” and hilarious. If you read these, compared with novels written in the 1950s, then the 1980s, then the 2010s, and now, it’s fascinating how they’ve adapted to the times. Tropes are tweaked. Age gaps are narrowed (unless the age gap is the trope). And the steam level, in general, has increased, with much more open-door sex. (Although closed door romance has not disappeared!) Female heroines are given more agency, even careers outside the home. And there is more diversity. So, the evolution of the genre is not an earth-shattering revelation, but I find it interesting to contrast and compare.
6. Ease of reading. I can generally read a romance in a day or two. Going back to escapism—sometimes I want a weeklong cruise. But sometimes, I just need a daytrip.
So, are you ready to read some historical romance?
Of course, you can start with my series, The Taverstons of Iversley. The first three books in the series, Counting on Love, Holding onto Love, and Waiting for Love (pen name Carol Coventry) are out. Paperbacks are available for order at your favorite bookstore. E-books are available on kindle and kindle unlimited.
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