Historical fiction stories containing romance have an essential spot among romance books, capturing people's thoughts with vivid backgrounds, fascinating characters, and everlasting subjects. Jane Austen's 'Pride and Prejudice' is one example of such timeless piece, depicting themes of romance, societal norms, and personal development.
If you discover yourself captivated by the grace and profound themes of Pride and Prejudice, here are eight historical romance novels to captivate your imagination
Jane Austen's 'Sense and Sensibility' narrates the experiences of the Dashwood sisters, Elinor and Marianne, as they navigate emotions of love, relationships, and sorrow following the death of their father. The demise of their father necessitated a search for a new residence. It takes place in southwest England and London, exploring themes about love and what society expected in the late 18th century.
'Shakespeare in Love' tells about the writer Will Shakespeare, who has been weighed down with debt and writer's block. Things change upon meeting Viola, who becomes his muse. They fall in love, which has inspired him to write 'Romeo and Juliet.' Their secret romance gets tangled up, even attracting the attention of Queen Elizabeth.
Beautiful and intelligent Princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, a German princess, marries King George a few hours after meeting him for the first time. Her great looks and intelligence do not match how the royal court thought a queen should act. Placed with the responsibility of the Queen, Charlotte navigates through the complicated court politics with Lady Danbury by her side. As she walked through the palace halls, Charlotte found secrets about her husband, the King, that could shake the core of the royal family.
In Julia Quinn's story from the Regency era, 'The Duke and I,' Daphne Bridgerton, known for her cleverness and kindness, faces a dilemma; she is friends with the most eligible young men in London, but no one truly wants her due to her overly honest personality. On the other hand, the Duke of Hastings, Simon Basset, wants to avoid marriage and societal events. They agree to fake courtship to achieve what they want. Still, affection soon disobeys the societal norms controlling their lives in shiny, gossipy London, testing their carefully made plan.
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Lady Vesper Lyndhurst has sworn off finding love for herself but has a self-proclaimed talent for arranging it for others. Meanwhile, the Duke of Greydon needs to revive his family's fortunes, so he heads back to England. Although they seem nothing alike, the spark between them ignites and becomes impossible to ignore when thrown together under one roof. This meeting forces them to spend time together, igniting a fiery attraction between them. As the ultimate matchmaker, fate has other plans for them despite their differences.
'Persuasion' tells the tale of 27-year-old Anne Elliot, who was once engaged to Captain Frederick Wentworth. However, with Lady Russell's persuasion, she breaks off their engagement. What would happen if they meet again? 'Persuasion' reflects on missed opportunities, societal pressures, and love tested by time. Jane Austen spins a sad but beautiful story set in the seaside Lyme Regis and city life in Bath. Her final completed work focuses on how persuasion, pride, and false faces can misshape our decisions. Do second chances alter fate? The novel ponders themes of consequences of persuasion, vanity, and pretension.
In Silvia Moreno-Garcia's novel 'The Beautiful Ones,' Nina faces disaster at her debut due to her telekinesis. She struggles to control it, making her a topic of gossip. When the charismatic Hector Auvray, who has the same powers as her, comes to town, Nina sees a chance to seize control under his instruction. With Hector's help, Nina's talent blooms, as well as their romance. However, secrets threaten it before it even begins. The book explores expectations of society, love and affection, and betrayal in a scandal-filled world.
While their father is away fighting in the war and their mother works to help support the family, the four March sisters - Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy - must figure things out on their own. Each girl is different, but they help each other with everything - whether putting on a play, forming a secret group, or preparing for the Christmas celebration. Amidst these experiences, they grapple with the uncertainty of their father's safe return from war.
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