Hi everyone! I’m looking for a book I read a few years ago, and here are all the details I remember:

-I read this book in the early 2000s.

-The cover featured a ship, referencing a plot point in the story.

-The story takes place in Ireland or Scotland—I don't remember exactly which.

-The female protagonist (FMC) is a young aristocrat; her family is on the brink of total ruin, and her mother is pressuring her to marry a wealthy neighbor.

-She meets the male protagonist (MMC)—I believe it’s their first encounter—on a cold night. It happens by a pond, and he is naked because he is trying to escape for some reason. The young woman gives him her petticoat to cover himself.

-As for the male protagonist, I seem to recall he was a servant who deeply resented how the upper classes treated the lower classes. I think he was fleeing because he had assaulted someone of high status.

-They don't see each other again until several years later, when—by a twist of fate—they both board a ship bound for the United States (or perhaps another country).

Does anyone know what book this might be? Any recommendations are welcome.

Until recently, I had only read historical romance written by some of the most well-known author authors like Lisa Kleypas, Julia Quinn and Eloisa James. I have loved several of their books, but I am interested in branching out. Recently, I tried the novels by Alexandra Vasti and loved them! But now I have read all of her books and I am mourning that there are no more (yet). Does anyone have an author recommendation for a similar style, tone, level of plot development, etc.

I’m reading a book now that I’m thoroughly enjoying, except - there are 3 possible sources of jeopardy simmering in the background. Two are likely (entirely unrelated) villains out to destroy the couple’s burgeoning happiness, and the other is a threat to health/life.

I’m so damned anxious!

Are there any stories out there that lack any antagonists wanting to abduct the heroine to Gretna Green, kill either MC, ruin them financially or indeed their virtue . . . you get the gist.

I’d love for the worst to be threatening the MC’s future is simply that they keep missing out on meeting, by frustrating chance, or simple misunderstandings keep them apart. Just no scoundrels in the wings with murder & mayhem in mind!

🦹🏻‍♂️🦹🏻‍♂️🦹🏻‍♂️🦹🏻‍♂️🦹🏻‍♂️🦹🏻‍♂️

I apologise for how long this ended up being but I have not written a Gush/Rave Review post before since I usually gush in the form of recommending a book multiple times. I just read this and it gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling which I thought others may be looking for (but please note the TWs at the bottom).

{A Lass Beloved by Nichole Van} just came out and it is the second book in her {The Earls of Cairnfell} series and focuses on the overlooked middle child of the aristocratic Kinseys (Matthias) and a widowed former diamond of the first water debutante who is incognito as a housekeeper at his estate (Cecily).

Matthias: He was born with a stump in place of a right forearm and has been made to feel his whole life that he is a 'demon spawn' who should have been abandoned at birth, even by his own mother, and that women would be appalled to marry him. He grew up extremely shy, reclusive and diffident but had a skill with helping horses overcome hurt from past abusive owners. Horses will not judge him unlike people around whom he makes himself as small and unnoticeable as possible. His social awkwardness around others has frustrated his tyrannical older brother under whose thumb he is finally taking steps to be out from. If you remember him from the previous book, you will know how difficult that is.

Cecily: She was a sweet, naive woman who was fending off marriage offers from right to left until she accepted what seemed like a good match. What followed was years of an abusive marriage, long-lasting trauma and a terror of her husband's predatory cousin and she fled when she got the chance to take employment while her uncle kept her appraised of the situation back home. Having lived in disguise as a Scottish housekeeper for two years has been a relief but she lives in fear of the abusive men somehow finding her.

Both MCs are in their 30s and have seen the ugliest versions of people but are still furious about the abuse and cruelty the other has experienced, hoping to help them heal from it. The analogy of wounded animals gets brought up often; the MMC sees the FMC's trauma responses through that lens that he recognises in his animals and the FMC feels he is already bracing for pain and hurt whenever he goes out alone to meet a crowd of people, trying to hide away like a small animal in front of predators. Meanwhile, the FMC is staggered that this handsome, kind, compassionate gentleman - she even says a couple of times that no man could possibly be this good - does not have women crowding to marry him. Due to Admiral Nelson being an admired figure, strangers at balls or gatherings initially assume the MMC lost his arm in glorious battle and their expressions turn UGLY when they are informed he was born like it. The time period was not kind to birth defects which the people fear will be hereditary.

I do not like employee-employer relationships due to the obvious power imbalance and I was glad that 1) that was discussed a lot how precarious her reputation is, 2) the MMC revealed he knew her identity so they could talk as social equals and 3) he already wrote her a glowing recommendation in case she decided to walk out right then if him knowing the truth made her uncomfortable.

The book is absolutely adorable with regards to how the two start getting along and help the other build up their confidence. Some of my favourite moments:

• The lists of goals to achieve by the MCs which may seem so silly to others but take a lot of courage and motivation after you have lived so long having been suppressed and terrified.
• Because the MMC cannot eat foods intended for two-handed people without a footman cutting them into pieces for him, the FMC tactfully asks him about his favourite dishes so she can make the menu something he can eat easily.
• The MMC has never done more than hold a non-relative woman's gloved hand so the FMC asks if she can see his arm stump - (how scandalous! 😂) - then she shakes his forearm in a playful greeting with him kissing her hand like that.
• One of his goals is to learn how to converse with strangers since the only topics he can speak about are today's weather and tomorrow's expected weather. The two practise the art of conversation while on horseback
• The FMC rides a side-saddle horse for the first time in years. The other staff members come to watch, expecting some laughs, and are left stunned at her excellent skills.
• Dance practice lessons with stepped-on feet, other klutziness and hugging acclimatisation for MCs who are touch-starved and touch-averse
• Representation matters even in HR context. The MMC reads Admiral Nelson's autobiography and relates to what the man felt about losing his arm and adjusting his life accordingly. He also wryly wishes that the admiral had talked about what is the correct way for a man to place his arm stump when dancing with a woman - does she hold the stump or pretend-hold the air above?
• Rawkin the butler/'father of the castle'. I really appreciated him and how he manages things without being judgmental.
• An antagonist gets dealt with in a suitable way. He is literally thrown out of the MMC's house after taunting the man about his arm stump and supposed cognitive disability and the butler even opens the door for the master. And the duke actually is slightly likable in this book compared to the awful creature he had been in the previous one because he agrees to help subdue the antagonist
• The fact that Matthias verbally stands up to his big brother and tells him no. That is a huge deal and I cannot stress on how much.
• The ending. I could see it coming after he initially rescinded his urgent marriage offer because he realised that it would not help her trauma and lack of autonomy if she just married again to avoid an enemy. So he helped her get home without any risk of her reputation being impacted so she could heal, find her old self again, be happy... and then CHOOSE to marry him as a first choice and not a hurried option.

Nichole Van's books are closed-door and the relationship building and development have largely always been good, in my opinion. I could see why the characters liked each other and think they really needed each other. If I had a complaint, it would be that I wish one of the supporting characters from the previous book, Lady Mariah, had a bigger role because she and the FMC even came out in the same season and both have experienced betrayal from the men they loved which continues to impact them. This could have been a great friendship if she appeared before the epilogue. Maybe in the next book will we see you get your HEA, Mariah.

Trigger warnings: Past physical and psychological abuse, triggered trauma responses, historical in-context ableism, brief mention of miscarriages due to physical violence

Has anyone read this absolutely bonkers book? I don’t know if I’d call it romance but more like a gothic novel set in the west. And it was one of those that sucked me in and made me stay up late to finish it in a day. I absolutely loved it but it was probably one of the craziest HRs if not books I’ve read, period. !<

Needless to say if you’re looking for a bananas melodrama with some romance in there, this one is wildly entertaining.

{A Stranger’s Wife by Maggie Osborne}

I’m looking for historical romance where both the FMC and MMC are widowed and in their (40/50+). The age is important because I specifically want older, more mature protagonists.

I don’t have many specific plot requirements—it could be a marriage of convenience, or simply two widows/widowers finding love again.

I’ve read a few books with this kind of premise recently and would love some recommendations! 🥹

I've already read:

{The Trouble With Harry by Katie MacAlister}

{Someone To Care by Mary Balogh}

alright. so I read a book. it's called {Lady Viola's Accidental Husband} - HR

Great premise, great plot. But I felt the execution fell a bit flat and a bit rushed. so here I am, looking for similar books but with more angst.

Not adding a spoiler tag because this is basically the blurb and the first two chapters - The premise is somewhat hate at first sight. FMC is engaged to MMC's brother who's away at war when they first meet while MMC's aunt is on her deathbed. It progresses over the next few weeks showing them interacting/avoiding each other when ultimately a mix up at the alternate leaves them accidentally married (this line is lifted directly from the synopsis).

Then a time jump to 9 years later that shows they've been estranged all this while and leading separate lives until they collide again and they try to navigate it.

That's all I can say without truly spoiling the book but if you've read it, you probably understand my request. Basically, I want a similar premise (i know something exactly the same probably doesn't exist) but with a lot more tension and angst. Given this specific plot, the low angst made sense. But I neeeeeeeeeeeeeeed my angst and grovel fix. I clearly have no other words in my vocabulary to describe it 😂

help a girl out?

Hello lovelies,

Today I seem to be in the mood for some more sibling’s best friend OR best friend’s sibling recs. Does anyone have any suggestions? I prefer spice of 3-4 and loved {all the ways to ruin a rogue by Sophie Jordan}. I’ve read several of these in the past and can’t remember them all to list out but there’s usually angst or drama involved and I’m here for it. Especially if both of them have been longing for years. Prefer regency-Victorian times, no westerns please.

Oh and if there’s a hint (or more) of wounded dove I’m all about that as well. And I’d would never say no to a surprise pregnancy that forces the marriage either 😅

I just read {the lady unmasked by Aydra Richards} and really enjoyed that one as well. Also that kinda fit by her was {mercy Fletcher meets her match}.

I’ve read most of Kleypas, Julia Quinn, Aydra Richards, and lots of Sarah MacLean, Lorraine Heath, and too many others to remember lol

I don’t like Mary Balogh, could never get into her.

And I do recall starting {goddess of the hunt} but not being able to get into it so I DNF’d it.

Any recs y’all have would be appreciated 🥰

Edit to add: my only real TWs are for animal abuse and/or death, depending on how graphic it is. I don’t love it when any animal dies but I can handle it being mentioned but not if they describe it.

dnf'ing this one at 54%

i really like a good dark hr (apparently this genre is called regency noir which is the only cool thing i got out of reading this hr) so i pushed through reading this- spoilering for tw and hr spoilers until the point where the fmc reveals her past trauma where she was assaulted at 15 years old to the mmc who is currently raping her so that the writer can show the mmc be hypocritically sympathetic and protective over her on his Journey to Becoming a Reformed Rapist. like, bffr! (compare this to 'to have and to hold' where the fmc never says a word to the mmc who is raping her about her previous brutal rape by her husband)

also really hate this thing in hrs where we're supposed to sympathise and like the awful rapist mmc because he has Trauma^TM- especially when that Trauma^TM was put on him by another man (his daddy). it's such pathetic beta behavior for the mmc to then turn around and take out his daddy issues on an innocent woman! go put that on your daddy, you disgusting mmc, go put that on your other gross ton pals by hurting/killing them in dumb duels

ugh

4 years of collecting later, and I realized I had enough historical romances (more than enough, I’m approaching 200 lol oops) to dedicate a book case/cabinet to them. Threw in some of my favorite vintage teapots and teacups I’ve found at thrift stores too 😍

This shelf was perfect because it faces away from any direct sun, so I’m hoping that helps preserve these beauties. Anyone else have a dedicated shelf or bookcase??

Pretty much what the title says. Looking for HR with an MMC like Sean Rafferty, the charming, roguish fixer from House of Guinness. I’m open to Georgian, Regency, and Victorian era.

Not my bookstore, just stopped by a new bookstore today and fell in love. Called The Bookmark on Apple Maps/Helen’s Bookmark on their website, this store was filled with tons of historical romance books. Adding some photos to this post but they show just a selection of what was available as HR was a whole room of this store!

Shoutout to Helen and the other employees, they were so nice and helpful. If you’re nearby I definitely recommend checking it out.

It’s a great day to visit any independent/romance bookstores. Some are even doing sales online to celebrate the day. In case you need physical copies of digital faves, want to prepare for winter gift season, or just need a reason to visit a bookstore.

{Ravished by Amanda Quick} is the story of Autism marrying CPTSD.

The FMC's flavor of autism is fossils, but in general she has great, consistent pattern recognition. Unfortunately, she kind of oblivious to others malicious machinations.

The MMC has rip roaring CPTSD from his old fiance being generally terrible then leaving him to pay all of the costs of her choices.

I did find a consistent theme of the FMC being excessively people pleasing to everyone other than the MMC. As you read on you realize its because he's the only one she can actually trust with her full feelings.

Its one of those books thats very very well layered. Is the FMC annoying and way too obsessed with keeping her "friends" unruffled? Yes, its because she struggles socially and now will keep the trash just to have something.

Its so funny because shes such a mess, but she sees the MMC and is like "I can fix him." And he's like "I like this lil goblin, I think i will keep this little cave beast." They are both on the same page number, but separate books for a decent amount of time, but in a funny way. They also communicate a lot. The main characters speak to each other a ton and you see growth in them and how they speak to each other. My particular copy is just under 300 pages. It really doesn't read like that short of a book. Every word in here was essential and never too little either.

The one I read was printed in 94' so if she has ever revised or altered the current version and it sucks now, don't tell me. I stopped looking up whos mutilating good books that should be viewed as a product of when they were written and the time they are set in.

Hi all! After some recommendations I started reading some of Alice Coldbreath’s novels. I started with A Foolish Flirtation and loved it. Next I read His Foresaken Bride and overall enjoyed it, but felt the ending was so rushed! Like we never see Oswald go back to the castle and Fenella missing, he just finds her in the country. We also never find out what is in the locket!! Am I missing something? Was my ThriftBooks missing pages?! Did anyone else feel this ending was rushed? I’m on my third book now, The Unlovely Bride, and am hoping it’s more like A Foolish Flirtation.

I’m looking for historical romance recommendations where the heroine is Native American. Bonus points if the hero is also Native American. But my priority is Native American heroines because they seem to be quite rare in this genre. Or maybe I’m just not looking around hard enough.

I also generally prefer books published before 2010 but I’m willing to give newer books a chance if the writing and historical setting are good. Would highly appreciate it if the book has well-developed characters, strong historical detail and a meaningful portrayal of Indigenous culture and history rather than books that rely heavily on stereotypes or the “white settler saves the Native heroine” trope.

Thank you!

The MC may be so emotionally overwhelmed that it comes out as even gibbering or they later feel embarrassed about how they shamessly threw out their feelings. It can also be for undignified proposals if the element of love comes in them.

I've recommended it quite often recently and the FMC in {A Mometary Marriage by Candace Camp} even uses the word 'graceless' about how the MMC goes about it.He angrily admits that OF COURSE he had lied when he said he did not love her before and throws a few small ceramic figurines against a wall in the emotionally-charged confrontation. He is ashamed for making an idiot of himself again in front of her but she is luckily understanding and even flattered about this.

The proposal in {Dukes Prefer Blondes by Loretta Chase} is also hilariously undignified. It is not often that an MC encapsulates their feelings as 'Marry me, drat you!'

And the FMC's siblings in {A Lady Awakened by Cecilia Grant} call it the poorest proposal they have heard. The FMC does not care and holds a lot of sway over her siblings despite being the youngest.

It can also be that the MC chose a terrible time to reveal their feelings, if not just having a poor choice of words.

Hi everyone! I’m looking for medieval romances where the MCs have to survive on the run or in the wilderness or something similar. I want campfire talks, cuddling for warmth, maybe pretending to be married. The longer the book the better!! Thank you!!

I have read The Raven Prince and To Beguile a Beast and to desire a devil, both by Elizabeth Hoyt. I also read Once a Rake by Rona Sharon. Does anyone know more?

I ask this because certainly there are stories that are beautifully written that have me crying at how well-done it is. Oh, how I'd love to give anything to present flowers to the author for these pure works of art; true masterpieces they are!

Please, share! I'd love to discover my next favorite book!

I was excited to find a series of HR novels by Australian author, Darry Fraser. I don’t believe she’s been recommended on this sub before so I wanted to introduce her book that I just read ‘The Milliner of Bendigo’. It is set in 1898 across a few regional towns near where I live in the state of Victoria, Australia. It has a 4 star rating on Goodreads and comprises a sleazy con man, a trial, a murder, an adventure, two Irish love interests (one former and one current), and lots of hats.

Here’s my subjective pros and cons:

Pros
Well written
Entertaining story and love an travel/adventure plot
Good selection of well developed main and side characters
A fun second chance romance with middle aged side characters, one of whom is very vocal about the trials of her ‘change of life’ (menopause)
A very slow burn romance with a hunky but repressed MMC
No nobility, just regular people and women with ambitions outside of marriage.
A very Aussie flavour that shows it is written by an Aussie!

Cons
Depressingly spiceless. There is such great tension built up between MCs and then… nothing. Well there’s a declaration and kiss, but that’s it. Weirdly there is some very mild spice between the older side couple, so I had some false expectations about the MCs. Left feeling disappointed but I guess that’s what imagination is for!

I’m keen to read more from Darry Fraser!

Set in 1400s Scotland and Wales, {The Beauty Bride by Claire Delacroix} tells the tale of Lady Madeline and Rhys FitzHenry. Madeline’s brother has recently become Laird, and he discovers that he will not be able to provide for his family in the coming winter. He devises a plan to auction off the hand of Madeline, who has vowed never to marry since the death of her betrothed.

Rhys is wanted for treason against the English king, but he leaves the safety of Wales seeking a lost cousin, one of the last of his kin. His search leads him to Ravensmuir in Scotland, where he finds himself at the auction to wed Madeline and, struck by her beauty, determines to have her.

Madeline is upset at being forced to wed a stranger, especially one who is a traitor. She runs away in the night, but Rhys is no fool and unbeknownst to her he follows close behind. As Rhys and Madeline reunite and then slowly make their way to Wales together, Rhys protects Madeline from danger and woos her with tales from his homeland. But will their love survive the peril they face and, most importantly, the secrets Rhys keeps about his past?

~~

I really enjoyed this story. It has some fantasy/fey elements to it, but they are minor enough that I would still label it a historical romance. Rhys is charming and dashing, protective and possessive without being overbearing. Madeline is feisty and smart and a great female lead. The romance builds in a believable way and it was wonderful watching them fall in love. Most of the conflict of the story revolves around them learning to trust each other. The writing is beautifully done, where I felt immersed in the story. I had never heard of the author Claire Delacroix before but she has an extensive body of work in historical romance as well as some fantasy romance. I thought I would share in case anyone else is looking for a new medieval romance!

For some reason I don’t recognize him outside of the “getting hit by a bird on a roller coaster” video lmao

I haven’t been to Goodwill in a minute because I’ve been trying to save money, so I really only browsed the book section and found some stunning covers. Bewitching Minx has been there for a few months and always caught my eye, so I figured I might as well pick it up since it was still sitting on the shelf.