historical romance book recs | part 1

Hey, friends!

This summer, one of my goals was to read all of Jane Austen’s books (I’ve read Pride & Prejudice and Sense & Sensibility, but I wanted to reread them and read her others!) but then at the end of May, I listened to A Name Unknown by Roseanna M. White and I spent basically the whole summer reading/listening to her books and other historical romance authors. Anyway, I wanted to make a list of book recs from this genre for you all!!

miss newbury’s list by megan walker

A romantic, Regency-era take on the popular “bucket list” trope, I listened to the audiobook a few days ago and I adored every part of this story! Charlie and Ros are the cutest and I need a sequel with Liza and Ben!!

Blurb: England 1820 – Rosalind Newbury is counting down the days until her wedding to the Duke of Marlow, a man she has only met twice. The marriage is more an agreement between two families and less a romantic connection between two hearts, but Rosalind becoming a duchess will elevate her family’s status to dizzying heights. And the duke is a kind man who will care for Rosalind, even if he doesn’t love her. She only has three weeks before her life changes forever, and she knows exactly how she wants to spend her days. As a child, Ros was inspired by her adventurous Aunt Alice and created a list of ten things to do before her wedding day. So far, Ros has done none of them. She is determined to tackle each item, though she’ll have to accomplish them all in secret. After all, a soon-to-be-duchess is not usually allowed to bury treasure in the pasture, eat sweets all day, or learn how to swim. She enlists the help of her best friend, Liza, who brings along her cousin, Charlie, a prodigal son-turned-boxer who has come to the countryside to mend his reputation and learn how to be his father’s heir. Together, the three of them work to complete the list, and as each item is crossed off, an unlikely friendship blossoms between Ros and Charlie. The more time they spend together, the more Ros falls in love with this imperfect man and his good heart. With the wedding looming, Ros must decide to either admit her romantic feelings for Charlie and risk her family’s future, or keep her promise to marry the duke and start a new life as a noblewoman.

shadows over england by roseanna m. white (series)

Like I mentioned in the intro to this post, I listened to A Name Unknown (Book #1 in Shadows Over England) which I loved and got me so invested into the rest of the series. (For a few weeks I was almost listening to a book a day and they are 10-12 hours long so that should say enough about how much I loved them!!). All three of the books in this series are amazing but the first and second are my favorite!

Blurb (A Name Unknown): Rosemary Gresham has no family beyond the thieves that have helped her survive on the streets of London. Pickpockets no longer, they’ve learned how to blend into high society and now work as thieves for hire. But when a client assigns Rosemary to determine whether a friend of the king is loyal to Britain or Germany, she’s in for the challenge of a lifetime.

the codebreakers by roseanna m. white (series)

The Number of Love (The Codebreakers #1) heroine is Margot De Wilde who has a POV in the second book in the Shadows Over England series, A Song Unheard. Margot was one of my favorites from that book so when I found out that The Number of Love was her story, I was excited! It didn’t disappoint and Drake was the sweetest!! 🤭 On Wings of Devotion (The Codebreakers #2) is also absolute perfection and I loved it so much. A Portrait of Loyalty (The Codebreakers #3) wasn’t as good as the first two but still great. Also, a few of the characters from Shadows Over England are included in the series which was so fun!! Anyway, do yourself a favor and go read these books.

Blurb (The Number of Love): Three years into the Great War, England’s greatest asset is their intelligence network–field agents risking their lives to gather information, and codebreakers able to crack every German telegram. Margot De Wilde thrives in the environment of the secretive Room 40, where she spends her days deciphering intercepted messages. But when her world is turned upside down by an unexpected loss, for the first time in her life numbers aren’t enough. Drake Elton returns wounded from the field, followed by an enemy who just won’t give up. He’s smitten quickly by the intelligent Margot, but how can he convince a girl who lives entirely in her mind that sometimes life’s answers lie in the heart? Amid biological warfare, encrypted letters, and a German spy who wants to destroy not just them but others they love, Margot and Drake will have to work together to save themselves from the very secrets that brought them together.

the bridge to belle island by julie klassen

The Bridge to Belle Island is technically a murder mystery but it was pretty slow until around 75% of the book and then it picked up just to slow down at the end. 😂 Despite it’s pacing, I really enjoyed it. If you want a cozy mystery with a bit of slow-burn romance, this book is perfect for you!

Blurb: After a humiliating mistake, lawyer Benjamin Booker resolves to never again trust a beautiful woman. When an old friend is killed, the senior partner isn’t satisfied with Bow Street’s efforts and asks Benjamin to investigate. Eager to leave London for a while, Benjamin agrees. Evidence takes him to a remote island on the Thames, a world unto itself, shrouded in mist and mystery. Soon he finds himself falling for the main suspect—a woman who claims not to have left the island in ten years. But should he trust her? On Belle Island, Isabelle feels safe and leads a productive life, but fear keeps her trapped there. When Mr. Booker arrives with news of her trustee’s murder in London, Isabelle is stunned. She has not left the island, yet she has a recurring dream about the man’s death. Or is it a memory? She had been furious with him, but she never intended…this. When a second person dies, and evidence shockingly points to her, Isabelle doesn’t know who to trust: the attractive lawyer or the admirer and friends who assemble on the island, each with grudges against the victim. Can she even trust her own mind? While they search for the truth, secrets come to light and danger comes calling.

the letter tree by rachel fordham

I have a love-hate relationship with this book but I feel like most people would enjoy it. 😂 Someone described it as “Romeo and Juliet” meets “You’ve Got Mail” which is a perfect description, in my opinion.

Blurb: Mere words can’t end their families’ feud, but the Campbell heir and the Bradshaw heiress plan to write a future together. Buffalo, NY, 1924 Laura Bradshaw adores stories with happily ever afters. But since her mother died seven years ago, the Bradshaw Shoe Company heiress has been as good as locked away in a tower. Her overbearing father cares little for her dreams, throwing himself instead into his tireless takedown of his competitor, the Campbell Shoe Company. However, Laura has been gifted with a a mysterious friend with whom she’s been exchanging letters. As heir to the Campbell Shoe Company, Isaac Campbell is a sought-after bachelor who has never felt an inkling of desire for the women who constantly bat their eyes at him. His thoughts are consumed by an oak tree in the Buffalo Zoo—or rather, the mystery woman he exchanges letters with courtesy of the tree. She’s been one of Isaac’s only joys in a life consumed by his father’s tireless hatred of Bradshaw. A hatred that, Isaac is coming to realize, may affect him more personally than he ever imagined. When Laura’s father orchestrates a match between her and an important business owner, she resolves to pursue her only chance at freedom. But Isaac believes their story isn’t bound for a tragic ending. He’s certain there’s more to the Bradshaw-Campbell feud than meets the eye. And he won’t stop digging until he uncovers the truth that might bridge the divide between him and the woman whose words have captured his heart.

love comes softly & a prairie legacy by janette oke (series)

My great-grandma gave my mom a copy of Love Comes Softly when she was 13 or 14, I think. I found it when I was 10 and asked my mom to read it to me and she did. I’ve read it at least once a year since then and it’s still the sweetest story!! I also love the rest of the series and I was so excited when I realized that A Prarie Legacy was basically a continuation from the Love Comes Softly books.

Blurb (Love Comes Softly): Nineteen-year-old Marty Claridge starts west with her adventurous, boyish husband, Clem, seeking to claim land and hoping for good fortune. But when the venture turns suddenly to tragedy, Marty is left alone with her great loss. And coupled with her grief and heartache is the grim reality that there is no way to return home. Clark Davis and his little girl, Missie, are also in great need. Clark’s wife has died, leaving him to care to Missie and the farm at the same time. His offer to Marty comes with good intention, but will courage and faith be enough to bring them to true love?

the sisters of sea view by julie klassen

I read this a few weeks ago and it was a perfect end-of-summer read! It reminded me so much of Sense & Sensebility & Little Women. All the side characters were colorful & fun (loved the reference to the Eltons from Jane Austen’s Emma!), and the romance was sweet. I started the second book in the series yesterday and I think it’s going to be as good as this one. ☺️

Blurb: When their father’s death leaves them impoverished, Sarah Summers convinces her sisters to open their seaside home to guests to provide for their ailing mother. Emily and Georgiana agree, but Viola, who wears a veil to cover a scar, detests the idea. Determined to stay together, the sisters begin the new venture. Instead of the elderly invalids they expect, however, they find themselves hosting eligible gentlemen. Sarah is torn between a growing attraction to a mysterious Scottish widower and duty to her family. Meanwhile, the new situation exposes Viola’s scars–both the visible and those hidden deep within–and her cloistered heart will never be the same.

books on my tbr list

• The Cloverton Charade (The Houses of Yorkshire, Book 3) by Sarah E. Ladd
• Highcliffe House by Megan Walker
• Lakeshire Park by Megan Walker
• A Winter by the Sea (reading this one rn!) and A Seaside Homecoming (On Devonshires Shores, Books 2 & 3) by Julie Klassen
• To Forge her Fate by Kasey Stockston
• The Culper Ring (series) by Roseanna M. White
• Beneath His Silence by Hannah Linder
• The Lawyer and the Laundress by Chrisine Hill Suntz

now, it’s your turn!

Have you read any of the books on this list? Any recs for me to read next? Comment below!!