Historical Romance Books


SERIES INFORMATION AND READING ORDER

SERIES INFORMATION AND READING ORDER

THE TAMING OF THE DUKES – 90s RomCom series:
  1. Always Be My Duchess (Pretty Woman meets Center Stage, grumpy/sunshine, fake engagement)
  2. Never Met A Duke Like You (Clueless meets Breakfast at Tiffany’s, matchmaker heiress, broody nerdy paleontologist, frenemies to lovers)
  3. The Worst Duke in London (10 Things I Hate About You meets The Kiss Quotient, sensual lessons, animal rights activist, virgin hero) – September 2024
DARING DUKES – inclusive romance series:
  1. The Princess Stakes (enemies-to-lovers, BIPOC heroine, inspired by Sophia Duleep Singh)
  2. Rules For Heiresses (marriage of inconvenience, BIPOC hero, inspired by Dido Elizabeth Belle)
  3. The Duke in Question (spies, age-gap, BIPOC cast, inspired by Mary Richards Bowser)
  4. Any Duke In A Storm (smugglers, spies, swashbuckling sea adventure, BIPOC hero, pansexual heroine)
THE REGENCY ROGUES – Fairytales meet Shakespeare:
  1. The Beast of Beswick (Beauty & The Beast meets Taming of the Shrew, scarred hero, marriage of convenience)
  2. The Rakehell of Roth (Sleeping Beauty meets As You Like It, second chance romance, bachelor auction)
  3. The Wolf of Westmore (Romeo & Juliet meets Little Red Riding Hood, forbidden love, family feud)
THE LORDS OF ESSEX:
  1. My Rogue, My Ruin (Robin Hood retelling, girl-next-door, friends-to-lovers)
  2. My Darling, My Disaster (Anastasia retelling, fake identity, riches-to-rags)
  3. My Hellion, My Heart (royal romance, war hero, guardian/ward, age-gap)
  4. My Scot, My Surrender (Scottish romance, rags-to-riches, scarred heroine)
TARTANS AND TITANS:
  1. Sweet Home Highlander (second chance romance, injured hero, forced proximity)
  2. A Lord For The Lass (French hero, widowed heroine, protector romance)
  3. What A Scot Wants (forced engagement, wager, enemies-to-lovers)
INDEPENDENT NOVELLAS:
  1. A Most Extraordinary Match (Bookish Box Winter Anthology, arranged marriage, forced proximity)
  2. Lady Waverly’s Lover (Pride Not Prejudice Anthology, sapphic romance, opposites attract)


THE WORST DUKE IN LONDON (available for preorder, out 9/24)

Bridgerton meets 10 Things I Hate About You in this spicy enemies-to-lovers Regency romance from a “must-read author” (Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author).

Lady Evangeline Raine prefers animals to people and has no interest in marriage­–much to the dismay of her flirty younger sister, Viola. Because their father has one rule: Viola may be courted, only if Effie has a suitor as well.

Saddled with debt, Gage Croft, Duke of Vale, is determined to rebuild his estates. When the owner of his vowels offers him a fortune to charm the impervious Lady Evangeline for the season so Lady Viola can be courted, the game is on, even if it means pretending to seduce an unconventional wallflower.

But Gage gets much more than he bargains for in an adversary who wants to make her own scandalous arrangement. Effie will go to London for the season, but only if Gage agrees to be her lover. Yet when their fake courtship leads to passionate feelings, will their indecent proposal end with the season or be the start of something real?


ANY DUKE IN A STORM 

Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

“Two smugglers steal each other’s hearts in Howard’s sultry and suspenseful tale of high seas intrigue, the fourth in the Daring Dukes series (after The Duke in Question). [S]izzling chemistry, sharp banter, and rowdy adventures. Howard keeps the pages turning with breathtaking action and blazing-hot sex scenes while still taking plenty of time to flesh out her lovable leads. Readers will be swept away.” Full review here.

Historical romance takes to the high seas. Famed spy Lady Lisbeth Medford is on a ship bound for the West Indies, but the only thing more dangerous than her mission is the elusive Duke she’s trying to capture.

Lady Lisbeth Medford, Countess of Waterstone and renowned international spy, has spent nearly two years on a covert mission posing as the infamous Bonnie Bess, captain of a smuggling ship filled with ruthless women sailors. Her goal is to infiltrate a notorious smuggling ring in the West Indies. But when her identity is compromised, Lisbeth has no choice but to take to the sea with her enemies close behind.

Her troubles don’t end there. Raphael Saint, a scapegrace of a French duke, has been hired as her ship’s new sailing master. Charming and devilishly handsome, the maddening Duc de Viel has access to the very smuggling ring Lisbeth is determined to bring to justice. As they set sail, both Lisbeth and Raphael are intent on keeping their secrets hidden. But as they weather storms, treachery, and the blazing attraction between them, danger and deceit abound…and the only way to navigate such perilous waters might be together.


NEVER MET A DUKE LIKE YOU

“Howard (Always Be My Duchess) pairs unconventional aristocrats in this page-turning Victorian romance. Howard’s admirable and progressive protagonists and Clueless-inspired plot are sure to have readers charmed.” Publishers Weekly

“Howard (Always Be My Duchess, 2022) once again deftly brings two characters together through quippy banter a lá Jane Austen while expertly choreographing a sizzling dance of seduction between her two protagonists that would have the author of Emma searching for a fan. Combine this with a thoughtfully developed, neurodivergent heroine and an intriguing plot that offers insights into the attempts to reform the treatment of mental illness in the Victorian era, and you have a love story that is both smart and sexy.” BOOKLIST

“A bright, charming love story of childhood friends and second chances with shades of Jane Austen and the ‘90s rom-com Clueless […] snappy dialogue and simmering sexual tension, doing justice to the story as a romance and as an homage to a romantic comedy classic. VERDICT Readers who enjoy a sense of modernity in their historical romance will enjoy the witty back-and-forth between “Lady Viper” and “Lord Ass,” even as the story explores the less romantic aspects of Regency society.” LIBRARY JOURNAL

Clueless meets Bridgerton in this spicy historical romance retelling by USA Today bestselling author Amalie Howard: 

“Howard (Always Be My Duchess) pairs unconventional aristocrats in this pge-turning Victorian romance. Howard’s admirable and progressive protagonists and Clueless-inspired plot are sure to have readers charmed.” Publishers Weekly

“Howard (Always Be My Duchess, 2022) once again deftly brings two characters together through quippy banter a lá Jane Austen while expertly choreographing a sizzling dance of seduction between her two protagonists that would have the author of Emma searching for a fan. Combine this with a thoughtfully developed, neurodivergent heroine and an intriguing plot that offers insights into the attempts to reform the treatment of mental illness in the Victorian era, and you have a love story that is both smart and sexy.” BOOKLIST

“A bright, charming love story of childhood friends and second chances with shades of Jane Austen and the ‘90s rom-com Clueless […] snappy dialogue and simmering sexual tension, doing justice to the story as a romance and as an homage to a romantic comedy classic. VERDICT Readers who enjoy a sense of modernity in their historical romance will enjoy the witty back-and-forth between “Lady Viper” and “Lord Ass,” even as the story explores the less romantic aspects of Regency society.” LIBRARY JOURNAL

Lady Vesper Lyndhurst is beautiful, clever, and popular. Afforded every luxury as a duke’s daughter, she fills her days with friends, intrigues, and a self-professed knack for matchmaking. She may have sworn off love for herself, but she is rather excellent at arranging it.

Faced with an insolvent estate, the Duke of Greydon has no choice but to return to England in a final attempt to revive his family’s fortunes. He’s been gone for years, happy to have escaped his mother and the petty circles of the ton. To his dismay, not much has changed, including the beautiful and vexing heiress next door.

But when an accident of fate traps the friends-turned-enemies in an attic together, the explosive attraction between them becomes impossible to ignore and even harder to resist. They are total opposites and their lives don’t align in the slightest, but fate, the ultimate matchmaker, appears to have other plans . . . 


ALWAYS BE MY DUCHESS

Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award “Mary Jane Wells delights listeners with a lively performance of a new historical romance series. Wells’s enthusiastic narration and her ability to give characters unique voices and project their personalities will captivate listeners. Wells provides a treat for one’s ears.” AudioFile Magazine

“If you’ve ever wanted to see modern rom-com tropes play out in an enchanting period romance, the first book in Amalie Howard’s Taming of the Dukes series will sweep you off your feet. Always Be My Duchess is sweet, fun, and very steamy.” AppleBooks, Best Books of July

“Refreshing, steamy, and stocked with characters you don’t normally get to see in the genre—a must-read author.” Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“Fabulous writing…such a delicious escape. A dashing, mocking heroine meets a cold-hearted duke who buys her time—and then steals her heart. Utterly delightful!” Eloisa James, NYT bestselling author

“Howard’s lyrical writing enlivens her bright, empathetic characters and her sharp eye on their class and cultural disparities only enhances their romance. Readers will be riveted.” Publishers Weekly

Pretty Woman meets the Bridgertons in this witty, vivacious historical take on 90s romcoms by USA Today bestselling author Amalie Howard:

Lord Lysander Blackstone, the stern Duke of Montcroix, has only one interest: increasing his considerable fortune. After a series of betrayals, he keeps his emotions buried deep. Money, after all, can’t break a man’s heart—or make promises it can’t keep. But when his reputation for being heartless jeopardizes a new business deal, he finds himself seeking a most unusual—and alluring—solution . . .

Once an up-and-coming ballerina, Miss Geneviève Valery is now hopelessly out of work. After refusing to become a wealthy patron’s mistress, Nève was promptly shown the door to the streets. When she accidentally saves the life of a handsome duke, she doubts the encounter will go any better than her last brush with nobility. But instead of propositioning her, Montcroix makes Nève an offer she would be a fool to refuse: act as his fake fiancée in exchange for fortune enough to start over.

Only neither is prepared when very real feelings begin to grow between them. They both stand to win . . . but only if they’re willing to risk their hearts.


THE DUKE IN QUESTION

***A Colorado Book Award Finalist

“A vibrant, witty adventure. Howard touches upon the social inequalities and marginalization of the time, adding nuance and depth to this witty, suspenseful romance. By turns playful and tense, it’s a thoroughly entertaining romp.” ~ Publishers Weekly

Howard excels in quips and wit and has a deft hand with characterization. Smart, steamy, and on-point.” ~ Library Journal

James Bond meets Bridgerton in this steamy enemies-to-lovers historical romance from USA Today bestselling author Amalie Howard:

  • This lady won’t let a savvy duke sway her from her mission.
  • The Duke of Thornbury, retired agent of the Crown, has never lost a target.
  • In a flirty game of cat and mouse, a spy must keep his enemy close to unravel the secrets that threaten to tear them apart.

Lady Bronwyn Chase is far from the paragon of society that her mother expects her to be. Which is why she’s on her brother’s passenger liner bound for America with a secret packet of letters that could get her into trouble. Serious trouble—the kind that a duke’s sister shouldn’t be in; the kind that puts spymaster Valentine Medford, the Duke of Thornbury, on her trail. But as the duke gets closer to Bronwyn and the secrets she’s keeping, he’ll have to decide between the mysterious woman who calls to him, or his allegiance to the Crown.


RULES FOR HEIRESSES

“Rebellious. Scandalous. Smart. This sweeping Victorian romance feels epic in scope.” Apple Books, Best Books selection

“[This] well-written romance involves espionage, smuggling, and primogeniture; it also explores racial and gender equality. A very readable, very relatable novel.” Library Journal

“An adventurous romance…readers will not be disappointed.” Publishers Weekly

Physical chemistry sizzles. Ravenna, a stubborn firecracker, is an exciting heroine. Exploration around gender and race is thoughtfully done and adds depth to the characters. The enticing couple makes this story worth reading.” Kirkus Reviews

Sometimes, finding love means flouting the rules…

Born to a life of privilege, Lady Ravenna Huntley rues the day that she must marry. She’s refused dozens of suitors and cried off multiple betrothals, but running away—even if brash and foolhardy—is the only option left to secure her independence.

Lord Courtland Chase, grandson of the Duke of Ashvale, was driven from England at the behest of his cruel stepmother. Scorned and shunned, he swore never to return to the land of his birth. But when a twist of bad luck throws a rebellious heiress into his arms, at the very moment he finds out he’s the new Duke, marriage is the only alternative to massive scandal.

Both are quick to deny it, but a wedding might be the only way out for both of them. And the attraction that burns between them makes Ravenna and Courtland wonder if it’ll truly only be a marriage of convenience after all…


THE PRINCESS STAKES

“Vivid, sensual and beautifully written. A compelling read by a talented new author. Amalie Howard tells a story with self-assured style, wit, and energy, making the book impossible to put down. Her writing sparkles!” – Lisa Kleypas, New York Times bestselling author

“There’s star-crossed, swoony, steamy love, true to the genre — but there’s also a subtle, searing focus on racism, colorism, and what it means to belong that is rare for a historical romance, which elevates it to a unique and truly resonant read.” – Jodi Picoult, New York Times bestselling author

“Ultimately The Princess Stakes celebrates the power of love to win out again and again over hate: love for the person you trust to have your back; love for the family you are proud to claim; and love for yourself, exactly as you are.” – Bookpage Magazine

Born to an Indian maharaja and a British noblewoman, Princess Sarani Rao has it all: beauty, riches, and a crown. But when Sarani’s father is murdered, her only hope is the next ship out—captained by the boy she once loved…and spurned.

Captain Rhystan Huntley, the reluctant Duke of Embry, is loath to give up his life at sea. But duty is calling him home, and this is his final voyage. Leave it to fate that the one woman he’s ever loved must escape to England on his ship.


THE BEAST OF BESWICK

“Rapid-fire repartee and a struggle for self-acceptance underpin this playful, steamy Regency…Readers will fall in love with this fresh twist on the fairy tale.” Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW

“The Beast of Beswick is a smart, sexy, deliciously feminist romance that I couldn’t put down. I loved every word!” ~NYT bestselling author Sarah MacLean

“The Beast of Beswick has it all – a sexy, growly hero and a heroine every bit his match!” ~ NYT bestselling author Sophie Jordan

Beauty and the Beast meets Taming of the Shrew in this laugh-out-loud and heartfelt Regency romance.

Lord Nathaniel Harte, the disagreeable Duke of Beswick, spends his days smashing porcelain, antagonizing his servants, and snarling at anyone who gets too close. With a ruined face like his, it’s hard to like much about the world. Especially smart-mouthed harpies―with lips better suited to kissing than speaking―who brave his castle with indecent proposals.

But Lady Astrid Everleigh will stop at nothing to see her younger sister safe from a notorious scoundrel, even if it means offering herself up on a silver platter to the forbidding Beast of Beswick himself. And by offer, she means what no highborn lady of sound and sensible mind would ever dream of―a tender of marriage with her as his bride.


THE RAKEHELL OF ROTH

“Strong-willed, multidimensional characters drive Howard’s sensuous second Regency Rogues romance. It’s a unique spin on the marriage of convenience trope, and Howard pulls it off in spectacular fashion by focusing on her characters’ complex emotional journeys. Howard’s fans and newcomers alike will be charmed.” Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW

“Amalie Howard’s The Beast of Beswick and The Rakehell of Roth, combine fairytales with Shakespeare to craft intellectual, heartfelt romance. Howard’s stories have a fantastical quality to them that lend them the air of a fairy-tale, and her witty take on Shakespeare’s work would continue a long-held tradition of making use of the Bard’s work in inventive ways on screen.” Entertainment Weekly

Sleeping Beauty meets As You Like It

She’ll awaken with his kiss…

Lord Winter Vance, a notorious scoundrel and the Marquess of Roth, must marry to save his inheritance, but a wife is the last thing he needs. Determined to carry on his rakish ways provoking his straitlaced duke of a father and scandalizing the ton, the minute Winter ties the knot, he dumps his starry-eyed debutante of a bride at his country estate and hies back to London.

But three years later, forgotten in slumbering Chelmsford while her husband gallivants in town, Lady Isobel Vance decides that enough is enough and she’s ready to take matters into her own hands. When a case of mistaken identity leads to a devilish dance of seduction and an indelicate wager is made, this marchioness will show her marauding marquess just who he married.


THE WOLF OF WESTMORE

“I devoured it. In one sitting.” ~ Book Besties

“Ohhh this one was on fire. Loved it.” ~ BookBub reviewer in the Big Duke Energy anthology

“Howard pens a very, very hot novella with my favorite kink (!), but the love scenes are always emotional and heart-stirring.” ~ Gloria’s Happily Ever Afters (Big Duke Energy anthology)

“I adored every page of this scintillating romance, beautifully written and well paced. Wulfric and Jocelyn are formidable and passionate characters, their chemistry, attraction, desire, love, all of it leapt from the pages. ~ BookBub reviewer in the Big Duke Energy anthology

Little Red Riding Hood meets Romeo and Juliet

Lord Wulfric Bane, the Duke of Westmore knows that blood is thicker than water, that duty is more important than personal desire, and that some things, like falling in love, are a waste of time.

Cosseted and coddled Lady Jocelyn Capehart has been bred to be the perfect lady. On the outside, she is demure, sweet, and biddable, but on the inside, a vixen longs to break free of her cage.

When a chance meeting at a sultry club leads to one sinfully explosive night that neither of them can forget, nothing, not even the bad blood between their families, will keep them apart.

*CW/TW: consensual light kink (spanking, bondage), mention of addiction/death by drug use


CO-WRITTEN HISTORICAL ROMANCE BOOKS

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Amalie and Angie

Photo credit: Kristoff Lutchman

Co-Authors Amalie Howard & Angie Morgan 

About Amalie

Amalie Howard’s love of romance developed after she started pilfering her grandmother’s novels in high school when she should have been studying. She has no regrets. Her novels have been on the Publishers Weekly bestseller list, a Kid’s INDIE NEXT selection, an IPPY silver medalist, a Children’s Moonbeam award winner, and have been featured in Entertainment Weekly, NPR Books, and Seventeen Magazine. She currently resides in Colorado with her husband and three children. Visit her at http://www.amaliehoward.com.

About Angie

Angie Morgan lives in New Hampshire with her husband, their three daughters, a menagerie of pets and an extensive collection of paperback romance novels. She’s the author of several Young Adult books, including The Dispossessed series written under the name Page Morgan. Critically acclaimed by Booklist, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, School Library Journal, VOYA and The Bulletin, Angie’s novels have been an IndieNext selection, a Seventeen MagazineSummer Book Club Read and a No. 1 Amazon bestseller. Visit her at http://www.AngieMorganBooks.com.


TARTANS & TITANS SERIES

(Highlander Historical Romance, 1800s)

“Kilts, braw, and brogue. A full bodied recipe for a fantastic Scottish Highlands love story where the men are manly and the women are feisty. The authors do not disappoint as they take us through clan intrigue and slighted lovers.” –Suzette P., Goodreads

“Loved this story so much!! The tension between Makenna and Julian was so thick you could have cut it. Their past experiences kept them from wanting more, but thankfully their hearts won out in the end. I can’t wait for the next book in the series!” -Amy A., NetGalley


LORDS OF ESSEX SERIES 

(Regency Historical)

*My Rogue, My Ruin is in Kindle Unlimited

“My Rogue, My Ruin was a wonderful blend of romance and mystery with a retelling twist. I enjoyed this one from beginning to end.” – Teresa R., Readers Live 1000 Lives

“A hearty dose of scandalous secrets, danger and burning passion, My Darling, My Disaster by Amalie Howard & Angie Morgan is a delicious page-turning escape!” – Eliza Knight, USA Today bestselling author of historical romance

“The descriptions are vivid and lush. They help bring the story depth. The characters are varied, realistic and full bodied. The plot is amazing and has twists that will surprise you. It is concise, cohesive, moves smoothly and answers all your questions. I loved it.” – Candy B., Goodreads.com review

“Totally loved this book, so full of action from start to finish, I never wanted it to end. Brilliant!” – Maggie Whitworth, Goodreads review