Historical Fictionistas discussion

it's been hard to find a historical fiction romance that has a famous historical person as one of the main characters, especially with romance so could you suggest some to me?

Nefertiti
The Heretic Queen
The Taj Mahal series - one of my favorites!
Philippa Gregory- I think all of her books have plenty of romance. I've read her Tudors series and started The Cousin's War series. I enjoyed both.
When We Were Gods: A Novel of Cleopatra- this one is more history heavy, but focuses on Cleopatra's relationships with Ceasar and Marc Anthony.

I suggest: The Winter Palace. A novel of Catherine the Great. It is fill of intrigue and romance, though

Catherine herself does not play as major a part as the title would suggest.

The Winter Palace is by Eva Stachniak, a 5 star read for me.

If you don't mind some gay romance then there is Renault's The Persian Boy featuring Alexander the Great from the POV of his Persian servant and lover.

thanks for the comments so far, I'll definitely look into them :)

Elizabeth Chadwick's books, and are about William Marshall, a leading figure from the reign of King Stephen until King John. Not a romance like a Regency romance, but plenty of romance in it.

Eileen wrote: "Elizabeth Chadwick's books, and are about William Marshall, a leading figure from the reign of King Stephen until King Jo..."

Yes, and I'll add Chadwick's The Summer Queen in which Eleanor of Aquitane is the main character. I'm about a third of the way in and it's very romancy so far.

Fraid I can't think of much HF with famous people AND romance, but some I've read that do feature famous people are:
The Eight by Katherine Neville
Matthew Pearl's The Poe Shadow, The Dante Club, The Last Dickens, and The Technologists
Susan Wittig Albert's Beatrix Potter mystery series, starts with The Tale of Hill Top Farm
Melanie Benjamin's Alice I Have Been, The Aviator's Wife, and The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb

The She King series, about Hatshepsut of Egypt, by our own Libbie Hawker (aka L. M. Ironside), includes a fair amount of romance in a very historically believable way. The first book is primarily about Hatshepsut's mother, Ahmose, a historical character about whom little is known: The Sekhmet Bed. Hatshepsut herself appears as an adult in Sovereign of Stars. These two are available in print and e-book; the later books are e-book only, at the moment.

There's also The Eagle and the Swan, by Carol Strickland, about Empress Theodora of Byzantium. Lots of romance there. It's also e-book only, but there is an enhanced edition if you want to learn about the history and the art.

More books in which famous characters show up regularly but are not necessarily main characters: the Robin Paige mystery series, set in England at the end of the 19th century (the first is Death at Bishop's Keep, and that one at least has a romance).

Abigail wrote: "More books in which famous characters show up regularly but are not necessarily main characters: the Robin Paige mystery series, set in England at the end of the 19th century (the first is Death at..."

The Potter's Hand its about Josiah Wedgwood and the Darwin family ( Charles was Josiah's grandson)

And then there is the classic by Anya Seton. Don't know how I could have forgotten about that one.

My favorite 'romance'-type book, only it's not soppy: The Course of Honor by Lindsey Davis: Vespasian and Caenis.

Virgin Widow: England's Forgotten Queen and The King's Women are both ranked as two of my favourite HF novels and both are based on historical figures with romance in spades.

Definitely Katherine, by Anya Seton, or The Course of Honor, both great reads.

I also enjoyed I, Elizabeth, by Rosalind Miles.

The Winter Palace is an interesting read, but all over the place.

Jane wrote: "My favorite 'romance'-type book, only it's not soppy: The Course of Honor by Lindsey Davis: Vespasian and Caenis."

Yes, Lindsey Davis is never soppy. Her was also a romance involving the period of Domitian's reign, although the main characters were invented by the author. Probably the only book I've read that has a small part of it told from the POV of an insect.

This wasn't a book I really enjoyed but it might be along the lines of what you are looking for, A Dangerous Inheritance: A Novel of Tudor Rivals and the Secret of the Tower . The story switches back and forth between two Catherines. Catherine, who was an illegitimate daughter of Richard III and Catherine Grey, sister of Jane Grey. In the case of Catherine Grey especially, romance plays a big role in the story. Jean Plaidy is another good historical fictions who add a romantic element to her stories. Her protagonists are usually historical women.

You might like Juliet by Anne Fortier. I just finished it and gave it five stars. I know Shakespeare's Juliet is supposed to be fictional but this book explored the origins of the story and the fact that Giulietta was a real girl living in the Middle Ages. It has tons of romance as well but it's also a timeslip novel so only half of it is historical, the rest takes place in the present day(ish). I thought it was brilliant though.

Margaret wrote: "I suggest: The Winter Palace. A novel of Catherine the Great. It is fill of intrigue and romance, though

Catherine herself does not play as major a part as the title would suggest."

From what I hear, the sequel, Empress of the Night: A Novel of Catherine the Great, focuses on Catherine and her lovers, though—never mind that she somehow managed to run an empire for 34 years. ;-)

For something different what about Guises of Desire, by Hilda Reilly. This is the story of the case of 'Anna O' ( Bertha Pappenheim a wealthy Jewish woman in Vienna in 1880. Her treatment, diagnosis hysteria, forms the basis of Freudian psychoanalysis. This book has been on my to be read list for ages. It comes highly recommended by those who have read it.

These, set in China, both tell the stories of famous historical personages. Both 'with romance' rather than being romances.
The Court of the Lion: A Novel of the T'ang Dynasty
The Ming Storytellers

Anne Easter Smith writes some wonderful books, A Rose For The Crown and Queen By Right are favorites of mine.

Gretchen wrote: "This wasn't a book I really enjoyed but it might be along the lines of what you are looking for, A Dangerous Inheritance: A Novel of Tudor Rivals and the Secret of the Tower . The s..."

Hi Gretchen, sorry about the mis-post. I'm new to this site. But try Phillippa Gregory's "The White Queen" and its sequels. Its set in the fifteenth century when England was engulfed by what are now called the "Wars of the Roses" and features Elizabeth Woodville who became Queen of England when she secretly married King Edward IV. It's quite good on the romance side (I think) but then I'm a man and probably a lousy judge. I rated it with 4 stars on this site. It's a good yarn, and there are five books in the series.

Thank you for the suggestion Jerry but I am not a huge PG fan. I think she takes too many liberties for the sake of selling books. In my opinion there are much better books out there that manage to tell an excellent story without distorting the truth to fit a sales goal. Again, just my opinion. I know a lot of people really like PG. I do not care for most of her recent writings.

Not sure if anyone's mentioned Child of the Morning about the female faro Hatshepsut: great read.

I really loved Hild. St. Hilda might not be a very recognizable real character from history, depending on your perspective, but she was indeed a real woman. The romantic elements in this book might be a little unorthodox, but they are also very moving and lovely.

I also ADORED The Serpent and the Pearl and The Lion and the Rose. Lots of real historical figures in these books, and a few made-up ones to round out the cast. The romance in the second book is SO! FREAKING! AWESOME!!! Seriously. <3<3<3<3<3

Loving Frank by Nancy Horan is about Frank Lloyd Wright. There's romance, but it isn't happy. I'm looking forward to reading Under the Wide and Starry Sky, about Robert Louis Stevenson.

Recently finished the great Emily & Herman: A Literary Romance.

The manuscript of this novel was discovered by John J. Healey in a box left by his grandfather, Professor Vincent P. Healey, after his death. This engaging work of fiction is a romantic account in which four iconic figures of American Letters play a leading role.

In the summer of 1851 Herman Melville was finishing Moby Dick on his family farm in the Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts. Surrounded by his mother, sisters and pregnant wife, it was a calm and productive season until his neighbor Nathaniel Hawthorne lured him to Amherst. There they met twenty-year-old Emily Dickinson and her brother Austin. On a whim the two distinguished authors invited the Dickinson siblings to accompany them on a trip to Boston and New York. In Manhattan they met journalist Walt Whitman and William Johnson, a runaway slave, and it was there, despite their efforts to control it, that Emily and Herman fell in love.

There's Stephanie Barron's series of historical murder mysteries with Jane Austen as the primary sleuth. The first one, Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor, has a romance of sorts, and the romance recurs a bit in many of the volumes in the series.

I see a lot of good recommendations I am almost finished reading that would be another good one for this list.

Abigail wrote: "There's Stephanie Barron's series of historical murder mysteries with Jane Austen as the primary sleuth. The first one, Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor, has a romance of sorts, and t..."

Deborah wrote: "Loving Frank by Nancy Horan is about Frank Lloyd Wright. There's romance, but it isn't happy. I'm looking forward to reading [book:Under the Wide and Starry Sky|177972..."

I read both and thought the first was much better.

Fascinating question and replies.
Does Margaret George fit into this category???
Henry VIII and all his wives has some uh, err, romance of sorts. Ok, maybe only real love with Anne of Cleves.

Here Was a Man by Norah Lofts, about Walter Raleigh - we're doing it as our next group read over at the Norah Lofts group.

If you are open to YA, Tarnish and Brazen, both by Katherine Longshore, are histfic set at the Tudor court with strong romance elements, concerning Anne Boleyn and Mary Howard respectively.

Oh, I'll offer up Hand of Fire. Famous person is Briseis, the woman who sparked the conflict between Achilles and Agamemnon in the Trojan War. I always thought it odd that she loves Achilles who's pretty much wrecked her life. She never got to tell her side of the story, until now. Historical romance but not conventional--as is true of many of the suggestions in this thread. Interesting how "real" romance doesn't follow the conventional expectations.

I didn't see anyone mention Jean Plaidy. Her books might be a bit old fashioned but she certainly covered a lot of the English kings and queens in her stories and the ones I read had romance. My favorite is the story of Mary Tudor Brandon, Henry the VIII's younger sister...title escapes me right now.

Judith wrote: "Oh, I'll offer up Hand of Fire. Famous person is Briseis, the woman who sparked the conflict between Achilles and Agamemnon in the Trojan War. I always thought it odd that she loves..."


This sounds great Judith :) one of my favourite YA books is about Troy but I've never come across anything from Briseis' point of view. I look forward to checking it out.

Sammy wrote: "Judith wrote: "Oh, I'll offer up Hand of Fire. Famous person is Briseis, the woman who sparked the conflict between Achilles and Agamemnon in the Trojan War. I always thought it odd..."

I hope you enjoy it. Hand of Fire isn't YA although the teens who have read it enjoyed it and it does have a young woman as its protagonist.

His Last Letter: Elizabeth I and the Earl of Leicester by Jeane Westin, if you're interested in Queen Elizabeth HF. It's about her relationship with Robert Dudley. The Queen's Pleasure by Brandy Purdy deals with the same relationship, but it's told through the eyes of Dudley's first wife so it may not be very romantic. Still, it's an interesting twist on Bess/Dudley HF.

I would include Here be Dragons by Sharon Kay Penman, about Llewelyn, Prince of Wales, and Joanna Plantagenet, the daughter of King John. Also Katherine about John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, and his great love (first his mistress then his third wife) Katherine de Roet.

I keep meaning to read Katherine...and then I keep not doing it. :( I should see if there's an audiobook. Then I'll read it for sure...at the gym.

L.M. wrote: "I keep meaning to read Katherine...and then I keep not doing it. :( I should see if there's an audiobook. Then I'll read it for sure...at the gym."

There is, L.M. - and it's only $3.99! I bought it last month, along with The Winthrop Woman. I haven't started Katherine yet, but loved the narration of Winthrop.

Linda

The Course of Honor / Lindsey Davis. The livelong love of Vespasian and Caenis. When he became emperor, she became his "wife in all but name."

Jane wrote: " The Course of Honor / Lindsey Davis. The livelong love of Vespasian and Caenis. When he became emperor, she became his "wife in a..."

I really enjoyed that book. Learned a lot about the Flavian dynasty too.

Cleopatra's Daughter was a fairly good book, lots of excitement, a bit of romance, and a lot of historical details. The only thing was it was a little slow at times and their was some 'innuendo' in it but not bad.

Yesterday, I bought According To Queeney on Samuel Johnson. Has anyone read this? I have not read anything on the Georgian era. I hope to read this in the near future.

Eileen wrote: "Elizabeth Chadwick's books, and are about William Marshall, a leading figure from the reign of King Stephen until King Jo..."
I totally second this - all Elizabeth Chadwick's books are amazing and, apart from about half a dozen at the beginning of her career, all her stuff is about real characters. The best ones were definitely the two about William Marshall though, what an amazing guy!