Historical Romanticals
I have been crashing my way through a variety of books this summer. It's been in this book-bingeing summertime that I've rediscovered, to my great amusement, the historical romance. I love historical fiction. I love romance. The two combined is a no brainer, right? Yea, no. I've got to be in the right mood - no I'm not talking about that mood - for historical romance. Partly because I have to be in a amenable mood for inaccuracies for the sake of a breast-heaving, helpless, feisty damsels. I also have to be in the historical mood. It's one part fantasy mood and one part real world and then to top it all off - I must be in a wistful, dreamy heroes and heroine mood. Historical romance is one part dreamy, unrealistic fantasy and one part realistic, historicalness. I usually burn my way through it in a series of books and then move on to another genre. Historical romance isn't a genre I usually follow or get too vocal about. However, this summer I've discovered a couple of authors and books that I really wanted to share.
My favorite of the above covers happens to have the most salacious cover - A Lady by Midnight - however I found it to be the most heartwarming. So I guess, I really finally learn the whole 'don't by a book by it's cover. But, I can't help myself. Honestly I think that's this genre's most sabotaging feature. There's probably bunches of fabulous writers hiding under breast-heaving damsels clutching shirtless rakes in historically life-ruining poses. Which is one of the reasons I'm doing this post. Because I don't normally cover historical romances - well...these specific kind of historical romances.
Tessa Dare is probably well known. I checked these books out from my library's app and I had to go on the waiting list for two of them and one of her newer books (not released yet) already has a waiting list. Also - they have quite a few of her books on the digital library and that's a tell tale sign that the author or the series is a big deal since libraries can't just go buy a bunch of books nowadays and hope for the best. If they ever did that, ever. lol. Budgets. :/ But, I could tell that she'd be popular regardless of her presence on my library's digital e-book app. Because she's funny. And heartwarming. And she uses small animals and lovable supporting characters to flesh out the world. Like, in A Lady by Midnight - I was scouring her reading list for any hint that she had written more about a set of supporting characters introduced. It really felt like there should be. I really, really wanted there to be more, dammit. lol. The plots are usually well paced. And yes, there are some unrealistically bodice-ripping scenes but not to the point of over-doing it. It doesn't take over the ENTIRE plot line. Furthermore - in the 'Castles Ever After' series - the unrealistic premise nods to the very realistic societal and economical limitations a woman suffered in the chosen historical timeframe. This old man gifts each of his unrelated goddaughters with a Castle upon his death. Thus giving them a land and potential income and a home that is entirely their own. Which means...independence. None of them are willing to give this up and fight to protect it with fierce feminine awesomeness.
Lynsay Sands
Image Description: I'll just sum it up like this: Shirtless Scottish men in kilts. First one basking on a log entitled "Surrender to the Highlander". Second in a embrace with a busy brunette in a ravishing ruby, silk gown entitled "The Highlander Takes a Bride'. The third set in night time, his back to the viewer, he's leaning up against a stone wall looking brooding and emotionally tense - entitled "Falling for the Highlander'.
HIGHLANDERS are basically like...honestly, I think...50% of the historical romance fiction output right now. And have been for like a long time. The biggest question I've wondered is if it was so saturated before Outlander hit the tv screen? I've always felt that I got my whole fill on the highlander romance because I've read and watched Outlander. But, I was cruising along on my binge-fest and was like...well, can't hurt to try, right? I was already down the rabbit hole of ravishing, heroic rakes and feisty damsels-in-distress.
Lynsay Sands is a positive that came out of my diving into romantic Highlander territory. I'm not entirely sure what era of time her Highlander and their Damsels are set in but I want to gander that's its before Protestantism became a huge thing because girls kept being almost sent to nunneries. And definitely before the Battle of Culloden (shout out out to Outlander for that piece of Scottish/English history!) because the Clans are still in place and active. Yet they reference an ominous 'King' every once in a while.
Despite the ambiguous time era she sets her stories in - she does a great job in creating the realistic female character and their roles and limitations. Status of dowries are a big deal, their day-to-day activities and roles are in-character, they are literally trapped between a nunnery, goodwifery, or spinsterhood dependency. They are also unconcerned with sex (well, at least at first, lol) because back then - women were told that sex was a chore for babies and to make their husbands happy. They were coached early on (if at all!) that it was duty to perform. Marriage was meant to provide a position and an avenue for the source of love that women were allowed to be hopeful for - that of a child. I give her strong kudos for blending that in. With alot of historical romance female characters its like...."Have some realistic societal roles and limitations with all that fiesty, adventure-seeking, romping sexual independence". And with Sands's character's it's far more blended and realistic. They think like I could feel a woman who is independent and determined would think about their situations in that time.
Oh, don't worry - there's plenty bodice ripping and ravishing adventuring to be read. To be honest, a little too much for my preference. But, there's also mystery, poison, great supporting characters (who seem to feature in other books too!), and comedic timing.
Summary
Romantical Historical novels need balance. They need great supporting characters, a touch in someway to reality, and a plot outside bodice ripping and Era-innapropriate dalliances. They also need voice and they, and in some ways moreso than any other genre, really need that extra chemistry with the reader. Not THAT kind of chemistry. Although that is incredibly helpful for that particular genre. But the kind of charming chemistry a writer with that spark has with their reader.
So the next time you start jonesing for a little bit of historical romanticalness in your reading diet - try some of the titles in this post and rest in the knowledge that they've been fully vetted and are A+ Historic Romances. Only the best for you, dear reader. Only the best.
Until next time,
Jess
So the next time you start jonesing for a little bit of historical romanticalness in your reading diet - try some of the titles in this post and rest in the knowledge that they've been fully vetted and are A+ Historic Romances. Only the best for you, dear reader. Only the best.
Until next time,
Jess
0 comments :
Post a Comment