Best Victorian Romances!

 

The Victorian era was from 1837 (the year Victoria became Queen) to 1901 (the year of her death). The common perception of the period is that the Victorians were “prudish, hypocritical, stuffy and narrow-minded”.  But these perceptions are not always accurate, particularly when the British characters were traveling and learning much about other cultures, as you will see in these romances. All of those listed here have been rated 4 or 5 stars by me:

 

A Lady’s Lesson in Scandal by Meredith Duran

A Rogue of My Own by Johanna Lindsey

A Stolen Kiss by M.A. Nichols

Beauty and the Spymaster by Moriah Densley (novella)

Bound by Your Touch by Meredith Duran

Bride of Pendorric by Victoria Holt

Cinder Bella by Kathleen Shoop

From Fields of Gold by Alexandra Ripley

Fool Me Twice by Meredith Duran

Gentle From the Night by Meagan McKinney

Gypsy Jewel by Patricia McAllister

Harcourt’s Mountain by Elaine Dodge

If You Dare, If You Desire and If You Deceive, MacCarrick Brothers trilogy by Kresley Cole

Lady Sophia’s Lover and Worth Any Price, the Bow Street Runners by Lisa Kleypas

Lord Edward’s Mysterious Treasure by Lillian Marek

Lord of the Far Island by Victoria Holt

Lord of Wicked Intentions by Lorraine Heath

Mine Till Midnight, Seduce Me at Sunrise, Tempt Me at Twilight, Married by Morning and Love in the Afternoon, Hathaway Series, by Lisa Kleypas

Mistress of Mellyn by Victoria Holt

On the Night of the Seventh Moon by Victoria Holt

Proof of Virtue by Leila Snow

Scarlett by Alexandra Ripley

September Moon by Candice Proctor

Silk and Shadows, Silk and Secrets and Veils of Silk, the Silk Trilogy by Mary Jo Putney

Sleep in the Woods by Dorothy Eden

Song for Sophia by Moriah Densley

Surrender the Night by Christine Monson

The Book of the Seven Delights and The Book of True Desires by Betina Krahn

The Duke of Shadows by Meredith Duran

The Last Bachelor by Betina Krahn

The Pride of the Peacock by Victoria Holt

The Road to Paradise Island by Victoria Holt

The Scarlet Thread by Becky Lee Weyrich

The Secret Woman by Victoria Holt

The Silk Vendetta by Victoria Holt

The Time of the Hunter’s Moon by Victoria Holt

This Fiery Splendor by Christine Monson

To Wed The Widow by Megan Bryce

When We Touch by Heather Graham

When the Earl Was Wicked by Stacy Reid

Where the Horses Run by Kaki Warner

 

Even the enemy whispered his name...The Salamander is here!

 

“A deeply researched and brilliantly imagined read that will resonate with lovers of historical fiction and those fascinated by nautical and revolutionary history.”

~ The Feathered Quill

 

“A wonderfully evocative recreation of privateering, maritime combat, and political tensions...a journey of love, loss, and sea I will never forget. Excellent read!.”

~ Readers’ Favorite

 

Captain Jonathan Haraden’s coldblooded courage earned him the nickname “the Salamander”. Like the creature of old, his crew believed him immune to the fires of battle. At the Revolution’s outbreak, he joined the militia guarding the seacoast, yet his true calling lay on the open sea, and it soon drew him into the fledgling Massachusetts Navy.

 

A dashing sea captain, tall and handsome, Jon captured hearts as easily as he captured ships, but his own belonged to Hannah, his young wife he lost to fever as the Revolution began. Devastated, he sets sail with a vengeance, entrusting his young daughters to Eunice Mason, a preacher’s daughter and young widow whose quiet strength steadies his home.

 

Commanding the Tyrannicide, Jon seizes British prizes and vital dispatches for General Washington. But chafing at the state’s inefficiencies and hungry for greater freedom, he accepts command of the privateer General Pickering, backed by Salem merchants who hail his daring and skill. Adored by his crew and feared by the enemy, Jon soon becomes a legend, capturing ships with unmatched audacity. Yet he wonders if he will ever find room in his heart for love again — or will the sea be his only mistress?

On Amazon.

Lillian Marek’s LORD EDWARD’S MYSTERIOUS TREASURE – Romance and Treasure Hunt in Victorian France

 

Set in Brittany in 1871, this is the story of Lord Edward Tremaine, an Englishman summoned to the Chateau Morvan on the coast of Brittany by his friend Antoine (“Tony”) who claims there’s a treasure to find.

 

Ned travels to France where he discovers a strange collection of people. The old vicomte, who appears to be dying, insists Tony and his two cousins search for the treasure. One young cousin, Delphine, beautiful and captures Ned’s attention but, as time goes on, he notices there is something wrong with her. The other cousin, Marguerite, an accomplished pianist, appears stern and withdrawn. In truth, she worries about Delphine and providing for little family. Ned’s friend, Tony is worried about funding his steel factory and only seeks the treasure for what it can give him.

 

The story is well written but moves along rather slowly with a fair amount of repetition in motives and introspection. The romance between Ned and Marguerite develops only after he precipitously asks her to marry him. Marguerite is happy to share Ned’s bed but resists marriage because she is a commoner and he’s an aristocrat. (Ned and his family think nothing of it.) All that seemed a bit strange for the Victorian era.

 

The story picks up when a few secrets are revealed, Ned has an idea of how to find the treasure and his parents show up to find out what’s behind their son’s letters. All the threads come together for a satisfying end.

Victoria Holt’s THE SECRET WOMAN – Victorian Romance with Many Secrets and a Sail to the South Seas

 

First published in 1970, this is a wonderful story that begins in England but eventually sweeps you to the South Pacific. Set in the late 19^th century in the Victorian era, it’s the story of Anna Brett who was born in India but whose parents sent her to live with her maiden Aunt Charlotte, an antique dealer who populates her old house with furniture in the process of being sold.

 

Anna’s one solace is her friend Chantal Loman, the beautiful nurse who tends Anna’s ailing aunt. When Aunt Charlotte suddenly dies, Anna takes a job suggested by Chantel, as a governess in the home of a wealthy English family in the shipping business. The family has two sons, one legitimate, Rex Crediton, and one a bastard, Redvers Stretton. Anna is very attracted to Red, but then she learns he is married. 

 

Rex is the heir apparent, consumed with the business, but Red is not unhappy about that since he loves his ships and the sea. It was on one of those South Pacific islands, however, where Red met his wife, and island beauty whose family forced him to wed her when she came up pregnant.

 

In this fascinating story, it seemed everyone harbored secrets, even Anna, who hid from her friend her love for Red Stretton. And even though I knew Chantel was capable of doing wrong to accomplish her purposes, I was surprised at all the twists at the end.

 

Holt did a good job of bringing us into the drama and the places to which the characters traveled. I could feel the heat of the island and Anna’s exhilaration with the wind on her face while they were at sea. As she and Red finally admitted their love, I could feel her emotion at finding herself in love with another woman’s husband.

 

No one does Victorian suspense and mystery like Holt and this is a great one!

Betina Krahn’s THE LAST BACHELOR: Hilarious Victorian Romance!

This is one of my favorite Victorian romances. Betina writes detailed, well-crafted stories, all wonderful.

 

 

Set in London in 1882, this is the story of a beautiful young widow, Antonia, Lady Paxton, who occupies her time by saving widows and trapping gentlemen into marrying them by using their own perfidy against them. When a bachelor seeks to take a young widow's virtue--albeit a woman he's ostensibly been courting--Antonia follows them and, interrupting, forces the man to do the gentlemanly thing and marry the girl.

 

With 13 marriages to her credit, the men of White's club in London become concerned. They decide they must see “The Dragon Lady of Matrimonia” brought down, and what better man to do it than Remington Carr, Lord Landon? A confirmed bachelor, handsome as the devil, who advocates the vote for women and sending "surplus women" off to work to earn their keep, he is definitely against marriage. Antonia, on the other hand, believes marriage is a noble state and the salvation of many a widow.

 

Antonia offers Remington a wager...two weeks of women's work to change his mind about a woman's place. And if his mind isn't changed, she will do two weeks of a man's work. He accepts the wager, thinking to seduce her, but Antonia has her own plans.

Krahn had me laughing out loud when Remington put on a corset (after all, how could he do work as a woman does without having to bear the restrictive garment?). You will be amazed at the history contained in this seemingly light romance. It isn't really light at all. It's a meaningful tale of what widows suffered in Victorian times, when they were raised to be wives and mothers but were left bereft with no way to earn income.

 

Remington is an intelligent rake you will come to love and Antonia is a woman we would all want to know...a woman with a kind heart and a good mind who crafts devious plans to prove the damn men wrong. Even Queen Victoria supports her. Remington and Antonia are well matched and in an ironic twist will end up advocating each other's positions. The story is detailed, historically accurate and charming. I highly recommend it.

 

 

Meredith Duran’s A LADY’S LESSON IN SCANDAL, Captivating Victorian…My Fair Lady with a Twist!

November is Victorian romances month. I’m starting with one by Meredith Duran. Her writing is unique, detailed, word intensive, impeccably researched, and so captivating I couldn’t put it down.

 

A Lady’s Lesson in Scandal is a Victorian romance, a sort of My Fair Lady with an inheritance twist. It introduces us to Cornelia (“Nell”), who was born a twin, the daughters of the Earl of Rushden. As a young child, Nell was stolen by a nanny who was half crazy, and hidden away in the East End of London. Raised in poverty, she became a factory girl, though she loved books, and in that, was well educated. She survived by her wits and her determination, but suffered terribly from too little food and too little care.

 

Just before the woman Nell called “Mum” died, she told Nell her father was Lord Rushden, and encouraged her to find him. Nell goes in search of the man she thought did her Mum wrong, intending to shoot him. But she finds instead a new, young Lord Rushden (the earl’s heir), Simon St. Maur, who is her 3^rd cousin. Simon, a handsome rake who has inherited the title and lands but no wealth to support them (all the money was left to the earl’s two daughters), recognizes Nell for who she is immediately. He offers to wed her, thereby helping her to become a lady and regain her rightful place and wealth, enriching both their coffers. Nell agrees, realizing only too late she has given Simon her heart.

 

Simon is fascinated by Nell who is so different from the superficial ladies of society he is used to, but if he cannot persuade the court to accept her as the lost twin, he intends to annul the marriage.

 

Duran weaves a suspenseful, believable romance, a story of two people caught between a life of wealth and a life of poverty, neither one comfortable in the other’s world, yet perfect together.

 

Elizabeth Kingston’s FAIR, BRIGHT AND TERRIBLE – A Rich Tapestry of Emotions in this Story of Love after England Conquered Wales

October is Medieval month when I present reviews of stories set between the 5^th and 15^th centuries. This is a good one by a great author. Set in the late 13^th century, it’s the story of love between a Welsh noblewoman and an English knight after Wales has been brutally conquered by Edward I.

 

Eluned has lost her country and her hope. But she intends to have her vengeance on Mortimer, the English nobleman who was responsible for the death of the Welsh leaders. She has a calculating mind and plans carefully how she will do it. When her husband dies and she has the chance to marry Robert de Lascaux, the man she fell in love with 18 years earlier, she takes it as it will give her access to the English nobility.

When Robert is asked to marry the woman he loves but has been denied, he gladly accepts thinking he will at last have the woman he wants. But the lady who greets him at the altar has so little in common with the girl he adored that he begins to doubt that there is anything left of her.

Kingston weaves a rich tapestry of intrigue, treachery, stalwart love and lost dreams realized. Medieval Wales is brought to life. The story will draw you in as you eagerly hope for love to at last to be regained. A beautifully told tale, one not to be missed!

 

I recommend reading the series in order as they are closely related. The Welsh Blades:

 

The King’s Man

Fair, Bright and Terrible

Desire Lines

 

Best Georgian & Regency Romances

I have read many Georgian and Regency romances over the years, and written 11, so it was inevitable that I should have a “best list” for the ones I've rated 4 and 5 stars. The Georgian era covers the period from 1714 to 1830, with the sub-period of the Regency, 1811-1820, when George, Prince of Wales (“the Prince Regent”) reigned during the mental illness of his father George III. All these stories are set in that era.

A Counterfeit Heart by K.C. Bateman

A Fallen Lady by Elizabeth Kingston

A Rose in Winter by Kathleen Woodiwiss

A Wild Hope by Celeste De Blasis

Almost Heaven by Judith McNaught

An Indecent Proposition by Emma Wildes

Barely a Lady by Eileen Dreyer

Caledonian Privateer by Gail MacMillian

Come the Night by Christina Skye

Cotillion by Georgette Heyer

Crimson Rapture by Jennifer Horsman

Devil’s Cub by Georgette Heyer

Dukes Prefer Blondes by Loretta Chase

Entwined, Fallen and Moonlit, Regency spy trilogy by Emma Jensen

For Love Alone by Shirlee Busbee

Forbidden Love by Karen Robards

Frederica by Georgette Heyer

Gabriella by Brenda Hiatt

Goddess of the Hunt by Tessa Dare

Hearts Beguiled by Penelope Williamson

Highlander’s Hope by Collette Cameron

Love Only Once by Johanna Lindsey

Lovers Forever by Shirlee Busbee

Man of My Dreams by Johanna Lindsey

Mine Till Midnight, Seduce Me at Sunrise, Tempt Me at Twilight, Married by Morning and Love in the Afternoon (the Hathaways) by Lisa Kleypas

My Heart’s Desire by Andrea Kane

Once and Always by Judith McNaught

Once in a Blue Moon by Penelope Williamson

Once Upon a Winter’s Eve by Tessa Dare

Someone to Watch Over Me, Lady Sophia’s Lover and Worth Any Price (the Bow Street Runners trilogy) by Lisa Kelypas

Rogue’s Honor by Brenda Hiatt

Shanna by Kathleen Woodiwiss

Slightly Married by Mary Balogh

Some Like it Wild by Teresa Medeiros

Something Wonderful by Judith McNaught

Stealing Heaven by Kimberly Cates

Swept Away by Marsha Canham

The Black Rose by Christina Skye

The Christmas Knot by Barbara Monajem

The Discerning Gentleman’s Guide by Virginia Heath

The Divided Heart by Beppie Harrison

The Foundling by Georgette Heyer

The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer

The Irish Duke by Virginia Henley

The Lady and the Laird by Nicola Cornick

The Lost Letter by Mimi Matthews

The Perfect Scandal by Delilah Marvelle

The Rake by Mary Jo Putney

The Reluctant Widow by Georgette Heyer

The Sherbrooke Bride by Catherine Coulter

The Storm and the Splendor by Jennifer Blake

The Thief’s Daughter by Victoria Cornwall

The Toll Gate by Georgette Heyer

The Wicked Marquis by Barbara Cartland

The Wild One by Danelle Harmon

Then Came You and Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas

This Earl of Mine by Kate Bateman

Till Dawn Tames the Night by Meagan McKinney

To Taste Temptation, To Seduce a Sinner, To Beguile a Beast and To Desire a Devil by Elizabeth Hoyt

To Tempt a Saint by Megan Bryce

Trials of Artemis by Sue London

Uncertain Magic by Laura Kinsale

Until You by Judith McNaught

Venetia by Georgette Heyer

What Angels Fear by C.S. Harris

When the Duke Was Wicked by Lorraine Heath

Whisper to Me of Love by Shirlee Busbee

Whitney My Love by Judith McNaught

With His Lady’s Assistance by Cheryl Bolen

With His Ring by Cheryl Bolen

 

I hope you will read my own Georgian and Regency romances:

 

The award-winning Donet Trilogy: To Tame the Wind, Echo in the Wind and A Fierce Wind.

 

The Agents of the Crown Regency series: Racing with the Wind, Against the Wind, Wind Raven, A Secret Scottish Christmas and Rogue’s Holiday. They are all related but can be read as standalones.

You might also like my holiday Regency novellas: The Twelfth Night Wager and The Holly & The Thistle, which follow Racing with the Wind in time, and The Shamrock & The Rose.

Shirlee Busbee’s LOVERS FOREVER – Smugglers, Mystery and Amnesia!

Set in 1811, mostly in Kent, this is the story of Lady Tess Mandeville. Tess looks like her ill-fated great grandmother, who also had red hair and violet eyes and who was abducted, raped and impregnated by Baron Mandeville, and forced to marry the evil man instead of the Earl of Sherbourne whom she loved. Now there is another Baron Mandeville, Avery, a distant cousin of the one who recently died. Thinking to have her fortune, Avery imprisons Tess in his house and demands she wed him.

 

With the aid of her aunts, Tess escapes, only to fall into the hands of smugglers looking for a horse. They take her horse and her jewels and hit her on the head, whereupon she loses her memory. In a nearby traveler’s inn, she meets the handsome Nicolas Talmage, Earl of Sherbourne, who assumes she is a tavern wench available for his use. He plies her with liquor and takes her innocence. When he tells Tess she will become his mistress, she refuses, but Nicolas ignores her. He takes her to an old cottage on the outskirts of his estate where he basically holds her prisoner as his mistress and “no thought of resisting him crossed her mind.” Apparently neither was concerned she might birth a bastard.

 

I love Busbee’s storytelling, which captured me immediately with Tess’ strange family history, and the inclusion of smugglers operating on the coast of Kent. The mystery of what happened to Tess’ great grandmother persists till the end. The plot thickens when the smugglers return and threaten Tess. Meanwhile, her uncles, who guard her fortune, are on the hunt for her. I loved Busbee’s portrayal of the uncles and their dry speech. And all her Regency expressions add richness to the story.

 

However, the instant lust between both the hero and heroine was a bit jarring, especially with her being an innocent and never having met him before. To my thinking, she also gave in to him too easily. It was interesting to me that neither Nicolas nor anyone else noticed Tess’ aristocratic speech, unlikely for a tavern whore. That aside, it was a great story and the mystery of her grandmother is solved in the end.

 

The Irish Yankee as reviewed by The Feathered Quill - An Absorbing Mix of Early Revolutionary War Tension, Heartfelt Romance, and Small-town Resilience

Historical fiction has to feel authentic but still pull you into a good story that will make you care about the people, not just the facts. Regan Walker seems to understand that instinctively. Her newest novel, The Irish Yankee, is the first in "The Dawn of America Series," and it’s an absorbing mix of early Revolutionary War tension, heartfelt romance, and small-town resilience. Set in 1775 in the rugged coastal village of Machias, Maine (then still part of the Massachusetts colony), the story follows Jeremiah O’Brien, a steady, big-hearted Irish-American lumberman who ends up becoming an early naval hero in the fight for independence. Alongside him is Elizabeth “Lizzy” Fitzpatrick, a young woman with a haunted past and a fierce loyalty to her family, especially her younger siblings.

Walker writes historical fiction with romantic threads woven in, and the balance in this book feels just right. Jeremiah isn’t just a patriot with sea salt in his blood. He’s a son, a brother and a man trying to protect his community. Lizzy is equally compelling, as she’s strong and you can feel the weight she carries - her grief, her responsibility, her protectiveness over her younger brother Sean. Her bravery isn’t about sword fights but more about holding things together.

The book opens with a kind of quiet urgency - smoky candlelit taverns, talk of rebellion, muskets tucked under pews - and that atmosphere never really lets up. But it’s not all fire and speeches either. There’s a real sense of daily life here: river mills grinding, fish being caught, stew being served. That grounded, day-to-day rhythm keeps the story from floating off into abstraction. It all feels lived in.

One of the things I appreciated most was how Walker handles the relationship between Jeremiah and Lizzy. They don’t fall for each other instantly, and there’s real tension, especially from Lizzy’s side. She’s wary of getting swept up in patriotic fervor when she’s just trying to keep her brother safe. Their connection builds slowly, out of trust and mutual respect. I wasn’t sure at first if the romance would feel like too much in the middle of a war story, or if the war would overshadow the romance, but honestly, it felt like both were supporting each other.

Walker’s prose is clean and confident. She doesn’t overdo it with flowery language, but she’s great at atmosphere creation. The river scenes in particular had this quiet strength to them, almost like the land itself was a character. And when the fighting finally happens, it’s not flashy or cinematic. It feels risky and tense, people get scared, and families are on edge.

I also really liked how the women were portrayed. Even though this is a story about mostly male-driven rebellion, the women are right there casting bullets, managing homes, and supporting the cause in their own way. Lizzy and her sister Annie aren’t passive. They have their own fire, and it’s believable.

If you haven’t read Regan Walker before, she’s known for her deeply researched historical novels that bring real historical figures into conversation with fictional ones. You can tell she’s done her homework, but she never lets the research drown the story. Her background in law shows up in how carefully everything is structured, but her heart is clearly in the characters. She isn’t afraid of tenderness or emotional complexity, and that’s what makes her stories stand out.

Quill says: The Irish Yankee by Regan Walker isn’t just about a town on the edge of war, but also about loyalty, legacy, and the slow, stubborn kind of love that grows when people choose each other over and over again. I’ll definitely be reading the next in the series.

 

 

Cheryl Bolen’s WITH HIS RING – Clever, Well Told Regency Tale

 

Set in the Regency era, this is the story of Glee Pembroke, who has turned down countless offers of marriage because she has secretly been in love with her brother’s best friend, Gregory Blankenship (“Blanks”) her whole life. When she learns Gregory will lose his inheritance if he does not soon wed, she tricks him into a marriage of convenience. He thought they would have great fun with no responsibility, but he finds himself acting the protective and seduced husband while she tests his resolve by flirting with his friends and wearing daring gowns.

 

There is the inevitable misunderstanding, and the heartbreak—and the reconciliation. Some readers though the ending was rushed. Still, if you are a fan of Bolen’s Regency stories, you’ll likely be satisfied.

Bliss Bennet’s NOT QUITE A COUNTESS – A Novella to Kick off a Series!

This is the story of Arabella Audley who inherited her father’s Scottish barony, but was denied his English earldom because of her sex. Shuffled between five guardians for six long years while Parliament dithers over determining the Earl of Audley’s rightful heir, Belle’s tired of being reduced to the role of pawn.

She wants the Earldom and her beloved Audley Priory. And she just might get it if she can arrange a betrothal to one of her rivals for the earldom (two real losers). But then a handsome cavalry officer appears on the scene.

 

There are many characters in this short story, I assume to lay a foundation for the rest of the series. The author cleverly addresses them with humorous titles and Belle finds a solution to her problem. All ends well when the cavalry officer insists on love.

 

Best Historical Romances set in Exotic Locales

 

It’s the dog days of August and you’re home and you’re bored. You want an adventure, an around the world trip, or perhaps an ocean voyage—without leaving your living room. And you want a good love story. But you’re tired of those set mostly in England, Scotland, Ireland and America. Well, I have just the list for you!

 

My mother taught me to read when I was four and told me I could travel the world through books. She was right. And were she still alive, she would love this list I’ve created just for you daydreamers who long to travel… stories by some great authors set in exotic locales. Though some might begin (or end) in England or America, they will quickly take you to another time and another place! All have been rated 4 or 5 stars by me. In each case, I’ve given you the location.

 

A Moment in Time by Bertrice Small

Across a Moonlit Sea, The Iron Rose and The Following Sea, trilogy by Marsha Canham (the Caribbean and the Spanish Main)

Beauvallet by Georgette Heyer (France and Spain)

Beyond Innocence by Joanna Lloyd (Australia)

Beyond Sunrise by Candice Proctor (the South Pacific, Polynesian islands)

Bianca by Bertrice Small, 1^st in the Silk Merchant’s Daughters series (Florence, Italy and the Black Sea)

Blue Moon by Parris Afton Bonds (Mexico)

Broken Wing by Judith James (France, North Africa and the Mediterranean)

Captives of the Night by Loretta Chase (Paris)

Dark Torment by Karen Robards (Australia)

Devil’s Embrace and Devil’s Daughter by Catherine Coulter (Italy and the Mediterranean)

Devoted by Alice Borchardt (France)

Falling Stars by Anita Mills (Russia)

Falsely Accused by Margaret Tanner (Australia)

Fields of the Sun by Nadine Crenshaw (Morocco, the Atlantic Ocean and Brazil)

Forever and a Lifetime by Jennifer Horsman (Switzerland)

Fortune’s Mistress, Fortune’s Flame and Fortune’s Bride by Judith E. French (Caribbean and Panama)

Green Eyes by Karen Robards (Ceylon)

Gypsy Jewel by Patricia McAllister (Black Sea, Russia)

Gypsy Lord by Kat Martin (France)

Harcourt’s Mountain by Elaine Dodge (British Columbia, Canada)

Hearts Beguiled by Penelope Williamson (France)

Heaven in His Arms by Lisa Ann Verge (Canadian wilderness)

Helena’s Choice by Patty Apostolides (Greece)

In the Eye of the Beholder by Maggie Mooha (Crimean War, Turkey)

Island Flame by Karen Robards (various exotic ports between Lisbon and America)

Lady of Fire and Fire and Steel by Anita Mills (Normandy)

Lady of Fire by Valerie Vayle (the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, Turkey and France)

Napoleon’s Rosebud by Humphry Knipe (Island of Saint Helena, England and Italy)

Night in Eden by Candice Proctor (Australia)

Night Shadow by Laura Renken (the Caribbean and the Spanish Main)

No Gentle Love by Rebecca Brandewyne (Ireland, France, Africa, India and China)

Notorious Angel by Jennifer Blake (Nicaragua)

On the Night of the Seventh Moon by Victoria Holt (Germany)

Once a Soldier by Mary Jo Putney (Spain and Portugal)

Oriana by Valerie Vayle (France, Caribbean)

Rangoon by Christine Monson (Burma)

Sense Of Touch by Rozsa Gaston (France)

September Moon by Candice Proctor (Australian outback)

Shanna by Kathleen Woodiwiss (Caribbean)

Silk and Secrets and Veils of Silk by Mary Jo Putney (Uzbekistan, Persia, India)

Sleep in the Woods by Dorothy Eden (New Zealand)

So Wild a Heart by Veronica Jason (France)

Splendor by Brenda Joyce (Russia)

Surrender the Night by Christine Monson (Italy, Switzerland and Hungary)

Templar Silks by Elizabeth Chadwick (Constantinople, Jerusalem)

The Book of Seven Delights by Betina Krahn (Morocco)

The Book of True Desires by Betina Krahn (Cuba and Mexico)

The Captain of All Pleasures by Kresley Cole (the High Seas from England to Australia) and the sequel, The Price of Pleasure (Oceania and Cape Town, South Africa)

The Captive by Victoria Holt (the Middle East)

The Demon Lover by Victoria Holt (France)

The Devil on Horseback by Victoria Holt (France)

The Devil to Pay by K.C. Bateman (Italy)

The Disorderly Knights by Dorothy Dunnett (Malta and North Africa)

The Duchess of Sydney by Dawn Knox (Australia)

The Duke of Shadows by Meredith Duran (India)

The Flesh and The Devil by Teresa Denys (Spain)

The Forbidden Rose by Joanna Bourne (France)

The Golden Barbarian by Iris Johansen (the Balkans and Sedikhan, a mythical country)

The Hidden Heart by Laura Kinsale (South America, Tahiti and the Pacific)

The India Fan by Victoria Holt (India)

The Jacaranda Tree by Rebecca Brandewyne (Australia)

The Judas Kiss by Victoria Holt (Germany/Bavaria)

The Kadin by Bertrice Small (Turkey)

The King’s Man, Fair, Bright and Terrible and Desire Lines, The Welsh Blades series by Elizabeth Kingston (Wales)

The Legend of the Gypsy Hawk by Sally Malcolm (fictional island off Africa)

The Lily and the Falcon by Jannine Corte-Petska (Italy)

The Lion’s Daughter by Loretta Chase (Albania)

The Lion’s Embrace by Marie Laval (Algeria)

The Merchant’s Pearl by Amie O’Brien (Turkey)

The Price of Glory by Caroline Warfield (Egypt)

The Pride of the Peacock by Victoria Holt (Australia)

The Road to Paradise Island by Victoria Holt (Australia and the South Seas)

The Secret Rose by Laura Parker (Australia)

The Secret Woman by Victoria Holt (South Seas)

The Seer by Sanna Brand (Greece)

The Silver Devil by Teresa Denys (Italy)

The Spanish Rose by Shirlee Busbee (Jamaica, the Caribbean)

The Storm and the Splendor by Jennifer Blake (Algiers)

The True Purpose of Vines by Giovanna Siniscalchi

The Warrior by Judith E. French (Egypt)

The Wind and the Sea by Marsha Canham (North Africa, the High Seas)

The Wind Dancer by Iris Johansen (Italy) and the sequel, Storm Winds (France)

This Fiery Splendor by Christine Monson (India)

Thy Brother’s Wife by J.J. Flowers (aka Jennifer Horsman) (France)

Till Dawn Tames the Night by Meagan McKinney (the High Seas and the Caribbean)

To Heal a Heart by Anthea Lawson (Crete)

Under Gypsy Skies by Kathryn Kramer (Spain)

Velvet is the Night by Elizabeth Thornton (France)

Whispers of Heaven by Candice Proctor (Tasmania)

 

As you choose your destination, consider my own books set in exotic locales:

 

Racing With The Wind (Paris)

Wind Raven (the High Seas, Bermuda, Puerto Rico and the Caribbean)

To Tame the Wind, Echo in the Wind and A Fierce Wind, the award-winning Donet Trilogy (France and the High Seas)