Popular Types of Historical Romance

Americana – stories take place in a Midwestern US setting.  Subgenres feature small farm towns, about 100 years ago.  (Stephanie Mittman. Janet Dailey.)

American West – US west setting.  Often, a strong heroine sets out west to help tame the frontier.  These stories can also center on Native Americans.  Think…cowboys and Indians.  (Linda Lael Miller.  Johanna Lindsey’s – Thunder)

Civil War – set in US south, Confederate side.  (Heather Graham.  Margaret Mitchell)  Think…Gone With the Wind.

Elizabethan – the time during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1558-1603 (Caitlin Scott-Turner.  CJ Arthur.)

Georgian – the time from the accession of George the First in 1714 until the death of George the Fourth in 1830.  Regency is a sub-genre of this category.  (Lucinda Brant. Patricia Veryan.)

Highlander – stories centered on people native to the Highlands in Scotland.  (Julia Garwood.  Diana Gabaldon.  Karen Marie Moning.  Julia London.)

Regency Set Historical – the time when George the Third’s eldest son, George, Prince of Wales, ruled by proxy as Prince Regent.  George the Third had been deemed unfit to rule.  He suffered from what we now know was porphyria.  This is my favorite time in history, and the time era I prefer to write in.  It was a time of excess for the aristocracy, but it was also a time of uncertainty due to the Napoleonic Wars.  There were riots and fears that England would follow France’s example into Revolution.  (Victoria Alexander.  Julia Quinn.  Sabrina Jeffries.)

Regency – shorter than the Regency set historical.  Historical detail accurate, including dialogue and behavior.  (Jo Beverly.  Deb Marlowe.  Georgette Heyer.)

Tudor – An English royal house descended from a Welsh squire, Owen Tudor (he died in 1461).  The Tudor’s ruled from 1485 to 1603.  Monarch’s of the line were Henry the Seventh, Henri the Eighth, Edward the Sixth, Mary the First, and Elizabeth the First.  (Susan Wiggs.  Gayle Callen.)

Victorian – the time of Queen Victoria’s reign.  (1837-1901)  This was a time of industrial progress, colonial expansion, and public fastidious morals.  The Victorian period in the US shared many of the same characteristics.  (Christina Dodd.  Lisa Kleypas.)

Viking – a time in European history, especially Northern European and Scandinavian history spanning the late 8th century to the 11th century.  Scandinavian (Norse) Vikings explored Europe by its oceans and rivers through trade and warfare.  Scandinavian pirates plundered the coasts of Europe from the 8th-10th centuries.  (Johanna Lindsey.  Catherine Coulter.  Heather Graham.)

I have read many books by some of the author’s I’ve mentioned.  There are also authors mentioned that I have yet to read.  My to-be-read list is never ending, which is great!