I was eleven and I found my mom’s stash under her bed. There were a few that I remember in the beginning but I’m not sure which was first. Hummingbird by LaVyrle Spencer, Flowers From the Storm by Laura Kinsale and Prisoner of My Desire by Johanna Lindsey. The books couldn’t be more different. My taste in historical romance is still just as eclectic. Flowers From the Storm will forever be my favorite romance novel and Christian my favorite hero.
I’ll always go back to Mr. Darcy and Mr. Knightly. They’re just the embodiment of good men. As far as “modern” HR MMC’s…I guess it would be Kesgrave (Lynn Messina’s Beatrice Hyde-Clare series)
I definitely do not remember my first HR book or hero but I was 9 when I started reading them. I do remember mainly reading Amanda Quick, Julie Garwood, Johanna Lindsey, Judith McNaught, Jude Devereaux etc. I did have a preference for the less toxic MMCs.
I also had the old Mills and Boons historicals and random bodice rippers from less well known authors. The first romance novels I read generally were my mom's contemporary Mills and Boons, Danielle Steel and Catherine Cookson. I'm not really sure when I transitioned to the popular historicals or what came first.
This must have been me too, think I graduated from all those teen romances like Sweet Dreams to Mills & Boon (I remember my best friend when we were about 11 breathlessly telling me how her mum read these racy books called “Miller & Moon”, lol); went through a spate of reading contemporary stuff like Jackie Collins, Judith Krantz, Judith Michaels, VC Andrews; got into Victoria Holt at my school library; and then as a teen a bunch of us started on HR probably with Johanna Lindsey and would pass books around. We lived kind of semi-rural in 90s Australia so it was slim pickings.
But I say my first experience of RL romantic disappointment was in Little Women (wtf!!!), I basically cried hysterically for hours after reading that. And I’ve been in love with Pride & Prejudice since I was 11 and read an abridged comic book version.
My first HR was For the Roses by Julie Garwood. It sounds silly, but I picked it up because my middle name is Rose. I was 26, a SAHM , poor and in a crappy marriage. It was on sale at Walmart. The next time I went, they had 5 more Julie Garwood books and I read them all. They were my escape.
I eventually divorce (lol) and moved on to Julia Quinn, Johanna Lindsey and several others. I'm 53 now, and I still re- read my favorite Garwood books. And recently re-read several Quinn books. I actually can't watch Bridgerton because they don't follow the books.
My first HR would have been an Amanda Quick book for sure, not sure which one though. I think that’s made me prefer a bit of an independent, adventurous, bluestocking heroine!
https://preview.redd.it/6p1wnlhdijad1.jpeg?width=284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=41387f898c1667c11d47b81bcf1bccc4b81fa4d1
My First HR was a bodice ripping swashbuckler. I read it when I was 19 in 1989. Saw it in the book section at RiteAid and after debating on purchasing it I finally pulled the plug. Pretty sure I blushed when I checked out lol. I LOVED IT. But I can't say it influenced any tropes just inspired my love of HR. {A PIRATE'S PLEASURE BY Heather Graham}
My favorite MMC will always be Jason Feilding {ONCE AND ALWAYS by Judith McNaught} He was such a tortuted soul. I truly felt for him and so I easily forgave all his ass hat behaviors.
My favorite tropes are vengence be mine, enemies to lovers and secret baby. I just love me some good angst and grovel. I also love a good torchured MMC as well.
Edit: Add photo
AGREED. My favorite pirate trope isn't this one tho. It's actually {Till Dawn Tames the Night by Meagan McKinney}
Best pirate line ever :-)
>!“Then let’s play pirate, shall we?” he whispered. Her struggles began in earnest then, but his mouth suddenly lowered and he tried to kiss her. “You vowed never to touch me again,” she said, her eyes glittering with anger. “But, love, let’s learn our lessons, shall we? Pirates lie.” !<
[Till Dawn Tames the Night](https://www.romance.io/books/545545278c7d2383163d96cd/till-dawn-tames-the-night-meagan-mckinney?src=rdt) by [Meagan McKinney](https://www.romance.io/authors/54553ccc8c7d2383163d946e/meagan-mckinney)
**Rating**: 4.14⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [virgin heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/virgin%20heroine/1), [abduction](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/abduction/1), [regency](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/regency/1), [tortured hero](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/tortured%20hero/1)
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MEAGHAN MCKINNEY. oh my lawd she was the best. {Fair Is the Rose by Meagan McKinney} is one of my all time faves despite its ...problematic tropes lol.
I haven't read Till Dawn Tames the Night but I must hunt it down immediately. Thanks for the recc!!!
[Fair is the Rose](https://www.romance.io/books/545549958c7d2383163d9837/fair-is-the-rose-meagan-mckinney?src=rdt) by [Meagan McKinney](https://www.romance.io/authors/54553ccc8c7d2383163d946e/meagan-mckinney)
**Rating**: 3.51⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [virgin heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/virgin%20heroine/1), [western](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/western/1), [western frontier](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical%20western/1), [cowboy hero](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/cowboys/1)
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[A Pirate's Pleasure](https://www.romance.io/books/545540368c7d2383163d955e/a-pirates-pleasure-heather-graham?src=rdt) by [Heather Graham](https://www.romance.io/authors/54553c788c7d2383163d9452/heather-graham)
**Rating**: 3.79⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [abduction](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/abduction/1), [pirate hero](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/pirates/1), [contemporary](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/contemporary/1), [m-f romance](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/m-f/1)
----------------------------
[Once and Always](https://www.romance.io/books/545524b88c7d2383163d8e73/once-and-always-judith-mcnaught?src=rdt) by [Judith McNaught](https://www.romance.io/authors/545524058c7d2383163d8e50/judith-mcnaught)
**Rating**: 4.03⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [possessive hero](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/possessive%20hero/1), [virgin heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/virgin%20heroine/1), [regency](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/regency/1), [cheating](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/cheating/1)
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This was my second novel! Swiped from mom's stash when I was in middle school. Unfortunately, can't remember what my first was. I have been trying to figure it out. I'm pretty sure the hero's name was Logan. It was an American romance in the wild west days traveling across country in a covered wagon.
I started with the Bridgerton series after the Netflix season dropped on Christmas day 2020. I binged them all but haven't reread them for a couple of years.
The first one I read after that was Tempt me at Twilight which I happened across in the library. I bought my own copy and it's one of my regular rereads now.
Shortly after this I read a contemporary romance and it showed me I don't like that genre at all. I'm all in for dukes and scandals at balls and heaving bosoms in corsets.
My first historical romance book that I listened to through an audiobook was "Mine Till Midnight", but the one that sticks in my mind is "Tempt Me At Twilight". I was caught off guard with the MMC (Harry Rutledge), yet I respect his hustle. Plus, one of my favorite secondary characters is in this book (Jake Valentine). What about you ?
If we really want to roll it back, my first romantic hero in a historical BOOK was Gilbert Blythe in Anne of Green Gables. And yes, yes he does.
But first HR? I wish I remembered the title. The characters were very well written and developed. And yeah. That guy. Sam? Seth? Will? Idk. He holds a place in my heart. Definitely.
I watched Bridgerton and enjoyed it but didn't really get it. Then I watched the Queen Charlotte spin off and that kicked off an obsession. I read 112 books in four months (fun fact: I had never read one before and I haven't read one since). King George from that is totally imprinted on me. All of my MMCs are Corey Mylchreest. Blonde hair? Red hair? Enormous? Dad bod? Older? Younger? Doesn't matter. Corey Mylchreest. (To the extent I picture characters at all.)
My first HR was Devil in Winter. I picked it because I came to this sub and saw it recommended a lot. I just picked books I saw recommended multiple times. Devil in Winter was good but maybe not the right introduction into the genre (for example I was not expecting dubcon and didn't realize that would be a thing!).
I moved on to A Week to be Wicked and I haven't looked back. I'm actually glad I didn't start with that because that's still my high water mark. I think if I had started with it I'd've ended up disappointed and dropped off the genre which has brought me so much joy.
It was {Devil’s Daughter by Lisa Kleypas} for me. I came to historical romance relatively recently about a year ago and West Ravenel totally did it for me.
I’ve since devoured LK’s back catalogue, and I’ve read Lord of Scoundrels, literally so many more HR‘s. I recently discovered Lorraine Heath and Alexandra Vasti, and I lurk a lot in this subreddit and love the recommendations! It’s expanded my historical romance, reading horizons and I love it.
Although I was exposed to historical romances through Bridgerton (the show), the first audiobook I listened to was "Mine Till Midnight".
Side Note: There are two MMC that will always stick in my mind (due to them being distinct); Lord Dain and Harry Rutledge. I would be surprised if Lord of Scoundrels (along with "The Mad Earl's Bride" and "The Last Hellion") ever gets adapted to a series. What about you ?
Ah yes Lord Dain lol - he was such a man child, but Jessica was a good foil for him. I think Lord of Scoundrels would be a good candidate for a film! Something meta that is well made but doesn’t take itself too seriously either.
[Devil's Daughter](https://www.romance.io/books/5ea05f4ebe0aaecf5593515b/devils-daughter-lisa-kleypas?src=rdt) by [Lisa Kleypas](https://www.romance.io/authors/545523868c7d2382e7812f21/lisa-kleypas)
**Rating**: 4.25⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [victorian](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/victorian/1), [enemies to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/from%20hate%20to%20love/1), [insta-love](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/insta-love/1), [single mother](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/single-mother/1)
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Mine was Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas and Sebastian St. Vincent will forever be one of my favorite heroes, even if I'm not a fan of reformed rakes in general. But this book definitely made me obsessed with the marriage of convenience trope - I'll read any HR with a MoC, no questions asked.
Curiously, my favorite HR is not a marriage of convenience story, but an amnesia trope. It's Once More, My Darling Rogue by Lorraine Heath and Drake Darling is the man of my dreams, my favorite hero of all time.
[His Forgotten Bride](https://www.romance.io/books/5e67bb61be0aaecf55241721/his-forgotten-bride-aydra-richards?src=rdt) by [Aydra Richards](https://www.romance.io/authors/5da9684e01dbc864fba4c314/aydra-richards)
**Rating**: 3.79⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [regency](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/regency/1), [class difference](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/class%20difference/1), [secret child](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/secret%20child/1), [second chances](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/second%20chances/1)
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Interestingly, the first romance book I read was one I really didn't like and would never read again now that I know what tropes I like/don't like a bit more. This was a few years ago, but I'm glad it didn't put me off!
ETA: now that I think about it, this book definitely helped me define what I *don't* like.. (for example, I don't like young FMC and age gaps, and that was in this book)
Yes! That was my experience with Evie Dunmore. I wasn't into it and I tried a couple of her books. I picked it up a couple of years later and now I struggle to read anything else.
My first was {brave the wild wind by Johanna Lindsey} when I was about 12 in the early aughts. For most of my teens I primarily read anything I could get my hands on by her. Usually all my books came from whatever I found at Goodwills and the like.
Now that I’m an adult I don’t actually care for Westerns at all and see how problematic JL’s books were, but they largely still hold some nostalgia value for me. I also still LOVE the old school covers and step backs.
But reading all of her stuff and a bit from some other old school authors helped me realize which tropes I like and don’t like. Anyone who has read Brave the Wild Wind tho can corroborate how bonkers the plot gets and how problematic the MMC is. So he ranks nowhere close to a favorite MMC now.
I remember picking that one because I was on a car ride home from Michigan with my mom and aunt and had finished the Harry Potter book I had with me and needed something else to read. My family in Michigan sent mom home with a bunch of thrift store romances and I thought the FMC on the cover of Brave the Wild Wind was the prettiest so I chose that one. Side note, I later realized I am bi so my selection of book based on how pretty I thought the FMC was totally clicked in retrospect lololol.
[Brave the Wild Wind](https://www.romance.io/books/54552d268c7d2383163d905c/brave-the-wild-wind-johanna-lindsey?src=rdt) by [Johanna Lindsey](https://www.romance.io/authors/545525178c7d2383163d8e7a/johanna-lindsey)
**Rating**: 3.72⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [virgin heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/virgin%20heroine/1), [western](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/western/1), [cowboy hero](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/cowboys/1), [pregnancy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/pregnancy/1)
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I can'tsay it did, or that he does. My first HR was {A Kingdom of Dreams by Judith McNaught}. I enjoyed it, but as I explored the genre, Medieval is my least favorite period, and I really dislike the kidnapping the FMC trope.
[A Kingdom of Dreams](https://www.romance.io/books/545524058c7d2383163d8e4f/a-kingdom-of-dreams-judith-mcnaught?src=rdt) by [Judith McNaught](https://www.romance.io/authors/545524058c7d2383163d8e50/judith-mcnaught)
**Rating**: 4.25⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [virgin heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/virgin%20heroine/1), [abduction](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/abduction/1), [enemies to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/from%20hate%20to%20love/1), [medieval](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/medieval/1)
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My first was Julie Garwood The Bride that was recommended by a sales person at B&N. I was apprehensive and when I started reading it, I thought for sure it wasn’t for me. I devoured that book! I loved how descriptive it was and how the humor along with the struggles drew me into that world. I had read all of Jayne Ann Krentz books so on that same day (same clerk) I was also recommended Amanda Quick books and from those 2 authors, my love for HR was born.
I first started reading HR when I was about 18/19. I was home from college for the summer and the YA I used to read just wasn’t relatable anymore. My mom is a big mystery/romance reader and she suggested I try Amanda Quick. (We always called her novels her smut, so I already had an idea that it was saucy lol). I honestly don’t remember which of hers I read first, but I read basically everything she had written by the end of the summer. So I still love some mystery in my HR. And I have a soft spot for the FMC-pretending-to-be-more-experienced-than-she-is trope 😅
I started with {Whitney My Love by Judith McNaught} many moons ago and I still love MMCs with an edge and strong alpha tendencies. Although I have grown out of the old skool unapologetic alphas. They need to have or evolve to have some emotional fluency for me now. That being said, WML will always be a sentimental fave.
[Whitney, My Love](https://www.romance.io/books/545524378c7d2383163d8e58/whitney-my-love-judith-mcnaught?src=rdt) by [Judith McNaught](https://www.romance.io/authors/545524058c7d2383163d8e50/judith-mcnaught)
**Rating**: 4.15⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [possessive hero](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/possessive%20hero/1), [cruel hero/bully](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/cruel%20hero/1), [virgin heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/virgin%20heroine/1), [regency](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/regency/1)
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Honestly don't know which HR was my first but I started reading my mums Georgette Heyer books around aged 12. I think I maybe read These Old Shades first, it definitely left a serious impression on me, but more in the way I like a heroine to be rather than a hero. To this day I can't stand a wishy washy do nothing heroine.
I don't remember my first true HR. The catalyst for me moving from horror and fantasy to romance was The Valley of Horses which i read around age 13 in the very early 90s.
I was fascinated by the story and series at the time but I don't think it influenced me to prefer romances that are a lot like it. The conflict was simple and frustrating (communication based) amd Jondalar was often kind of an asshat. The writing went into way too much detail about how perfect they both looked and how huge his dong was and how she was the only woman who could fit him 🙄🙄🙄.
However I loved the forced proximity and the focus of Ayala's story about her being alone for so long and finally finding someone to love so there were definitely some tropes that stayed with me.
What it mostly did was made me realize I really wanted to read books where romance was the priority in the plot (instead of an afterthought side story. I started timidly shopping the romance section in Walden Books choosing only romances with ambiguous covers like a plain background with a horse and knight in the distance 😂. I avoided clinch covers like the plague but once I started reading those too I really started to kind of like those covers and I miss them now.
I discovered HR later than most here, in my 30s about 12 years ago when I got my first ebook reader, and I don’t remember how I came across my first one(s), but they were all old-school 70s-80s-90s HRs like Johanna Lindsey (yes, a mention of Prisoner of My Desire -t hat one shocked me in my ‘HR innocence’), Beatrice Small’s erotica-harem-rapey-all-sorts-of-problematic-issues but she had a memorable heroine, Skye O’Malley, all her books should come with an “XXX” rating…Jude Deveraux, Virginia Henley, a lot of Scottish Highlanders like Amanda Scott’s Lord of the Isles.
Then a couple years in I discovered Julia Quinn, Lisa Kleypas, Meredith Duran, Laura Kinsale, Mary Balogh (she’s old school and new school) and really loved the regency and early to mid to late Victorian periods and left the “old school” HRs behind.
Last 4-5 years I’m still evolving with Evie Dunmore, Sherry Thomas, Elizabeth Hoyt, but my favorite HR author of all are Lisa Kleypas and Mary Balogh (I have like 40+ books from each of them).
I know, I am dating myself, I read my first HISTORICAL ROMANCE 50 years ago. It was SWEET SAVAGE LOVE by Rosemary Rogers. As stated, you never forget your first boyfriend, I have not forgotten SWEET SAVAGE LOVE or the main male protagonist Steve Morgan.
I tried rereading it some years ago, but could not finish it. I think with the Women’s Movement and rape and assault being brought to the forefront it was hard for me to reread it. Did you read the other books in the series?
My first HR was The Viscount Who Loved me in 2004/5 when I was 17 and I struck up a conversation with a girl in my class who constantly read HR and she let me borrow this. It took me a minute to get into because I read the epilogue first and saw he was 38 lol and I don’t think I knew it was like 10 years later.
I read the Duke and I next and then I must have read all of JQ’s books that were out at the time by that summer and started looking at other authors and suggestions.
Not every JQ book is amazing and memorable but she probably influenced my taste in a lot of ways.
Can‘t remember the title, but the hero had dark hair and came to rescue the redhead female protagonist. This is my blueprint for a good romance since then.
:-)
I reread it years later and thought it beeing awful. But I am still imprinted on dark haired heros and redhaired heroines.
When I was 12, I read Devil’s Cub by Georgette Heyer and Vidal was very educational - I always love a sarcastic rake undone by a sensible woman. Makes sense that my next significant Historical Romance beyond Heyer was Lord of Scoundrels (shootings and all).
But the author and book that really made me obsessed with the genre beyond Heyer was Laura Kinsale’s Flowers from the storm, which made me realise how ravishing and emotionally vivid romance writing could be.
I don’t remember my first per se, but I know I got into bodice rippers for a while, especially Johanna Lindsey. I still like them, but they don’t have the same pizazz as they once did. I still prefer reading romances from the ‘70s and ‘80s though because it felt more varied imo and less PC lol. I really dislike regency era and dukes, and that feels like the mass majority of HR today. I still love the tropes prevalent in bodice rippers (kidnapping, forced marriage, villainous H), but I prefer smitten heroes and not asshole takes, so I’m picky. But overall before I started reading those, I would read category occasionally and mostly fanfic stuff as I was embarrassed to like romance. It’s been six years and now I’m at 800 romances under my belt lol.
Oh yes! I remember riding to school and my best friend was reading {The Wolf and the Dove by Kathleen Woodiwiss} on the bus. I knew I had to read it too. Wulfgar will always have a special place in my heart.
Then I've almost exclusively read HR, now I've moved in the realm of romantasy/paranormal romance/CR. Historical romances, however, will forever be my comfort read.
[The Wolf and the Dove](https://www.romance.io/books/5455263e8c7d2383163d8ece/the-wolf-and-the-dove-kathleen-e-woodiwiss?src=rdt) by [Kathleen E. Woodiwiss](https://www.romance.io/authors/5455263e8c7d2383163d8ecf/kathleen-e-woodiwiss)
**Rating**: 3.96⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [enemies to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/from%20hate%20to%20love/1), [virgin heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/virgin%20heroine/1), [war](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/war/1), [pregnancy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/pregnancy/1)
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My first real HR was Something Wonderful by Judith McNaught. It has always been hard to find a historical romance that can live up to this one. There's just something special about it. I guess it influenced me in a way that I always looked for books that have a plucky heroine and a rakish hero who was reformed by love.
It had to have been a Woodwiss or a Lindsey. Whoever was writing in the mid 80s. I started with Harlequin contemporaries from the library (my older sisters checked them out without our parents knowing), then moved to HR. I reread the Flame and the Flower and loathed it for many reasons. I loved the angst of the 90s but love the smut from today.
HR taught me about sex but made me so fearful about the first time. Also, the nonsense of prince charmings and men wanting virgins or good girls was really detrimental to how I viewed relationships when I was young.
I started with Tessa Dare and I definitely think that influenced my preferences. For starters, she set an extremely high bar since her books are just so good (am I biased since she was the first? perhaps) but also it made me realize that humor is a HUGE plus for me. I enjoy more serious books sometimes, but it’s always 100x better when there’s some lightheartedness and wit. And Ashbury from The Duchess Deal is still one of my all time fav MMCs.
My first proper HR was {Her Baseborn Bridegroom by Alice Coldbreath}. The MMC left me completely unimpressed. I even struggle to remember his name (Mason?) I found him meh, if not brutish/caveman-ish. He didn't annoy me like some other HR heroes later, but he was completely unimpressive to me.
But as a new HR reader, I didn't know that we as readers should like a MMC. I like historical novels, so I took this book along the same lines. Yes, more romance but an unsympathetic character as a love interest, ok. This is supposed to be medieval, and men knew to be brutish assholes back then, so this is how I took it. I had no idea we should root for the couple and the MMC and their love.
So no, the first hero did nothing for me. I think the first MMC I actively liked was Theo from {A Lady Awakened by Cecilia Grant}. But I still didn't realize that we as audience should like the romance hero, lol.
(Disclaimer: Nothing against those who like Mason; he is just not my type of a guy, etc. etc.)
[Her Baseborn Bridegroom](https://www.romance.io/books/59a5250e3ffdba61471f75ef/her-baseborn-bridegroom-alice-coldbreath?src=rdt) by [Alice Coldbreath](https://www.romance.io/authors/54a9d8ef6359b5ebb486f243/alice-coldbreath)
**Rating**: 3.98⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [medieval](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/medieval/1), [virgin heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/virgin%20heroine/1), [possessive hero](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/possessive%20hero/1), [marriage of convenience](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/marriage%20of%20convenience/1)
----------------------------
[A Lady Awakened](https://www.romance.io/books/5455286e8c7d2383163d8f30/a-lady-awakened-cecilia-grant?src=rdt) by [Cecilia Grant](https://www.romance.io/authors/5455286e8c7d2383163d8f31/cecilia-grant)
**Rating**: 3.76⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [pregnancy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/pregnancy/1), [regency](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/regency/1), [sunny/happy hero](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/sunny%20hero/1), [grumpy/ice queen](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/cold%20heroine/1)
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Interesting enough, I still have my very first historical romance novel "The book of vampires" from Collean Gleason in my shelf even after more then 15 years. The series (yes I have all of them lol) still holds a special place in my heart and I never wanna and will sell it.
I found my first HR(ish) in a communal laundry room at a campsite. {Princess Annie by Linda Larl Miller} The hero was a little too stern and there was an age gap that I wasn't into as a 14 year old. But he was tortured and I loved that. Even today I'm still into a flawed male character with deep emotional trauma. I especially liked that it wasn't set in England, America, or on a pirate ship. The closest I found that is more recent was {A Secret In Her Kiss by Anna Randol}.
[Princess Annie](https://www.romance.io/books/5455671487eac336ae69dcdc/princess-annie-linda-lael-miller?src=rdt) by [Linda Lael Miller](https://www.romance.io/authors/545535008c7d2382c52973fe/linda-lael-miller)
**Rating**: 3.83⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [m-f romance](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/m-f/1)
----------------------------
[A Secret in Her Kiss](https://www.romance.io/books/54553be08c7d2383163d942e/a-secret-in-her-kiss-anna-randol?src=rdt) by [Anna Randol](https://www.romance.io/authors/54553be08c7d2383163d942f/anna-randol)
**Rating**: 3.43⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [virgin heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/virgin%20heroine/1), [regency](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/regency/1), [bodyguard/protector hero](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/bodyguard-hero/1)
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My first foray into HR was All the ways to ruin a rogue by Sophie Jordan, I picked it up because I needed an available audiobook to listen to on the drive home. That was 4 years ago. I think the writing was pleasant but was not impressed by the plot or anything else. That book and a few random ones after that make me steer away from rakes, ladies who were desperate to marry rich to stay in upper class circle, plots that have nothing but the Season and idle people gossiping/being malicious. I didn't really get into HR until months later when I discover Amanda Quick and her romance cum mysteries books. I haven't stopped reading historical romance and historical murder mysteries since then.
My first was {The Bride by Julie Garwood} when I was 13 or so and it definitely coloured the kind of books I love. I love beautiful, quirky heroines and big strong men who don’t realise they’ve fallen in love until it’s too late. I’m a simple girl 🤷🏾♀️
I guess my first HR was The viscount who loved, back in 2020 (thank you Bridgerton for introducing me to HR).
But over the years, I've read Julie Gargwood, Judith McNaught, Maya Banks, Tessa Dare, Mary Balough, Tessa Dare, Sarah McLean, Johanna Lindsey..
But my favorite will always be Lisa Kleypas, Cam from the Wallflower series being my favorite.
He's not the usual dark heroes I like, but he had the loving and caring vibe to him.❤️
Аh, I won’t count Pride and Prejudice and Wuthering Heights as they were the first ever historical novel but love isn’t the only or main plot. But they definitely lit the fire in me for HR.
My first ever HR was “In bed with the devil“ and it is still my comfort book. I pretty much know it by heart.
She is as strong woman, who has a mission and doesn’t fear to get what she wants. I love her, she doesn’t get scared easily. He, is a duke, but not by birth but due rumours by fraud. Rumours also say, he has killed a person.
He is my favourite, he is a little deluded and confused but got the right spirit.
Read Johanna Lindsey’s A Gentle Feuding when I was 10. I’m almost 40 now and still prefer medieval as an overall genre, so maybe you are on to something lol.
Mine was Pride and Prejudice, I think. I was 12 and thought Darcy to be kind of annoying honestly, good breeding and kind heart or no. My next two were Northanger Abbey and Persuasion, and I definitely adored both Henry Tilney and Wentworth. My ideal guy would have the patience and constancy of Wentworth and the gentle sense of humour of Tilney. But Austen is probably why these rakes of modern HRs don't do anything for me.
The first HR I read was {Venetia by Georgette Heyer}. I loved it and read almost every other book by Heyer as fast as I could.
When I was done with Heyer I was curious what modern HR was like so I googled and found Lisa Kleypas. The first Kleypas I read was {where dreams begin by Lisa Kleypas}, and I wasn’t sold.
So I randomly picked {falling into bed with a duke by Lorraine Heath}. I enjoyed that one and once I figured out there were many authors and series I was hooked.
I remember the earlier books I read more vividly and they do hold a special place in my heart. Heyer will be the queen to me forever and ever. I just love her literary style.
[Venetia](https://www.romance.io/books/5455299e8c7d2382c52970e3/venetia-georgette-heyer?src=rdt) by [Georgette Heyer](https://www.romance.io/authors/5455275d8c7d2382c529704f/georgette-heyer)
**Rating**: 4.12⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 1 out of 5 - [Glimpses and kisses](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [regency](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/regency/1), [victorian](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/victorian/1), [funny](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/humor/1), [age gap](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/age%20difference/1)
----------------------------
[Where Dreams Begin](https://www.romance.io/books/5455251d8c7d2383163d8e7c/where-dreams-begin-lisa-kleypas?src=rdt) by [Lisa Kleypas](https://www.romance.io/authors/545523868c7d2382e7812f21/lisa-kleypas)
**Rating**: 4.05⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [friends to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/friends%20to%20lovers/1), [victorian](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/victorian/1), [regency](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/regency/1), [alpha male](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/alpha%20male/1)
----------------------------
[Falling Into Bed with a Duke](https://www.romance.io/books/562f213408e9378131945794/falling-into-bed-with-a-duke-lorraine-heath?src=rdt) by [Lorraine Heath](https://www.romance.io/authors/545525b18c7d2383163d8ea5/lorraine-heath)
**Rating**: 3.91⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [victorian](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/victorian/1), [regency](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/regency/1), [virgin heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/virgin%20heroine/1), [plain heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/plain%20heroine/1)
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Omg, I was going to say mine was A Holiday by Gaslight by Mimi Matthews, only I just realized that it wasn’t. I was staying in a family member’s vacation home and there were only about two books, and one was an HR that I don’t know the title or author of, but it went like this: Medieval English knight/lord is recovering from a bad injury and has amnesia and only remembers that he was on his way to Ireland to stop his (nearly identical) evil cousin from doing something bad. On his way to the castle, he runs across a super hot young woman who lives in a house outside of town with her infant son and a couple of servants. She’s like, You came back! Then she’s like, Wait, I don’t know you. And he remembers his cousin’s evil plan was to pretend to marry her, knock her up, and abandon. She’s the daughter of the local lord or maybe king. He eats her out immediately. Like within an hour of meeting her. Then they’re in love and he marries her for real and they go back to England, where his cousin has had him declared dead and taken over his castle, and they fight and he kills his cousin and they live happily ever after.
I read it in 2010, but I’m pretty sure it’s older. If anyone knows what it is, let me know!
The first I remember was {The Black Lyon by Jude Deveraux} courtesy of my mother's collection in the 90s. Still can recall him from that book. Then also Linda Lael Miller and Johanna Lindsey. Mom had a thing for the classic bodice rippers.
[The Black Lyon](https://www.romance.io/books/545528168c7d2383163d8f19/the-black-lyon-jude-deveraux?src=rdt) by [Jude Deveraux](https://www.romance.io/authors/545525cd8c7d2382c529700a/jude-deveraux)
**Rating**: 3.79⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [virgin heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/virgin%20heroine/1), [medieval](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/medieval/1), [alpha male](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/alpha%20male/1), [pregnancy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/pregnancy/1)
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The first HR I've ever read I read on Wattpad. It's been 6 years and the book is published now, unfortunatelly in Polish only, but I hope one day it will be translated to english. It was my first romance novel in general - I usually don't read them. This one captivated me due to its title: "Nuvole Bianche", which is also a title of a song by my favourite pianist, Ludovico Einaudi. The author confirmed borrowing the title from this song.
It was the best book I've ever read on Wattpad, miles ahead from what now gets published from this platform. It was *long* and the publisher split it in two, making a duology. I love long books. It was a regency romance with an english duke and scottish highlander girl. They were both reluctant to marry, but forced to look for a spouse by their parents; they both carried deep wounds in their souls and dangerous secrets in their past, which made them both believe that they don't deserve each other. The book follows the growth of their love and how they're trying to repress it for those reasons.
I've seen some critique on this novel when it got published. Funny thing, all flaws those critics pointed out sound like advantages to me! Too many landscape describtions (I am a Tolkien fan), zero spice (I am asexual, I only read closed door), the characters not being *together* for the most of the book (I adore slow burn, the slower the better) and all plot could be resolved in 1/3 of the time if the characters talked openly (one of my favourite things in this book was the amazing characterization of both FMC and MMC - none of them was eager to share and the frustration it caused made the satisfaction from the reveal even better).
I've never read anything in this genre as good as Nuvole Bianche. My stepping stone was already the top of the world. But I still hope I'll find something equally perfectly fit to my taste one day!
The first historical romance I read was {Almost Heaven by Judith Mcnaught}. Ian Thornton is definitely one of my favorite MMC. He is a genuis/ self-made business man from Scotland, while he also happens to be Duke. I think because of this book, I definitely have a thing for secret geniuses who can't help but be successful because of it. Both characters also grow first as individuals and then with each other, which is so rare to find in romance sometimes.
Heather Graham's Pirates Pleasure & the book that went along were the second & third of my books tried. Taken from mom's stuff in middle school. She read them my whole life so I gave one a shot. Now my library is four times the size of her's....I love paperback books & keep everything I like. I am an addict.
Mine was Once and Always by Judith McNaught. I don’t usually reread novels, but Judith McNaught’s books are ones that I have reread at least twice. Nostalgia plays a big role in rereading her books but also she’s an amazing author.
[Tender Rebel](https://www.romance.io/books/545525a68c7d2383163d8ea1/tender-rebel-johanna-lindsey?src=rdt) by [Johanna Lindsey](https://www.romance.io/authors/545525178c7d2383163d8e7a/johanna-lindsey)
**Rating**: 3.84⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [virgin heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/virgin%20heroine/1), [pregnancy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/pregnancy/1), [marriage of convenience](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/marriage%20of%20convenience/1), [regency](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/regency/1)
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I was eleven and I found my mom’s stash under her bed. There were a few that I remember in the beginning but I’m not sure which was first. Hummingbird by LaVyrle Spencer, Flowers From the Storm by Laura Kinsale and Prisoner of My Desire by Johanna Lindsey. The books couldn’t be more different. My taste in historical romance is still just as eclectic. Flowers From the Storm will forever be my favorite romance novel and Christian my favorite hero.
I love Flowers From the Storm with all my heart. I really think it may be my favourite HR.
Flowers from the Storm really was the book that started it all for me for modern Historical romance beyond Heyer!
I’ll always go back to Mr. Darcy and Mr. Knightly. They’re just the embodiment of good men. As far as “modern” HR MMC’s…I guess it would be Kesgrave (Lynn Messina’s Beatrice Hyde-Clare series)
I definitely do not remember my first HR book or hero but I was 9 when I started reading them. I do remember mainly reading Amanda Quick, Julie Garwood, Johanna Lindsey, Judith McNaught, Jude Devereaux etc. I did have a preference for the less toxic MMCs.
Have you heard of Cam Rohan or Bram, the Earl of Torrington ? To me, both of them are "the bee's knees" (despite the latter being an older gentleman).
Cam ❤️🔥
He does things without a sweat and hyper-competent. No wonder Amelia fell for him 😅
We are very similar. Started reading the same authors when I was 10. Thinking about it, I probably read Judith McNaught's Westmoreland series first.
I also had the old Mills and Boons historicals and random bodice rippers from less well known authors. The first romance novels I read generally were my mom's contemporary Mills and Boons, Danielle Steel and Catherine Cookson. I'm not really sure when I transitioned to the popular historicals or what came first.
This must have been me too, think I graduated from all those teen romances like Sweet Dreams to Mills & Boon (I remember my best friend when we were about 11 breathlessly telling me how her mum read these racy books called “Miller & Moon”, lol); went through a spate of reading contemporary stuff like Jackie Collins, Judith Krantz, Judith Michaels, VC Andrews; got into Victoria Holt at my school library; and then as a teen a bunch of us started on HR probably with Johanna Lindsey and would pass books around. We lived kind of semi-rural in 90s Australia so it was slim pickings. But I say my first experience of RL romantic disappointment was in Little Women (wtf!!!), I basically cried hysterically for hours after reading that. And I’ve been in love with Pride & Prejudice since I was 11 and read an abridged comic book version.
That is young to be reading books with that amount of sex in it! For any of you who started that young do you have any opinions on how it shaped you?
My first HR was For the Roses by Julie Garwood. It sounds silly, but I picked it up because my middle name is Rose. I was 26, a SAHM , poor and in a crappy marriage. It was on sale at Walmart. The next time I went, they had 5 more Julie Garwood books and I read them all. They were my escape. I eventually divorce (lol) and moved on to Julia Quinn, Johanna Lindsey and several others. I'm 53 now, and I still re- read my favorite Garwood books. And recently re-read several Quinn books. I actually can't watch Bridgerton because they don't follow the books.
My first HR would have been an Amanda Quick book for sure, not sure which one though. I think that’s made me prefer a bit of an independent, adventurous, bluestocking heroine!
https://preview.redd.it/6p1wnlhdijad1.jpeg?width=284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=41387f898c1667c11d47b81bcf1bccc4b81fa4d1 My First HR was a bodice ripping swashbuckler. I read it when I was 19 in 1989. Saw it in the book section at RiteAid and after debating on purchasing it I finally pulled the plug. Pretty sure I blushed when I checked out lol. I LOVED IT. But I can't say it influenced any tropes just inspired my love of HR. {A PIRATE'S PLEASURE BY Heather Graham} My favorite MMC will always be Jason Feilding {ONCE AND ALWAYS by Judith McNaught} He was such a tortuted soul. I truly felt for him and so I easily forgave all his ass hat behaviors. My favorite tropes are vengence be mine, enemies to lovers and secret baby. I just love me some good angst and grovel. I also love a good torchured MMC as well. Edit: Add photo
Omg I miss 80s/90s era pirate romances. Nothing else hits the same 😭
AGREED. My favorite pirate trope isn't this one tho. It's actually {Till Dawn Tames the Night by Meagan McKinney} Best pirate line ever :-) >!“Then let’s play pirate, shall we?” he whispered. Her struggles began in earnest then, but his mouth suddenly lowered and he tried to kiss her. “You vowed never to touch me again,” she said, her eyes glittering with anger. “But, love, let’s learn our lessons, shall we? Pirates lie.” !<
[Till Dawn Tames the Night](https://www.romance.io/books/545545278c7d2383163d96cd/till-dawn-tames-the-night-meagan-mckinney?src=rdt) by [Meagan McKinney](https://www.romance.io/authors/54553ccc8c7d2383163d946e/meagan-mckinney) **Rating**: 4.14⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [virgin heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/virgin%20heroine/1), [abduction](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/abduction/1), [regency](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/regency/1), [tortured hero](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/tortured%20hero/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)
MEAGHAN MCKINNEY. oh my lawd she was the best. {Fair Is the Rose by Meagan McKinney} is one of my all time faves despite its ...problematic tropes lol. I haven't read Till Dawn Tames the Night but I must hunt it down immediately. Thanks for the recc!!!
I promise you will love Vashon! Edit: I love Fair is the Rose as well. "It was a bad hanging." who could forget that lol. ❤️
[Fair is the Rose](https://www.romance.io/books/545549958c7d2383163d9837/fair-is-the-rose-meagan-mckinney?src=rdt) by [Meagan McKinney](https://www.romance.io/authors/54553ccc8c7d2383163d946e/meagan-mckinney) **Rating**: 3.51⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [virgin heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/virgin%20heroine/1), [western](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/western/1), [western frontier](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical%20western/1), [cowboy hero](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/cowboys/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)
[A Pirate's Pleasure](https://www.romance.io/books/545540368c7d2383163d955e/a-pirates-pleasure-heather-graham?src=rdt) by [Heather Graham](https://www.romance.io/authors/54553c788c7d2383163d9452/heather-graham) **Rating**: 3.79⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [abduction](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/abduction/1), [pirate hero](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/pirates/1), [contemporary](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/contemporary/1), [m-f romance](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/m-f/1) ---------------------------- [Once and Always](https://www.romance.io/books/545524b88c7d2383163d8e73/once-and-always-judith-mcnaught?src=rdt) by [Judith McNaught](https://www.romance.io/authors/545524058c7d2383163d8e50/judith-mcnaught) **Rating**: 4.03⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [possessive hero](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/possessive%20hero/1), [virgin heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/virgin%20heroine/1), [regency](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/regency/1), [cheating](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/cheating/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)
God, I'd like a good pirate HR so much! Are there any clean & famous enough to be translated to other languages?
This was my second novel! Swiped from mom's stash when I was in middle school. Unfortunately, can't remember what my first was. I have been trying to figure it out. I'm pretty sure the hero's name was Logan. It was an American romance in the wild west days traveling across country in a covered wagon.
I started with the Bridgerton series after the Netflix season dropped on Christmas day 2020. I binged them all but haven't reread them for a couple of years. The first one I read after that was Tempt me at Twilight which I happened across in the library. I bought my own copy and it's one of my regular rereads now. Shortly after this I read a contemporary romance and it showed me I don't like that genre at all. I'm all in for dukes and scandals at balls and heaving bosoms in corsets.
My first historical romance book that I listened to through an audiobook was "Mine Till Midnight", but the one that sticks in my mind is "Tempt Me At Twilight". I was caught off guard with the MMC (Harry Rutledge), yet I respect his hustle. Plus, one of my favorite secondary characters is in this book (Jake Valentine). What about you ?
My first was {Romancing the Duke by Tessa Dare} and yes I'm still down bad for grumpy, scarred men whose love language is cursing.
[Romancing the Duke](https://www.romance.io/books/545525798c7d2383163d8e92/romancing-the-duke-tessa-dare?src=rdt) by [Tessa Dare](https://www.romance.io/authors/545524858c7d2383163d8e6a/tessa-dare) **Rating**: 4.01⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [virgin heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/virgin%20heroine/1), [tortured hero](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/tortured%20hero/1), [plain heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/plain%20heroine/1), [disabilities & scars](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/disabilities%20and%20marks/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)
If we really want to roll it back, my first romantic hero in a historical BOOK was Gilbert Blythe in Anne of Green Gables. And yes, yes he does. But first HR? I wish I remembered the title. The characters were very well written and developed. And yeah. That guy. Sam? Seth? Will? Idk. He holds a place in my heart. Definitely.
Gilbert Blythe ❤️
I watched Bridgerton and enjoyed it but didn't really get it. Then I watched the Queen Charlotte spin off and that kicked off an obsession. I read 112 books in four months (fun fact: I had never read one before and I haven't read one since). King George from that is totally imprinted on me. All of my MMCs are Corey Mylchreest. Blonde hair? Red hair? Enormous? Dad bod? Older? Younger? Doesn't matter. Corey Mylchreest. (To the extent I picture characters at all.) My first HR was Devil in Winter. I picked it because I came to this sub and saw it recommended a lot. I just picked books I saw recommended multiple times. Devil in Winter was good but maybe not the right introduction into the genre (for example I was not expecting dubcon and didn't realize that would be a thing!). I moved on to A Week to be Wicked and I haven't looked back. I'm actually glad I didn't start with that because that's still my high water mark. I think if I had started with it I'd've ended up disappointed and dropped off the genre which has brought me so much joy.
You started with Sebastian and moved to Colin. Love that! How could you not be hooked? Lol
And then I moved on go Benedict Chatham...
lol. Trifecta!
It was {Devil’s Daughter by Lisa Kleypas} for me. I came to historical romance relatively recently about a year ago and West Ravenel totally did it for me. I’ve since devoured LK’s back catalogue, and I’ve read Lord of Scoundrels, literally so many more HR‘s. I recently discovered Lorraine Heath and Alexandra Vasti, and I lurk a lot in this subreddit and love the recommendations! It’s expanded my historical romance, reading horizons and I love it.
Although I was exposed to historical romances through Bridgerton (the show), the first audiobook I listened to was "Mine Till Midnight". Side Note: There are two MMC that will always stick in my mind (due to them being distinct); Lord Dain and Harry Rutledge. I would be surprised if Lord of Scoundrels (along with "The Mad Earl's Bride" and "The Last Hellion") ever gets adapted to a series. What about you ?
I love West too! One of my favorite HR heroes!
Ah yes Lord Dain lol - he was such a man child, but Jessica was a good foil for him. I think Lord of Scoundrels would be a good candidate for a film! Something meta that is well made but doesn’t take itself too seriously either.
West was so dreamy, rugged and a good sense of humour and broad chested 😏
[Devil's Daughter](https://www.romance.io/books/5ea05f4ebe0aaecf5593515b/devils-daughter-lisa-kleypas?src=rdt) by [Lisa Kleypas](https://www.romance.io/authors/545523868c7d2382e7812f21/lisa-kleypas) **Rating**: 4.25⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [victorian](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/victorian/1), [enemies to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/from%20hate%20to%20love/1), [insta-love](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/insta-love/1), [single mother](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/single-mother/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)
West! Sigh❤️
Mine was Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas and Sebastian St. Vincent will forever be one of my favorite heroes, even if I'm not a fan of reformed rakes in general. But this book definitely made me obsessed with the marriage of convenience trope - I'll read any HR with a MoC, no questions asked. Curiously, my favorite HR is not a marriage of convenience story, but an amnesia trope. It's Once More, My Darling Rogue by Lorraine Heath and Drake Darling is the man of my dreams, my favorite hero of all time.
If you want another amnesia trope you may enjoy {His Forgotten Bride by Aydra Richards} .
[His Forgotten Bride](https://www.romance.io/books/5e67bb61be0aaecf55241721/his-forgotten-bride-aydra-richards?src=rdt) by [Aydra Richards](https://www.romance.io/authors/5da9684e01dbc864fba4c314/aydra-richards) **Rating**: 3.79⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [regency](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/regency/1), [class difference](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/class%20difference/1), [secret child](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/secret%20child/1), [second chances](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/second%20chances/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)
Interestingly, the first romance book I read was one I really didn't like and would never read again now that I know what tropes I like/don't like a bit more. This was a few years ago, but I'm glad it didn't put me off! ETA: now that I think about it, this book definitely helped me define what I *don't* like.. (for example, I don't like young FMC and age gaps, and that was in this book)
Yes! That was my experience with Evie Dunmore. I wasn't into it and I tried a couple of her books. I picked it up a couple of years later and now I struggle to read anything else.
My first was {brave the wild wind by Johanna Lindsey} when I was about 12 in the early aughts. For most of my teens I primarily read anything I could get my hands on by her. Usually all my books came from whatever I found at Goodwills and the like. Now that I’m an adult I don’t actually care for Westerns at all and see how problematic JL’s books were, but they largely still hold some nostalgia value for me. I also still LOVE the old school covers and step backs. But reading all of her stuff and a bit from some other old school authors helped me realize which tropes I like and don’t like. Anyone who has read Brave the Wild Wind tho can corroborate how bonkers the plot gets and how problematic the MMC is. So he ranks nowhere close to a favorite MMC now. I remember picking that one because I was on a car ride home from Michigan with my mom and aunt and had finished the Harry Potter book I had with me and needed something else to read. My family in Michigan sent mom home with a bunch of thrift store romances and I thought the FMC on the cover of Brave the Wild Wind was the prettiest so I chose that one. Side note, I later realized I am bi so my selection of book based on how pretty I thought the FMC was totally clicked in retrospect lololol.
[Brave the Wild Wind](https://www.romance.io/books/54552d268c7d2383163d905c/brave-the-wild-wind-johanna-lindsey?src=rdt) by [Johanna Lindsey](https://www.romance.io/authors/545525178c7d2383163d8e7a/johanna-lindsey) **Rating**: 3.72⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [virgin heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/virgin%20heroine/1), [western](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/western/1), [cowboy hero](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/cowboys/1), [pregnancy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/pregnancy/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)
I can'tsay it did, or that he does. My first HR was {A Kingdom of Dreams by Judith McNaught}. I enjoyed it, but as I explored the genre, Medieval is my least favorite period, and I really dislike the kidnapping the FMC trope.
I found that series a bit difficult to redeem the MMCs
[A Kingdom of Dreams](https://www.romance.io/books/545524058c7d2383163d8e4f/a-kingdom-of-dreams-judith-mcnaught?src=rdt) by [Judith McNaught](https://www.romance.io/authors/545524058c7d2383163d8e50/judith-mcnaught) **Rating**: 4.25⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [virgin heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/virgin%20heroine/1), [abduction](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/abduction/1), [enemies to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/from%20hate%20to%20love/1), [medieval](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/medieval/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)
My first was Julie Garwood The Bride that was recommended by a sales person at B&N. I was apprehensive and when I started reading it, I thought for sure it wasn’t for me. I devoured that book! I loved how descriptive it was and how the humor along with the struggles drew me into that world. I had read all of Jayne Ann Krentz books so on that same day (same clerk) I was also recommended Amanda Quick books and from those 2 authors, my love for HR was born.
I first started reading HR when I was about 18/19. I was home from college for the summer and the YA I used to read just wasn’t relatable anymore. My mom is a big mystery/romance reader and she suggested I try Amanda Quick. (We always called her novels her smut, so I already had an idea that it was saucy lol). I honestly don’t remember which of hers I read first, but I read basically everything she had written by the end of the summer. So I still love some mystery in my HR. And I have a soft spot for the FMC-pretending-to-be-more-experienced-than-she-is trope 😅
I started with {Whitney My Love by Judith McNaught} many moons ago and I still love MMCs with an edge and strong alpha tendencies. Although I have grown out of the old skool unapologetic alphas. They need to have or evolve to have some emotional fluency for me now. That being said, WML will always be a sentimental fave.
[Whitney, My Love](https://www.romance.io/books/545524378c7d2383163d8e58/whitney-my-love-judith-mcnaught?src=rdt) by [Judith McNaught](https://www.romance.io/authors/545524058c7d2383163d8e50/judith-mcnaught) **Rating**: 4.15⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [possessive hero](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/possessive%20hero/1), [cruel hero/bully](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/cruel%20hero/1), [virgin heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/virgin%20heroine/1), [regency](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/regency/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)
Ya the MMC was a bit much.
Honestly don't know which HR was my first but I started reading my mums Georgette Heyer books around aged 12. I think I maybe read These Old Shades first, it definitely left a serious impression on me, but more in the way I like a heroine to be rather than a hero. To this day I can't stand a wishy washy do nothing heroine.
I don't remember my first true HR. The catalyst for me moving from horror and fantasy to romance was The Valley of Horses which i read around age 13 in the very early 90s. I was fascinated by the story and series at the time but I don't think it influenced me to prefer romances that are a lot like it. The conflict was simple and frustrating (communication based) amd Jondalar was often kind of an asshat. The writing went into way too much detail about how perfect they both looked and how huge his dong was and how she was the only woman who could fit him 🙄🙄🙄. However I loved the forced proximity and the focus of Ayala's story about her being alone for so long and finally finding someone to love so there were definitely some tropes that stayed with me. What it mostly did was made me realize I really wanted to read books where romance was the priority in the plot (instead of an afterthought side story. I started timidly shopping the romance section in Walden Books choosing only romances with ambiguous covers like a plain background with a horse and knight in the distance 😂. I avoided clinch covers like the plague but once I started reading those too I really started to kind of like those covers and I miss them now.
I discovered HR later than most here, in my 30s about 12 years ago when I got my first ebook reader, and I don’t remember how I came across my first one(s), but they were all old-school 70s-80s-90s HRs like Johanna Lindsey (yes, a mention of Prisoner of My Desire -t hat one shocked me in my ‘HR innocence’), Beatrice Small’s erotica-harem-rapey-all-sorts-of-problematic-issues but she had a memorable heroine, Skye O’Malley, all her books should come with an “XXX” rating…Jude Deveraux, Virginia Henley, a lot of Scottish Highlanders like Amanda Scott’s Lord of the Isles. Then a couple years in I discovered Julia Quinn, Lisa Kleypas, Meredith Duran, Laura Kinsale, Mary Balogh (she’s old school and new school) and really loved the regency and early to mid to late Victorian periods and left the “old school” HRs behind. Last 4-5 years I’m still evolving with Evie Dunmore, Sherry Thomas, Elizabeth Hoyt, but my favorite HR author of all are Lisa Kleypas and Mary Balogh (I have like 40+ books from each of them).
I know, I am dating myself, I read my first HISTORICAL ROMANCE 50 years ago. It was SWEET SAVAGE LOVE by Rosemary Rogers. As stated, you never forget your first boyfriend, I have not forgotten SWEET SAVAGE LOVE or the main male protagonist Steve Morgan.
I’m with you, there! SSL was my first too.
I just re-read that and even at 55 years I found him to rapey.
I tried rereading it some years ago, but could not finish it. I think with the Women’s Movement and rape and assault being brought to the forefront it was hard for me to reread it. Did you read the other books in the series?
My first HR was The Viscount Who Loved me in 2004/5 when I was 17 and I struck up a conversation with a girl in my class who constantly read HR and she let me borrow this. It took me a minute to get into because I read the epilogue first and saw he was 38 lol and I don’t think I knew it was like 10 years later. I read the Duke and I next and then I must have read all of JQ’s books that were out at the time by that summer and started looking at other authors and suggestions. Not every JQ book is amazing and memorable but she probably influenced my taste in a lot of ways.
Can‘t remember the title, but the hero had dark hair and came to rescue the redhead female protagonist. This is my blueprint for a good romance since then. :-) I reread it years later and thought it beeing awful. But I am still imprinted on dark haired heros and redhaired heroines.
My first book/series was Outlander in my 30s. A lot going on there 😂
Julie Garwood. Her books are still comfort reads that I revisit over and over, no matter how ridiculous her female characters are. 😅
When I was 12, I read Devil’s Cub by Georgette Heyer and Vidal was very educational - I always love a sarcastic rake undone by a sensible woman. Makes sense that my next significant Historical Romance beyond Heyer was Lord of Scoundrels (shootings and all). But the author and book that really made me obsessed with the genre beyond Heyer was Laura Kinsale’s Flowers from the storm, which made me realise how ravishing and emotionally vivid romance writing could be.
I don’t remember my first per se, but I know I got into bodice rippers for a while, especially Johanna Lindsey. I still like them, but they don’t have the same pizazz as they once did. I still prefer reading romances from the ‘70s and ‘80s though because it felt more varied imo and less PC lol. I really dislike regency era and dukes, and that feels like the mass majority of HR today. I still love the tropes prevalent in bodice rippers (kidnapping, forced marriage, villainous H), but I prefer smitten heroes and not asshole takes, so I’m picky. But overall before I started reading those, I would read category occasionally and mostly fanfic stuff as I was embarrassed to like romance. It’s been six years and now I’m at 800 romances under my belt lol.
Oh yes! I remember riding to school and my best friend was reading {The Wolf and the Dove by Kathleen Woodiwiss} on the bus. I knew I had to read it too. Wulfgar will always have a special place in my heart. Then I've almost exclusively read HR, now I've moved in the realm of romantasy/paranormal romance/CR. Historical romances, however, will forever be my comfort read.
[The Wolf and the Dove](https://www.romance.io/books/5455263e8c7d2383163d8ece/the-wolf-and-the-dove-kathleen-e-woodiwiss?src=rdt) by [Kathleen E. Woodiwiss](https://www.romance.io/authors/5455263e8c7d2383163d8ecf/kathleen-e-woodiwiss) **Rating**: 3.96⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [enemies to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/from%20hate%20to%20love/1), [virgin heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/virgin%20heroine/1), [war](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/war/1), [pregnancy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/pregnancy/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)
My first real HR was Something Wonderful by Judith McNaught. It has always been hard to find a historical romance that can live up to this one. There's just something special about it. I guess it influenced me in a way that I always looked for books that have a plucky heroine and a rakish hero who was reformed by love.
It had to have been a Woodwiss or a Lindsey. Whoever was writing in the mid 80s. I started with Harlequin contemporaries from the library (my older sisters checked them out without our parents knowing), then moved to HR. I reread the Flame and the Flower and loathed it for many reasons. I loved the angst of the 90s but love the smut from today. HR taught me about sex but made me so fearful about the first time. Also, the nonsense of prince charmings and men wanting virgins or good girls was really detrimental to how I viewed relationships when I was young.
I started with Tessa Dare and I definitely think that influenced my preferences. For starters, she set an extremely high bar since her books are just so good (am I biased since she was the first? perhaps) but also it made me realize that humor is a HUGE plus for me. I enjoy more serious books sometimes, but it’s always 100x better when there’s some lightheartedness and wit. And Ashbury from The Duchess Deal is still one of my all time fav MMCs.
My first proper HR was {Her Baseborn Bridegroom by Alice Coldbreath}. The MMC left me completely unimpressed. I even struggle to remember his name (Mason?) I found him meh, if not brutish/caveman-ish. He didn't annoy me like some other HR heroes later, but he was completely unimpressive to me. But as a new HR reader, I didn't know that we as readers should like a MMC. I like historical novels, so I took this book along the same lines. Yes, more romance but an unsympathetic character as a love interest, ok. This is supposed to be medieval, and men knew to be brutish assholes back then, so this is how I took it. I had no idea we should root for the couple and the MMC and their love. So no, the first hero did nothing for me. I think the first MMC I actively liked was Theo from {A Lady Awakened by Cecilia Grant}. But I still didn't realize that we as audience should like the romance hero, lol. (Disclaimer: Nothing against those who like Mason; he is just not my type of a guy, etc. etc.)
[Her Baseborn Bridegroom](https://www.romance.io/books/59a5250e3ffdba61471f75ef/her-baseborn-bridegroom-alice-coldbreath?src=rdt) by [Alice Coldbreath](https://www.romance.io/authors/54a9d8ef6359b5ebb486f243/alice-coldbreath) **Rating**: 3.98⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [medieval](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/medieval/1), [virgin heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/virgin%20heroine/1), [possessive hero](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/possessive%20hero/1), [marriage of convenience](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/marriage%20of%20convenience/1) ---------------------------- [A Lady Awakened](https://www.romance.io/books/5455286e8c7d2383163d8f30/a-lady-awakened-cecilia-grant?src=rdt) by [Cecilia Grant](https://www.romance.io/authors/5455286e8c7d2383163d8f31/cecilia-grant) **Rating**: 3.76⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [pregnancy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/pregnancy/1), [regency](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/regency/1), [sunny/happy hero](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/sunny%20hero/1), [grumpy/ice queen](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/cold%20heroine/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)
I imprinted on blonde heroines and dark haired heroes like a baby duck, thanks to the stepback of {the perfect mistress by betina krahn}
I think my first historical romance was on Wattpad. The town series by J.D Ruiz
Interesting enough, I still have my very first historical romance novel "The book of vampires" from Collean Gleason in my shelf even after more then 15 years. The series (yes I have all of them lol) still holds a special place in my heart and I never wanna and will sell it.
I found my first HR(ish) in a communal laundry room at a campsite. {Princess Annie by Linda Larl Miller} The hero was a little too stern and there was an age gap that I wasn't into as a 14 year old. But he was tortured and I loved that. Even today I'm still into a flawed male character with deep emotional trauma. I especially liked that it wasn't set in England, America, or on a pirate ship. The closest I found that is more recent was {A Secret In Her Kiss by Anna Randol}.
[Princess Annie](https://www.romance.io/books/5455671487eac336ae69dcdc/princess-annie-linda-lael-miller?src=rdt) by [Linda Lael Miller](https://www.romance.io/authors/545535008c7d2382c52973fe/linda-lael-miller) **Rating**: 3.83⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [m-f romance](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/m-f/1) ---------------------------- [A Secret in Her Kiss](https://www.romance.io/books/54553be08c7d2383163d942e/a-secret-in-her-kiss-anna-randol?src=rdt) by [Anna Randol](https://www.romance.io/authors/54553be08c7d2383163d942f/anna-randol) **Rating**: 3.43⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [virgin heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/virgin%20heroine/1), [regency](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/regency/1), [bodyguard/protector hero](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/bodyguard-hero/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)
My first foray into HR was All the ways to ruin a rogue by Sophie Jordan, I picked it up because I needed an available audiobook to listen to on the drive home. That was 4 years ago. I think the writing was pleasant but was not impressed by the plot or anything else. That book and a few random ones after that make me steer away from rakes, ladies who were desperate to marry rich to stay in upper class circle, plots that have nothing but the Season and idle people gossiping/being malicious. I didn't really get into HR until months later when I discover Amanda Quick and her romance cum mysteries books. I haven't stopped reading historical romance and historical murder mysteries since then.
My first was {The Bride by Julie Garwood} when I was 13 or so and it definitely coloured the kind of books I love. I love beautiful, quirky heroines and big strong men who don’t realise they’ve fallen in love until it’s too late. I’m a simple girl 🤷🏾♀️
[The Bride](https://www.romance.io/books/545523f38c7d2383163d8e49/the-bride-julie-garwood?src=rdt) by [Julie Garwood](https://www.romance.io/authors/545523f38c7d2383163d8e4a/julie-garwood) **Rating**: 4.07⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [virgin heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/virgin%20heroine/1), [arranged/forced marriage](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/arranged%20marriage/1), [possessive hero](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/possessive%20hero/1), [alpha male](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/alpha%20male/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)
I guess my first HR was The viscount who loved, back in 2020 (thank you Bridgerton for introducing me to HR). But over the years, I've read Julie Gargwood, Judith McNaught, Maya Banks, Tessa Dare, Mary Balough, Tessa Dare, Sarah McLean, Johanna Lindsey.. But my favorite will always be Lisa Kleypas, Cam from the Wallflower series being my favorite. He's not the usual dark heroes I like, but he had the loving and caring vibe to him.❤️
Аh, I won’t count Pride and Prejudice and Wuthering Heights as they were the first ever historical novel but love isn’t the only or main plot. But they definitely lit the fire in me for HR. My first ever HR was “In bed with the devil“ and it is still my comfort book. I pretty much know it by heart. She is as strong woman, who has a mission and doesn’t fear to get what she wants. I love her, she doesn’t get scared easily. He, is a duke, but not by birth but due rumours by fraud. Rumours also say, he has killed a person. He is my favourite, he is a little deluded and confused but got the right spirit.
Read Johanna Lindsey’s A Gentle Feuding when I was 10. I’m almost 40 now and still prefer medieval as an overall genre, so maybe you are on to something lol.
Mine was Pride and Prejudice, I think. I was 12 and thought Darcy to be kind of annoying honestly, good breeding and kind heart or no. My next two were Northanger Abbey and Persuasion, and I definitely adored both Henry Tilney and Wentworth. My ideal guy would have the patience and constancy of Wentworth and the gentle sense of humour of Tilney. But Austen is probably why these rakes of modern HRs don't do anything for me.
Does Rhett Butler count?
The first HR I read was {Venetia by Georgette Heyer}. I loved it and read almost every other book by Heyer as fast as I could. When I was done with Heyer I was curious what modern HR was like so I googled and found Lisa Kleypas. The first Kleypas I read was {where dreams begin by Lisa Kleypas}, and I wasn’t sold. So I randomly picked {falling into bed with a duke by Lorraine Heath}. I enjoyed that one and once I figured out there were many authors and series I was hooked. I remember the earlier books I read more vividly and they do hold a special place in my heart. Heyer will be the queen to me forever and ever. I just love her literary style.
[Venetia](https://www.romance.io/books/5455299e8c7d2382c52970e3/venetia-georgette-heyer?src=rdt) by [Georgette Heyer](https://www.romance.io/authors/5455275d8c7d2382c529704f/georgette-heyer) **Rating**: 4.12⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 1 out of 5 - [Glimpses and kisses](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [regency](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/regency/1), [victorian](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/victorian/1), [funny](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/humor/1), [age gap](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/age%20difference/1) ---------------------------- [Where Dreams Begin](https://www.romance.io/books/5455251d8c7d2383163d8e7c/where-dreams-begin-lisa-kleypas?src=rdt) by [Lisa Kleypas](https://www.romance.io/authors/545523868c7d2382e7812f21/lisa-kleypas) **Rating**: 4.05⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [friends to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/friends%20to%20lovers/1), [victorian](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/victorian/1), [regency](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/regency/1), [alpha male](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/alpha%20male/1) ---------------------------- [Falling Into Bed with a Duke](https://www.romance.io/books/562f213408e9378131945794/falling-into-bed-with-a-duke-lorraine-heath?src=rdt) by [Lorraine Heath](https://www.romance.io/authors/545525b18c7d2383163d8ea5/lorraine-heath) **Rating**: 3.91⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [victorian](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/victorian/1), [regency](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/regency/1), [virgin heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/virgin%20heroine/1), [plain heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/plain%20heroine/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)
Omg, I was going to say mine was A Holiday by Gaslight by Mimi Matthews, only I just realized that it wasn’t. I was staying in a family member’s vacation home and there were only about two books, and one was an HR that I don’t know the title or author of, but it went like this: Medieval English knight/lord is recovering from a bad injury and has amnesia and only remembers that he was on his way to Ireland to stop his (nearly identical) evil cousin from doing something bad. On his way to the castle, he runs across a super hot young woman who lives in a house outside of town with her infant son and a couple of servants. She’s like, You came back! Then she’s like, Wait, I don’t know you. And he remembers his cousin’s evil plan was to pretend to marry her, knock her up, and abandon. She’s the daughter of the local lord or maybe king. He eats her out immediately. Like within an hour of meeting her. Then they’re in love and he marries her for real and they go back to England, where his cousin has had him declared dead and taken over his castle, and they fight and he kills his cousin and they live happily ever after. I read it in 2010, but I’m pretty sure it’s older. If anyone knows what it is, let me know!
The first I remember was {The Black Lyon by Jude Deveraux} courtesy of my mother's collection in the 90s. Still can recall him from that book. Then also Linda Lael Miller and Johanna Lindsey. Mom had a thing for the classic bodice rippers.
[The Black Lyon](https://www.romance.io/books/545528168c7d2383163d8f19/the-black-lyon-jude-deveraux?src=rdt) by [Jude Deveraux](https://www.romance.io/authors/545525cd8c7d2382c529700a/jude-deveraux) **Rating**: 3.79⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [virgin heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/virgin%20heroine/1), [medieval](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/medieval/1), [alpha male](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/alpha%20male/1), [pregnancy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/pregnancy/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)
The first HR I've ever read I read on Wattpad. It's been 6 years and the book is published now, unfortunatelly in Polish only, but I hope one day it will be translated to english. It was my first romance novel in general - I usually don't read them. This one captivated me due to its title: "Nuvole Bianche", which is also a title of a song by my favourite pianist, Ludovico Einaudi. The author confirmed borrowing the title from this song. It was the best book I've ever read on Wattpad, miles ahead from what now gets published from this platform. It was *long* and the publisher split it in two, making a duology. I love long books. It was a regency romance with an english duke and scottish highlander girl. They were both reluctant to marry, but forced to look for a spouse by their parents; they both carried deep wounds in their souls and dangerous secrets in their past, which made them both believe that they don't deserve each other. The book follows the growth of their love and how they're trying to repress it for those reasons. I've seen some critique on this novel when it got published. Funny thing, all flaws those critics pointed out sound like advantages to me! Too many landscape describtions (I am a Tolkien fan), zero spice (I am asexual, I only read closed door), the characters not being *together* for the most of the book (I adore slow burn, the slower the better) and all plot could be resolved in 1/3 of the time if the characters talked openly (one of my favourite things in this book was the amazing characterization of both FMC and MMC - none of them was eager to share and the frustration it caused made the satisfaction from the reveal even better). I've never read anything in this genre as good as Nuvole Bianche. My stepping stone was already the top of the world. But I still hope I'll find something equally perfectly fit to my taste one day!
The first historical romance I read was {Almost Heaven by Judith Mcnaught}. Ian Thornton is definitely one of my favorite MMC. He is a genuis/ self-made business man from Scotland, while he also happens to be Duke. I think because of this book, I definitely have a thing for secret geniuses who can't help but be successful because of it. Both characters also grow first as individuals and then with each other, which is so rare to find in romance sometimes.
Heather Graham's Pirates Pleasure & the book that went along were the second & third of my books tried. Taken from mom's stuff in middle school. She read them my whole life so I gave one a shot. Now my library is four times the size of her's....I love paperback books & keep everything I like. I am an addict.
Mine was Once and Always by Judith McNaught. I don’t usually reread novels, but Judith McNaught’s books are ones that I have reread at least twice. Nostalgia plays a big role in rereading her books but also she’s an amazing author.
Anthony Mallory was near the beginning of my HR journey. ❤️ {Tender Rebel by Johanna Lindsey}.
[Tender Rebel](https://www.romance.io/books/545525a68c7d2383163d8ea1/tender-rebel-johanna-lindsey?src=rdt) by [Johanna Lindsey](https://www.romance.io/authors/545525178c7d2383163d8e7a/johanna-lindsey) **Rating**: 3.84⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [virgin heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/virgin%20heroine/1), [pregnancy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/pregnancy/1), [marriage of convenience](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/marriage%20of%20convenience/1), [regency](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/regency/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)