Whether or not you swooned watching Mr Darcy flex his hand in Pride and Prejudice, historical fiction has a soft spot in a fiction reader’s heart. Nonetheless, historical fiction isn’t all about suitors and romance. Here is The Bombay Circle Press’ guide to 5 historical fiction novels you need to add to your TBR.
- The Duke and I and Julia Quinn
If forced proximity and friends to lovers are your favourite tropes, add historical to the mix and you have Julia Quinn’s first book in the Regency series called The Duke and I.
Synopsis:
In the ballrooms and drawing rooms of Regency London, rules abound. From their earliest days, children of aristocrats learn how to address an earl and curtsey before a prince—while other dictates of the ton are unspoken yet universally understood. A proper duke should be imperious and aloof. A young, marriageable lady should be amiable…but not too amiable.
Daphne Bridgerton has always failed at the latter. The fourth of eight siblings in her close-knit family, she has formed friendships with the most eligible young men in London. Everyone likes Daphne for her kindness and wit. But no one truly desires her. She is simply too deuced honest for that, too unwilling to play the romantic games that captivate gentlemen.
Amiability is not a characteristic shared by Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings. Recently returned to England from abroad, he intends to shun both marriage and society—just as his callous father shunned Simon throughout his painful childhood. Yet an encounter with his best friend’s sister offers another option. If Daphne agrees to a fake courtship, Simon can deter the mamas who parade their daughters before him. Daphne, meanwhile, will see her prospects and her reputation will soar.
The plan works like a charm—at first. But amid the glittering, gossipy, cut-throat world of London’s elite, there is only one certainty: love ignores every rule…
- Peculiar Occurrences in the 18th Century Town of Sillyshire by Ernst Mil
With witty one liners and gripping plot, fiction novelist Ernst Mil’s Peculiar Occurrences in the 18th Century Town of Sillyshire is perfect for the fans of Julia Quinn with a mix of fantasy.
Synopsis:
Dear reader,
Welcome to the wee town of Sillyshire, where strange happenings are giving the town’s name a run for its money. Meet our heroine, the beautiful Henrietta, who is fated to face a tragic fate at the hands of her most wicked lover, Baleful Burton, at the perilous cliff that will soon be her namesake.
Trust me, reader, you are going to want to gather around for this one.
- Amaranthine by Bushra Satkhed
For fans of the classic Little Women and the iconic Enola Holmes comes Amaranthine, a young adult novel that will leave a lasting impression on any woman who’s thought she deserves more!
Synopsis:
Amaranthine leads a solitary life deep in the woods with her mother Margaret and her beloved horse Faith, away from the kingdom of Elynasia. While Margaret has done her best to keep Amaranthine content, Amaranthine can’t help but feel there’s something missing. She’s meant for more.
But with her mother refusing to let her venture out into the world, how is Amaranthine supposed to find her destiny?
She decides she’s going to make it instead! Two unlikely friends, one handsome stranger, and a determination to find her true self lead Amaranthine on the journey of a lifetime to discover her future—and her past.
- Even Beyond Death by Fiona Melrose
A queer love story about yearning, passion and fighting for your love, Even Beyond Death by Fiona Melrose is must-read historical fiction.
Synopsis:
It is 1657, Avignon, and the Marquis needs a wife, an heir and, most pressingly, a new valet. Enter Jonathan Kryk who is…oh god he is beautiful. But despite Jehan’s wealth, he is caught in a trap of his time and position in society. The man he desires attends to him every day, dresses him, bathes him…yet neither can be free with each other. Everywhere there are spies—can his household be trusted? Even his own family?—and the eyes of God and the law are upon them.
There’s something quite indulgent about a Duke falling in love or adding hints of fantasy that keep you on the edge of your seat. If you want to try different genres, check out The Bombay Circle Press’ catalogue for a wide variety of genres.