*GASP*  Have never picked one up, never wanted to...but lately I've been thinking of trying one.

If  you were me, what historical romance novel would you recommend? Where would you start?I love series, but detest anything involving cheating, abuse or secret pregnancies or H&H's that are TSTL or jerky....
 

Okay girls, let me have your favorites!!

Cindy in VA

Flowers From The Storm by Laura Kinsale.  I don't know if it's the best I've ever read - although it is certainly one of them - but it's the one I always recommend to anyone new to romance or historicals, and it has made a lot of instant fans.

Some favorites of mine, I picked some with varied settings since historical romance can cover a lot of different times/places:

Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase

The Wedding by Julie Garwood

The Texan's Wager by Jodi Thomas

ETA: Kim's suggestion is a great one too, definitely one of my favorites. All of Kinsale's books are great (well, that I've read so far).

Maybe you should try a historical from one of the authors you already read and like! It seems like most authors write all genres--sometimes in another pen name. You could go to romanic times and see if your fav authoprs have another pen name for historicals.

Mary Balogh...she is wonderful. You can't go wrong.

The Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn.   Eight books about eight siblings.  It starts with The Duke and I.

Here's the whole published series (there are also a few e-novellas).

1. The Duke and I (2000)
2. The Viscount Who Loved Me (2000)
3. An Offer from a Gentleman (2001)
4. Romancing Mr. Bridgerton (2002)
5. To Sir Philip,with Love (2003)
6. When He Was Wicked (2004)
7. It's in His Kiss (2005)
8. On the Way to the Wedding (2006)

The Proposition - Judith Ivory!!!!

Flowers in the Storm is probably my very favorite romance novel but its very, very intense. If you want something a bit lighter but beautifully written with unusual characters and storyline - you can hardly do better than Judith Ivory and The Proposition is one of my favs:-)

Some other lighter favorites

The Bridal Season and Bridal Favors - Connie Brockway
The Raven Prince  - Elizabeth Hoyt

I liked Simple Jess by Pamela Morsi. some of jill barnett's I've read have been cute

"Years" by LaVyrle Spencer

Ransom by Julie Garwood. My all time favorite.

It depends on what you are looking for.  I agree with the recommendations for Flowers From The Storm (or anything else by Kinsale) if you want an emotional, engrossing story with a tortured hero.   Carla Kelly is another author who is incredible, but a lot of her books are out of print and hard to find.  If you can get it, Mrs. Drew Plays Her Hand is a great story as well - basically no sex, but a lot of sexual tension and true romance.

If you want something more fun and light, I also second the Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn - some of my all time favs.

Eloisa James is a somewhat divisive author - people seem to love or hate her work - but her Essex sisters series is great as well as her Duchess' series.

I really like Lisa Kleypas, Wallflower series  Scandal in Spring, Devil in Winter, It Happened One Autumn, Secrets of a  Summer Night , and A Wallflower Christmas. She has many other great books as well.

I agree with Tanya T with "Years" by LaVyrle Spencer.  I also suggest "Morning Glory" by  her too. (Actually all of her books are just wonderful.  I am so sad that she retired)  It is set around WWII. It was also made into a movie with Deborah Raffin and Christopher Reeve. 

I'm wondering if it  might be easier to go backward in time bit by bit or decade by decade and see which eras you like best.  Just a thought.

Betsy

Hummingbird by Lavyrle Spencer

I have a lot to look up :) Thanks for sharing!

Cindy

night secrets by kat martin

once and always by judith mcnaught

i give them 5 stars and above!! :D

love,

tory

THe very first romance I ever read was The Maide of Lorne by Terri Brisbin and it's still one of my favorties.  I'm not much of a rereader but I read this book at least once a year.

Also Outlaw's Embrace by Francine Rivers. Also another one of my few keepers. This one's a tear jerker. 

I'll definitely second Margaret's The Proposition suggestion, or anything by Judith Ivory, for that matter. She's my all-time favorite historical romance author, though some are admittedly better than others. 

My absolute favorite historical romance novel, though, is A Rose in Winter by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss. It was the first one I ever remember reading, which is probably why it's a fave and will forever remain on my keeper shelf.

Devil's Bride by Stephanie Laurens.    Love, Love, Love, that book!