There are endless cheesy Netflix romances that take up way too much space in my brain, but none has been as forceful—or as long-lasting—as Bridgerton’s grip on me. Between the fabulous Regency-era ballgowns, the social season gossip, and, of course, the slow-burning, tension-filled romances, it’s no wonder. While thankfully season four isn’t over yet, even waiting mere weeks for the final installment (and don’t get me started on the two years between seasons) is too much for my heart to take. Luckily, there’s no shortage of historical romances to tide me over. Whether your favorite part of Bridgerton is the peek into elite life in the 1800s, the social complexities of relationships in an era when ankles were deemed scandalous, or you’re a history aficionado always looking to immerse yourself in the past, these historical romance books will draw you in from page one.
Beth Pickering is on the verge of finally capturing the rare deathwhistler bird when Professor Devon Lockley swoops in, stealing both her bird and her imagination. Beth knows trouble when she sees it, and she is determined to keep her distance from Devon. When a competition to become Birder of the Year by capturing an endangered caladrius bird is announced, Beth and Devon are forced to team up to have any chance of winning. Fowl play is afoot, and they can’t trust anyone else—for all may be fair in love and war, but this is ornithology.
Now in her thirties, Lady Harriet Bessborough, already the veteran of several liaisons, finds herself pursued by a much younger man. No one minds much, provided she follows the rules of the game: Don’t embarrass your husband, maintain complete discretion at all times, and never ever make the mistake of falling in love. So when Harriet meets Lord Granville—brilliantly handsome, insistently ardent, and 12 years younger than her—she’s confident she can manage their affair. Until she finds herself falling uncontrollably under his spell.
Desperate to save her brother, sculptress Ravenna Maffei enters a competition hosted by Florence’s most feared immortal family, revealing a dark power in a city where magic is forbidden. Ravenna is forced into a dangerous task where failure means certain death at the hands of Saturnino dei Luni, the immortal family’s heir. The Pope’s war against magic is closing in, and Ravenna is no longer just a prisoner but a prize to be claimed. Ravenna must survive the pope’s obsession and the seductive immortal who might be the end of her.
When Catherine comes face-to-face with her mother’s arch nemesis and her daughter, Lady Rosalie, Catherine’s mother sees the perfect opportunity for revenge. Catherine must win the favor of Lady Rosalie’s suitor, the most eligible Mr. Dean. Only Catherine is instantly smitten with Lady Rosalie. As Rosalie and Catherine circle Mr. Dean, and their mothers force them into increasingly absurd contests of wit and feminine charms, the two women somehow find themselves falling for each other.
Mina Penrose escapes her lonely days by working at The Magpie, a cozy tearoom. Lately, she’s been seeing shapes in the sodden leaves that hint at the future. After one omen, Mina stumbles upon a murdered man on the heath. Villagers immediately suspect Harker Tregarrick, a man who never ventures beyond the bounds of his centuries-old estate. Until the day after the murder, when he visits The Magpie…Can she uncover Harker’s history—and the truth about the murder—before tragedy strikes again?
Cinnamon was once a rising literary star, but she has been immersed in a life of endless partying ever since the death of her parents. When her expectant sister is put on bed rest, Cinnamon flies to be by her side and ends up at The Savoy. It’s there that she’s introduced to a handsome historian, and the captivating tale of Ada Coleman, the woman who crafted the cocktail recipes The Savoy is famous for. As Ada’s story grows louder, Cinnamon must decide whether oblivion suffices or, in writing, she can finally heal—and save Ada’s legacy.
Ada Worthington-Fox has done everything to shed her past life. She’s taken on a new name and a new life as a rising Hollywood star, intent on staying far away from the girl who once worked as part of the Dutch resistance. Ingrid escaped the war to serve as a private investigator in Washington D.C., and she’s now found herself investigating the Communist ties of the very sister she thought she lost in the war. As the connections between their two missions deepen, they must decide if their loyalty is stronger than the haven they’ve both found in their post-war lives.
Anneke Jans is one of the few women in the colony of New Netherland. When her husband tragically dies—leaving her with two young daughters—she must forge her own path to survive. After marrying the wealthy minister of the Dutch Reformed Church, Everardus Bogardus, she and her daughters join the elites of the colony. But when the colony’s new director provokes war, and her husband emerges as the head of the anti-war opposition, she finds herself in the midst of political turmoil.
Art historian Mia has been captivated by the life of Sofia, a powerful Venetian courtesan from 1609 who risked her future to create illicit art, only to have her work stolen by her patron and her work unjustly erased from history. When an erotic statue is unearthed, Mia is convinced Sofia is the artist. Yet as she follows the trail of sex-fueled art Sofia left hidden across Venice, Mia uncovers a world of art theft tied to the most powerful crime family in Italy. They’ll stop at nothing to force Mia to authenticate the statue, so it’s up to Mia to prove Sofia’s legacy before she—and Sofia—are silenced forever.
It’s 1664, and daughter of the master dyer at the famed Gobelin Tapestry Works, Alouette Voland, dreams of creating her own masterpiece. But when her father is unjustly imprisoned, Alouette’s efforts to save him lead her to her own confinement. In 1939, medical student Kristof Larson is about to begin his psychiatric residency in Paris when Nazi forces descend on the city. Two unexpectedly parallel journeys of defiance that transcend time and shed light on a Paris—above and below—that most will never know.
Thornwalk is an imperial English manor with an irreplaceable history, until a luxury hotelier—ignorant to the tales and secrets held within those crumbling countryside walls—decides to renovate the stately space completely. Meaning all that history will be lost. Told through the keen, darkly humorous eyes of an enigmatic neighbor and spanning the eve of World War II to the early 2000s, the reader is taken on a guided tour of the manor. Each room reveals the story of the Gilbert family, echoing the harsh realities of war, neglect, and ever-evolving times.
It’s 1675 in the Caribbean Sea, and Jaquotte is in love with a pirate. Heartbroken when her love returns to his tall ship on the turquoise sea, Jacquotte resolves to take matters into her own hands. She becomes Jacques, creating her own crew of misfit pirates. For the next 20 years, they raid the Caribbean, making enemies and amassing a fortune in stolen gold, until one day her crew decides to enter the slave trade to increase profits. Faced with the choice between profit and principle, Jacquotte deflects, risking her life to instead plot a war of liberation.
Alexandria “Alix” Watson spent her childhood in foster care, with books as her only refuge. Now, she works three dead-end jobs to make ends meet before immersing herself in her favorite fantasy novels at night. One day, however, she stumbles through a secret door at the Boston Library and meets the Librarian: the guardian of hidden archives where anyone can escape to a new life inside their favorite book. But an enemy threatens to destroy everyone the Astral Library has helped to protect.
It’s 1901, and bookbinder apprentice Lilian “Lily” Delaney is stuck beneath the weight of her father’s failing bookshop and the fight for legitimacy in a man’s profession. But when she’s given a burned book during a visit to a collector, she finds a fifty-year-old letter regaling a tale of two young lovers forbidden from being together. But there’s more to the story, more hidden pages and lost books. As Lily searches for the remaining books—desperate to conclude the tale—her intrigue quickly leads to a dangerous pursuit that leaves Lily wondering if uncovering the truth is worth risking her own life.
Anne Boleyn has just been beheaded, and she is in a makeshift coffin. She understands how she’s gotten here—she was unable to give King Henry VIII a male heir, and she’s often been described by Cromwell as “too smart for her own good.” But now she’s awake, and somehow able to give herself a second chance at life. She escapes the Tower of London, sews her head back on, and sets out on a quest for revenge against her ex-beloved Henry before her former lady-in-waiting Jane Seymour can give birth to a rival heir, eliminating Anne’s daughter Elizabeth’s claim to the throne.
Lauren Blue, Assistant Editor
As an Assistant Editor for The Everygirl, Lauren ideates and writes content for every facet of our readers’ lives. Her articles span the topics of must-read books, movies, home tours, travel itineraries—and everything in between. When she isn’t testing the latest TikTok trend, she can be found scouring Goodreads for new releases to feature on the site.
